Joshua Oha, Author at Matchplug Blog

Unwilling Romelu Lukaku set to return to Chelsea at the end of the season despite

Inter Milan striker Romelu Lukaku will reportedly return to Chelsea at the end of his loan spell at the San Siro stadium, despite his desire to remain in Italy beyond the summer.

The Belgian striker, who joined Chelsea from Inter in the summer of 2021 for £98m, returned to the Serie A side on loan at the start of the season after a lack of form and absence from the squad at Stamford Bridge.

However, his loan move to Milan has not gone to plan, as the 29-year-old finds himself at the team’s periphery due to a lack of consistency and fitness. He has scored just seven goals in 24 games and missed significant periods of the season through injury.

And, now Italian outlet Gazzetta dello Sport via Sportsmail are reporting that Lukaku will return to Chelsea this summer ‘against his will’ due to Inter being unable to afford another move’s potential cost.

As per the report, Inter are under financial pressure, having recorded losses of €784m (£694m) over the last ten years, and they have an annual operating loss of about €150m (£133m).

As a result, the Italian outfit will have to make savings this summer and given Lukaku’s lack of meaningful contribution after signing him back for an €8m (£6.9m) loan fee, plus covering a significant portion of his wages; the club want to cut their losses.

The report says that Lukaku would like to stay at the club where he scored 64 goals in 95 games between 2019-2021 and is willing to take a pay cut. But Inter are already preparing for a future without him.

Lukaku has scored crucial goals in recent times, including the decisive effort in their 1-0 aggregate victory over Porto in the Champions League last-16, while he also netted in their 2-0 win over Benfica in the first leg of the quarter-final last week.

Fiorentina vs Atalanta: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

Fiorentina and Atalanta will square up this Monday in the 30th Round of the 2022/23 Serie A season.

Fiorentina come into this tie on the back of a morale-boosting 4-1 win over Lech Poznan in the UEFA Conference League quarter-final. The result put them in total control of that tie and extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to an incredible 13 games (W11, D2).

So the hosts will look to continue that incredible run here to keep their pursuit of a European place in Serie A alive. Starting this round seven points behind sixth-placed Atalanta, La Viola can crank up the pressure on the visitors by extending their six-game unbeaten run at home (W4, D2) with another victory.

The host’s form has been down to their defensive solidity as they’ve conceded just 32 goals, a record bettered only by four Serie A clubs this season. Unfortunately, however, they haven’t quite been able to live up to those exemplary standards at the Stadio Artemio Franchi, with the hosts conceding 17 goals across their last eleven Serie A home games, managing just one clean sheet.

Meanwhile, Atalanta will look to get back to winning ways when they travel to Florence on Monday. However, the goal-shy visitors, who have failed to score in four of their last six away competitive matches (W2, L4), might struggle at Stadio Artemio Franchi.

Should Gian Piero Gasperini’s side fail to score again, they risk losing consecutive Serie A away H2Hs for the first time since October 2015 after losing 1-0 here last season.

Recent form suggests Atalanta may struggle to win here, though, given they have recorded just three wins from their last ten competitive matches (D1, L6), bookended by a 2-0 SA defeat against Bologna last weekend.

Meanwhile, ahead of the round, Fiorentina have won a league-high 6.10 corners per league game while conceding a league-low 3.31 corners per match.

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Leeds United vs Liverpool: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

Relegation-threatened Leeds United will welcome struggling European hopefuls Liverpool, who are looking to win their first game since March.

Leeds come into this tie on the back of an embarrassing 5-1 loss to a Manchester City side, who condemned them to their 15th loss of the season.

That was also their heaviest loss of the season and firmly entrenched them in the relegation battle. However, they remain outside of the drop zone and still have their destiny in their hands.

But their key struggle this season is personified by the fact they’ve kept only five clean sheets in their last 41 matches. In addition, they have conceded 54 goals this season, which is only better than Bournemouth, who has conceded 57 goals.

However, they scored twice against Liverpool at Anfield on their way to a 2-1 win. So another upset here would secure their first league double over the Reds since the 2000/01 campaign.

Liverpool are unbeaten in their last seven visits to Elland Road (W5, D2), though, since losing in November 2000. So it will be a challenging game for both sides.

But Jurgen Klopp’s side looks like a beatable team, having not won a single game since beating Manchester United 7-0 at Anfield in early March (D2, L3).

They come into this tie on the back of a 2-2 draw with Arsenal. The game showed they still have some fighting spirit, as they came from 2-0 down to snatch a point. That point leaves them sitting in eighth position, a whopping 12 points behind Manchester United and Newcastle United, who share the third and fourth positions.

But they are within striking distance of the Europa League spots, with three just points separating them and sixth-placed Aston Villa with a game in hand. So there is still a chance they can qualify for the Europa League this season if they can start winning games.

Having crashed out of every tournament, that must be their focus this season as they plan their huge summer rebuild.

Meanwhile, only two of Liverpool’s last ten away matches have seen both teams score on the day. So a BTTS/GG prediction might be out of place in this game.

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Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka took to Instagram to apologise to supporters after his crucial penalty miss against West Ham on Sunday.

WHAT HAPPENED? The England international had the chance to hand Arsenal a 3-1 lead early in the second half of his side’s clash with West Ham at the London Stadium, but completely fluffed his lines as he sent his penalty well wide of the post. West Ham went on to grab an equaliser, forcing the Gunners to settle for a point that gives title rivals Manchester City fresh impetus in the race for the trophy.

Following the contest, Saka apologised to Arsenal fans via social media.

“Regardless of the outcome, I’ll always accept my responsibility. Apologies Gunners, I’ll do everything I can to make it right,” he said on Instagram.

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THE BIGGER PICTURE: Arsenal now lead Man City by just four points atop the Premier League, and Pep Guardiola’s side have a game in hand. The Gunners have let 2-0 leads slip in consecutive contests, having also been held by Liverpool in a thrilling game at Anfield last week.

AS Roma vs Udinese: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

AS Roma will look to continue their quest for a top-four finish this Sunday when they welcome Udinese to Stadio Olimpico for the 30th Round of the 2022/23 Seria A season.

Jose Mourinho’s side come into this tie on the back of a disappointing 1- loss to Dutch side Feynoor in the Europa League. However, they will be keen to bounce back here and keep their bid to secure a place in next season’s UEFA Champions League, having narrowly missed out last year.

A 1-0 victory last weekend away to Torino saw Roma end last weekend third in the Serie A table. Yet, Mourinho publicly acknowledged that he remains all too aware that could all change if Juventus – seventh on 44 points coming into the round – are successful with their points-deduction appeal.

The hosts have been flying at Stadio Olimpico in 2023, winning nine of their 11 competitive home matches (L2) and keeping a clean sheet on all nine occasions. Mourinho has also won five of his seven personal meetings with Udinese (D1, L1) and will be eager to keep their top-four run going here.

The visitors come into this tie on the back of a 2-2 draw with Monza. The draw was enough to keep them inside the top half of the Serie A table, a whopping 16 points off the bottom three.

They are five points off Juventus in seventh position, so they could still finish in a European spot. However, it could be another disappointing outing for them at the Stadio Olimpico as playing away against teams that start this round in the top half hasn’t brought much joy to Udinese, highlighted by the fact they’ve picked up just two points from seven attempts (D2, L5), failing to score in four of those matches.

Eight defeats in nine away H2Hs won’t boost confidence in the travelling camp either. Also, Roma are the only SA side yet to lose a single point when scoring first at home this season (W9).

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Saka apologises for COSTLY PENALTY miss

Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka has apologised to supporters for missing a crucial penalty in his side’s 2-2 draw with West Ham on Sunday.

The England international had the chance to put the Gunners 3-1 up against the Hammers from the penalty spot early in the second half of the game at the London Stadium. But he completely fluffed his lines and sent the penalty well wide of the post.

David Moyes’ West Ham side took advantage of that miss and grabbed an equaliser almost immediately, forcing the Gunners to settle for a point. The result gives title rivals Manchester City fresh impetus in the race for the trophy as Arsenal now sits just four points ahead, with a game more.

After the contest, Saka took to Instagram to apologise to Arsenal fans.

“Regardless of the outcome, I’ll always accept my responsibility. Apologies, Gunners, I’ll do everything I can to make it right,” he said on Instagram.

The latest result was the second game in a row the Gunners have let 2-0 leads slip, having also been held by Liverpool in a thrilling game at Anfield last week.

On Friday, they are back in action against struggling Southampton before they take on Manchester City in a must-win top-of-the-table clash on Wednesday next week.

Bayern UNWILLING to sanction Gravenberch move to Liverpool

Bayern Munich are reportedly reluctant to sell Liverpool target Ryan Gravenberch this summer.

The Reds want to bring Gravenberch to Anfield this summer after giving up their chase for number one midfield target Jude Bellingham. Jurgen Klopp’s side had made Bellingham their priority signing this summer as they begin their squad overhaul.

But they have had to back down from the race because of the amount of money needed to finance the deal. Borussia Dortmund want in excess of 130 million Euros to sell Bellingham, and Liverpool do not want to spend that sum for just a single player when they can use that amount to acquire three or four signings in other areas of the pitch where they have needs.

The Red have turned their attention to former Ajax midfielder Graevenberch, who is also drawing interest from other Premier League clubs like Arsenal and Manchester United.

According to BILD’s football chief Christian Falk, Liverpool has already held a round of talks with the Dutchman’s agents. According to the report, Jurgen Klopp really wants the midfielder at Anfield this summer.

However, Bayern, for the moment, insists they do not want to lose the 20-year-old, who they only signed last year from Ajax.

But Bayern’s primary motivation in keeping Gravenberch is to have him as cover for incoming midfielder Konrad Laimer from RB Leipzig. That situation could force Gravenberch to push for a move away to Anfield, where he could be guaranteed more game time.

Apart from Gravenberch, Liverpool are also monitoring the situation of Chelsea duo Connor Gallagher and Mason Mount. At the same time, Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo is also high on their midfield wishlist this summer.

Nottingham Forest vs Manchester United: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

After their midweek exertions in the Europa League, Manchester United will turn their attention to the Premier League when they travel to City Ground to face Nottingham Forest.

The hosts desperately need a positive result to boost their Premier League survival bid after a miserable nine-match winless run dropped them into the relegation zone (D3, L6).

A 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa, which was bookended by individual errors, left manager Steve Cooper scratching his head and admitting that his side can only blame themselves.

But they will return to City Ground which has often been a source of strength this season, with the Tricky Trees winning 21 of their 27 points at the City Ground. That fortress hasn’t been as strong of late, though, with a four-match winless streak holding progress back (D3, L1).

But Forest still remains tough to beat at home, mainly because they’ve scored in all but one of the PL games they’ve hosted this campaign.

Manchester United endured a frustrating outing in the Europa League on Thursday, with a disappointing 2-2 draw with Sevilla seeing them throw away a 2-0 first-half win.

A season-ending injury to Lisandro Martínez also compounded that result, while veteran defender Rafael Varane was also injured in the game.

They will now travel to City Ground to defend their place in the top four. However, away matches have proved problematic of late, as a return of one win from their last five league road trips represents (D1, L3).The Red Devils have conceded 29 of their 37 PL goals in away matches, averaging 2.07 per road trip. So we will likely see a game featuring BTTS/GG

West Ham vs Arsenal: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

Arsenal will continue their quest for the Premier League title this Sunday when they face West Ham at the London Stadium.

Both sides are battling at different ends of the table and for different objectives. The hosts are still fighting to avoid relegation, having lost more than half of the league games they have played this season.

This game against Arsenal is the second of two games in four days for West Ham, who come into this tie on the back of a hard-earned 1-1 UEFA Europa League draw.

Their Thursday night involvements and the fact that they still have to face three of the PL’s top five clubs in their run home adds some additional difficulty to avoiding Premier League relegation.

Given their current form, Arsenal will fancy their chances of winning this game. The Gunners are unbeaten in their last eight league games.

However, they come into this tie on the back of a bad 2-2 draw with Liverpool, a game they drew after holding a 2-0 lead just before halftime.

They will hope that draw isn’t the beginning of their downfall as they battle to wrestle the title off Man City. However, the Cityzens are carrying a similarly imperious form into April, so Mikel Arteta’s men cannot afford to slow down at any moment.

That said, Arsenal have won eight of the last ten PL H2Hs (D1, L1) but collected just two clean sheets in that period. So we can expect a direct win for Arsenal, but a BTTS/GG bet will be right for this game.

Manchester United, Chelsea and Man City scout French defender Axel Disasi

According to reports, the Premier League trio of Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City have all watched Monaco defender Axel Disasi in recent weeks.

All three teams have sent scouts to watch Disasi and are impressed with the defender.

Chelsea are expected to make additions to their defence this summer, as well as both Manchester clubs, who are seriously considering adding more bodies to their back line.

There have been many names linked to all three clubs, with RB Leipzig’s Gosko Gvardiol being one common name as they seek to whittle down their centre-back shortlists.

But it has emerged that scouts from all three PL sides have been to watch Disasi in recent weeks. The 25-year-old made three appearances for France at the 2022 World Cup and is seen as a future star in Ligue 1.

He has been integral to a Monaco side pushing for Champions League qualification. He has made 41 appearances in all competitions for the Principality club, scored six goals, and provided four assists this season.

It is understood that Chelsea, City, and United were all impressed by Disasi. Still, their interest in the defender is only in its early stages, and there are no guarantees any of the three clubs will take their tracking of him any further.

Disasi, who is valued at €25million, is also attracting interest from clubs r s in from mainland Europe, with German and Italian clubs known to have watched the Frenchman recently.

Jurgen Klopp clarifies Liverpool’s Jude Bellingham transfer decision

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has admitted that his club have been forced to accept defeat in their pursuit of Borussia Dortmund star Jude Bellingham.

The Reds have been working on a deal to sign the 19-year-old midfielder for years but have been forced to pull out of a race due to the financial numbers that will be involved in the deal.

The Premier League side believes the amount needed for Bellingham is too expensive for a side with limited resources and significant transfer needs elsewhere in the squad.

Dortmund maintains they do not want to sell Bellingham this summer. But if they are forced to sell, it will require at least €150m, which, added to wages and agent’s fees, have seen Liverpool step aside. This has left Manchester City and Real Madrid as the likeliest destinations for the 19-year-old.

Asked about Liverpool’s decision, Klopp told Friday’s press conference: “There’s nothing to say about it, to be honest. If we don’t speak about players we are signing or not signing, why would we now speak about this kind of speculation? Really nothing to say.”

When pressed further about the situation at Liverpool, the German compared his club’s pursuit of Bellingham to a child asking for a Ferrari for Christmas.

“It’s not about Jude Bellingham,” the boss continued. “I never understood why we constantly talk about things we theoretically cannot have.

“We cannot have six players in the summer where everybody is £100m, for example. You have to realise what you can do, and then you have to work with it. ‘How much money do we have available?’, and then you have to work with that. That’s the job we have to do.

“We are not children. Ask a five-year-old what they want for Christmas, and they’ll say a Ferrari. You wouldn’t say that’s a good idea. It’s too expensive, and anyway, you can’t even drive it. That’s how it is. If this kid is then unhappy his whole life because he cannot get a Ferrari, that would be a really sad life. It’s just what you can do, and then you work with that.

“That’s how I’ve always worked. What we need and what we want, we try absolutely everything to get it, but there are moments when you have to accept this or that is not possible for us, so we step aside and do different stuff.”

Liverpool still intends to bolster in midfield and have identified Chelsea’s Mason Mount as an alternative to Bellingham. But the Reds face an anxious wait over the midfielders’ next round of contract talks with Chelsea.

Joshua Oha

Unwilling Romelu Lukaku set to return to Chelsea at the end of the season despite

Fiorentina vs Atalanta: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

Leeds United vs Liverpool: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

AS Roma vs Udinese: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

Saka apologises for COSTLY PENALTY miss

Bayern UNWILLING to sanction Gravenberch move to Liverpool

Nottingham Forest vs Manchester United: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

West Ham vs Arsenal: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

Manchester United, Chelsea and Man City scout French defender Axel Disasi

Jurgen Klopp clarifies Liverpool’s Jude Bellingham transfer decision

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