Joshua Oha, Author at Matchplug Blog

Man United make Rasmus Hojlund and Randal Kolo Muani their Harry Kane transfer alternative

Manchester United have reportedly identified highly rated Rasmus Hojlund and Randal Kolo Muani as alternatives should they miss out on signing Tottenham striker Harry Kane this summer.

The Red Devils are searching for a goalscorer to add to their ranks and are expected to splash the cash to sign a world-class No.9 during the next transfer window, given that there currently are no suitable options to fill that role at Old Trafford.

Anthony Martial and Wout Weghorst, who was signed on loan in January, have both struggled to fill the void, leaving only Marcus Rashford to carry the goal-scoring burden.

It has been suggested that Napoli sensation Victor Osimhen and Harry Kane are the two figures prominently on Erik ten Hag’s wish list.

However, the Premier League giants know that England captain Kane will command a huge transfer fee.

So they have identified Atalanta striker Hojlund and Eintracht Frankfurt’s Kolo Muani as more affordable options. The 24-year-old France international Kolo Muani, who has hit 16 goals for Frankfurt this season, is also attracting interest from PSG.

Meanwhile, 20-year-old Danish star Hojlundhas registered eight goals for the Serie A side this season. During the March break, the Dane hit a hat trick on his senior international debut against Finland.

However, both players are tied to contracts with their current employers through 2027.

United faces competition for both players, with heavyweights like Chelsea and Bayern Munich also monitoring Hojlund.

Bayern Munich eyeing a summer move for Havertz and Mount

Bayern Munich are reportedly keen on signing Chelsea duo Kai Havertz and Mason Mount this summer.

The Bavarians want to bring the duo to Allianz Arena at the request of new boss Thomas Tuchel, recently hired as a replacement for Julian Nagelsmann.

The German has wasted little time getting started on his summer transfer plans and has identified both players he knows very well as the perfect fit for the club.

According to sources, Bayern officials have asked Tuchel about a possible summer move for Mount, who will likely be sold this summer after repeatedly rejecting Chelsea’s new contract offer.

The England midfielder is approaching the final year of his contract at Stamford Bridge and could be sold this summer to avoid going for free next year. Liverpool and Manchester City have been linked with his signature, but he has yet to decide where he wants to play next.

While Mount’s situation is being followed closely, Bayern Munich have also sounded out the possibility of signing German international Havertz. However, according to a report by 90min, Bayern considers the signing of the striker more priority than singing Mount.

The Bavarians have been interested in Havertz following his emergence as a star with Bayer Leverkusen and have tracked his progress ever since his €80m move to Chelsea in 2020.

The Bundesliga giants consider the 23-year-old Havertz a long-term replacement for veteran forward Thomas Muller, who will turn 34 in September. However, there is a growing sense of belief that Havertz is interested in leaving Chelsea to make a move this summer.

Marseille vs Montpellier: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

After a two-week hiatus, the French Ligue 1 returns this weekend with second-placed Marseille taking on Montpellier at the Stade Vélodrome on Friday.

Marseille were building momentum before the international break with a run of three games without defeat (W2, D1), including wins over top-four hopefuls Reims and Rennes.

The hosts are the closest challengers of perennial winners Paris Saint-Germain, having secured 18 wins this season (D5, L5), with their points tally just seven behind Lionel Messi’s side. A win here would close the gap on leaders PSG to four points as the season nears its climax.

They will fancy their chances of getting a result here after ending Reims’ remarkable unbeaten run with a 2-1 win last time. But if they’re to manage that and apply some pressure on PSG, they’ll also have to end their four-match winless run in home league action (D2, L2), including most recently squandering a 2-0 lead at the 85th-minute mark to draw 2-2 with Strasbourg.

But considering that Les Olympiens haven’t conceded more than once in a home H2H since December 2015 (W6, D3), they’ll expect to hold firm if they find themselves in a similar position again.

Meanwhile, Montpellier come into this tie in formidable form as they are unbeaten in six league fixtures (W5, D1). Like Marseille, the visitors were building steam just before the international break. As a result, they were able to push themselves away from the relegation zone into the eleventh position, thanks to three straight league wins.

The goal will now be for them to kick on from there and crack the top six places. However, they sit 13 points behind Lille in sixth position, with ten games to play. The possibility of a top-six finish looks slim unless they can continue to win and pick up their fourth consecutive win in this game.

But given that they’ve only beaten one side currently sitting in the top half this term (D2, L9), it will be a significant result if they win here. However, that sole win did come away from home (2-0 v Lorient), and having secured four wins ‘to nil’ across their last six Ligue 1 road fixtures (L2), Montpellier will hope they can resume their campaign in a similar vein of form.

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Mallorca vs Osasuna: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

La Liga returns this weekend as top six hopefuls Osasuna will travel to Palma de Mallorca this Friday to face Real Mallorca in the 27th Round of the La Liga season.

Real Mallorca are one of the eight teams dreaming of a place in the top seven of La Liga this season. The hosts have taken 32 points from their opening 26 games of the season, leaving them in eleventh position after 26 rounds of matches, nine points behind sixth-placed Villarreal.

However, they could have been inside the top half, but not for a poor run of results just before the international break. Javier Aguirre went into the break on a run of four games without a win in La Liga (D1, L3). Aguirre’s job to turn the hosts’ poor run of form must start with fixing a leaky defence that has not kept a clean sheet in their last consecutive La Liga games (W1, D1, L4).

They also have to fix their goalscoring, with Mallorca the joint-lowest-scoring side in the top eleven of La Liga with 22 goals. The other team with 22 goals in the top eleven is Osasuna, who come into this tie without a goal in their last three games.

Like their hosts, the visitors went into the international break poorly, having lost two of their last three La Liga games (D1). However, Jagoba Arrasate admitted after their last outing that “we have to disconnect, recharge our batteries, clear our minds and work to return to being.

Having enjoyed two weeks of uninterrupted break and with most of his stars not called up for their national teams, Arrasate will hope that his well-rested stars will come back refreshed to navigate this last lap of games successfully and to get the most from their gruelling run of three games in nine days, including a cut-throat Copa del Rey semi-final tie with Athletic Bilbao.Click here to get the football best predictions today.

Lionel Messi slammed by Saudi club president

Lionel Messi has been criticised by the President of Saudi Arabian professional football club Al-Tai, who has declared that he will never sign the Argentinian for his club.

The PSG star is arguably the biggest active player in the world and will be a dream signing for any side. However, he is out of contract with his current club at the end of this season and is wanted by some clubs, including his former club Barcelona.

Major League Soccer side Inter Miami are also considered keen on his services after they made an unsuccessful attempt to sign him last summer. Saudi Arabian heavyweights Al-Ittihad and Al Hilal are also looking to snap him up, having seen the success the signing of Cristiano Ronaldo has brought to fellow league rivals Al Nassr.

However, not everyone in the Saudi Arabian Pro League is excited about signing Messi–at least not Turki Al-Dabaan, the president of Saudi side Al-Tai.

Al-Dabaan says he would not sign the Argentina international for his club because of his performance in PSG’s Champions League exit at the hands of Bayern Munich.

PSG and Messi suffered another disappointing exit from the Champions League after they were beaten 3-0 on aggregate by Bayern in the Round of 16 clash early In March.

“I do not want to sign a world-class player in my team who is saturated and watches the match from the stadium like Messi in front of Bayern Munich,” Al Dhabaan told Saudi Arabian TV channel SBC.

Premier League clubs battling for Genk’s Mike Tresor

At least five Premier League clubs are reportedly fighting for the services of emerging Genk winger Mike Tresor.

The Belgian is one of Europe’s leading assist makers this season, making 18 assists in 30 league appearances for Genk while scoring seven times.

Only Swift Hesperange’s Rayan Philippe, with 20 assists, has recorded more assists than Tresor in Europe, and the 23-year-old’s contributions have catapulted Genk to the top of the Belgium Pro League table.

His form and numbers has alerted Europe’s leading clubs of his availability. And according to 90min, at least six clubs in England are after him.

The five Premier League clubs interested in his services are Nottingham Forest, Leicester City, Brentford, Brighton and Wolves. These sides are among teams who have sent scouts to watch Tresor in recent months.

Championship leaders Burnley, managed by former Belgium international Vincent Kompany, are also keen on the player. The Clarets tried to bring Tresor to England in January but failed, as Genk was not interested in selling their star mid-season. However, Burnley are expected to return for the 23-year-old in the summer as they attempt to build a squad that will compete favourably in the Premier League.

Tresor began his career with Anderlecht before spells in Holland with NEC and Willem II before joining Genk. He has also attracted interest from clubs in Germany and Spain.

The 23-year-old is still waiting to make his international debut, having yet to be selected by former Belgium boss Roberto Martinez or current coach Domenico Tedesco for their most-recent international games.

Wenger and Ferguson inducted into the EPL Hall of Fame

Former Manchester United and Arsenal managers Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger have been inducted into the EPL Hall of Fame, the Premier League has announced.

The duo have become the first managers to be inducted into the Hall of Fame for their outstanding contributions to the league. They follow in the footsteps of the likes of Thiery Henry, Steven Gerrard, Patrick Vieira, David Beckham, Wayne Rooney, Frank Lampard, Roy Keane, Eric Cantona, Sergio Aguero, Dennis Bergkamp, Ian Wright, Didier Drogba, Paul Scholes, Vincent Kompany, Peter Schmeichel and Alan Shearer who were inducted in the previous editions.

The legendary duo have 16 Premier League titles between them, with Ferguson alone responsible for 13 of those titles. The Scotsman spent 27 years at Old Trafford, amassing 528 wins from 810 matches and 1,752 points accumulated.

He was named Premier League manager of the season 11 times and collected the Manager of the Month award on 27 occasions.

Wenger is the only manager to have won the Premier League title without tasting defeat, with his ‘Invincibles’ of 2003 the only club in the competition’s history to go an entire season without losing a game.

The Frenchman managed 828 Premier League matches, including 476 wins and 199 draws. He was voted Manager of the Season in 1998, 2002 and 2004.

Speaking after the announcement of their induction, Ferguson paid homage to Wenger, calling him a ‘worthy inductee’.

“I feel Arsene is a very worthy inductee,” he said.

“He transformed Arsenal Football Club fantastically. They became a tough team to compete with, and we both wanted to win, which motivated us further.

“Through the years since retirement, we’d go for dinner together in a little restaurant he knows well in Switzerland. He is a really interesting man, and I enjoy his company, but it is still my job to pick the wine!’

“I’d like to be known as someone who loved Arsenal, who respected the values of the club and left it in a position where it can grow and become even bigger.”

Wenger said: “I am very grateful to have been selected for the Premier League Hall of Fame. We always wanted to give something special to the fans, and when you have players capable of remarkable things, the most important thing for me is the obligation of perfection.

“To share this with Sir Alex is a great honour for me. It’s like two boxers. You fight like mad and go the distance together.

“At the end of the day, you have respect, and it will be a great opportunity to meet with him, share a good bottle of wine and memories of our old battles.”

Man City & PSG make opening bid for Croatian sensation Luka Vuskovic

Premier League defending champions Manchester City and Ligue 1 heavyweights Paris Saint-Germain have reportedly submitted an opening bid for Hajduk Split defender Luka Vuskovic.

According to 90min, the two European giants have indicated an interest in Vuskovic, but the Croatian side are in no rush to finalise a deal.

The 16-year-old centre-half’s contract at Hajduk runs until 2026. But they are expected to agree to a sale this summer to balance the books.

Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City side are reportedly the first team to approach, proposing a deal worth up to €12m for Vuskovic, the youngest player to feature in the Croatian top flight. He is also the youngest Croatian to play and to score in the UEFA Youth League and is highly thought of in his home country, resulting in Hajduk believing they can fetch a higher fee for him.

The Croatian side believes €15m is a more realistic valuation for the 16-year-old, and so are not ready to agree on a sale for him at this moment.

Chelsea, Manchester United, Newcastle and Tottenham have also shown an interest in the teenager. Across Europe, Lyon, PSG, Benfica, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, AC Milan, Juventus, and Borussia Dortmund are also keen on landing Vuskovic.

However, the feeling is that Hajduk Split and Vuskovic want the player to remain for at least one more season, as he has already become a regular in the club’s senior set-up.

Draxler and Paredes to return to PSG this summer

PSG loan stars Julian Draxler and Leandro Paredes will reportedly return to the Parc des Princes this summer when their loan deals expire.

Both players left PSG on loan last summer to pursue first-team football, but things have not gone according to plan, and they are set to return to their parent club.

Germany international Julian Draxler joined Benfica, while Leandro Paredes joined Italian Serie A side Juventus. But they will both return to PSG in the summer before looking for permanent moves away from the Parks side.

This is according to football transfer expert Frabizo Romano who tweeted,

“Julian Draxler and Leandro Paredes are both expected to return to PSG at the end of the season, waiting for possible new solutions.

“Juventus are not planning to activate the buy option clause for Paredes at this stage; Draxler is injured and expected to leave Benfica.”

PSG Offered Rashford a huge £400,000-a-week contract amid stalled contract discussions at Man United

Paris Saint-Germain have reportedly offered in-from Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford a huge £400,000-a-week contract to ditch Old Trafford for Parc des Princes this summer amid uncertainty over his future in England.

The England man has just one year left on his deal with United. He has opened talks with the Premier League side, but talks between both sides have reportedly stalled recently.

According to The Athletic, there is little progress in discussions between Rashford’s entourage and Man United, with the striker reportedly waiting to find out if the club will be sold to new owners.

As a result, PSG are lurking around, looking to pounce should both sides fail to reach an agreement soon.

The French giants have maintained a keen interest in the 25-year-old since last summer and are willing to match his rising profile with a good monetary offer.

Club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi even admitted during the World Cup that the Ligue 1 giants have previously spoken with representatives of the “really amazing” United star.

And now it is reported that PSG had an offer worth more than £400,000-a-week on the table for Rashford at one stage. However, they were unable to tempt the England ace to France.

But if the uncertainty surrounding Rashford’s contract at Old Trafford persists, they will certainly return to try again. So United need to move quickly and decisively if they are to keep a home-grown talent on their books.

Joshua Oha

Man United make Rasmus Hojlund and Randal Kolo Muani their Harry Kane transfer alternative

Bayern Munich eyeing a summer move for Havertz and Mount

Marseille vs Montpellier: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

Mallorca vs Osasuna: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

Lionel Messi slammed by Saudi club president

Premier League clubs battling for Genk’s Mike Tresor

Wenger and Ferguson inducted into the EPL Hall of Fame

Man City & PSG make opening bid for Croatian sensation Luka Vuskovic

Draxler and Paredes to return to PSG this summer

PSG Offered Rashford a huge £400,000-a-week contract amid stalled contract discussions at Man United

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