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Wojciech Szczesny insists he will not quit smoking after coming out of retirement to join Barcelona.

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• Barca's new signing defiant on habit
• Insists it is "nobody's business"
• Cut short retirement to join Spanish giants

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Szczesny came out of retirement to join Barcelona at the start of October, and has since been quizzed on whether he plans to stub out his smoking habit, having been spotted puffing away after his retirement in the summer.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The ex-Arsenal goalkeeper, who was once caught smoking in the showers with the north London club, has struck a defiant tone, however, and maintains that he will not change who he is for anyone, and that includes his smoking habit.

• WHAT SZCZESNY SAID

  Speaking to , he said: "There are things that I don't change in my personal life and it's nobody's business if I smoke. I believe that it doesn't affect what I do on the pitch, I work twice as hard.

  "I don't do it in front of kids because I don't want to have a bad influence on them. Sometimes somebody will take a photo from the trees where I have a cigarette, that's on them, not on me.

  "If somebody thinks that I will change the way I am in my personal life they can think again because I am who I am. I've been this way my whole life."

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Szczesny is building his fitness during the international break. Barcelona are next in action against Sevilla on October 20.

The Premier League season only just came to an end, and the European Championships are right around the corner, but there's no time to sit back and take it in at Arsenal, as Mikel Arteta, Edu Gaspar, and the entire recruitment team have a few months to try and close the gap to Manchester City.

The most commonly held opinion is that the North Londoners need to bring in a new number nine this summer, and while that's probably true, they really ought to sign someone to provide Bukayo Saka with some genuine competition on the right.

Luckily, Edu and Co seem to agree with this sentiment, and the latest player touted for a move to N5 might be able to do precisely that while also winning comparisons to last year's surprise signing, Kai Havertz.

Arsenal transfer news

According to reports from Spain, Arsenal are one of several sides interested in Girona's star winger, Viktor Tsyhankov, who is valued at around €30m – £26m.

The story has claimed that the Gunners and AC Milan have approached the Spanish side over the player, while North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur are also interested.

While the interest of these other parties is far from ideal, the Premier League runners-up have an advantage, as the report has also revealed that he likes the idea of working under Arteta and believes he'd fit in with the team brilliantly.

With the price tag seeming reasonable enough and the player himself apparently wanting to join the club, Arsenal must get this deal done, as signing a player to challenge Saka next season could be incredibly beneficial.

How Tsyhankov compares to Saka and Havertz

Now, the first thing to clear up is that there are very few players in world football that Arteta would drop Saka for. So, if he does bring Tsyhankov to the club this summer, it'll likely be under the pretence that his role in the team is to challenge the Englishman and allow him to be substituted more often or rest in the less important games overall.

With that said, though, how do the pair stack up with each other? Well, when it comes to pure output, it's the Hale End superstar who unsurprisingly comes out on top, with his 34 goals and assists in 47 games far better than the Ukranian's still impressive 15 goals and assists in just 34 games.

However, things look a little closer than most might expect when looking at the pair's underlying numbers from the league season.

For example, while the Englishman still comes out on top overall, he's second best in several key metrics, such as passing accuracy, goals per shot, progressive passes, assists, and non-penalty goals, all per 90.

So, while the former Dynamo Kyiv star would likely remain a bench option in North London, he might be able to force his way into the team more often than people think.

With that said, where have the comparisons to Havertz come from? Well, that comes from FBref, which looks at all players in Europe's top five leagues and creates a list of the ten most similar players.

For the Girona ace, the German is considered the 8th most similar player when the pair play in midfield.

This similarity can be seen through several of their underlying numbers, such as non-penalty expected goals and assists, progressive passes, goals per shot, passing accuracy, tackles and interceptions, blocks, goal-creating actions and non-penalty goals, all per 90.

Ultimately, with the price looking quite reasonable, his impressive numbers relative to Saka, and his similarity to Havertz, signing Tsyhankov this summer looks like a brilliant idea, and therefore, Edu and Co must do all they can to get this deal done.

Arsenal could finally banish Zinchenko by signing £85m sensation

The incredible youngster could play for the club for more than a decade.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Jun 5, 2024

Cristiano Ronaldo's long-term partner Georgina Rodriguez has posted an Instagram story suggesting the pair have acquired a brand new property.

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• Ronaldo away on international duty
• Rodriguez teased new house purchase
• Rumours of mega mansion

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Rodriguez shared an image of herself posing in a large empty room, captioning the post: "My new asset 🏠 ✅"

  Specific details of the pair's potential new property venture are unclear right now, but speculation about a brand new mansion has been circulating for some time.

  @georginagio

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  It was reported in June that Ronaldo and Rodriguez had purchased land on a 'mega-exclusive' Dubai island, worth a whopping €25 million (£21m/$27m). Their plans to build a mansion on the island seem to be coming to fruition, although initial reports suggested that the property wouldn't be ready until the end of this year.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The pair appear to be enjoying their life in the Middle East, with Rodriguez previously saying she was "very happy" for her partner to be playing in Saudi Arabia. The 30-year-old recently revealed she was desperate to leave Manchester and was "so relieved" when Ronaldo's time at the club came to an end.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR RONALDO?

  While Rodriguez checks out their new mansion, Ronaldo is away on international duty preparing for a UEFA Nations League match against Poland. The Al-Nassr star recently scored his 900th career goal and will be looking to add to that tally this international break, despite Roberto Martinez being under pressure to end CR7's 'untouchable' status.

After an excellent first season under Gary O'Neil, Wolverhampton Wanderers have turned their attention towards rewarding the manager with a possible left-back boost in the transfer window.

Wolves transfer news

For clubs outside of the Premier League's top six, impressive campaigns can come at a price with those at the top of English football and around Europe more likely to circle around their top stars. And that looks set to be the case at Wolves this summer, with Pedro Neto and Matheus Cunha already linked with summer departures to Arsenal and Manchester United respectively.

The attacking duo enjoyed standout seasons in the Midlands, earning such links as a result, with Neto battling injuries whilst still maintaining his form when available throughout the season.

Both departures would undoubtedly deal Wolves a frustrating hole and two major gaps to fill, but they're not the only ones linked with a move away. Reports have also cast doubts over Rayan Ait-Nouri's future in the Midlands, with Liverpool mentioned as a potential destination. Suddenly, O'Neil could be looking at losing three of his best players in what would leave his side instantly battling against the odds in the Premier League at the start of next season.

Wolves eyeing £30m signing who’s a dream Adams alternative

This Premier League forward could be the perfect partner for Matheus Cunha.

By
Angus Sinclair

Jun 2, 2024

After being pushed aside under Julen Lopetegui, Ait-Nouri found himself restored to the Wolves side by O'Neil this season in what turned out to be a stroke of genius by the former Bournemouth boss. Now, however, if the defender repays that faith by heading for the exit door, those at Molineux may have a potential successor lined up.

According to A Bola, Wolves are one of the main candidates to sign Francisco Moura from Famalicao this summer in a deal that could be worth just €10m (£9m). Moura has impressed in Portugal and could follow a famous trend of Portuguese players finding themselves on their way to the Midlands, following in the footsteps of the likes of Neto and Ruben Neves.

With five assists to his name – three more than Ait-Nouri managed this season – Moura certainly represents a solid option to turn to when looking to ease any potential summer blow.

Wolves wise to target Moura

Still just 24 years old, Moura would represent smart business for Wolves, especially if Ait-Nouri does leave in the coming months. The Famalicao man, at just £9m could quickly turn into a bargain deal if he took his form from Portugal into the Premier League. Replacing Ait-Nouri will be no easy task, however, with the left-back attracting the interest of Liverpool for good reason.

Having bounced back well from losing Neves last summer, Wolves will be hoping to enter the start of next season in similar form no matter who they lose in the coming months. What's more, if links to Moura are anything to go by, the Midlands club could be willing to spend when it comes to replacing any outgoings this summer.

Glasgow Rangers have enjoyed a busy start to the summer transfer window as they have already secured three additions for their playing squad.

Oscar Cortes has joined on a second loan deal from Lens, with an obligation to make it permanent next summer, Jefte has signed permanently from Fluminense, and Clinton Nsiala will officially join the club next month after his contract with AC Milan expires.

A fourth player could be about to walk through the door at Ibrox as well as the club are reportedly in pole position to sign Yusuf Kabadayi from Bayern Munich.

The Glasgow giants now have a central midfielder in their sights as they are interested in a swoop to sign a player from one of their Scottish Premiership rivals.

Rangers interest in Scottish dynamo

According to The Scottish Sun, Nils Koppen is lining up a deal to sign Scottish dynamo Connor Barron from Aberdeen during the summer window.

The report claims that the Light Blues are at the front of the queue of clubs looking to snap up the 21-year-old midfielder ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

His contract with the Dons expired at the end of last month and Rangers are now said to be ready to 'step up' their interest in the 5 foot 9 youngster to add him to their squad.

The Scottish Sun adds that Aberdeen would be due compensation from the Gers and that the two clubs would have to reach an agreement, whilst the Premiership side could rake in up to £500k if he makes a move down south or to Italy – where there has been interest in him.

Rangers could help attacking midfielder Todd Cantwell to flourish by securing a deal for the out-of-contract star over the coming weeks, due to his tenacity and athleticism in the middle of the park.

How Connor Barron could help Todd Cantwell

Having an energetic and impressive defensive-minded ace at the base of the midfield could free up the English wizard to stay higher and maintain a constant threat in attack, rather than being too worried about his defensive duties and dropping in to help the team.

Analyst John Walker described Barron as "relentless" and lauded his excellent pressing out of possession earlier this year, which speaks to his impressive work off the ball.

As you can see in the table above, that was backed up by the Aberdeen star's performances on the pitch as he outperformed Rangers defensive midfielder John Lundstram, who has now left Ibrox on a free transfer, in a number of key metrics.

Barron could win a higher percentage of his duels in the middle of the park and be dribbled past fewer times by opposition players, which could cut out more attacks and lead to more transition opportunities for Rangers.

That could make him a dream for Cantwell as it would, therefore, provide the attacking midfielder with more security behind him and more attacks to showcase his quality.

The 26-year-old whiz produced seven goals and five assists in 30 Premiership matches this term but could have more chances to add to both of those tallies by having a defensive anchor behind him to mop up the ball and recycle it for the ex-Norwich ace to weave his magic at the top end of the pitch.

Rangers could repeat Tillman masterclass in swoop for "prolific" star

The Light Blues have been linked with an interest in the talented youngster this summer.

By
Dan Emery

Jun 9, 2024

Koppen and Philippe Clement could, therefore, help Cantwell to flourish further in a Light Blues shirt by bringing Barron in to play in midfield behind the English talent.

Joan Laporta has confirmed that Barcelona turned down a €250 million offer for Lamine Yamal before the transfer window.

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• Reports PSG were after Yamal in the summer
• Wanted the youngster as Mbappe's replacement
• Barca turned down €250m bid for wonderkid

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Paris Saint-Germain were reportedly ready to break the bank for Yamal and came knocking on Barcelona's doors with a world-record fee of €250 million (£211m/$277m) ahead of the 2024 summer transfer window to fill the void created by Kylian Mbappe's departure to Real Madrid. However, Laporta, firm in his belief in Yamal's potential, turned down the offer as he backs the youngster to create more history at Camp Nou.

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  WHAT LAPORTA SAID

  Speaking about the offer in an interview with , Laporta revealed: "They came to buy Lamine from me for €250 million and I said no six months ago. He is the most popular player in the world. What is Lamine’s real value? Well, that is not reflected in the book value.”

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  In addition to discussing Yamal, Laporta addressed the state of the current Barcelona squad. He acknowledged that some players might be considering their futures but emphasised that anyone who wishes to leave must bring a reasonable offer.

  “We did not want to sell, we thought we had to keep the team, which could give much more than it gave," he said. "I think we were not completely wrong, Flick is getting a lot out of it. Gundogan left and Olmo came. The players are performing much better than last year. Raphinha and Lewandowski have changed their faces. Whoever wants to leave should bring an offer for what they are worth and we will always study it. As Johan said, whoever plays here has to want to be here.”

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  WHAT NEXT FOR YAMAL?

  Despite the immense interest from other clubs, Yamal remains committed to Barcelona. In a recent statement, the 17-year-old wonderkid declared his intention to stay at the club long-term, expressing his desire to become a Barcelona legend. His current contract includes a release clause set at an eye-watering €1 billion, effectively securing his future at Camp Nou until 2026.

Smashing in a scrappy goal in stoppage-time, Haji Wright and Coventry celebrated as the American finalized their thrilling second half comeback.

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• Coventry defeats Luton Town 3-2
• Club completes brilliant three-goal comeback
• USMNT's Wright scores last-gasp winner

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  USMNT winger Haji Wright was the hero for Coventry City Saturday afternoon, with the winger scoring a crucial winner in second half stoppage-time to defeat Luton Town 3-2. The strike, a scrappy tap-in, helped complete their stunning three-goal comeback after going down 2-0 to start the match.

  His fifth goal of the season, Wright found the back of the net for the second-straight match, after bagging a goal on Oct. 22 in a 1-1 draw with QPR.

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  Speaking after the match with Sky Sports Football, Wright was thrilled with the goal, despite the sloppy nature of it. "I don't really care as long as they go in. It was an important goal for us, you know, we were working throughout the 90 minutes to get a result like this, and for it to happen this way is amazing."

  Asked if he felt a momentum shift in the second half, the U.S. international replied "Yeah, 100 percent," while adding "Even our play in the first half gave us a bit of confidence, we knew we were creating chances and it was just a matter of time before we took one."

  With Saturday's victory, Coventry climbed out of the relegation zone in the championship after a poor start to the season, a campaign that Wright deemed "frustrating."

  "We still have loads of new players and our team's quite young, so, we're still trying to find that gel, to find that perfect tempo to play at and we're still finding our feet a bit, but today was a great result."

• DID YOU KNOW?

  In every single match Wright has scored in this season, Coventry have claimed a result. Saturday was also the 26-year-old's second stoppage-time winner of the year, with his first coming on Aug. 16 against Oxford United.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR WRIGHT, COVENTRY?

  and Wright are back in action on Nov. 2 against Middlesbrough in Championship action. They'll be searching for the second-straight victory after Saturday's heroic comeback.

Whilst much of the focus has been on potential outgoings, Aston Villa have now reportedly made their first move to sign a new midfielder for Unai Emery.

Aston Villa transfer news

Those at Villa Park would have been hoping to feel the financial power of being a Champions League side this summer. That's been anything but the case, however. Instead, the Midlands club are among the sides who must raise funds before the end of June if they want to avoid breaking the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules.

Those rules have already resulted in one exit, with young midfielder Tim Iroegbunam completing a move to Everton worth a reported £9m, and there looks to be more on the cards.

Fast transfer possible as Aston Villa eye £42m Bayern target amid Luiz exit

The Brazilian is closing in on a move to Juventus.

By
Emilio Galantini

Jun 22, 2024

According to Fabrizio Romano, star midfielder Douglas Luiz is set to join Juventus in a deal that will see Samuel Iling-Junior and Enzo Barrenechea come the other way, whilst a deal has reportedly been agreed to sell academy prospect Omari Kellyman to Chelsea for a hefty £19m.

Following those potential exits, meanwhile, Villa look set to turn their attention back towards incomings this summer, with a deal for Ian Maatsen also set to be completed after Lewis Dobbin.

According to The Express, Aston Villa have enquired about a deal to sign Brais Mendez from Real Sociedad, reportedly making contact with the attacking midfielder's agent. Alas, they are reportedly joined in their interest by Manchester United, AS Roma and Juventus to create a hectic race in the coming months.

"Sensational" Brais Mendez could shine at Aston Villa

A player who has spent the entirety of his career in La Liga, moving from Celta Vigo to Real Sociedad, Mendez can finally move on to kickstart Villa's summer transfer window and hand Emery the attacking depth that a Champions League side will need. The 27-year-old, who reportedly has a £52m release clause, impressed once more in Spain last season to prove that he is more than capable of pushing the likes of Moussa Diaby for a starting place if he completes a move to the Midlands.

What instantly stands out about Mendez is his ball recovery ability alongside his hand in Sociedad goals last season. Those two traits combined would make him quite the option for Emery to turn to next season.

As a result of such form during his time in Spain, the midfielder has earned plenty of praise, with Zach Lowy once dubbing the 27-year-old "sensational" as a bright spark in a season to forget for Celta Vigo in the 2018/19 campaign. Now at Sociedad, that quality has far from dwindled to more than earn a big move this summer.

Despite his contentious exit, Cristiano Ronaldo set the standard in his second spell at Manchester United as Mike Phelan reflects on his impact.

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• Ronaldo returned to United in 2021
• Ten Hag clash led to unsavoury exit
• Portuguese left after being 'betrayed'

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Ronaldo's return to Old Trafford in 2021 prompted a much-needed wave of enthusiasm as the club welcomed back one of the greatest players in their history. But, like much of United's history in the post-Ferguson era, things didn't pan out as planned. Ronaldo left the club by mutual consent in November 2022 following a clash with Erik ten Hag that prompted the Portuguese to publicly claim the Red Devils had betrayed him.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Ronaldo's explosive interview with Piers Morgan in November 2021, where he claimed he was being pushed out and criticised the club's lack of progress since Sir Alex Ferguson's 2013 retirement, led to a mutual decision to terminate his contract. Yet his return had started well, with Ronaldo scoring 24 goals in all competitions in his first season and making an impact on former United assistant coach Mike Phelan, who was reunited with the player he first met as an 18-year-old.

  In an interview with The Athletic, Phelan denied suggestions Ronaldo overstepped the boundaries during his second spell and claimed the five-time Ballon d'Or winner set standards that his team-mates couldn't match.

• WHAT PHELAN SAID

  “When Ronaldo returned, the buzz was unreal – supporters, players," Phelan said. "What he brought back with him was a different playing style. Ronaldo is a goalscorer. He was driven by his outstanding ability to change a game. Everything was great. And then things change from the point of view of his ambition.

  “From the first time (Ronaldo was at United), when I was a coach, I just fine-tuned certain things. I tried to appeal to his strong mentality – ‘These moments are yours’. I applied that the second time around. You didn’t coach Cristiano to be a better player. All I was doing was reinforcing his belief that special players find a way.

  “I was rubbing his ego a little bit. But he delivered. He was older, wiser and set high standards – sometimes standards others couldn’t keep to.

  “We can all look back in hindsight, and I think Ole has commented on it, how that dynamic might have changed. But if you wanted someone to produce something, he did it. I honestly never thought Cristiano stepped over boundaries."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MAN UTD?

  One can only imagine Ronaldo's reaction to Ten Hag's recent sacking, with the Al-Nassr forward admitting that he didn't respect the Dutch coach in the Morgan interview. United are set for a new era under Ruben Amorim, who just masterminded Sporting CP's stunning 4-1 win over the Red Devils' rivals Manchester City in the Champions League.

West Ham United could turn their attention to a “scary” free agent after securing a deal to sign Wolves defender Max Kilman.

Kilman to become latest West Ham signing

So far this summer, the Irons have been active in the transfer market ahead of Julen Lopetegui’s first season in charge, with technical director Tim Steidten making multiple additions.

First to sign was winger Luis Guilherme from Palmeiras in a £25m+ deal and experienced goalkeeper Wes Foderingham also joined on a free transfer after his contract expired at Sheffield United. Speaking after those two deals at Lopetegui’s first official press conference as West Ham manager on Monday, Steidten said:

“I can’t tell you specifics, but it will be a busy summer for us for sure. The owner and the board have done a really good job over recent years, so we’re in good shape financially. We’re trying to build up the squad. We’re not limiting ourselves to one position – we’re looking at all areas.”

The next addition to link up for pre-season with the Irons will be long-term target Kilman, who will reunite with Lopetegui at the London Stadium.

A £40m deal has been agreed with those at Molineux, with Fabrizio Romano posting to X on Thursday:

Kilman may not be the last addition of the window, though, with attention seemingly turning back to further attacking reinforcements after Guilherme.

Corinthians winger Wesley Gassova has been one of the latest names to be linked with the Hammers, but a forward with Premier League experience is also on the club’s agenda.

West Ham eyeing Kelechi Iheanacho move

According to GiveMeSport, West Ham and Wolves, following their negotiations for Kilman, are preparing to go toe-to-toe to sign Kelechi Iheanacho. The Nigerian is now a free agent after leaving Leicester City upon the expiration of his contract ‘and there is a possibility of discussions over a move being opened as plans are made for the fast-approaching new campaign’.

The 27-year-old spent seven years at the King Power Stadium after joining from Manchester City and was hailed by former manager Brendan Rodgers, who said: “Since he has come into the team he has just been fantastic. I am delighted for him because he is such a conscientious guy, such an honest guy, and as you can see now, a very talented player.

"I know when I came here that there were probably times when there were grumbles if he was playing but he has very quickly won over people. That is just through hard work, resilience and talent. What you are seeing is a young player at the top of his game."

Also once described as a "scary" finisher by ESPN's Colin Udoh, Iheanacho has scored 42 goals in 196 games in the Premier League, and it looks as if he could add to that in the 2024/25 campaign, possibly with West Ham.