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De Zerbi liked by Chelsea and Man Utd as Pochettino and Ten Hag face testing period
Erik ten Hag and Mauricio Pochettino are in quite similar positions. The aim of both clubs is to judge them at the end of the season, but each manager has an important stretch of games coming up that could prove defining for their futures.
Chelsea’s owners have always planned to judge Pochettino at the end of the season in a two-way appraisal, whilst Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS want to be fair to ten Hag and take some time to assess him.
Neither club is in a rush to make a decision about their manager, and part of the reason for that is that not many top candidates would want to join at this stage of the season.
Naturally, both Chelsea and United are aware that several managers are in demand with Liverpool and Bayern looking for their next manager ahead of 2024/25.
Chelsea haven’t made any determination on Pochettino yet despite growing fan discontent. In an ideal world, they don’t want to make a change, so nothing is pre-decided. It’s true, however, that the club appreciates Ruben Amorim, Roberto De Zerbi and Xabi Alonso.
Sporting’s Amorim was actually looked at prior to Graham Potter being appointed in September 2022 so has been on Chelsea’s radar for quite some time. But looking at names (and even cultivating relationships with them) is just normal succession planning and it doesn’t mean Pochettino is definitely departing. It’s clear, though, failure to achieve European football this season won’t help the Argentine’s case.
Manchester United also rate Amorim and De Zerbi. Zinedine Zidane and potentially Potter could be considered should a change be made. But Ratcliffe and his team aren’t interviewing candidates yet.
Instead they are intent to make executive hires first rather than change the manager. The feeling is it’s counter-productive to resolve the future of ten Hag or way or the other before first finalising a sporting director, with Dan Ashworth close to joining and Southampton’s Jason Wilcox also being targeted in addition.
Ten Hag knows he has no guarantees of job security but has been told no one is being lined up behind his back either. He’s aware he’s being judged in the coming weeks and months, much like many other leadership figures at the club, as part of the Sir Dave Brailsford-led strategic review.
Kimmich transfer eyed by Man City but Kane expected to stay at Bayern
Bayern have a few players with uncertain futures, which isn’t ideal as they try to secure a top manager to replace Thomas Tuchel.
The first thing to say is that Harry Kane is expected to stay. Despite Bayern’s poor season to date, Kane is enjoying huge personal success and is understood to be settled in Germany. He is potentially on course for 50+ goals in all competitions. Kane currently has 31 goals and that’s just four shy of his best single-season tally in all competitions.
Alphonso Davies is a likely departure, but there has been no offer to date from Real Madrid. Davies is no closer to extending at Bayern which opens the door to suitors.
Chelsea are perhaps a dark horse, but Real is the most likely destination because Davies wants that move. Real could even wait until summer 2025 to make a transfer cost effective by getting Davies on a free. They have a kind of verbal agreement with Davies meaning they don’t really fear other clubs.
Bayern Munich latest as Kane rumours circulate and Real Madrid make Davies decision There’s already been speculation about Harry Kane’s future at Bayern Munich after this difficult first season for him at the Allianz Arena, and with the club set to change managers in the summer.
The challenge Real face, should they proceed this summer, is the transfer fee. Davies’ contract expires in 2025 yet Bayern want close to €60m. Real are looking to pay just over half that. However, Real feel the situation is in their control, and that won’t change unless Davies signs a new deal, which isn’t looking likely.
Arguably the most concerning potential exit for Bayern is Joshua Kimmich, who has endured a tough season and is heading into the final year of his contract. Bayern’s new director of sport, Max Eberl, will hold talks with the player.
Kimmich is open to moving to the Premier League. Manchester City are exploring a move for him and believe he could gel well with Rodri. Liverpool have also been linked but there’s nothing advanced there to date. Barcelona are another club long-linked with Kimmich.
Bayern don’t want to lose Kimmich but with his contract expiring in 2025 they may be forced to put him up for sale if fresh terms aren’t agreed.
Pedro Neto transfer – keep an eye on Arsenal, Liverpool and Spurs
Pedro Neto is going to be in demand this summer and that should allow Wolves to stick to their asking price. Neto is contracted until 2027 so suitors wishing to sign the in-form 23-year-old are going to have to accept Wolves’ steep valuation.
It’s understood that transfer offers will be engaged with from £65m+, but the final number Wolves are looking for could be as high as £80m. No specific fee is being quoted yet directly to interested clubs.
The only advantage the likes of Arsenal and Spurs have is Wolves, like many other Premier League clubs, will be conscious of profit and sustainability rules.
A summer sale is looking quite likely, and along with the two north London clubs, Liverpool can’t be entirely discounted either, but a lot will depend on their new sporting director and manager first.
De Jong wants Barcelona stay but PSG also like one of his teammates
Nothing has changed with Frenkie de Jong. He wants to stay at Barcelona. There’s nothing in new Manchester United transfer links, and Sir Jim Ratcliffe certainly won’t want to start his first window with sporting control with a saga akin to the club’s summer 2022 pursuit of de Jong.
De Jong is now sidelined with an ankle issue and will miss at least a month. Before he got injured against Athletic Club, he confirmed that many stories suggesting he’ll leave are “fake news.”
PSG are also not currently pursuing De Jong either. In fact, it’s another Barcelona player, Gavi, they ideally want. It would be an audacious swoop given Barcelona view Gavi as a future captain and pretty much untouchable. And the French champions clearly have no intent to pay Gavi’s €1bn release clause either.
Newcastle’s Bruno Guimaraes is a slightly simpler midfielder to land because he has a £100m+ release clause, and Newcastle may need to sell multiple players if they don’t qualify for European football next season.