Manchester United
Leeds star must reject Reds’ advances – stay put and wait for better move
The close season often produces some eye-catching transfer stories and yesterday was no different in that respect. Liverpool were linked with a move for Raphinha, with Italian journalist Gianluigi Longari claiming that they are leading the race to sign the Leeds United star. Manchester United and Manchester City were also credited with an interest in a player that Leeds are eager to keep hold of. SL View Raphinha was a standout performer for Leeds last term, and it is no surprise that other clubs are keen to sign him. However, a move to Anfield would make little sense unless the Brazilian fancies spending most of next season sat on his backside. Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane are undisputed first choices on the flanks for the Reds, and that is unlikely to change any time soon. As things stan...
PFA Team of the Year: Man City dominate, Man Utd, Spurs and Liverpool also represented
The PFA Premier League Team of the Year has been revealed. The team is comprised of one goalkeeper, four defenders, three midfielders and three forwards. It is voted by fellow professionals based on who has performed best in the Premier League over the last season. The XI is heavily dominated by runaway champions Manchester City, who boast six of the 11. Of the remaining five, two play for rivals Manchester United, two for Tottenham Hotspur and one for Liverpool. The most notable omission from the team is Man City’s Phil Foden, who misses out despite being one of the six nominated for the PFA Player of the Year award. Full team Ederson and Dias have been excellent at the back Ederson (GK) – The Brazilian has been excellent since arriving in the Premier League, and this year was no exc...
Real Madrid talks with Sergio Ramos stay deadlocked
Sergio Ramos remains locked in talks with Real Madrid over his future at the club, according to Cuatro. The 35-year-old’s contract is set to expire at the end of the month and it appears increasingly likely that he will leave this summer. However, Los Blancos have not confirmed that Ramos is heading elsewhere, raising the possibility that he could remain with the club. Ramos is believed to have had a fallout with Madrid President Florentino Perez, and Spanish publication AS reported that he will definitely leave. Ramos made just 15 La Liga appearances last season, with injuries limiting his game time. He subsequently missed out on a place in the 26-man Spain squad that will contest the European Championships this summer. He may now be in the final years of his career but Ramos will be...
Liverpool leading the race to sign 24-yr-old ace this summer, two other PL rivals keen
Liverpool have been linked with a move for Leeds United winger Raphinha this summer. According to Italian journalist Gianluigi Longari, the Merseyside outfit are now leading the race for the Brazilian winger. Manchester United and Manchester City are also keeping tabs on the 24-year-old. Leeds are not keen on selling Raphinha, but the Reds will hope to convince them to change their stance with a lucrative offer. Confirmed. Liverpool lead the race for #Raphinha but also Manchester United and Manchester City are following the winger. Not a simple deal cause Leeds want to keep him. #LFC #LUFC #MUFC #MCFC @tvdellosport https://t.co/Pj7ziC5apy — Gianluigi Longari (@Glongari) June 3, 2021 SL View: Would be a Jota-esque signing for the Reds There is no doubt that Jurgen Klopp needs more depth in ...
West Ham very interested in 23-yr-old ace, but face competition from PL giants
Fiorentina defender Nikola Milenkovic has repeatedly been linked with a move away from the Italian club this summer. According to La Nazione (via Fiorentina.it), West Ham United are very interested in signing the Serbian star. Manchester United and Juventus have also been monitoring the 23-year-old over the past few months. SL View: Ideal partner at the back for Maguire or Diop? Milenkovic was a key player for Fiorentina last season and has the potential to develop into a reliable central defender for either of the Premier League clubs. United and West Ham need to improve their defensive options in the summer, and the Serbian seems like an ideal fit. The Red Devils need a quality long term partner for Harry Maguire, while West Ham must find an upgrade on Craig Dawson. Milenkovic has ...
Jordi Cruyff returning to Barcelona in advisor role
Jordi Cruyff, the son of Barcelona legend Johan, is returning to Camp Nou in an advisor role. The 47-year-old followed in the footsteps of his famous father when stepping out of the La Masia academy system in Catalunya. Much of his career was spent away from Barca, while he has also dabbled in coaching since hanging up his boots, but a familiar face now forms part of the restructuring work being put in behind the scenes by Blaugrana president Joan Laporta. Barca have said in a statement on the club’s official website: “FC Barcelona announces that Jordi Cruyff will join the football area of the Club and form part of the new organisational structure as of August 1. “Jordi Cruyff, who was a player in Barca’s youth teams and in the Barca first team from 1993 to 1996, returns in a strategic rol...
Man United want league winner with six assists to provide competition to Aaron Wan-Bissaka – report
Manchester United have revived their interest in Atletico Madrid defender Kieran Trippier ahead of the summer transfer window, Manchester Evening News reports. The England international left Tottenham Hotspur for Atletico in 2019, and he has since been a regular at right-back when available for selection. Trippier recently won the La Liga title with Diego Simeone’s side, but he could be on the move with his contract expiring in 13 months. The 30-year-old is open to returning to the Premier League, and a move to Old Trafford would tempt him, having been a boyhood fan of United. The Red Devils were keen on signing him in January, but they cooled their interest after being banned for eight weeks by FIFA for breaching betting rules. They are prepared to make a renewed bid in the coming weeks, ...
Arsenal to rival Tottenham Hotspur for in-demand Ligue 1 star valued at just £13m
Arsenal, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur have expressed interest in signing Lille defender Zeki Celik, Standard Sport claims. Celik had a superb 2020/21 season with Lille as they won the Ligue 1 title after a decade. He has two years left on his contract, but it is reported that he is open to transfer offers. Lille value the right-back at £13 million. Inter Milan have also been linked amid the uncertainty over Achraf Hakimi’s future. Sportslens view: Among the English trio, United appear the least likely destination for Celik, given Aaron Wan-Bissaka is an undisputed starter under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Both Gunners and Spurs need a regular right-back, and they could go head-to-head to land the Turkey international this summer. The Gunners look certain to part ways with Hector ...
Has Gareth Southgate selected the right England squad?
England’s final 26-man squad for the European Championships was announced yesterday, sparking the usual carnage that we’ve come to expect from social media. The Three Lions haven’t even begun their warm-up games yet, and people have already declared the tournament as a write-off. “What’s the point? We’ll never win without <player who was left out of the squad> #SouthgateOut“, several furious fans Tweeted, with perhaps less clean language. Frankly, Southgate could have named any selection of players, and there still would have been outrage. Even if there were only 26 English professional footballers in the world, fans would have expressed their disgust over the omission of a 79-year-old Geoff Hurst or their mate from five-a-side. Complaining – it’s what the English do best. It’s natur...
Gary Lineker expects Manchester clubs or PSG to win Harry Kane race
Gary Lineker believes that both Manchester clubs and Paris Saint-Germain are the favourites to land Harry Kane in the summer, although he expects Daniel Levy to fight hard to keep Tottenham’s star man. Kane recorded 22 goals and 14 assists in the Premier League last season to secure both the golden boot and the playmaker award, despite Spurs finishing in seventh place in the table. As reported by Goal on May 17, the Spurs forward, who will captain England at the upcoming European Championship in the summer, wants to leave the north Londoners and Lineker can understand his desire for trophies. “I think that it would be worrying [to see him dominate the league if he joins Manchester City],” Lineker told Goal. “I would love to see him at Barcelona but they are going for [Sergio] Aguero and ar...
Euro 2020: Gareth Southgate invites Bukayo Saka, 24 others
Gareth Southgate hit back at the critics after selecting Trent Alexander-Arnold for England’s Euro 2020 squad as the Three Lions boss admitted Harry Maguire is a doubt for the opener against Croatia. Alexander-Arnold had to endure a nervous wait before learning he had made the cut after spending much of the season out of favour with Southgate. The 22-year-old was left out of Southgate’s England squad for their World Cup qualifiers in March. But Alexander-Arnold’s strong end to the season with Liverpool convinced Southgate to restore the right-back to his squad. Alexander-Arnold responded to his selection by tweeting: “Always believe in yourself. Silence the doubters.” Irritated by the inaccurate pre-announcement reports that he would drop Alexander-Arnold, Southgate insisted he never lost ...
Gareth Southgate reveals final England squad for Euro 2020
Gareth Southgate has released his 26-man squad for this summer’s European Championships. The England boss initially named a provisional 33-man squad on May 25, with several players involved in major European finals or carrying injuries. He has now cut seven players from the provisional squad, leaving 26 who will play for the Three Lions at Euro 2020. Much of the debate over the squad has been surrounding Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold, who was excluded from the last squad in March. However, Southgate has recalled the youngster. It was confirmed earlier today that Mason Greenwood had pulled out of the squad due to an underlying injury concern. Now, it has been revealed that the other six omitted from the squad are Aaron Ramsdale, Ben White, Ben Godfrey, Jesse Lingard, James Ward-Prowse ...
