#of course arteta would want someone like him on the team of course he would!! how on brand for him!

[maiteo]

did you hear about arsenal linked with b*nz*ma?

não I never have any clue what’s going on with anyone or anything anymore😭

but I hope he croaks before he’s able to agree to any terms!

[pensat-i-fet]

The (only) one I love (Martin Ødegaard x Reader, ft Rúben Dias)

**After posting this Rúben imagine, I got a request to do something similar but with Ødegaard. And this is what I came up with. There is a little Rúben cameo and...he might not be that great in this story but oh well 😅 enjoy!! ❤️**

Word count: 2887

Masterlist

Wattpad

Jealousy was a very bad companion. It was an irrational feeling that made people say and do very stupid things. No one wanted to feel jealous. And yet…

“You’re going to Manchester?”

“Yes. Just for the weekend”, you said, not noticing the way Martin looked at you. “It’d be fun to see everyone”.

“Sure”.

“You ok? Worried you’ll miss me too much?”, you teased.

“Yeah, that’s it”.

Even if Martin’s smile didn’t convince you fully that it was only that, you let it slide. It was true that you hadn’t spent that much time together lately but you really needed some time away to catch up with your friends and that work trip was a great option to do just that.

Your year studying abroad in Lisbon turned into a job at Benfica, which then led you to your job at City. There, your good relationship with Mikel Arteta made you take his offer of working with him at Arsenal. You were extremely happy in London but you missed Manchester. And especially, the Portuguese boys. You had already worked with Rúben when he still played for Benfica. And once at City, you became friends with Bernardo almost as easily.

The season had been a strange one for you. Arsenal were doing so well but City was always behind, ready to take any opportunity to go back to the top of the table. It was sort of ideal in a way. If Arsenal won, your team won. But if they didn’t, your former team would win. Your friends would win.

Someone who didn’t see it that way was Martin. Even if you had an unspoken rule of not dating players, once you met Martin, that rule banished. You were charmed by his personality the second you talked to him and you already thought he was really cute before meeting him in person, so…

“Let’s go to the match!”

Once you got to the stadium, it was time to separate from Martin. He had been pretty quiet on the ride to the stadium but you didn’t worry much about it. It wasn’t that unusual for him to be like that.

“Good luck, my love”, you said, kissing him and hugging him tightly. You knew how nervous he got before matches and how much your good wishes meant to him.

Despite all the silly thoughts in his mind, your hug made him relax. You were there with him. And he trusted you. There was no reason to be jealous. And yet…

**

Another bad result for Arsenal, while City kept winning all of their matches, meant Martin was pretty upset after the match. He loved being a captain, even if he was still so young. But bad results were harder to digest because of that extra responsibility.

He was waiting for you to be done with work, sitting inside the car, lost in thoughts of what could have been done better.

"Hey!"

Hearing your voice made him turn his body completely to hug you. You barely had time to sit down but didn't mind. Martin needed you.

"Please don't go to Manchester", he muttered against your neck.

"Why?"

He looked up realising he had said that out loud. He couldn't tell you about his jealousy. You wouldn't understand. And it wouldn't be fair to you, because you had done nothing wrong.

"I just…I need you here with me".

"I can come back a day earlier but I need to go. There's work stuff that I need to do there".

"Of course. I'm just being stupid and needy. Stay there as long as you want to".

He shook his head and got ready to drive but you took his hand to stop him.

"Is there anything else you want to say?"

"No", he smiled. "Let's go home".

                                     **

"This is ridiculous", whispered Martin, putting his phone down and his hands on his face.

"What's wrong, bro?", asked Bukayo when he saw his captain's actions.

"I'm stupid. That's what's wrong".

"You're not. Did you see something on your phone that upset you? Is your family ok?"

"Yeah, they are good, don't worry. It's just…", he didn't know how to say it without sounding silly so he took the phone and showed Bukayo.

"I don't get…oh. Don't be jealous, mate. She'd never do that".

"I know", he sighed. "That's why I feel stupid. But look at the comments".

Bukayo did and understood his teammate a bit better. So many people talking about what a great couple you and Rúben Dias made. On a previous post with photos of you two, even one of Rúben's friends commented about it…and Rúben liked the post. Martin couldn't stand it anymore. But he couldn't ask you to stop being friends with him. It wasn't fair.

By the time you got back from Manchester, Martin had convinced himself that not looking at any of your posts was the best idea. He was the type of boyfriend who always liked your posts and left some sort of comment. Even if it was just a heart emoji. So people noticed the change but he didn't care.

"Honey, I'm home!"

You didn't even have time to fully close the door before Martin got there and lifted you to hug you.

"Missed me?"

"Barely", he joked before kissing you. "I thought we could go out for dinner. But if you're tired, I can cook or order something".

"Let's order. I'm shattered. I just want to shower, put on my pajamas and cuddle with my favourite boy".

"That's a good plan", he said, smiling and pecking your lips again.

Martin's smile didn't leave his face while he walked with you to your room. But then you took your hoodie off and he saw it wasn't one he had seen before.

"Did you go shopping while in Manchester?"

"No. Why? Did you expect a souvenir?"

He laughed at your joke, still looking at the hoodie. "Where did this come from then?"

"Rúben", you said, casually. "I was clumsy enough to get sauce on my jacket so he gave me his hoodie to wear".

"That's nice of him".

You smiled at your boyfriend before getting inside the shower, not seeing his face. Not guessing all the thoughts that were going through his mind at that moment.

                                     **

The weeks passed and it was time for Martin's most dreaded match. City at the Etihad.

"Hello traitor", he heard someone say when he was on his way to the dressing room. And he knew that voice.

When he turned to look at Rúben, he saw you hugging him and laughing. He would have stared for hours but a slap on his back woke him up from his daydreaming of how he could murder a Portuguese defender.

"Hey, good to see you", said Erling.

"Yeah, same".

But Martin kept looking in your direction and Erling noticed.

"Who's that?"

"My girlfriend".

"Right…I heard about her. She used to work here".

Martin nodded, hearing your laugh he loved so much but that he couldn't enjoy now because of who was the reason you were laughing.

"I better go. Good luck".

"Good luck to you too".

Martin started to walk faster and you noticed him leaving without getting his good luck hug.

"I need to go. See you later", you told Rúben before sprinting after your boyfriend.

The door to the dressing room closed behind him and you knew you couldn't get inside. The players knew you and probably wouldn't mind but you wanted to respect their privacy. So when you saw another player walking towards the door, you knew it was your best chance.

"Aaron, can you tell Martin to come out for a second?"

"It's time for the coach's talk but then we'll go out again to warm up".

"Yes, but I need to go to work myself and I have to tell him something important…".

"Ok".

Checking your phone you noticed you couldn't wait there longer than 5 minutes. But luckily, the door opened again and it was Martin who got out.

"Hey, I didn't get to wish you good luck".

"No, you were too busy".

"What does that even mean?"

"I have to go back inside. The captain can't miss the team talk".

"Are you mad at me?"

No, he was mad at himself.

"Martin…".

"We'll talk later".

None of you could concentrate well on your jobs after that. And every city goal only made the situation worse.

After the match, a lot of City players surrounded their former teammate Zinchenko. But you were surrounded only by two City players, Rúben and Bernardo.

"Who's going to win the league, then?", laughed Bernardo. You had been joking about it all season.

"I don't care", you said and they were surprised by the way you reacted.

"Don't be a sore loser", said Rúben, putting his arm around your shoulders. And when you looked up, you saw Martin looking at you two. And finally, finally, you understood why he behaved the way he did sometimes. Why he had behaved the way he did before the match.

Focusing on work was the best option for you and that's what you did. By the time you got to the plane, you hadn't talked to Martin and you planned on doing that when you got home. The last thing you needed was to make a scene in front of your bosses.

"Are you going to talk to me or just acting like a child is enough for you today?"

"You don't get it".

"I do, Martin. I do now. You're jealous of Rúben, which is the stupidest thing…".

"Is it stupid? Ask him if it’s stupid! I trust you but I don't trust him at all".

"So I can't be friends with men then?", he was being so ridiculous…you couldn't believe it. He wasn't like that normally.

"You're friends with my Arsenal teammates and it's fine. You're friends with Silva too and it's fine. But Dias…he likes you. Don't deny it".

"If you trusted me as much as you say you do, that wouldn't matter".

Martin noticed you didn't deny his claim. And he really hoped you would.

"I do, but it's hard. Put yourself in my shoes for a second".

Seeing his defeated look took some of your anger away. So you took his hand and walked with him to the sofa so you could sit and talk.

"Why is it hard? Explain it to me".

And so he started to name all the things that had made him jealous in the past, worried you'd laugh at him.

"And then they have to play against Madrid and you want them to win too, writing about it on social media".

"So? Why can't I support City in the Champions League? I won't next year when you play it".

"I played for Madrid. People talked about how my girlfriend was talking about wanting them to lose".

"They treated you like shit. People can't expect me to like them…".

"I guess", he sighed.

"What else?"

"Do you read the comments on your posts?"

That surprised you. Did he? You never did because being a woman in a male centric industry meant you got a lot of abuse on social media. So the best thing you could do was ignore all comments.

"No, why?"

"So you don't see how people ship you and Rúben every time you post about the other or when you interact in the comments"

"That's so stupid. I post a lot with Bernardo too. Why don't they ship me with him then?"

"He's in a relationship".

"So am I".

"Yeah…they don't care about that, apparently".

"Do you get comments about it?"

He nodded, picking up his phone and going to the last photo of you he posted. You read the comments and couldn't believe it. All the cheating accusations under your comment were bad enough. But all those comments about you and Rúben being a better couple…

"You should have told me earlier".

"And look like the idiot I am? I told you, I trust you. But it can be too much. He's taking my league title but he can't take you too".

"He won't".

You understood. And most importantly, you believed him when he said he trusted you.

After your talk, you two cuddled on the sofa. He needed you to be there for him and you needed to reassure him.

Between the match, the travelling and your argument, he was exhausted and fell asleep quickly. You moved him gently so his head could be on your lap and took your phone out and took a photo of him. He looked adorable.

Because of the argument, you hadn't had time to go through Instagram after the match. And you didn't know why, but you felt the need to go to your tagged photos.

One of the first you saw was of you and Rúben hugging. A City fan page had posted it and Rúben liked it. You were about to move to the next when the caption caught your attention.

"Please City, bring her back to the team so these two can be together. Dream couple! 😍"

Rúben like that? You definitely needed to talk to him but you couldn't tell Martin. He didn't need to see more comments like that. He was right when he said it was too much. You could only imagine how painful it would be to see those types of posts about him and another woman.

Looking down at him, you felt the need to do something. And so you opened the Instagram app again and posted the photo you took of Martin sleeping with his head on your lap on your stories.

"The (only) one I love 💕"

[ivalice-tifalucis]

Alright speaking of football, I really and completely dive back into this again. I notice the last time I watch football religiously (like waking up at early morning almost every week just to watch Barca’s game) which was around 2013, I wasn’t active on tumblr yet. I did occassionally reblogged football stuffs. I watched important games like few El Clasicos or Champions League finals. I did sporadic live blogging during the last World Cup. But now that I’m back like really back I notice things are different.

First, women’s football. I once ramble in someone’s post about the inequality of women’s football compare to men in USWNT. I said that women’s football didn’t really develop until 1970s while men’s football was starting to develop since 1900s and so it will take time for women’s football to get more developed. The difference that I notice is that now more mainstream media especially in England, where the center of football is, promotes their women’s team more. I notice Barca also do that for quite a while now, I just couldn’t believe that others do the same!! What I love even more is that if you take a look at let’s say Barca Femeni (who just got a new stadium fyi) or Liverpool’s women videos on youtube, the comments are mostly positive and most come from fanboys. They wish the female team all the best and to succeed, even include them in some banter. People also discuss how to improve women’s football since no matter what female will always going to be physically inferior than men and football is very physically demanding. Like many people suggest that women’s football need to have different regulation with the game. This shows that people care about female football. People also comment on footballers daughter who was just playfully kicking ball with “wow imagine if she becomes a footballer too” like these kinds of comments and discussions didn’t exist 5 years ago.

Second, the wheels are turning. Like a circle of life, there’s also circle of football domination. Last time I’m in, Barca was still a club that everyone are afraid of. Today, we are so poor it makes me sad. Liverpool comeback is just one of those moment. No, not the worst football club yet. We’re just becoming clown now, it’s embarassing. La Masia is also such a mess. That little boy Takefusa Kubo is now Real Madrid young player???!!! I hope we will get better soon (after the board members sacked!!!). I even missed out that Real Madrid won 3 UCL in a row (I only notice 2 until I went to Bernabeu tour and realized they have 13 trophies now 😑). Premier League dynamic has changed a lot. No more big 4 teams, they now have Leicester City too as dark horse. I was shocked when my brother told me they were about to win Premier League like what even the hell was that club?! Manchester United is sucking hard, Chelsea is shifting from rich club who buy everything to so so club to club who grow talents, Liverpool is only few weeks away from ending their 30 years of no league title (no longer a club who only talk about history), Manchester City is undisputedly giant crazy rich team along side PSG. Arsenal is the only one who stay the same, because Arsenal. Germany is suddenly not so good anymore.

Third, best player in the world. Apparently my favorite players are now old and soon will retire (some even have). The banter has shifted to discussion and general consensus that *insert player A* is great player instead of trying to compare A with B. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo fans have finally find consensus that both players are the best ever. Sergio Ramos is now the best defender ever??? (Make sense tho the guy captained Real Madrid who won 3 UCL in a row, forget the fact that he loves collecting red card so much). Gerard Pique also the best now. Neymar since his departure to PSG has become mediocre, sad. Frenkie de Jong, I root for him to be successful. Who else hmm... Jamie Vardy is top scorer (I like him in a way that his life is motivating that sometime good things don’t come immediately like his life and career is quite insane for pro footballer standard, he supposed to not even become a football superstar!!). Mohamed Salah, I heard a lot about him because I have a cousin who is Liverpool die hard fan and media talk about him, he’s great (and sorta feel proud for him because he’s conservative moslem from Egypt, sadly a politically unstable country, and arab which is great for representation. He manages to lift the image of arab people and moslem especially around Merseyside just by being great). Another talent from Liverpool would be Virgil van Dijk that gd soft tall man and good defender but most important is Trent Alexander-Arnold (corner taken quickly which breaks my heart and amaze me at the same time). Kevin de Bruyne is what Pep really love in midfielder and indeed what a talent he is. Erling Haaland is looking good, I hope he’s not just one season wonder. Manuel Neuer is no longer as good as he used to be since terrible injury (now I understand his bloop in WC 2018) but now there are more sweeper keeper just not as crazy as him. He definitely set standards for future goalkeepers.

Fourth, retired players. One by one, players that I watched while growing up have retired. I saw Puyol and Xavi retired. Then Iker Casillas, the most recent one to retired after heart surgery scare last year, now a candidate for RFEF President. Iniesta is soom gonna be retired. David Villa, Fernando Torres. My favorite Spain NT players are now all retired ☹️. Schweinsteiger, Lahm, Robben, Mertesacker. Mertesacker is now Arsenal youth coach??!!! Mikel Arteta is now Arsenal’s coach. Other star players from Premier League like Frank Lampard (now Chelsea’s manager), Steven Gerrard, all have retired and become football manager. And a bit unrelated because I never actually see him playing (because I only start properly watch football since 2010 and by that time he had retired and I only heard stories) but Gary Neville as Valencia’s manager for short time?? 😂 (of course I would know that’s important information for all Carraville shippers). Everytime I hear news about footballer retirement I would be reminded again that I’m old.

Fifth, shipping. If you don’t notice this already, I now ship Jamie Carragher with Gary Neville which is not surprising since I always low key ship Gerard Pique with Sergio Ramos anyway. Apparently I always have a thing with pinning rivaling defenders who are hot headed, reckless, and hate each other at first until one day they don’t. And I swear that’s the most random ever. I’m not even Liverpool fan and never really into Man United (although my brother is sorta fan because he knows much about MU). But it all starts from me going around Liverpool’s tag on tumblr and found Carra’s instagram live. After watching all of their videos in Sky Sports on youtube, consider my self as a carraville. I even always try to find live streaming from Sky Sports for every Premier League matches that I watch. I must say, they’re the ones that make me want to go back to football fandom again.

All in all, I will never stop loving FC Barcelona. I may watch other games, less Barca games maybe because they’re not that enjoyable to watch these days. But now I understand, the feeling of watching Barca loses is different. It just so heartbreaking 😭 my heart only belong to that team. I’m so happy I finally got to be in Camp Nou even though I just lost my wallet at that time.

[footballghana]

FEATURE: Can Aubameyang & Partey lead Arsenal into a new dawn?

On the morning of Deadline Day, it would have been interesting to be a fly on the wall anywhere Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was situated.

From the outside looking in, you’d have to believe one of the Gabon star’s requests before penning his three-year extension in mid-September was to have the squad strengthened to challenge the big guns in the Premier League.

“Signing for this special club was never in doubt," Auba said after accepting the long-term contract. "It’s thanks to our fans, my teammates, my family and everybody at this club that I feel like I belong here.

“I believe in Arsenal. We can achieve big things together. We have something exciting here and I believe the best is to come for Arsenal.”

However, almost a month after putting pen to paper, the North London giants still couldn’t get significant business done. Of course, Willian had joined on a free soon after 2019/20 ended while the return of Dani Ceballos for another year-long loan added much-needed numbers in midfield.

Regardless, despite the tactical nous of Mikel Arteta, the three-time Premier League champions were still outsiders for a top four finish.

Many Gooners still bemoaned the lack of creativity in the side — which eventually led to the Houssem Aouar or Thomas Partey debates — even though the side had won three of their four opening league games.

When it seemed like Arsenal wouldn’t be adding either on the eve of the window closing, there was a feeling that an opportunity had been lost to strengthen the side to close the gap on Liverpool and Manchester City.

With clubs like Everton seemingly in the mix for an automatic Champions League spot and Tottenham Hotspur’s ostensibly resurgent, the Gunners were in danger of falling short in their quest to return to Europe’s premier club competition.

Then came hope on D-Day, as it was revealed that the red half of North London had made serious moves to get the Ghanaian’s deal done before the deadline.

Despite the acceptance that bringing in Aouar to solve the side’s creativity issues was more pressing, Partey’s arrival was embraced and endorsed.

After all, before the Aouar rumours gathered momentum, the West African was said to be Arteta’s primary transfer target. So, getting the 27-year-old in gave the side the desired experience in central and defensive midfield.

Given Partey’s education under Diego Simeone at Atletico Madrid, the midfielder is already astute in his own defensive third and has combined that with his strengths in possession to become one of the rare rounded players in that position.

With someone of the Black Star’s profile, Arteta now has the option of sticking to the 3-4-3 he’s utilised post-lockdown, reverting to the 4-2-3-1 he actually started with as Arsenal boss without being concerned about his team’s pivot pairing or even playing the 4-3-3 many believe is the Spaniard’s eventual target.

The 2018 Europa League winner isn’t only adept at sitting at the base of the midfield, fulfilling a dual role of protecting the defence and spraying forward passes to the attackers, he’s equally skilled at carrying out a more creative and goalscoring role in the side.

While the former shone in Partey’s time with Los Colchoneros, the inventive side of his game usually shines through in a Ghana shirt. There’s a feeling, however, that Arteta has brought him into the Arsenal team to replicate something close to what he produced in an Atletico shirt.

Bringing in the West African midfielder enhances the Gunners’ play in midfield and progressive play while it similarly adds a bit of steel in the middle of the park.

He may not be as creative as the Olympique Lyonnais attacking midfielder Gooners preferred but Partey — who’s already liked — is no slouch and solidifies Arsenal’s spine in their push to immediately compete again domestically and subsequently on the continent.

Having had their short and medium-term ambition questioned by fans in the last few years and especially Aubameyang more recently, the club recent targets and consequent acquisition of one of Europe’s top midfielders is restoring faith in the club’s higher-ups.

They’ve signed Gabriel this summer, brought in Partey, handed the hugely talented Bukayo Saka an extended contract and convinced their talismanic skipper his future lay at the club despite reported overtures from clubs on the continent, thus adding to and strengthening their spine.

Arsenal are not where they want to be just yet, however, they look to be on track and it’s hard to not get on board with the optimism surrounding the club seeking to challenge the heavy-hitters at home and abroad.

Source: goal.com

source: https://footballghana.com/

[biofunmy]

Inside a Premier League Title Race in Which No One Dared to Blink

MANCHESTER, England — In Pep Guardiola’s mind, it was over. As he trudged from the field at St. James’s Park in late January, flanked by his coaching staff, Guardiola, the Manchester City manager, was convinced that defeat at the hands of Newcastle United had stripped the Premier League title from his grasp.

The next night, he was sure, first-place Liverpool would beat Leicester City and restore its seven-point advantage at the top of the table. In the tunnel, that night, that advantage seemed unassailable.

With two of his most trusted associates, Mikel Arteta, his assistant manager, and Rodolfo Borrell, the first-team coach, Guardiola ticked through the reasons that had led to this. He did not blame his players so much as England’s hectic Christmas period, the sheer number of games. He had rotated his squad as much as he could to cope with the workload; so much, in fact, that he felt it had interrupted the players’ rhythm. There was no amount of rest that would be enough.

A few months later, Guardiola sat in front of the news media at the Etihad Stadium, insisting nothing was finished. The mood outside — as the fans, in raptures, saluted City’s players on their traditional lap of honor — suggested otherwise. Manchester City had beaten Leicester, thanks to the first long-range goal Vincent Kompany had scored in more than a decade in England. A single game remained in the Premier League season. Manchester City led Liverpool by a point. The trophy was so close Guardiola could almost touch it.

What happened in the intervening three months is a title race unmatched in modern English history. Since that defeat at Newcastle, Manchester City has not dropped so much as a point. Should, as expected, Guardiola’s team overcome Brighton on the final day of the season on Sunday, City will have won 14 straight games.

That remorseless pace meant City could, slowly and surely, reel Liverpool back in.

Jürgen Klopp’s team did not beat Leicester, as Guardiola expected; instead, that game would turn out to be the first of four draws in six games, handing the initiative in the title race back to City, the reigning champion. On April 24, thanks to a win against Manchester United at Old Trafford, City at last took an outright lead in the table. It has not relinquished it.

From the outside, it is easy to look at the two contenders and see one, in light blue, casually slipping through the gears and coasting through games, its progress serene and unstoppable; and another, in red, straining every sinew and shredding every nerve, scratching and clawing to stave off the juggernaut hunting it down.

On the inside, though, the picture has been much more complex. Those who have experienced these last few weeks, when the slightest mistake might have proved fatal, do not recognize the depiction of a Manchester City reliant on class and Liverpool on character, of one team overcoming a technical challenge and the other a psychological one. Both have felt the stresses and the strains; both have known, for months, that there was no margin for error.

As early as November, when Liverpool’s players gathered together away from Klopp and his coaching staff to pick over the club’s limp defeat to Red Star Belgrade in the Champions League, there was a sense that the damage from any such setback in the Premier League — even at that stage of the season — might be irreparable. Produce the sort of performance they had in Serbia in a domestic game, Liverpool’s players decided, and any hope whatsoever of a Premier League title would evaporate. City might slip; they could not afford to.

By late January — only a few weeks after City had beaten Liverpool to regain some momentum in the race — Guardiola was of the same mind, resigned to the apparently inevitable in the tunnel at St. James’s Park. He did not watch Liverpool play Leicester the next night, preferring to watch “Jersey Boys” at Manchester’s Palace Theater. When he emerged, he knew his team had a reprieve. He was determined not to waste it.

One of the aspects of Guardiola’s management that players notice the most are the meetings: he holds lots of meetings. In the last three months, though, they have become notably shorter, straight to the point. His messages have been simple: Do not expect Liverpool to lose; do not expect someone else to do you a favor; do not waste all the work you have put in.

His players have noticed an emotional edge to his tone. Others say he has, at moments, seemed more intense than usual, though he is never exactly a relaxed figure at the best of times. Earlier this season, an edict was passed down that all extracurricular activities — promotional work, media appearances and the like — were to be run by the technical staff. Guardiola wanted no distractions.

He has, though, done all he can to persuade his players not to allow the pressure to consume them. He demands complete concentration while they are under his aegis, but has encouraged them to switch off from soccer when the working day is done. His decision to go to the theater the night after the Newcastle defeat, then, can be read as leading by example.

The approach has met with some success. Though most of City’s players have watched most of Liverpool’s games — one has noted, forlornly, that he switches on when friends message to point out that Klopp’s team looks like it might falter, only to watch a goal fly in almost immediately — and though it has been arduous, seeing their hopes dashed so frequently, it has not become an obsession.

On the afternoon of April 14, for example, after City had beaten Crystal Palace, the team bus was not filled with players watching Liverpool play Chelsea. Several chose to watch Tiger Woods’s final round at the Masters instead. Ilkay Gundogan tuned in to Galatasaray’s game with Fenerbahce, the biggest derby in Turkey.

A few minutes beforehand at Anfield, meanwhile, Liverpool’s squad had not been poring over City’s game. They, too, had been watching Woods. They returned to the golf as soon as victory had been confirmed, with the squad’s golf enthusiasts — James Milner and Andy Robertson among them — making a point of congratulating Mohamed Salah for his wonderful, clinching goal before piling into the physiotherapist’s room to track what was happening at Augusta National.

Klopp has urged his team not to think too much about City’s results. Both Milner and Joel Matip have said they followed his advice: It would have been a “waste of energy” to watch the Manchester derby, Milner said. He went out for dinner instead. On Monday, though, the temptation proved too much to resist. On the night that Kompany rode to City’s rescue, the WhatsApp messages of Liverpool’s squad were dominated by one emoji: the one of the head exploding.

For the most part, though, Klopp has tried to instill a sense of calm into his players in the most high-pressure situation many of them have experienced. Though public perception of Klopp is of a raucous, track-suited bear prowling the touchline, his players describe him as cool and methodical behind closed doors. His belief has long been that if Liverpool can take Manchester City to the final day — as it has managed — then there is nothing more that he can ask of his squad.

That may, of course, not be enough. Even if Liverpool beats Wolves on Sunday, even if it goes through the season suffering only a single defeat, even if it posts a total of 97 points, the third-best campaign in English history, it still might finish second.

Should that happen, some would look back to the defeat at City, or the draw with Leicester, as the point at which the title was lost. In Manchester, though, they might pinpoint another moment: the day it was won.

Manchester City’s players were shattered by elimination from the Champions League at the hands of Tottenham last month: not simply the fact of it, but the nature, too, of seeing progression snatched away by video review.

Three days later, Tottenham visited the Etihad again, this time in the Premier League. It presented not only a chance for revenge, but a reminder of how quickly glory can disappear. City had rarely beaten Spurs easily in previous seasons; the game loomed in Guardiola’s players’ minds. It was a warm, tense afternoon. Phil Foden scored early, his first Premier League goal, but for almost the first time, the team seemed inhibited, conscious of what was at stake.

Still, City survived. Still, City emerged victorious. It was a potent moment: If Guardiola’s players could come through that, they felt, then they could come through anything. Brighton, on Sunday, is the final test. They know they will need to win. It has been like that for months, since Newcastle, since Leicester, for City, and for Liverpool: no rest, no respite, a long straight sprint to the line.

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[footballghana]

Thomas Partey: Arsenal's £45m midfielder a 'physical marvel' who 'does everything well'

After joining Mallorca on loan from Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2013, a 20-year-old Thomas Partey would always introduce himself with a smile and the same phrase.

"I'm Thomas Partey," he would say, "not fiesta!"

The play on words -fiesta means party in Spanish - immediately endeared him to his new colleagues. "Whenever our paths crossed in the years after that, he would always say that same thing and laugh," José Luis Oltra, Mallorca's manager at the time, chuckles down the phone. But it was Partey's footballing ability that made the most lasting impression.

Partey arrived on the island as a highly-rated but untested midfielder. He left it a year later having taken an important step on a road that would eventually lead him to the top. From Mallorca, he went to Almeria, again on loan, before returning to Atletico to become a key player under Diego Simeone.

Now, the Premier League beckons with Arsenal.

Mikel Arteta hopes Partey will transform his midfield and those who have followed his career from the start understand why.

Precision passing, tactically aware

At Atletico, his ability was apparent long before he was sent on loan. In fact, Javi Baños, a former youth coach there, only needed to see him play once, in a friendly for their U18s against Getafe, to be convinced that his trial period should be made permanent.

"You could quickly see that he was a player with attributes which were very advanced for his age," Baños tells Sky Sports. "Above all, it was the precision of his passing. He was very effective in terms of his delivery. He also covered a lot of ground and positioned himself well on the pitch tactically."

Until then, Partey had been playing for a side called Tema Youth in Ghana, where he came to the attention of an agent named Jose Jimenez, who offered to organise a trial for him at Atletico. Partey, determined to seize the opportunity, would later recall packing his bags and leaving without even telling his family.

It was a leap of faith but he would not regret it. Partey signed for Atletico soon after his trial and before long he was excelling in their academy.

"Atletico Madrid always have strong players in their youth teams," says Baños. "Over the years I was fortunate enough to coach guys like Lucas Hernandez and David de Gea. But the truth is that Thomas was a player who made the difference. He had great potential."

Partey was swiftly promoted to Atletico's Juvenil A (U19) side and soon enough Simeone and his assistant German Burgos became aware of the youngster's talents. At the end of his first year there, Partey even joined the senior squad on a pre-season trip to Colombia.

"He was a very attractive player to them because he was different for his age," says Baños. "He was a very disciplined player, as he is now, and he was very grateful and respectful too.

"I always remember that every day after training, he would shake your hand and thank you for the session and the advice you had given him. He has always been a very good player to have in the dressing room."

Those traits are now part of the appeal to Arteta, who values team spirit and togetherness highly, but for Partey at that age, the competition for places at Atletico was such that it was not easy to see a route into the first-team. Simeone could already call on experienced trio Gabi, Tiago and Mario Suarez in central midfield. Koke and Saul Niguez were next in line.

Learning on loan

So, at the start of the season in which Atletico would go on to win an historic title, Partey ended up joining Mallorca, who had just been relegated to Spain's second division after a 16-year spell in La Liga.

Partey's only previous senior experience had come with Atletico's B team in Spain's third tier but he quickly established himself there, displacing experienced club captain Jose Luis Marti in central midfield and going on to make 38 appearances over the course of the campaign, scoring five goals.

"He ended up being an undisputed starter," Oltra tells Sky Sports. "He worked hard and showed very good things."

For all his undoubted quality, however, Partey still had much to learn.

"There were times when he would lose the ball in dangerous areas, close to our central defenders," says Oltra.

"He found turning in that zone difficult and the first pass wasn't always easy for him. He made some errors but we were always on top of him, showing him videos. He was very receptive to our advice and to everything we tried to teach him.

"He already had a lot of great attributes, but he was a boy who wanted to grow and improve. He was an excellent professional, which is vital for any footballer. He looked after himself, he loved football and he lived a very organised life. Those factors have helped him reach the level he's at now."

Partey soon cut out the mistakes and there was a concerted effort to bulk up physically too. "He is a physical marvel now but he didn't have the strength he has now back then," adds Oltra. "He worked hard on that, and on his stamina as well. His ability to withstand pressure improved and soon he was able to do more things with the ball, like trying long-range shots."

That eye for goal would become a feature of Partey's game - "he now scores six or seven times per season, which is great for someone who starts the build-up play and operates in front of the defence," notes Baños - but the circumstances were not easy at Mallorca. Instead of the anticipated fight for promotion, the season became a brush with relegation.

The exposure helped Partey's development, though, and the same was true of his season with Almeria in La Liga. It turned into another battle against the drop - a battle they eventually lost - but Partey made 32 appearances, scoring four goals and impressing again.

"He's a boy who understands football well," reflected former Almeria manager Sergi Barjuan in a recent interview with El País. "I used him as an attacking midfielder, a central midfield and even a centre-back."

Partey was developing well, his ability to slot into different positions a reflection of his tactical intelligence, but back at Atletico the competition for places remained fierce. In the two seasons after his loan spell with Almeria, Partey made only nine La Liga starts for Simeone's side and many of them came on the right rather than in the middle.

Another player might have sought an exit. Instead, Partey resolved to prove himself.

"Thomas has good people around him," says Baños. "His agents always give him good advice and he's a player who knew how to wait for his chance. There were players who were ahead of him and he understood that. He is very serious player and what's important is that he's also a team player."

Breakthrough at Atletico and praise from Simeone

Partey's versatility has long been a useful asset to Simeone, but last season, following the departure of Rodri to Manchester City, the Ghanaian was finally able to nail down his preferred position in the side, as a deep-lying central midfielder.

The role came with considerable defensive responsibility but Partey continued to contribute in an attacking sense too.

"I think the thing he has improved most in recent years is his final pass," says Baños. "He is not just a defensive midfielder. He is now a more adventurous player, with freedom in his movements and scoring ability."

Oltra sums it up succinctly: "He's a boy who does everything well."

His completeness could be seen throughout last season but it was particularly apparent during Atletico's Champions League campaign.

Partey, who shone in both legs of the last-16 win over Liverpool, made more tackles than any of his team-mates during Atletico's run to the quarter-finals and yet also ranked top for chances created from open play and passes into the final third. Only two Atletico players attempted more shots.

It's little wonder Simeone has come to value him so highly. "Thomas is an extraordinary player," he said last year.

More recently, the Atletico boss added Partey is good enough to play for "any of the best teams in Europe". "Thomas is the one who best understands his position," he said. "The transition from defence to attack, shooting, scoring, providing assists and playing passes between the lines."

Suited to the Premier League

His Atletico team-mates feel the same way.

"I'd seen him play for Atletico but I didn't realise how good he is," said Kieran Trippier, who joined the club from Tottenham last year, during a recent appearance on The Beautiful Game podcast. "He's unbelievable, his physicality, how he breaks up play. Technically he's got everything. I don't think he would have a problem with the Premier League."

It's a view shared by Baños, who admits he would be happy to see him join Arsenal having also worked as a scout for the Gunners.

"I have always said that he is a perfect player for the Bundesliga or the Premier League because of his style of play," he says. "He is a player who is ready and well-suited to succeed at a club like Arsenal."

Baños can testify to Partey's leadership as well as his talent. Baños is involved at Alcobendas Sport, a fourth-tier club based in Madrid in which Partey and his representatives have a stake and where, with the 27-year-old's guidance, talented young players from Ghana and other African nations are offered the opportunity to launch their careers in Europe.

"He wanted to help others do what he did," explains Baños, "to bring over players from his country and give them the opportunity to succeed in Spain."

Partey has certainly made the most of his own opportunities. There is no question about that. But those mentoring duties will have to take a backseat now that a move to Arsenal has materialised. It is time for Thomas Partey - "not fiesta!" - to take the next step of his journey in the Premier League.

How Arsenal by-passed Atletico to land Partey

Sky Sports News reporter Dharmesh Sheth explains how Arsenal dealt with La Liga, rather than Atletico Madrid, to seal the signing of Thomas Partey:

"A constant throughout this transfer window has been Thomas Partey. The one constant from the Atletico Madrid side was they would not be negotiating unless a club met the £45m release clause. The way the release clause works in Spain, Arsenal didn't have to negotiate directly with Atletico Madrid.

"All they had to do was get one of their lawyers or officials to go to the La Liga headquarters, put down £45m and they had permission to talk to Thomas Partey."

Source: skysports.com

source: https://footballghana.com/

[footballghana]

Thomas Partey among 20 stars who could be on the move this summer

The transfer window is open and there are A-list players in demand and whose futures are uncertain. We take a look at some of the big names who will be the centre of attention during the transfer window...

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang: The value of a goalscorer

They say first-class strikers are hard to find but Arsenal certainly have one in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. He has hit the 20-goal mark in each of his two full seasons in the Premier League and his record of 54 goals in 84 top-flight games in England is a remarkable return, especially given Arsenal's struggles over that time.

So why the delay over handing him a new deal? Aubameyang's current contract is up in 11 months and after watching the striker fire Arsenal into the FA Cup final, boss Mikel Arteta implored the Arsenal board to extend his deal.

At 31, the hierarchy may have reservations about tying themselves into an expensive contract for a player who may be beyond his absolute peak. Mesut Ozil, anyone? Meanwhile, a transfer fee from one of the many major clubs reportedly interested in signing him would be a financial boost in the wake of the coronavirus crisis.

But putting a price on Aubameyang's goals surely weighs in favour of keeping him at the club. Success on the pitch will drive Arsenal's recovery off it and ensuring Arteta - who has made an impressive, encouraging start to his project - has the firepower to get Arsenal back to where they want to be must be the priority during this transfer window.

Arsenal can still qualify for Europe if they win next week's FA Cup final. How important might that result be in determining the player's future?

Peter Smith

Jack Grealish: Decision time looming

Jack Grealish has admitted he is "not too sure" about his Aston Villa future - and that is little surprise with the hype surrounding him. Only Kevin De Bruyne made more chances across the entire Premier League season, and the Villa captain made almost a quarter of the club's scoring opportunities on his own. That sort of creativity is difficult to teach, which is something clearly not lost on long-term suitors Manchester United, who appear to be leading the chase for his signature.

Although he has spent the season largely cutting in from the Villa left flank, it appears there could be a Grealish-shaped hole on the right of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's front three; after a bright start, summer recruit Dan James' form has faded, while Mason Greenwood's future could be more central.

But United's end-of-season surge has reportedly cooled their interest and a question mark may lie in Grealish's price tag. United chief Ed Woodward has admitted the club has not been exempt from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic and with Villa now safe from relegation, Grealish's age and the often-inflated price tag on English players, his signature could make a significant dent in their transfer kitty.

Ron Walker

Jadon Sancho: Can Man Utd match Dortmund's valuation?

Few players are generating as much interest and intrigue as Jadon Sancho ahead of the transfer window. The 20-year-old, who turned his back on Manchester City to join Borussia Dortmund in 2017, has produced another stellar season in the Bundesliga, with City's rivals Manchester United now believed to be at the front of the queue for his signature.

In league games alone this season, Sancho scored 17 goals and provided 16 assists. It is an extraordinary return for any player, let alone one who only waved goodbye to his teens in March. Across Europe's major leagues, there are only five players who have had a hand in more goals in 2019/20. That list includes Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski and Cristiano Ronaldo.

It places Sancho in esteemed company and it explains why he is in demand. Dortmund had previously placed a £100m asking price on his head, but Manchester United hope to pay considerably less in the wake of the coronavirus crisis, with Sky Sports News reporting they will seek to do a deal at around £50m. It would be a steal if they can pull it off.

Nick Wright

Mesut Ozil: What's the exit plan?

How do you solve a problem like Mesut Ozil? It is a long running saga that never seems to end, with Arsenal's highest earner appearing happy to see out his £350,000-a-week contract in north London.

Gunners head coach Mikel Arteta has appeared to draw a line under the saga. Ozil, who has a year left on his Arsenal contract, does not look to be part of the Spaniard's plans. The stark fact of the matter is that Ozil didn't play a minute of football after the Premier League restarted and wasn't even on the bench for their final two matches.

It is no secret Arsenal would love to get Ozil's mammoth wages off their wage book but will Arteta's strong management be enough to convince the German it is time to leave the Emirates Stadium? Are there even any clubs interested in signing him and paying his mammoth wages after the financial strain of the coronavirus pandemic? Will Arsenal even pay some of his wages to finally get the World Cup winner away from the club?

These are the questions the Gunners will finally hope to have answers to as they look to solve their Ozil conundrum.

Oliver Yew

Wilfried Zaha: Time up at Palace?

It was no secret that Wilfried Zaha wanted to leave Crystal Palace last summer, but the move didn't happen and despite his initial disappointment he managed to get his head right and focus on doing his best for Palace. But a year on, and Zaha finds himself in the same situation.

Palace haven't matched his on-field ambitions, he's changed agents and he recently said he wanted to win trophies. Palace held firm on their £80m valuation last summer but that sort of asking price will be unlikely with the current Covid-19 pandemic expected to affect spending. Arsenal were interested last season - as were Everton.

Crystal Palace signed off with a 1-1 draw against Tottenham but manager Roy Hodgson admits he faces another battle to keep hold of Zaha.

"It's a dilemma for the club and for him if he is so set on leaving," he said.

"We still like him very much, we can't make him like us. It's obviously affected him because his form in the last few weeks has been quite poor considering what he is capable of doing. I don't have an answer."

Another summer of speculation awaits.

Lewis Jones

Kai Havertz: Germany's young star on his way to the Premier League?

There is considerable hype surrounding Germany's hottest prospects, Timo Werner and Kai Havertz. Chelsea have already snapped up the former from RB Leipzig and they are eager to prise the latter away from Bayer Leverkusen as well.

But at just 21 years old, Havertz will cost a premium price - reportedly in the region of £70-90m. Why so much? The versatile forward set a Bundesliga record for most goals by a teenager with 17 last season and became the youngest player to reach 100 league appearance in the German top-flight this season.

What will Frank Lampard be getting? According to Statsbomb, Havertz is strikingly similar to fellow youngster Christian Pulisic - who began to look capable of filling Eden Hazard's boots as the season progressed this season. Chelsea appear to be in the hunt for even more youthful flair - as if they needed any more.

Adam Smith

Gareth Bale: Will he settle for fringe role at Real?

Gareth Bale's spell at Real Madrid has descended into a soap opera. During their recent charge towards La Liga glory, he was most commonly seen joking around in the stands, an unused substitute with little prospect of winning back his place in the team. When the squad threw Zinedine Zidane into the air in celebration after the 2-1 win over Villarreal that sealed the title, Bale watched quietly from the fringes.

His relationship with Zidane has been fractured since the 2018 Champions League final win over Liverpool, when he was left out of the starting line-up only to come off the bench and score the decisive goals, and recent evidence suggests it is now broken beyond repair. Bale has only started five games since the turn of the year and one since the restart.

The problem for Real Madrid, of course, is that Bale has a contract - and an extraordinarily lucrative one at that - until 2022. The Welshman was close to sealing a move to China last summer, but the deal fell through and his agent, Jonathan Barnett, now insists he has no plans to leave. It remains to be seen whether any Premier League sides could try to change his mind.

Nick Wright

Lionel Messi: The beginning of the end of his time at Barca?

There is no chance of Lionel Messi leaving Barcelona this summer. The Argentina star has vowed to stay at least until the end of his current contract in 2021. But this window could mark the beginning of a lot of speculation over his future after a tumultuous campaign at the Nou Camp.

Messi is unsettled and frustrated at Barca and - for the first time - is seriously thinking of leaving next year, having broken off from new contract talks. He is fed up of conflict with the board, and of widespread rumours that he is the one that calls the shots at the club.

Inevitable links will be made with Manchester City for as long as Pep Guardiola, whom he considers to be the best coach he has worked with, is still the manager, while Inter Milan boss Antonio Conte has labelled their link with Messi as "fake news". Regardless, there is a lot of time still to pass before his contract expires, so a lot of time to either work things out or widen the rift even further.

Lyall Thomas

Harry Kane: Sticking with Spurs?

Remember the stir created during lockdown when Harry Kane told Sky Sports he would be prepared to leave Tottenham if he felt the club wasn't progressing?

"I love Spurs, I'll always love Spurs. But it's one of those things - I've always said if I don't feel we're progressing as a team or going in the right direction, then I'm not someone to just stay there for the sake of it," said Kane. "It all depends on what happens as a team and how we progress as a team. So it's not a definite I'm going to stay there forever - but it's not a no either."

His talent up front needs no debate. He is an outstanding striker and would certainly bring goals to any team he plays for with Golden Boots from the Premier League (twice) and World Cup as proof. Any forward who performs well will be loved by the fans, but there would be the same relationship between player and another club that Kane currently has with Tottenham?

This will likely be on his list of considerations but so will trophies and a player of his calibre deserves to be lifting them. Mourinho is often described as a serial winner but with Tottenham being that 'almost, but not quite' club, can he instil a winning mentality that will convince Kane to stay with his boyhood side? And would he have a better chance of winning silverware with the likes of Manchester United? Or should he be aiming right for the top where trophies are a requirement - not an aim - such as Real Madrid, who have been linked with Kane in the past.

This season has been the antithesis of progress for Tottenham with a dramatic change of manager and a first finish outside the top four since the 2014/15 season. Kane has once again had his injury problems and may want to wait a little longer to see if Mourinho can inspire an improvement at Spurs. But there would certainly be plenty of suitors willing to meet his demands...

Charlotte Marsh

Declan Rice: West Ham star would not be cheap

Declan Rice's future at West Ham depended a great deal on what division the club would find themselves playing in next season. With the Hammers' Premier League status now assured they have at least guaranteed Rice will not be leaving on the cheap. That is if he even moves at all.

Despite interest from Chelsea - the club that released Rice at the age of 14 - West Ham have been clear they have no desire to sell the England international. "He's under contract...he's not going anywhere unless you get one of those steel vans that have the cash in it," Hammers boss David Moyes said after the final day of the Premier League season.

Moyes is keen to build his team around young players such as Rice and, with the likes of Ben Johnson and Grady Diangana also at the club, the Scot's plan for a new, youthful and vibrant West Ham could begin to take shape quite quickly.

If Chelsea do decide to follow up their interest this summer, there is no doubt they will need deep pockets - West Ham value Rice at around £80m. In previous years, West Ham have experienced the likes of Dimitri Payet and Marko Arnautovic trying to force through moves away from the club. They were successful in doing so. However, Rice is unlikely to deploy such tactics.

History tells us that there will come a time when West Ham will eventually part ways with their very best talent - but, for now at least, they can demand the utmost amount for their star man.

Nick Lustig

Ben Chilwell: Can Chelsea or City convince Leicester to sell?

Could Chelsea's summer spending spree continue with a move for Leicester's Ben Chilwell? Frank Lampard is known to be a keen admirer of the left-back, who has impressed for the Foxes for the last three seasons and become a regular starter for England in the process.

Chelsea are unlikely to be the only side who register an interest, however, with Sky Sports News reporting that Manchester City are also eager to secure his services. Pep Guardiola even went out of his way to compliment the 23-year-old at the Etihad Stadium on the pitch following City's win over Leicester last season. "He just said he thought I was a really talented player," revealed Chilwell afterwards.

Leicester, however, are unlikely to allow him to leave cheaply. Chilwell was ruled out of the season finale due to a foot injury, but manager Brendan Rodgers insists he has not played his last game for the club and says he is confident of keeping him. "There's no intention to sell Ben Chilwell and absolutely no need to sell," he said recently. "The message is: He's not for sale."

Nick Wright

Paul Pogba: Will Frenchman put pen to paper?

Paul Pogba's timely return to form and the Manchester United first team coincided with the club's post-lockdown resurgence that secured Champions League qualification on the final day of the Premier League season.

But for those thinking Pogba's revival finally puts an end to speculation surrounding the Frenchman's future, well, things are not as simple as that.

For all the talk that Pogba's recent form will be rewarded with a lengthy new contract at Old Trafford, speculation over potential moves to Real Madrid or Juventus will rumble until his future is secured.

It is a situation agent Mino Raiola will look to take advantage of as he seeks the best deal for his client, and whether Pogba signs an extension or leaves United, you can almost guarantee he will be at the centre of a transfer saga that could define this window.

Jack Wilkinson

Adama Traore: The Plan B everyone wants?

After a quiet first campaign at Wolves in which he made only eight league starts, Adama Traore enjoyed a stunning second season, not only wowing Wolves fans but emerging as the neutrals' favourite. He is the Premier League's most explosive player.

Traore saved some of his best work for the biggest occasions - scoring at home and away in wins over Manchester City - but he has been a consistent performer too. As well as topping the dribbling charts, his nine Premier League assists ended all talk of a lack of end product.

Who should be interested? Just about every team in the world. Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool is an admirer. Part of the attraction is that coaches need not have a ready-made role for him in their line-up - he is a one-man plan B. An option from the bench capable of changing any game.

If there is a problem it could be the price. At 24, and under contract until 2023, Wolves are well aware of his value. One fee floated is as high as £135m. It might not take anywhere near that much to prise him away from Molineux, but expect big numbers involved.

Adam Bate

Nathan Ake: Could the Dutchman solve City's defensive problems?

Manchester City are reportedly in the hunt to snap up Bournemouth centre-back Nathan Ake this summer.

Of the current Premier League defenders aged 25 or under, only Hector Bellerin and Luke Shaw have racked up more top-flight appearances. Ake's positional development - from defensive midfielder to left-back, to centre-back - also provides a versatility which would appeal to the likes of Pep Guardiola.

Since his permanent switch in 2017, the Cherries' win percentage jumps 17 per cent with him in the team and they concede fewer goals. That blend of youth, experience, versatility and effectiveness bodes well for any suitor...and there will inevitably be a thought that the Cherries are ripe for picking following their relegation.

Adam Smith

Philippe Coutinho: Back to the Premier League?

Another summer, another guessing game of where Philippe Coutinho will end up playing next as his season-long loan spell with Bayern Munich draws to a close.

The Bundesliga champions have the option to sign the Brazil international from Barcelona for €120m this summer but are thought unlikely to take that up after an underwhelming campaign in Bavaria that has often seen Coutinho left out of the club's key fixtures.

With the 28-year-old having spent five hugely successful years with Liverpool, though, do not be surprised to see him back in the Premier League next season, with the likes of Chelsea, Tottenham, Arsenal and even his former club reportedly weighing up moves for the playmaker.

Richard Morgan

James Rodriguez: Who will take the risk?

The name James Rodriguez epitomises a long-running transfer saga. For five years and counting, his future at Real Madrid has been up for much debate, coming in and out of the transfer headlines when he has been linked with a handful of Premier League clubs, with a two-year loan at Bayern Munich wedged in.

Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham, and even Everton, Newcastle and Wolves: they have all been linked with the Colombian at some point over the past half a decade as James found himself on the periphery of Zinedine Zidane's plans. With his contract up next summer, now might be the time for a permanent move and for James to feel loved by his employers. At Real, he simply has not been.

At 28, he still has plenty to offer - he scored 15 and made 20 assists in 67 games at Bayern - but his wages will be a problem for many, reported to be around £160,000-a-week. Even if James leaves for a cut-price deal, let's say £20m, he represents a risk for many Premier League sides. It will be intriguing to see where he finally goes, and whether a change of scenery can prompt him to recreate the form that saw him one of the world's most-wanted players at the 2014 World Cup.

Gerard Brand

Kalidou Koulibaly: Finally on his way to the Premier League?

False peaks have long been found on the path to signing Napoli's man-mountain Kalidou Koulibaly, dubbed 'K2', but the stubborn Italian club are set to make the world's most sought-after defender available if they finalise a big-money deal for Lille forward Victor Osimhen.

Liverpool's strict transfer policy prohibits them spending more than £60m on a 29-year-old. But Manchester City, equipped financially and untethered from a Champions League ban, could ditch their usual age-profile and begin an ascent.

Nathan Ake would be cheaper, but the authority, speed and experience of Senegal captain Koulibaly makes him an ideal partner to Aymeric Laporte, and Pep Guardiola's long-awaited replacement for Vincent Kompany.

James Dale

Allan Saint-Maximin: Will Newcastle hold onto prize asset?

Transfer plans at St James' Park remain in torturous limbo as takeover silence continues to exhaust and deflate but, whatever the eventual outcome, Newcastle fans will be desperate to see Allan Saint-Maximin dancing through defences in the black and white again next term.

Tyneside has a new great entertainer - only Adama Traore and Wilfried Zaha completed more dribbles in the Premier League season - but more of those edge-of-seat slaloms are starting to yield end product: the Frenchman has added four assists to his three goals and has created more big chances than any other team-mate.

Steve Bruce might have served him a string of fines for "earrings, headbands and all sorts" but he reckons the £17m arrival from Nice last summer is the "best pound for pound signing in the Premier League" and has warned suitors - PSG, Napoli and Arsenal have been linked with a move - that "there is no chance" of him leaving. Bullish talk, but this is Newcastle, where anything can happen.

Kate Burlaga

Thiago Alcantara: In search of a new adventure]

It appears as though Thiago Alcantara's time in Germany is at an end after Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge told Bild: "Alcantara wants to leave. It looks like he may want to do something new at the end of his career."

What that new adventure will be is still to be decided, but the Spain international will not be short of suitors after seven trophy-laden years at the Allianz Arena and a knocked-down transfer fee with his Bayern contract expiring next year.

It was Man City boss Pep Guardiola who took the Barcelona youth product with him when swapping Catalonia for Bavaria in 2013, shortly after his hat-trick saw Spain crowned European U21 champions, so do not rule out the pair being reunited at the Etihad next season.

Meanwhile, Liverpool are also reportedly interested in signing the 29-year-old - whose father is Brazil World Cup winner Mazinho - in order to add some flair to the champions' workmanlike midfield.

Richard Morgan

Thomas Partey: Finances could see Atletico ace depart

Arsenal are reportedly ramping up their summer pursuit of Atletico Madrid's Thomas Partey, and it is clear to see why he is a player in such high demand. Partey's intentions and his reachable £45m-buyout clause make him one of Europe's most sought-after players.

Atletico are willing to offer Partey double his current £65,000-a-week wages and are keen to insert a new £91m-buyout clause in his contract to fend off interest from elsewhere. But Arsenal are not the only European club to have been linked with the player plucked from Ghanaian club Odometah FC in 2012. Juventus and Manchester United are also said to be paying close attention to developments.

Atletico accrued £178m in debt with Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim's company Inbursa in order to facilitate their move to the Wanda Metropolitano - and that is not due to be paid off in full until 2028. Diego Simeone is the world's highest-paid manager, and while he has taken a 70 per cent pay cut from his £36.2m salary, Atletico will be feeling the financial strain of the pandemic more than most clubs - less than a year after Joao Felix's arrival for a club-record £113m from Benfica.

The emergence of Marcos Llorente as Partey's potential successor in the Atletico midfield looks like softening the blow of any sale this summer.

Ben Grounds

Source: skysports.com

source: https://footballghana.com/