Category: Football

---

Bayern Munich star Sadio Mane has, on Thursday, secured for himself a prestigious individual accolade.

The prize in question? The CAF African Player of the Year.

Senegalese wide-man Mane, of course, had long been unveiled as one of three finalists for the award, alongside former Liverpool teammate Mohamed Salah, and compatriot Edouard Mendy.

This comes with the 30-year-old having enjoyed a stellar 2021/22 campaign, which saw him clinch glory in all of the Africa Cup of Nations, FA Cup and EFL Cup.

Not only that, but Mane too led his country’s charge to qualification for the Qatar World Cup, whilst being pipped to the post in both the Premier League and Champions League.

Then, capping off a hugely productive 12 months was a dream Bayern Munich switch, with Mane having gotten off the mark in the colours of the German giants to the tune of a goal and an assist in a friendly drubbing of DC United just last night.

In turn, it shouldn’t come as a massive surprise, on Thursday, to hear of the explosive attacker’s form being recognised on a global scale.

As alluded to above, a short time ago, Mane secured for himself a highly-coveted individual award, beating out the competition to be named Africa’s standout player for the 2nd time in three years:

See more

AFRICA’S FINEST!

Sadio Mane is the Player of the Year (MEN) for the second time!

! #CAFAwards2022 pic.twitter.com/3fsLRbw5YX

— #CAFAwards2022 (@CAF_Online) July 21, 2022

---

Are Manchester United and Chelsea set to do battle over Bayern Munich defender this summer?

Thursday’s transfer rumours: Rice, Cucurella, Kounde, Saliba, Torres and more

 

---

---

Footage of Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag laying down the law in training has come to the fore on Thursday evening.

Dutch tactician Ten Hag, of course, is currently in the process of putting his new panel of stars through their pre-season paces, with a view to the new campaign kicking into gear.

The Red Devils landed in Australia last week, amid a stretch of fixtures which will see them take on the likes of Premier League rivals Crystal Palace and Aston Villa.

And, if the latest footage stemming from the club’s current training base is anything go by, then it appears as though new boss Ten Hag is keen to make clear the importance of building the right foundation for a successful campaign ahead.

The 52-year-old, of course, opted to call time on his trophy-laden Ajax stint earlier this summer, to test his talents in England with Man United.

Ten Hag, like so many of the best managers in the game, is known to be something of a perfectionist when it comes to the demands placed upon his players, a trait which culminated in an up-and-coming member of the club’s ranks being forced to face the wrath of his new boss earlier today.

The starlet in question? Zidane Iqbal.

Midfielder Iqbal has caught the eye across the Red Devils’ pre-season tour to date, courtesy of an impressive blend of technical ability and nous beyond his years.

On Thursday, though, the 19-year-old was guilty of failing to follow his manager’s instructions during a training session.

In turn, Ten Hag was not at all shy in calling Iqbal out, labelling his efforts ‘f**king rubbish’:

See more

“F*CKING RUBBISH!!” – Erik ten Hag screams at Zidane Iqbal for not doing the right thing in training.

These Man Utd players are in for a real shock 😂pic.twitter.com/pj07Urd8MV

— UtdFaithfuls (@UtdFaithfuls) July 21, 2022

---

‘Never any chance’ – Kalvin Phillips opens up on rejecting Manchester United

Manchester United planning to sell Harry Maguire next summer amid mass exodus

 

---

---

Leeds United have slapped a £35m minimum price tag on Jack Harrison amid interest from Newcastle this summer, as they look to keep hold of their important players following the seismic departures of Raphinha and Kalvin Phillips.

Jesse Marsch’s side have been one of the most active in the transfer window, recruiting six new faces to the squad that clinched Premier League survival on the final day of the season.

The Yorkshire side have also needed to find replacements for the aforementioned departing pair, with Kalvin Phillips having joined Manchester City and Raphinha having completed a move to Barcelona, netting the club a combined fee of almost £100m.

Now, they are keen not to lose any more key players this summer, and have slapped a hefty price tag on Jack Harrison, who scored the goal to seal their survival last campaign.

£35m, minimum

According to the Athletic, despite Newcastle’s interest in the English winger, Leeds have warned them that he will come at a premium, with the Elland Road side not willing to listen to offers below £35m this summer.

‘Newcastle think they have the means and selling points to tempt Harrison but are understood to value him at a top price of £25million (around $30m) — some way below the fee Leeds would place on his head’, they report.

‘At Elland Road, they would ask for upwards of £35million based on Harrison’s progress with them, his 18 goals in the past two seasons (all but two of them in the Premier League) and the fact he is in the mid-20s age category’.

Tottenham are also thought to be long term admirers of Harrison, but such a fee will likely put them off making a move for him this summer too.

---

Read more:

Thursday’s transfer rumours: Rice, Cucurella, Kounde, Saliba , Torres and more

---

---

Barcelona are seemingly losing the race for Sevilla defender Jules Kounde, with Chelsea in the driving seat for the Frenchman’s signature this summer, 12 months on from when the same transfer fell through.

The Blues have tabled a 65m euro offer for the defender, while personal terms are not thought to be a problem and though Kounde is willing to wait for Barcelona, he is not as steadfast in his desire to join the Blaugrana as Raphinha was when he turned down Chelsea to make the Camp Nou switch.

See more

Chelsea’s £55m bid for Jules Koundé was submitted during the afternoon and it’s still discussed with Sevilla on payment terms, structure and more. Talks on also right now. 🚨🔵 #CFC

Chelsea, waiting for final green light as they know Barcelona are still pushing with the player. pic.twitter.com/UB7akeKcZz

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 20, 2022

Five man shortlist drawn up

Now, as per Spanish journalist Gerard Romero, Barcelona have prepared for this eventuality by drawing up a five-man list of alternatives to target this summer if they cannot land Kounde.

These include Inter Milan star Milan Skriniar and RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol, both of whom are two of the most coveted defenders around Europe this summer.

Additionally, the club have also shortlisted Roma talent Roger Ibanez, who excelled in the Europa Conference League final, and Athletic Bilbao’s Inigo Martinez is also a target.

But perhaps most surprisingly is Arsenal defender William Saliba, who has only just returned to the club from a brilliant loan spell at Olympique Marseilles.

With two years left on his current deal, the Gunners would look for a significant profit on their £27m investment in 2019 if they were to sell at all, which could put Barcelona off any deal.

---

Read more:

Revealed: Paulo Dybala’s new low Roma release clause

Chelsea table 65m bid for Jules Kounde amid Barcelona interest

---

---

Swiss international veteran Granit Xhaka has long been a divisive figure among the Arsenal fanbase ever since he arrived in north London from Geran giants Borussia Mönchengladbach in the summer of 2016 during the waning days of Arsène Wenger’s reign.

A star in his own right for Die Föhlen, Xhaka came with a reputation comprised of leadership, creativity, and red cards.

Despite entering his seventh season with the club, the Basel native is still in the midst of repairing his image and connection with many Arsenal fans after the former club captain stormed off the pitch against Crystal Palace while coming to verbal grips with angered Gunners supporters after being taken off by Emery before throwing his kit to the ground in frustration.

Since the arrival of Mikel Arteta, Xhaka was given a new lease on life under the Spanish headmaster and through the end of last season has remained a key facet in the first-team set-up, despite nearly moving to AS Roma last summer.

See more

https://t.co/MS0GJUfmej

— 14 (@iOkmm) July 20, 2022

ESPN’s James Olley sat down with the Swiss midfielder during the club’s US tour, asking Xhaka to elaborate on the move that nearly was.

When the 29-year-old was asked just how close his switch away from the Gunners was and if he thought about the possibility of moving to Italy, Xhaka replied “It was something, yes. Very close. It didn’t happen because Mikel was the guy with Edu, they didn’t let me go because they wanted to keep me here. Of course, my first reaction was to stay at the football club, but they opened the door: ‘If something comes, I can leave.”

Speculation will no doubt continue to swirl this summer after Arsenal has already brought in Portuguese midfielder Fabio Vieira, while the club remains heavily linked with both Leicester City’s Youri Tielemans and Olympique Lyonnais’ Lucas Paqueta, while officially sealing a deal for Oleksandr Zinchenko.

With Arsenal stocked to the brim with central options and potentially needing to jettison a handful of players before further pursuing Tielemans or Paqueta, Xhaka could potentially be on the chopping block before the window closes despite his record of service at the club as well as the faith shown in him by Arteta throughout.

---

For more on Arsenal, read below

Arsenal set to profit after Oleksandr Zinchenko transfer domino

Marcelo Flores set for Real Oviedo loan after Arsenal seals deal for Oleksandr Zinchenko

Emile Smith Rowe reveals which new Arsenal signing he gets on with the best during pre-season

---

This article was edited by
Ben Browning.

---

Tottenham are prepared to let as many as eight players depart this summer as Antonio Conte looks to get his squad into shape ahead of the new Premier League season, it has been revealed.

Spurs have been one of the most active sides in the transfer window so far, adding six players to the side that finished in 4th last season under their new Italian coach.

Spence joins fellow new additions Yves Bissouma, Richarlison, Fraser Forster, Ivan Perisic and Clement Lenglet in making the switch to north London this summer, but it is not without consequence for the players already at the club.

See more

Introducing signing number six… pic.twitter.com/8Q2LKYwNae

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) July 19, 2022

As per the Evening Standard, these arrivals could in turn force up to eight departures from north London this summer, with a long list of players now considered surplus to requirements.

Eight players up for grabs

According to the report, Tottenham will now turn their attention to departures before they pursue any further additions.

Bryan Gil, Giovanni Lo Celso and Tanguy Ndombele are all free to depart after loan spells away in the second half of last season, while one of Emerson Royal and Matt Doherty are also set to be available following Spence’s arrival.

Conte specifically ‘questioned Gil’s suitability for the Premier League’, despite the wiry Spaniard joining the club just 12 months ago. Also in the departures lounge are Japhet Tanganga, Harry Winks and Sergio Reguilon, with the latter two having been left out of Tottenham’s touring squad ahead of the new season.

Winks has attracted interest from Everton, though that never materialised into a concrete proposal, while Tanganga and Gil are attracting interest from AC Milan and Sampdoria respectively.

---

Read more:

Man United boss Erik ten Hag shortlists Youri Tielemans after Frenkie de Jong failure

Summer transfer window 2022: Every Premier League deal completed so far

---

Emile Smith Rowe has been discussing Arsenal’s 2022 summer signings in a recent interview.

Arsenal have had a fairly active 2022 summer transfer window so far.

The Gunners have made two major signings and also brought in two back-up options.

Mikel Arteta’s side have spent big on Gabriel Jesus, who joined from Manchester City to become Arsenal’s no.9. The north Londoners also signed Fabio Vieira from FC Porto, who is expected to provide competition for the likes of Martin Odegaard and Emile Smith Rowe.

Elsewhere, Matt Turner is now the back-up to Aaron Ramsdale, whilst 19-year-old Marquinhos, who was signed from Sao Paulo, is likely to be one for the future.

Now, in a recent interview, Emile Smith Rowe has been discussing which new arrival he gets on best with:

“Marquinhos,” he said. “His English is not great but I’m teaching him a little bit. Nah [not rude words], the good English! He’s a funny guy.”

On gelling with the new players and the growing number of Brazilians in the squad, Smith Rowe added: “The manager told us from the start that we need to become a family as soon as the new players come in.

“We’re getting outnumbered [by Brazilians] now, we’re trying to reclaim it! But the Brazilians are good – they’re funny, they’re loud.”

In terms of Arsenal’s remaining summer business, a deal for Oleksandr Zinchenko appears to be very close to being finalised, whilst a move for a defensive midfielder is also on the cards.

Sweden vs Belgium betting tips: UEFA Women’s Euro 2022 quarter final preview, predictions & odds

Motherwell vs Sligo Rovers betting tips: Europa Conference League Second Qualifying Round First Leg preview, predictions and odds

---

---

Barcelona have announced their fourth signing of the summer as the club have confirmed that Polish striker Robert Lewandowski has joined the club.

See more

OFFICIAL! pic.twitter.com/XYRYAlccYF

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) July 19, 2022

FC Barcelona and Bayern Munich have arrived at an agreement for the transfer of Robert Lewandowski for a total of €45 million + €5 million in variables”, the club wrote on their official website. “The player will sign a contract with the Club for the next four seasons. The buyout clause has been set at €500 million.”

“The final agreement comes three days after the Club announced an agreement in principle for the Polish striker, which came while the team was flying to the United States”, they added. “Lewandowski arrived in Miami on Sunday and met his new teammates. The new Barça striker also passed his medical.”

Lewa becomes fourth signing

Despite financial issues, Barcelona continue to strengthen Xavi’s hand, with Lewandowski becoming the fourth addition of the summer.

Andreas Christensen and Franck Kessie have already joined the club as free agents from Chelsea and AC Milan respectively, while Raphinha also arrived from Leeds United despite a bidding war with Chelsea for his services.

The spending is not set to stop there either, with Chelsea duo Cesar Azpilicueta and Marcos Alonso in their crosshairs while they once again rival Thomas Tuchel’s side for another signing in the form of Jules Kounde, though at present they look more likely to miss out on the Sevilla man.

Should Frenkie de Jong depart, as he is expected to, they could also make a move for Manchester City man Bernardo Silva, who ‘dreams’ of playing for the Blaugrana.

---

Read more:

Report: Chelsea and Barcelona reach agreement over Cesar Azpilicueta transfer

Chelsea continue summer spending spree; agree deal for French international Jules Kounde

 

---

---

Barcelona have finally reached an agreement with Chelsea over the transfer of veteran captain Cesar Azpilicueta this summer, according to reports coming out of Spain.

The Spaniard has been linked with a move to Barcelona for months, having spent a decade with the Blues and captaining his side to several Premier League wins and a Champions League trophy across his 471 appearances for the Blues.

He was expected to join the club on a free transfer like former teammate Andreas Christensen has done this summer, but an automatic contract extension based on his appearances last campaign put pay to that suggestion.

Speaking about it after it was announced, Tuchel revealed that he now expected the Spaniard to remain a Chelsea player next season.

‘I knew it was going to happen, because I knew the amount of games. It’s a good thing. It’s good news for us’, he told the media.

‘[There is a] Very high probability that he will stay.’

Spanish sources confident of move

Now, however, as per Spanish outlet Sport, that situation has changed once more with Chelsea and Barcelona having agreed on a move.

‘The confirmation of his incorporation to Barça is a matter of days, according to the sources consulted by SPORT’, the report claims, with a fee of between 4 and 5 million euros touted.

Azpi, meanwhile, would sign a two year deal with an option to extend for a third depending on his performances.

The deal, they conclude, will be finalised in the coming days barring a dramatic change in circumstances.

---

Read more:

Chelsea continue summer spending spree; agree deal for French international Jules Kounde

Chelsea ready to offload 15 players this summer amid Boehly transfer revolution

---

---

German giants Bayern Munich have added another big name signing this summer under heralded tactician Julian Nagelsmann as the Rekordmeister have officially confirmed the signing of Dutch international center-back Matthijs de Ligt.

The Bavarians agreed to terms with De Ligt two days ago per reports from Romeo Agresti and have stumped up a considerable €70million guaranteed fee with another €10million in add-ons for the 22-year-old former AFC ajax academy graduate, who has signed on with Nagelsmann’s troops for an initial 5-years until 2027.

See more

Official, confirmed. Bayern have now completed the signing of Matthijs de Ligt from Juventus on a 5-year deal until 2027. 🔴🤝 #FCBayern

Bayern will pay €70m guaranteed fee plus €10m in add-ons. pic.twitter.com/EZJKQ5j2Ri

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) July 19, 2022

After Bayern lost key center-back and German international Niklas Süle to fierce rivals Borussia Dortmund earlier this summer, the requisition of a replacement was always one of the prime targets for Nagelsmann, with De Ligt now joining a center-back core comprised of Dayot Upamecano, Lucas Hernández, Chris Richards, and youngster Tanguy Nianzou, with Hernández the only option over the age of 23.

It was another big-name move by Bayern this summer after prizing Sadio Mané from Premier League runner-up Liverpool, while the summer also included a double-Ajax swoop for talented Dutch starlet Ryan Graveberch as well as Moroccan international right-back Moussair Mazraoui.

Bayern will still have to potentially contend with how they replace Robert Lewandowski after the Polish footballing icon swapped Bavaria for Catalunya when he completed his long-anticipated move to Barcelona.

Though the option of using one of the aforementioned Mané or Serge Gnabry as a center-forward under Nagelsmann in a profile that could be similar to the successful utilization of Timo Werner at RB Leipzig, the question remains whether or not Bayern will once again brave the summer market before the club kicks-off it’s Bundesliga campaign against RBL in the DFL Super Cup on 30 July.

---

For more on Bayern Munich, read below 

German star Leroy Sané not thinking about leaving Bayern Munich this summer

Glasgow Rangers seal move for Bayern starlet Malik Tillman

Serge Gnabry ends summer transfer speculation with contract extension

---