Hardwood timber
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We saw an intriguing game between Manchester United and Liverpool yesterday, which ended 2-2 but at various points looked like it could go in either direction.
Liverpool missed many chances, they created a lot, so it’s been a pity for them as they will no doubt feel they could have won the game by scoring more in the first half. Still, I’m impressed once again by Kobbie Mainoo in particular – it is not normal to play at this level when you’re 18 and your team is not in the best shape. This guy is really special, so full credit to Man United for trusting him strongly.
Jurgen Klopp spoke after the game about United’s performance and he made it clear he felt Arsenal would beat them if they played like this again when they meet at Old Trafford in a few weeks. Arsenal are in wonderful form and for sure they’d be favourites to win the game, but you never know with Man United, anything can happen against them, as they showed. Still, of course Arsenal are now on a different level when compared to United.
Arsenal will sign an important striker this summer, and one of the names on their list is Viktor Gyokeres. They’ve been following the Sporting Lisbon striker during this remarkable season, but they’re not the only ones.
Gyokeres is appreciated by Arsenal, but they still have to decide what they’re going to do, and remember that the Swedish striker has a €100m release clause, with Sporting insisting that they want something very close to this fee, not something like €50 or €60m as reported by some media outlets.
Viktor Gyokeres has been linked as a transfer target for Arsenal Gyokeres’ agent is in Lisbon and his situation will be assessed. Let’s see what happens with Arsenal, but they could have other options too, so it’s not something that’s going to be decided now.
There have also been reports linking Mikayil Faye with Arsenal, but I’m not aware of negotiations or talks with Arsenal at this stage.
Several clubs are monitoring him, he’s a potential big talent but first of all it’s Barcelona who have to decide what they want to do with Faye; keep him with first team, sell for big money. Internal talks will follow in May, no negotiations are taking place with other clubs now.
Karim Benzema has been speaking to Saudi media and he’s not so happy about the situation, saying he can’t win games on his own and that he can’t be the same player he was at Real Madrid. When asked about his future at Al Ittihad, Benzema said we’ll see what happens, he was keeping all options open, but from what I’m hearing there is a strong, concrete possibility for Benzema to leave Al Ittihad in the summer.
The expectation is for Benzema to try a new experience as it’s a complicated moment for him in the Saudi Pro League. We’ll see what happens in the summer and if he stays in the internal market in Saudi, or if he returns to Europe. We already saw stories about this in January, but despite the rumours he was never close to Chelsea or Man United or anything like that, while Real Madrid also never considered a return for Benzema.
Let’s see what happens next, but for Real Madrid and Benzema it looks to be over, even if the club will always love and respect the player for his legendary career at the Bernabeu.
It’s not been the easiest season for Kalvin Phillips, who struggled for playing time at Manchester City and who is now failing to impress on loan at West Ham.
As things stand, I don’t expect Phillips to stay at West Ham permanently. I think there will be other options and solutions. Still, from what I understand, all reports linking the player with the likes of Leeds and Fulham are really premature as nothing has been decided and nothing is concrete.
This is not kind of deal for April or May; Leeds’ full focus is not on the market but on the Championship now as they chase promotion back to the Premier League.
We continue to get plenty of stories about managers who could be on the move this summer, but I don’t have any specific new club to mention with Ruben Amorim. This could change in the next weeks as I’m told there’s interest also from other clubs.
Still, for now Liverpool are now the most concrete, the interest is there and contacts have taken place with Amorim’s camp. They are well informed on his contract, clauses and more. There is a verbal agreement between Amorim and Sporting that he can leave for a fee of €10m if a big club makes a proposal, though his official release clause is €30m for other Portuguese clubs and €20m for other leagues.
Another interesting name to follow could be Thiago Motta after the superb job he’s done at Bologna. Juventus have been linked by some outlets, while my information remains that current Juve boss Massimiliano Allegri is expected to leave at the end of the season. That’s the feeling and the news my sources are telling me. On Motta, I will have important developments soon.