Transfer Talk: Beckham’s Miami plans move to sign PSG’s Messi
The 2022 January transfer window is closed, but there’s still plenty of gossip swirling about who’s moving where. Transfer Talk brings you all the latest buzz on rumours, comings and goings and, of course, done deals!
Barcelona are moving closer to signing AC Milan midfielder Franck Kessie this summer, according to Sport.
Kessie, 25, is out of contract at the end of the season and has already told the Rossoneri that he will not be extending his five-year stay at San Siro.
The Ivory Coast international’s situation has also been monitored by Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain, while sources told ESPN’s James Olley in December that Tottenham Hotspur were planning to make an lucrative offer for him to sign a pre-contract agreement.
However, Sport reports that over the past month talks between Kessie and Barcelona have been progressing well, and that each round of negotiations brings the two parties closer to an agreement.
Kessie, who spent two years on loan at Milan from Atalanta before joining them permanently for €25 million in 2019, has made 163 Serie A appearances for the club and scored 34 league goals
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10.42 GMT: Villarreal coach Unai Emery insists that Yeremy Pino, a target for Real Madrid, is still learning despite the young forward scoring four goals in Sunday’s 5-1 rout of Espanyol (stream the replay on TSPN+ in the U.S.).
Yeremi became the first Villarreal player to have scored four goal in a league game when he scored a hat trick before half-time and added another goal in the second half.
The 19-year-old helped Villarreal win the Europa League last season in his first year with the senior squad, and also earned a spot in Spain’s national team.
Real Madrid were among the clubs that had shown interest in him before he signed a contract in November which committed him to Villarreal until 2027 and set his release clause at €80m.
“Yeremi is 19,” Emery said. “He is very matured in certain things but in others, he isn’t and it’s good he still maintains certain childish aspects. He is competitive, brave, he wants to get results.
“We know he is going through a learning process. He still has a lot to learn. He played a great game against Espanyol and he had played well against Juventus last week. We need the collective to have a starring role so that everyone can shine with their characteristics.”
– Weekend review: Yeremi Pino becomes LaLiga’s next big thing
09.46 GMT: Former United States midfielder Jesse Marsch is the leading contender to succeed Marcelo Bielsa as Leeds United manager, sources have told ESPN’s Tom Hamilton.
Bielsa was sacked on Sunday after a torrid week for Leeds, first suffering a 6-0 defeat away to Liverpool on Wednesday before enduring a 4-0 loss to Tottenham Hotspur at home on Saturday in what turned out to be Bielsa’s final match.
Marsch, 48, left Bundesliga side RB Leipzig by mutual consent in December, five months after taking charge, and sources said he is the No.1 candidate for the vacancy at Elland Road.
He previously won two Austrian league titles at FC Salzburg. Marsch began his managerial career at Montreal Impact in 2011 and also managed New York Red Bulls. Ralf Rangnick, now Manchester United’s interim manager, employed Marsch as his assistant during his time at Leipzig.
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08.52 GMT: Real Madrid would like on-loan winger Take Kubo to be part of their squad next season, Diario AS reports, but need Vinicius Junior to be granted Spanish nationality first.
LaLiga clubs are allowed three non-European players in their squads, and Madrid’s places are currently occupied by Brazilians Vinicius, Rodrygo and Eder Militao.
Vinicius began the process of seeking citizenship in 2020, with South Americans able to do so after two years of residence in Spain, but the pandemic has led to bureaucratic delays with applications.
Kubo, 20, has spent the last three seasons on loan at Real Mallorca, Getafe, Villarreal and now back at Mallorca, and according to AS has done enough this year to form part of Madrid’s plans for 2022-23, if Vinicius’ situation is resolved in time.
08.00 GMT: Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel believes Roman Abramovich’s decision to pass stewardship to the club’s trustees will “change nothing” in the day-to-day running of the club.
Abramovich announced on Saturday night his intention to take a step back from his involvement with the Blues while retaining ownership of the team he bought for £140 million in 2003. Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia and technical and performance adviser Petr Cech are responsible for running the club with Abramovich, until this weekend, retaining final sign-off on big decisions including the future of head coaches and player transfers.
Although his statement made no mention of the ongoing invasion of Ukraine, the Russian billionaire’s ties with Chelsea had attracted extra scrutiny that Tuchel admitted was affecting his team’s preparation for Sunday’s Carabao Cup final against Liverpool.
After watching the Blues lose 11-10 on penalties at the end of 120 goal-less minutes at Wembley, Tuchel was asked for his reaction to Abramovich’s move.
“For the news yesterday, I think it will change nothing for me on a daily basis. This is how I understand it. I’m in close contact with Marina and Petr Cech to the run the first team and to give my input and give my very best so we are able to win football matches. This will not change and I think it will not change with the news from yesterday.”
– Carabao Cup final: Stream the replay on ESPN+ (U.S.)
– Spanish outlet Marca have been putting two and two together and controversially concluding that Barcelona star Gavi could be on his way to Real Madrid. The 17-year-old star has established himself in the Barca first team already but the club and player are yet to reach an agreement on the renewal of his contract, which runs out in June 2023. In the meantime, the Spain international’s agent Ivan de la Pena has been spotted at Real Madrid’s Valdebebas offices in the last few days, sparking rumours of a potential switch to Los Blancos.
– Disappointing back-to-back draws against Salernitana and Udinese have focused the minds at AC Milan, and the club are prioritising the signing of coveted defender Sven Botman in an attempt to fend off interest from Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur, according to Calciomercato. Rossoneri chiefs Paolo Maldini and Frederic Massara are liaising with Lille in an effort to close a deal for the 22-year-old before the end of the season.
– Internazionale‘s pursuit of Davide Frattesi continues, with Calciomercato suggesting that the Sassuolo midfielder is now their top priority. Inter manager Simone Inzaghi is keen to reinforce his midfield for the 2022-23 season, and Inter chief Giuseppe Marotta has already been in talks with Sassuolo counterpart Giovanni Carnevali about the switch. Marotta will return to try and get the deal over the line before the end of the season, with the fee believed to be the only major sticking point. Fratessi has scored two goals and added two assists this season.