Category: Football

 

Arsenal have submitted a formal opening offer for Leeds United winger Raphinha, but it has fallen well short of the Yorkshire side’s valuation of the player and is expected to be rejected immediately, according to the Athletic.

Worse still for Arsenal fans, they add that the Gunners are Raphinha’s third choice destination this summer, behind Barcelona and fellow Premier League side Chelsea.

As per The Athletic, the bid made ‘fell well below Leeds’ valuation and is expected to be rejected out of hand’.

‘After Barcelona, Chelsea are said to be Raphinha’s preferred destination and not only would a move there provide Champions League football but potentially also a better chance of winning major trophies’, the reliable David Ornstein claims.

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🚨 EXCL: Arsenal have this evening submitted a formal offer to Leeds for Raphinha. #AFC contacted #LUFC earlier to indicate intention to make bid & that has now landed. Falls well short of #LUFC valuation, expected to be rejected out of hand @TheAthleticUK https://t.co/KUnHHNtFMe

— David Ornstein (@David_Ornstein) June 21, 2022

Meanwhile, Raphinha’s agent Deco has been in Barcelona this evening, where he met with Juan Laporta.

Arsenal close to landing Jesus

In more positive news for the Gunners, it seems as though they are closing in, inch by inch, on the signing of Manchester City forward Gabriel Jesus, with the deal now ‘very very advanced’ according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, though interest from Paris Saint Germain and Tottenham remains.

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Gabriel Jesus deal update. Arsenal are working on it and negotiations are very advanced – Arsenal will now need to be fast on final, key details involving player/agents to get the deal done and avoid twists. ⚪️🔴 #AFC

Tottenham & PSG, still waiting to see the end of this story.

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 21, 2022

And, while there are a couple of final details to be ironed out, the Gunners continue to lead the way at present.

Read more:

Arsenal chief Edu Gaspar drops transfer hint following Fabio Vieira arrival

Tuesday’s transfer rumours: Raphinha, Adams, Antony, Eriksen, Barella and more

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It is no secret that Manchester United have made Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong their no.1 priority for this transfer window, with new boss Erik ten Hag keen to work with the 25-year-old once more following their successful spell together at Ajax.

However, the deal has proved far more slow-moving than many on both sides would have liked, with reports of De Jong’s unwillingness to go and Barcelona and Manchester United’s distance when it comes to transfer fee littering the media.

And, despite weeks of the same rumours dragging on, it appears that little has changed. That is according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, who claims that despite direct contact on Tuesday afternoon, no agreement has been reached on a fee.

This comes with Barcelona demanding at least 86m euros (£74m) for the deal to be struck, something that the Red Devils view as unrealistic.

Moreover, the Blaugrana want it all as guaranteed fees, rather than including add on potential, in order for them to be able to spend more on strengthening their own squad this summer.

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Manchester United and Barcelona have been in direct contact today for Frenkie de Jong. Still no agreement on the fee, as Barça told Man Utd they won’t sell FdJ for less than €86m. 🚨🇳🇱 #MUFC

Barcelona want full fee guaranteed, also because of La Liga rules to reinvest money. pic.twitter.com/n6WBFk5Uxy

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 21, 2022

Barcelona target Bernardo Silva

Should a deal for De Jong be able to be struck, Xavi will turn his attentions to Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva, who he views as a key part of his project at the Camp Nou.

However, it would require a similar sort of fee to the one that they themselves are demanding for De Jong, which would leave them cash-strapped in their pursuits of Robert Lewandowski, Jules Kounde and Raphinha, all of whom they have shown strong interest in.

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Monaco agree £15.5m move for Liverpool outcast

Arsenal chief Edu Gaspar drops transfer hint following Fabio Vieira arrival

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Some clubs may only just be starting their summer business, but for Liverpool it seems to be over on the incomings front following the arrival of Calvin Ramsay.

The Scottish teenager, who arrived from Aberdeen, joins Fabio Carvalho and Darwin Nunez as new arrivals at Melwood Training Centre on the first day of pre-season as Liverpool look to challenge for the Premier League title once again next season.

However, plenty of the Anfield faithful also believe that a midfielder should have been on the agenda too, with some concern that the Liverpool hierarchy are happy to wait until 2023 to regenerate the middle of the pitch.

The evergreen James Milner penned a new one year deal on Merseyside, while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain could come into the side more frequently if he can shake his injury issues.

However, injury to Fabinho or Thiago will leave the Reds looking very threadbare in the middle of the pitch, with the hot-and-cold Naby Keita, ageing Jordan Henderson and raw Curtis Jones left as their only options.

Liverpool happy to miss out

Now, light has been shed on why Liverpool are happy to miss out on ‘easy’ deals for Youri Tielemans and Yves Bissouma, both of whom have previously been linked with the Anfield side and both are likely to be on the move at a reduced cost this summer.

Bissouma has already joined Tottenham for a fee of around £25m, while Tielemans has been strongly linked with Arsenal for a similar amount.

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✍️ We are pleased to announce the transfer of Yves Bissouma.

Welcome to Spurs, Yves! 💙

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) June 17, 2022

However, as per The National News, Liverpool have decided not to pursue those deals as they view the pair as ‘stopgaps’, something which they are keen to avoid.

It paves the way for a big-money move next summer, where central midfield will be their key priority.

Read more:

Chelsea target Raheem Sterling sets deadline for summer transfer

Chelsea target French international Jonathan Clauss as right-back replacement

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Welcome to 101‘s daily round-up of the top transfer news and rumours for Tuesday, June 21st.

Gossip

Real Madrid are targeting AC Milan forward Rafael Leao, who has a 150m euro release clause [Diario AS]

Christian Eriksen prefers a return to Tottenham or Brentford over a Manchester United move this summer [The Guardian]

However, Manchester United have not given up and still hope to persuade him [BBC Sport]

Manchester United CEO Richard Arnold hopes that Frenkie de Jong will headline their summer business [The Guardian]

Arsenal are preparing a bid for £50m rated winger Raphinha [The Times]

However, they have cooled their interest in Youri Tielemans while they chase other deals [Goal]

West Ham are set to bid £30m for Chelsea striker Armando Broja, who spent last season on loan at Southampton [Sky Sports]

Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham are all interested in Everton forward Richarlison, who is expected to cost £50m [Sky Sports]

Paris Saint Germain are set to make a second 60m euro bid for Inter defender Milan Skriniar [Fabrizio Romano]

Manchester United are closing in on a £40m move for Antony, with Red Devil officials having flown to Amsterdam to complete the deal [The Sun]

Manchester United duo Brandon Williams and Aaron Wan-Bissaka have been told that they will be surplus to requirements next season [The Guardian]

Meanwhile, Bernardo Silva is moving ‘closer’ to Barcelona, with Pep Guardiola revealing that he will not stand in his way [Sport]

Liverpool and Chelsea are both interested in Juventus defender Mathiijs de Ligt [Tuttosport]

Liverpool are also readying a swap bid for Niccolo Barella, who Jurgen Klopp wants ‘at all costs’ [The Express]

Meanwhile, teammate Adrien Rabiot could also leave Juventus this summer, amid interest from Manchester United, Chelsea and Newcastle [L’Equipe]

Leeds United are considering a move for RB Leipzig midfielder Tyler Adams as a Kalvin Phillips replacement [Sky Sports Germany]

Read more:

Monday’s transfer gossip: Sterling, Tierney, Evanilson, Martinez, Clauss and more

Details: West Ham open talks for Chelsea striker Armando Broja

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Word stemming from the English media late on Monday evening points towards Manchester United being dealt a fresh blow, amid the club’s ongoing attempts to reinforce incoming boss Erik ten Hag’s squad.

This comes on the back of an insight being provided into the plans of Christian Eriksen beyond the summer.

The last couple of weeks, of course, have seen speculation rampant in the media that the Red Devils are keen on adding Danish international Eriksen to the club’s ranks with a view to next season.

This comes with the 30-year-old fresh off a stellar stint back in England with Thomas Frank’s Brentford over the 2nd half of last season.

With his short-term deal in west London due to come to a close at the end of the month, though, Eriksen’s intentions for the 2022/23 campaign have long been unclear.

But, on Monday, an insight into as much has been provided.

And the news, from a Manchester United perspective, marks a significant blow.

As per Jamie Jackson of The Guardian, Eriksen has already ‘rejected’ the advances of those in a position of power at Old Trafford.

Instead, the Dane is said to favour one of two options: Either a return to the Brentford Community Stadium, or a move to Tottenham Hotspur, a transfer which would see Eriksen reunited with not only his former employers, but also Antonio Conte, on the back of the pair’s time spent together in Italy with Inter Milan.

Eriksen’s decision to rebuff the advances of the Red Devils marks the club’s 2nd such rejection this summer, after Ajax defender Jurrien Timber opted to stay put in Amsterdam ahead of the Qatar World Cup.

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Arnold hoping De Jong will headline Manchester United’s summer window https://t.co/OPNVfkLbNA

— jamie jackson (@JamieJackson___) June 20, 2022

 

Arsenal & Chelsea join Tottenham in Richarlison race

New Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag targeting five summer signings

 

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Ryan Giggs has, on Monday, opted to depart his position as head coach of the Welsh national team.

In a short statement unveiled on the part of the former Manchester United attacker a short time ago, Giggs confirmed:

“I am standing down from my position as manager of the Wales men’s national team. It was an honour and privilege to manage this team”.

Wales’ Football Association, meanwhile, have since ‘acknowledged’ the decision, thanking Giggs for his efforts at the helm in a statement of their own, as follows:

‘The Football Association of Wales acknowledges the personal statement released by Ryan Giggs on 20 June 2022.

‘The FAW places on record its gratitude to Ryan Giggs for his tenure as manager of the Cymru Men’s National Team and appreciates the decision he has taken, which is in the best interests of Welsh football.

‘The full focus of the FAW and the Cymru Men’s National Team is on the FIFA World Cup in Qatar later this year.’

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The Football Association of Wales acknowledges the personal statement released by Ryan Giggs.

— FA WALES (@FAWales) June 20, 2022

Giggs’ call to move on of course comes with the 48-year-old having been on leave from his post since November of 2020.

The one-time Welsh international is set to stand trial in Manchester on August 8th, accused of:

‘Controlling and coercive behaviour against his former girlfriend Kate Greville between August 2017 and November 2020’, as well as:

‘Assaulting Ms Greville, causing her actual bodily harm, and of the common assault of her younger sister, Emma Greville, at his home in Worsley, Greater Manchester, on 1 November 2020.’

Giggs, to this point, has pleaded not guilty to all charges against him.

 

Tottenham distance themselves from Christian Eriksen move amid Manchester United interest

Monday’s transfer gossip: Sterling, Tierney, Evanilson, Martinez, Clauss and more

 

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West Ham have completed their first signing of the summer as defender Nayef Aguerd has joined the club from Stade Rennais.

The 6ft2″ centre-back appeared 31 times this season for the Ligue 1 side, scoring twice and providing three assists from the heart of defence, and will join the Hammers for a reported £30m.

He penned a heartfelt goodbye to the French side on social media over the weekend.

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Welcome to West Ham United, @AguerdNayef! 🇲🇦⚒ pic.twitter.com/BDotHMUpEZ

— West Ham United (@WestHam) June 20, 2022

The Moroccan defender has signed a deal which will keep him at the club until 2027, where he will partner Kurt Zouma or Angelo Ogbonna at the heart of David Moyes’ defence.

“I was really excited when I heard about West Ham’s interest,” Aguerd said in his debut West Ham interview. “I knew I needed to go to the Premier League, it’s a dream for every player.”

“West Ham is a historic club,” the defender added. “I saw a few of their games this year, and I saw the fans and the atmosphere were fantastic, with the bubbles!”

Moyes backs signing to succeed

Aguerd becomes the club fourth most-expensive signing, behind Sebastien Haller, Felipe Anderson and Kurt Zouma, and only one of those has worked out for the Hammers.

However, Moyes has backed his new addition to succeed in Claret and Blue, hailing his attitude during negotiations.

“He’s a great addition that will add to our defensive options,” said Moyes.

“I have been really impressed with Nayef’s character and attitude during our discussions.

“He has a great desire to improve and be successful, and I am sure he will fit in very well to the environment we have at Rush Green.”

It is the first signing of what could be a busy summer for the Hammers, with Jesse Lingard continuing to be linked with a move to the club and a backup striker and central midfielder also on the agenda.

Read more:

New Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag targeting five summer signings

Monday’s transfer gossip: Sterling, Tierney, Evanilson, Martinez, Clauss and more

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Welcome to 101‘s daily round-up of the top transfer news and rumours for Monday, June 20th.

Gossip

Chelsea are chasing RC Lens defender Jonathan Clauss. It is thought he would set them back around 10m euros [RMC Sport]

Ajax will only let one of Jurrien Timber and Lisandro Martinez leave this summer, amid interest from Manchester United and Arsenal [Fabrizio Romano]

Manwhile, Manchester United have also bid 70m for Evanilson [Record]

Manchester United have offered Eric Bailly to Newcastle this summer [Daily Mail]

The Red Devils are also preparing a bid for Lisandro Martinez, who has been linked with Arsenal this summer [Telegraaf]

Nottingham Forest are closing in on Manchester United goalkeeper Dean Henderson [Fabrizio Romano]

Forest have also submitted a 10m euro bid for Mainz defender Moussa Niakhate, though the German club are holding out for 15m [Bild]

Despite only having one year left on his contract at the Etihad, Riyad Mahrez is expected to stay this summer [The Athletic]

Tottenham are interested in a swap deal with Ajax that would involve Steven Bergwijn and Antony [SportsMole]

There is no release clause in Erling Haaland’s Manchester City contract, despite reports to the contrary [Sport Dias]

Liverpool have no plans of selling Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain this summer [Liverpool Echo]

Romelu Lukaku is nearing a return to Inter Milan [Ben Jacobs]

Meanwhile, the Nerazzurri are also closing in on a deal for Henrikh Mkhitaryan [Fabrizio Romano]

Arsenal defender Kieran Tierney is thought to feature on a list of alternatives for Manchester City should they fail to land Marc Cucurella this summer [The Scotsman]

Manchester City want between 55m and 60m euros for Raheem Sterling this summer [Fabrizio Romano]

Food poisoning could have played a role in Manchester United losing out on now Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez this summer [The Athletic]

Gabriel Jesus ‘has an offer on the table’ from Arsenal [The Athletic]

Read more:

Lionel Messi’s teammate opens up on time PSG star ‘wanted to kill him’

Sunday’s transfer rumours: Hickey, Tielemans, Hincapie, Dembele, Sterling and more

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Both West Ham United and Fulham are understood to be expressing a keen interest in a current member of the backline at Italian giants Juventus.

The player in question? Luca Pellegrini.

For those not aware, Pellegrini, a 23-year-old left-back, spent this past season plying his trade back in Turin, on the back of a series of loan spells away from parent club Juve.

And, all told, the once-capped Italian international went on to enjoy a solid campaign, racking up 21 appearances across all competitions whilst acting as a capable rotation option with the vastly more experienced Alex Sandro.

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Luca Pellegrini with some stepovers and finds Alvaro Morata 💫 pic.twitter.com/u9EN6bI7xk

— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) December 11, 2021

Bianconeri boss Massimiliano Allegri, though, has evidently been left unconvinced of Pellegrini’s credentials as a long-term option at the Allianz Stadium.

In turn, reports in the Italian media this summer have long pointed towards the defender being made available for transfer in the case of a sufficient offer arriving on Juventus’ table.

And, as alluded to above, such a proposal could yet be forthcoming by way of the Premier League.

This comes with not one, but two London-based clubs, in the form of West Ham and Fulham, understood to be expressing an interest in Pellegrini’s signature with a view to next season.

As per a report from Italian outlet the Gazzetta dello Sport, representatives from both the Hammers and Cottagers have gone as far as to make contact with the entourage of the Italian.

It now remains to be seen whether a sufficient offer is forthcoming from either club to coax Juve into a sale, with the Old Lady ready to cash in for the right price.

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🚨 West Ham and Fulham are monitoring the situation of 23-year-old Juventus left-back Luca Pellegrini. 🇮🇹#ForzaJuve⚫ #FFC ⚪ #WHUFC 🔵 pic.twitter.com/jf3lF1IOGI

— Ekrem KONUR (@Ekremkonur) June 19, 2022

 

Nayef Aguerd confirms West Ham transfer in heartfelt goodbye message to Rennes

Sunday’s transfer rumours: Hickey, Tielemans, Hincapie, Dembele, Sterling and more

 

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Footage of a brilliant goal netted by England’s U19s on Sunday night has come to the fore online.

The Young Lions were back in action a short time ago.

In the nation’s first outing at the European Championships, Ian Foster’s troops went head to head with Austria at the Štadión SNP Štiavničky.

And, when all was said and done, an accomplished display culminated in England emerging on the right side of a 2-0 scoreline, to take an early advantage atop the Group B table.

Carney Chukwuemeka was first on target, latching onto Dane Scarlett’s pull back across the face of goal before directing a clever, off balance finish into the roof of the net:

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Carney Chukwuemeka scoring for England U19’s against Austria 🎯

Very well worked goal 👏🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 #avfc pic.twitter.com/KGcZt56YgR

— Total Villa (@Total_Villa) June 19, 2022

The best, though, was yet to come.

25 minutes from time, Foster’s side killed off any remaining hope of an Austria comeback, courtesy of Alfie Devine.

Aston Villa’s Chukwuemeka again played a central role, receiving the ball in the area before dancing beyond a series of challenges to lay a perfectly-weighted pass to the edge of the area.

And from here, it was all about that man Devine, as the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder lashed a stunning effort into the far top corner, rounding out a fine day all round for England’s latest crop of up and coming talent:

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A Devine goal for England!

Tottenham’s Alfie Devine finishes fantastically after great play from Carney Chukwuemeka.

England 2-0 Austria

📺🔴📱 Watch on @BBCiPlayer, Red Button and the BBC Sport app ⤵️ #BBCFootball #U19Euro

— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) June 19, 2022

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Great performance from the Young Lions 👏, 2-0 v Austria. Here’s the top class second goal from Tottenham’s Alfie Devine, set up in style by Villa’s Carney Chukwuemeka 🎯 #UEFAU19pic.twitter.com/Ru2IbzdB1F

— Gary Taphouse (@garytaphouse) June 19, 2022

 

Bayer Leverkusen defender set to cost Tottenham £34m for summer move

Sunday’s transfer rumours: Hickey, Tielemans, Hincapie, Dembele, Sterling and more

 

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