Liverpool Category
Liverpool football club news, Liverpool transfers, Premier League
Transfer Balls: Adama Traore signs for Aston Villa, completes for Liverpool and agrees Manchester United move
Transfer Balls: It’s been a busy summer for Barcelona’s Adama Traore. Those experts in the mainstream Press have been tracking his movements:
July 26, The Metro: “‘Manchester United paying release clause to seal Adama Traore transfer”
July 28, The Metro: “Why Arsenal need to beat Bayern Munich to the transfer of Barcelona’s Adama Traore”
July 30, The Metro: “Liverpool officials fly to Barcelona to complete Adama Traore transfer”
August 1, The Metro: “Southampton plot to hijack Liverpool’s transfer move for Barcelona winger Adama Traore”
August 2, The Metro: “‘Everton set to hijack Liverpool’s transfer move for Adama Traore”
August 3, The Metro: “Adama Traore travelling to Liverpool for medical ahead of transfer”
August 3, Daily Star: “Barcelona’s Manchester United target set for Liverpool medical”
August 5, The Metro: “‘Adama Traore has dinner with Stoke officials ahead of possible transfer”
August 7, Daily Mail: “Adama Traore is being linked with Stoke and Liverpool… Adama’s release clause in his Barcelona contract has dropped to £4.2m”
August 8, The Metro: “‘Adama Traore convinced he is making Liverpool transfer”
August 11, Daily Mail: “Adama Traore close to £12m Aston Villa switch from Barcelona”
August 11, Daily Telegraph: “Liverpool transfer rumours and news: Barcelona star Adama Traore emerges as top target”
August 11, Daily Telegraph: “Adam Traore is flying in for talks with Aston Villa on Wednesday as he prepares to complete a £7 million move.”
Busy lad.
Posted: 12th, August 2015 | In: Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City, manchester united, Sports | Comment
Transfer Balls: Manchester United beat Liverpool to defensive winger Nicolas Gaitan
Transfer Balls: the increasingly dire Daily Telegraph (with cover price) is copying The Metro (free). Says The DT:
“Manchester United have reached a ‘verbal agreement’ with Benfica over centre-back Nicolas Gaitan, according to The Metro”
The phrase “according to The Metro” might be one of the most meaningless in journalism. All you can deduce from it is that Gaitan has not signed for Manchester United. He’s also not signed for Liverpool, where the Liverpool Echo bills him as a “playmaker“.
But who is Gaitan? The DT knows:
The Argentine will cost around £21.1m and would provide Louis van Gaal with badly needed reinforcements in defence.
He’s a defender? Maybe. Hold on a moment while the DT’s ‘expert’ types ‘Gaitan’ into a search engine and ammends the copy to read:
Manchester United have reached a ‘verbal agreement’ with Benfica over attacking midfielder Nicolas Gaitan, according to The Metro… The Argentine will cost around £21.1m and would provide Louis van Gaal with another option up front.
Over in The Metro the news is also changed:
The Argentinian winger is also believed to be on the radar of La Liga outfit Valencia, but United will have first refusal on the 27-year-old, according to reports in Portugal.
Sky adds:
In Van Gaal’s 3-5-2 formation, this would see him deployed at left wing-back, a position Ashley Young made his own last season. Luke Shaw will also be hoping to stake a claim for this role come August.
Such are the facts when a new player arrives on the transfer balls cycle.
Posted: 6th, August 2015 | In: Liverpool, manchester united, Sports | Comment
Transfer Balls: Karim Benzema has Arsenal fans walking in Wengerland
More news on Arsenal and Karim Benzema, the Real Madrid and France striker linked by a myriad reports with a move to the Gunners.
The Telegraph says “Gunners clear to sign Karim Benzema for £46m“. Clear? Not really because ESPN says Arsenal are not interested in the player.
Madrid-based newspaper AS says Arsenal have set aside €65 million to sign the striker.
But Arsenal boss Arsene, Wenger said only yesterday:
“No, nothing is happening. Honestly, no. I don’t know who brings that up. Is it Spanish media or English media? I don’t know.”
Back to the Telegraph, then, which states:
Real Madrid are resigned to losing Karim Benzema to Arsenal this summer, and have already began targetting replacements for the French striker.
The Metro agrees, saying Benzema will join the Gunners for £50m. But its source is the aforesaid AS, which turns out to be the Telegraph’s only source, too.
What AS reports is this:
…Wenger himself is fully aware of how difficult such an operation would be… The club’s technical department are studying other options but until they have used up every resource to land the Madrid striker, other candidates will remain secondary to Wenger’s plans.
But the operation to land Benzema is full of complications. He renewed his contract until 2019 with Madrid just over a year ago and as it stands, he is the team’s first choice striker, although Benítez has experimented this summer with Jesé and Cristiano playing in a more central position in an attempt to have an alternative to the ‘BBC’ attacking trio. During the recent tours of Australia and China, Benzema offered two contrasting sides to his game – he scored a sensational volley against Manchester City in Melbourne but was largely absent in the friendly against AC Milan in Shanghai. Benítez is also concerned that the player is struggling to apply the pressure which he is demanding from the whole team to make his 4-2-3-1 set-up function as he intends.
And as for being resigned to losing the player, a few days ago, Real Madrid manager Rafa Benitez stated:
“People are asking me about different players that maybe we will buy and I always say the same thing, ‘he’s not our player, I will not talk about that’. In this case Karim is our player so I will not talk about that. I hope, I’m sure, that he will stay with us.”
Is there a shred of evidence that Benzema is actually joining the Gunners? The Daily Star says there is:
There is a modicum of hope for Arsenal fans after Benzema followed an Instagram account named ‘Wengerland‘.
Such are the facts.
Did Roy Hodgson say Raheem Sterling was better off at Manchester City than Liverpool?
Can the Sun endear itself to Liverpool fans? No. The paper’s Charlie Wyett has go by telling everyone:
‘ROY HODGSON will infuriate Liverpool fans after saying Raheem Sterling will become a BETTER player now he is at Manchester City.’
Hogdson, the erudite, circumspect and likeable former Liverpool actually said that Sterling would become a better player because Manchester City make better players than Liverpool?
Read the rest of this entry »
Liverpool: James Milner earns more than he did at Manchester City
Liverpool’s James Milner “turned down £165,000 a week to remain at Manchester City”, writes the Sun. The paper works out that Milner sacrificed £65,000 a week to reignite his career at Anfield.
Is he really on £100,000 a week because the Guardian says Milner is paid £150,000 a week at Liverpool? And that £165,000 a week was based on the top figure, taking into account win and appearance bonuses at City. The Mail says Miler was earning £100,000 a week at City – which would mean he took a pay rise to join Liverpool.
And what of the signing-on fee at Liverpool, of which the Sun makes no mention? As a free agent, the Mirror says any fee would have been “huge“.
The Sun aims is to present Milner as something different to all other top players, the one who does it for love not money. But the facts don’t support the portrayal. Milner earns more at Liverpool than he did at City. The move has not cost him £65,000 a week.
Says Milner:
“… I think the move to Liverpool and to take that mantle of central midfield was more of a selfish move. This is a chance for me to prove something. I want to look back at my career and feel I got everything out of it and was the best player I could be and won as much as I could.
“I don’t want to be sat at the end of my career thinking I could have done more or left something out there.
“I believe I can achieve things here where I could maybe have found myself on the bench at City and just taken the money.”
Now he takes the money and knows he’ll play.
Posted: 26th, July 2015 | In: Liverpool, Reviews, Sports | Comment
Transfer Balls: Christian Benteke drips for Liverpool
Transfer Balls: Christian Benteke has signed for Liverpool. He has joined, as ever, “to win things”. But the Indy writes:
“Liverpool signing appears to have been decorating before £32.5m switch, specks of paint spotted on jeans”
Eh?
Read the rest of this entry »
Transfer Balls: Sergi Samper becomes Arsenal and Liverpool superstar
Arsenal have tabled a £8.5m offer for Barcelona’s Sergi Samper. Well, so says the Sun:
Samper, 20, is currently behind Sergio Busquets, Javier Mascherano and Sergi Roberto in the Nou Camp pecking order.
But the Metro says Sergi Roberto is close to joining Everton move”. If true (and yep, this is the Metro) Samper is either third or fourth choice pick for his slot in Barcelona’s central midfield.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted: 23rd, July 2015 | In: Arsenal, Liverpool, Sports | Comment
Manchester City: Balotelli wants Liverpool fans to praise Raheem Sterling
Manchester City: Raheem Sterling scored on his debut for The Citizens. Within three minutes for his new club, the former Liverpool player set about justifying City’s £49 million investment.
City won the game against Roma in Melbourne 5-4 on penalties.
All good, then. Well, it was until Liverpool wage-nicker Mario Balotelli took to twitter:
Well done @sterling 31 !
Having praised the man who rejected Liverpool, Balotelli picked up on the Liverpool fans sat in the stands who booed Sterling. He ordered them to stop:
“Liverpool fans are amazing but i hope @sterling31 will play at his best because he deserve it. He’s a good guy young and talented…. support him Like you always did.
“He gave everything to this club and respect it so im sad to see this. YNWA, Liverpool is a family ALWAYS”.
If ‘walking’ Balotelli wasn’t enough to irritate football fans tired of the football family balls and being treated as a mere audience, we get to hear the views of Samir Nasri. The Sun writes:
Sterling was jeered as he made his City debut in yesterday’s clash with Roma at the Melbourne Cricket Ground…
Nasri said: “You always have stupid fans in the stadium and the same thing happened to me when I left Arsenal. You have to move on. He has come to Manchester City and you have to respect his decision.”
Oh, do put a sock in it. Fans don’t have to respect anyone or anything, especially a man who rejects the chance to earn a fortune doing a job they’d do for free.
Nasri then adds:
“This is a game between Roma and Manchester City in Melbourne! We didn’t expect anything like that from these fans, so it is a surprise. But if he needs any advice about that, then he can come and talk to me.”
The advice would be that Liverpool are a bigger club than Man City. (The match was watched by 41,000 fans. When Liverpool played Melbourne Victory at the MCG , 95000 fans were there.)
Money does not buy you love. And if anyone in your ‘family’ demands more pocket money to remain part of the clan or else, show them the door.
Posted: 22nd, July 2015 | In: Liverpool, Manchester City, Sports | Comment
Transfer Balls: Manchester United offer £22m for Pedro who agreed Chelsea deal after joining Arsenal
Manchester United are to offer Barcelona £20m for their spare-part forward Pedro.
The Sun says Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool are also after the 27 year old, whose record reads 98 goals in 318 appearances for the Catalans.
But the Times says Man United are leading the chase and have prepared to trigger the player’s £22million buy-out clause in his new contract.
“It’s true I have received important offers,” says Pedro. “My situation is complicated because I want to play a lot of minutes, but that is becoming very difficult at Barcelona.”
Complicated’s right. With so many clubs apparently after Pedro, the utter balls flow freely.
On July 15, the Star’s Paul Brown said Chelsea would sign Pedro “next week”:
The Star reported that Chelsea have met Pedro’s £22m release clause, adding:
Liverpool and Inter Milan were also interested in Pedro, but they are set to miss out as Chelsea are his preferred option.
The Week agrees, stating:
The 27-year-old has agreed to join Chelsea where he’s been told he’ll have more opportunities to showcase his talents.
But just yesterday the Express noted:
The Blues were thought to be closing in on a move for Barcelona ace Pedro, but reports in Spain suggest Mourinho is not prepared to meet his £22m release clause.
Chelsea have and have not bid £22m for Pedro?
The Mail says Liverpool will make an offer.
And it was back in May the Metro announced that Pedro wanted to play for Arsenal and the Gunners would bid £26m for him.
Such are the facts.
Posted: 18th, July 2015 | In: Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, manchester united, Sports | Comment
Transfer Balls: Aston Villa’s Benteke ‘agrees’ to join Liverpool and Manchester United
Transfer Balls: A look at Aston Villa’s Christian Benteke in the news. These stories are all from today’s media:
The Sun: Benteke is on his way to Manchester United. The Red Devils will pay £32.5m offer for the 24-year-old.
Daily Mail: Benteke wants to play for Liverpool.
Metro: “Christian Benteke agrees deal to join Man United”
(On July 2, the Metro said Benteke had “rejected” Sours to join Liverpool.)
Talksport: “Reaction as Reds reportedly agree to sign Benteke for £32.5m”
Posted: 16th, July 2015 | In: Liverpool, manchester united, Sports | Comment
Liverpool: Raheem Sterling laughs as Manchester City wait to exhale
And so it came to pass that Raheem Sterling completed his move from Liverpool to Manchester City for a whopping £49m and £200,000 a week.
This one had threatened to run all summer, leaving media and fans talking more about the Sterling transfer story than actual football deep into August. Sky Sports would herald the new Premier League season with an M People powered montage of Sterling’s best transfer stories trailed by health warning on the perils of inhaling gas from party balloons.
But we can now enjoy the sense of freedom as Sterling moves to his dream club [insert name here]. As he held aloft a scarf in City colours, Sterling said:
“I’ve just had to learn to take it all in my stride. I never imagined I’d be at this point at the age I am now and breaking a transfer record fee. You don’t think about it when you’re a kid — but things have come really fast in the last couple of years. It’s a good feeling and a really happy time for me and my family.
“I’m just glad it’s all over and done with and I can’t wait to get on the training field.
“I’d also like to thank all the people around me — my mum and sisters, my management team, and Aidy Ward for helping me focus and get where I am today.”
Sterling’s protracted Anfield exit became increasingly acrimonious. But in the end he won. And his agent laughed all the way to the bank. Who needs laughing gas when you have loadsa money?
Posted: 15th, July 2015 | In: Liverpool, Manchester City, Reviews, Sports | Comment
Liverpool: How Raheem Sterling made a mug of smug Brendan Rodgers
Liverpool sold Raheem Sterling to Manchester City for £49m. But did anyone think to tell Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers?
These are a few of his recent commengts on Sterling:
April 2: “Raheem has two and a half years left on his deal and he’s not going anywhere in the summer…Liverpool are one of the superpowers of football and if the owners don’t want to sell, they don’t have to.”
May 2: “Raheem won’t be going anywhere this summer, even if there’s not a deal agreed.”
May 22: “Raheem has two years left on his deal and I expect him to see that two years through.”
July 13: “The situation currently is simple. The club has agreed with another club a deal for Raheem to be transferred. Subject to a medical, that will go through.”
And not forgetting:
July 14: “Contrary to the last week — in terms of what was written — Raheem and I have always been very strong in our relationship and have been until he left so there is no issue there. I spoke to Raheem at length before I left yesterday so there is no problem.”
Did he tell Raheem he was staying at the club?
Transfer Balls: Manchester City give Liverpool £49m for Citizens diehard Raheem Sterling
Eric Brook: Raheem’s idol
Transfer balls: Raheem Sterling is on his way from Liverpool to Manchester City for £49m, says the Sun.
Raheem loves City. Sure, there’s £200,000-a-week for the next five-years guaranteed. But it was never about the money. Sterling told us that and who are we to doubt his word?
Remember it was Raheem’s agent, the charming Aidy Ward, who stated that Sterling wouldn’t extend his association with Liverpool for “£900,000 a week”. Liverpool, who had offered Sterling £100,000 a week could have gone to £900,000 plus £1 – borrowing a quid from Arsene Wenger’s old Luis Suarez savings account – but when you’re dealing with principles often nothing but honour will solve the matter in hand.
Raheem can now achieve his dream of winning things and becoming City’s top goal scorer, surpassing the 178 goals scored by… Yes, Raheem. Correct. Eric Brook.
What that lad doesn’t know about City is not worth knowing.
PS: Queens Park Rangers, from whom Liverpool poached Sterling for an initial fee of £600,000 five years ago, will receive almost £10 million after agreeing a 20 per cent sell-on clause as part of that deal.
Posted: 12th, July 2015 | In: Liverpool, Manchester City, Sports | Comment
Transfer Balls: Liverpool’s Raheem Sterling ‘agrees’ £45m move to Manchester City: now for the wages
Transfer Balls: Liverpool have told Raheem Sterling he doesn’t have to go on their pre-season tour of the Far East. Well, so says the Telegraph:
Liverpool are now in advanced negotiations with City as the clubs edge closer to a £50 million deal, prompting the decision to omit Sterling from the travelling squad heading to the Far East and Australia.
The Mail says Sterling will head to Manchester City for £45m.
City have agreed to pay £45million for the England star, who has been Manuel Pellegrini’s target No 1 summer target.
Now do the tricky bit: what does Raheem Sterling think he should earn every week?
Liverpool fans will be left to wonder why a player poached from QPR was not secured for more money when his last contract was signed. If Liverpool says he’s worth £50m, it’s little wonder Sterling believes he’s worth more than the £100,000-a-week the Reds have offered him? It remains to be seen whether Sterling’s potential bears fruit, but Manchester City clearly think it will.
Transfer balls: Manchester United will sign Aston Villa’s Christian Benteke unless Liverpool pay up
Transfer balls: Manchester United have joined Liverpool in the hunt United move for Aston Villa’s Christian Benteke. Well, so says one newspaper.
The Sun shouts that “CHRISTIAN BENTEKE is next on Louis van Gaal’s hitlist” because “Manchester United’s boss has made signing a top striker a priority.
Is Benteke a top striker?
The Birmingham Mail announces:
Stats that reveal why losing Christian Benteke would not be the end of the world
So why do Man United want him if, as the Brum Mail says, Charlie Austin’s the better player?
In any case, the Guardian told us on July 6 that Liverpool had agreed to sign Benteke:
So expect all hell to break loose this week as Christian Benteke, with his £32.5m release clause dynamically, explosively and apocalyptically triggered by Liverpool, leaves Aston Villa for a journey of mind and body under Brendan Rodgers, who will apparently make the Belgian his seventh summer signing.
The Daily Express agreed:
But they were pipped to the news by TalkSport’s man in the know, who stated on July 1:
“I expect him to sign if not today then certainly in the not too distant future. Liverpool have done their work and have sealed a deal [with Aston Villa].”
But on July 4, the Mail said Liverpool had not triggered Benteke’s £32.5million buy-out clause.
Benteke remains of interest but there has been no dialogue with Villa or bid and that is likely to remain the case unless the Midlands club show a willingness to reduce their valuation.
And, apparently, now Manchester United want the Belgian. Liverpool had best find the money to secure the player or risk losing him to their big rivals. Well, so says the Sun in a story with not a single source. Wonder what Benteke’s agent makes of it all?
No words from Benteke. But Man United and Liverpool fans might care to know what he said before:
“I’m not afraid of making enemies at Villa by saying I love Arsenal… When I joined Villa I didn’t know where they played. I thought they were a London club!”
Such are the facts…
Posted: 12th, July 2015 | In: Liverpool, manchester united, Reviews, Sports | Comment
Transfer Balls: Manchester City bid £44m for Liverpool’s Raheem Sterling
Transfer Balls: a look at today’s reporting on Liverpool’s Raheem Sterling.
The Daily Mirror says Liverpool’s owners are ready to stick Raheem Sterling, 20, in the reserves rather than allow him to leave for below their £50m valuation. But surely doing that would result in Sterling playing less top-level football, not being picked for England and a reduction in any transfer fee.
Steven Gerrard has heard enough, telling Sky Sports:
“I’m not happy with all that carry-on and I don’t think there’s any need for it. They all need to be men about the situation. Raheem needs to go in and speak to the owners [Fenway Sports Group] and to Brendan himself, tell them what he wants and go about it that way. You don’t have to throw illnesses in and refuse to go on tour. There are millions and millions of Liverpool fans around the world who are itching to see Raheem Sterling in a Liverpool kit. So I don’t think it’s fair on them if he is behaving like that.”
The Times hears more from the former Liverpool skipper:
However, the 35-year-old said that Sterling, who is under contract until 2017 at Anfield, compared unfavourably with [Jordan] Henderson. “Raheem and Jordan are at different ends of the scale,” the former England captain added. “Jordan’s so professional, he’s a winner, a great lad. I don’t think there’s a more fitting player to take that armband off me. I see a lot of my game in Jordan’s game and what I like about him is he’s very humble.”
The Guardian says Sterling is now feeling much better. He’s presented his off-games not to Mr Rodgers and after two days in front of daytime telly returned for pre-season training. Will he now take part in Liverool’s pre-season tour?
The Liverpool Echo says he could be. Sterling’s name has been included in Lvierpool’s 30-man squad to tour Australia and the Far East. However, the Echo concedes “it is still unknown, however, whether Sterling will actually join up with the squad”.
The Telegraph says the Professional Footballers’ Association has volunteered to mediate between Sterling and Liverpool.
As the Times notes, the PFA did that when Arsenal came knocking for Suarez:
The situation is not a new one for Liverpool, who were faced with a similar predicament two years ago during Arsenal’s unsuccessful pursuit of Luis Suárez.
At the time, Suárez’s attempts to force a move were faced down by Liverpool and after joining up with his club’s pre-season tour of Australia, the Uruguay striker ended the summer training alone before reluctantly accepting that he would not be allowed to leave.The key difference with Sterling, however, is that Liverpool will sanction his sale at the right price but, unless a deal is struck with City before this weekend, Rodgers will expect the former Queens Park Rangers player to be on the flight to Bangkok with the rest of his team-mates.
But no need to worry the Mirror says Manchester City have bid £44m for Sterling.
It is set to be £40m cash with add-ons which may still not be enough for Liverpool to accept as they are holding out for £50m. The clubs have opened dialogue about Sterling and must try and resolve it in the next 24 hours.
Maybe…
Posted: 11th, July 2015 | In: Liverpool, Manchester City, Sports | Comment
Transfer Balls: Liverpool fans branded racist by Raheem Sterling’s people
Time to catch up with Liverpool and England footballer Raheem Sterling. What’s he been up to this summer? How’s the agent? How are the kids and the balloons?
The Sun: “Pack yer bags, Sterling”
LIVERPOOL have told Raheem Sterling he MUST go on the club’s pre-season tour. The Kop rebel missed training yesterday, claiming he was ill, after informing boss Brendan Rodgers he did not want to be considered for the trip to Asia and Australia.
The problem with calling in sick is that if you do it and only secure one day off, you look like a skiver.
Liverpool were set to send a doctor to give Sterling a check-up and the wantaway winger, 20, faces a massive fine if he does not turn up for the four-game trip. He could also be left sweating on a move to Manchester City, who are the only club to make offers for him.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted: 9th, July 2015 | In: Liverpool, Manchester City, Reviews, Sports | Comment
Transfer Balls: Raheem Sterling cries off training as suitable treatment sought for mystery illness
Raheem Sterling is still on Liverpool’s books. He won’t be for very much longer. HE doesn’t even want to train with the Reds, failing to attend training with Liverpool this morning after, as the Times says, “informing the club that he is unwell only 24 hours following his request to be omitted from their pre-season tour to Australia and the Far East.”
Get well soon, Raheem.
In keeping with club protocol, Liverpool will despatch a doctor to Sterling’s home address in Birkdale where the 20-year-old will be examined and, if necessary, prescribed suitable treatment.
Maybe a spot of sun in, say, Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium will sort him out?
Regardless of his desire to leave, Liverpool maintain that Sterling will continue to be treated in accordance with his contract and expect him to return to training as soon as he is well enough to do so and to make himself for their forthcoming pre-season tour.
If they really expect that, we wonder what are they smoking at Liverpool?
Liverpool’s Raheem Sterling worth £35m, Manchester United lose £10m on Luke Shaw and Arsenal overpay for Chambers
According to Soccerex Liverpool’s Raheem Sterling is the most valuable young player in Europe. The 20-year-old, linked with a move to Manchester City, heads the ‘Soccerex 20 Football Value Index’, which ranks players under 21 in Europe according to a whole list of factors including age, position, club, contract length, injuries, technical quality, tattoos, hair gel and shaggability (only some of those have been made up).
Players are given a projected value, with chart-topper Sterling given a £34.5million figure, some way below the £50million Liverpool are asking for.
Nine Premier League players overall make the list with Man Utd’s Luke Shaw (signed for £27m in 2014) and new-boy Memphis Depay, Chelsea’s Kurt Zouma, Liverpool’s Emre Can and loanee Divock Origi, Everton’s John Stones and the Arsenal duo of Callum Chambers (signed by Arsenal last summer for £16m) and Hector Bellerin joining Sterling in the countdown.
But where’s Harry Kane?!
Here’s the top 20. Make of it what you will…
Posted: 8th, July 2015 | In: Arsenal, Liverpool, manchester united, Sports | Comment
Transfer Balls: Benzema heads to Liverpool for £38m and to Arsenal for much less?
Transfer Balls: the summer is here and with comes the return of the story that Arsenal and Liverpool are to sign Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema.
The Daily Star tells its readers (and we can see your lips moving):
Arsenal step up attempts to sign Karim Benzema with £17.8m bid
So the Gunners have made a bid for Benzema?
Spanish daily AS are reporting that Arsenal have upped their attempts to sign the French striker after being alerted about his availability. AS say Arsene Wenger is a big fan of Benzema and would love to bring him to England for around £17.8m.
No. Arsenal have not made a bid for Benzema. But if they do it will be for £17.8m. Maybe.
It is unclear at the moment how much Real are demanding for Benzema.
In other words: the player is not on sale. That £17.8m is a guess.
It all smells of utter balls, but to The Metro it means:
Arsenal ‘closing in on Karim Benzema transfer’
The Metro then adds:
Manchester United are also thought to be interested in Benzema
Thought by whom, the Metro doesn’t say.
We’ve been here before, of course:
Daily Express, June 5: “Arsenal set to make Karim Benzema a MASSIVE offer to fend off Man United and Liverpool”
Is £17.8m massive?
ITV, May 26: “Arsenal launch £35m bid for Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema”
That’s bigger. But no bid has been made.
Daily Mirror, Jan 7: “Benzema wants Anfield switch”
Words from Benzema: none.
Daily Star, October 4 2014: “Liverpool AGREE £38m deal for Arsenal target Karim Benzema”
No. They didn’t.
Looks like Arsenal are getting a £17.8m bargain.
Such are the facts.
Posted: 6th, July 2015 | In: Arsenal, Liverpool, Sports | Comment
Transfer Balls: Liverpool ‘accept’ £45m for Sterling because Manchester City are desperate to spend £191m?
Transfer Balls: The Star says Manchester City will bid £45m for Liverpool’s Raheem Sterling as part of a “£191m City spree”.
The Sun says:
MANCHESTER CITY have been given the green light by Uefa for a £150million spree.
ESPN says that spree will be £100m.
Where does the Star conjure £191m from? It fails to say.
And if City have so much money to spend, then surely Liverpool will hold out for the £50m they want for Sterling.
The Star adds:
Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini will land Liverpool’s Raheem Sterling at the third attempt – for £45million.
The Star’s “story”, labelled as an “exclusive”, contains not a single source, named or otherwise.
Such are the facts.
Transfer balls: Manchester City miss out on Pogba and £45m bid for Liverpool’s Raheem Sterling
Transfer Balls: a look at today’s news on Liverpool’s Raheem Sterling and his move to Manchester City.
The Sun: “Sterling… spend it! And Raheem won’t be the only deal after Uefa lift FFP cap”
MANCHESTER CITY have been given the green light by Uefa for a £150million spree.
ESPN says that spree will be £100m. But, still, it’s a huge number.
Part of that spree is the likely purchase of Raheem Sterling, who, says the Sun, will cost City £45m.
The Times reports:
City’s second offer of up to £40 million for the England forward [Sterling] was rejected, but the club will be in a stronger position to raise their bid closer to Liverpool’s asking price of £50 million. Manuel Pellegrini is also confident of being able to sign Kevin de Bruyne, who is likely to cost £35 million, despite Wolfsburg wanting to offer their Belgium midfielder a new contract. The City manager has not given up hope of bringing in Paul Pogba, the Juventus midfielder.
Last season City were hit with a £49m fine and forced to submit a reduced Champions League squad of 21 players after breaching Uefa’s Financial Fair Play regulations. Those barriers to recruitments have now been removed. A Uefa statement read:
“We have lifted a number of restrictions on transfer activity, employee expenses and number of players in Uefa club competitions imposed on Manchester City.
“This is after the club reached certain targets towards break-even compliance as part of the ongoing monitoring of their settlement agreement.
“The lifting of restrictions is subject to ongoing additional controls and audits. The club remains under strict monitoring and has still to meet break-even targets and is therefore subject to some limitations in 2016.”
All media sources agree that City will Paul Pogba, Kevin De Bruyne, Raheem Sterling and Fabian Delph.
But the Manchester Evening News says Pogba as “agreed” to join Barcelona.
Juventus have told Barcelona that they will not sell Paul Pogba until next summer in what appears to be a blow to City’s hopes.
And in a meeting between officials of the two giant clubs in Italy, it is also reported that Barca made it plain that they will launch a bid for the player ahead of the 2015-16 season.
That clearly paves a way for a deal between the two giant European clubs for the France midfielder, who is the Blues’ main target in this transfer window.
Barca are under a transfer ban this summer after being found guilty by Fifa of breaching rules regarding the purchase of players aged under 18.
As for De Bruyne, who has a contract with Wolfsburg until 2019, the Indy reports:
Speaking to Sport1 earlier this week, Wolfsburg’s sporting director Klaus Allofs said: “Kevin has a contract until 2019, so the signal has already been sent out. He will stay with us. We’ve said we will look at his contract.
De Bruyne lifts the German Cup at the end of last season De Bruyne lifts the German Cup at the end of last season “The aim is to take into account financially Kevin’s extraordinary development. The best players should earn the best wages. We will make an offer to him and I think we will reach an agreement here very quickly.”
Surely there is no way Wolfsburg can beat super-rich City’s offer. Given news of City’s huge transfer kitty, the German club will know they can ask top dollar of any player.
Posted: 4th, July 2015 | In: Liverpool, Manchester City, Sports | Comment
Transfer Balls: Arda Turan signs for Manchester United, wants Chelsea and ‘dreams’ of Liverpool
Transfer Balls: Chelsea are in for Arda Turan. But he’s agreed to join Manchester United. And Barcelona. And Arsenal want him. Well, so we read in the papers:
Daily Mail, June 30: “Arda Turan keen on £29m Chelsea transfer as Turkey midfielder says he wants to leave Atletico Madrid”
He’s on his way to Chelsea.
The Metro, June 30: “Arda Turan has agreed terms to sign for Manchester United from Atletico Madrid”
He’s on his way to Man United.
ES (Spain) July 1: “Barelona has reached an agreement with Atletico Madrid for Arda Turan”
He’s on his way to Barcelona.
Daily Mail, July 1: “Chelsea favourites to sign £29m Arda Turan from Atletico Madrid with Turkish star preferring London move over Barcelona”
Come on you Blues!
Daily Mail July 2: “Barcelona set to beat Chelsea to the £25m signing of Arda Turan”
Daily Express, July 2: “Arda Turan revelation gives Man United, Chelsea and Arsenal a huge boost – ARDA TURAN has confirmed that talks of a deal with Barcelona are completely false”
Can Arsenal get him? Do they want him?
But the Daily Star says it will all be sorted out today:
Arda Turan to decide whether to join Arsenal, Chelsea or Manchester United tomorrow – ARDA TURAN will announce which Premier League side he is going to join tomorrow.
Number of words in any of those stories from the player or Chelsea: nil.
But one paper has quoted the player.
Daily Express, February 27: “Arda Turan: Liverpool is my DREAM team and I want to play for them!”
Such are the facts.
Posted: 3rd, July 2015 | In: Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, manchester united, Sports | Comment
Transfer Balls: Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino supported Manchester United in a house made of cheese
What do we know of Liverpool’s newest player Roberto Firmino Barbosa de Oliveira? Not much.
We know that in January 2011 Bundesliga club Hoffenheim signed Brazilian Firmino for €4m. And he scores around one goal every three games.
While we await the news that Firmino grew up supporting Manchester United, preferred Brookside to EastEnders and enjoys long walks on the beach, writing in the Times, Tony Evans nails it:
So, it is in many ways both inevitable and understandable that the decision to make Firmino the second-most expensive player in the club’s history behind Andy Carroll is greeted with suspicion. When you have a reputation for buying badly, you cannot complain if the idea that you might have bought well does not immediately take hold.
That Firmino is something of an unknown quantity might add mystique to the deal, but beyond the exotic and the YouTube videos that make most players look good, a lack of knowledge leads many to ask how Liverpool could have paid £29 million for a player they do not even know.
All of that, though, remains moot. Beyond the sizeable minority of Bundesliga addicts who have tuned in to watch Hoffenheim games and kept abreast of Firmino’s progress in Germany, it is impossible for the rest of us to pass any kind of judgment on the 23-year-old. All we can do is wait and see.
But journalists at other newspapers feel a need to look like they know about Firmino.
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