Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu is confident that the club will be significantly strengthened this summer but failed to comment on their reported interest in Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Marco Verratti. Verratti, 24, has been heavily linked with a move to Barca, but when speaking with beIN SPORTS, Bartomeu said that he “cannot talk about” certain figures of interest. “Verratti is a PSG player and has a contract with that club,” Bartomeu added. “I only trust the work that [sporting director] Robert [Fernandez] does but without discussing names. “They know what is more convenient for us, what we need for next…
Author: David Folami
The summer transfer market formally opens for business July 1 and the pieces are in place for a domino effect of moves that would alter the landscape of European football. The future of Monaco’s Kylian Mbappe appears to be the starting tile that will determine where and when the rest of the set will fall, but it may be time for Real Madrid to consider slamming one of their prized assets on the table. Rumours surrounding Gareth Bale’s Bernabeu career are a constant and several of Europe’s top clubs are regularly credited with an interest in the Wales international. However,…
Chile boss Juan Antonio Pizzi says Alexis Sanchez remains happy and focused at the Confederations Cup despite questions over his future. Arsenal forward Sanchez, 28, has one year remaining on his current contract and has been linked with a number of top clubs, including Bayern Munich, Manchester City and Chelsea. Pizzi said any top club would like to sign Sanchez, but the forward remains focused on Chile as they head into Wednesday’s Confederations Cup semifinal with Portugal. “We think he’s very happy,” Pizzi said. “He’s giving his best like everyone else. Everybody would like to be at the best clubs…
When Jose Mourinho and executive vice chairman Ed Woodward finalised Manchester United’s list of summer transfer targets, they agreed this window would be difficult. With £8.3 billion shared between the 20 Premier League clubs after the sale of their global television rights, plus a host of new owners at home and abroad, competition for players, they concluded, would be fierce. A month in, and they have been proved right. Look at their efforts to sign a new defensive midfielder. United hold an interest in Eric Dier but despite being able to pay over the odds and double the 23-year-old’s wages…
You want to look ahead to the first Confederations Cup semifinal, to the champions of Europe taking on the champions of South America (or, more accurately, given last year’s Copa Centenario, the champions of “the Americas”). You reckon you’re going to do it through the prism of each team’s biggest attacking star. And then you run into a problem. Because when Cristiano Ronaldo is on one side of a parallel, unless the guy on the other is named Lionel Messi, there is no symmetry, no possible equivalence. Alexis Sanchez is one of the finest attackers in the world right now;…
Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo has said conversations were held with Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s representatives but the club would not pursue the opportunity of signing him. Ibrahimovic, 35, has been released by Manchester United after scoring 28 goals in 46 games but then suffering a knee ligament injury. AS reported that Ibrahimovic’s cousin Selman Yalcin, had claimed Atletico were interested. The club’s transfer ban would mean they could only register him in January when the Sanction ends, by which stage he would be likely to have returned to full fitness. But Cerezo, speaking to reporters at an event to mark the…
Manchester United striker Anthony Martial appears to have dismissed speculation that he wants to leave the club this summer. Martial has been linked with a move after it was reported that he had asked Jose Mourinho if he could leave and the United manager had agreed not to stand in his way. However, on Wednesday the 21-year-old took to Twitter and said: “The rumours are false.” Martial had a difficult second season at United after a vibrant debut campaign under Louis van Gaal. After being a regular in the Van Gaal’s team following his £36 million move from Monaco, he…
As Manchester United fans brace themselves for the arrival of Nemanja Matic from Chelsea, there could be one more twist in this transfer deal, with Roma’s Radja Nainggolan being lined up as an alternative target. Matic is reportedly signing for United imminently in a deal worth up to £40 million, but Gazzetta dello Sport claims the same fee — and a wage of £125,000-a-week — could see Nainggolan join instead. Jose Mourinho has apparently intervened personally to inform Nainggolan’s associates how much he admires him. The Independent adds that interest in Monaco’s Fabinho stands, with Mourinho willing to play the…
The future of Wayne Rooney should be resolved before Manchester United leave for their preseason tour on July 9 to avoid creating “voids for speculation,” according to his former captain Gary Neville. United have still yet to confirm if the 31-year-old striker will stay on for the final year of his contract. That’s despite Rooney announcing after United’s Europa League final victory on May 23 that he had “more or less” decided his future. “You don’t want to create voids for speculation around such big players,” Neville told the BBC. “I am surprised it has not been dealt with.” The…
Dani Alves penned a farewell to Juventus fans on Tuesday, saying money was not the reason for his departure ahead of a potential move to Manchester City. Juventus chief executive Beppe Marotta confirmed last week that Alves would be released from his current contract, despite having one more year remaining on a two-year deal with the Italian champions. That move followed sources confirming that Manchester City wanted to bring in Alves to be reunited with coach Pep Guardiola, for whom the Brazilian won three La Liga titles and the Champions League twice at Barcelona. And Alves expressed his gratitude to…
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has told “El Primer Palo” there is “no reason to get too concerned” about Cristiano Ronaldo exiting the Santiago Bernabeu this summer and suggested it may be too soon to make a move for Monaco’s Kylian Mbappe. Following widespread reports, a source said this month that Ronaldo, 32, is upset and angered by his treatment in Spain as he prepares to appear in court on July 31 to answer charges of a €14.7 million tax fraud. The Portugal captain has been linked with former club Manchester United and long-time suitors Paris Saint-Germain, but Perez said…
Bayern Munich winger Kingsley Coman was taken into police custody on Monday and questioned over allegations of domestic violence against his former girlfriend, according to multiple reports in France. The state prosecutor in the district of Meaux was cited as saying the 21-year-old was arrested in the Paris suburb of Chessy. Coman reportedly admitted the assault and was released later in the day. The incidents in question allegedly occurred on Saturday and Monday in the France international’s house, after Coman’s former partner used his Instagram account in order to promote a sponsor in a post. The case will be tried…
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has told “El Primer Palo” that no negotiations have taken place with Manchester United about Alvaro Morata, although he suggested he is aware that the striker’s representatives have been speaking with the Premier League club. Morata, 24, has been heavily linked with a move to United in recent weeks, with the Spain international’s agent Juanma Lopez having said his client could leave Madrid this summer to gain more regular football. Recent reports in both Spain and England have claimed that personal terms have been agreed with United, but Madrid are holding out for a fee…
Arturo Vidal did not call Cristiano Ronaldo a “smart ass,” with a translation error leading to incorrect headlines this week, Chile’s press secretary says. Vidal spoke to reporters in Moscow on Sunday after Chile’s 1-1 draw against Australia in the Confederations Cup, which set up a semifinal clash against Ronaldo’s Portugal. Bayern Munich midfielder Vidal said that “There is no ‘cuco’ in Portugal,” while answering a question about Ronaldo. The remark in Chilean Spanish means “bogeyman” or “one to fear,” but in Castilian Spanish can also mean “crafty” or “sly.” German reports used the term “Schlaumeier,” or “wise guy,” which…
In the 25-year history of the Premier League, few footballers have offered an impact as sudden and as crucial as Chelsea’s N’Golo Kante. Plucked from relative obscurity two summers ago, Kante became the first footballer to play a significant role in consecutive Premier League title campaigns with two different clubs, triumphing with unlikely winner Leicester City before jumping ship to Chelsea and again performing excellently — well enough, in fact, to win both the PFA and FWA Player of the Year awards. Kante has, to a certain extent, redefined what managers demand from their central midfielders. His mould of midfielder…
Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 75th international goal as Portugal trounced New Zealand 4-0 in Saint Petersburg on Saturday to advance to the semi-finals of the Confederations Cup. The Real Madrid star struck from the penalty spot on 33 minutes to fire the European champions in front before Bernardo Silva turned in a second goal four minutes later. Andre Silva added a third on 80 minutes before Nani completed the rout in stoppage time to ensure Portugal progressed to last four as winners of Group A, finishing above Mexico on goal difference. Mexico eliminated hosts Russia with a 2-1 win in…
As Tonto Dikeh’s marriage saga rages on, her brother-in-law, Tokunbo has spoken on his truth about his brother, Oladunni Churchill’s marriage to the controversial Nollywood actress. The young man took to his Instagram page to address the issue of a leaked text message which Poko is alleged to have sent to her mother-in-law, his mother. He described the seemingly dedicated mother-of-one as a psychopath, saying that the text message never got to his mother. Churchill’s brother claimed to have blocked Tonto on his mother’s phone since the first message she sent left his mum traumatised. He said that he had…
Believe it or not, music all over the world has always been rooted in crime for ages, but this fact is obviously better acknowledged when there are no pointed fingers. Since Falz The Bahd Guy came out to express his views on musicians glorifying crime, mostly fraud, during an interview with Hip TV, there has been controversy sweeping through the Nigerian social media. Since he may or may not have been referring to 9ice and one of his hit songs, “Living things”, 9ice felt the need to not only set the record straight but encourage his younger colleague in the…
Nollywood actor, Saidi Balogun has revealed his experiences as well as working relationship with Nemesia boss and director, BB Shasore. The actor revealed that he actually had a sit down with the movie director for eight hours after getting the script to act in Biola Alabi produced movie, “Banana Island Ghost”. He said “BB Shasore is a young guy that still amaze me. “After I was contacted for the role in Banana Island Ghost, BB came and sat with me for eight hours straight and we discussed each scene. “Thus, I had the picture of the total movie and when…
The Senate says its decision to cut the budget of some major projects of the Federal Government in the 2017 budget was due to the need to prudently channel public funds. In a statement issued on Friday, June 23, by the Senate spokesperson, Sabi Abdullahi, he said the lawmakers measured the country’s needs against available resources before slashing the budgets. Abdullahi said the Senate concluded that it would be more prudent to channel public funds towards smaller projects that are necessary for the citizens but might not be commercially viable. “What we reduced from Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in the 2017 budget…