Month: September 2019

The 26-year-old looks set to depart the French club as Sylvinho hopes they can get the deal finalised as quickly as possibly

Lyon boss Sylvinho confirmed Nabil Fekir is in negotiations for a transfer as rumours of the club captain’s impending move to Real Betis gather momentum.

The France international, who turned 26 on Thursday, is expected to be announced as a Betis player soon, although a barrier to a reported €25 million (£22m/$28m) move could be Giovani Lo Celso’s unresolved future.

Betis are believed to want Fekir as a direct, ready-made replacement for Tottenham target Lo Celso but the Seville-based outfit are also said to be demanding €75m (£67m/$84m) for the Argentina midfielder.

That fee would require the usually frugal Spurs to shatter their club record expenditure for the second time in less than a month, having brought in Tanguy Ndombele from Lyon for an initial fee of €60m (£54m/$68m).

Ndombele’s former Les Gones team-mate Fekir, at least, appears likely to be playing in Spain next season.

“We don’t control the situation,” Sylvinho told a news conference.

“He is negotiating his transfer, we don’t know when it will be resolved but, for him and for the club, it would be best that it happens as quickly as possible.

“Of course we will miss him if he leaves. Nabil is a wonderful player, his technical level is exemplary, and it’s beautiful to watch him play.”

Fekir came close to joining the Liverpool last year after months of being linked with a move to Afield, but the deal fell through, reportedly because of a failed medical, and the France international remained to captain Lyon for another season.

Fekir scored 12 goals in 39 appearances in all competitions last term as his side finished third in Ligue 1.

As well as seeing Ndombele leave for Spurs, Lyon have already waved goodbye to left-back Ferland Mendy, who joined Real Madrid for €48m (£43m/$54m).

And the club’s sporting director, Juninho Pernambucano, said last week that he believes Fekir will be the last one to leave this summer.

“For now, the only possible departure is Fekir,” Juninho said.

“I have spoken with him. It was about personal things, to know his life. I translated for the coach. [Sylvinho] likes him personally.”

Betis, meanwhile, have signed Spain Under-20 goalkeeper Dani Martin from Sporting Gijon on a five-year deal.

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The Gunners are hopeful they have seen off Tottenham’s interest to land the Saint-Etienne defender

Arsenal are hopeful they have seen off Tottenham in the race for William Saliba.

The 18-year-old centre-back has been a priority target for the Gunners this summer and they thought they had landed the teenager when a £27 million ($34m) deal was agreed with Saint-Etienne last week.

But just as the transfer was in the process of being finalised, Tottenham made a late move for the defender which threw his potential move to the Emirates into doubt.

Spurs’ bid was for the same amount, but it included a payment structure and add-ons that were more appealing to the Ligue 1 outfit.

Saint-Etienne then requested that Arsenal matched the offer, which they did – and the Gunners are now on the verge of sealing a deal for the talented Frenchmen.

Saliba had already agreed a five-year contract at the Emirates and will spend the first year of that back on loan with Saint-Etienne for the 2019/20 campaign.

Arsenal will not have to pay much of the transfer fee in the initial down payment, so the deal will not have much of an impact on Unai Emery’s transfer budget this summer.

Saliba’s arrival will be warmly welcomed at the Emirates, with the club’s scouting network having identified the centre-back as a priority target having watched him extensively during the second half of last season.

And the potential deal comes as Arsenal are also close to landing Dani Ceballos from Real Madrid.

The Gunners are in advanced talks with the Spanish giants over a loan move for the 22-year-old attacking midfielder.

Madrid have yet to fully agree to the move, but it is believed manager Zinedine Zidane will not prevent the Spain international from leaving the Santiago Bernabeu.

Should Zidane give the green light for Ceballos to complete the transfer, it should be finalised relatively quickly, with Arsenal keen to wrap up a deal.

The potential move coincides with comments from Arsenal director Josh Kroenke – the son of owner Stan Kroenke – telling fans to be excited about what could come before the close of the transfer window next month.

“I would say ‘be excited’,” Kroenke told Arsenal.com. “There are a few things that I know our group are working on, and a few things we hopefully have on the doorstep. 

“Nothing is ever a done deal until it’s a done deal, obviously, but we know we have key areas we want to address in our squad, both now and in the future. 

“Our entire football operations staff have a great grasp on that and I’ve encouraged them to be as expressive as possible.”

Meanwhile, Unai Emery has stated that he is hoping to see three of four new faces arrive before the transfer window closes on August 8.

The Spaniard, who saw his side kick-off their pre-season tour to the United States with a 3-0 win against Colorado Rapids, said: “We need players with big performances.

“Our target is to get three or four players who really improve our squad now. We are being very, very demanding and first speaking about the possibility to sign very expensive players. 

“The first player in our list is our first target, if we cannot achieve that [we’ll go for] the second. We  think they’re going to improve our squad.”

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The Red Devils boss continues to stress the importance of his French star

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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer clearly isn’t ready to see Paul Pogba depart Manchester United, declaring he wants to build his team around the midfielder.

While transfer speculation continues to swirl around Pogba, who declared prior to pre-season he was ready for a new challenge, the Red Devils coach has reiterated just how much he rates the 26-year-old.

Solskjaer said on Tuesday he believes he can give the Frenchman the necessary challenge at Old Trafford before suggesting he’d like to build his side around the 2018 World Cup winner.

“Paul is a fantastic player and a fantastic human being. He has always been a great professional,” Solskjaer told BBC Sport .

“When I was at Molde, I said, ‘if he’s in your squad, you’d build a team around him’. I would say the same now.

“Manchester United fans know their football. We know Paul has been criticised by a few but he’s loved by loads more.”

Pogba has been causing a stir in Perth as part of United’s pre-season tour of Australia and happily embraced fans following an open training session last week . 

After the Red Devils finished last season in sixth and missed out on a place in the Champions League, club legend  Bryan Robson has stressed a top-four Premier League finish is required in the upcoming campaign. 

Solskjaer however is aiming even higher admitting success will be key to keeping players at the club moving forward. 

“You know, it’s the best feeling you can have to be at this club when we’re successful,” he said.

“The ones that might want to leave now haven’t been here when it’s been successful. Hopefully they want to be part of that. I want to be part of it. 

“We have to aim for further up than fourth. I would rather be an optimist and be wrong than a pessimist and be right.

“I am not used to us being fifth or sixth but that is where we are at. That is the size of the challenge. I love that challenge.”

Manchester United will end their pre-season tour of Australia with a friendly against Leeds on Wednesday night before flying to Singapore where they’ll take on Inter Milan. 

Reds fans are unlikely to see a repeat of big-name arrivals like Alisson and Virgil van Dijk this summer as the club cuts back on its spending

Jurgen Klopp has warned Liverpool fans not to expect any blockbuster signings in the current transfer window, contrasting his team’s investments with the spendthrift duo of Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain. 

The Reds have spent heavily in recent windows to build up a squad capable of fighting both at home and in Europe. 

And their approach paid dividends as big-money arrivals like Alisson, Virgil van Dijk and Fabinho proved key in a season that saw Liverpool lift the Champions League title and finish just a point behind City in the Premier League. 

This summer, however, they have cut a more cautious stance in the market. 

To date Zwolle teenager Sepp Van den Berg is the only new arrival, while Fulham youngster Harvey Elliott is also expected to sign imminently. 

But Klopp is happy to go into 2019-20 with a relatively unchanged squad and pointed out that his club do not boast the kind of riches found elsewhere in world football.

“We are pretty relaxed in that, we will see what’s coming up,” he told Liverpool’s official website when quizzed on the club’s transfer plans.

“How I said, it will not be the biggest transfer window of LFC; we invested a lot in the team in the last two years, I would say. We cannot spend every year in the same manner.

“People talk about it like, ‘Now another £300m or £200m’. There are maybe only two clubs in the world – it looks in the moment like Barcelona and [Real] Madrid can do the same – City and PSG that can do it every year.

“But we are fine. I’m happy with the team, we are really happy. We have to see if we find maybe one position, if we find something for it, but there’s no real pressure because it’s not about signing a player. We have solutions for all the situations.

Klopp admitted that some fans would be unhappy with the lack of movement, but asked them to keep the faith – while highlighting the likes of Naby Keita and Xherdan Shaqiri, absent through injury, as proof the squad will get better as the summer goes on.

“Do we have exactly the solution that everybody from outside would be 100 per cent happy? I don’t think so because people want to have world-class here, world-class here and the guy on the bench has to be world-class as well. That’s not so easy. But we are of course working on it,” he added.

“On the outgoing side, we are relaxed. The young boys are here and enjoyed working with us a lot. Not to forget Naby and Shaq are injured still and are not here with us. Players will come back.

“I’m really looking forward to the season, it will be really exciting again.”

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Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah is far from the perfect footballer and must improve his teamwork.

Sadio Mane appeared to shout towards the Liverpool bench, after being taken off in Liverpool’s 3-0 win over Burnley, in reaction to Salah’s earlier decision to shoot rather than pass to the Senegal international.

And Wenger certainly believes Mane had a point and that Salah is “too obsessed” with scoring goals, though the Frenchman did compare the Egyptian star with a certain Lionel Messi.

“He [Salah] has similarities with Messi,” Wenger told beIN Sports. “He must find the consistency of Messi.

“I find he’s a good finisher but Messi has the complete thing, he gives the final ball as well.

“Salah is a bit obsessed with finishing himself.

“That’s a dimension he’ll get certainly, when he grows a little bit older, to find the moment when you have to give the ball and when you have to finish.

“But I like him very much, he has huge potential. Mane as well.”

Wenger is currently not in management, but has not ruled out returning to take the helm of a national team.

 

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England manager Gareth Southgate believes his team can help to give the nation a feel-good factor amid an uncertain political backdrop – but insists he is not getting excited about Euro 2020 just yet.

With confusion and unpredictability surrounding Brexit and a potential general election, the United Kingdom still seemingly remains divided.

The Three Lions helped alleviate such concerns for a period on their run to the World Cup semi-finals last summer but the unrest remains.

Now Southgate’s side are back in Euro 2020 qualification action, taking on Bulgaria at Wembley on Saturday before a trip to Southampton’s St Mary’s Stadium three days later for the visit of Kosovo.

With the England cricket team – and in particular the superb Ashes Test-winning innings from Ben Stokes almost a fortnight ago – lifting spirits, Southgate is now aware it is he and his players who many will turn to for light relief.

Asked if football can give the country something to feel good about, he told BBC Radio 5 Live: “Yes, I’m very conscious of that.

“We have helped to provide joy at a time when there isn’t a lot about for people. The cricket team have done that in a couple of significant moments already this year and I have loved watching that.

“The World Cup final was brilliant and the Ben Stokes innings was a real last stand of British resilience and, living in Yorkshire, the atmosphere at Headingley probably added to that as well.

“We all love those moments, sport should do that – sport should take you away from the day-to-day and allow us to dream and allow us to be excited about things that, in the overall scheme of things, aren’t important. There are far more important things, but we can bring joy to people and it is a privilege to be in a position to be able to do it.”

While Southgate believes the qualifiers are attractive fixtures for the home fans – and there is no doubt reaching Euro 2020, with the semi-finals and final to be held at Wembley, would truly be something for the country to get behind – he will not allow himself to get carried away just yet.

“It’s hugely exciting for everybody,” he added.

“I feel as if we’ve started to build that excitement whenever we play now, which is fantastic. I know the level that that can go to, but I can’t afford to be carried away with that, that’s brilliant for everybody else to experience.

“Somebody’s got to be in control of what we’re doing and making sure we’re on the right path and not too far ahead of ourselves, because we’ve got a lot of improvement to do to make that a really strong possibility.

“Beer sales go up and everybody enjoys looking forward to it. We want that to last as long as it possibly can, but I can’t live in that world of external…It’s my job to get everybody there.”

 

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The former Red Devils boss believes the club have prioritised marketing ability over skill when it comes to picking new signings

Former Manchester United manager David Moyes believes the club have fallen out of competition for silverware because of their ambiguous transfer strategy.

The Red Devils have won just three trophies – the Europa League, FA Cup and League Cup – since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013.

Despite their big spending, United have finished outside the Premier League’s top two in five of the last six years.

And Moyes believes that the club’s uncertain approach in the transfer market has hindered their progress, as they have purchased players based on their marketing potential instead of playing ability.

“For a while it would be difficult to know what direction United have gone in,” Moyes, who spent 10 months in charge at Old Trafford after Ferguson stepped down before being Louis van Gaal took charge, told The Mirror.

“Whether they have been signing players for marketing, which they are fantastic at, or whether it has been signing players for on the pitch, I am not quite sure.

“What Manchester United had was great values and class. Manchester United’s values weren’t always to buy the most expensive players but to do it their way which was bringing in the boys from the academy and picking up the best young players.

“Now and again there would be a sprinkling of stardust, like an Eric Cantona, or someone who they signed to make the difference, like Robin van Persie.

“I never thought they were a club who thought it was all about spending the money, but if they needed to, they could.”

United have spent £50 million ($63m) to land Aaron Wan-Bissaka from Crystal Palace and a further £15m ($19m) to sign Daniel James from Swansea, both 21, while they are reportedly close to signing Bruno Fernandes from Sporting for £62m ($77m).

Meanwhile, Paul Pogba continues to be linked with a move away this summer, with Real Madrid the favourites to sign him.

United begin the 2019-20 Premier Leauge campaign with a home match against Chelsea on August 11.

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The Premier League side were hoping to sign the midfielder on loan but Real Madrid could decide to hold on to him after Marco Asensio’s injury

A serious injury to Real Madrid midfielder Marco Asensio “could be bad news” for Arsenal’s hopes of signing Dani Ceballos, according to Gunners boss Unai Emery.

Asensio lasted just 20 minutes of Madrid’s International Champions Cup clash with Arsenal, scoring Madrid’s second goal in a 2-2 draw and 3-2 penalty shoot-out victory before he was taken off with an apparent knee injury and taken to hospital.

Zinedine Zidane admitted the injury looked “worrying”, and Emery conceded his side might struggle to complete a season-long loan for Ceballos if Los Blancos are short of midfielders.

Talks between the Gunners and the Spanish giants progressed in the build up to the clash in Washington and a deal was expected to be wrapped up this week .

Asked whether the injury would affect the prospective deal, Emery told reporters: “I don’t know.

“Our target also was not to take injuries in that match, and they maybe have with Asensio.

“It [could be] bad news, for them and also for us. I don’t know if it can change something.”

Emery was asked about the future of club captain Laurent Koscielny, who refused to travel to the United States for Arsenal’s pre-season tour and has been linked to Lyon, Bordeaux and Borussia Dortmund.

Koscielny has one year left on his Arsenal contract and the coach indicated he feels he has done all he can to keep the 33-year-old at Emirates Stadium.

“I’ve spoken about him, with respect to him,” said Emery. “I tried to be with us in the position here and continue working and finding one solution between the club, between him and us.

“When he decided not to come here with us on tour, the solution is now only for the club and him.

“He decided to be out. I respect him but I have a responsibility, he has a responsibility, and the club have their responsibility. Now it’s one issue only for the club and him.

“My idea is to continue with the players we are working with, and the players that want to be here.”

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The Red Devils boss insists there is no sense of frustration on his part after seeing relatively little movement at Old Trafford so far this summer

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is still looking for the “right ones” to bring in at Manchester United and insists the summer transfer window has not left him frustrated despite a lack of movement.

The Red Devils were expected to be busy before the next deadline passes after stumbling their way to a sixth-place finish in the Premier League last season.

Big money was expected to be thrown at addressing long-standing issues at Old Trafford, but only two deals have been done so far, for Daniel James and Aaron Wan-Bissaka.

There has been talk of further arrivals, with Leicester defender Harry Maguire and Sporting midfielder Bruno Fernandes considered to be top targets, but no agreements have been reached.

Solskjaer insists that is not an issue, with the United boss eager to point out that he will not spend for the sake of it and will instead continue to pursue those he believes can make a difference.

He told the club’s official website: “I’m very happy with the two that you mentioned [James and Wan-Bissaka] and we’ve got to be patient.

“It’s a long haul and it’s very important we get the right ones in. When you hit a hurdle, we just can’t jump on a different path. So, no, I haven’t had a frustrating feeling at all.

“I believe in these players and I’m sure that we could do well [this season]. But it’s about both short-term and long-term, so of course when we’re working on something, that means we’ve identified something that could improve us.

“If it’s to be or not to be let’s see, but these [current] players, as you’ve said, have played well. We’ve performed well, we’ve had some good results and the whole pre-season so far has been encouraging.”

Solskjaer is looking to deliver a “new start” at United, with a summer spent in Australia and the Far East intended to have the Red Devils ready to kick on into the 2019-20 campaign.

“I think it’s important that we, as I’ve said before, start well, because you give yourself a chance then if you have a good start. But then again, it feels like a little bit of a new start,” added Solskjaer.

“We want to find a style that we want to play, on the front foot, so it has to start some time and it’s easier in pre-season than in the middle of a season.

“Of course, we spoke about this over the last six months as well and now we’re laying the foundations both mentally and physically. The tour has been very good as a team-building one as well.”

United are back in International Champions Cup action on Thursday against domestic rivals Tottenham.

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The Ivory Coast international was visibly upset as he was carried from the field only a few minutes after coming on as a substitute

Manchester United’s pre-season preparations took a hit on Thursday as centre-back Eric Bailly was stretchered from the field during a friendly against Tottenham.

The 25-year-old, who has struggled with knee and ankle issues in the past, hurt himself in the process of stopping Heung-min Son from getting a shot away, only minutes after coming on as a half-time substitute.

He was replaced by 21-year-old Axel Tuanzebe, who has been eager for first-team opportunities ahead of the new Premier League season.

Injuries have dogged Bailly’s United career since he joined the club from Villarreal in the summer of 2016, and he has struggled for consistency when he has played as a result.

He has made just 25 league appearances in the last two seasons, and his frequent unavailability is potentially a factor in United’s well-publicised hunt for a new central defender.

The Harry Maguire saga shows little sign of relenting, while Tottenham defender Toby Alderweireld is available for just £25 million ($31.3m) – until Friday. The release clause in his contract expires at midnight on July 25, with Spurs likely to up their asking price if no clubs trigger the clause before then.

Bailly has already expressed his concern that a new signing would push him further down the pecking order at Old Trafford and this latest setback will come as a considerable blow.

For Tuanzebe, though, it could be exactly the opportunity he has been waiting for.

After spending last season out on a productive loan spell with promoted Aston Villa, the youngster is desperate for a chance to prove himself and has impressed manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in his pre-season outings so far.

With another busy season ahead and squad rotation to be expected, Tuanzebe may be targeting the Europa League as his gateway to the first team.

Speculation is still surrounding the futures of Paul Pogba and Romelu Lukaku, and Solskjaer would surely appreciate a youngster like Tuanzebe making his job easier by solving one of his squad’s obvious weak points.

Following the Spurs friendly, United will face further pre-season tests against Norwegian side Kristiansund and AC Milan before starting their Premier League campaign at home to Chelsea on August 11.

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