Manchester United instructed new boss Erik ten Hag to reduce his expectations forward of the brand new season — ESPN’s Insider Pocket book has the most recent. PLUS: Chelsea’s spending spree exhibits no signal of ending.
Bounce to: Chelsea look for three big signings | City’s left-back search, Bernardo latest | No NFL-style matches in Premier League | Barca not the only LaLiga concern with registrations | PSG banish Icardi as they seek a departure
Ten Hag instructed to mood Man Utd expectations
Manchester United chiefs have been eager for Erik ten Hag to minimize expectations forward of the brand new season, sources instructed ESPN, however the Dutchman as an alternative determined to speak up their probabilities in an effort to enhance the arrogance inside his squad.
United completed sixth within the Premier League final season, 13 factors exterior the Champions League locations and a whopping 35 factors behind champions Manchester Metropolis. It prompted some Outdated Trafford employees members to advise Ten Hag to maintain early expectations “practical” whereas the majority of the squad remained the identical, however the brand new United boss was bullish about his workforce’s hopes for the brand new marketing campaign over the summer season.
He additionally selected to speak up the gamers he inherited — together with downside areas of the squad, equivalent to central midfield — in a bid to restore morale inside the dressing room after coming to the conclusion it has been severely broken by a depressing season below Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick.
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Sources instructed ESPN there’s a feeling contained in the membership that a few of Rangnick’s public feedback in regards to the squad have affected the gamers, and Ten Hag has been fast to distance himself from a lot of the German’s evaluation, together with that United wanted “open-heart surgical procedure” this summer season. Regardless of heaping reward on midfielders Scott McTominay and Fred forward of the opening-weekend defeat to Brighton, sources instructed ESPN that Ten Hag was already effectively conscious they’d wrestle with out additional reinforcements.
Curiosity in Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot, which turned public on Monday, has been seen as a knee-jerk response to the 2-1 defeat to Brighton, however sources mentioned that Juventus first obtained official contact from United on Saturday simply 24 hours earlier than the sport towards Graham Potter’s aspect. United stay in talks over a deal for Rabiot and stay within the hunt for Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong regardless of a rising feeling they could lose out to Chelsea. — Rob Dawson
Chelsea spending spree exhibits no signal of ending
Chelsea head coach Thomas Tuchel desires three extra signings earlier than the switch window closes subsequent month, sources instructed ESPN, with Wesley Fofana, Frenkie De Jong and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang his key targets.
The Blues are eager on bringing in a centre-back, a central midfielder and a striker because the membership proceed to play catch-up within the switch market. Though Chelsea have made 5 signings, together with Raheem Sterling, Kalidou Koulibaly and Marc Cucurella, Tuchel is anxious in regards to the depth and high quality of his squad if they’re to compete for the Premier League and Champions League titles.
Leicester Metropolis’s Fofana is his high centre-back goal though Leicester are demanding a world-record price for a defender, in extra of the £80 million Manchester United paid them for Harry Maguire in 2019.
The Blues are additionally concerned with De Jong and have indicated to Barcelona they’re prepared to match United’s bid for the Dutchman, which stands at €63m rising to €75m. Sources have additionally indicated De Jong desires to remain at Barcelona, but when he’s pressured to go away, the 25-year-old would favor a transfer to Chelsea over United.
Chelsea are additionally exploring a deal to signal striker Aubameyang, however just like De Jong, he desires to remain at Camp Nou and his departure is barely being thought of because of Barcelona’s ongoing financial difficulties. Chelsea suffered an additional blow earlier this week when one other ahead into consideration, Benjamin Sesko, agreed a deal to maneuver from FC Salzburg to RB Leipzig subsequent summer season.
In the meantime, Tuchel can also be planning for the long run with curiosity in Inter Milan midfielder Cesare Casadei, though he’s not seen as a direct first-team prospect given the 19-year-old has but to play a recreation in Serie A. — James Olley
1:49
Julien Laurens and Mark Ogden slam Manchester United for concentrating on Marko Arnautovic as a striker answer.
Man Metropolis stand agency over £80m-rated Bernardo Silva
Manchester Metropolis have critical doubts about whether or not Barcelona can provide you with a monetary bundle to tempt them into permitting Bernardo Silva to go away, sources instructed ESPN.
Barcelona are eager on the Portugal midfielder, who instructed ESPN this week that his future stays up within the air forward of the switch deadline. However sources instructed ESPN that Metropolis would solely take into account a deal if the Spanish aspect have been to bid in extra of £80m and the Premier League champions had time to discover a appropriate alternative. Barcelona stay in monetary problem and are struggling to register the brand new signings they’ve made already this summer season, and there’s a feeling on the Etihad Stadium that Silva is past their attain.
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Sources added that Metropolis’s focus earlier than the switch deadline is to signal a longtime left-back after strolling away from a deal for Marc Cucurella — who has since joined Chelsea — due to Brighton’s demand for a price of greater than £50m.
Metropolis are anticipated to signal Anderlecht’s Sergio Gomez for £11m, however he’s seen predominantly as a growth signing, though he may stay on the membership this summer season if one other full-back doesn’t arrive. — Rob Dawson
1:32
Gab Marcotti and Julien Laurens debate whether or not Timo Werner would have an actual affect if he returned to RB Leipzig.
No NFL-style abroad video games in Premier League for now
The Premier League won’t comply with the NFL and NBA by staging regular-season video games abroad after chief government Richard Masters mentioned it’s “not the correct time” to revive plans to play fixtures in main cities the world over.
Again in 2008, proposals to play one worldwide spherical of Premier League fixtures along with the 38 common video games — dubbed the thirty ninth step — have been shortly deserted following widespread condemnation from supporters and plenty of inside the recreation, together with former Manchester United supervisor Sir Alex Ferguson, who criticised membership homeowners for failing to seek the advice of workforce managers. The concept was additionally dismissed by FIFA and UEFA, however whereas the mission has been in chilly storage, nations together with Spain and Italy have since taken their Tremendous Cup video games — which pit league winners towards cup winners — abroad to nations together with China, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Morocco.
Main U.S. leagues together with the NFL and NBA now have lengthy established common season video games staged exterior america. However regardless of the worldwide enchantment of the Premier League, which has now seen the worth of the league’s abroad broadcast deal (£5.05 billion) exceed the home rights (£5bn), Masters mentioned that it’s nonetheless too quickly to rethink taking aggressive fixtures exterior of England and Wales.
“Sure,” Masters mentioned, when requested if it was too quickly to assessment the proposals. “We had this dialogue in 2008, which is a very long time in the past, however I do not assume now could be the correct time. It is not a part of our agenda.
“There are points to type out with the calendar due to the modifications at European degree [new Champions League format from 2024-25] and FIFA have not but concluded what they need to do with the worldwide calendar.
“We’re an lively a part of the World Leagues Discussion board, discussing issues at a world degree and clearly need to shield home league soccer as finest we are able to.
“There are many points occurring and, in the mean time, it [overseas PL games] shouldn’t be one thing that’s a part of our dialogue.” — Mark Ogden
1:31
Rob Dawson feels Manchester Metropolis would discover it very troublesome to interchange Bernardo Silva ought to he depart the membership earlier than the switch deadline.
Barcelona not the one LaLiga concern with registrations
Barcelona’s points registering their new gamers have dominated the headlines in latest weeks, however they are not the one Spanish workforce sweating forward of the primary spherical of video games this weekend.
LaLiga’s squad spending limits have additionally seen Actual Betis struggling to register their new signings — and even the contract extension of captain Joaquin, 41 — which means that with simply hours to go earlier than the season kicks off, that they had registered simply 16 first-team gamers.
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Betis had hoped to provide themselves some respiration area by permitting wing-back Alex Moreno to hitch Nottingham Forest, however a late U-turn from the participant noticed him reject a transfer to the Premier League earlier this week.
On Thursday, the membership have been nonetheless racing to register a lot of large names, together with goalkeeper Claudio Bravo, midfielder Andres Guardado and ahead Willian Jose, in addition to new arrivals Luiz Felipe and Luiz Henrique. Sources instructed ESPN that Betis have been hurrying to resolve the scenario earlier than their opening recreation of the season, internet hosting Elche on Monday night, however didn’t need to set any deadlines.
The membership are engaged on potential participant departures, in addition to Barca-style monetary “levers” — maybe based mostly on borrowing towards future-season ticket earnings — that might deliver within the crucial funds, sources mentioned. Betis have additionally sought to reassure gamers’ brokers with a message of calm, saying that even when the scenario can’t be sorted out this weekend, they’re assured of having the ability to take action earlier than the switch window closes on Sept. 1. — Alex Kirkland and Rodri Faez
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Julien Laurens supplies an replace of the place Barcelona stand financially in addition to their pursuit of Manchester Metropolis’s Bernardo Silva.
PSG banish Icardi from coaching
Paris Saint-Germain have banished Mauro Icardi from first-team coaching, sources instructed ESPN, together with a set of different gamers they’re eager to maneuver on.
Icardi is on the switch listing after supervisor Christophe Galtier determined to drop him from the first-team squad. The striker, 29, is now coaching individually alongside Ander Herrera, Idrissa Gueye, Thilo Kehrer and Julian Draxler in a second group dubbed “The Loft.” Icardi was omitted from the squad for PSG’S Ligue 1 opener towards Clermont final weekend and determined to spend two days in Ibiza together with his household.
The Argentina worldwide has endured a troublesome spell in Paris following his transfer from Inter Milan in 2019. He scored 12 in his first season on the membership after which seven the next 12 months. Icardi scored 4 final season, and PSG have tried to drum up curiosity within the participant this summer season, however to date no membership has come ahead for a participant who has a contract at PSG till 2024.
On Thursday, ESPN reported that PSG contacted Marcus Rashford over the potential of signing the Manchester United ahead to strengthen their squad this summer season. — Julien Laurens