English Premier League
Spurs reportedly weighing up move for manager Pochettino called ‘my football father’
Tottenham Hotspur are weighing up a move for Leeds United head coach Marcelo Bielsa in their search for Jose Mourinho’s permanent replacement, according to Football Insider. Spurs have been linked with many names since the Portuguese was shown the exit door last month, and the Argentine is one of the latest to be linked with the job. Bielsa is in his third season at Leeds and his deal expires at the end of the campaign. The 65-year-old has only signed one-year contracts since joining the Elland Road side, and he is expected to do so again this summer. That would not stop Spurs from sounding him out, and it remains to be seen whether they can get him interviewed as they prepare to talk to candidates in the coming days. Former Newcastle United manager Rafa Benitez is also on Tottenham’s rada...
Barcelona contact Tottenham’s reported manager target about replacing Koeman
Barcelona have contacted the representatives of Bayern Munich manager Hansi Flick to ask about his availability this summer, according to ESPN. The Catalans could replace Ronald Koeman at the end of the season after what has been an underwhelming campaign, and they have also been linked with former midfielder Xavi. However, the Al Sadd SC manager signed a new two-year extension yesterday, potentially ruling out a return to Camp Nou. 🗣 Xavi: “I’m proud to continue at Al-Sadd. We achieved a lot together, scored goals, won matches and titles, and we are all very proud of this success. Getting this kind of support is the best thing any coach can get.”#AlSadd #XAVI2023 pic.twitter.com/lFpXrjofGP — 🏆 #75 Al Sadd SC | نادي السد (@AlsaddSC) May 12, 2021 Landing Flick is also n...
Frank Lampard becomes favourite for Crystal Palace job
Former Chelsea boss Frank Lampard has emerged as the favourite to take over at Crystal Palace if Roy Hodgson leaves this summer. Hodgson arrived at Crystal Palace in September 2017, taking charge after the nightmare start made by Frank de Boer. This was a chance for the former Liverpool manager to rebuild his reputation, having led the England national team through a disastrous Euro 2016 campaign. Hodgson is on course for another mid-table finish with Crystal Palace After a horrible opening seven games, Hodgson turned things around at Selhurst Park, guiding the club to a respectable 11th place finish. Since then, the Eagles have finished in 12th and 14th. This season, they look on course to settle in the same area of the table, currently residing in 13th place with three games remaining. O...
Bielsa suggests Leeds star available vs Burnley, three players miss out
Leeds United will face Burnley in their next Premier League game at Turf Moor on Saturday. Ahead of the match, Marcelo Bielsa has confirmed that Leeds skipper Liam Cooper is available for selection once again. Cooper was absent during Leeds’ 3-1 win over Tottenham with a gluteus injury last weekend. Before that, the Whites skipper was suspended for three games after he was sent off in Leeds’ 2-1 win over Manchester City last month. Bielsa has now confirmed that he is fit to play against the Clarets. “He has recovered his health – he hasn’t got any injuries which prevent him from participating,” said Bielsa as quoted by Leeds Live. The Argentine has got a near-fully fit squad to choose from for the trip to Turf Moor, with just Helder Costa, Joe Gelhardt and Adam Forshaw missing. With ...
Southampton confirm Ryan Bertrand will leave for free at the end of this season
Southampton have confirmed that defender Ryan Bertrand will leave the Saints this summer when his contract expires and will be available on a free transfer. The Englishman has spent seven years on the south coast, racking up an impressive 240 appearances for the club. In that time, Bertrand has also featured in a Carabao Cup final and two FA Cup semi-finals, while helping Southampton achieve their highest ever Premier League table finish. In a statement on their website, Southampton thanked Bertrand for his contribution to the Saints. “Southampton Football Club can today confirm that Ryan Bertrand will leave the club when his contract expires at the end of the season,” the statement read. “Everyone associated with Southampton would like to thank Ryan for his contribution to the history of ...
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer confirms £190,000-a-week star is out injured for rest of league season
Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has provided an injury update on Harry Maguire ahead of the Premier League clash against Liverpool on Thursday. The England international sustained an ankle injury during the Aston Villa game last weekend, and he subsequently missed yesterday’s game against Leicester City. In a press conference earlier today, Solskjaer highlighted that Maguire suffered an ankle ligament injury, but has managed to avoid a fracture. He added that Maguire will miss rest of the league season, and the club will try their best to get him fit for the Europa League final against Villarreal. He told Manutd.com: “The good news was it wasn’t broken. There was no fracture, but a ligament injury, of course, is serious as well. If I’m very positive – that’s maybe stretching...
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...
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 ...
