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La Liga giants set €40m price tag for defender after learning Manchester United’s interest – report
Atletico Madrid have set an asking price of €40 million for defender Kieran Trippier amid interest from Manchester United, reputed journalist Fabrizio Romano claims. Trippier was on United’s radar in January, but they cooled their interest after the right-back was handed an eight-week ban by FIFA for breaching betting rules. The Red Devils have now revived their pursuit of the England international, but it appears that they could be put off by the hefty price tag of Atletico. The La Liga champions reportedly rejected a €12m bid from them this week. They have no intention to sell the defender for anything less than €40m. Sportslens view: Aaron Wan-Bissaka has been United’s undisputed right-back in recent years under Ole Gunnar Solksjaer, and he has been superb defensively. Ho...
Chelsea and Juventus men impress, AC Milan playmaker disappoints – Turkey 0-3 Italy Player Ratings
Italy made the perfect start to their Euro 2020 campaign on Friday, seeing off Turkey with three second-half goals. Roberto Mancini’s men dominated the first half but were met by a stern Turkey defence seemingly happy to take a draw. Ciro Immobile had a couple of half-chances that missed the target, and Lorenzo Insigne bent a shot wide following a one-two with Immobile. The closest either side came to opening the scoring came through centre-back Giorgio Chiellini. The Juventus man’s header was goalbound, but he was denied by an excellent save from Ugurkan Cakir. Despite Italy’s control, the first half ended goalless. Turkey went in at the break with just 33% possession and no attempts on goal, as opposed to Gli Azzurri’s 14. The second half began in the same fashion, and Italy eventually g...
‘I’m a big fan’ – Tottenham coach raves about ‘arrogant’ Villa star
England kick-off their European Championship campaign with a clash against Croatia on Saturday and Aston Villa talisman Jack Grealish has been widely tipped to play a starring role for the Three Lions at the tournament. Manager Gareth Southgate has yet to confirm whether he will include the attacking midfielder in his starting XI, but Tottenham Hotspur coach Ledley King would not hesitate to do so if he had his way. The former England international centre-back has revealed that he is a big fan of the Villa star, showering praise on him ahead of the Euros. “I’m a big, big fan of Jack Grealish, Mason Mount and Phil Foden, but how Gareth Southgate gets them all in the team, I’m not sure!” King told Standard Sport. “Grealish reminds me of Gazza — that arrogance, that confidence. He doesn’t rel...
Chelsea interested in signing Arsenal-linked midfielder, Drogba has spoken with player’s family
Chelsea are making an effort to sign Feyenoord midfielder Orkun Kokcu this summer, Turkish journalist Yagiz Sabuncuoglu claims. Kokcu has been on the radar of several Premier League clubs, and he has been linked with Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and Everton. It has now emerged that the Blues have entered the pursuit of the midfielder and are utilising the services of Didier Drogba to convince him. The Blues legend recently held talks with the family of the Turkey international regarding the prospect of joining the west London giants. Sportslens view: Kokcu was heavily linked with the Gunners last year before putting pen-to-paper on a new long-term contract with Feyenoord. The 20-year-old had an injury-plagued 2020/21 season but fared decently with three goals and three assists from 22 l...
‘I’ve heard Farhad Moshiri likes him’ – Guillem Balague shares Everton manager update
Spanish football expert Guillem Balague has commented on the reports linking former Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez with the Everton job. The Goodison Park outfit want a top manager to replace Carlo Ancelotti, and the Spaniard is said to be on their radar as the search drag on. While some Everton fans do not want him due to his affiliation with bitter and city rivals Liverpool, Balague claims that is a thing of the past as Benitez is no longer connected with the club as before. About @rafabenitezweb and #Everton I understand the feeling from some due to his time at #LFC… 15 years ago! But I know his connection it is now more or at least as much with the city of Liverpool than with LFC as it is run now (he has no relationship with the new owners) — Guillem Balague (@GuillemBalague) June 11, ...
Aston Villa’s £33m man dealt huge international blow
Aston Villa completed the signing of Argentine attacking midfielder Emiliano Buendia on Monday in a £33 million club-record move. The deal could rise to £38m with add-ons, and the 24-year-old will be looking to hit the ground running at Villa Park next season. While Buendia is probably still elated after becoming the Midlands outfit’s most expensive signing of all time, he has been dealt a huge blow by Argentina. The South American country have named their 28-man squad for the Copa America, and Villa’s new boy has missed out. #SelecciónMayor Lista de convocados 📋🇦🇷 por el entrenador @lioscaloni para disputar la #CopaAmérica2021. pic.twitter.com/E5pgpQ0fLz — Selección Argentina 🇦🇷 (@Argentina) June 11, 2021 Manager Lionel Scaloni selected the former N...
Rangers keen on 21-yr-old midfielder, Tottenham are reportedly keen as well
Rangers are interested in signing Croatian midfielder Ivan Lepinjica. According to Football Insider, Tottenham Hotspur are also keen on signing the 21-year-old. Rangers are hoping to sign the player on a loan deal with an option to buy, and he could prove to be a quality addition to Steven Gerrard’s midfield. He could replace Bongani Zungu in the team next season. The midfielder was on loan at Rangers, and the Scottish champions had an option to sign him permanently for £2.5 million. However, Rangers have confirmed that he will not be joining the club. Rangers can offer Lepinjica Champions League football next season, and it could be an attractive proposition. The Ibrox giants beat Celtic to the title this past season and will be hoping to retain their domestic crown next year. Gerrard is ...
Current and former Tottenham stars can lead Denmark to victory in opening Euro 2020 fixture
Denmark play host to Finland at the Parken Stadium in Copenhagen in their opening UEFA Euro 2020 Group B fixture on Saturday. While the Danes won the competition in 1992, their opponents will make their inaugural appearance at a major tournament. Group B also consists of Belgium and Russia, which gives Denmark no other option but to win here if they want to improve their chances of qualifying for the next round. Note: You can watch all Euro 2020 games via live streaming. Denmark vs Finland Head-To-Head Although Denmark and Finland have never met at a major tournament before, the Danes head into proceedings as overwhelming favourites to claim all three points. Denmark boast an almost perfect H2H record against the Huuhkajat, having won four of their five meetings overall (D1), friendlies in...
Real Madrid and Liverpool stars expected to be the focus in Euro 2020 game on Saturday
Baku Olympic Stadium is the venue as Wales and high-flying Switzerland exchange tackles in their Euro 2020 Group A opener on Saturday. The teams have experienced contrasting fortunes gearing up for the tournament. With Turkey and Italy the remaining two nations in this section, neither side can afford a slip-up here if they are to qualify for the knock-out stages. Note: You can watch all Euro 2020 games via live streaming. Wales vs Switzerland Wales and Switzerland have never met at a major tournament before, with the Dragons running out 2-0 victors in their most recent competitive showdown back in the Euro 2012 qualifiers. None of their seven historical encounters have ended as a draw, friendlies included, with Switzerland picking up five triumphs compared to Wales’ two wins. Going back t...
Leeds United make their transfer decision on £50m-rated Tottenham Hotspur target – report
Leeds United have no plans to re-sign Brighton & Hove Albion defender Ben White this summer, Football Insider reports. The centre-back played a key role in their promotion campaign in 2019/2020 on loan, but they failed to sign him permanently last summer. The club were prepared to pay as much as £25 million for White, but it was insufficient to test Brighton’s resolve. It is now reported that they have no desire to revisit their interest, with manager Marcelo Bielsa satisfied with his options. Sportslens view: White had an impressive debut Premier League campaign for Graham Potter’s side, missing out on just two games over the 2020/21 season. He was recently rewarded with his maiden senior appearance for England, and he is currently part of the squad for the European Championships...
Liverpool youngster joins Scottish Premiership club on loan
Livingston have completed the signing of Liverpool’s Adam Lewis on a season-long loan deal, the Scottish club confirmed via their website. The left-back was integrated into the Reds first-team back in 2019 but has yet to make a Premier League appearance. However, the England U20 international did make his competitive debut for Liverpool in a FA Cup fourth-round replay win over Shrewsbury Town at Anfield in February 2020 and trained several times with the first-team squad. He spent the early part of last season on loan with French Ligue 2 club Amiens before returning to England with Plymouth Argyle during the second half of the campaign. Lewis is highly regarded at Anfield, with club legend and current Rangers manager Steven Gerrard previously hailing him as a top talent. The youngster...
Manchester United open contract talks with Paul Pogba
Manchester United have contacted Paul Pogba’s representatives over a new contract, reports Sky Sports. Pogba returned to Man Utd in 2016 for a then-world record fee from Juventus. Since then, he has played 199 times in all competitions, scoring 38 goals. Pogba’s time at Man Utd has been mixed The Frenchman has been a divisive figure since his reunion with the Red Devils. Inconsistent performances, coupled with ambiguous hints surrounding his future, have seen him become unpopular among some sections of the Old Trafford crowd. Nonetheless, there is no denying his incredible talent. And, with just a year left on his current contract, it would be a nightmare for the club to lose a player like him on a free transfer. Sky Sports state that Man Utd have now opened negotiations with Pogba over a ...
