TheNewsGuru

Tag: Transfer

  • Ronaldo tops English football deals on deadline day

    Ronaldo tops English football deals on deadline day

    Cristiano Ronaldo’s Manchester United return was the stand-out highlight on deadline day on Tuesday as the English transfer window closed.

    His move from Juventus was teed-up on Friday.

    Juventus had said then that Manchester United had agreed to pay 17.7 million dollars for their former forward, with the deal potentially rising by a further 9.4 million dollars.

    The Red Devils said later the Portugal forward had signed a two-year contract with the option for a third.

    His arrival meant Wales winger Daniel James headed from Manchester United to Leeds United —- two and a half years after a move from Swansea broke down.

    Leeds United said he had signed a five-year contract.

    Juventus have moved quickly to replace Ronaldo, bringing Everton’s Moise Kean back to the club on a two-year loan.

    Juventus said the loan would be turned into a permanent deal subject to certain conditions being met over the course of the next two years.

    The Toffees replaced Kean by bringing Salomon Rondon back to the Premier League from Chinese club Dalian Professional on a free transfer.

    The striker has signed a two-year contract with the option for a third season and the move sees him reunited with manager Rafael Benitez, who he worked under at Newcastle United.

    Tottenham completed the signing of right-back Emerson Royal from FC Barcelona on a five-year deal and announced they have terminated the contract of defender Serge Aurier by mutual consent.

    Across north London, Arsenal announced they have signed defender Takehiro Tomiyasu on a long-term deal from Bologna.

    The Gunners have also sent Hector Bellerin and Reiss Nelson out on season-long loans to Real Betis and Feyenoord respectively.

    West Ham have strengthened their squad ahead of a busy season which will take in Europa League action, with the signing of Croatia forward Nikola Vlasic.

    The 23-year-old —- known to Premier League fans for a short stint at Everton —- has 26 caps and six goals for his country.

    He joins from CSKA Moscow, having been named Russian Premier League player of the year in 2020.

    Across London, Crystal Palace completed the signing of forward Odsonne Edouard from Celtic.

    Newcastle United meanwhile brought in Mexican striker Santiago Munoz.

    The U.S-born 19-year-old has joined the Magpies from Santos Laguna on an initial 18-month loan deal with an option to make the move permanent.

    But it is a story which bears an uncanny resemblance to the plot of the film “Goal!”.

    Brighton have signed Getafe left-back Marc Cucurella.

    The 23-year-old has become Brighton’s third window signing, following Enock Mwepu and Kjell Scherpen through the doors at the Amex Stadium.

    Burnley announced the signing of Wales full-back Connor Roberts from Swansea, the 25-year-old joining on a four-year deal for an undisclosed fee.

    Leicester City midfielder Dennis Praet will meanwhile spend the rest of the season on loan at Serie A side Torino.

    The English FA Cup winners took Ademola Lookman on loan from RB Leipzig.

  • Granit Xhaka speaks out after Arteta transfer comments

    Granit Xhaka speaks out after Arteta transfer comments

    Granit Xhaka admitted it felt good to be back at ‘home’ after making his Arsenal return against Chelsea at the Emirates on Monday.

    The Swiss midfielder, handed an extended break after Euro 2020, scored in the 2-1 loss.

    Mikel Arteta was asked about Xhaka’s future after the game, with Roma reportedly interested in acquiring his services.

    The Spaniard was adamant that Arsenal were going to keep Xhaka for the 2021/22 campaign.

    “Granit is going to be staying with us,” Arteta said. “He’s a player that we value so much he’s a key member of our squad.

    “He wanted to play today and I think it’s very clear coming from his side that he wants to be here.”

    Taking to Instagram after the defeat, Xhaka appeared to echo Arteta’s words by referring to the Emirates as his ‘home’.

    “It felt really good to be home,” wrote Xhaka.

  • Transfer: Norwich slap £40m price tag on Arsenal target

    Transfer: Norwich slap £40m price tag on Arsenal target

    Premier League club Arsenal have learnt Norwich City’s valuation of Emiliano Buendia.

    The Argentine has been linked with a move to the Emirates this summer, having helped Norwich win promotion back to the Premier League.

    Buendia’s representatives have a close relationship with the Gunners.

    Mikel Arteta wants to add more goals to his midfield, with Buendia bagging 14 and 17 assists in the Championship this season

    According to Mail Online, the Canaries have placed a £40million price tag on their prized asset.

    Whether Arsenal will put up the money remains to be seen.

  • Kelechi Iheanacho attracting fresh transfer interest

    Kelechi Iheanacho attracting fresh transfer interest

    Kelechi Iheanacho’s exploits for Leicester City haven’t gone unnoticed.

    The Nigerian has scored 17 goals this season, his record tally in senior football.

    Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea have all been keeping a close eye on Iheanacho, according to Fichajes.

    Leicester paid £25m to Man City to sign Iheanacho back in 2017.

    After a slow start to his career at King Power, Iheanacho is finally realising his potential and still is only 24 years of age.

  • Marseille ‘suspend’ Villas-Boas after offering to resign in transfer row

    Marseille ‘suspend’ Villas-Boas after offering to resign in transfer row

    Andre Villas-Boas was “suspended” by Marseille on Tuesday after earlier offering to resign as coach at a press conference in which he revealed the Ligue 1 club signed midfielder Olivier Ntcham from Celtic against his wishes on transfer deadline day.

    “This protective decision had become inevitable given the recent scheming and attitudes shown which have seriously damaged Olympique de Marseille as an institution,” a club statement said.

    The suspension is a likely first step towards Marseille definitively parting company with the 43-year-old from Portugal, who became coach at the Velodrome in 2019.

    Yet Villas-Boas earlier said he wanted “nothing from OM, no money. I just want to leave.”

    He said his decision came after Ntcham, a 24-year-old former France Under-21 international, joined on loan from Celtic until the end of the season just before the winter transfer window closed.

    Villas-Boas said he had not been in favour of the deal and knew nothing about it.

    “The transfer window closed with the arrival of a new player on deadline day. It was not a decision that was taken by me. I had nothing to do with the decision,” he said.

    “I found out this morning when I woke up and looked at the press. I had specifically said no to that player and he was never on our list of targets.

    “Because of that I have handed in my resignation to the board.”

    In their statement, Marseille described the coach’s comments — aimed at the club’s Spanish sporting director Pablo Longoria — as “unacceptable”.

    Villas-Boas, the former Porto, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur manager, had already said last week that he expected to leave when his contract expires at the end of this season, with Marseille on a run of just one win in nine games in all competitions.

    Three straight league defeats have seen last season’s Ligue 1 runners-up slip to ninth in the table before they face Lens on Wednesday.

    Their scheduled match at home to Rennes on Saturday was postponed after several hundred angry fans stormed the club’s training ground, leading to 25 arrests.

    The supporters were demonstrating against the poor results but also against the running of the club by president Jacques-Henri Eyraud.

    The protesters were condemned as “thugs” by Marseille’s owner, the American tycoon Frank McCourt, who likened the incidents to the deadly January 6 assault on the US Congress.

  • Liverpool change January transfer plans

    Liverpool change January transfer plans

    Liverpool are seeking to buy in January, it has been revealed.

    The Sunday World says Liverpool have shifted their position ahead of next month’s transfer window and are now actively looking to add to the squad by targeting players with specific characteristics.

    Season-ending injuries affecting defenders Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez did not immediately alter Liverpool’s transfer plans, with the club hoping they could navigate a path to success this season without further investment.

    Yet ongoing injury issues for central defender Joel Matip have forced a change of heart and the Sunday World have been told that Liverpool are actively looking to bolster their squad next month, as they look to sign a young defender with top tier experience in the English game.

  • Arsenal still hope to seal late transfer deals – Arteta

    Arsenal still hope to seal late transfer deals – Arteta

    Arsenal are set to make some key decisions before the transfer window shuts on Tuesday, manager Mikel Arteta said on Friday.

    Arteta said this was to ensure the squad has the right balance for the rest of the season.

    There had been reports that Arsenal have been in talks to sign highly-rated midfielder Houssem Aouar from Olympique Lyonnais.

    Also, Uruguayan midfielder Lucas Torreira is set for a potential exit.

    Arteta refused to comment on individual transfers but said he was confident in the club’s plans.

    He added that he had “full support from the owners” amid the COVID-19 pandemic which has also affected transfer business.

    “I think it’s a crucial moment because in the end it defines the people, the players, the balance and the quality that you’re going to have for the rest of the season,” Arteta told reporters ahead of Sunday’s league match against Sheffield United.

    “We need to make some decisions in the next three days, I think everything has been delayed so much, not just us but probably every team because of the context that we’re in at the moment.

    “We will try to make the best possible decisions and at the end, whatever we have, we go for it fully convinced and prepared to have a good season.”

    Arsenal, fifth in the table, failed to beat Sheffield United in the league last season and the Blades sit 19th after three games following three defeats.

    The Spaniard praised Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder for the club’s playing style.

    He said he expects a difficult encounter against the Blades at the Emirates, where Arsenal are unbeaten in their last 10 league games.

    “I watched Sheffield United’s games already and they deserved much more from those games. The way they played is tricky. So, I’m expecting a really difficult game,” Arteta said.

    “The margins in the league of winning, drawing and losing are really small and the details are crucial, but they have generated big chances every game.

    “They’ve been really unlucky not to get anything out of those games.”

  • ​Granovskaia planning Chelsea transfer clear-out

    ​Granovskaia planning Chelsea transfer clear-out

    Chelsea chief Marina Granovskaia is preparing for a clear out of players in the coming days.

    The Blues have been busy in the transfer market, having secured big money signings all summer.

    The likes of Hakim Ziyech, Timo Werner, Kai Havertz and Ben Chilwell are now Blues.

    And FourFourTwo reports it is now time for the club to focus on outgoing transfers.

    The likes of Antonio Rudiger, Fikayo Tomori and Marcos Alonso could all move, either on loan or permanently.

    Ruben Loftus-Cheek is also a candidate for a loan move, while Jorginho and Kurt Zouma are more likely to stay for at least the first half of this season.

  • Messi leaves Barca, says ‘I’m gone’

    Messi leaves Barca, says ‘I’m gone’

    Spanish football expert, Guillem Balague has revealed that Lionel Messi “stopped being a Barcelona player” last week.

    He said Messi has told the club that he has already left the Catalan giants.

    “Right now, I can tell you what his side are saying,” Balague told ESPN.

    “He has stopped being a Barcelona player from August 25 when he sent the recorded delivery letter saying, ‘I’m gone’.

    “So, from this point of view in his mind he’s not a Barcelona player anymore,” he added.

    Speaking on the prospect of the Argentine maestro joining Premier League side, Manchester City, the sports expert added, “There will be a meeting between Jorge Messi, his agent and Josep Bartomeu the president of Barcelona.

    “Right now they are in different extremes. Jorge Messi is saying ‘we want to leave for free’ but Bartomeu is saying ‘we’re not letting you go’.

    “City are waiting. If they say it costs £100million plus his wages, they won’t be able to pay all that because of Financial Fair Play.”

  • [See Letter] The message Messi sent Barca demanding contract termination revealed

    [See Letter] The message Messi sent Barca demanding contract termination revealed

    The transfer request tabled by Barcelona captain, Lionel Messi has been uncovered.

    TMW has re-published a copy of the fax sent to Barca and president Josep Maria Bartomeu.

    Messi, via his lawyers, informed Barca through the fax that he wished to terminate his contract and leave – with immediate effect.

    There are claims Messi could yet break his contract courtesy of an exit clause. Barca have insisted it was only available for July.

    But Messi’s legal team are now arguing the deadline must be extended due to the season also running into August.

    The letter, addressed to Bartomeu and Barca’s board of directors, loosely translates:

    “By means of this letter, I, Lionel Andrés Messi Cuccittini, request that the employment benefit contract that I currently occupy in your distinguished club be terminated, based on clause number 24 that allows me to have this power.

    “I appreciate all the opportunities for personal growth and professional preparation that were offered to me during the time I worked.

    “Learnings that allowed me to consolidate my technical and human profile, but for personal reasons this [blank] difficult decision was made by me, which I hope will be made in the best way by the management of this club. Sincerely”.