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Here are a few things you may not know about Real Madrid defender David Alaba. 1. Nigeria reject Alaba was born to A Nigerian father in Austria and he currently captains the Austrian national team. However, he had an interest in playing for Nigeria. In fact, Alaba once said he tried to play for the Nigeria under-17 team as his father was a fan on Sunday Oliseh and other Nigerian football legends. Unfortunately, he got rejected. "I wanted to play for Nigeria, but I must confess there was no approach for me." Alaba said in an interview. "I got the information that Nigeria will only consider those who were in the country perhaps because of travelling logistics and that is the end of that." Alaba could've been part of the Nigerian team to the 2007 FIFA under 17 World Cup. 2. DJ father Alaba's father worked as a DJ in Austria. It was the family's main source of livelihood, which helped train the young footballer before he moved to Germany. Alaba's father ...

Speaking on talkSPORT radio, Darren Bent said: "It's a surprising one when you look at where Barcelona are, and Manchester United are having a complete rebuild. "It is surprising, I don't understand why Barcelona are getting rid of someone of that quality. Do they need the money? He made it clear he wants to stay, he called Barcelona the biggest club in the world. "He seems happy there. For Frenkie de Jong, next season he's dropping out of the Champions League into the Europa League. It does seem like a backwards step." Man United are edging closer to bringing De Jong to Old Trafford this summer with the Red Devils on the verge of agreeing a transfer fee with Barcelona. The Dutchman has spoken about his desire to stay in Spain but the La Liga giants could have no choice but to sell the player due to their financial issues. Source: talkSPORT

It appears that Barcelona's financial situation remains quite dire despite the club's recent economical levers. According to Marca, a tier-one Spanish source, Barca are still unable to sign any of their summer transfer targets. The recent influx of cash from the €200 million Sixth Street deal will go towards balancing the finances for the current year. Barcelona still can't register new players, meaning that the transfers of Andreas Christensen and Franck Kessie can't be made official. Source: Marca

A group of Manchester United players reported back to Carrington on Monday as Erik ten Hag's era at the club gets underway. The Dutchman has wasted no time as he attempts to change the culture at Old Trafford, swiftly introducing four major changes to the training regime. Grass length Ten Hag has insisted that the grass at the Carrington training centre was cut precisely to 15mm in order to allow for quicker passing. New drills The Dutchman has instilled a new training drill — a game of 11 against zero. The exercise is designed to 'ensure that every player knows their role and what they have to do within the team structure'. Extra sessions The 52-year-old has insisted on having double sessions as soon as the fitness checks were complete. He new manager wants the players to be in the best shape possible. Bonding meals Under Ralf Rangnick, the players were allowed to eat wherever and whenever they wanted at Carrington. Ten Hag, however, has insisted on the team and the staff ...

Xavi Simons has signed for PSV Eindhoven after leaving Paris Saint-Germain, it was officially confirmed on Thursday. The young midfielder made the headlines in back in 2019 after deciding to leave Barcelona's academy and join PSG's project. However, things have not gone according to plan in France with the 19-year-old making just seven first-appearances in the Ligue 1. Barca were interested in bringing the midfielder back but Lionel Messi reportedly told Xavi about his doubts regarding Simons' potential. Source: PSV.nl

Fabrizio Romano reports that Tottenham Hotspur are close to signing Richarlison after bidding £60m for the Everton forward. The deal is set to be signed soon, with full agreements in place between the two clubs and the player. In contrast, Liverpool paid a £64m guaranteed fee to Benfica for signing Darwin Nunez. Of course, that package can reach £80-85m with add-ons. It's not mentioned if there are add-ons in Richarlison's deal but regardless, that's pretty high value for a player who has averaged eight non-penalty goals in his last five seasons. He scored 10 Premier League goals last campaign as Everton narrowly avoided relegation. Meanwhile, Nunez scored 26 goals in 28 games for Benfica last season and is four years younger than Richarlison. It's early days, but it feels like Liverpool got a much better deal than Spurs! Source: Fabrizio Romano

Barcelona have officially activated their first economic lever by selling 10% of LaLiga TV rights for €207.5m for 25 years, the club have confirmed. There are other sources claiming the fee is closer to €267m. A consortium known as Sixth Street have completed the purchase from the Blaugrana. The financial inflow is a breath of fresh air for Barca's finances and could even see them end the 2021/2022 financial year on a positive note. A second sale is forthcoming, and that would provide the Blaugrana with some much-needed cash for new signings. Source: FC Barcelona

The Manchester United legend has never shied away from speaking his mind, as is evident from his latest punditry appearances. An old video has emerged showing how even Cristiano Ronaldo could not escape his wrath. In the footage from their time together at United back in the day, Keane is heard yelling at the Portuguese superstar for not tracking back enough. Great footage from the encyclopaedic @utd_clips of Keane berating an 18-year-old Ronaldo for failing to track back in training. Ronaldo was inside United’s own area mucking in as they held onto leads last season #mufc pic.twitter.com/k0dBBUI274 — Samuel Luckhurst (@samuelluckhurst) June 28, 2022 Recently, Keane was asked if Ronaldo, 37, will leave United this summer. He replied: "I can’t imagine Ronaldo not being at Man United next year unless something drastic changes in the summer. "If you look at the goals he’s got, he’s a threat and any manager would want to work with him. Simple as that." Looks like despit...

"I wouldn't be surprised if Robert goes on strike and does not show up to pre-season with Bayern," Maik Barthel, Lewandowski's former agent told the media. Speaking further, Barthel said: "He already thought about it in 2013, when Dortmund would not sell him." Thus, this is not the first time Lewandowski has been involved in a transfer saga before leaving for another club. Perhaps it's due to how good he is. The Pole scored 50 goals for Bayern last season. So far, Bayern has rebuffed all attempts by Barcelona to pry Lewandowski away from Bavaria. Source: Twitter

Barcelona are not listening to any offers for Memphis Depay until they can guarantee the signing of Robert Lewandowski or Raphinha, as per Gabriel Sans (4 stars). The Bavarians have so far rejected three bids from Barcelona for Lewandowski, fueling the saga and making the transfer even more complicated. Barca may give up their pursuit of the Polish striker if Bayern continues to play hard to get. Meanwhile, Barcelona have slapped a miserly €20m price tag on their last season topscorer - Memphis. However, they won't take that money under the current circumstances. Source: Mundo Deportivo

As per The Guardian, Qatari authorities have not responded to concerns over the safety and well-being of LGBTQ+ fans during the World Cup later this year. When presented a list of questions over the safety of these fans in the conservative country, only the following reply was provided: "Everyone will be welcome to Qatar in 2022, regardless of their race, background, religion, gender, sexual orientation or nationality. "We are a relatively conservative society – for example, public displays of affection are not a part of our culture. We believe in mutual respect and so whilst everyone is welcome, what we expect in return is for everyone to respect our culture and traditions." The Guardian understands Qatari authorities are not providing a proper answer to whether or not their country will safeguard LGBTQ+ fans if the need arises. As a result, some of these groups are even planning to potentially boycott the tournament. Source: The Guardian

Juventus have confirmed the departure of Paulo Dybala following the expiry of his contract on June 30. His next destination remains unknown following a battle with Juventus to extend his stay. Twitter embed Dybala is only 28 and could be a valuable addition to any of Europe's top clubs. He scored 15 goals across competitions for Juve last season despite the limited game time. Source: Juventus FC @ Twitter

Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold were excellent for the Reds (once again) last season as we won the domestic cup double. Trent finished runner-up in assists in the Premier League, finishing with 12 in the division and with 18 across all competitions. Robertson delivered his share of assists too, reaching 10 in the Premier League and 15 across all competitions. Liverpool have shared a video of every assist by both full-backs last season - sit back and enjoy the passing magic. Follow on YouTube for more video Source: LFC @ Twitter

Barcelona and Manchester United have finally agreed on the transfer of Frenkie de Jong, according to ESPN (5 stars). The agreed fee is €65m. Another €20m will be paid in variables and add-ons, taking the fee to €85m. Right now, the midfielder and Man United are speaking over personal terms for the transfer. The Dutchman could immediately become one of Man United's highest earners once the move is completed. As of right now, De Jong's move to England is taken for granted. Source: ESPN

Isco is on his way out of Real Madrid with his contract due to expire in less than 20 hours. The same goes for Gareth Bale and Marcelo - who already said his goodbye to Madridistas. Here's a list of the biggest players who will become free agents before the end of the day. 1. Paul Pogba. The Frenchman will leave Manchester United, probably for Juventus. 2. Paulo Dybala. The forward has already bid farewell to Juve. 3. Christian Eriksen. The midfielder's deal with Brentford is over. 4. Jesse Lingard. Manchester United have offloaded the striker. ADVERTISEMENT 5. Corentin Tolisso. Bayern Munich are set to offload the midfielder. 6. Divock Origi. The striker is joining AC Milan for free. 7. Serge Aurier. Villarreal have not agreed on an extension with the powerful right-back. 8. Ousmane Dembele. The winger is likely to leave Barcelona after failing to agree on a new deal. 9. Federico Bernardeschi. The winger could leave Juventus. ADVERTISEMENT 10. Henrikh Mkhitaryan. AS Roma could...

According to the fairly reliable Christian Falk of Bild in Germany, Bayern Munich have turned down a third bid from Barcelona for Robert Lewandowski. This time, the Blaugrana tabled a bid worth €40m plus another €5m in bonuses. Bayern wants at least €50m upfront for Lewandowski, whose contract ends next year. The striker also turns 34 in a few months. Barcelona may have made their final offer for the striker as it looks like Bayern are not willing to do business. The striker was conspicuously omitted from Bayern's promotional video released this week. Source: Bild

Super Eagles forward, Odion Ighalo, has expressed delight after winning his first career league title after waiting for 17 years. He had played club football in six countries across Europe and Asia without winning a league title. Ighalo bagged a brace as Al Hilal defeated relegated Al-Faisaly 2-1 on Monday night to win the Saudi Arabia Professional League title. It was the 18th time Ramon Diaz's side clinched the title. It was a double honour for the striker, who also finished the season as the top scorer with 24 goals. Taking to Instagram, the excited former Manchester United star wrote, "I waited 17 years before winning my first league title. It doesn't matter how long it takes, if you keep working hard and never give up, you will get it right one day. God is the greatest." Ighalo started his professional career with Julius Berger FC in Lagos.

Kaizer Chiefs have completed the signing of striker Fiston Kalala Mayele from Tanzanian giants Young Africans (Yanga) according to reports. Kaizer Chiefs have completed the signing of striker Fiston Kalala Mayele from Tanzanian giants Young Africans (Yanga) according to reports. Mayele will be Chiefs’ eighth signing of the current transfer window should these reports prove to be true.  The DR Congo-born Mayele is 28 years old and finished second in the top scorer rankings for Yanga in the Tanzanian top flight last season, after notching up 16 goals. Earlier this week it had emerged that he is a real target for Chiefs and if the reports that he has signed for the club prove accurate, then that would mean they would have moved impressively swiftly to acquire the player’s services.  THREE-YEARs DEAL FOR MAYELE? The news of Mayele signing for Chiefs was tweeted this morning by Ghanaian journalist Nuhu Adams.  “South African giants  @KaizerChiefs   have completed th...

Divock Origi has left Liverpool, but his legacy will remain on Merseyside - and we don't just mean what he did on the pitch. Last year, it was announced that Origi partnered with the University of Liverpool to offer the Divock Origi Scholarship. Two students from the city of Liverpool would have their tuition fees covered (£9,250 per year) and get £3,000 for living costs. Now, it has been confirmed that the scholarship will be kept in the next academic year as well, albeit for only one student. Even without this contribution, Origi would have been honoured in Liverpool - but that is nothing short of a brilliant step for the AC Milan-bound striker. Source: University of Liverpool

Timo Werner was on the cusp of joining Liverpool in 2020 but he ended up moving to Chelsea. Now the Blues are considering parting ways with the German. The forward has not lived up to the expectations at Stamford Bridge, having scored 23 goals and provided 21 assists in 89 games over two seasons. Alan Hutton, who played for Rangers, Spurs and Aston Villa, insists that Liverpool should try signing the 26-year-old. "I think Werner can bring something with his pace and his trickery," Alan Hutton told Football Insider. "I think he could fit into the system. If you look at the way Liverpool have played over the years Klopp has been there, he likes that type of winger coming in from the side of the pitch and I think that’s where he’s better. "I don’t think Werner’s an out and out number nine to me. I think he misses too many opportunities but he’s a problem out on the wing. "He’s a problem for defenders, the way Mane was. And obviously with him leaving there’s possib...

The Athletic has some inside details on how Romelu Lukaku's relationship with Chelsea deteriorated over the course of the 2021/22 season. On January 1, the club's official Twitter account posted a message wishing fans a happy New Year. Romelu's face is barely visible (to the left from Kante). The Belgian was offended by this and it contributed to his desire to leave Stamford Bridge. His loan move back to Internazionale was confirmed on Wednesday.

Chelsea have offloaded Romelu Lukaku to Inter. The striker has joined the Italian side on a season-long loan, it has been confirmed. After getting the Belgian off the wage bill, Chelsea need to improve the squad by signing a few players. A few departures are expected, too. Here's what Chelsea's transfer to-do list looks like right now. Sign centre-backs. De Ligt and Kounde are heavily linked with a summer move to Chelsea. There are plenty of other players mentioned as the Blues are looking to replace Rudiger and Christensen. Sign forwards. Chelsea are said to be negotiating over transfers of Sterling, Dembele and Raphinha. They're also reportedly interested in landing Neymar, who could become available. Sell forwards. The number of attackers Chelsea will sell probably depends on the number of attackers they will sign. At the moment, Pulisic, Werner and Ziyech are linked with summer exits. Make decisions on 6 players. Alonso, Kante, Azpilicueta, Jorginho, Broja and Gilmour c...

A video has been posted online of Ansu Fati playing football with his friends. Despite rumours that the Barcelona youngster is yet to fully recover, he's been showing an incredible level. Ansu can be seen scoring two incredible goals. Follow e360hubs on youtube for more videos Fati is set to begin the pre-season with Barca on July 4. As per reports, Xavi count on Ansu as a key player for next season and is determined to bring him back to his best. Source: forcabarca_ar @ Twitter

According to the reliable Fabrizio Romano, Richarlison and his agents have agreed on personal terms with Tottenham Hotspur ahead of a potential move this summer. The Brazilian striker has been promised a long-term contract - one that will eclipse his current wages at Everton. Spurs are yet to reach full agreement with the Toffees but have scheduled a meeting later this week to finalise the deal. Along with Harry Kane and Heung-min Son, Richarlison joins as yet another exciting attacking option for Antonio Conte. Source: Fabrizio Romano @ Twitter

Both Xavi and Robert Lewandowski are spending their holiday on Ibiza. What's more, the two have been spotted at the same restaurant, as images from Jijantes FC prove. Here's Barcelona's main transfer target entering the restaurant. Here's the Barca coach climbing the same set of stairs. It's said that Xavi and Lewandowski set at separate tables with their respective friends. However, they did meet. Here's proof of that. With Barca dead set to sign the Polish striker, it's more than likely that the two had a brief chat. Xavi wants the 33-year-old in his squad for next season, and he must've taken advantage of the opportunity to reassure him of that Source: Jijantes FC | Gerard Romero

"I was late for the bus. As I got on the bus nobody told me anything. Then Cristiano Ronaldo says 'Borja, you can't be late. You’re young. I’m 30-40 mins early. You should be there an hour early, you can't be late, you know.’" Borja Mayoral has told Relevo. "Since then, I’ve never been late," the striker added. Mayoral hasn't had a proper chance to impress at Real Madrid as he's spent most of his time out on loan starting with 2018. However, there haven't been any complaints regarding his attitude from any of his clubs. Meanwhile, reports in Spain say that Mayoral could continue at Real Madrid next season, as his loan at Getafe is set to expire. It would depend on the Whites offloading the likes of Mariano and Luka Jovic, though. Source: Relevo (h/t MadridXtra @ Twitter)

According to TV3, Neymar dreams of a return to Barcelona this summer. Xavi would love to have the Brazilian in his squad. At the moment, though, there's nothing regarding Barca's interest in their former player. As per previous reports, Paris Saint-Germain want to get rid of the player and are ready to let him leave on favourable terms. The Parisians would agree to a loan while paying the majority of his salary. Neymar has been struggling with regular injuries ever since leaving Barca in 2017. In the previous season, the 30-year-old recorded 13 goals and 8 assists in 28 matches for PSG. Source: TV3

Atletico Madrid have found themselves in a messy situation as their over-the-budget wage bill is not allowing them to sign any players. According to Partidazo Cope, Diego Simeone’s side have exceeded the La Liga wage bill of €100m – stopping them from signing free agent Axel Witsel. La Liga are allegedly counting Antoine Griezmann’s loan signing from Barcelona – which is poised to be completed next year for around €40m. As a result, Griezmann’s massive wage demands means he is taking up around €33m of their salary limit by himself. That’s why Atletico are looking to sell the French international this season because or else they can’t register new signings into their squad. Griezmann made 39 appearances for Simeone’s side last season, scoring 8 goals and registering 7 assists. Source: PartidazoCope @Twitter

According to top reporter Gerard Romero, Barcelona are attempting to 'hijack' Chelsea's move for Leeds winger Raphinha. He claims Barca are still very much in the race for the Brazilian, following his agent Deco's arrival at the Camp Nou offices. Romero understands both Deco and Raphinha would prefer a move to Barcelona rather than Chelsea. This could potentially jeopardise the Blues' move, which was believed to be in the final stages. In fact, Deco is reportedly trying to prevent Leeds from discussing further with Chelsea and focus on reaching an agreement with Barcelona in a sensational twist of events. This only points to the 25-year-old's rise as a top footballer, following a season where he scored 11 goals and assisted thrice in 35 Premier League games. Source: Gerard Romero @ Twitter

As reported by multiple outlets like the Evening Standard, Daily Mail and more, Yves Bissouma has been cleared of sexual assault allegations levelled against him last October. The midfielder, who played for Brighton at the time, was arrested along with another man in his 40s following an incident at a Brighton night club. A press release from Sussex Police read: "A man in his 40s from Brighton who was arrested on suspicion of sexual assault has had his conditional bail extended until July 4, 2022. "A man in his 20s, also from Brighton, who was arrested on suspicion of sexual assault has been released with no further action to be taken. "The investigation is ongoing and no additional information is available at this time." Despite the ongoing investigation, Bissouma has completed his move to Tottenham this summer. He's expected to be a key part of Antonio Conte's new revolution as Spurs compete to win their first major title. Source: Daily Mail | Evening Stan...

Marca report that Raul, the coach of Real Madrid Castilla, has received offers to coach clubs like Schalke 04, Leeds United and unnamed teams from La Liga. However, the legendary striker has been rejecting all offers for two reasons. First, Raul doesn't see any of the offers as the right fit or the next logical stepping stone in his career. Second, the coach feels more than comfortable with his current job. He has full command of the squad, loves the environment and is in constant contact with Carlo Ancelotti. The link between the reserves and the first squad wasn't this strong during Zinedine Zidane's tenure. Raul is set to start his third season at Real Madrid Castilla. Last term, the youngsters finished in 10th place in the third tier of Spanish football under his command. Source: Marca

Romelu Lukaku has joined Inter Milan on a one-year loan deal, the Italian club has confirmed. Chelsea have also confirmed the move. The Blues will receive around ₤7m from Inter, while the Italian side will pay his full salary as well. No buyout clause is included in the deal. Chelsea spent £97.5m to buy Lukaku from Inter last year. The striker had a poor season with the Blues, scoring just 15 goals in 44 games across all competitions. Source: Chelsea FC

Bayern Munich have announced contract extension with video game company Konami. FC Bayern und KONAMI verlängern Partnerschaft 🤝⚽🎮 🔗 https://t.co/yhfAwJ7hbk #FCBayern #efootball #setfootballfree pic.twitter.com/yXnIro08q0 — FC Bayern München (@FCBayern) June 29, 2022 Barcelona fans were quick to notice the absence of Robert Lewandowski – both in the video and in the main picture. Barcelona and Lewandowski continue pushing for the move to happen. The Catalans reportedly have made their third bid for the Pole. Source: FC Bayern Munchen

Bayern Munich wants around €75m to sell striker Robert Lewandowski in the summer, claims Spanish outlet Sport. Barcelona, who have been heavily linked to a move for the striker, are only willing to pay around €40m for him. Lewandowski has reportedly already agreed personal terms with Barca and is eager to join the La Liga side next season. The Polish forward has already spoken multiple times about his desire to leave Bayern and venture on a new journey in his career. But with Barca unwilling to pay €70m+ for Lewandowski and Bayern not eager to lower the price, it remains to be seen whether a deal can be done. Source: Sport

Newcastle United have agreed a deal with Lille to sign young centre-back Sven Botman, the club has confirmed. The 22-year-old has undergone his medicals and accepted personal terms to become the Magpies’ first major summer signing. Newcastle will reportedly pay £50m for the signing of Dutch centre-back, who has been one of Ligue 1’s best defenders in recent years. The Magpies have also signed Matt Targett and Nick Pope in the summer transfer window so far. Source: Nufc.co.uk

Feyenoord left-back Tyrell Malacia has chosen to join Man United ahead of Olympique Lyonnais, claims French outlet L’Equipe. After it was discovered that the Red Devils had an offer accepted for the 22-year-old, the Dutchman let Lyon know that he will go to England. Malacia is now negotiating his personal terms with United, agreeing which will help the deal get one step closer to completion. The left-back looks set to become the Red Devils’ first signing of the summer transfer window after a dramatic last few days. United are going to pay around €15m plus €2m in add-ons for the left-back, who has been called ‘amazing’ by Erik ten Hag in the past. Source: L'Equipe

"Robert Lewandowski has received communication from Barcelona of their new proposal to Bayern: €40m guaranteed plus add-ons," Fabrizio Romano has tweeted. "Lewandowski has confirmed his intention to wait again for Barca, also thanks to the relationships between his agent and Laporta," he added. Robert Lewandowski has received communication from Barcelona of their new proposal to Bayern: €40m guaranteed plus add-ons. 🚨🇵🇱 #FCB Lewandowski has confirmed his intention to wait again for Barça, also thanks to the relationships between his agent and Laporta. — Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 29, 2022 This is much closer to what Bayern Munich are said to be asking for. They reportedly slapped the price tag on around €50m, with some sources saying it stands at €60m. By the way, Lewandowski's estimated value is €45m, as per Transfermarkt. Some German outlets claim the Bavarians are ready to let Lewandowski go this summer. Let's see what their reaction to B...

"Dearest LFC supporters," Takumi Minamino wrote on Instagram after completing his move to AS Monaco. "I was so happy when I joined the LFC family 2 and a half years ago but my time has come to an end. "I had a fantastic time and I will never forget the massive support I received from you all at Anfield. "I wish you all the best. "Sayonara, goodbye. "YNWA" Since January 2020, Minamino played 55 games for Liverpool, scoring 14 goals - including 10 goals in 24 games last season. Liverpool could receive up to £15.5m from Monaco for Minamino's transfer, including add-ons. Source: Takumi Minamino @ Instargam

"We were in training, I told Vini: 'You are the Neymar of 2014'. Because at Barcelona and at the national team, Neymar played on the wing at that time. Today he's in the centre," Brazil national team's coach Tite has said, as per Marca. Neymar did play mostly on the wing in his first season in Europe, and that makes him similar to the current version of Vinicius. If we are talking about output, though, the current version of Vini beats Neymar's first year in Europe. In his first year at Barca (2013/14), Neymar recorded 15 goals and 15 assists in 41 matches. Vini, though, got 22 goals and 20 assists in 52 games this term. Source: Marca (h/t theMadridZone @ Twitter)

Barcelona have officially confirmed that Sergi Barjuan has been removed from his position as the coach of Barca B. He will remain at the club, though, and will continue to work within Barca's Football Department. The Catalans will announce his replacement 'in the coming days'. As per reports, former Blaugrana Rafa Marquez is expected to take charge of the reserves for next season. In the 2021/22 season, Sergi led Barca B to a 9th-place finish in the third tier of Spanish football. He was also put in interim charge of the first team for three matches following the sacking of Ronald Koeman. Source: FC Barcelona

As per the reliable Nizaar Kinsella of Goal.com, Tottenham Hotspur held talks with Leeds United and Raphinha to convince the player to join. However, after 'formal discussions' were held between Spurs and Raphinha, the Leeds star turned the London club down. The reason for that has not been mentioned but Kinsella adds that Raphinha is now 'Chelsea bound'. Arsenal were also interested in the player, making the first big bid for him but Todd Boehly came in and outbid the Gunners to secure an agreement with Leeds. Source: Nizaar Kinsella