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  • Birmingham City kept right on to the end of the road; now for a better future

    Birmingham City kept right on to the end of the road; now for a better future

    Few other clubs have had such a miserable time for such a long time as Birmingham City, but new ownership may finally be signalling a brighter future.

     

    They may have finished their Championship season with three defeats and 17th place, but Birmingham City supporters have been surprisingly sanguine nevertheless. A 2-1 home defeat on the last day of the season against Premier League-bound Sheffield United was to be expected, but Blues supporters had something else on their mind, namely a takeover announcement which might finally put an end to a miserable last few years which have even threatened the ongoing viability of the club.

    And while it’s absolutely clear that other clubs have had a worse time of things on a day-to-day basis, very few have had such a drip, drip, drip of foreboding that something considerably worse is about to happen. Over the last 11 seasons they’ve finished above halfway in the Championship table twice, both times in 10th place, the last of which came seven years ago.

    And since then, their record has been that of a club which has no imagination beyond not getting relegated from the second tier: 19th, 19th, 17th, 20th, 18th, 20th and 17th. And considering their prognosis for this season, even 17th feels like something of an achievement.

    Few supporters outside of those who pledge their allegiance to the richest can reasonably expect success on the pitch every season, but Birmingham’s record has been particularly gruelling, the sort of run that tests the patience of all bar the most loyal, and it’s been matched by difficulties off the pitch, which have included an owner who ended up in prison after being convicted of money laundering, a stadium so unsafe that it’s been part-closed for the last three years, and a failed takeover which resulted in those behind the plan receiving a slap on the wrists from the EFL.

    The owner was Carson Yeung. When Yeung finally bought Birmingham City in July 2009 after a protracted battle for control, they’d just been promoted to the Premier League as runners-up behind Wolverhampton Wanderers. They finished ninth the following season, and won the League Cup in 2011. But relegation followed at the end of the 2010/11 season. The club haven’t returned since.

    And in the background, cracks were starting to show in Yeung’s business empire. His real estate business in China was in millions of dollars of debt, and in June 2011 he was arrested on money laundering charges. In March 2014 he was found guilty on five counts of money laundering a total of HK$720 million (£55m at the time) and was sentenced to six years in prison.

    The mysteries surrounding Yeung were numerous. How had he made enough money to be able to spend £81.5m on a Premier League football club? What about those two criminal convictions in Hong Kong from 2004 and 2010, for failing to disclose shareholdings in listed companies? Birmingham notified the Premier League, but the league deemed Yeung still “fit and proper” because such an offence would not be considered criminal under UK law. Yeung resigned all his positions at Birmingham shortly before the conviction.

    Ownership of the club eventually passed into the hands Birmingham Sports Holdings Limited, a Hong-Kong Stock Exchange-listed front for a fragmented collection of associated companies, headed by Cambodian businessman Vong Pech.

    The club’s decline under the stewardship of chief executive Xuandong Ren was striking. Birmingham started to slide towards the relegation places, seemingly perfecting the art of doing just enough to avoid relegation each season. They were spending lavishly on huge contracts, but at the same time the actual infrastructure of the club was rotting under their feet. Indeed, things reached such a point that the lower tier of the Kop and Tilton Road End were closed and have remained so since the issue first arose in December 2020. In December 2022, they claimed that it would be open as of the end of this season. By April, this date had been moved back to the middle of September. 

    And this season alone, the club had already been the subject of further scrutiny following the failed takeover from the EFL, who last charged former Barcelona striker Maxi Lopez, British businessman Paul Richardson and former Charlton Athletic chief executive Matt Southall with alleged breaches of its owners’ and directors’ test (ODT) in February over effectively running the club without formal approval. The punishments turned out to be fairly mild because the League accepted that this had been “non intentional” and hadn’t been concealed from them. Southall was banned from football for three months, meaning that he will be available for work again before the start of next season, if anyone will hire him. Lopez, formerly of Barcelona, accepted a month-long ban from involvement with any EFL club, suspended until the end of the 20232/4 season. The takeover itself collapsed in December 2022. 

    That Birmingham City supporters should be ending this season with smiles on their faces is down to takeover news they have been waiting to hear for a very long time indeed. Throughout the Yeung and BHSL eras, the club has been kicked from pillar to post, surrounded by intrigue, and close to both insolvency and dropping into the lower divisions, but last month it emerged that the club had entered into a period of exclusivity with a UK subsidiary of Knighthood Capital Management, an investment firm formed by Tom Wagner, an American businessman with links to the recently retired American footballer Tom Brady. Whether the club will be able to benefit from this extremely high-profile connection remains unclear.           

    What sort of owners will Wagner’s group be? Well, who knows? It will take a while to complete. The group has purchased a 45% shareholding, which is expected to turn into a full purchase, and there are various regulatory bodies through which it all needs to pass. There are reported plans to convert St Andrews into social housing and build a new stadium on a 40-acre piece of derelict land that used to be a go-karting track nearby. Significantly, the new guys’ first message to fans placed St Andrews at the front of their statement to the fans: “The first step in the transition is to ensure St. Andrew’s is fit for purpose.”

    Of course, the fact that an American hedge fund owner wishes to buy a club in the Championship, where owners are considerably more likely to lose considerable sums of money than turn a profit, raises questions in itself and protecting the club is better served by treating any new investor with a degree of healthy scepticism than by treating them as messiahs. But they’re saying the right things and sending the right messages, and after 14 years of Carson Yeung and BHSL at St Andrews, even that feels like a very solid start indeed. 



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  • Inter ease past AC Milan on a night to remember the scale of Italian football

    Inter ease past AC Milan on a night to remember the scale of Italian football

    Inter came out flying for their Champions League semi-final against Milan, but the evening was really a reminder of Italian club football’s recent revival.

     

    For some of us who grew up (or – cough – were young adults) during the 1990s, Italian football became a very big deal indeed. Shortly after Sky Sports paid £304m for five years of Premier League rights in 1992, Channel 4 paid £1.5m for a season’s worth of live action from Serie A.

    On Saturday mornings, the magazine show, Gazzetta Football Italia, would have a round-up of all of the previous week’s action and news, presented by James Richardson and with voiceovers by Kenneth Wolstenholme. On Sunday afternoons would follow a live match, usually with commentary from the late, great Peter Brackley. The Premier League was still rebuilding after decades of neglect. Serie A felt like the most glamorous league in the world.

    There have been many reasons why this situation has changed over the last thirty years. Municipally-owned infrastructure built or last renovated for the 1990 World Cup  – or in many cases earlier – was never properly maintained, which has been a key factor in the league attracting smaller crowds than others. The average attendance in Serie A is 29,000. In the Bundesliga, it’s just over 42,000 and in the Premier League, it’s just topped 40,000 for the first time.

    This doesn’t affect the biggest clubs. Milan and Inter both average over 70,000 for their home matches. But other factors have impacted them. Repeated financial scandals or issues related to match-fixing have had a negative effect on the reputation of the league.

    Serie A hasn’t been able to keep up in terms of broadcasting revenues, either. The Premier League’s current broadcasting contract is worth £1.6bn a year. Serie A is worth £825m, just over half as much. As recently as this week, the Milan CEO Giorgio Furlani admitted that his club are having difficulty competing with all Premier League clubs in the transfer market.

    It has become easy to forget in recent years, particularly in relation to Milan and Inter. But these two clubs have won ten European Cups or Champions League between them, and both have won it this century; Milan in 2003 and 2007, and Inter in 2010. And the two clubs aren’t even guaranteed Champions League football for next season, either.

    As they took to the pitch for this match, Inter were in fourth place in Serie A and Milan were in fifth, with four games of the season to play. Should Lazio or Juventus slip, they could both yet qualify via their final league positions. But as things stand one of these clubs could yet miss out on this very tournament next season.

    So this match was important, and they really wanted us to know. Milan were the home team for the first leg and they were determined to make the most of having three sides of the San Siro. “HELL IS EMPTY TONIGHT. ALL THE DEVILS ARE HERE”, read the banner behind one goal.

    Shortly before the teams took to the pitch, the ultras released their tifo, a literally awesome display spanning three sides of the stadium. And it was making a statement that is about more than just Milan vs Inter, or even Milan. With five clubs in European semi-finals this season and an all-Milanese in the semi-final of the Champions League, the grandeur of Italian club football is back.

    Within twenty minutes, Milan’s ultras may have been forgiven wondering why they’d bothered. Inter were absolutely rampant, taking a 2-0 lead within fifteen minutes and hitting the inside of the post.

    The two goals came about from players who should be familiar to English football watchers – Serie A has a habit of occasionally throwing names at you that have lain dormant in your sub-conscience for some time. Edin Dzeko and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, for example.

    Dzeko is now 37 years old, the sort of age at which a footballer normally starts to draw comparisons with the elderly amongst fans – many of whom are considerably older than 37 themselves – but he rolled back the years with a fabulous volley into the top corner from a corner on the left after eight minutes, and three minutes later Mkhitaryan, the copy-writer’s dream, charged into the penalty area like a steam engine, took a touch of the ball to steady himself, and leathered it past a slightly shell-shocked looking Mike Maignan to double their lead. A couple of minutes later, Hakan Calhanoglu shot from 25 yards and hit the inside of the post.

    Milan were all over the place, and they weren’t helped by losing Ismael Bennacer – recently linked with a possible return to Arsenal – to injury. He was replaced by a more attacking midfielder, Junior Messias; not a straight swap, and every time Inter surged forward, they seemed to be finding a straightforward route to goal.

    The Milan defence’s range fell between jittery and outright panic-stricken, and even though the game settled after that frantic opening, every time Inter did get forward they simply carved through what passed for a back line like a hot knife through butter.

    After half an hour, the referee blew for a penalty kick for Inter after a challenge by Simon Kjaer on Lautaro Martinez, only to change his mind after checking the screen on the advice of the video assistants. Was there contact? A little. Was it ‘enough’? Doubtful. Was it a ‘clear and obvious’ error? Didn’t look like it. 

    Milan started the second half much more brightly and even hit the base of the post just after the hour, by a long distance the closest they’d come to scoring.

    The introduction of Divock Origi – SEE? – had given them a little more width, but they continued to look vulnerable every time Inter managed to counter and the ‘away’ team started to control possession better again from around the midway point on, but it did start to feel as though Inter really wanted little more than to close this game down. If an opportunity for a third goal presented itself, then fine, and with Milan’s defensive performance that had to be considered a possibility. But they weren’t going to go rocking any boats over it.

    This was comfortable for Inter, and Milan have much thinking to do ahead of the second leg. But more than anything else, this was an evening that served as a reminder of the sheer scale and heft of Italian club football.

    The supporters went all in on this match, just as they will for the second leg. There has been considerable talk surrounding these Champions League semi-finals that the other tie between Real Madrid and Manchester City was the “real final”.

    Well, not quite. They may be the best two teams in the tournament this season, but Milan and Inter are perfectly capable of putting on a huge spectacle themselves, one worthy of this stage of the peak of world club football. Italian club football still has work to do to address the issues that have held it back for years, but occasions like this, when the San Siro looks and acts like the very centre of the universe, are a reminder of what it has to offer.



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  • ‘Wrong strategy’ gives Man Utd ‘advantage’ for top target as new €160m price tag is revealed

    ‘Wrong strategy’ gives Man Utd ‘advantage’ for top target as new €160m price tag is revealed

    Man Utd have been told they will now have to pay €160m if they want to sign Napoli striker Victor Osimhen this summer, according to reports.

    The Red Devils are still looking for a replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo, who left Old Trafford after a controversial interview with Piers Morgan brought his time at the club to an end.

    Man Utd agreed to terminate his contract at the end of last November with Ronaldo moving to Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr, while the Red Devils had to wait until January to bring in a temporary replacement in the form of Burnley striker Wout Weghorst.

    And now they have made bringing in a centre-forward their main priority for the summer transfer window with Weghorst unlikely to stay past the end of the season.

    Reports earlier this year claimed Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag was ‘sold’ on the idea of bringing in Harry Kane from Tottenham with the England international about to enter the final year of his contract in north London.

    But they face gruelling negotiations for Kane with Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy understood to be unwilling to sell to Premier League rivals, especially Man Utd.

    And another option is Napoli striker Osimhen, who is currently leading the Serie A goalscoring charts this season with 23 goals, but the Red Devils could face competition from Chelsea, Arsenal and a number of other clubs desperate for a proven striker.

    A report at the end of April claimed that Man Utd were ‘in pole position’ for the Nigeria international and now Italian publication Il Mattino claim that the Red Devils have an ‘advantage’ over other interested clubs.

    By pursuing a deal for Osimhen last August using the ‘wrong strategy’ Man Utd have put themselves ahead of others in the race to sign the 24-year-old.

    The Red Devils attempted to sign Osimhen by attempting to include Ronaldo in an offer last year but now Napoli have told the Premier League club that they will demand ‘at least’ €160m for the striker this summer.

    Osimhen is also looking to ‘exceed’ €10m a year ‘net salary’ if he leaves Naples and ‘several million bonuses’ an offer that Napoli ‘cannot’ match.

    They insist that the sale of Osimhen ‘can cause a domino effect’ of transfers across Europe as the striker ‘scans the horizon thoughtfully’ for the right option.

    But Man Utd have already been warned about signing Osimhen for over £100m with former Aston Villa striker Gabby Agbonlahor claiming Osimhen has “only done it for one season”.

    Agbonlahor told Football Insider: “I do like him, but he’s only done it for one season.

    “It’s dangerous when you’re going and buying players who have only been outstanding for a short amount of time.

    “I can tell you that the Premier League is a much tougher league than Serie A, and Man United will be wary of paying silly money for him.

    “Napoli are going to want over £100million for him.

    “It’s difficult because so many sides in England need strikers but to get the best ones, it’s going to really dent the finances, it’s an unbelievable sum.”

    READ MORE: Ten Hag deserves shielding from blame for as long as Man Utd demand he makes do

     



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  • Ancelotti and Wenger speak out as technology proves De Bruyne goal should not have stood

    Ancelotti and Wenger speak out as technology proves De Bruyne goal should not have stood

    Carlo Ancelotti was shown a yellow card for his protestations to the referee after Real Madrid’s 1-1 draw with Manchester City, and technology has since proven he was right to be upset.

    After Vinicius Junior gave Madrid the lead in the first-half with a stunning striker, De Bruyne equalised after the break with a thunderb*astard of his own to level the tie ahead of the second leg at the Etihad next week.

    But Madrid were furious De Bruyne’s goal was allowed to stand with Ancelotti and some of the players convinced the ball had gone out for a throw-in in the build-up.

    Broadcaster beIN Sports later checked the incident using 3D technology, producing an image that showed the ball had indeed gone out of play.

    In his post-match press conference, Ancelotti fumed: “The ball was off the pitch. That’s it. Technology said it. I don’t understand why VAR didn’t check. The referee didn’t pay attention to many things.”

    Arsene Wenger, who is now FIFA’s Chief of Global Football Development then explained: “The VAR normally should check if a goal is regular or not.

    “In a situation like that, they have to intervene and they did not go far enough back to check if the ball was out or not or they [were unable] to check if the ball was out or not. I think we go for the second solution because normally VAR cannot check on the sideline, only on the goal line.

    “VAR has been created to make more right decisions [based] on facts – is the ball in or out? VAR has to intervene and make the right decision, this is absolutely 100 percent.

    “At the moment, I believe we cannot check on the sideline if the ball is in or out on the VAR. But we have a chip in the ball now and with a chip in the ball you can check.”

    The image beIN Sports created was not instant and VAR does not yet have the technology to instantly check if the whole ball is out of play or not on the touchline.

    There were also no television cameras that could provide a conclusive angle for VAR to check.

    READ MORE: Man City and Real Madrid serve up a Champions League classic topped off by a pair of thunderb*stards



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  • Man City and Real Madrid serve up a Champions League classic topped off by a pair of thunderb*stards

    Man City and Real Madrid serve up a Champions League classic topped off by a pair of thunderb*stards

    Manchester City v Real Madrid lived up to the hype with a couple of ludicrous goals in a 1-1 Bernabeu draw never less than enthralling and which sets up the second leg rather wonderfully.

     

    Good that, wasn’t it?

    That was no surprise, of course. Manchester City are currently Europe’s standout football team and it’s long been the case that the Champions League does things – good things – to Real Madrid to render any concerns or failings evident in their domestic work moot.

    Such is Real Madrid’s aura on these Champions League nights that it’s all too easy to convince yourself things are all going to some preordained plan even when they conspicuously are not. City gave their hosts an absolute chasing for the first 20 minutes here and if Madrid’s plan all along was to sit in and wait for their moment they surely can’t ever have really planned for it to look quite like this. Certainly the vast majority within the stadium weren’t happy with the apparently passive approach the home side were adopting as City made their patterns all over the Bernabeu.

    Then Madrid scored. Obviously. This is what they do. It was a lovely, lovely goal. It began with the deftness of Luka Modric 25 yards from his own goal and ended with the startling violence of Vinicius Jr 25 yards from Manchester City’s. In between Modric’s press-evading flick and Vinicius’ outrageous finish was the galloping panic-inducing surge of Eduardo Camavinga.

    Suddenly an untroubled City defence – John Stones had spent most of the opening 20 minutes casually sauntering around in midfield – was backpedalling and in trouble but they still had safety in numbers and Camavinga had little by way of options.

    What he did have was Vinicius, who accepted the pass and unleashed something really quite extraordinary. “Unstoppable” is an overused word in football, but you wouldn’t really have wanted to test the physics of that one. Despite the distance from goal and the fact it was nowhere near the corner, Ederson was never in any danger of having his fingers ripped clean off his hands by it.

    It’s the sort of goal that on slow-motion replays looks like it might have been bad goalkeeping, but at full speed the sheer ferocity of it meant no blame could be attached to the keeper.

    Yet the most startling thing about Vinicius’ goal was, ultimately, that it was only the second sweetest strike of the evening.

    Kevin De Bruyne’s equaliser – richly deserved by City on the balance of play in a pulsating clash whose sequel in eight days’ time is already inked in as an absolute must-watch – was even better, struck from similar distance and defying gravity as it hit the back of Thibaut Courtois’ net no more than two feet off the ground yet somehow still rising.

    Here, then, were two goals of the highest quality from two players of the highest quality in a match of the highest quality. City’s seemingly nonchalant early dominance was obviously punctured by the Vinicius counter-punch and the 10 minutes after that were the only moments of the evening in which things threatened to get away from them on a hot and sticky night. For the briefest spell, City appeared rattled. It’s been a rare sight in recent games, but by half-time they had regained their composure if never again the absoluteness of their early control.

    Madrid’s midfield began, slowly but surely, to establish a greater foothold in what was always likely to be a key match-up in a contest full of them.

    Kyle Walker just about came out with honours even from his battle with Vinicius, whose goal came from a central position not long after he’d popped up briefly on the right in what has to go down as a win for City’s right-back.

    Antonio Rudiger definitely won on points in a bruising encounter with Erling Haaland, a performance of consummate quality but also the necessary physicality required if there is to be any hope of causing a malfunction in the Goalbot 2000. Rudiger’s performance here was reminiscent of Cristian Romero’s similarly effective effort against Haaland when Spurs beat City 1-0 what seems like a lifetime ago but was in fact somehow, in this ludicrous time-bending season, barely three months ago.

    Rudiger did even better than Romero, though, because he didn’t even need to get sent off to make his point. Stopping Haaland scoring is one thing – and a very, very difficult thing – but cutting him out of the game almost entirely is quite another. Even with back to goal he was able to offer little here; how round two of that particular battle goes next week at the Etihad already feels pivotal.

    Pep Guardiola, whose reputation for doing a madness having spent far too long thinking about things on these occasions is legendary, went entirely the other way here. Having named an entirely predictable starting XI he then unpredictably left those 11 players on the field for the entirety of a hot, sticky, tiring night. It was a choice justified by the end result, but there were definitely moments in the second half when a change seemed prudent. Both Ilkay Gundogan and Bernardo Silva were something close to liabilities in possession by the end of a game where City dominated the ball.

    It’ll certainly be interesting to see how many of this XI start against Everton at the weekend, but after a game like this it seems weirdly prosaic to even be worrying about a game where the only things at stake are such trifles as Premier League titles and relegation.

    We’re already counting down the minutes to next Wednesday.



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  • £100m Arsenal target ‘rockets’ to top of ‘awestruck’ Ten Hag’s wishlist after he ‘ran game’ vs Man Utd

    £100m Arsenal target ‘rockets’ to top of ‘awestruck’ Ten Hag’s wishlist after he ‘ran game’ vs Man Utd

    Erik ten Hag was ‘in awe’ of Declan Rice against West Ham, with the England international’s performance enough to see him ‘rocket’ to the top of the Manchester United manager’s summer wishlist.

    Arsenal are thought to be frontrunners in the race for Rice, who’s also been heavily linked with a move to Chelsea, but The Sun claim the 24-year-old’s display at The London Stadium on Sunday was enough to convince everyone at United that they should do everything to land him this summer.

    Ten Hag was ‘in awe’ of Rice’s display according to the report, in which a source revealed: ‘Rice is fast emerging as United’s number one summer target.

    ‘He completely ran the game and United’s coaching staff and scouts were all talking about him after the match.

    ‘There’s a growing belief that Rice is interested in leaving at the end of the season and United believe they simply have to ensure he heads north and not to Arsenal or Chelsea.

    ‘The club regard him as a player they could potentially build a team around.’

    The source added: ‘Declan is good friends with Marcus and Luke Shaw from England.

    ‘Man Utd believe they can persuade Rice that his future lies with them in Manchester.

    ‘It would be a massive sign of intent and a great way for any new owners to show they are determined to try and match Manchester City in the years ahead.’

    But Ally McCoist has warned Rice against United this summer, with the recent performances under Ten Hag setting “alarm bells ringing”.

    He told talkSPORT: “I’d be really concerned if he’d be going to Manchester United at this moment, I’ve got to be honest.

    “I think they’ve done really, really well. I’ve got to say and you’d have to say two cup finals and won the League Cup. If they could win the FA Cup which they’ll be second favourites to do and finish in the top four I think is a more than acceptable season. I think it’s a really good season.

    “However, the last couple of games have just kind of set alarm bells ringing in my head looking at them. I think they’re probably farther away than I actually thought. So I’m not sure he’d be going there.

    “Liverpool’s midfield crying out for Declan Rice, absolutely crying out.

    “Chelsea have got an excellent midfield but I don’t know if they’re going to spend that much money.

    “I would say wasted money spent the best part a half a billion pounds you’re finishing 12th and 13th that’s not great.

    “I’ve got to be brutally honest here; if you’re an Arsenal fan, that’s the move of the season.”

    MEDIAWATCH: ‘Eyebrows raised’ as Ten Hag goes soft and Lampard backed for permanent Chelsea job



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  • Arsenal target ‘out of Barcelona’s reach’ as Arteta eyes ideal alternative worth half Rice’s value

    Arsenal target ‘out of Barcelona’s reach’ as Arteta eyes ideal alternative worth half Rice’s value

    Arsenal have been handed a boost in their pursuit of Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi, according to reports in Spain.

    The 24-year-old has played 39 times across all competitions this term, scoring once and assisting three goals, while picking up 13 yellow cards.

    He made his only appearance for the Spanish national team in July 2021 after breaking onto the scene at club level.

    Zubimendi was handed plenty of game time towards the end of the 2020-21 campaign and has since been a mainstay in Sociedad’s midfield, starring in the No. 6 role.

    His fine form for the La Liga outfit has caught the attention of Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta.

    The Spanish manager is eager to bolster his midfield in the summer transfer window and has reportedly made West Ham captain Declan Rice his top priority.

    A report in January said Arteta tried to bring Zubimendi to the Emirates during the winter window, but the player did not want to leave Sociedad mid-season.

    The Gunners will definitely sign at least one midfielder this summer, and even if that player turns out to be Rice, it would not be surprising to see another one join.

    Rice can operate effectively as a No. 6, but is also very good in a box-to-box role, while Zubimendi is someone who excels playing in front of the defence and would be a cheaper alternative to Moises Caicedo – who Arsenal failed to sign from Brighton in January after having a £70million bid rejected.

    Arteta’s side is not the only club in for the Spanish playmaker, with Barcelona also believed to be keen.

    The La Liga leaders will need to sell before they can buy this summer, however.

    Former Leeds United winger Raphinha is one player Xavi Hernandez is reportedly open to selling, with Arsenal, Chelsea and Newcastle United all linked with the Brazilian – who could cost up to £80m.

    Barcelona are also eyeing up a move for club legend Lionel Messi, who would not be cheap despite being available on a free transfer following the expiry of his Paris Saint-Germain contract.

    The sale of Raphinha would probably not be enough for the Blaugrana to bring in Messi and Zubimendi – with Xavi desperately looking for a new deep-lying midfielder.

    Arsenal have lost plenty of transfer battles with Barcelona, but could have the edge over their old foes in the race to land Zubimendi.

    According to Gerard Romero, the 24-year-old Spaniard is ‘out of Barca’s reach’.

    He said (via Barca Times): “A new pivot is a priority for Baraa in summer, given Busquets’ possible departure. [Sofyan] Amrabat is the first and most affordable option.

    “Xavi loves Zubimendi, but his signing is out of the club’s reach.”

    A recent report from Spanish outlet AS stated that Zubimendi is ‘very close’ to accepting a deal to join Arsenal.

    The report – which is centered around Barca’s interest in Fiorentina midfielder Sofyan Amrabat – states that Zubimendi is ‘ruled out’ as a target for the Catalan club as he is ‘very close to accepting an offer to play next season’ at The Emirates.

    It is believed that Zubimendi has a €60m (£52.5m) release clause – which is a very decent fee in today’s market, especially when you consider that West Ham want over £100m for Rice.

    READ MORE: The F365 Bantercomputer has spoken: Glory for Arsenal as Newcastle *and* Man Utd miss out on top four



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  • Xhaka reflects on ‘painful day’ for Arsenal as Arteta’s men chase Newcastle revenge

    Xhaka reflects on ‘painful day’ for Arsenal as Arteta’s men chase Newcastle revenge

    Granit Xhaka feels Arsenal are growing in confidence but thinks they will need a little bit of “luck” to win against Newcastle United.

    The Gunners’ saw their top four hopes ended by the Magpies last season and could see their title challenge put to bed should they drop points at St James’ Park on Sunday.

    Newcastle were on a high this time last year and celebrated their final home game of the campaign with a win against an abject Arsenal side.

    Both teams have come on leaps and bounds since then and Sunday’s encounter promises to be a very good one.

    Reflecting on the 2-0 defeat last year, Xhaka told Arsenal’s official website: “It was a very painful day, I hope we’re a different team now.

    “We’re in a different position as well – we have respect for Newcastle because what they’re doing is amazing and nobody would have expected that from them, but maybe [the same for] us as well before the season.

    “We know how strong they are, they’re stronger than last season, that’s for sure. At home when we played against them, we had the better chances and were the better team, but they are very organised.

    “They know exactly what they are doing with a great coach as well, and we have to be 100 per cent focused. Hopefully with luck, with our intensity and with our level, we can beat them.”

    READ MORE: Eight Arsenal players make Newcastle combined XI as Ramsdale, Jesus get in over Pope, Isak

    Arsenal were the favourites to win the Premier League this time last month, but have surrendered their advantage after drawing against Liverpool, West Ham and Southampton, before a heavy defeat away to title rivals and reigning champions Manchester City.

    Mikel Arteta’s side were able to bounce back on Tuesday with an emphatic 3-1 victory against Chelsea, and Xhaka believes there is confidence throughout the squad once again.

    “If I’m honest it’s crazy how quickly football can change,” he said.

    “After the four games we didn’t win maybe confidence was a little bit down, but then you have a great chance to play against Chelsea and show a reaction and I think that reaction was very good.

    “Straight away, the next day you see the confidence is back but it is just the first step after the four games we didn’t win. Hopefully we can do that for the next four games as well.”

    Xhaka also reflected on his change of position. He had previously played as a deep-lying midfielder but has excelled this term in a box-to-box role.

    “It was not easy for me in the beginning when I needed to change my position,” he said. “I had never played there before in my career, but I had a really good conversation with Mikel about it.

    “Step by step and game by game everything got better. I started to score and started to get assists and show I can play a different role.”

    READ MORE: Transfer Gossip: Top Arsenal, Newcastle target ‘considering’ summer move; West Ham want City pair



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  • Tuchel ready to move for three Chelsea stars this summer as Bayern gear up for summer rebuild – Football365

    Tuchel ready to move for three Chelsea stars this summer as Bayern gear up for summer rebuild – Football365

    The latest reports have claimed that former Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel is considering signing three of his former players in the summer transfer window.

    Chelsea are in need of cutting down their bloated squad and several high-profile stars could depart. Planning for next season has already begun behind the scenes.

    Frank Lampard’s side have struggled to find any consistency this year and have fallen well below expectations. 

    Each of Chelsea’s managers have struggled to settle on a starting 11 during the campaign which has seen Chelsea use 31 different players this season.

    According to the latest reports, Tuchel is keen on snapping up midfield duo Mason Mount and Mateo Kovacic this summer.

    The pair played some of their best football under the German manager and would surely be tempted by an offer from Germany.

    Christian Falk from CaughtOffside has shared the latest updates on the situation. “Bayern are also looking for midfield players and I recently wrote about the interest in Mateo Kovacic,” Falk explains.

    “The availability of Mason Mount is certainly of interest to Tuchel also, as he knows both players well from his time in London.”

    As N’Golo Kante could also depart at the end of the season, Chelsea would be short on midfield options if Mount and Kovacic also depart.

    Along with the midfield duo, Bayern have also been linked with a move for Kai Havertz. The German club reportedly see him as a long-term replacement for Thomas Muller.

    Havertz had some of his best moments in a Chelsea shirt under Tuchel, including scoring the winning goal in the 2021 Champions League final.

    Havertz himself has already admitted that it would be hard to turn Bayern Munich down if they were to come calling.

    “Bayern are generally a huge club that it’s hard to say no to as a German player, but my personal goal has always been to play abroad at some point,” he told Sport Bild.

    A potential swap deal involving Havertz and Mane has even been mentioned. Mauricio Pochettino has reportedly given Chelsea the green light for Chelsea to make a move for the Senegalese winger.

    Reports suggest that Mane would be available for around £30million as the German club is looking to recoup what they originally spent on the winger.

    Chelsea also have the imminent arrival of Christopher Nkunku to consider as he will be expecting a regular starting spot next season too.

    READ MORE: Chelsea ‘expect’ to sell Mendy as Boehly looks to ‘manoeuvre’ move for £40m replacement



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  • Carragher slams ‘deluded’ Allardyce for potentially ‘tongue in cheek’ Pep, Klopp, Arteta claim

    Carragher slams ‘deluded’ Allardyce for potentially ‘tongue in cheek’ Pep, Klopp, Arteta claim

    Jamie Carragher has laughed off claims from Leeds boss Sam Allardyce that he is on the same level as Pep Guardiola, Mikel Arteta and Jurgen Klopp.

    The Whites dismissed Javi Gracia earlier this week and replaced him with experienced Premier League manager Allardyce.

    This is Big Sam’s first managerial job since he led West Brom to relegation in 2020-21.

    He has inherited a woefully out-of-form Leeds side, who sit 17th in the Premier League table, only out of the relegation zone on goal difference; which is baffling considering they lost games 6-1, 5-1 and 4-1 (twice) last month.

    Allardyce has come in to hopefully improve the Whites’ defence and has four games to ensure they avoid relegation to the Championship.

    Ahead of the testing trip to Man City this weekend, the 68-year-old took all the focus away from his players by waxing lyrical about himself as a manager.

    READ MORE: Welcome back, Big Sam: a psychotherapist’s dream and Proper Football Man’s fantasy

    Allardyce told reporters on Wednesday: “Far too many people think that I am old and antiquated, which is far from the truth.

    “I might be 68 and old, but there’s nobody ahead of me in football terms. Not Pep, not Klopp, not Arteta.

    “It’s all there with me. They do what they do, I do what I do. In terms of knowledge and depth of knowledge, I’m up there with them. I’m not saying I’m better than them, but certainly as good as they are.”

    And Liverpool legend Carragher certainly found Allardyce’s quotes amusing, but insisted “comparing himself to Guardiola and Klopp is just delusional”.

    Writing in his Telegraph Sport column, Carragher said: “Love him or loathe him, you cannot help but laugh when you see Allardyce holding court as the chairman and chief spokesman of his own fan club.

    “Was Allardyce’s tongue in his cheek when he said he considered himself the equal of Pep Guardiola, Klopp and Mikel Arteta? I would like to think so.

    “Otherwise, it’s a toss-up as to whether it is brave or crazy to make such a statement when facing Guardiola and one of the best teams to ever grace the Premier League in his first game.

    “You have to admire the bravado. Not many others would get away with it.

    “Can you imagine the reaction if an overseas coach with no major honours to his name introduced himself to a Premier League club in such a way?

    “How would Brighton’s manager, Roberto de Zerbi, have been received had he declared himself on the same level of two of the most successful managers of the modern era? At best ill-advised, and at worst deluded.

    “Allardyce has form for this, of course, often sounding like he deserves greater respect for his coaching achievements.”

    Carragher jokingly noted at the end of his column: “If Leeds stay up, there will be a massive anti-climax if Big Sam does not declare himself the manager of the season.”

    Leeds’ final four fixtures are all pretty difficult. Half of them actually come against former employers of Allardyce.

    The Yorkshire side’s previous two matches against Leicester and Bournemouth were both great opportunities to win and secure their survival, but it was not to be.

    After Saturday’s trip to the Etihad, Leeds host Champions League-bound Newcastle, travel to West Ham and host Tottenham on the final day of the campaign.

    READ MORE: Big Weekend: Newcastle v Arsenal, Forest, Big Sam’s Leeds bow, Mudryk, EFL final day



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