Category Uncategorized

Manchester United are open to the idea of selling midfielder Fred in the summer transfer window, according to a fresh update regarding his future.

Has Fred been a key man this season?

The Red Devils' season came to an end on Saturday afternoon, as they tasted defeat to Manchester City in the FA Cup final at Wembley. It was a spirited effort in the eventual 2-1 loss, but their rivals' extra quality shone through in the end.

Fred started proceedings against City, accompanying Casemiro in the middle of the park, but he has struggled to feature regularly throughout the campaign. He only started 12 of United's 38 Premier League games in 2022/23, having to make do with a squad role instead.

The £120,000-a-week midfielder's current deal expires next year, meaning that he would be allowed to leave on a free transfer at that point, should an extension not have been agreed. For that reason, it could be that United look to move him on before the start of next season, with a new update certainly suggesting as much.

Could United sell Fred this summer?

According to Football Insider, the Reds "will consider offers" for Fred once the summer transfer window opens, even though they are "in no rush to push him out of the club". In fact, the club are "likely to leave the final decision" with the player himself, should he decide that he wants a fresh challenge and more regular minutes.

The report states that "the club will be open to letting him go if they receive the right fee – but they are also happy to keep him as part of the squad for the 2023-24 campaign", having triggered a 12-month extension on the deal that was originally expiring this summer.

Fred leaving United this summer certainly wouldn't be a disaster, with the club now in a position where they need to be bringing in superior midfielders as squad options, in order to compete with City at the top of the Premier League. That being said, he is a safe pair of hands who has now racked up 213 appearances for the Reds, also being hailed as "extremely valuable" by Ralf Rangnick during his time at the club, and he has actually made more appearances this season than any other of his previous campaigns in Manchester.

Essentially, it feels like a win-win scenario for United, with the club either receiving a good fee for Fred if he does move on, or keeping hold of an experienced head who can do an effective job if he stays put, and it looks as if his future will be one to keep an eye on over the summer.

Chelsea's squad is laden with quality, although with the money spent on it of late, that is to be expected. For one manager who can find the right system to fit them into, there is a veritable gold mine at Stamford Bridge, just waiting to be excavated and showcased to the world.

But, for now, they are far from that lucrative stage.

In fact, the Blues currently sit in 11th, on track to record one of their worst Premier League finishes in history. Frank Lampard could not right the wrongs of Graham Potter before him, and so it seems set to be Mauricio Pochettino who'll be the latest to try his hand at one of the hardest and most cutthroat jobs in world football.

The Argentine has earned this job predominantly off the back of his work in reigniting Tottenham Hotspur and turning them into a powerhouse of English football once again. When handed time and backing, everyone has already seen what he can do.

He, therefore, seems best placed to take over this dormant outfit, with the belief that his past successes can translate into this current predicament.

However, in order to unlock what already resides in west London, the 51-year-old will first command a few purchases of his own.

In signing mooted transfer target Romeo Lavia from the recently relegated Southampton, he could invoke the past success of Victor Wanyama, who he also snagged from the Saints to be his midfield rock in north London.

The youngster retains his £40m buy-back clause from Manchester City, and the Championship-bound outfit could demand a fee similar.

How has Romeo Lavia played this season?

Despite being just 19 years old, this midfield powerhouse has shone in the engine room of a side seriously lacking quality and experience. The 6.83 average rating of the Belgian does not do justice to just how imperious he has been, with his two tackles and 1.1 interceptions per game upheld by an 86% pass accuracy, via Sofascore.

With little flash about his game, this workmanlike teenage sensation has all the hallmarks of a young Wanyama, who too acted as something of a destroyer under Pochettino.

In what was arguably his standout season in north London, during the 2015/16 campaign, the Kenyan showcased such defensive superiority that mirrors the path Lavia seems set to follow.

Alongside his 7.00 average rating, his 82% pass accuracy was buoyed by 3.1 tackles, 2.3 interceptions and 2.1 clearances per game, via Sofascore.

He truly was the "monster" that broadcaster and ex-professional Gabriel Zakuani branded him back in 2012, which is coincidentally the same label attached to Southampton's young superstar by journalist Benjy Nurick, who wrote back in January:

"Romeo Lavia was an absolute monster tonight. Quite possibly the best midfielder on the pitch."

Now playing in the MLS, it is easy to forget just how influential Wanyama was in the triumphs Pochettino earned with the Lilywhites.

Should he now kickstart his new regime with a similar signing, perhaps he can go one further and actually add the host of silverware he was missing from an otherwise successful tenure at Spurs.

Finance expert Dr Dan Plumley has been reacting to an update from Leeds United in the event of relegation from the Premier League.

What are Leeds’ plans if they are relegated?

Sam Allardyce is the man tasked with keeping the Whites in the top flight, however, after one point from his opening two games, the club find themselves in the bottom three. Leeds now have just two games remaining to avoid the drop, but if they do fall back down to the Championship, the club already have plans in place.

Reliable reporter Phil Hay stated last week that there are ‘significant clauses inserted into every player’s contract, which will see wages fall by a minimum of 50 per cent and maximum of 60 per cent in the event of relegation’.

Talking to MOT Leeds News about those clauses, Plumley, who contributes to Sky Sports, labelled it as “sensible” and “the right thing to do”.

“It depends on the contract we’re talking about and it may be for certain players and not others.

“The bottom line is the right thing to do in the current climate. If you look at the most recent revenue for Leeds, you’re going to lose about 30% of that if you’re relegated, so balancing that out with some wage reduction clauses is pretty sensible and all clubs should be doing that in the modern-day game.”

Who is Leeds’ biggest earner?

A trip to West Ham and a final day Elland Road clash with Tottenham are the club’s only chances to turn things around, but if the worst is to happen, the Whites could be set to make considerable cuts.

Leeds’ current expenditure when it comes to wages is £48.1m, with top scorer Rodrigo the highest earner on £100,000-a-week. Patrick Bamford is on £70,000-a-week, whereas summer signing Luis Sinisterra makes up the top three picking up a salary of £65,000-a-week.

Therefore, if Leeds are relegated, up to £28.8m could be cut on wages, should each player have a 60% deduction. That will help with the loss of 30% in revenue, as claimed by Plumley, but everyone at the club will be hoping that those cuts aren’t required, with Allardyce managing to keep the club in the Premier League with two final positive results.

نفى المدير الفني للفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي ريال مدريد، كارلو أنشيلوتي، أن يكون الدافع في مباراة برشلونة غدًا في نهائي كأس السوبر الإسباني هو الانتقام.

ويلتقي ريال مدريد وبرشلونة في ملعب “الأول بارك” في العاصمة السعودية “الرياض” بتمام الساعة التاسعة مساءً بتوقيت “القاهرة”.

وكان برشلونة قد فاز باللقب على حساب ريال مدريد في العام الماضي، وهناك من وصف تلك المباراة بالانتقامية بالنسبة للملكي والمدرب الإيطالي.

اقرأ ايضًا.. سبورت توضح موقف كانسيلو من خوض مباراة ريال مدريد في نهائي السوبر الإسباني

وتحدث أنشيلوتي في مؤتمره الصحفي قبل المباراة، وقال: “نحن لا نخوض تلك المباراة بدافع الانتقام، بل نخرج بكامل قوتنا لأن الفوز هو شعار هذا الفريق، لا يوجد انتقام، برشلونة منافس نحترمه كثيرًا لأنه هزمنا”.

وأضاف: “هذه مباراة مهمة ولكنها ستنتهي بمجرد صافرة الحكم النهائية، الكلاسيكو مواجهة متكافئة دائمًا رغم أننا أثبتنا أننا أفضل قليلًا في المباريات الأخيرة والتفاصيل الصغيرة ستحسم مباراة الغد”.

وعن الفوز في الكلاسيكو الأخير في منتجويك: “لم نكن الأفضل ولكننا فزنا في النهاية، برشلونة تفوق في أول 70 دقيقة ولكننا حللنا اللقاء جيدًا قبل مباراة الغد”.

وعاد أنشيلوتي وأثار التكهنات حول حارس المرمى الأساسي أمام برشلونة، وقال: “لقد تعاقدنا مع كيبا عند إصابة كورتوا، لكن لونين يستحق البدء أساسيًا أيضًا، ولذلك لم أحسم بعد من سيكون الحارس”.

ومواجهة تشافي: “يقوم بعمل رائع مع برشلونة، ليس لديه الخبرة التي امتلكها، لكن مسيرته جيدة جدًا وهو ما ساعده أن يكون أفضل لاعب خط الوسط في العالم”.

وعن إمكانية التساوي مع زيدان في عدد الألقاب كمدرب مع ريال مدريد: “زيزو أفضل لاعب رأيته في التدريبات، كان يفعل أشياء لا تصدق، لقد ساعدني كمدرب مساعد فهو يعرف النادي جيدًا”.

واستمر: “أنا راضٍ جدًا وسعيد للغاية، لكن الألقاب تبقى من الماضي، الشيء المهم هو المستقبل، بغض النظر عما سيحدث”.

وعن صافرات الاستهجان ضد توني كروس من الجماهير السعودية: “لن يتأثر بها”.

Tottenham Hotspur's managerial target Julian Nagelsmann could potentially be softening to the idea of becoming their next permanent manager.

Could Spurs appoint Nagelsmann?

After Sunday's humiliation on Tyneside, the decision was made to part ways with the interim boss Cristian Stellini after he stepped in to take over from Antonio Conte.

With just six games remaining of the season, Spurs will be led by their third manager of the campaign with Ryan Mason stepping up to the plate.

However, their search for the permanent replacement of Conte will continue in the background with one manager of interest believed to be Nagelsmann.

The German was initially believed to be the favourite to take on the vacancy at Stamford Bridge but it is thought he has recently pulled out of the running.

However, this has potentially opened the door for the German to possibly make a move to north London following his dismissal from Bayern Munich.

Indeed, speaking on talkSPORT, insider Alex Crook has claimed the out-of-work manager is softening to the idea of becoming the next Spurs boss:

"I think the other interesting development coming out of Spurs today is Julian Nagelsmann, who a couple of weeks ago when Chelsea were interested, it looked like he wasn't necessarily too keen on taking the Tottenham job.

"From what I'm hearing, over the course of the afternoon, there maybe has been a softening on that stance and maybe Nagelsmann is more interested than he was previously about taking over at Spurs.

"Daniel Levy, I think would love to bring in a coach of his calibre so certainly that's a situation to keep an eye on."

Should Spurs hire Nagelsmann?

There will be a lot of disappointment around north London currently with their side freefalling in terms of their results on the back of their dismal display on the weekend.

A spot inside the top four is still achievable but highly unlikely given the level of performance they have treat their fans to over recent months.

However, a new manager could provide the club with a boost ahead of the summer with the German clearly an in-demand manager with Chelsea initially keen to hire him.

But that raises potential concerns in itself with the 35-year-old also believed to have initially snubbed Tottenham for their London rivals.

And this ties into the reports that Daniel Levy is looking for a manager who views the Spurs vacancy as his best option and is solely focused on being the Spurs manager.

This would seem as if perhaps the Lilywhites were not Nagelsmann first choice with suggestions that he was initially keen to make the move to Stamford Bridge.

But with Mauricio Pochettino seemingly set to move to Chelsea, does this leave the Spurs board with a huge task of bringing in a big name to appease the fans?

Levy has done that in the past with the likes of Jose Mourinho and Conte and neither have proved to be successful in north London so a huge decision lies on the shoulders of the 61-year-old.

Chelsea have 'got in touch' to bring Porto forward Pepe to the Premier League, according to reports.

What's the latest on Pepe to Chelsea?

Todd Boehly could reportedly be ready to sanction a mass exodus in the summer – to help ease the club's financial pressures – with the likes of Christian Pulisic and Hakim Ziyech facing uncertain futures. Indeed, this also means attacking reinforcements could be needed, which is where Pepe comes into play.

The Brazilian’s contract at the Estadio do Dragao isn’t set to expire until 2027 but his impressive performances have caught the eye of Graham Potter. His side were credited with an initial interest in the winger by Record and Portuguese outlet A Bola later revealed that the Blues, alongside top-flight rivals Arsenal, both sent scouts to watch their target in action late last year.

Even though a deal failed to materialise in January, they may have already taken a second bite of the cherry.

According to Globo Esporte (via Sport Witness), Chelsea and the Gunners “got in touch” with Pepe and are the two teams that have emerged as the “strongest” suitors should he leave Porto. The Primeira Liga starlet has “already received offers” ahead of the upcoming window, one of those being a bid worth €50m (£44m) after the player’s representatives were “approached”, though it’s unknown which club that came from.

Would Pepe be a good signing for Chelsea?

Pepe has been lauded an “important” member of Porto’s first-team squad by journalist Fernando Campos and looking at how fearless and prolific he can be in the final third, Chelsea would definitely be getting an excellent acquisition should they be able to sign him.

Sergio Conceicao’s attacker has recorded eight assists and five goals across all competitions this season, as per Transfermarkt, showing how regularly he takes the chances that he creates. The £25k-p/w talent also ranks in the 99th percentile for successful dribbles, highlighting his desire to take on and beat his marker.

Porto’s forward will know what it takes to be successful having lifted four trophies during his time at the club so could bring that winning mentality and instill it into the rest of the squad in SW6. Since the start of his career, Pepe has operated in seven various positions across the pitch, including in the midfield and on the wing down both the left and right flanks, so would add plenty of versatility to Potter’s team should he put pen to paper at Stamford Bridge.

YouTuber Mark Goldbridge has claimed that Harry Maguire has to accept his role as a squad player if he wants to prolong his Manchester United career.

What's the latest on Harry Maguire and Man Utd?

The English centre-back has struggled for regular starts this season but having been trusted to play midweek in the Europa League win over Real Betis, he spoke about his limited minutes.

Indeed, Maguire told the press he has an "important" part to play in squad dynamics on and off the pitch, working as a leader regardless of many games he starts.

Of course, there has been talk that the defender could be sold in the summer – with Newcastle United linked with potential interest – but for now, he seems okay with his role in the Red Devils' squad.

While talking about the player on The United Stand, Goldbridge said that he was okay with this new role for Maguire and insisted that the defender would have to accept it too if he wants to remain at the club in the long term.

He said (15:34:) "Maguire, you know, he spoke after the game on Thursday talking about how he's got a big influence off the pitch as well as on the pitch.

"You know, he clearly has to keep telling himself and telling everybody else how important he is to this squad, because otherwise it's over, isn't it? So there's no problem with that at all."

Will Harry Maguire stay at Man Utd this summer?

Although he has of course struggled in recent times, Maguire still has over 50 caps for England and having only just turned 30 he still has plenty to offer.

With that in mind, if he was put up for sale in the summer, you'd expect a few Premier League and potentially European clubs to be interesting but manager Erik ten Hag may want to keep him around.

After all, Maguire is technically club captain and has a wealth of experience that likely is useful in the dressing room even when he's not playing.

It does certainly feel as though he is no longer going to be a regular starter for the Red Devils, but if the 30-year-old can accept that, then perhaps he could yet remain an important squad player over the next few seasons.

It will be interesting to see if Maguire pushes for an exit in the summer of if he really is happy to become a back-up under Ten Hag.

YouTuber Mark Goldbridge has claimed that Manchester United will definitely try and sign Frenkie de Jong this summer but it could be “problematic” to know that already.

What’s the latest on Frenkie de Jong to Man United?

In the summer, the Red Devils were strongly linked with the Dutch midfielder but after a summer of doubt, he ended up remaining in Spain.

However, the latest news coming out of Barcelona suggests that the La Liga outfit may have to raise £178m in player sales if they want to be active in the upcoming transfer window.

Amid all that, The Guardian now report that Man Utd are ready to rekindle their interest in De Jong even though the midfielder is happy where he is right now.

While speaking about these developments on The United Stand, Goldbridge stated why he thinks the club will definitely chase a summer deal.

He explained (8:35): “Look, it’s one of the easiest predictions to make that Man United will try and sign Frenkie de Jong. Because everybody knows, everybody knows that Manchester United are obsessed, Erik ten Hag is obsessed with Frenkie de Jong.

“So we’re going to try and sign him. Whether we get him or not, flip a coin in the air and see which way it lands. But we will go for Frenkie de Jong.

“And in some ways, that’s useful to know. In other ways, it could be problematic. But we at least do know what the target is going to be in the summer.

“I think sometimes people start talking about players and it’s like: ‘Oh, you know it could happen. It could happen’. But we know we’re going to try for Frenkie de Jong. Whether we can get the deal done or not, I don’t know.”

What do the De Jong links mean for MUFC?

Seeing as De Jong has already played 59 times for Ten Hag across the span of his career, it’s not hard to see why he has been linked with a move to Man Utd since the Dutchman arrived in the Premier League. However, as Goldbridge alludes to, these rumours could be a little problematic for a number of reasons.

First, United were close to signing the player all last summer but it developed into a distracting saga and the player stayed put. Seeing as he is happy in Barcelona still, there is no guarantee the same wouldn’t just happen in the next transfer window too.

Beyond that, seeing as Barca are more than aware of the Red Devils’ strong interest, this could weaken United’s position when it comes to negotiating a transfer fee (as well as wages for the player). After all, it’s essentially public knowledge that the club are desperate for the player to arrive – or “obsessed” as Goldbridge puts it – so the selling club may feel as though they can slap an eye-watering price-tag on their asset.

All in all, it sounds as though we’re set for another summer of De Jong links to Manchester United whether we like it or not.

West Brom midfielder Nathaniel Chalobah’s fresh injury setback is hopefully ‘nothing serious’ according to reliable journalist Joe Chapman.

The Lowdown: Chalobah suffers injury

The 28-year-old joined the Baggies during the January transfer window and he was handed his full debut at home to Blackburn Rovers in midweek.

Unfortunately, Chalobah was forced off after just 52 minutes of the 1-1 draw at the Hawthorns, acting as a concerning situation at a key point in the season.

Now, an update has emerged regarding the situation – one that feels more positive than negative.

The Latest: Chapman allays fear

Writing on Twitter, Chapman said that the feeling is that Chlobah’s injury is not a bad one:

“On Chalobah. Carlos hopeful that it’s nothing serious. Thought he did well on his full debut last night.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/efl-news/” title=”EFL news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Key player in promotion push

This is a relief for anyone of a West Brom persuasion, with Chalobah an experienced and talented player who could be key to their promotion chances.

The Englishman was once hailed as ‘excellent’ by Sir Trevor Brooking during his teenage years, such was his potential, while 144 appearances in the Championship shows he knows the division inside out.

The hope is that Chalobah only misses a small stint of action during these vital weeks, returning to partner Okay Yokuslu and Marc Albrighton in midfield as soon as possible and helping West Brom return to the Premier League.

West Ham United enjoyed a relatively quiet window, as they made just two new additions of which only one is expected to have an instant impact.

However, as is often the case when clubs the stature of the Hammers boast a player of Declan Rice’s ability, holding onto those assets boosts what may seem like an initially barren transfer month into a period of success.

Whilst his touted exit never really picked up any traction last month, it was widely reported that Arsenal had entered the race for his signature, joining the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea.

All three are set to go head-to-head for the £60k-per-week leader this summer.

What might have worried David Moyes at the back end of the month was seeing the Gunners throw huge bids in for Moises Caicedo, which Brighton and Hove Albion continued to reject.

Had they not opted for Jorginho, they could have turned their focus and seemingly deep pockets towards Rice.

His Scottish manager’s recent comments do suggest that a fee well above that might be needed to pry him from the London Stadium, as he claimed: “Undoubtedly Declan is going to be a top player. And undoubtedly he’ll be a British transfer record and more whenever he leaves West Ham.”

The 59-year-old would only double down by stating once more: “I think Declan will be blowing that (British record) out of the water, that’s for sure, when it comes around.”

This notion comes just weeks after the Blues had signed Enzo Fernandez to smash that record where Rice is expected to go one further.

There is a reason for such widespread interest, as the 24-year-old has proven himself a rock-solid midfield general who already captains his club and is a mainstay in the England team.

For every world-class team, they crave a player like West Ham’s engine room star at its foundation.

This is only supported by the claims of writer Toby Cudworth, who was full of praise for the midfielder. He wrote: “What an athlete, what a player, what a leader. Declan Rice is world-class”.

When compared to other players in his position across Europe, there are few who can compete in the metrics that really matter. He ranks in the top 5% for interceptions per 90, and also in the top 7% for pass completion and top 10% for progressive passes, via FBref.

Rice is adept at breaking up the play but has the confidence and quality to launch his side on the counter with an incisive forward ball. This kind of intelligence and maturity is seldom seen across the continent, especially in players as young as he is.

He is fully deserving of his 7.26 average Sofascore rating, of which makes him comfortably the highest performer at his club.

What he does for a team can often be overshadowed, but he will forever be viewed as the “unsung hero” by journalist John Cross.

Whilst a move might be on the cards following the conclusion of this campaign, keeping him for these all-important months could be imperative in securing their place in the Premier League.

Mark Noble might not have been busy with incomings in January, but his greatest success thus far can remain that he did not oversee the outgoing of their star man.