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Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus facing two-year Champions League ban
UEFA have issued a warning to Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Juventus if they continue to persevere with the European Super League. Those three were part of a group of 12 clubs that broke away from UEFA and formed the European Super League last month, along with Atletico Madrid, AC Milan, Inter Milan, Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea, and Arsenal. The announcement sent the world of football into a frenzy. Fans protested against the proposal, while players and pundits spoke out against the idea. Arsenal fans protest against the owners The idea collapsed two days later. Chelsea were the first team to pull out, with the other five English clubs soon following. Atletico Madrid, AC Milan, and Inter Milan withdrew shortly afterwards. However, Real Madrid, Ba...
Mikel Arteta criticises negative media coverage after brave win over Chelsea
Mikel Arteta defended his players following Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Chelsea claiming that his comments before the game had been misrepresented. In a tightly contested London derby, the Gunners got the win thanks to a goal from Emile Smith-Rowe. Though the Blues attacked constantly, Arteta’s team were able to withstand the onslaught and secure the three points. Speaking after the game to Sky Sports, the boss made it clear that he wasn’t happy with how his comments had been portrayed. Arteta said: “Nothing is broken. Inside, nothing is broken. They [the media] try to put things on me that I never said. You can see the spirit of the team from the first minute. “It doesn’t matter whether we’re playing seventh, eighth, ninth. You can never doubt their efforts and how much they are trying.” And w...
Multimillionaire who attempted to buy NUFC in 2019 still keen on Premier League takeover
Santos Laguna chairman Alejandro Irarragorri has claimed he is still keen on owning a Premier League club two years after his attempts to buy Newcastle United fell through. The Mexican businessman owns the Grupo Orlegi company and has since added second-division Tampico Madero and first-division Club Atlas to his consortium’s football portfolio. Irarragorri met with Newcastle chairman Mike Ashley in 2019 and made three approaches to buy the Magpies. However, the Magpies owner moved the goalposts when the proposals were set for legal inspection. The multi-millionaire also looked at Crystal Palace before focusing on Newcastle and is hoping to complete a Premier League takeover someday. Irarragorri’s multi-club ownership model has yielded success in North America, and he is hoping to replicat...
Report: Arsenal staff are under the impression that five senior players want to leave the club
An in-depth “special report” has been published today by The Athletic regarding the current situation of Arsenal. Some comments from Arsenal insiders were interesting, particularly regarding Mikel Arteta’s approach to press conferences. His comments have raised concerns among some club members, with many feeling that “too much of what Mikel says publicly is not true”. The summer transfer window will be absolutely crucial for Arsenal. They are unlikely to operate on a high transfer budget, but massive rebuilding work is needed. The report claims that Arsenal staff are under the impression that at least five senior players — David Luiz, Willian, Bernd Leno, Granit Xhaka and Hector Bellerin — want to leave the club. Arsenal fans probably won’t...
Big two dwarf £470m star on rich list – move to Madrid or Barcelona would have fuelled jump
Three of football’s biggest superstars have retained their places in the top 10 list of the world’s highest-paid athletes. According to Forbes, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar are raking in massive amounts of money every year. Messi and Ronaldo have swapped places on this year’s list, but they lag miles behind Conor McGregor’s $180 million annual earnings. However, while the big two have seen their income increase over the past 12 months, Neymar has suffered a slight reduction. Sportslens takes a look at the three high-earning footballers. Lionel Messi – Barcelona – $130 million Messi has edged back in front of Ronaldo in the standings, pocketing a staggering $130m to claim second spot on the list. A lucrative lifetime endorsement deal with adidas helps to keep Messi’s bank bala...
Barcelona interested in Chelsea star with swap deal an option
Spanish outlet Sport has reported that Barcelona are interested in a move for Chelsea midfielder Jorginho this summer. The Italian international has enjoyed a change of fortune since Thomas Tuchel replaced Frank Lampard in the Chelsea dugout in January, reclaiming his place in the heart of the Blues midfield. However, it is claimed that the La Liga giants could offer Miralem Pjanic to sweeten any deal struck with the London club. Pjanic has fallen out of favour with Barcelona boss Ronald Koeman, with the Bosnian playmaker restricted to just six La Liga starts this campaign, despite a £54 million move from Juventus last summer. SL view – Would Jorginho’s departure be a miss for Chelsea? Jorginho played a vital role in Chelsea’s success over Real Madrid in their Champions League semi-f...
9 goals & 11 assists: Liverpool and Leeds leading the chase for £34m-rated star
Liverpool have been linked with a move for Argentine international Rodrigo De Paul this summer. According to a report from Il Milanista, the 26-year-old is a player in demand, with Udinese valuing him at around €40 million (£34m). The report states that the Reds are likely to face competition from Leeds United, who remain interested in signing the midfielder. The Whites were heavily linked with De Paul last summer, but the Italian club’s valuation scuppered the potential transfer. Liverpool need to sign a quality central midfielder this summer, with Gini Wijnaldum expected to leave on a free transfer. De Paul has been outstanding for the Italian club this season and would be a quality addition to Jurgen Klopp’s midfield. He has bagged nine goals and 11 assists this term and would be a much...
West Ham preparing an approach for 28-yr-old, but face competition from London rivals
West Ham United have been linked with a move for West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper Sam Johnstone. According to Football Insider, the London club are now preparing an approach to sign the 28-year-old following the Baggies’ relegation. Johnstone has been excellent for West Brom in the Premier League this season and is way too good to play in the Championship. The player is likely to be tempted to move on if West Ham come calling with a concrete offer this summer. The Hammers have had an excellent season and have a great chance of securing European football for next season. A move to West Ham would be the ideal next step in Johnstone’s career. He would be the ideal long term replacement for Lukasz Fabianski, with the 36-year-old coming to the end of his career. Johnstone is well settled in the ...
Leeds linked with a move for £31m-rated South American this summer
Leeds United have once again been linked with a move for Uruguayan midfielder Nahitan Nandez. According to Cento Trentuno, the Premier League side are not the only ones keeping tabs on the 25-year-old, with Napoli, Inter Milan and Roma also keen. Nandez has a release clause of €36 million (£31m) in his contract, and Marcelo Bielsa has tried to sign the player in the past. Bielsa loves to play a high pressing game, and Nandez’s endurance could be very useful for Leeds next season. The deep-lying playmaker can also chip in with goals and assists. The Uruguayan has contributed to five goals from midfield this season. Nandez has the ability to operate as a right-sided midfielder, and his versatility could be priceless for Leeds as they look to build on a solid campaign. The opportuni...
PSG President reportedly in personal talks with Spurs star as he eyes summer swoop
Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi wants to sign Tottenham Hotspur right-back Serge Aurier this summer, according to FootMercato. The Ivory Coast international left the Parc des Princes for Spurs in 2017 and has established himself as a key player for the club, featuring in 110 games. However, Aurier has just a year left on his current deal and is said to be available for around €12 million. PSG manager Mauricio Pochettino is also keen on having the 28-year-old back at the club, and discussions are ongoing between them and Tottenham. The Ligue 1 giants are ready to offer the defender a four-year contract and a salary of around €7m per season. Aurier has always been open to returning to Paris, and he remains as determined as before. He has also been linked with a move to Real ...
Arsenal to compete with Manchester City to sign defender with 19 international caps
Arsenal could compete with Manchester City to sign Southampton left-back Ryan Bertrand during the summer transfer window, Goal.com claims. Bertrand has been with the Saints for seven years, but he looks set to head for the exit door after negotiations over a new contract broke down. The 31-year-old will be available on a free transfer when his deal expires next month, and the Gunners are among the top contenders to secure his services. Sportslens view: The Gunners were linked with a move for Bertrand in January, but a deal failed to materialise before the deadline. As a result, the north London club have had to cope with just one specialist left-back in the first-team squad in Kieran Tierney. Cedric Soares and Granit Xhaka played there recently when the Scot was nursing a knee ligament inj...
Report: 26-year-old striker admired by West Ham boss, could leave the club this summer
Fulham suffered relegation to the Championship after losing 2-0 against Burnley at home on Monday night. According to reports from the Daily Mail, the Cottagers are braced for a battle to keep their manager Scott Parker. Despite Fulham’s relegation, Parker is a man in demand due to his philosophy at Craven Cottage. The report claims that a host of players could leave Fulham following their demotion to the Championship. The Cottagers signed seven loanees, while some key players are being targeted by top Premier League clubs. Joachim Andersen, the on-loan Lyon defender has been targeted by Tottenham Hotspur, while West Ham United boss David Moyes is an “admirer” of striker Aleksandar Mitrovic. SL View The 26-year-old has bagged four goals and three assists in all competition...
