Mauricio Pochettino &#8211; CaughtOffside

Exclusive: AS Roma looking to hijack Leicester City’s move for 21-year-old Serie A talent

Former Liverpool midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain linked with a return to England as Besiktas seek wage relief

Major Arne Slot decision explains why Liverpool have not signed new players

Mauricio Pochettino to Newcastle?

Former Tottenham and Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has been identified as the ideal candidate to step in.

Pochettino was surprisingly sacked by Chelsea at the end of the season despite a strong finish.

Newcastle’s new sporting director, Paul Mitchell, has previously worked with Pochettino at Southampton and Tottenham and would be keen on a reunion.

And it could be the perfect job for Pochettino who has been vocal about his interest in a long-term project.

The club hopes that, should Howe depart, Pochettino will see Newcastle as the perfect opportunity to embark on such a venture.

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Newcastle will hire one of best managers in the world if Eddie Howe leaves

Andrew Walker — Sun, 21 Jul 2024 12:42:29 +0000

Despite publicly revealing his commitment to Newcastle United, Eddie Howe remains a leading candidate for the recently vacant England men’s senior team job.

The former Bournemouth boss is believed to be high on the FA’s list to replace the departed Gareth Southgate.

And according to recent reports, should the 46-year-old end up leaving St. James’ Park in favour of St. George’s Park, the Magpies’ PIF-led hierarchy have already decided on which manager they want to replace him.

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According to the Mirror, Mauricio Pochettino is the Saudi-backed consortium’s first choice to take charge should Howe leave his role.

The Argentine has not been in a job since leaving Chelsea at the end of last season.

The former PSG and Spurs head coach is arguably one of the biggest managerial names available this summer and with Newcastle’s wealthy owners targeting domestic and European success, Pochettino’s potential arrival would send a huge signal of intent.

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Next England manager: Seven names in the frame if Southgate leaves, including Newcastle boss Howe

Mark Brus — Mon, 15 Jul 2024 13:07:13 +0000

There are reportedly likely to be as many as seven names in the frame to be the next England manager if Gareth Southgate ends up stepping down, with Newcastle’s Eddie Howe likely to be a leading contender.

Southgate’s future is surely going to be in some doubt now after another difficult tournament with England, who became the first ever team to lose consecutive European Championship finals.

According to the Telegraph, Howe could be a strong contender if the job becomes available, while former Chelsea and Brighton boss Graham Potter is another Englishman likely to be considered.

Meanwhile, there could also be the possibility for a foreign coach to come in again and follow on from the likes of Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello in the past, with Mauricio Pochettino and Thomas Tuchel expected to be candidates after working well with several England players in the past.

Who will be next England manager after Gareth Southgate?

Next England manager: Is it time for Southgate to go?

Other names mentioned as possible outsiders could be Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard, who were great players for the national side but who have not exactly had the best management careers so far.

The Telegraph also mention Lee Carsley as being admired for his work with the England Under-21s, so that could be another to watch, though fans will likely be divided on whether or not Southgate should go at all.

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England certainly didn’t perform as well as they could have at Euro 2024, but they still reached another final and were only beaten by one late goal by a very good Spain side.

Southgate perhaps isn’t an elite tactician who can get England playing the free-flowing football that fans would like to see, but he’s still done well to create a more positive environment than previous England managers, who also under-achieved with very talented groups of players.

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Cole Palmer hails Mauricio Pochettino for Chelsea improvement

Sean Walker — Sat, 29 Jun 2024 17:33:54 +0000

The Chelsea winger has paid tribute to his former manager after Mauricio Pochettino departed the club at the end of last season.

The Argentine manager parted ways with the Blues after an overall disappointing season which saw his side finish the Premier League in 6^th place.

Although the campaign fell far short of the club’s high standards, the sacking did come as a surprise to some given Chelsea’s return to form at the end of the campaign.

The Blues won their last five games of the season in impressive fashion including a 5-0 win against the Hammers with the club seemingly finally finding their groove after several tempestuous months.

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The shining light of Chelsea’s season was Cole Palmer, who had just joined from Manchester City for a reported £40 million the previous summer.

The English winger has had an outstanding season, scoring 22 goals and grabbing 11 assists as he established himself as one of the best young talents in the world.

Speaking while on international duty at the Euro’s, Palmer credited Pochettino for his incredible form and paid tribute to the Argentine manager.

“He’s probably the main reason [I’m here] because a different manager might not have given me that freedom and opportunity to do what I did at Chelsea.” He said via the Standard.

“Obviously I believed what I could do anyway, but I didn’t think I would go there and have that sort of impact that fast.”

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Transfer news: Man United update, Sesko Arsenal alternatives, Duran to Chelsea swap deal, and more

Fabrizio Romano — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 16:00:00 +0000

This article was originally published on Fabrizio Romano’s Daily Briefing, a subscription service. If you would like to receive Fabrizio Romano’s exclusive transfer news via email ahead of publication on caughtoffside.com, please sign-up for the service here: thedailybriefing.io

Erik ten Hag STAYS at Manchester United

Big news last night as, after a long review, Manchester United have decided to keep Erik ten Hag as their manager. It’s decided, it’s confirmed, and it comes more than two weeks after Ten Hag guided Man United to victory over Manchester City in the FA Cup final. Many people thought that maybe that would be Ten Hag’s final game in charge, but he’s staying, and they have also started discussing a new contract for the Dutch manager.

A contract extension is now expected for Ten Hag – positive conversations have started and will continue in the next days and weeks, but Man United want to give their manager a longer contract to show their trust in him and his ideas, and so not to have rumours already after the first few games next season in the Premier League. Conversations are ongoing, and there is a very good chance to see Ten Hag extending his contract at Old Trafford.

So, what happened? It was obviously a difficult season for Manchester United, but it’s also impossible to ignore the injury crisis they had. There were more than 65 separate cases of injuries and illness over the course of the season, an incredible amount. Internally, Man United believe this was a crucial point in terms of why the season was so poor, especially in the Premier League, and also finishing bottom of the Champions League group, but still winning an important trophy at the end of it.

The injuries were something discussed in this long review by Manchester United, with the directors, the board, and also co-owners INEOS really active in this – Sir Jim Ratcliffe himself was working on this review to make the best decision possible for Manchester United. This review ended up taking more than two weeks, because they wanted to consider all the options available for the best solution for the club.

This means that, yes, Manchester United met some managers. Thomas Tuchel had a direct meeting with Sir Jim Ratcliffe – they decided not to continue with this meeting, but it did take place, and I can guarantee that Man United also met other managers, not only Tuchel, because they wanted to have a clear picture of all the options available on the market. Still, despite meeting with numerous agents and representatives, they never decided to make an advanced proposal to any candidate.

In the end, the feeling was that they wanted to take their time, and now they are sure, after final meetings, that Ten Hag is the man they want to keep. They know Ten Hag was not able to do his best job as manager with this incredible amount of injuries, they feel this is unacceptable, and Ten Hag spoke about it publicly as well, saying that he had to change his back line more than thirty times – this is not normal, especially when you are a top club, so to fix the injury situation is a total priority for Manchester United.

In terms of the managers they considered, we already mentioned Tuchel, but also options like Mauricio Pochettino and Gareth Southgate. Despite some reports to the contrary, Southgate was never close to the job and he never wanted to entertain any proposals before the Euros with England, and for Manchester United to wait more than one month for their new manager was almost impossible. They also considered Roberto de Zerbi and also one more manager that I’m going to tell you about in the future – but after speaking to the representatives of different managers, they never really had the feeling that this was something they had to do right now.

In February, March, April and May, Manchester United and Ten Hag were always discussing ideas for the summer transfer window – they always kept Ten Hag involved in their plans, and they are now 100% sure that Ten Hag is the best man available to make special things happen at Manchester United for the long term. One crucial thing was how Ten Hag is able to deal with young players – the incredible rise of Kobbie Mainoo, for example, is something they feel was able to happen thanks to the manager. Ten Hag also trusted and protected Alejandro Garnacho, and Manchester United want to keep going like this, trusting young players, this is going to be one of the key sentences of the new era at the club.

This summer will be important, though, with the feeling at the club being that this summer they can’t fail on the transfer market. Financial Fair Play is an issue, so United can’t do crazy things on the market, and Ten Hag knows that, but it’s important to sell some players. Jadon Sancho is available on the market, Mason Greenwood as well, Juventus are there and United will try to find a solution, while others will leave on a free and Casemiro is someone who could leave the club, so there will be a lot of movement there.

Still, you can forget about some of the fake news we’ve seen around Kobbie Mainoo, from a source which I don’t believe to be very credible. There is nothing between Mainoo and any other club – he is a crucial asset for Manchester United and he is also very happy at Manchester United. We know they are working on a new contract for him, it’s one of their missions for this year – they will be pushing for that in the next months, so there is nothing to the rumours about Barcelona or any other club. I hope these fake stories will stop so Mainoo can just focus on doing his best job on the pitch – he’s a super talent and super professional so just let him do his best for Manchester United and for England and forget about transfer rumours and all the negativity around him.

Benjamin Sesko snubs Premier League for RB Leipzig stay

Benjamin Sesko has made the decision to stay at RB Leipzig and sign a new contract. He had possibilities from Chelsea, Man United, Arsenal – these three clubs offered Sesko the possibility to join Premier League football.

But, Sesko had a new contract proposal from Leipzig since three weeks ago and he decided to accept. It’s an important contract, he’s expected to be the star of the squad, a key player for Leipzig next season, and an important player for the manager Marco Rose.

Sesko decided to stay because he decided this was the best option for his development, something similar to what Erling Haaland did in summer 2021 when he was at Borussia Dortmund. As I always reported, Sesko didn’t want this to be a long-drawn out saga going into July or August, he wanted to resolve his future quickly, and now it’s done.

So, Sesko stays and his new contract will be signed in the next 24 hours, and then at some point later a future in the Premier League is still very possible, but not for this summer. Sesko is staying at RB Leipzig, and I expect the new contract to be finalised really soon.

Despite the interest of Chelsea, United, Arsenal, and also AC Milan, these were never advanced talks. Milan’s focus has always been on Joshua Zirkzee, while these other clubs also never entered into advanced negotiations over this deal, even though they were interested and Arsenal really tried strongly. Sesko also immediately rejected huge money from Saudi weeks ago.

So why did he come to this decision? The reality is that he’s really happy at Leipzig and thinks it’s the best place for his development. He believes staying and being an important player at Leipzig for the entire season is the best option for him, while the club also really pushed to keep him.

In Sesko’s new contract, there is a gentleman’s agreement for him, between the player, the club, and his agents, to leave the club in 2025 or 2026 under different conditions than the €65m clause that was there this summer. It’s not a new clause, but a gentleman’s agreement, something discussed privately, so let’s see if they decide to share that information at any point. For now, though, he can focus on continuing his excellent form for RB Leipzig.

For sure, Premier League clubs will remain there for the future, but for now Sesko will stay at Leipzig with a bigger salary, and it’s similar to Haaland when he had the chance to leave Dortmund for the Premier League, or to Juventus, in summer 2021, before deciding to stay there for one more season and then move to Manchester City in 2022.

Chelsea keen on Jhon Duran in potential Conor Gallagher swap deal

So, we know that Sesko is not going to Chelsea, but there is another player who has been on their radar since January and that is Jhon Duran at Aston Villa. He is a player Chelsea really like and he remains on their shortlist. With Sesko not joining Chelsea, Duran could be another option, and they already had some conversations with Aston Villa because we know that Villa have issues with Financial Fair Play.

But another key detail is that Villa also like Conor Gallagher, he’s one of their dream targets. They will sign Ross Barkley in midfield, but Gallagher is also a target and considered a fantastic player. So there have been club-to-club talks, and they have discussed Duran – he won’t be cheap, though, probably around £35-40m.

Despite interest from some clubs in Italy, Duran is now understood to be giving his priority to Chelsea – he’s really keen on joining Chelsea and would love this possibility. Let’s see what Gallagher also wants to do, but for sure Duran is on Chelsea’s list as a new striker and he is absolutely keen on this possible move, while some talks have taken place, so it’s surely one to watch.

I’ve had some Chelsea fans asking me again about Victor Osimhen as this story has seemed quiet recently. I still see Osimhen leaving, but at the moment the reality is that it is quiet, so we can only wait and see what happens. Osimhen will meet with his agent in the next days to assess all the options and decide what’s best for him. Osimhen’s priority remains to leave Napoli this summer, the plan has not changed.

Douglas Luiz to Juventus transfer gathering pace

The Douglas Luiz to Juventus story, along with Weston McKennie and Samuel Iling-Junior to Aston Villa and the whole package deal, is advancing fast. It’s not a done deal yet because Juventus and Aston Villa need to clarify the final details of the agreement, but it’s really close between the clubs.

So, Luiz could be set to join Juventus, and Villa would receive €20m cash, plus McKennie at a value of €25m and Iling-Junior with a value of €20m. We are waiting for a final club-to-club agreement, but also all three players involved need to discuss the salary and on the contracts. Luiz is super keen on joining Juventus, but the next step is for all the parties to agree terms, so it could take some time.

Thiago Motta is also set to be confirmed as the new Juventus manager, and he’s given the absolute green light for the Luiz deal. Motta has communicated this to director Cristiano Giuntoli, and so it’s heading in a very positive direction, with Luiz also wanting the move to Juventus.

It’s important to note that the Duran and Luiz sagas are not linked – some people have asked me if Villa’s Financial Fair Play situation means they might only sell one of them but not the other, but all I can say is that they are two separate stories and two separate deals, not connected at all.

Jonathan Tah in, Matthijs de Ligt out?

Bayern keep working on the Jonathan Tah deal. As previously reported, the Bayer Leverkusen defender sees Bayern as his favourite option if he is to leave Leverkusen. So now let’s see what Tah will decide to do, but my understanding is that he’s already in advanced talks on contract terms with Bayern.

So, Bayern are working on signing Tah, though we’ve also had rumours about interest in Chelsea’s Levi Colwill. It’s important to clarify that for Chelsea’s owners, directors and staff, Colwill is a really crucial player. He is expected to stay at the club in the summer transfer window, he won’t leave unless something crazy happens, or if the player asks to go. Colwill remains a really crucial part of the Chelsea project – this is why they offered him a new deal last year, and why they are not considering discussing his exit.

Another Bayern story we’re seeing is about Matthijs de Ligt and other big names who could reportedly leave for the right price this summer, but I think this is something for later in the window as De Ligt, for example, is now fully focused on the Euros. As I’ve said before, though, Joshua Kimmich is someone who can leave in case of a good proposal.

Arsenal have been scouting Youssouf Fofana

Youssouf Fofana is leaving Monaco this summer as he approaches the final year of his contract with the club. Manchester United followed him last year, and Arsenal have also had their scouts follow him in recent months, so let’s see if they decide to go for Fofana now.

In any case, the expectation is for Fofana to leave Monaco this summer – the player feels ready for a new opportunity and there is no negotiation over a new contract. So he will be one to watch in this summer’s transfer window.

NO truth to Antonio Rudiger Saudi links

I wanted to clarify some stories about Antonio Rudiger’s future at Real Madrid. From what I’m hearing, he is absolutely not planning to go to Saudi. We’ve had some stories in the last 24 hours or so about Al Nassr and others, but Rudiger is happy and is only focused on Real Madrid.

Rudiger believes Real Madrid is the best project in the world at the moment, and so he is absolutely not negotiating with any Saudi club. It’s normal for Saudi clubs to be attracted by the best players in the world, and Rudiger is absolutely one of them, but there is nothing concrete or serious going on between Rudiger and Al Nassr or any other Saudi club because his full focus is only on Real Madrid.

After extending the contracts of other stars like Luka Modric and Lucas Vazquez, Rudiger is another player who is considered a crucial part of the project, and so Florentino Perez and Carlo Ancelotti want to keep him, so everyone is on the same page with this one.

Julian Alvarez approached by PSG, while Atletico Madrid move looks impossible

At the time of writing, Manchester City striker Julian Alvarez still hasn’t received any formal proposals. Atletico Madrid like the player, but because of the finances involved it looks almost impossible.

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Man City still hope to keep the player because they view him as a key part of the present and future project, though Alvarez wants to play more, which of course is not easy when you’re competing with Erling Haaland for a place in the team.

The only club with a really concrete approach on the player side is Paris Saint-Germain – they have an interest, but at the moment there is no green light from Man City, and so it’s not something imminent.

Is Justin Bijlow really a target for Arsenal and Liverpool?

Feyenoord goalkeeper Justin Bijlow continues to attract speculation, with some fans asking me about recent stories involving Arsenal and Liverpool, as they are perhaps two clubs who could do with a new backup goalkeeper, particularly Arsenal as it looks like Aaron Ramsdale will have a good chance of leaving this summer.

Still, I don’t have something concrete yet on this, nothing in terms of talks or concrete negotiations. Bijlow was Man United’s plan B to Onana last summer, but it didn’t work out at that time, so let’s see if Premier League clubs will arrive this summer.

The post Transfer news: Man United update, Sesko Arsenal alternatives, Duran to Chelsea swap deal, and more appeared first on CaughtOffside.

Man United cool interest in manager liked by Sir Alex Ferguson

Darren Looney — Tue, 11 Jun 2024 14:17:13 +0000

Man United have cooled any interest they had in former Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino despite the Argentine being the preferred candidate of Sir Alex Ferguson.

There is still a lot of mystery around the manager’s role at the Manchester club as the Premier League giants come towards the end of their end-of-season review. That will determine if Erik ten Hag will remain at Old Trafford for the new campaign and a decision on the 54-year-old is expected this week, reports Sky Sports.

Thomas Tuchel has already been ruled out of the running for the Man United job and it is now being reported by The Times that Pochettino is unlikely to be in the Old Trafford dugout next season should Ten Hag get the sack.

According to HITC’s Graeme Bailey, Sir Alex Ferguson was pushing for the former Chelsea manager to be the new Manchester United head coach, who is believed to have the ear of INEOS CEO, Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

It is uncertain why United have lost interest in the Argentine as one candidate now stands out above the rest.

Mauricio Pochettino will not be the next Man United manager

Roberto De Zerbi is the clear favourite for the Man United job

With Tuchel and Pochettino out of the running, that leaves Roberto De Zerbi as the clear favourite to take over at Man United next season should they move on from Ten Hag.

In an ideal world, all the noise from Old Trafford suggests that INEOS would like England coach Gareth Southgate to be their next manager; but with the Euros happening this summer, a move for the Three Lions boss is difficult.

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That leaves De Zerbi as the standout candidate having left Brighton at the end of the season. The Italian would be easy to get, has Premier League experience and has an attractive style of play that the fans would appreciate.

However, all this talk becomes worthless should Ten Hag remain in his role at the Manchester club.

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Transfer news: Man United exits, Chelsea close in on wonderkid, Arsenal target available & more

Fabrizio Romano — Mon, 10 Jun 2024 15:45:00 +0000

Tuchel, Sancho and Greenwood latest at Man United

There’s been a big update on the Manchester United manager situation as my understanding now is that Thomas Tuchel and Man United are not expected to reach an agreement for the former Bayern Munich manager to become the new manager at Old Trafford. I can confirm Christian Falk’s report here that Tuchel had a meeting with Man Utd, they had many contacts and Tuchel was always considered the favourite candidate in case United decided to part ways with Erik ten Hag.

A decision on Ten Hag has not been made yet, so what’s going on? As I’ve said recently, Man United are having meetings with several agents and representatives of managers to make sure they assess all the options on the market before making a decision on a new manager, or on keeping Ten Hag.

Tuchel was the favourite of these options because he had direct conversations with Manchester United, and direct contact with Sir Jim Ratcliffe, but my understanding now is that Tuchel wants to take a break from football this summer. Tuchel doesn’t want to take any job for now, so his decision is to leave the conversations. Tuchel wants to take a break, he had talks with Man United but he’s currently planning to relax and wait for new opportunities in the future, but for sure, Tuchel was the closest to getting the job in case they considered a change.

Let’s see what will happen, if Man United will try to make one last effort or not, or if they decide to continue with Ten Hag or consider someone else for the job. But at the time of writing, Tuchel’s intention looks clear – to not continue in talks with Manchester United, so they are not expected to continue this conversation for the former Chelsea manager to take over at Man United. Now it’s on Manchester United to decide what they want to do, what happens with Ten Hag and other candidates.

In the next days, the next hours, we expect Man United to make a decision on Ten Hag and to clarify their plans for the future of the club in terms of the manager, but it’s an important update on Tuchel, and there’s also an important update on Jadon Sancho, because the position from Man United now is really clear – they are prepared to sell Sancho this summer.

Regardless of who will be manager, Man United will try to find a solution for Sancho. They want to sell Sancho and make some money from his departure, and the same is true for Mason Greenwood. United want both players to leave, and for now the plan is to enter into concrete conversations over Sancho to find a solution. When they discussed this internally, they indicated that £40m is the fee expected for Sancho if he is to leave the club.

Borussia Dortmund are obviously interested in keeping Sancho after signing him on loan in January. He’s one of their priority targets but £40m could be too expensive, so let’s see what they decide to do with Sancho, but for sure the interest is still there and the player is still keen on Borussia Dortmund. Still, Man United also feel that there could be some possibilities with other important clubs around Europe, so that’s why they are open to the market, and open to selling Sancho for around £40m, so keep a close eye on this one in the next days and I will keep you posted, but we don’t expect to see Sancho in a Man United shirt next season unless something crazy happens.

In terms of other manager updates – Roberto de Zerbi is waiting for an opportunity, he’s really keen on a new chapter in the Premier League. Mauricio Pochettino also feels ready, let’s see if something moves. Despite rumours, Graham Potter was never close to Brighton return, with Fabian Hurzeler expected to become the new manager soon. Stefano Pioli was Napoli’s plan B but the priority has always been Antonio Conte, so he’s now open to other options.

Joao Palhinha expected to join Bayern, but what does it mean for Joshua Kimmich’s future?

We can now say it looks like the Joao Palhinha to Bayern Munich deal is going to happen. Bayern have agreed personal terms with Palhinha – the contract is agreed, the salary is agreed, and Palhinha is super excited about the possibility to join Bayern.

The initial Bayern proposal to Fulham was €35m plus add-ons, which Fulham rejected, but early next week the two clubs will talk again and the expectation is to reach an agreement for a fee of around €40-45m. Bayern will push again, but for now they have an agreement with Palhinha, and he expects Fulham to help him make this transfer to Bayern happen.

Why? Because last summer a transfer for Palhinha to join Bayern was 99.9% done. On deadline day of summer 2023, Palhinha travelled to Munich and everything was set – even the pictures of Palhinha with a Bayern shirt. But then Fulham were not able to find a replacement, they wanted Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and other players but they were not able to make it happen, and so the deal collapsed.

Since then, Palhinha was super professional – he didn’t complain about not being able to join Bayern, he played a fantastic season under Marco Silva, trained in a fantastic way, didn’t ask for a transfer in January, and so this is why Palhinha now expects Fulham to give the green light and let him go to Bayern.

Let me clarify one final point – new Bayern manager Vincent Kompany has approved the Palhinha deal. The Portuguese midfielder was a target for Thomas Tuchel last summer, but Kompany also wants the player, Bayern have always been the most interested club, and I now expect this transfer to happen because there is big optimism around all parties involved to keep pushing and make this transfer happen soon.

I’m still receiving many questions on Joshua Kimmich’s Bayern future and my understanding is that Bayern’s position is very clear – they are not negotiating a new deal for Kimmich, the situation is completely quiet as the player is focusing on the Euros, but the feeling is that if Bayern receive an important proposal for Kimmich this summer, they will be open to considering it. Unless they reach a new deal agreement, and at the moment it’s on total standby, they are prepared to let him go.

Let’s see who will approach Bayern, but for now it’s not something advanced or concrete. Still, the name of Kimmich could be one to watch for this summer’s transfer window, and also other incomings for Bayern – remember the name of Jonathan Tah, who is still a player Bayern want, along with Palhinha, so they could be busy with incomings.

Major ins and outs to watch at Juventus

Juventus goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny has been approached by Al Nassr. The Polish shot-stopper has been offered a two-year contract with a really important salary, and Al Nassr will now also make an approach to Juventus, who are open to letting him go. Szczesny can leave Juventus and so it’s up to him to decide if he wants to go to Saudi.

Another important player at Juventus facing an uncertain future is Federico Chiesa. The Italian winger is out of contract next summer, and his agent will discuss the future of the player next week. Discussions are going to take place for the future of Chiesa. There is interest from Napoli but not only them, there is also interest from abroad and this is why I expect Chiesa could be one to watch in the next days.

Chiesa’s agent will speak to Juventus but the feeling is that the club could be open to letting the player leave this summer. They could then use the money from his sale on several other deals they want this summer, such as Teun Koopmeiners from Atalanta and Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna.

So, this meeting between Chiesa’s agent and Juventus could be important, because Chiesa knows that Juve will have a new manager in Thiago Motta and so he and his camp are exploring options around Italy and elsewhere. Napoli and Antonio Conte are interested in Chiesa, but, again, it’s not the only solution there so this looks like one to watch for this summer’s transfer window.

Another player to watch could be Douglas Luiz because Aston Villa are under pressure financially to sell one player in the next weeks, and there is interest in Luiz from Juventus. Again, Juve’s top target is Koopmeiners, so Luiz would have to be an opportunity, perhaps with a swap deal, while clubs from the Premier League will also move. Luiz has always been appreciated by Arsenal and he was close to joining them two years ago, so let’s see if they decide to return or not, though at the moment they are not actively working on this one.

Still, Luiz looks like one to watch for Juve, Arsenal, and maybe other clubs too because for Villa, the Brazilian midfielder could be one to watch in terms of possible outgoings to stay in line with Financial Fair Play.

Busy summer of outgoings at Tottenham?

Tottenham are prepared to clear players out and make some changes to their squad. Tanguy Ndombele could be one of the names to watch, while Gio Lo Celso is also one name who could leave this summer. He has just one year left on his contract and there are no talks over an extension, so there are many possibilities in different countries.

Real Betis could be one option for Lo Celso, but not the only one, there are also other clubs interested, so keep a close eye on him as someone who could leave Spurs in this transfer window.

As reported, Unai Emery appreciates Lo Celso but Villa are currently busy on other deals, including Ross Barkley. A loan deal is not an option because his contract is short, has to be a permanent move and I don’t think he’s going to stay at Spurs, I see him leaving. For sure, La Liga is an attractive destination for Gio.

The situation also remains the same on Emerson Royal – from what I’m hearing, he would absolutely love to join AC Milan. He has two years left on his contract so Tottenham want an important amount of money, something like €20m, though Milan want to pay less than this, also because the player has an important salary. Let’s see how club-to-club discussions will go, but he is giving his priority to Milan even though there is also interest from Villarreal.

Bryan Gil and Alejo Veliz could be other players to watch, with the latter of those two expected to leave on loan, so for sure there could be movement for Tottenham in terms of outgoings as they are prepared to let several players leave.

Chelsea close in on new signing, plus Broja sale update

Chelsea are closing in on the signing of talented young right-back Pedro Lima, who could become the next big South American talent to join the Blues after Kendry Paez, while Estevao Willian is another expected to join.

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We also know there will be outgoings at Chelsea this summer, and one player to keep an eye on is Armando Broja, who has been linked with Everton, among others, but what’s really going on?

My latest understanding is that the Everton board like Broja but with their financial situation, it’s all on stand-by now. It’s not something imminent or close, interest is there as well as from many other clubs as Broja is 100% expected to leave Chelsea on a permanent transfer this summer.

Trafford to Newcastle latest as Ramsdale considered too expensive

Newcastle United are in club-to-club talks to sign James Trafford from Burnley, so let’s see if they will be able to agree a deal. Talks are ongoing, while other goalkeepers such as Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsdale are also appreciated by Newcastle but considered too expensive because of the Financial Fair Play situation at the club.

Trafford could be an easier deal, could be cheaper, and Newcastle consider him a very good solution. Talks are taking place, Trafford would be keen on the move, so it’s an important one to watch for Newcastle in this transfer window.

Real Madrid relaxed over fitting Endrick and Mbappe together

Endrick continues to shine for the Brazilian national team, and it’s going to be interesting to see how he and Kylian Mbappe fit in together at Real Madrid next season.

All people at Real Madrid are quite relaxed, they’re sure that Endrick will shine and nothing will change with Mbappe’s arrival. Endrick is considered a fantastic talent, Real Madrid believe their early move for him in December 2022 was the perfect strategy to get one of the best gems in the world.

Personally, I’m really excited to see him playing in Europe next season, he looks like a top, top talent and ready to make the step up to this level.

The post Transfer news: Man United exits, Chelsea close in on wonderkid, Arsenal target available & more appeared first on CaughtOffside.

INEOS have Sir Alex Ferguson pushing them to appoint former Premier League manager

Darren Looney — Mon, 10 Jun 2024 15:43:40 +0000

Man United are yet to make a decision on the future of Erik ten Hag and with several top managers on the market, Sir Alex Ferguson is pushing the co-owners of the Manchester club to appoint one name in particular.

This season was a very underwhelming one for the Manchester outfit, which is why the club’s co-owners are conducting an end-of-season review. According to Sky Sports, it is in its final stages and a decision on the future of Ten Hag is set to arrive very soon.

Winning the FA Cup has made the decision to sack Ten Hag harder for INEOS, but the Dutch coach couldn’t fix his team’s problems across an entire campaign which will be a big worry heading into the new campaign.

Should they sack the 54-year-old, names such as Thomas Tuchel, Roberto De Zerbi and Mauricio Pochettino have all been linked with the manager’s role at Old Trafford.

The German coach has been ruled out of the running after talks, reports Fabrizio Romano, leaving Man United to move onto alternatives.

According to HITC’s Graeme Bailey, Sir Alex Ferguson is pushing for Mauricio Pochettino to be the new Manchester United head coach, who is believed to have the ear of INEOS CEO, Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

Erik ten Hag’s future at Man United remains uncertain

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Sir Alex Ferguson wants Mauricio Pochettino at Man United

Pochettino is available for a new role having been sacked by Chelsea at the end of the season.

The Argentine coach struggled at Stamford Bridge throughout the 2023/24 campaign, but unlike Ten Hag improved his team towards the end of this term. It would be a risk for Man United to appoint the 52-year-old as the former Tottenham boss has not been the same since his time in North London.

Pochettino struggled towards the end of his time at Spurs while failing at PSG and Chelsea ever since.

Ferguson seems to be a fan of the Argentine coach’s work, but is he a coach worth sacking Ten Hag and starting from the beginning again for?

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Fabrizio Romano provides update on De Zerbi & Pochettino as Man United talk with reps of other managers

Mark Brus — Mon, 10 Jun 2024 09:34:08 +0000

Fabrizio Romano has provided an update on both Roberto de Zerbi and Mauricio Pochettino as he also says Manchester United have been holding talks with representatives of other managers as they’re yet to decide on the future of Erik ten Hag.

Speaking exclusively to CaughtOffside for the latest edition of his Daily Briefing column, Romano said that both De Zerbi and Pochettino are waiting for opportunities and open to moves, despite still being two of some of the biggest names in management who are currently out of work.

We already know that Jurgen Klopp is taking a break after leaving Liverpool, while it now also looks like Thomas Tuchel is not going to Man Utd as he wants to take some time away.

De Zerbi and Pochettino, however, are both ready to go after recently leaving Brighton and Chelsea, respectively, and one imagines there’ll be some United fans who are keen to see them take over from Ten Hag.

Romano didn’t link their situations with the Red Devils, but he did say that some talks have taken place with agents of unnamed managers as they weigh up what to do about Ten Hag, so one imagines there’s a chance that De Zerbi and Pochettino are being considered.

Who could be next Manchester United manager?

Roberto de Zerbi is sure to be a man in demand

“A decision on Ten Hag has not been made yet, so what’s going on? As I’ve said recently, Man United are having meetings with several agents and representatives of managers to make sure they assess all the options on the market before making a decision on a new manager, or on keeping Ten Hag,” Romano said.

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He added: “In terms of other manager updates – Roberto de Zerbi is waiting for an opportunity, he’s really keen on a new chapter in the Premier League. Mauricio Pochettino also feels ready, let’s see if something moves.

“Despite rumours, Graham Potter was never close to Brighton return, with Fabian Hurzeler expected to become the new manager soon. Stefano Pioli was Napoli’s plan B but the priority has always been Antonio Conte, so he’s now open to other options.”

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52-year-old manager is waiting in the wings for the Man United manager job

Ahad Shaukat — Fri, 07 Jun 2024 05:23:07 +0000

Manchester United are ready to take a decision on the future of manager Erik ten Hag soon.

The Red Devils ended their season by winning the FA Cup but even winning a trophy cannot ensure Ten Hag another season at Old Trafford.

Man United finished the Premier League season in eighth position, their lowest ever finish in the competition and Ten Hag’s job is unsafe after such an inconsistent season.

Journalist Fabrizio Romano has told GiveMeSport that Mauricio Pochettino is ready for the Man United job, having recently parted ways with Chelsea.

Pochettino finished the season in sixth place at Stamford Bridge but the club decided to replace him with Enzo Maresca, opening the door for Pochettino to get the Man United job.

Ten Hag is waiting for a decision from the club on his future after winning two trophies in two seasons at the club.

Romano has revealed that Pochettino wants to make an instant return to football and he is ready to take the Old Trafford job if he is offered the chance.

Mauricio Pochettino is ready to take over at Man United.

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