Joshua Oha, Author at Matchplug Blog

Sadio Mane is WANTED by Saudi club Al-Ettifaq

Bayern Munich attacker Sadio Mane is the latest big player wanted by a club in Saudi Arabia.

The country’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) is targeting a series of star players from top European clubs, having already sanctioned the signing of Karim Benzema from Real Madrid this season. Chelsea stars Kalidou Koulibaly and N’Golo Kante are also linked to a move to the Saudi Pro League.

And according to the latest reports by GetFootball, the PIF are interested in signing Mane, who only joined Bayern Munich last summer.

The former Liverpool winger was seen as a marquee signing when he joined the Bavarians last summer. But his first season at the club, though it started well, didn’t go to plan.

He was famously sanctioned by the club for hitting his teammate Leroy Sane, while a leg injury before the World Cup also hampered his involvement with the team. As such, there have been suggestions that Bayern want to sell him this season.

The Saudi PIF has now stepped in to deliver him from his Bayern nightmare. They have named Al-Ettifaq as the 31-year-old’s likely destination, given the Saudi Pro League club has registered an interest in signing him.

However, the Saudi sovereign wealth fund has said that Mane can join whichever Saudi club he wants.

Al-Ettifaq – who finished seventh in the league – are looking to reinforce their squad ahead of the 2023-2024 campaign and believe Mane would be a valuable addition.

Should Mane join Al-Ettifaq, he will probably link up with former Liverpool manager Steven Gerrard, who was recently linked with taking over at the club.

Kylian Mbappe tells Paris Saint-Germain he WON’T RENEW his contract

Kylian Mbappe has reportedly informed Paris Saint-Germain that he will not renew his contract at the club when it expires next season.

The Frenchman is one of the most crucial figures at Parc des Princes and is seen as the face of the club now that Lionel Messi has left.

But he has sparked a transfer saga with his latest move, informing the club that he does not want to trigger the one-year extension in his current deal.

According to a report by Sportsmail, the 24-year-old forward informed PSG of his decision to leave next season via a letter.

According to the report, Mbappe could have waited till July 31st to tell PSG about his plans. But given that he is unhappy with the direction the club is going, he made his decision known earlier than expected.

His decision has now put PSG in a difficult position, as they must sell him this season to avoid losing him for free next year.

The French giants had been willing to give him greater incentives to stay on a long-term deal, with the club planning to make him the face of their new project, which will heavily feature more France internationals.

However, this move has come as a surprise and will leave them little option but to sanction a sale, with his long-time suitor Real Madrid is expected to be at the head of the queue.

The Spanish giants want a replacement for Karim Benzema, who left for Saudi Arabia. But they know that PSG would demand a world record fee for Mbappe, and that might prove difficult as Los Blancos have already committed £88m of their budget to sign Jude Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund.

Bernardo Silva informs Manchester City he wants to leave the club

Manchester City star midfielder Bernardo Silva has reportedly told Pep Guardiola that he wants to leave this summer.

The Portuguese international is one of Guardiola’s most trusted players and was instrumental in the Cityzens’ run to a historic treble this season.

However, according to reports by 90min, he has had enough at the Etihad Stadium and wants a new challenge next season.

The 28-year-old’s contract with City runs until 2025, but he’s keen to walk away two years earlier than agreed, having won several trophies in England. The 1-0 win over Inter Milan last Saturday in the Champions League final was Silva’s 14th trophy at Man City.

He moved to the Etihad in May 2017 for a £60milliion (including performance add-ons) deal. But despite City’s continued success over the past six years, the Portuguese international’s future at the club has become increasingly uncertain.

Last year he was wanted by Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, and he told the club of his intention to leave. But City, and Guardiola in particular, was not interested in selling him.

However, that has not stopped Barca and PSG from coming back for him. The Catalan side has made Silva one of their priority transfer targets this summer, especially as they have missed out on signing Lionel Messi.

PSG also see him as a perfect replacement for Messi, who left the club for Inter Miami this past week.

Antonio Rudiger will be HAPPY to play with Kai Havertz at Real Madrid

Former Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger has stated that he will gladly welcome Real Madrid target Kai Havertz to the club.

Madrid are reportedly interested in signing Harvetz as a replacement for Karim Benzema, who departed this summer for Al-Ittihad.

Amidst the rumours, Rudiger, team-mates with Harvetz for the German national team and previously for Chelsea between 2020 and 2022, has declared he will be happy for his current side to sign the 24-year-old.

However, the defender stressed that he isn’t sure if the deal would fall through.

In a press conference, Rudiger said, “It would make me happy to play with Havertz again at club level.”

“Unfortunately, I cannot say a lot about it in terms of transfers. My opinion is secondary. They’re club decisions.”

Real Madrid aren’t the only club monitoring Harvetz. Arsenal are also said to be considering the German. However, Real Madrid’s interest is said to be more concrete than that of the Gunners.

Chelsea wants £70 million for Havertz but may have to reduce their asking price by £20million to ensure that a deal can be struck.

The German striker scored seven goals in 35 league appearances for the Blues as he was often deployed up front for the troubled Blues.

Arsenal ‘OPEN talks with Leicester to sign defender Timothy Castagne

Arsenal have reportedly begun talks with Leicester City to sign defender Timothy Castagne.

According to journalist Sacha Tavolieri via Sportsmail, the Gunners will target the Belgian if they miss out on first-choice target Ivan Fresneda, who Borussia Dortmund also wants.

Mikel Arteta’s side are looking for an extra right-back and have identified the Real Valladolid defender as top of the list. But Borussia Dortmund’s interest in his services has pushed them towards signing Castagne, who could also come cheaper.

Leicester City want to sell some of their players following their relegation from the top flight, and Castagne could be amongst the players to leave the King Power Stadium this window.

The Foxes value at about £ 24 million and will be willing to let him leave if Arsenal meets their valuation.

Castagne made 37 league appearances for Leicester this season. The 27-year-old has played 112 times for the club since joining Atalanta in 2020.

The Belgian is capped over 30 times for his country and can also play left-back if required, making him a valuable asset for any club that will sign him.

Arsenal appears well-stocked in that area of the pitch, with Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu fighting for the right-back berth. At the same time, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Kieran Tierney occupy the left-back position.

But with Tomiyasu struggling last season and Tierney likely to leave this summer, and interest strong from Newcastle United, Arsenal are looking in the market for a strong cover.

Liverpool AGREE personal terms with OGC Nice midfielder Khephren Thuram

It looks like Liverpool are sorting their transfers very early if recent reports are to be believed.

Although the summer transfer window is yet to open, the Reds have been active in the market and have already secured the £35million signing of Alexis Mac Allister from Brighton.

Having sealed the deal for the Argentine World Cup winner, Jurgen Klopp’s side wants to continue their midfield rebuild by adding two more midfield reinforcements.

And according to the latest reports, they are in the lead in the race to OGC Nice midfielder Khephren Thuram. According to Football Transfers journalist Jacque Talbot, Liverpool agreed on personal terms with Thuram as his arrival at Anfield inches closer.

Exc: Understand personal terms have been verbally agreed between Liverpool and OGC Nice midfielder Khephren Thuram.
— Jacque Talbot (@jac_talbot) June 8, 2023

According to Talbot, negotiations between the Reds and the Ligue 1 club are well underway as the Anfield club looks to secure the Frenchman’s signature early in the transfer window.

Apart from Thurman, Liverpool are reportedly in the race for Borussia Mönchengladbach’s midfielder Manu Kone. Multiple reports claim that the Reds will focus on a deal to bring Kone to Anfield once the deal for Thuram is completed in the next few weeks.

Liverpool have scheduled round of talks with Manu Koné and Khephren Thuram agents. No bid submitted yet but both players remain on the list. 🔴 #LFC

Reds will plan for next signing in the midfield after Mac Allister deal now finally completed. pic.twitter.com/Xp7K5NmQYN
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 8, 2023

Liverpool released Naby Keita, James Milner and Alex Oxlade Chamberlain at the end of the season and are now looking to replace them with Mac Allister, Thurma and Kone.

Inter Milan REJECT a £40m offer from Chelsea for goalkeeper Andre Onana

Serie A giants Inter Milan have reportedly rejected an offer from Chelsea for their goalkeeper Andre Onana.

This is according to Sportsmail, which reports that the San Siro side has shut down discussions with Chelsea over the availability of Onana, at least until after their Champions League final game.

The Italian side are set to bid for their first Champions League title in 13 years as they take on Manchester City in Istanbul on Saturday and do not want any distractions now.

Chelsea are interested in a new goalkeeper this summer and see the 27-year-old as the perfect player. According to reports, new manager Mauricio Pochettino has given the club the green light to sign the former Ajax goalkeeper.

Moreover, reports in Italy via TuttoMercatoWeb claim that Todd Boehly’s side ‘have had a £40million offer for the goalkeeper rejected’.

According to the Italian outlet, Onana ‘would like to join the Premier League team’ and ‘has already agreed in principle with the Blues. Therefore, the deal now hinges on whether an arrangement can be struck between the two clubs.

There are suggestions that the deal to sign Onana could also include Romelu Lukakau, who moved back to Inter last summer on a loan move. The Belgian wants to remain in San Siro and could be used as bait to sign Onana this summer.

Inter and Chelsea will meet after #UCL final — Romelu Lukaku’s future will be discussed with player’s priority to stay at Inter. 🔵⤵️ #CFC https://t.co/Pp65aGbuvl
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 8, 2023

Manchester City vs Inter Milan: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

Manchester City will look to win their first-ever UEFA Champions League title this Saturday when they face Inter Milan at the Atatürk Olimpiyat Stadium in Istanbul.

The Cityzens are facing Inter for the first time in a competitive game, and both sides are trying to back up winning their domestic cups with a UCL trophy.

City has already won two titles, beating fierce rivals Manchester United 2-1 at Wembley to lift the FA Cup while also pipping Arsenal to the Premier League title. So they remain on course to become the second Premier League team after Manchester United to win a historic treble.

Even more pressing for them is the need to finally win the Champions League, a trophy that has eluded Pep Guardiola since his move to the Etihad Stadium. The former Barcelona coach has been successful domestically but has suffered heartbreaks in this competition. His most recent outing at this tournament stage came two years ago when Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea side beat him.

He knows how important Winning this trophy is and will be desperate to finally land his third UCL title, having won it with Barcelona.

His side’s form ahead of this game makes them favourites to win, as they have lost just one of the games they have played since early February (W21, D5).

Meanwhile, Inter Milan are not pushovers, with the San Siro side in a run of eleven wins from their last 12 games in all competitions (L1). That run includes a 2-1 win over Fiorentina in the Coppa Italia final.

So they come into this tie looking for their second cup win of the season. They are also looking to win the Champions League title for the fourth time in their illustrious history, having most recently won it in 2010.

Moreover, Simone Inzaghi’s side have been impressive in this competition, having won away from home against Benfica and AC Milan. They have only lost one UCL game this term on foreign soil (W2, D2).

But they have lost three of their last five fixtures against English opponents (W2), which is slightly concerning. However, they can count on their defence to keep City’s rampant attackers at bay, keeping five clean sheets across their last six UCL matches (W4, D2).

Meanwhile, the last three UCL finals were decided by a single goal between the 40th and 60th minute, so we might see a low-scoring game of under 2.5 goals.

Paris Saint-Germain JOIN Manchester United in the race for Victor Osimhen

French heavyweights Paris Saint-Germain are reportedly interested in signing Napoli hitman Victor Osimhen this summer.

Osimhen has enjoyed a successful season in Italy, with his 26 goals in Serie A firing Napoli to their first league title in over 30 years. His form has alerted the interest of several clubs, including Manchester United and Chelsea.

But PSG’s interest has now complicated United’s chances, with the French heavyweights keen on pairing him up with French speedster Kylian Mbappe.

According to reports in France via Le Parisien, Mbappe is keen to play off a main centre forward, and Osimhen is considered the best option.

The 24-year-old is likely to cost around £130 million, although he recently claimed his mind is not made up whether to stay at Napoli or not.

“I don’t know, the President has to decide that,” he recently told DAZN when asked where he would be playing next season.

“I love the people of Napoli; they have shown me so much love. For me, I don’t mind, the president decides, and I will just go with the flow.”

Tottenham open talks Newcastle target James Maddison

Tottenham have reportedly opened talks with Leicester City over the signing of star midfielder James Maddison as they look to beat Newcastle to his signature.

According to reports by 90min, Spurs want to move quickly to beat Newcastle to the signing of the midfielder, who registered ten goals and nine assists during the 2022/23 Premier League campaign for the relegated Foxes.

The 26-year-old has been a long-term target for Eddie Howe’s Newcastle side, but Spurs’ interest dates back to his days at Norwich.

According to a 90min report, new Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou has already given his approval for the pursuit of Maddison, and talks are now underway with Leicester.

But the relegated Foxes are not ready to sell cheaply as they want to get at least £55million for the two-cap England international.

Leicester knows that Madison is a highly sought player as he has also been spoken to by Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal over the last six months.

But from the latest report, Spurs are now going head-to-head with Newcastle for his signature. The Magpies are considering moves for several players at the three teams who were relegated. However, Eddie Howe’s side is reportedly reluctant to offer much more than that sum at this stage.

Meanwhile, Spurs are ready to offer the 26-year-old a salary package comparable to star striker Harry Kane. At the same time, Newcastle would make him the joint-highest earner at St. James’ Park alongside Bruno Guimaraes.

Joshua Oha

Sadio Mane is WANTED by Saudi club Al-Ettifaq

Kylian Mbappe tells Paris Saint-Germain he WON’T RENEW his contract

Bernardo Silva informs Manchester City he wants to leave the club

Antonio Rudiger will be HAPPY to play with Kai Havertz at Real Madrid

Arsenal ‘OPEN talks with Leicester to sign defender Timothy Castagne

Liverpool AGREE personal terms with OGC Nice midfielder Khephren Thuram

Inter Milan REJECT a £40m offer from Chelsea for goalkeeper Andre Onana

Manchester City vs Inter Milan: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

Paris Saint-Germain JOIN Manchester United in the race for Victor Osimhen

Tottenham open talks Newcastle target James Maddison

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