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 reveals 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 had 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 possibilities in an effort to enhance the arrogance inside his squad.
United completed sixth within the Premier League final season, 13 factors outdoors 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 It prompted some Outdated Trafford employees members to advise Ten Hag to maintain early expectations “lifelike” whereas the majority of the squad remained the identical, however the brand new United boss was bullish about his staff’s hopes for the brand new marketing campaign over the summer time.
He additionally selected to speak up the gamers he inherited — together with downside areas of the squad, resembling 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 beneath 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 time. 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 properly conscious they might battle 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 stated that Juventus first acquired official contact from United on Saturday simply 24 hours earlier than the sport in opposition to 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 might lose out to Chelsea. — Rob Dawson
Chelsea spending spree reveals no signal of ending
Chelsea head coach Thomas Tuchel needs 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 worried 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 prime centre-back goal though Leicester are demanding a world-record charge for a defender, in extra of the £80 million Manchester United paid them for Harry Maguire in 2019.
The Blues are additionally focused on 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 needs to remain at Barcelona, but when he’s compelled to depart, 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 needs to remain at Camp Nou and his departure is barely being thought of on account of Barcelona’s ongoing financial difficulties. Chelsea suffered an extra blow earlier this week when one other ahead into account, Benjamin Sesko, agreed a deal to maneuver from FC Salzburg to RB Leipzig subsequent summer time.
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 right away 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 severe doubts about whether or not Barcelona can give you a monetary bundle to tempt them into permitting Bernardo Silva to depart, 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 contemplate a deal if the Spanish aspect had been to bid in extra of £80m and the Premier League champions had time to discover a appropriate substitute. Barcelona stay in monetary issue and are struggling to register the brand new signings they’ve made already this summer time, 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 charge 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 might stay on the membership this summer time 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 govt Richard Masters stated it’s “not the correct time” to revive plans to play fixtures in main cities internationally.
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 — had been rapidly deserted following widespread condemnation from supporters and lots of inside the recreation, together with former Manchester United supervisor Sir Alex Ferguson, who criticised membership homeowners for failing to seek the advice of staff 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 in opposition to cup winners — abroad to international locations 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 outdoors the US. However regardless of the worldwide attraction 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 stated that it’s nonetheless too quickly to rethink taking aggressive fixtures outdoors of England and Wales.
“Sure,” Masters stated, when requested if it was too quickly to overview 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 adjustments 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 energetic a part of the World Leagues Discussion board, discussing issues at a world degree and clearly need to shield home league soccer as greatest we are able to.
“There are many points occurring and, for the time being, 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 go away 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 don’t seem to be the one Spanish staff 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 — that 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 offer 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 had been nonetheless racing to register quite a lot of massive 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 had been hurrying to resolve the state of affairs 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 doable participant departures, in addition to Barca-style monetary “levers” — maybe primarily based on borrowing in opposition to future-season ticket earnings — that might deliver within the vital funds, sources stated. Betis have additionally sought to reassure gamers’ brokers with a message of calm, saying that even when the state of affairs 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 group 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 in opposition to 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 yr. Icardi scored 4 final season, and PSG have tried to drum up curiosity within the participant this summer time, 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 for signing the Manchester United ahead to strengthen their squad this summer time. — Julien Laurens