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.  Read more: Arsenal ‘OPEN talks with Leicester to sign defender Timothy Castagne 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.

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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. Read more: Paris Saint-Germain JOIN Manchester United in the race for Victor Osimhen 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.

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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. Read more: “I’m not going back to Barca, I’m going to Inter Miami”: Lionel Messi reveals his NEXT destination 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.

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Napoli vs Sampdoria: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

First meets last in the final game of the 2022/23 season when Napoli meets Sampdoria at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in Naples on Sunday. Napoli are in a festive mood after securing the Scudetto a month ago-their first top-flight title since 1989/90. They will be presented with the trophy at the end of this game, so they will be hoping for an accompanying win to commemorate the occasion. However, the hosts have faltered since claiming the title early last month (W2, D1, L1). But with this being his last game as Napoli boss,  departing manager Luciano Spalletti will hope for one last victorious hurrah before a packed Stadio Diego Armando Maradona before taking a well-deserved sabbatical. Read more: Real Madrid vs Athletic: Preview and Expert Football Prediction Napoli will fancy their chances of winning this game h given that they have never lost a home league H2H against rock-bottom and relegated Sampdoria since the turn of the century (W12, D2). The visitors come into this game sitting a whopping 68 points behind the new champions. So it will be a miracle for them to get a win here. Sampdoria’s measly haul of 19 points represents their poorest-ever top-flight showing. This terrible statistic has been influenced by their worst-ever tally of 24 Serie A defeats in a single campaign. They also come into this tie without a win in eleven games (D2, L9), so it seems unlikely they will get a good result here. Click here to get Correct Score prediction. 

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Arsenal join Barcelona in the race for Ilkay Gundogan 

Arsenal have reportedly shown interest in signing Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan as a free transfer in the summer. This is according to The Athletic, who claim that the Gunners want to bring the Manchester City skipper to the Emirates this summer. Gundogan’s current contract at the Etihad expires at the end of this season, and he has been linked with a move to Barcelona in the past.  Read more: Frenkie de Jong speaks on relationship with Joan Laporta amid Manchester United interest  However, he has yet to commit to a deal at Camp Nou and is free to speak to other clubs, including Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal side, who want him to join them next season ahead of their bid to win the title after missing out on this season’s trophy. Meanwhile, City are also trying to negotiate a new deal that will keep Gundogan at the Emirates for at least one more year. According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Pep Guardiola’s side has presented a two-year offer to the German’s entourage. “Talks will continue in the next few days between Ilkay Gündogan’s camp and Manchester City — the new proposal will be valid until June 2024 plus one year as an option,” Romano tweeted. “Gündogan has not rejected or accepted any bid as of now. Barcelona’s proposal remains valid. Race open.”

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Erling Haaland’s agent COY on striker’s future amid rumours on ‘mystery’ Man City release clause

Erling Haaland’s agent has refused to clarify the status of the release clause in the Manchester City striker’s contract. The Norwegian superstar joined Man City last summer in a huge deal that makes him the highest-paid player in the Premier League when add-ons and bonuses are factored in. The contract also included a bumper release clause. However, Pep Guardiola’s recent contract extension reportedly triggered a change in Halaand’s terms at the Etihad, perhaps even removing it altogether. Read more: Atletico Madrid want another Barcelona veteran: Jordi Alaba linked with a move to Wanda Metropolitano  However, when asked to give updates about Haaland’s future, the 22-year-old’s agent Rafaela Pimenta, remained coy and, if anything, fuelled the uncertainty surrounding his future. “I have nothing to clarify,” she told Mundo Deportivo via 90min. “The mystery of this story is very cute because you don’t know where it is, like a treasure chest. Anyway, as a lawyer, I can’t reveal the details of contracts.” Haaland is reportedly interested in testing himself across Europe, with Real Madrid keen to sign him down the line. “[Haaland can go] wherever he wants,” Pimenta continued. “He is a player that has never been seen before. “For me, his quality in everything and his ability to evolve are very impressive. He is capable of adapting quickly to a new club, new city, new coach… it’s as if he has always been there. That gives you a lot of peace of mind and allows you to move forward. “He is very calm in his professional and personal life, he has the quality. Today, he is in the right place, with the right team and the right coach. “In Brazil, we say that the sky is the limit. I think he is going to break all the records.” Pimenta, refused to say whether Haaland would ever play in La Liga, instead she spoke about her relationship with Real Madrid president Florentino Perez. “Strangely, I have only spoken with Florentino once in my life,” she said. “I cannot explain the reason, but above all I have a good relationship of great respect and admiration with Jose Angel Sanchez and Juni Calafat. They are serious, humble people and I think they do a great job for Madrid.”

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Liverpool vs Tottenham: Preview and Expert Football Prediction 

Liverpool will welcome Tottenham to Anfield this Sunday as both sides look to secure three points that will keep their quest for a place in Europe next season alive. The Reds have endured one of their worst seasons in recent history, with eight losses from their first 32 games. However, things have been better in their last few games, with a 2-1 win over West Ham United their third win in a row. The win also extended their run of games without defeat to give (W3, D2) and kept them within seven points of the top four with a game more. Read more: Barcelona vs Real Betis: Preview and Expert Football Prediction But despite their winning run, things haven’t gone so smoothly for Jurgen Klopp’s men, as question marks around their defence remain. The Reds have kept only one clean sheet in their last eight matches. A return to Anfield will boost their chances of keeping a clean sheet, though, as most of the eleven they have kept this season have come at home. Considering they’ve lost only once in their last 38 home PL games (W28, D9), they will fancy their chances of getting a good result here. Meanwhile, Tottenham will travel to Liverpool on Sunday to get just their third win in 35 league visits to Anfield (D10, L23). The North London side come into this tie on the back of a credible 2-2 draw with Manchester United.  After going two goals down in the first half of the game, the visitors put in a good second-half show to snatch a point against Erik ten Hag’s side and, in the process, kept their slim hopes of a top-four finish alive. They will now travel to Anfield looking to record their first league win in three games and keep their hopes of finishing in the top four alive. However, a run of seven matches with no win away from home (D2, L5) makes it difficult to envision a win here. At the same time, their terrible record at Anfield will raise more fears that Liverpool will leapfrog them here, which would most likely end any faint chances of claiming a Champions League place. Click here to get the best predictions for today.

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Barcelona vs Real Betis: Preview and Expert Football Prediction

La Liga resumes this weekend, with league leaders Barcelona welcoming European hopefuls Real Betis to Camp Nou for the 32nd Round of the 2022/23 season. The hosts, albeit poor in other competitions this season, have been brilliant in the league, shooting themselves to the top with 24 wins from 31 games. However, they have been wobbly recently and have won just one of their last four league games (D2, L1). A surprising 2-1 loss to Rayo Vallecano was the most recent of those results. Yet the Blaugrana remain in pole position to secure a first title since 2019 thanks to their 11-point lead ahead of this round. However, their huge lead at the summit is perhaps sparking worries about motivation levels amongst the squad. Read more: AS Roma vs AC Milan: Preview and Expert Football Prediction But despite conceding two against Rayo, the hosts (11 conceded) are in line to better the all-time joint-best defensive record for a 38-game La Liga campaign (18).  Returning to Spotify Camp Nou could boost their plans as Barcelona have conceded only two league goals there this campaign – one from a penalty and the other an own goal. Real Betis travel to Camp Nou in a poor run of form, having won just one of their last five games (D1, L3). Their goalless draw against Real Sociedad last matchday saw Los Verdiblancos fail to reduce the gap in the race for UEFA Champions League qualification. Therefore, coach Manuel Pellegrini has admitted they are “fighting for the Europa League and everything else is a dream.” The coach will be looking for a win, but he doesn’t exactly have a strong history against Barcelona to call upon, with the Chilean losing 23 of his 32 meetings in his illustrious career.  Improving that will require an improvement on the road where Betis are winless in over two months in all competitions (D1, L3), losing both of their last two away matches in La Liga. Given how solid Barca have been at the back in Camp Nou this season, a low-scoring affair is expected in this game. So an under 2.5 goals game will be the likeliest outcome here.

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Bayern players surprised by Julian Nagelsmann’s sack

Bayern Munich players Leon Goretzka and Joshua Kimmich have stated that the club’s players were shocked about the sacking of former head coach Julian Nagelsmann. The 35-year-old German tactician was relieved of his duties by Bayern on Friday, despite what appears to be a successful season with the Bavarians still in the title race and the Champions League quarter-finals. In his place, former Borussia Dortmund, PSG and Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel have been hired, with club CEO Oliver Kahn claiming that a change was needed after Bayern began playing less successfully and less attractively. Read more: Man City make move to keep Haaland Following Naglesmann’s sacking, there were widespread rumours that the Bavarians sacked him because of a rift between the manager and board and several players seemingly losing faith.  However, midfielder Joshua Kimmich has rubbished those claims, insisting that Nagelsmann is one of the three best coaches he has worked under. “No, I wouldn’t say that,” Kimmich said. “‘The reasons are that we didn’t win enough games and weren’t successful enough.  “Of course, we are represented in all competitions. You could see that we didn’t perform properly in the Bundesliga. We only won five out of ten games.  “But I can say that the coach has not lost the dressing room. I’ve already been through a couple of coaching changes: it wasn’t the case that it was indicated internally in the dressing room because the players were dissatisfied. We were surprised.” Fellow Bayern midfielder Leon Goretzka echoed Kimmich’s sentiments, revealing that he and several players were shocked about the news. “I didn’t have any problems with Nagelsmann. I don’t know how it was with others — but I can say that he didn’t lose the dressing room. The news of Julian being sacked was a shock! We (players) were all surprised. “I would be lying if I said the last few days hadn’t affected me. It was extremely difficult. We’ve had a very close relationship with Julian. I probably saw him more than my family.”

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Real Madrid to push for Erling Haaland and Jude Bellingham transfer this summer 

La Liga giants Real Madrid are reportedly hoping to complete the signing of Erling Haaland and Jude Bellingham this summer. According to a new report by The Independent, the Spanish giants want to reinvent their squad this summer and want the team to be built around Bellingham and Haaland. However, Los Blancos already feel confident about signing the Borussia Dortmund star after several meetings with his representatives.  Read more: Bayern Munich will send Joao Cancelo back to Man City And now, they have turned their attention to bringing Haaland to Santiago Bernabeu as a long-term replacement for Karim Benzema. According to the Independent, Real Madrid are hoping to pry him away from Manchester City at the end of the season, and they have the funds to do that.  Haaland and Bellingham have an existing relationship, having spent a season and a half together at Borussia Dortmund before the latter’s move to Man City last summer. Madrid want to build a new-look lineup in the summer, with attacking reinforcements the priority now, given that their key striker Benzema is 35 years.  Los Blancos have already signed Brazilian teenage star Endrick from Palmeiras. Still, the young man won’t be in Madrid until 2024, and Haaland would be the ideal solution to their immediate lack of depth at centre-forward.

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