ذكرت تقارير صحفية إيطالية، أنّ نادي يوفنتوس قد توصل إلى اتفاق مع أحد نجوم بايرن ميونخ للتعاقد معه، خلال الفترة المقبلة.

وبحسب شبكة “سبورت ميدياست” الإيطالية، فإن يوفنتوس قد دخل في مفاوضات مع ممثلي الدولي النمساوي دافيد ألابا ظهير بايرن ميونخ.

ألابا لديه عقد مع بطل الدوري الألماني ينتهي في 30 يونيو 2021؛ ويرفض التوقيع على عقد جديد حتى الآن.

اقرأ أيضًا.. بايرن ميونخ يوضح آخر تطورات التجديد

ألابا الذي يلعب في أكثر من مركز وبعد تألقه في مركز الظهير الأيسر أصبح – خلال المواسم الماضية – يرغب أندريا بيرلو المدير الفني للبيانكونيري، يريد ضمه لتعزيز الخط الخلفي للسيدة العجوز.

وأوضحت الشبكة أنّ يوفنتوس قد وصل إلى مراحل مُتقدمة مع ألابا وممثليه ولديهم بالفعل اتفاق مع النجم النمساوي.

واختتمت الشبكة تقريرها قائلة، أنّ الابا قد يغادر بالمجان في الصيف القادم، او في يناير المُقبل بسعر مُخفض في ظل العلاقة الممتازة بين إدارتي يوفنتوس وبايرن ميونخ.

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Liverpool fans on Twitter are collectively baffled by Joleon Lescott’s bizarre comments comparing their side to that of Manchester City.

The Citizens’ former centre-back said: “I’m not sure I’d take a single one of Liverpool’s players for Man City’s team.

Has Alisson been Liverpool’s most important signing of the season? Check out the video below to find out why Jurgen Klopp thinks so…

“From a Man City perspective, I have been very impressed with Aymeric Laporte this season, who has arguably made a similar impact to what Virgil van Dijk has at Liverpool.”

With world-class names such as Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Van Dijk in the Reds’ ranks, Lescott’s comments are fairly ridiculous and seem as if he is being somewhat biased towards his former side.

Both City and Liverpool are vying for the Premier League title, with Jurgen Klopp’s men just two points clear of Pep Guardiola’s reigning champions, although City do have a game in hand.

Whilst this is one of the most exciting title races in recent years, it could do without one of the side’s former players sticking his two pence in just for the sake of it, especially when it’s a comment as mindless as Lescott’s.

Let’s take a look at what some of the bemused Liverpool fans on Twitter are saying about the 36-year-old former England international’s remark…

علق مدحت عبد الهادي المدرب العام بالجهاز الفني لنادي الزمالك على فوز فريقه أمام الرجاء المغربي اليوم في ذهاب نصف نهائي دوري أبطال إفريقيا.

وانتصر الزمالك على الرجاء بهدفٍ وحيد ضمن سجله المحترف المغربي أشرف بن شرقي ليسهل مهمة بطل مصر في لقاء العودة الذي سيقام يوم السبت المقبل.

وقال مدحت عبد الهادي: “مباراة جيدة وقوية، نهائي مبكر، كنا نؤدي بشكل جيد ودرسنا الرجاء وكنا نعرف طريقة لعبهم واستطعنا أن نغلق المساحات وأن نوقف مفاتيحهم وفرضنا أسلوبنا على المباراة”.

وأضاف: “لعبنا مباراة قوية ومواجهة الإياب ستكون صعبة، فريقنا جيد واستطاع أن يحصل على السوبر الإفريقي من قبل، لدينا القدرة في الحصول على البطولة بعد تأهلنا في مباراة القاهرة إن شاء الله”.

جدير بالذكر أن الزمالك سيواجه نظيره الرجاء المغربي يوم 24 أكتوبر الجاري في مصر في إياب دور نصف نهائي دوري أبطال إفريقيا.

Liverpool fans have been lucky enough to witness many incredible players grace the pitch at Anfield, and there are dozens of names now written into the very foundations of the club. Now, another man has truly earnt his status as one of the most popular men at Anfield, and he’s a manager – rather than a player.

We are, of course, referring to Jurgen Klopp, who very quickly has emerged as one of the most popular men on Merseyside. Of course, the brilliant form of Liverpool on the field is helping that process, but former Red Jamie Carragher also thinks that something else is at play.

As per Sky Sports, Carragher has written: ‘He’s [Klopp] suited firstly because he’s a top manager. There’s no doubt about that. Then there’s his personality, his passion on the sidelines resonates with Liverpool supporters.’

He continued: ‘He resonates with fans on a different level. When he speaks, Liverpool supporters listen. He speaks their type of language, how they like football to be played. It comes back to that energy and passion in his team, and with him on the sidelines. That mirrors Liverpool people and Liverpool supporters at Anfield.’

Few would argue that Liverpool’s fanbase is amongst the most passionate in England, with the Reds always eager to burst into song and help urge their team over the line both at home and away.

Klopp is, in many ways, exactly the same. He’s as animated as the fans, he’s as passionate as the fans, and he’s as dedicated as the fans. The only real difference is that he can have an actual impact on the players that are selected and how they play.

In the modern day game, a lot of attention has been placed on the idea of mercenaries and people simply not caring about their club in the long-term or otherwise. With Klopp, you don’t get that feeling.

As Carragher says, he’s formed a connection with the Liverpool fans, and that’s what has made him so popular. It’s the same sort of enthusiasm that Arsene Wenger had during his early days at Arsenal, and it’s the opposite of what someone like Maurizio Sarri has at Chelsea.

For Liverpool fans, then, most would agree that Jurgen Klopp is the best man for the job, and Carragher clearly agrees.

Thoughts?

Arsenal yesterday laboured to a 1-0 defeat away at Everton in a defeat that places a dent in their top four hopes. The Gunners had a chance to once again leapfrog arch-rivals Tottenham and move into 3rd place in the process. In fairly typical Arsenal fashion, however, they were unable to build on recent momentum that saw them undefeated in six Premier League games.

The game was perhaps summed up best by Mesut Özil, who threw his coat in the direction of Everton manager Marco Silva after a subdued performance led to his substitution after just 70 minutes. Özil, who has received widespread criticism throughout the season, was given the captain’s armband by Unai Emery – a move which backfired.

Arsenal’s lack of leadership has been highlighted time and time again since the days of Patrick Viera, but arguably it’s now as prevalent as ever.

Upon arriving at Arsenal, boss Unai Emery stated his desire for ‘five captains’ to lead the team. Laurent Koscielny, currently club captain, has managed only 12 appearances this season in the Premier League. Jack Wilshire was swiftly moved on by Emery, while Aaron Ramsey will be playing his football in Italy next season. Additionally, right back Hector Bellerin has been out since January after undergoing knee surgery.

Mesut Özil found himself with the armband in a critical game. With the battle for the top four so hotly contested, nothing short of a victory was acceptable. Yes, an off night is acceptable. And yes, you can’t pin the loss solely on the German. However, in a time where leaders are sparse, he needed to stand up.

Özil’s behaviour off the field showed the clear frustration he currently feels. But it’s not the behaviour of a captain. Özil has emerged as more of a problem than a solution this season. He perhaps now divides the fans more than anyone. His talent is clear, but where does he fit in the team?

Emery gave the midfielder the armband in what seemed a bold move. But is it more the point that there simply wasn’t anyone else?

Where Emery wanted to build a team full of leaders, departures and injuries have left him short. While improvements have been seen under the Spaniard, further investment is most certainly needed.

Arsenal fans, how fed up are you of Mesut Ozil? Join the discussion by commenting below… 

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Well, it would be fair to say that the Tottenham Hotspur fans do not want their club to move for Newcastle United attacker Ayoze Perez in this summer’s transfer window.

In a recent interview with Marca, Perez admitted that he will return to Spain before the end of his career, whilst he also discussed reported interest from the likes of Tottenham and Everton.

The 25-year-old was brilliant against Everton last weekend, scoring twice and providing an assist in Newcastle’s 3-2 win at St James’ Park.

In total, the forward has scored seven times and registered four assists in 33 appearances in all competitions for his English club this season.

The Tottenham fans have been discussing a potential move for the Spaniard and it would be fair to say that not too many are interested in chairman Daniel Levy signing Perez.

A selection of the Twitter reaction from the Spurs supporters can be seen below:

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Arsenal fans are terrified of the ‘Drake Curse’.

The hip-hop megastar enjoyed some time with Gunners striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, in a picture posted on Twitter.

However, fans have now been left worried about the club’s hopes of qualifying for the Champions League.

Indeed, Drake has a number of teams in American sports that he supports but the saying goes that any team that the rapper professes affection for ends up choking on the biggest stage.

The likes of the Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors have both lost after Drake’s endorsement, along with Serena Williams, perhaps the greatest female tennis player of all time, and Connor McGregor, the UFC star who was beaten by Khabib Nurmogomedov with Drake in attendance.

Perhaps the worst case of all is the Kentucky Wildcats, one of college basketball’s most storied teams. Drake designed specially engraved rings for them after their championship win in 2012, and they have not won the title since. He even gave a rousing speech to the team after their Final Four (semi-final) victory in 2014, from which they lost as heavy favourites in the final.

Gunners fans are now concerned about the final seven games of the season, with the club currently third in the Premier League and well-placed to qualify for Europe’s elite club competition.

Take a look at the best of the reaction on Twitter below!

The Old Firm game is always a massive occasion, but on Sunday, it is fair to say that it is more significant for Steven Gerrard’s Rangers than it is for Celtic.

If Celtic win, it will see them with a virtually unassailable lead of 13 points, with just seven games to go.

But a Rangers win will close that gap to just seven points, and will give the blue half of Glasgow a chance — albeit a slim one — of overhauling their rivals.

Former Celtic player, Paul Hartley, told Sky Sports that Rangers have simply “got to win” and that Gerrard can not afford “any more slip ups”.

He said: “They’ve got to win. Ten points behind, eight games to go, they’ve got to go there and try to win the game.

“There’s no point in going there and trying to sit back. Celtic can afford the draw but they’ll be going to try to win the game. If they win it looks like that’s the title over.

“Rangers know they can’t afford any more slip ups. They are out of both cups, they may not have any more silverware for another year so it’s a massive game for them.”

We think, realistically, the game is more a case of Rangers consolidating a Europa League spot, than harbouring chances of winning the title.

A loss for Gerrard’s men, coupled with wins for Aberdeen at Hearts and Kilmarnock over Hamilton the previous day, will see the gap over third and fourth shrink to just five and six points respectively.

With only two games after this weekend until the split, it is vital that Rangers maintain their advantage over the chasers behind them, as failure to secure a top-three finish would be disastrous for the club.

What do you think about Rangers’ chances against the Auld Enemy on Sunday? Is it more important to look over your shoulders instead of ahead? Let us know your opinion…

Sunderland sit third in the League One table, level on points with second-placed Barnsley, with two games in hand, and looking certain to achieve automatic promotion at the first attempt.

But level-headed manager, Jack Ross, is not getting carried away, and does not want his players to lose focus either.

The young manager described tonight’s game against Burton as the “most important” of the season, knowing that failure to win games will render those matches in hand meaningless, and knows that already having the points bagged, means their rivals are always in a strong position.

He told the club’s official website: “When we looked at the other teams with points on the board, for me they are in a better position.

“Irrespective of the number of games you have to earn points and those teams had done that.

“What we have done now is get ourselves in a good position and we have this advantage now in terms of having games to play.

“But it is only an advantage if we go and win. Tuesday evening is big for us. It becomes our most important game of the season.

“It sounds cliched, but it is the truth. Wednesday was our biggest game of the season, then it was Saturday, then it was Tuesday.

“That has got to be our mindset until we get to the stage where we have achieved what we want and we have games to spare.”

He knows that playing catch-up adds its own pressure to games, but his approach this season has been first class, and even when they were drawing games they know they should have won, the manager never panicked.

He has instilled belief and confidence into the players, and it is clear that every member of the squad will give everything they have for their manager, and the red and white jersey.

It is why he added: “I think they are excited about these final four weeks of the season. I don’t sense any nervousness; it is more an anticipation of the games and relishing the challenge that they have.”

Ross has been a breath of fresh air at the Stadium Of Light, after a number of questionable managerial appointments in the past.

It remains to be seen if he can perform a similar job at Sunderland in a higher division, but it is surely only a matter of weeks until fans get the opportunity to find out.

And who knows, back to back promotions could be a very real possibility.

What do you think of the job Jack Ross has done at your club, Sunderland fans? Is he the right man to take your club forward in the Championship next season? Let us know your thoughts…

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The departure of Samu Saiz in January has left a gaping hole in Leeds United’s attacking midfield, and a recent report from Italian media outlet Calciomercato suggests that Marcelo Bielsa is scouting the market for a replacement.

What’s the word?

Justin Lonwijk, a 19-year-old who currently plays for PSV Eindhoven’s Under-21 side, has emerged as a target for Leeds.

The report from Calciomercato claims that Bielsa is ‘studying him’, but he will face competition from Eintracht Frankfurt and Roma for his signature.

The Bundesliga outfit have already made contact with PSV and Roma are described as being ‘in the initial phase’.

Lonwijk has been with the club since he was ten years old and the Dutch giants are reportedly eager to extend his current contract, which is due to expire in the summer window.

Roberts’ development would be catalysed

Bielsa’s latest transfer target is an attacking midfielder by trade, but he has also played as a centre-forward, a left winger, and in defensive midfield this season.

His versatile efforts have produced three goals and one assist from just nine starts, and the fact the Argentine is personally interested in his development suggests he could be a huge talent in waiting.

Standing at 6 ft 2, Lonwijk would offer a greater physical presence in the final-third to Leeds’ current regular attacking midfielder, Tyler Roberts, and that acknowledgement could stimulate another level of improvement from the Wales international.

Roberts has been one of the surprise packages of the season so far, showcasing a level of quality which few supporters would have predicted from him. His first-touch and ability to link the play between the lines of midfield and attack have been two of his most outstanding attributes, but further competition is needed to catalyse his development.

A shortage of options right the way across attacking midfield have made him the undisputed first-choice central option, while Pablo Hernandez has been deployed out wide.

Adding another exciting prodigy to the squad in Lonwijk, who would challenge Roberts for a starting berth, could provide the former West Brom man with the squad dynamic he needs to go to the next level.