Manchester United’s midfielder Casemiro dropped a big hint this week that he might be staying at Old Trafford. His performances have been below par and Saudi clubs have shown interest in taking United’s biggest wage earner. United would want £30million for Casemiro who has two years left on his contract. I have learned that his representatives are due to meet with Coach Erik Ten Hag next week to discuss his future. The player himself has told close associates that he could stay at the club and his personal Instagram has posted a picture of him wearing United’s new shirt for next season.
Maresca starts work at Chelsea
Enzo Maresca started life at Chelsea’s Cobham training ground on Monday and immediately had decisions to make. Many of his players are away at the Euros and Copa America but he linked up with new signings Tosin Adarabioyo and 18-year-old Omari Kellyman later in the week. Maresca went to the training academy to see what kind of youngsters are coming through for the team. Because of a long list of injuries last season academy products such as Alfie Gilchrist were called up for first team duty. Maresca is determined that he will not be put in that position. Much of his time has been spent working on getting Christopher Nkunku back into the first team. The French international was impressive during his time at RB Leipzig and can play in any position upfront. Maresca thinks playing him out wide would be his best position.
Chelsea have been heavily involved in the transfer action and have paid a £30million fee for Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall who will reunite with Maresca following their time together at Leicester. The joke circulating at Chelsea is that owner Todd Boehly thought he was buying a large impressive mansion called Dewsbury-Hall!
Liverpool return to training
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot received a boost to his pre-season planning when many of his players returned to training on Thursday. Waturu Endo was left out of Japan’s squad for the Olympics because he is 31-years-old. Players who returned to Anfield on Thursday were a mix of senior and squad players including Mo Salah, Endo and Curtis Jones but 11 internationals were missing because of the Euros and Copa America competitions. Several will miss the Red’s tour of the United States entirely. Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Luis Diaz and Alexis Mac Allister were all absent.
Gray seeking to make instant impact for Tottenham
Brentford are mightily disappointed that having agreed personal terms with the Bees the Leed’s youngster Archie Gray then had a change of heart and opted for Spurs. He claimed that former Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou was the reason he changed his mind. He said, “I’m not going to lie. I’m a massive Celtic fan so I love him! My whole family loves him! He’s a massive factor. Playing under a really good manager is very important to me. I’ve got lots to learn because I’m only 18. Gray has signed a six year contract and comes from a long line of Leeds players where he was in the academy. He is the son of Andy Gray, the grandson of Frank Gray and the great nephew of Eddie Gray all of whom played for Leeds and represented Scotland.
De Bruyne snaps at reporter
A very irritated Kevin De Bruyne earned his 105th cap for Belgium but suffered bitter disappointment as they exited the Euros, beaten by France 1-0. A clearly rattled De Bruyne then turned on a reporter who said that Belgium’s golden generation included himself, Eden Hazard, Vincent Kompany, Romelu Lukaku and Thibaut Courtois but had never won international silverware. De Bruyne snapped back, “What is a golden generation? You say that France and England and Spain and Germany is not a golden generation?”
Transfer news…
**Ross Barkley has rejoined his former club Aston Villa from relegated Luton Town for £5 million. The midfielder who has 33 England caps is 30 years-old. England Under-21 international Samuel Iling-Junior and Argentinian midfielder Enzo Barrenechea have also signed for Villa.
Villa have completed a deal with Juventus which takes Douglas Luiz to the Italian giants for £50million. The Brazil international has been sold to keep Villa within the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability rules.
**Chelsea have signed 18-year-old striker Marc Guiu on a five-year-deal from Barcelona.
**Newcastle’s midfielder and winger Miguel Almiron is being targeted by Steven Gerrard’s Saudi club Al Ettifaq.
**Bayern Munich have revealed that Manchester United have contacted the agent of Matthijs de Ligt and discussed a five year deal for the defender and a price of £42million. United’s original choice, Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite, is considered too expensive.
Ins and outs at United
Following his successful season with Manchester United, Jonny Evans is in discussion with the club about renewing his contract which ran out on Monday. Evans is 36 and goalkeeper Tom Heaton is 38 but both remain valuable to United. Evans rejoined last summer as a free agent and played 30 times including the FA Cup final which they won 2-1. Evans said he was relaxed about the deal and would wait to see what the club offered him. Heaton played three times in the Champions League group stage and also the League Cup. United have already said goodbye to Raphael Verane, Anthony Martial and Brandon Williams.
Marseille say they are very serious about signing Mason Greenwood and have contacted former Brighton coach Roberto De Zerbi who has just been appointed by Marseille. Napoli were interested but have said the £30million value placed on the midfielder is too much for a player who will be able to negotiate his own pre-contract agreement next January. United had intended to bring Mason back into the Old Trafford squad but a negative response from fans forced change their plans.
United to spend £50 million because of Ronaldo’s remarks
When he left Manchester United, Cristiano Ronaldo parted with a criticism of the club’s training facilities. United listened and are about to spend £50million on improving the whole Carrington complex to create what they describe as a “world class” environment. They have employed the architects who redesigned the national Wembley Stadium. When he left in 2022 Ronaldo said, “Since Sir Alex Ferguson left, I saw no evolution in the club. Nothing had changed.”
Jose Mourinho linked with taking Nunez to Turkey
Reports have been circulating that Liverpool intended to sell Darwin Nunez to Fenerbahce where he would link up with Jose Mourinho. I have been asked to pass on to you that these rumours and reports are without foundation and Liverpool currently have no intention of selling him to the Turkish side or anyone else. Nunez is playing for his native Uruguay at the Copa America. He is only two years into a six year contract which he signed when he joined the Reds from Benfica for £64million. He has scored 33 goals in 96 matches so far. It was reported that Mourinho was working with super-agent Jorge Mendes and his Gestifute agency on a deal to take Nunez to Turkey. The claim in the Turkish press is that Nunez is wanted as a replacement for Michi Batshuayi at Fenerbahce and that Mendes would mastermind what would be the biggest deal ever carried out in Turkish football.
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