Month: April 2022

Home / Month: April 2022

FRENKIE DE JONG has quashed rumours of a possible transfer to Bayern Munich this summer by pledging his long-term future to Barcelona.

Bayern were one of several parties including Chelsea and Manchester United interested in the Dutch midfielder who's recently been linked with a move away from the Spanish club he joined for £65million in 2019.

However, in a bitter blow to the Bavarian behemoths, the 24-year-old revealed that he's eager to extend his contract with Barca for another SIX YEARS.

If the Blaugrana decide to give De Jong what he wants it means he'll remain at the club until he's 34 as his current deal expires in 2026.

There were talks that De Jong could've been one of the first heads on the chopping block last season as he struggled to find his form under ex-boss Ronald Koeman.

But the Dutch midfielder's played a starring role in Barca's resurgence this campaign under new manager Xavi and helped the club storm into the Europa League quarter-finals after defeating Galatasaray on Wednesday night.

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And De Jong revealed in an interview with ZiggoSport, via Fabrizo Romano, that he couldn't be happier at the Nou Camp where he wants to play for perpetuity.

He gushed: "I love being at Barcelona! I’d probably sign a six-year contract extension if they’d propose me, yes."

“Something happening with FC Bayern? No, no..I am so happy at Barcelona and I would love to play here for as long as possible."

But De Jong may have to be willing to slash his hefty £534,000 weekly wages if he wants to remain at the cash-strapped Barca who are still recovering from their financial woes.

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MANCHESTER UNITED and Arsenal transfer target Ruben Neves may leave Wolves if they don't qualify for Europe, reports suggest.

That is according to transfer insider Dean Jones, who claims the Midlands giants will struggle to hold on to Neves if they can't offer him European football next season.

Bruno Lage's men are eighth in the Premier League table with two points separating them from seventh-placed Tottenham, who have a game in hand.

Wolves would have to finish seventh to guarantee at least Europa Conference League qualification.

Jones told Give Me Sport: “His quality is undoubted, and I think that if they don’t qualify for Europe then it’ll probably be time to say goodbye.”

United and the Gunners have been keeping tabs on Neves since last summer and could make an improved bid at the end of the season.

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The Red Devils have been struggling in midfield this term and look set to lose Paul Pogba, who becomes a free agent in June.

Arsenal, on the other hand, also need to strengthen in the middle of the park as they are in pole position to play in the Champions League next season.

Neves joined Wolves from Porto in 2017 following a £15million deal with the Portuguese giants.

The midfielder has since amassed a total of 24 goals and 12 assists in 206 appearances.

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ARSENAL legend Ray Parlour has urged Mikel Arteta to bring in penalty specialist Ivan Toney from Brentford in the summer.

The Bees centre-forward has impressed in his first season in the Premier League – chipping in with 11 goals in 24 games for Thomas Frank's struggling side.

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Five of his top-flight strikes have come in his last two outings in the victories over fellow relegation rivals Norwich and Burnley.

And three of those goals have come from the penalty spot – bringing up his total to six spot-kicks in all competitions this term.

Incredibly, the 26-year-old has banged in 23 out of his 24 penalties in his career, with his only miss coming for Peterborough in the 2018-19 season.

Arteta's side have struggled from 12 yards out this campaign, finding the back of the net just three times out of the six they have been awarded.

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Former skipper Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who was the first-choice taker before he joined Barcelona in January, missed both of his this season.

Alexandre Lacazette also missed from the spot in December's 2-0 win against West Ham, though he has scored three penalties so far.

And Gunners icon Parlour believes Arsenal should take a gamble on Toney, with the club in the market for a new centre-forward.

Arsenal could bring in two strikers with Aubameyang already gone, while Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah are set to depart on free transfers.

MANCHESTER UNITED should go for "brutal" Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone because they need a "tough manager".

That is according to United legend Gary Neville, who claims Simeone should be a candidate after he led Atletico to a 2-1 aggregate victory that eliminated the Red Devils from the Champions League.

The Manchester giants are looking for a manager to take over after interim boss Ralf Rangnick moves up to a consultancy role in June.

United have been linked with Paris Saint-Germain's Mauricio Pochettino, Ajax's Erik ten Hag and Chelsea's Thomas Tuchel in their search for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's permanent successor.

But Neville believes Simeone should be in the running as he would match up perfectly to the likes of Manchester City's Pep Guardiola and Liverpool's Jurgen Klopp.

However, the footballer-turned-pundit admits Pochettino and Ten Hag would still be "the way forward" because of their progressive philosophy.

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Neville told Sky Sports during a Q&A: "Diego Simeone should be a candidate, but it's never been achievable to get him out of Atletico Madrid.

"He is wedded in there, he is tied. But it would be brilliant to see him in the Premier League, you saw on Tuesday night, I've seen it many times – I got beaten 2-0 in Valencia by his brilliant Atletico Madrid team that [Antoine] Griezmann was in before he went to Barcelona.

"Fantastic coach, brutal in how he approaches the game, I think in every single way. He's tough, and Manchester United need a tough manager.

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"Manchester United need a manager who can compete with Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola – they're the best, so they need someone who can stand on that touchline and feel equal to them and I think Simeone could.

XAVI is plotting Barcelona's way back to the top next season.

The LaLiga giants had a nightmare start to this campaign under Ronald Koeman, under a cloud of financial ruin and the departure of Lionel Messi.

Koeman's replacement Xavi has steadied the ship, however, with things now looking up at the club under new president Joan Laporta.

Barca now look good value to clinch a top four position, with second-place Sevilla now firmly in their sights.

And with Champions League football for next season set to be secured, Laporta will go all out to improve the Xavi's squad for next season.

Barcelona are looking for a forward, with Manchester United ace Marcus Rashford their latest shock target.

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They will then focus on trying to secure the signatures of the world's top free agents.

Marc-Andre ter Stegen will continue between the sticks, but there could be a lot of changes in front of him.

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Chelsea captain Cesar Azpilcueta looks set to join Barca on a free transfer after a decade at Stamford Bridge.

And he could be joined by Blues team-mate Andreas Christensen, who is also out of contract in West London this summer.

MANCHESTER UNITED have been handed a boost in the race to sign Barcelona centre-back Ronald Araujo, according to reports.

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The Barca defender is out of contract next summer and is yet to agree to new terms.

And according to Sport, the distance between the two parties negotiating a new contract is "great" and "the agreement is moving away."

Barca's current offer on the table is £2.5million a season, which would still see Araujo be one of the lowest earners at the club.

This is despite the 23-year-old being the "team's great defensive benchmark."

Araujo is looking to have a similar contract to fellow young stars Pedri and Ansu Fati.

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The Spanish duo each pick up around £5m per season.

The latest news will be music to Man Utd's ears, with the Premier League outfit keen to strengthen their defence.

Man Utd and other interested Prem teams have the economic power to pay the defender more than what is on offer at Barca.

However, the report states that Barca "still has time to rectify to try the agreement."

NEWCASTLE are reportedly keeping tabs on Neymar who has expressed his desire to leave Paris Saint-Germain after being booed by the club's fans.

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Neymar, 30, came under fire from his own supporters for his role in PSG's Champions League last-16 exit to Real Madrid.

The Brazilian was jeered along with team-mate Lionel Messi by the Parc des Princes faithful during their 3-0 Ligue 1 win over Bordeaux last weekend.

Not even a goal by from the ex-Barcelona forward was enough the appease PSG's baying mob of disgruntled supporters.

And a dejected Neymar's on the hunt for a new club after the Parisiens' unforgiving fans made their feelings toward him clear, according to AS.

AS claim that Neymar plans to back his bag for new pastures this summer despite signing a new deal with the French giants in May last year.

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Neymar's desire to leave PSG has caught The Magpies' attention as they search for a striker to propel them to greatness, Fichajes report.

And the uber-wealthy Tyneside club are one of the only clubs who can afford Neymar's astronomical £500,000-a-week wages, plus his exorbitant £198million transfer fee.

However, Eddie Howe's side will have to battle it out with Barcelona and Prem rivals Manchester City for Neymar's signature, Fichajes also stated.

Neymar could be tempted with a sentimental return to Barca who he left to join PSG for £198m in 2019.

KYLIAN MBAPPE'S mother has demanded a £125million signing on fee from Real Madrid to finalise her son's move from Paris Saint-Germain.

Mbappe has been Real's top target for months and the striker appears keen to move to the Santiago Bernabeu after refusing to renew his contract with PSG so that he can be a free agent in June.

A deal appeared to be close between Los Blancos and the France international but talks have reportedly encountered a bizarre speed bump.

That is because the 23-year-old's mother, who is also his agent, seems to be playing hard ball with Real owner Florentino Perez.

OK Diario director Eduardo Inda told El Chiringuito: "Mbappe is going to be a Real Madrid player.

"But his mother continues to play hard to ask for a €150million signing bonus, which is what PSG offers him.

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"But when you negotiate with Florentino, he only has two options: lose or lose.

"Real Madrid is the only big team that has made money in the last two years."

This comes after reports from two months ago suggested Mbappe is in line for an eye-watering £800,000-a-week deal with Real.

That means the Frenchman would be making £41.6m per year in the Spanish capital.

LIONEL MESSI isn't happy at Paris Saint-German and doesn't fit into the French club's structure.

That's what Messi's former Barcelona team-mate Dani Alves thinks after watching the Argentine struggle in Paris this season.

The 34-year-old's meagre return of seven goals and 11 assists in 26 games this season has seen him turn from hero to villain in the eyes of PSG's fans.

His plight worsened when the Ligue 1 side's fans booed Messi for failing to prevent the club from getting dumped out of the Champions League by Real Madrid in the last-16 round.

Fuming fans went a step further and plastered PSG's training ground with graffiti demanding Messi leave France.

And Barca veteran Alves, who rejoined the Catalan giants on a free transfer last year, reckons Messi's unhappiness in Paris is behind his drop in form.

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Alves told ESPN, via Marca: "For me he is not enjoying himself.

"Leo is out of place there."

Which is why Alves wants Messi to end his Paris nightmare and return alongside him at Barca.

Speaking before he went back to the Nou Camp where he plays for just ONE EURO a month, Alves said to ESPN: "Hopefully I can come back.

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ARSENAL reportedly face competition from Manchester United and Liverpool in the race to prise Alexander Isak away from Real Sociedad in the summer.

SunSport exclusively revealed last month how the Swedish striker was one of Mikel Arteta's key targets in the upcoming transfer window.

The Gunners are desperate to bolster their attack after allowing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to join Barcelona in January.

And the North London outfit are set to lose Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah when their contracts expire at the end of the season.

It is understood that Arsenal would have to pay Isak's £75million release clause in order to bring him to the Emirates.

According to Spanish news outlet AS, Arsenal remain keen on landing the 22-year-old after failing to sign him in the winter transfer window.

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They state that Arteta's side are 'in love' with the player as they look to secure his services.

Though in a blow for Arsenal, it has been said that both United and Liverpool are also weighing up a possible swoop for Isak.

It has been claimed that Sociedad are aware that they may have to part ways with the ex-Borussia Dortmund man in the summer.

And AS insist that a move to England is the most likely option.

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