English Premier League
‘The circus continues’ – Some Newcastle fans are baffled by their relegation clause policy
Newcastle United have been quite poor in the Premier League in recent months, and they are very much in the relegation race. The Magpies are just one point above the drop zone, and it is debatable whether Steve Bruce can guide them to safety this season. According to a report from the Times, relegation to the Championship would prove to be catastrophic for the Magpies financially. Apparently, the club recently altered their contract policy, and first-team players do not have relegation clauses in their contract. This means that Newcastle will have to pay their players full Premier League wages even if they are playing in the second tier next season. Usually, these wages are reduced to fit the income of a Championship club with certain clauses in the contract. With their revenues drying up ...
Lukasz Fabianski signs contract extension at West Ham United
Polish goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski has signed a one-year contract extension at West Ham United, as confirmed by the club’s official website. Fabianski joined West Ham from Swansea City in the summer transfer window of 2018 for approximately £7 million, following the Welsh side’s relegation to the Championship. The Poland international was an ever-present for the Hammers in his debut season, winning the club’s Player of the Year award. Fabianski has impressed at West Ham However, he turns 36 next month and his contract was set to expire in the summer, leading to widespread speculation that his days at the London club were coming to an end. West Ham put all talks of a possible exit to bed, confirming via their official website that Fabianski had signed an extension until 2022. Speaking about...
Sven Mislintat questions Mikel Arteta’s handling of two Arsenal stars
In a recent interview with The Athletic, Stuttgart sporting director Sven Mislintat said that he would like to hold talks with Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta over the handling of Lucas Torreira and Matteo Guendouzi. Mislintat was the Gunners’ head of recruitment for a 14-month spell between 2018 and 2019. During this period he brought the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Sokratis, Guendouzi and Torreira to the club. Among the above-mentioned players, only Aubameyang has established himself with the north London giants. Mkhitaryan and Sokratis have already left the club, while Torreira and Guendouzi are on loan at Atletico Madrid and Hertha Berlin respectively. Both Torreira and Guendouzi had impressive debut seasons with the Gunners in 2018/19, but they dropped down the p...
‘It’s possible on a football level’: Key Chelsea star linked with summer move to Serie A club
Chelsea midfielder Jorginho has been linked with a return to Napoli this summer. The Italy international joined the Blues from the Serie A club on a five-year deal in 2018. His move coincided with Maurizio Sarri’s appointment as manager at Stamford Bridge. The pair had previously worked together at Napoli, coming close to winning the Scudetto with an exciting brand of football. Sarri subsequently guided Chelsea to success in Europa League but left for Juventus after just one season in charge. He was sacked by Juve last August and has now been tipped to return to Napoli, sparking talk from Jorginho’s agent that his client could follow him. Speaking to Radio Kiss Kiss, Napoli’s official radio station, Joao Santos said: “Sarri at Napoli with Jorginho is a wonderful idea. The player has two-an...
Klopp’s plans for 27-year-old and how Liverpool could shape up vs RB Leipzig
Liverpool will look to finish the job and reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League when they face RB Leipzig in Budapest on Wednesday night. The Reds won the first leg 2-0 at the Puskas Arena three weeks ago. With their hopes of finishing in the top-four gradually fading away, winning the Champions League remains the best option to salvage their season. Jurgen Klopp made seven changes from the home loss to Chelsea against Fulham but that didn’t result in a change of fortune. The Reds have now lost six games in a row at Anfield, but their away form has been comparatively better. Ozan Kabak has returned to training and is likely to feature alongside Nat Phillips at the back. Trent Alexander-Arnold is also expected to return in place of Neco Williams. In midfield, James Milner an...
Predicted Liverpool XI v RB Leipzig: Klopp to make five changes, 27-yr-old key star set to return
Liverpool host RB Leipzig in the Champions League knockout round later tonight. The Reds managed to win the first leg 2-0 away from home, and they will be hoping to get the job done in the second leg. Liverpool have been in abysmal form, having lost four of the last six matches in all competitions, and Jurgen Klopp is under pressure to guide his team into the quarter-finals of the Champions League. A win here would give them some much-needed relief and confidence heading into the remainder of the season. Despite their problems in the league, the Reds have been quite impressive in the European competition, and they will be eager to grind out a positive result against the German outfit. Liverpool have kept a clean sheet in six of their last eight Champions League matches and will fancy their...
‘Sokratis has told us Arsenal’s secrets,’ claims current teammate at Olympiacos
Arsenal take on Greek side Olympiacos in the Round of 16 of the Europa League on Thursday, with a defeat against them last year still in the back of their minds. The duo clashed in the round of 32 of the same competition last season, where the Greek side surprised the footballing world by cruising through at the Gunners’ expense. Since then, not much has changed at the Karaiskakis Stadium. Pedro Martins is still at the helm in Athens, while most of the players who defeated Arsenal 2-1 to advance on away goals are expected to start on Thursday night. Olympiacos 🆚 Arsenal on Thursday is the biggest game Arsenal are gonna play this season, it’s the one that determines how our season will look like, we have to go hard that day! — Saliba🔴. (@SalibaEra_) March 7, 2021 ...
‘Keeps coming back and breaking down’ – Ferdinand slams £200,000-a-week Arsenal ace
Arsenal signed former Atletico Madrid star Thomas Partey at the start of the season for a fee of around £45 million. Partey arrived with a lot of expectations and he did manage to impress initially. However, his time at the north London club has been plagued with injuries. The 27-year-old has missed 16 matches with hip, muscle and hamstring issues. Former Premier League star and Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has now slammed the £200,000-a-week midfielder because of his fitness problems. “Partey, that’s another one, he’s never fit!” Ferdinand said to Daily Mail. “He keeps coming back and breaking down! “They’ve got good players there but for some reason, I don’t know what’s happening, it just isn’t coming together consistently at the moment.” Partey will be aware of the disappointm...
As Bundesliga clubs suffer losses, Man Utd, Tottenham and co eye summer transfer deals
Clubs in the top two tiers of German football suffered a drop of 5.7% revenue in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which may lead to increased pressure on Bundesliga clubs in the summer transfer window to sell some of their prized assets. Football in Germany was brought to a halt due to the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, with over a quarter of the season still left to play. The leagues eventually restarted again in May, with all games being played behind closed doors. Bundesliga matches have been played without spectators for the last year The new season kicked off in the middle of September, with spectators still not allowed back into stadiums. This has hampered the revenues of many clubs across the German leagues. The 18 Bundesliga clubs generated revenue of €3.8 billion for the 2019/...
Leeds United make transfer decision after Wolves reportedly set £30m price tag for attacker
Leeds United are unlikely to make an approach for Adama Traore despite Wolverhampton Wanderers significantly reducing the price tag for the winger, Football Insider reports. Traore had an impressive 2019/2020 season with Wolves, registering six goals and 12 assists from 54 games while making other scoring contributions. However, his form has slumped this term with only one goal and one assist from 31 appearances for the Midlands outfit. Wolves valued Traore between £60-70 million last year, but it is reported that they have reduced their asking price to just £30m ahead of the summer. Leeds were said to be closely monitoring the situation, but it is now claimed that manager Marcelo Bielsa has no desire to land the winger. The Whites boss has concerns over the Spaniard’s techn...
Premier League striker ‘would be happy’ to sign for Barcelona this summer
Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero would be happy to sign for Barcelona on a free transfer this summer, Mundo Deportivo reports. The Argentine has been with the Cityzens for a decade and is their all-time top scorer with 256 goals from just 381 appearances in all competitions. However, he has been a lesser influence this term due to injuries and coronavirus and has been limited to only 11 appearances, where he has netted only two goals. The 32-year-old recently said that he is unsure where his future may lie when his contract with the Cityzens expires in June. It is now reported that Aguero’s agent has held talks with Joan Laporta, who was recently elected as the Blaugrana president for a second time. The Argentine is happy to join the Catalan giants with a pay-cut, but will want a sign...
Manchester United, Manchester City to compete for signing of £45m Spanish star
Manchester United and Manchester City are among the clubs interested in signing Villarreal centre-back Pau Torres in the next transfer window, Manchester Evening News reports. The Spain international graduated through the youth ranks of the La Liga outfit, and he has made 74 appearances in all competitions for the club to date. The 24-year-old has been regularly linked with a move away from the Yellow Submarines in the past, and it is now reported that he is on the radar of United and City. United head coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wants a left-footed centre-back in the squad, and Torres appears to fit their requirements. City manager Pep Guardiola is aiming to bolster his central defensive options and wants another addition in the department this summer. Sportslens view: Harry Maguire has be...
