Nigerian professional footballer who currently plays as a striker for Spanish Liga F club FC Barcelona, Asisat Oshoala, has been enlisted for the 2023 Ballon d’Or Award.
Naija News reports that the organiser of the award, France Football confirmed this on its official Twitter handle on Friday.
Before now, the 28-year-old Super Falcons forward got nominated in the Socrates Award category, which recognises outstanding solidarity actions carried out by football champions.
Oshoala is one of five individuals shortlisted for the award, which was established last year and named after the legendary Brazilian footballer Socrates.
Joining Oshoala as nominees in the category are Vinicius Jnr (Brazil/Real Madrid), Antonio Rudiger (Germany/Real Madrid), Marcus Rashford (England/Manchester United), and Alex Morgan (USA/San Diego Wave).
The nomination acknowledges Oshoala’s remarkable contributions to her community through the creation of the Oshoala Academy. The academy aims to provide its beneficiaries with high-quality football training and life skills education. It also empowers young women through sports, transforming them into community role models and ambassadors for the skills they acquire.
The announcement further stated that the nominees in other categories, including men’s, women’s, Yachine Trophy, and Kopa Trophy, will be revealed on September 6.
Naija News reports that Oshoala is currently in Australia with the Super Falcons, Nigeria’s national women’s football team, as they train for the upcoming FIFA Women’s World Cup, which New Zealand and Australia will host.
The Super Falcons are placed in Group B and will face Australia, Canada, and the Republic of Ireland during the group stages of the tournament.
Former Chelsea captain John Terry announced his return to the academy of the Premier League club just less than a month after his stint with Leicester City, where he was the assistant manager.
The 42-year-old former England skipper returned to Chelsea in a coaching consultancy role in 2022 before joining Dean Smith's coaching staff at Leicester in April this year.
Terry's contract at Leicester was not renewed following the side's relegation from the English top flight.
"I'm delighted to be back Home working in the academy and continuing my role at the club," Terry, who started his coaching career in 2018 as an assistant manager at Aston Villa, said in an Instagram post.
The former defender and five-time Premier League champion won every major trophy during his 19-year stint at Stamford Bridge, making him Chelsea's most successful captain.
[Reuters]
Following the recent capture of Mason Mount, Manchester United's focus appears to have shifted toward the signing of a new striker and a new goalkeeper, with Erik ten Hag seemingly intent on strengthening the spine of his time this summer.
With a £50m bid for Atalanta marksman, Rasmus Hojlund believed to be in the works, United are also currently in negotiations with Inter Milan to try and strike a deal for Cameroonian stopper, Andre Onana, having seemingly made an offer of around €50m (£43m) for the 27-year-old.
With doubts remaining over the future of long-serving number one, David De Gea, it would appear that Onana is being lined up to replace the experienced Spaniard in the sticks, having previously worked under Ten Hag at Ajax.
Having been part of the Inter side that reached the Champions League final last season, the 6 foot 3 ace has particularly impressed due to his quality on the ball, having been branded "exceptional" in that regard by Manchester City boss, Pep Guardiola ahead of that European showpiece.
That ball-playing brilliance is evidenced by the fact that the towering gem ranks in the top 11% among his European peers for touches made as a sign of just how comfortable he is in possession, with De Gea, by contrast, ranking in just the bottom 30% in that regard.
The introduction of the Serie A star to Ten Hag's side would then allow the Red Devils to begin to properly play out from the back next term, with club legend Paul Scholes previously stating that De Gea "makes the whole team nervous" when attempting to use his feet.
Onana will, however, need players ahead of him who are also comfortable in possession, hence why the signing of Monaco's Axel Disasi - who is a reported target for the Premier League outfit this summer - could prove to be a perfect fit at the heart of the defence.
How good is Axel Disasi?
The 6 foot 3 centre-back could represent a big upgrade on club captain, Harry Maguire in Ten Hag's defensive ranks, with the latter man having been branded "a walking disaster" by journalist Samuel Luckhurst in recent times, having also been restricted to just eight league starts last term.
The 30-year-old Englishman - who has been linked with a move away from the Theatre of Dreams - has looked rather uncomfortable when attempting to play out of late, notably turning into trouble in the grim Europa League defeat to Sevilla earlier this year.
Disasi, however, should have no such trouble in that regard, with the impressive "hidden gem" - as lauded by talent scout Jacek Kulig - ranking in the top 4% among those in his position in Europe's top five leagues for both progressive passes and progressive carries, showcasing his willingness to initiate attacks from deep.
That is in stark contrast to Maguire's record across the last 365 days, as per FBref, with the former Leicester City man ranking in just the bottom 47% for progressive passes and only in the top 19% for progressive carries, having looked ill-suited at times to a more progressive style of play.
Disasi would also offer a benefit to both Onana and United as a whole due to his ability to sniff out danger, showcased by the fact that the Frenchman ranks in the top 14% for interceptions made, while Maguire ranks in just the top 38% for that same metric.
That would suggest that the signing of the 25-year-old - who has been valued at around €50m (£43m) - could be a perfect solution for Ten Hag ahead of next season, helping to hasten the transition towards a more free-flowing style of play.
[footballfancast]
Former Manchester United and Netherlands goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar is in intensive care after suffering bleeding around his brain, Dutch club Ajax have announced.
Van der Sar, 52, won the Premier League four times during his time at United, as well as the Champions League in 2008, which he also lifted while at Ajax.
After retirement, Van der Sar, who also enjoyed a spell at Fulham before signing for United, returned to Ajax where he took up the role of chief executive in 2016, from which he decided to stand down at the end of last season.
“On Friday, Edwin van der Sar has had a bleeding around his brain. He’s currently in hospital in the intensive care unit and is in a stable condition,” Ajax said in a statement on Twitter.
“Once there is more concrete information, an update will follow. Everyone at Ajax wishes Edwin a speedy recovery. We’re thinking of you.”
Although no further details were given by Ajax, it has been reported Van der Sar was admitted to hospital while away in Croatia after suffering a cerebral haemorrhage.
Following a disappointing season for Ajax, the club finishing third in the Eredivisie and missing out on Champions League qualification, Van der Sar announced he would be stepping down from his role after almost 11 years on the club’s board.
“I feel the need to take some distance, to get some rest, and to do other things,” he said on Twitter at the end of May.
“It doesn’t feel good to take decisions about the future of this wonderful club in the coming period. That is why I have decided to resign.”
United offered Van der Sar the club’s best wishes.
“Sending all our love and strength to you, Edwin,” a post on the club’s Twitter feed read.
[telegraph]
Chelsea and AC Milan are set for another direct meeting to find an agreement for Christian Pulisic, with the USMNT star keen to join the Serie A giants.
According to Fabrizio Romano, AC Milan and Chelsea will have a final direct meeting to find an agreement for Christian Pulisic. The 24-year-old American remains keen to join the Rossoneri in this window, but the Serie A giants are yet to convince the Blues with a suitable offer.
Lyon were among teams who tabled a bid for the €64 million forward but could not find an agreement. Chelsea are open to selling Pulisic for the offer the French giants proposed, but his mind remains elsewhere. The 24-year-old asked the Blues for a new challenge and preferred a move to Milan.
Yet, the Rossoneri’s initial offer fell well short of Chelsea’s asking price. They were preparing an improved bid for the American but would like to discuss it at length before making it official. The Premier League giants may remain adamant over their reported €25 million asking price but could accept a slightly lower fee too.
The two clubs are set to hold direct conversations to reach an agreement. Milan feel optimistic about signing the American but will have to raise their offer to find a breakthrough. Chelsea will want a deal wrapped up quickly as they want to focus on their incomings.
If he leaves, the American will join a host of other stars out of the door. Chelsea have conducted massive sales in the early part of this window. Many notable stars like Kai Havertz, Mateo Kovacic and Mason Mount, among many others.
They hope to generate enough cash to fund their transfers for essential players like Moises Caicedo and a new striker. There is plenty of optimism to get the Pulisic deal over the line as the two teams can find an agreement in the coming days.
[HardTackele]
Kylian Mbappe has been linked with a move away from Paris Saint-Germain this summer, with Real Madrid his likely destination.
Kylian Mbappe will be a free agent next summer, and Paris Saint-Germain could look to cash in on him this year to avoid losing him on a free transfer next year. A report from Sky Sports claims that the French club fear that the 24-year-old has already agreed to join Real Madrid in a Bosman move in the 2024 summer transfer window.
Mbappe has recently revealed that he does not wish to leave the French outfit this summer, and he will see out his contract at the club. But Paris Saint-Germain will be desperate for him to sign an extension with them so that they do not lose him on a free transfer.
Alternatively, they will look to cash in on the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner, considering the precarious situation they find themselves in. So it will be interesting to see if they can convince the player to sign a new deal with them with a nominal release clause.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid certainly need someone like him to lead their attack, especially after the departure of Karim Benzema. Mbappe is one of the best players in the world, and he scored 41 goals across all competitions last season.
He is versatile enough to play anywhere across the front three and could transform the Real Madrid attack next year. The player has been linked with clubs like Arsenal and Liverpool as well. But it would be highly surprising if he decided to join them.
A move to Real Madrid will appeal to him more than any other club, and the player was heavily linked with the Spanish giants before he signed his last contract with PSG. Mbappe will be hoping to take the next step in his career and fight for major trophies with Real Madrid.
The Spanish giants have a phenomenal record in the Champions League, and the French international will want to win that competition soon. Despite spending massive sums of money in recent seasons the Champions League trophy has proven to be elusive for Paris Saint-Germain.
So Mbappe might feel that a move to Real Madrid could finally help him secure the european crown. Signing a player of his quality on a free transfer could prove to be an absolute masterstroke from the Spanish giants, and it will be interesting to see how the situation unfolds.
[thehardtackle]
Can England bring it home?
No, we aren't talking about the Lionesses and their quest to win the World Cup in a few weeks time...
This weekend, it's about the men's side, who face Spain in the final of the Uefa Under-21 European Championships.
It's the first time the Young Lions have reached the final of an Under-21s Euros in 14 years.
The exciting squad includes some Premier League stars as well as some 'up-and-coming' players who are all hoping to make themselves household names on Saturday evening.
The Young Lions, who are yet to concede a goal in the tournament, hope to win the competition for the first time since 1984.
The final kicks off at 5:00pm on Saturday 8 July at the Adjarabet Arena in Batumi, in Georgia.
Who is in the England U-21 squad?
One of the star players so far has been Nottingham Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White.
The 23-year-old has had a taste of success with England's youth sides before, having been part of the team to win the Under-17s World Cup back in 2017, so can he bring that winning spirit to the rest of the squad?
Well, he has set up three goals and scored one on his way to the final, but is keen to praise his fellow players for their teamwork.
"We have a good together team and the right team that can go all the way."
Despite his brilliant work-rate, he isn't getting ahead of himself.
"It's not an achievement yet, we still have loads of work to do,"
Morgan Gibbs-White
The rest of the team is also brimming with star-quality, as Arsenal's Emile Smith-Rowe, Liverpool's Harvey Elliot and Manchester City's Cole Palmer all looking to impress the Three Lion's senior squad manager Gareth Southgate ahead of next year's European Championships.
Goal keeper James Trafford, who is rumoured to be joining newly promoted Burnley, has also proved to be a reliable force within the team.
The Cumbrian keeper who learned to drive on tractors at his parents farm and spent his summers lifting hay bales in fields, has kept out a wave of shots since the start of the tournament.
Who is the England U-21 coach?
Head coach Lee Carsley has been in charge of the Under-21 side since 2021.
He is a former player himself, and played a key role for Everton and Derby County in the late 1990s and 2000s.
Carsley says he has been really impressed with the attitude of the players in his junior squad.
"These young players' mentality is different to my generation" he said.
"Curtis (Jones) gives the ball away and just wants to get on it again, he doesn't even think about it. Morgan is the same.
"It's such a skill to have, that self-belief. The players know we believe in them, we want them to do well. It's important that he keeps getting on it, he keeps creating chances."
The players know we believe in them, we want them to do well."
Who are England playing in the final?
The Young Lions will face Spain in Saturday's final, and previous results suggest they will be fierce competition.
The Spanish side are also unbeaten in the tournament so far, but have drawn one match and conceded four goals.
Much like the England team, the Spanish side is full of top players.
Antonio Blanco, Sergio Gomez, Juan Miranda and Abel Ruiz, along with coach Santi Denia are all going for their version of the "treble".
They were all part of the teams who won both the Under-17s Euros in 2017 and the Under-19s Euros in 2019.
Spanish forward Abel Ruiz is aware of the challenge ahead.
"We know England are a very good team. They came to this tournament as favourites and have had a very good tournament".
[BBC]
Arsenal's summer transfer window is in full swing now with Granit Xhaka becoming the second senior player to depart permanently in the past week.
With Pablo Mari's £5.9million move to Serie A outfit Monza being completed last Saturday as the international transfer window officially opened, five days later brought about confirmation that the Switzerland international had completed a switch to Bayer Leverkusen thus earning the Gunners a £21.5million windfall.
As reported by football.london, more first-team players are expected to leave the Emirates Stadium between now and deadline day at the beginning of September with the club open to selling Thomas Partey, Nuno Tavares, Runar Alex Runarsson, Auston Trusty and Folarin Balogun.
Meanwhile, in terms of additions, Arsenal have agreements in place for Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber to push their spending over the £200million mark - having already completed the signing of Kai Havertz for £65million from London rivals Chelsea - and there could be one or two more following suit.
Having said that, the north London outfit have to be wary of not exceeding the limit of 17 non-homegrown players. This has previously been a problem as in the 2020/21 season Mesut Ozil and Sokratis Papastathopoulos missed out on both Premier League and Europa League squads.
Of course, with the Gunners competing in the Champions League next season and their hopes of toppling Manchester City in the title race, they'll have to ensure they adhere to both UEFA and Premier League rules when it comes to submitting the two squads lists after the summer transfer window closes.
With regard to the Premier League, Arsenal cannot name more than 17 non-homegrown players. The departures of Mari and Xhaka means as things currently stand, Gabriel Magalhaes, Mohamed Elneny, Gabriel Jesus, Fabio Vieira, Jorginho, Jakub Kiwior, Martin Odegaard, Thomas Partey, Kieran Tierney, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Leandro Trossard, Matt Turner, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Havertz, Runarsson, Cedric Soares, Nuno Tavares, Trusty, Albert Sambi Lokonga and Nicolas Pepe all fall into this particular category
Over the limit by three, that number (20) will have to drop over the next couple of months - especially in order for Timber to be registered - but it would appear that Mikel Arteta and Edu Gaspar have the situation under control with the pair expected to oversee a number of non-homegrown player sales.
As for the Champions League, UEFA states: 'No club may have more than 25 players on List A during the season. As a minimum, eight places are reserved exclusively for "locally trained players" and no club may have more than four "association-trained players" listed in these eight places on List A. List A must specify the players who qualify as being "locally trained", as well as whether they are "club-trained" or "association-trained".
Arsenal no longer have to consider Mari and Xhaka following the double departure but because Marquinhos, despite being born after January 2002, is only eligible for List A as an overseas player due to not being at the club 'for any uninterrupted period of two years, or a total of three consecutive years' they are currently over the limit by four (21).
Once again, that number is expected to drop in the coming months when taking into consideration the players whom the Gunners are open to selling but it's important those deals are completed one way or another otherwise there will be a registration issue for Arteta to face.
[Football.London]
Everton transfer news: Toffees agree to sell two academy products to fund search for new striker
AdminEverton are pushing to broker their first addition to the senior squad for more than 10 months after agreeing the double sale of two academy graduates.
The club have sanctioned the sales of striker Ellis Simms to Coventry and 17-year-old academy prospect Ishe Samuels-Smith, who will join Chelsea for around £4m.
i understands that Everton will bank an initial £3.5m for Simms in a deal that will feature staggered payments and could be worth up to £8m eventually.
The 22-year-old spent the second half of last season back at Goodison Park after Everton failed to make any additions in January and scored a memorable late equaliser at Chelsea in a crucial 2-2 draw.
But he is surplus to requirements and, in a summer where Everton know they need to sell to spend substantially, the sale could be crucial.
The Toffees are still wrestling with Financial Fair Play issues and the cost of the new stadium project, with the club in advanced talks over investment from New York-based private equity firm MSP Sports Capital.
Sources close to the deal told i that there remains “no timeline” on when that could be concluded, pointing out the “very complex” nature of the investment.
“There are a lot of moving parts in the deal and it is not just a case of pressing the button and then it’s done,” a source told i.
They added that the group remained hopeful it would be done soon, having already provided an interim loan to help stadium construction in advance of the investment deal being concluded.
Everton director of football Kevin Thelwell has made a number of enquiries and the club are hopeful of securing a first incoming deal since September 2022, having gone through the whole of January without bringing anyone in.
The club returned for pre-season training on Thursday, with former England international Dele Alli noticeably the first to return for fitness tests ahead of his latest new start.
Sean Dyche will hold talks with Alli but with Everton required to pay £10m if he plays another seven games for the club, he would need to convince the manager quickly that he was over his recent travails.
Dyche has prioritised new forward additions, putting a premium on pace and power for his new recruits, with the scouting team reluctant to take risks on players with patchy fitness records.
They have been scouring the loan and free agent market and have an active interest in Lyon’s former Celtic forward Moussa Dembele.
They are also keen on Leeds United’s Italy striker Wilfried Gnoto, although there is a reluctance to sell at Elland Road. A fee of around £40m would surely require further outgoings at Goodison Park, where Amadou Onana could also be sold to raise funds.
The Belgium midfielder has interest from Chelsea and has been linked with Newcastle United.
Meanwhile, i understands that there has been no move for Almeria forward El Bilal Toure, despite reports in Spain that a £34.3m bid has been launched for the Mali international.
Almeria managing director Mohamed El Assy name-checked Everton in an interview this week as one club who had made an offer for Toure but sources at Goodison Park say that is not correct.
[inews]
A lot of Manchester City's players have nothing left to prove, and have a job for life as long as they want it.
Bernardo Silva, Erling Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne, Rodri, Jack Grealish, Ederson, Ruben Dias, John Stones and several others. Last season City achieve the remarkable, to become just the second English team to win the treble and equal fierce rivals Manchester United's crowning glory.
While those names will go down in the history books, tales of the brilliance passed from generation to generation, there are others in the City squad who didn't play as much of a significant role. Every member of a squad is crucial for more than what we see on the pitch, to ensure squad harmony and team spirit.
But everyone wants to play. Every single game. Some did not do enough to earn a regular spot in the side last season and will be fighting for their futures during pre-season and the forthcoming campaign.
The biggest example of course is Kalvin Phillips. The midfielder was brought in from Leeds United last summer to replace the departing Fernandinho to provide cover for Rodri but hardly got a sniff of action. A should injury disrupted the first half of his season and Pep Guardiola expressed his frustrations early on that he was having to play Rodri so much.
The time off meant Phillips was already playing catch-up at a club where it tends to take players a year to get used to the manager's methods. Even when back on the bench, Guardiola did not trust him enough to play much. His longest cameo off the bench in the Premier League against Leicester City was disastrous and threatened to throw away the lead.
The midfielder didn't start his first league match until the title was already secured and he finished the campaign with 593 minutes of action. Phillips expected to be playing second fiddle behind Rodri but must have thought he'd play more.
His first season has been such a disappointment that there was speculation he could depart after a year but Phillips quickly put those rumours to bed by declaring his desire to prove himself at the Etihad. “My intention is to stay there. We have just won the treble, so there is no reason for me to leave, other than if I am not playing I will obviously have to think about it.
“I cannot give it 12 months and say, ‘I am not playing so I am going to leave’. I came to Manchester City to win trophies and we won the trophies, but I didn’t play as much as I wanted to do.
“With England I played a little bit, but was ruled out through injuries as well. It is just nice to be back fit. I have nothing to worry about now. Everything is fine with my body. I will continue to work hard next season and hopefully do well when I go back to City.”
That's an admirable stance to take and there is every chance he could discover his best form now he's got a clean bill of health, like so many signings have in their second season. But if there isn't a dramatic improvement soon, it's hard to see him lasting for a third campaign.
Another new signing who struggled last year was Sergio Gomez, though it was hardly his fault. The Spaniard was signed as a developmental addition and the original plan was for him to head straight out on loan to continue his development. But a rare error from City meant he had to stay after the Blues allowed Aleks Zinchenko to depart without having replacement Marc Cucurella secured, who eventually joined Chelsea.
In his few appearances, Gomez looked exactly like a player initially deemed not ready for the senior squad. Completely out of his depth. Given he's also a converted attacker, it was hardly surprising. However, he is enjoying an excellent Under-21 Euros with his five goal contributions in four games helping guide Spain to the final, though he is playing as a winger.
There is clearly potential in Gomez but he will have to start showing it at City if he is to remain with the squad and not head out either on loan or permanently.
Cole Palmer is also enjoying a good tournament and shone in England's semi-final victory over Israel as he scored and set up two more in a 3-0 win. The playmaker clearly has lots of talent, made obvious by the fact he has been a regular face in the squad for a couple of years now.
But he didn't play quite as much as might have been expected last season and now at 21 it's time he starts having a greater impact on games if he is to follow in Phil Foden's footsteps and become a mainstay in the side.
He faces competition from his fellow EDS teammates Tommy Doyle and James McAtee. The pair spent last season on loan at Sheffield United and were instrumental in the Blades' promotion back to the Premier League. They have had the taste of regular first-team football now and will no doubt be eager to replicate that at City.
While starting regularly is highly unlikely, there is certainly a spot available on the bench for an exciting young midfielder and the trio will have to impress in pre-season to be the one to earn it or face another season out on loan.
More...
Germany lost their last warm-up game for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup at home to Zambia despite retrieving a two-goal deficit in added time.
Racheal Kundanaji’s long ball saw Barbra Banda open the scoring past Merle Frohms three minutes into the second half, with Kundanaji herself netting shortly afterwards.
Carolin Simon hit the crossbar, before Lea Schüller reduced the arrears just after the 90 minutes by heading in Simon’s corner.
Ten minutes into stoppage-time, Alexandra Popp turned in Svenja Huth’s cross to equalise, only for Banda to lob Frohms from 20 yards for a dramatic winner.
Elsewhere, Portugal defeated Ukraine 2-0 with Jessica Silva scoring both goals in the first half.
USA host Wales at 9pm UK time on Sunday 9 July, live on BBC One Wales, BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website.
[shekicks]
Jurgen Klopp ‘requests’ €60m Liverpool raid on European giants for final cog of midfield rebuild
AdminAccording to reports, Jurgen Klopp has asked Liverpool to sign Inter Milan standout Nicolo Barella, who was pursued by Newcastle earlier this summer.
As expected, Liverpool have been busy in the transfer market already this summer. They moved quickly to sign World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton for £35m.
They then turned their attention to Dominik Szoboszlai, who has joined Liverpool after the Premier League giants activated the £60m release clause in his contract at RB Leipzig.
The Reds could sign one more midfielder before the transfer window closes, with a defensive midfielder likely to be preferred by the club’s hierarchy.
Barella was involved in 19 goals across all competitions during the 2022/23 campaign and he was heavily linked with Newcastle before they signed Sandro Tonali from AC Milan.
The Italy international has also been linked with Liverpool and while it has rightly been assumed that they are no longer interested in him following the arrival of Szoboszlai, but Spanish outlet Fichajes are reporting that they are ‘seeking to add’ him to their squad following a ‘request’ by Klopp.
Inter Milan are ‘willing to sell Barella if they receive an offer of 60 million euros’ and Liverpool ‘could be willing to pay’ this amount.
It is said to be one of Klopp’s ‘great desires’ to make Barella the third and final cog of his summer rebuild in midfield.
This should be taken with a pinch of salt, as it is being widely reported by more reliable outlets that Southampton teenager Romeo Lavia is actually their main midfield target for the rest of this summer.
Football Insider are reporting that ‘Southampton are holding out for top money for their best players as Liverpool continue to negotiate a possible deal for Lavia. They add.
‘A well-placed source has told Football Insider that midfield duo Lavia and James Ward-Prowse are “fully expected” to return to the Premier League with a move away from St Mary’s Stadium.
‘However, it is believed Liverpool are only currently willing to offer around £40million for Lavia as negotiations continue – while Southampton are believed to be holding out for a figure closer to £50million.
‘A host of other Premier League giants, including Chelsea and Arsenal, have also been linked with the 19-year-old.
‘Southampton are keen to maximise the Belgium international’s value as Man City will be entitled to 20% of any fee received for his services. That clause was negotiated as part of the reported £10.5million deal which brought Lavia to Southampton last summer.’
[football365]
According to Fabrizio Romano, Chelsea are not in negotiations with any club over the sale of Andrey Santos. The player has recently returned from his loan spell at Vasco da Gama and has been attracting a lot of interest.
Barcelona were among the clubs keen on securing the services of the youngster this summer. Although the Catalans were interested in Santos even during the January transfer window, Chelsea beat them to the chase and loaned the player back to Vasco da Gama until the end of last season.
With Chelsea undergoing many changes this summer, Barcelona have re-ignited their pursuit of Santos, hoping that the youngster might consider leaving Stamford Bridge in favour of a more sporting prospect in Catalonia.
The club’s new sporting director Deco is a great admirer of Santos, while Xavi Hernandez himself had given the approval for the move. Barcelona had even started negotiations to sign the youngster this summer, reports Lucas Pedrosa.
Chelsea, though, appear to have no desire to negotiate with any clubs. Their new coach Mauricio Pochettino wants to assess the 19-year-old youngster during pre-season. The club also believe he is the future of the team.
Following the departure of Sergio Busquets, Barcelona are desperate to sign a replacement this summer. Barça’s late pursuit of Santos hinted that the club are looking for alternatives to top target Oriol Romeu, who is set to cost €8 million in the market.
Given his age and the potential he has shown in his native Brazil, Andrey Santos fits the bill well. But with Chelsea unwilling to sanction an exit, Barcelona must continue to look at other options in the transfer market.
The Blaugrana have been recently linked with a move for former youth team player Gerard Gumbau, who is currently a free agent. But the Spaniard does not have much experience at the highest level, which makes him a risky target for the club.
[barcauniversal]
Sandro Tonali’s agent Giuseppe Riso has reflected on his client’s record-breaking move to Newcastle United.
Just under a fortnight after the deal was first agreed, Tonali was officially confirmed as a Magpies player on Monday for an undisclosed fee - believed to be £52million plus add-ons - to make him Italy’s most expensive player of all time.
Tonali put pen to paper on a five-year contract - which includes an option of a sixth year - before making a flying visit to Tyneside on Wednesday, where he visited St James’ Park and the club’s Benton training ground before travelling back to Milan a day later.
Upon his return to Italy, Tonali and his agent Giuseppe Riso were questioned by Italian journalists at the airport. While Tonali spoke of the difficult decision to leave his boyhood team, Riso showed his delight.
Riso said: “The operation will go down in history, we are happy and proud. I see him calm. When clubs like Newcastle or others from the Premier League appear, which is the NBA of football, it is right for all parties to sit down and discuss it.”
When asked how satisified he was to get the Tonali deal over the line, Riso paid tribute to super agent Mino Raiola, who passed away aged 54 last year.
“A lot,” he said. “I say one thing: I would like to take the opportunity to remember Mino Raiola, he’s missed so much and that’s felt. He changed our way of working and improved it. He created the show. I would like an award or a day to remember him. He deserves it.
Tonali will enjoy a short break before linking up with his new teammates as they prepare for the 2023-24 Premier League campaign.
[newcastleworld]