Month: April 2021

Liverpool’s partnership with Nike and LeBron James will be ‘key’ in their pursuit of Kylian Mbappe, according to reports.

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The Reds have long held an interest in the French superstar, who sent Paris Saint-Germain through in the Champions League earlier this week.

Alongside Erling Haaland, he is one of the most sought after players in the world right now.

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Mbappe has reportedly told PSG that he won’t be signing a new contract, sparking rumours of a Liverpool move.

According to Sport Witness, Liverpool’s Nike sponsorship deal and relationship with James will be ‘key’.

Basketball star James initially bought a 2 percent stake in Liverpool for $7.1million (£5.2million) in 2011.

Last month, he became part of the club’s owners with a major investment into Fenway Sports Group.

James, like Mbappe and Liverpool, is sponsored by sportswear giant Nike.

James and Mbappe are thought to have a good relationship and recently swapped Instagram photos as part of an advertising stunt.

That relationship could prove to be key in the transfer of Mbappe to Liverpool.

On Wednesday, Liverpool play their biggest rivals for Mbappe in Real Madrid.

The Reds trail in the Champions League quarter-final clash following a 3-1 defeat in Spain.

Manager Jurgen Klopp will be hoping for another brilliant European comeback to launch them into the semis.

If Liverpool fail to go through then it will signal another disappointment in their tough season.

They’ve been blown away by Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City when trying to defender their Premier League crown.

They were also knocked out in the FA Cup fourth round by rivals Manchester United.

If Liverpool want to regain their Prem and Champions League crowns, then signing Mbappe could be vital.

The forward is ruthless in front of goal and would suit Liverpool’s attacking style.

In Ligue 1 this season he’s achieved 28 goal contributions in just 27 matches.

Add to that his record in Europe, eight goals in nine games, and it’s obvious why he’s seen as the next big star.

Liverpool will need to produce a massive bid to lure Mbappe away from France.

But their partnership with Nike and basketball legend James could see them over the line.

 

West Ham midfielder and Manchester United target Declan Rice is ‘interested in a transfer’, according to reports.

The England star, capped 15 times by his country, is one of the hottest properties in the Premier League.

His brilliant displays for West Ham in recent seasons have led to plenty of interest from the ‘big six’.

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Liverpool and Chelsea are thought to be in the race, but it’s the Red Devils who seem to be the most keen.

They’re prepared to offer in-form loanee Jesse Lingard as part of a player-plus-cash deal for Rice.

Manchester United might’ve received a boost in their pursuit of the 22-year-old, too.

According to Manchester Evening News, Rice is ‘interested’ in a move to Old Trafford in the summer transfer window.

He played with current stars Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw during the international break and asked them about the club.

Other Manchester United players, including Marcus Rashford and Jesse Lingard, are known to be popular in the England team.

Lingard in particular has formed a good relationship with Rice at the London Stadium.

If a player-plus-cash deal for Rice fails and Lingard moves back to United, then it seems Rice may follow him.

United already have a history of buying England internationals after major tournaments.

Rio Ferdinand, Michael Carrick and Wayne Rooney all joined after playing for England between 2002 and 2006.

Rice could become the latest England star to join that list.

The midfielder, who can also operate as a defender, has been in fantastic form this campaign.

He’s played 32 times in all competitions and is one of David Moyes’ first names on the team sheet.

His glowing partnership with Tomas Soucek in midfield is one of the key components of West Ham’s success, allowing them to compete for a top-four spot.

Rice’s leadership is another trait which is getting top Premier League clubs excited.

He’s learning from veteran West Ham player Mark Noble and is already a big voice in the team.

Rice most recently captained the Hammers in their 3-3 draw with Arsenal.

Jarrod Bowen and Lingard scored as they held Mikel Arteta’s men at home.

 

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Bernd Leno cannot imagine Arsenal not being in Europe next season and has urged his team-mates to go for the kill in Slavia Prague to keep alive their hopes of winning silverware this season.

The Gunners travel to Czech Republic for Thursday’s Europa League quarter-final second leg with work to do after drawing 1-1 at the Emirates last week.

A 3-0 win at Sheffield United on Sunday has kept alive the FA Cup holders slim hopes of qualifying for Europe via the Premier League, but they trail sixth-placed Liverpool by seven points and West Ham in fourth by 10 points.

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Like in the 2019-20 campaign, Mikel Arteta’s side look to be relying on a cup competition, with their best route into the Champions League being to win the Europa League.

On the prospect of no European football for the first time since the 1995-96 season, Leno said: “When you think about the future without Arsenal in a European competition, it doesn’t feel right. Our job is to make sure it doesn’t come true because Arsenal belongs to Europe and that is our target.

“Slavia Prague have beaten good teams in the competition, I think we dominated them in our home game but you could also see they are very dangerous on counter-attacks, set-pieces so we know what we can expect.

“It will be a very tough game, especially away but we also know it is a dangerous result for us and also for them.

“Once we score one goal, they are under big pressure and that should be our target – to score the first goal and with a second goal, we can almost finish the game because they then need to score three goals.”

 

Leicester and Rangers have been knocked out by Slavia Prague this term and Tomas Holes’ stoppage-time equaliser in London last Thursday gave the Czech outfit a crucial away goal in the tie.

Arsenal boss Arteta saw his team exit the competition in the round of 32 last season and this match already looks to be a defining fixture in his tenure.

Asked if the squad had let their manager down, goalkeeper Leno said: “No, I don’t think so because we are all together.

“It is not about the manager or not about the team, we are all in this together. Mikel, he does a great job and the team is fighting for him and for ourselves, the club and the fans.

“We also want the best for ourselves. You can see all the time that the team is fighting. Of course our performances or the results in the last couple of weeks were not the best, but you cannot change. We have to move forward.

“There are still a lot of big games to go. It starts (on Thursday) and hopefully the semi-final and final as well and we can finish the season hopefully with a trophy.”

A defeat in Prague would raise questions about Arteta’s future less than 18 months into his reign and Leno was quizzed about his own on Wednesday.

The German, who will be out of contract in summer 2023, added: “I know I still have two-year contract left and I am also 29. For a goalkeeper this is not too old, I still have some years to go.

“I am very happy in the club. I don’t know what will come in the future, but I am open for everything. For a new adventure or to stay at Arsenal, but like I said at the moment I don’t think about my future.”

Bukayo Saka is in contention to face Slavia Prague after recovering from a thigh injury.

The England international has been one of the club’s star performers this season despite being only 19.

“His performances were incredible,” Leno said. “He is a top player and has a top mentality. It is very unusual for a young player like him, because he feels like older than he really is. He is almost leading the team and this is a very good sign.

“I am pretty sure he will become a world-class player and we are very happy to have him because I think this season I don’t know if he is the best player in our team but probably one of the best.”

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Jose Mourinho’s little spat with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer over the weekend has reportedly ended any hopes Harry Kane had of moving to Man Utd this summer.

Speculation has intensified over what might lie in store for Kane over the last few weeks after Spurs’ season threatened to implode following their embarrassing Europa League exit and their 3-1 loss to the Red Devils over the weekend.

The England captain, who still has another three years left on his current contract, has been honest in the past about being content to say at the north London club providing he sees suitable progression.

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However, it looks unlikely that he will get the progress he is looking for and numerous reports have claimed that he wants out.

A report from The Independent in today’s Gossip column reckons Kane’s ‘first preference is to stay in England and go to one of the Manchester clubs’.

Both Man City and United have been linked in recent months but Tottenham are reportedly demanding at least £150m to sell.

And The Sun reckons Kane’s ‘transfer dreams’ are over ‘after Solskjaer’s bitter row’ with Mourinho following the Red Devils’ win over Spurs on Sunday.

Solskjaer was unhappy when Son Heung-min went down holding his face after being fended off by Scott McTominay in the build-up to an Edinson Cavani goal which referee Chris Kavanagh controversially ruled out after a VAR intervention.

The Norwegian said: “We shouldn’t be conned. If my son stayed down for three minutes and needed 10 mates to help him up, he wouldn’t get any food.”

 

In response, Mourinho hit back: “First of all, let me tell you something. I’m very, very surprised that after the comments that Ole made on Sonny, you don’t ask me about it.

“Because – and I told Ole already this because I met him just a few minutes ago – if it’s me, telling that player A, B or C from another club, if it was my son I wouldn’t give him dinner tonight, what would be the reaction of that?

“It’s very, very sad. I think it’s really sad that you don’t ask me about that. It’s sad you don’t have the moral honesty to treat me the same way as you treat others.

“In relation to that, I just want to say that Sonny is very lucky that his father is a better person than Ole. I am a father. I think as a father you have always to feed your kids. Doesn’t matter what they do. If you have to steal to feed your kids, you steal.

“I’m very, very disappointed. As we say in Portugal, bread is bread and cheese is cheese. I told Ole already what I think about his comments and I’m very disappointed that in five, six, seven questions you ignore the dimensions of that comment.”

The Sun reckons that spat ‘killed off any lingering chances’ Man Utd had of landing Kane this summer with any hopes ‘now ended’ by the fall-out.

The row is understood to have ‘increased the tensions between the two clubs’ and the report adds that Man Utd ‘never liked dealing with tough negotiator Levy’ anyway.

The Sun added:

‘United have ruled out Tottenham selling Kane to them after Sunday’s shenanigans.The Red Devils hierarchy are angered by Mourinho’s reaction and feel their former manager did it to take the spotlight of another poor Spurs display.

‘And while they still rate Kane as a striker, they would not be happy to pay Tottenham, of all clubs, top dollar for his services. This means if Kane is to leave this summer he is likely going to have to move abroad.’

 

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Dortmund winger Jadon Sancho will miss the Champions League quarter-final clash against former club Man City.

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The England international was ruled out of the first leg, which City won 2-1, due to a thigh problem.

The German side were hoping he would return for the second leg on Wednesday but it will come too soon in his recovery.

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Speaking at a pre-match press conference, interim coach Edin Terzic said: “Jadon won’t be at our disposal. He trained again, he is doing his best, we would like to have him available but he won’t be. We have to take our time with him.”

Sancho isn’t the only Dortmund star who could be on the sidelines for the second leg.

Terzic said Marco Reus and Mats Hummels were also doubts: “There are a few slightly injured. We will have to wait. Marco Reus and Mats Hummels needed to be substituted and leave the pitch on Saturday.

“We have another training session and we will see who will be at our disposal.”

Reus equalised for Dortmund in the first game by cancelling out Kevin De Bruyne’s goal.

But Pep Guardiola’s men had the last laugh as Phil Foden scored a last-gasp winner.

Sancho will be a big miss for Dortmund once again in the second leg.

This season, he’s scored 12 goals and registered 16 assists in all competitions. That’s despite many seeing it as a sub-par campaign for the 21-year-old.

Their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League semi-final will weigh heavily on Erling Haaland.

The Norwegian starlet failed to score at the Etihad. It was the first time this term that he’s failed to score in the competition.

Haaland became the quickest player to reach 20 Champions League goals in March.

A solid performance against City in Germany, with a couple of goals added in, could end Guardiola’s hopes of a famed quadruple.

Haaland and co will be aiming to pounce on a rare defeat for City last time out.

They were beaten 2-1 by Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds on Saturday, despite the Whites going down to ten men.

Stuart Dallas scored either side of half time to secure a big win for the Yorkshire side in Manchester.

 

Graham Potter praised Yves Bissouma’s performance as Brighton battled to secure a 0-0 draw against a lacklustre Everton at the Amex Stadium on Monday night.

The Seagulls enjoyed the majority of possession and chances, with Bissouma earning the man-of-the-match award, while Everton had just one shot on target during the game.

Potter said: “I thought he was really good, grew into the game second half, I thought he really drove the game, I thought him and Adam (Lallana) were really positive together, really pleased for him, good performance.”

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The 24-year-old Mali midfielder signed for Brighton on a five-year deal in the summer of 2018, and has featured 32 times for the Seagulls this season, with Potter saying his contribution was down to several factors.

Potter added: “I think it’s lots of things. I think he’s tried very hard to understand what we’re trying to do as a team. I think he’s been playing in the role often so he understands what he has to do.

“I think Adam Lallana plays an important role alongside him as well as Pascal (Gross) and Lewis Dunk behind him, so they help him.

“He’s just, I think taken his game forward. Everyone knew the quality that he had in terms of his very highest actions are just so high it’s just about getting that consistency and maybe the lowest of his actions higher up if that makes sense.”

Carlo Ancelotti will be hoping for an injury boost after Everton’s disappointing performance on the south coast, which saw them drop points in the race for a European place.

The Italian said he is hoping to have Jordan Pickford, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Allan, Andre Gomes and Joshua King available when his side host Tottenham on Friday, but Yerry Mina was forced off in the 58th minute against Brighton with an abductor problem and is expected to be ruled out for a few weeks.

Ancelotti talked up Brighton after the game.

He said: “I think that it is a team that likes to play football, they play I think quite efficient, they have a good position on the pitch, player strategy, and they try to play between lines, to do short passes. I think that you can see the hand of the manager when Brighton plays.”

 

Man Utd have started talks in Australia over the acquisition of A-League side Central Coast Mariners, according to reports.

The Red Devils already have links with FC Twente in Holland and Fluminense in Brazil.

The owners are now looking at growing their global brand by starting a ‘sister club’ in Oceania.

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According to The Sydney Morning Herald, Man Utd have held lengthy discussions with Central Coast Mariners over a deal.

The Premier League giants are hoping to rescue the cash-strapped A-League side and relocate them to Sydney.

That would see the Mariners leave their current home of Gosford for the country’s most populated city.

They would also be rebranded, but it’s not yet clear whether this would be similar to the Man Utd name.

Mariners officials are said to be excited about the prospect of being owned by Man Utd.

It’s hoped that the investment would bring more money and interest to the A-League from around the world.

Man Utd already have links with the Australian team, too. Mike Phelan juggles his time as United’s assistant coach and the Mariners’ sporting director.

The report states that United are aiming to follow in the footsteps of rivals Man City by buying clubs abroad.

City acquired Melbourne Heart in 2014 and quickly renamed it Melbourne City, incorporating the team into their City Football Group global network.

Melbourne’s top flight side was bought for less than $14million, which is little when compared with the Premier League’s wealth.

A deal between Man Utd and Central Coast Mariners is therefore expected as the Red Devils can easily afford the purchase.

Despite their lack of funds, Central Coast Mariners are currently top of the A-League after 16 games. They’re ahead of title rivals Melbourne City and Sydney FC.

They’ve won the league twice since they were founded, once in 2007/08 and again 2011/12.

Meanwhile, Man Utd sit second in the Premier League after 31 matches. They’re seven points ahead of third-placed Leicester but 11 points behind league leaders City.

United’s next game is against Granada in the Europa League quarter-finals. They’re in a good position to reach the semi-finals after winning the opening leg 2-0.

 

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has requested patience on behalf of young winger Gabriel Martinelli.

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The 19-year-old has had a frustrating season so far after making just eight Premier League appearances.

He began the campaign with a serious knee injury which ruled him out until December.

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Martinelli has recently returned to the Arsenal first team. He scored on Sunday as the Gunners eased to a 3-0 victory against Sheffield United away from home.

Despite this, Arteta has called for patience surrounding the talented youngster.

Speaking to the PA news agency, he said: “I’m asking you to be patient because we have a lot of players at 19 and 20 years old.

“When you compare that with a lot of Premier League clubs at the top end it’s not common. Gabriel is having the right path, the right development, he’s got an incredible attitude and talent and has got all the future in front of him.

“What we have to do is to manage that, try to give him the right amount of minutes, the right games for him to develop to continue to get better.

“I respect that people want to see more of him, and Gabi did really well, but we have to be patient. He is getting the right development.”

Before his injury, Martinelli was shaping up to be a future star at the Emirates.

Last season, he scored an impressive ten goals in 26 appearances.

Arsenal fans began calling for Martinelli’s inclusion against Sheffield United in the aftermath of their disappointing 1-1 draw with Slavia Prague.

They took the lead through Nicolas Pepe but conceded a stoppage-time away goal. The result leaves them needing an away goal of their own if they are to progress in the Europa League.

When asked if the calls impacted his decision to play Martinelli, Arteta said: “I’m not aware because I don’t want to read that. I don’t want anything affecting me.

“What is affecting me is how I see him every day, how he is, all the staff and what our opinion is on how we want him to develop.

“I’m sure that there is always debate, when I play somebody, somebody else should play, but that’s going to happen most of the time when you don’t win.”

Arsenal play Slavia Prague in the return leg on Thursday at 20:00.

 

Gary Neville thinks Mason Greenwood and Marcus Rashford will benefit if Edinson Cavani decides to stay at Man Utd for another season.

The Uruguayan has been heavily linked with a move back to South America with Argentinian giants Boca Juniors – but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer recently revealed that Cavani is “still unsure what he wants to do next season”.

Cavani produced a wonderful goalscoring performance as Man Utd beat Tottenham 3-1 on Sunday, leaving Solskjaer begging for more.

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And Neville admits that he feared Cavani would become the latest”showcase signing” to flop at Old Trafford, like Alexis Sanchez and Falcao, but now finds himself hoping the 34-year-old stays for another season.

Neville told Sky Sports: “Tottenham had a throw with two minutes to go, and Cavani was moving between the centre-backs trying to stop the ball from being thrown in, and he’s organising where [Mason] Greenwood should be. I thought: ‘Greenwood needs another year of Cavani being alongside him.’

“It inspired us as young players when you saw great players like Bryan Robson and Steve Bruce and Eric Cantona and Mark Hughes. And you see the best players in the world, or those who have been the best in the world like Cavani, doing his work like that in the 94th minute, someone like Mason Greenwood, who needs people who are mentors, good standards above him, who can coach him on the pitch, I just thought him and Marcus Rashford need another year of Cavani.

“He’s been a really brilliant example. I was a little bit nervous of him coming in, because of Falcao, Alexis Sanchez, showcase signings. This one has been different. He’s really applied himself brilliantly and has been a big help to Manchester United.

“He does the right things. The right movements. It’s clockwork, that run across the defender, across the near post, the one you’re always trying to get young strikers to do.”

 

The Red Devils were poor for the first half an hour or so against Tottenham but second-half goals from Fred, Cavani and Greenwood sealed an impressive comeback victory.

Neville added: “First half nothing happened, and then all of a sudden the game came alive. The United performance in the second half was outstanding. Spurs were just not able to cope, irrespective of whether you wanted something more from them – I did, and I thought it was a really disappointing show given what was at stake for them – but United were absolutely outstanding.

“They came out second half and were just a different team, with urgency. Something sparks them and then all of a sudden they come alive.

“They can’t keep doing that, because when fans are in the stadium, if teams like Spurs get in front of them, with the fans behind them, they won’t be allowed to be as insipid as they were in the second half, Spurs.

“I think they’ve got to sort it out, Manchester United. But if you’re looking for character in a football side: winning away from home, winning from behind, winning when you’re not playing well, being good on set-pieces, those things that define resilience and good character, they’re the things you look at, and this United team have it in abundance at the moment.

“Second half they were breathtaking at times, and some of the football was brilliant.”

Jamie Redknapp thinks Spurs chairman Daniel Levy will hate that the likes of Dele Alli and Harry Winks are now “devaluing assets” under Jose Mourinho.

The Portuguese boss has come under criticism this season from fans and pundits for his cautious style of football, which sees Tottenham sitting in seventh place in the Premier League.

A 3-1 loss to Manchester United on Sunday means Spurs are now six points behind fourth-placed West Ham, who occupy the all-important final Champions League spot.

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Alli has only made two starts in the Premier League for Spurs this season, while team-mate Winks has only faired a little better with seven appearances in the starting XI.

And Redknapp thinks Mourinho needs to start taking some “responsibility” for their poor performances and reckons Levy will be frustrated by a number of “devaluing assets” in the Spurs squad.

“What Jose has also done in this period is he’s made them a really tough watch,” Redknapp said on Sky Sports.

“You can say what you like about Spurs but they always been a good football team, they’ve always had a style. If Spurs fans were here right now watching that, they wouldn’t enjoy it one bit.

“Too often I watch this side and there’s no flair or excitement. I don’t think this is a bad squad of players, I’ve said it before and I stand by it.

“Jose is looking at it and trying to blame everybody else, he has to take responsibility.

“When you’re a good manager, you organise your team to get that result whatever it takes. A great manager would find a way to get them organised.”

Redknapp added: “For them to be in a position they are right now, it’s not just the financial implications for the club with the stadium, and the assets like Dele Alli and Harry Winks.

“Having spent a bit of time at Spurs I know Daniel Levy will not like the fact that a lot of the players he’s got are devaluing assets, he hates that.

“He wants to keep players’ assets so when it comes to selling they’re worth more than what you bought them for. When you just cast them aside like he does I don’t think it helps one bit.”

 

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