TheNewsGuru

Tag: Transfer

  • Leaving Arsenal without real goodbye hurts – Aubameyang

    Leaving Arsenal without real goodbye hurts – Aubameyang

    Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang says the manner of his departure from Arsenal “hurts” as he moves to La Liga side Barcelona.

    The 32-year-old former Gunners captain was pictured training with his prospective new team-mates after arriving in Spain on Monday.

    Confusion reigned. No agreement was reached, as deadline day passed. His release by Arsenal now makes him a free agent.

    Prior to the completion of his move to the Camp Nou, Aubameyang took to social media on Tuesday night. He posted a farewell message to the club he has called home since 2018.

    In the Instagram post, Aubameyang wrote: “To the Arsenal fans, Thank you for making London home for myself and my family for the past four years.

    “We went through ups and downs together and your support meant everything to me.

    “Having the chance to win trophies and the honour of being the captain of this club is something I will forever keep in my heart.

    “I have always been 100 per cent focused and committed on doing everything I can for this club. Which is why leaving without a real goodbye hurts —- but that is football.

    “I’m sad. I did not get the chance to help my teammates in the last few weeks. But I have nothing but respect for this club. I truly wish all my guys and the fans all the best and many successful years in the future!”

    The Gabon international returned home early from the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) due to health reasons.

    But he had not played for Arsenal since being disciplined by the club in December.

    He had been linked with a loan move this January. FC Barcelona was among a number of European clubs who showed an interest, as well as teams based in the Middle East.

    Talks progressed with the LaLiga side on Monday. A deal, releasing him from his 250,000-a-week pounds (337,000 dollars) basic salary at the Emirates Stadium, was agreed upon.

    It meant he could join the Catalan giants outside of the transfer window.

    It is believed Arsenal held back on announcing Aubameyang’s departure, four years to the day since he signed from Borussia Dortmund, as a gesture of respect to FC Barcelona.

    The Catalans’ president, Joan Laporta, had said on Tuesday the official unveiling may come later in the week.

    However, pictures which appeared to show Aubameyang in the back of shot training at FC Barcelona subsequently emerged.

  • How EPL clubs spent almost $400 million in January transfer window

    How EPL clubs spent almost $400 million in January transfer window

    A flurry of big-money moves before the transfer deadline at midnight Monday took spending by English Premier League (EPL) clubsides to the second-highest ever for a winter window.

    The likes of Luis Diaz, Bruno Guimaraes and Rodrigo Bentancur in the last few days of January left the league’s gross spending at 295 million pounds (396 million dollars), according to estimates from finance company Deloitte.

    It is only the fifth time the 200 million pounds mark has been breached, with January 2018’s 430 million pounds figure out on its own.

    But this season’s figure is in line with the “best of the rest”.

    The window two years ago accounted for 230 million pounds of spending, pipping 2011’s then-record 225 million pounds total, while 215 million pounds were spent in January 2017.

    Dan Jones, head of Deloitte’s sports business group, said: “This transfer window indicates that the financial pressures of COVID-19 on Premier League clubs are easing, with spending firmly back to pre-pandemic levels and remarkably among the highest we’ve ever seen in January.

    “The Premier League continues to lead the way globally, retaining its status as the world’s biggest domestic football league in financial terms, once again supported by full stadia and securing strong overseas broadcast deals.

    “Other large European leagues are also edging back to higher spending, but it is Premier League clubs that have notched up the largest total spend in this transfer window, spending almost 150 million pounds more than Serie A clubs, the closest competitor.”

    The initial 37.5 million pounds fee Liverpool reportedly paid for Diaz is the highest of the window.

    It is narrowly ahead of Guimares’ 35 million pounds arrival at Newcastle United who also paid 25 million pounds for ex-Burnley striker Chris Wood.

    Lucas Digne was another player to move for more than 20 million pounds, from Everton to Aston Villa.

    Bentancur’s 19 million pounds move to Tottenham stood out as the highest of deadline day.

  • Ex-Chelsea striker Diego Costa offered to Barca

    Ex-Chelsea striker Diego Costa offered to Barca

    Former Chelsea and Atletico Madrid striker Diego Costa has been offered to Barcelona.

    The Spain international is a free agent after coming contract from Brasileiro champions Atletico Mineiro.

    Costa has been giving clues on his social networks that he would like to play in Spain again. Valencia have also been linked.

    Barcelona have already ruled out signing Alvaro Morata as it’s too hard to reach a deal with Atletico Madrid.

    However Ousmane Dembele departing is important. If he goes then Barcelona will consider bringing in Costa, says Sport.

  • REVEALED: Barca chief rejected Raheem Sterling after meeting

    REVEALED: Barca chief rejected Raheem Sterling after meeting

    Barcelona director of football Mateu Alemany chose to sign Ferran Torres ahead of Manchester City winger Raheem Sterling.

    Nou Camp chiefs did not believe the England international would adapt to life at the club.

    Sport says Alemany met with England forward Sterling and decided that he would not be an ideal fit for the Catalans.

    Alemany reported back to Barca boss Xavi that Sterling was ‘indisputably talented’ but ruled that he would be a ‘martian’ at the Nou Camp.

    Instead the Blaugrana chief proposed the idea of Sterling’s team-mate Torres, who he had already spoken with and was believed to be ‘crazy to come’ to the LaLiga side.

    Barcelona splashed out £55million for Torres and finally registered the Spain international earlier this month after easing the financial pressure on their wage books.

  • Transfer: Barca sign Adama Traore from Wolves

    Transfer: Barca sign Adama Traore from Wolves

    Adama Traore has joined La Liga side, Barcelona on loan until the end of the season.

    The Wolverhampton Wanderers’ winger previously appearing close to signing for Premier League rivals Tottenham.

    Traore came through Barca’s youth system before leaving for Aston Villa in 2015, and will now return to Camp Nou for at least the next few months.

    The Catalan giants have an option to make the deal permanent at the end of the season for a fee reportedly in the region of 34.8 million euros (38.8 million dollars).

    They will also cover the player’s wages.

    Tottenham appeared to be on the verge of signing the 26-year-old until Barca stepped in, with his native Spain apparently Traore’s preferred destination.

    Traore’s current deal at Molineux expires at the end of next season and Wolves were hoping to cash in on him in the January transfer window.

    Already, the Spain international has shown no intent to sign a new contract at the club.

    He has managed just one goal and zero assists from 20 English Premier League (EPL) appearances so far this season, albeit from only 10 starts.

    He may be a replacement for Ousmane Dembele.

    Barca have continued to insist Dembele will be leaving the club before the end of the January transfer window due to his own contract stand-off.

  • Ibrahimovic reveals transfer advice to Mbappe

    Ibrahimovic reveals transfer advice to Mbappe

    AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic admits he’s offered transfer advice to PSG star Kylian Mbappe.

    It isn’t a particularly open auction for Mbappe, with the player having always wanted to represent Los Blancos, but PSG will be left embarrassed if they lose their star player for nothing.

    “Only Kylian can answer this question, it depends on what he wants and what he thinks,” Zlatan explained to L’Equipe when asked about Mbappe’s future.

    “It is true that one day he asked me and I replied, ‘If I were you, I would go to Real Madrid.’

    “I had the opportunity to play for different teams in different countries, that’s how I learned and grew up. Playing at home your entire career is easy.”

  • Arsenal make shock contact with Diego Costa

    Arsenal make shock contact with Diego Costa

    Released Atletico Mineiro striker Diego Costa has attracted an approach from Arsenal.

    Goal says the Gunners are one of several clubs to have held informal talks with the 33-year-old.

    While the report noted Arsenal have not submitted an official enquiry for the former Chelsea striker, Mikel Arteta remains eager to bolster his attacking options during the January transfer window.

    With the out-of-favour Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations and Folaring Balogun loaned to Middlesbrough this week, Arsenal’s choices up-front are limited.

    Costa is ready to return to Europe and has also fielded interest from Spain, where Elche and Cadiz are in contact.

  • Chelsea defender Rudiger chooses his preferred club

    Chelsea defender Rudiger chooses his preferred club

    Chelsea defender Toni Rudiger wants to move to Real Madrid.

    Off contract in June, Rudiger is weighing up his options and Marca says he favours a move to Spain and Real Madrid next summer.

    Chelsea have offered Rudiger a deal worth €8m-a-year, but the Germany international is demanding €10m to re-sign.

    Instead, Rudiger is listening to offers from other clubs, which include Real, Bayern Munich and Juventus.

    And for the moment, he is favouring a move to Madrid.

  • James Rodriguez travels to Qatar for transfer talks

    James Rodriguez travels to Qatar for transfer talks

    Everton midfielder James Rodriguez has travelled to Qatar for talks with a club before a potential move to the Middle East.

    The 30-year-old Colombian international’s status at Goodison has looked uncertain after manager Rafael Benitez replaced Carlo Ancelotti in the summer.

    The former Real Madrid player, who joined Everton for a nominal fee a year ago, has yet to play for Benitez this season, missing several games because of a coronavirus-related issue.

    His last game for the club came in a 1-0 defeat by Sheffield United on 16 May.

    With Rodriguez’s wages reported to be £200,000 a week, a move to another club would be a significant financial saving for Everton.

    Benitez has talked about his frustration about not being able to sign more players because Financial Fair Play rules had “killed” the club.

  • We’ve changed almost 30 players in 2 years – Arteta

    We’ve changed almost 30 players in 2 years – Arteta

    Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has defended his management amid a massive squad overhaul.

    In the last year Arsenal have now brought in 10 new signings and sold or released 21 players.

    Arteta said: “It is a completely different squad with those numbers, it is unheard of. Now we have to make it work. We have to glide it together, build relationships, chemistry, understanding. We have to adapt and do that really quickly.

    “The amount of changes in two years is almost 30 players. We are all participating, trying to build this project, obviously led by the owners.

    “It is a project we believe in and have to assemble, because we believe it is the best option for the future of the club. We all take responsibility. We are all involved in the decision. Now we have to make it work.

    “The complexity in football is that you want to build a medium-to-long-term project, with immediate results. We have to embrace that. There is no other way in football.”