Liverpool to sell Luis Diaz ‘on one condition’, Man Utd and Villa eye Torino’s ‘high-speed train’
Liverpool may be open to offers for Luis Diaz this summer, while Manchester United and Aston Villa are chasing Torino’s rapid right-back…
REDS OPEN TO DIAZ OFFERS
Might Luis Diaz follow Jurgen Klopp through the Anfield exit door this summer?
That is the prospect raised by The Sun, which suggests Liverpool will listen to offers for the Colombia forward if Mo Salah agrees a new contract.
Should Salah decide to try his hand elsewhere, then Liverpool intend to make the best of a bad situation. Football Insider says they will demand ‘well in excess of £100million’ from any Saudi sides looking to swoop for the Egyptian, despite his looming status as a free-agent.
Read more: Liverpool’s big three in top 20 stars out of contract in 2025 headed by Bayern trio
ROMA MOVE FOR LIVERPOOL, NEWCASTLE TARGET
Before anything else, Liverpool need to appoint a sporting director to take on the lead on replacing Klopp and pinning down Salah, Van Dijk and Alexander-Arnold to new deals. The Sun says the position could be filled in the next fortnight, but it remains unclear who might step in. We know they want Michael Edwards to return but the former Reds chief is taking some convincing.
Related video: Aston Villa 1-2 Man Utd: Post-match reaction (Dailymotion)
One of the names linked with the role is Richard Hughes. The Bournemouth technical director is also a candidate to replace Dan Ashworth at Newcastle after almost a decade working for the Cherries.
But The Telegraph suggests Hughes could swerve Premier League interest in favour of Roma. The 44-year-old grew up in Italy and began his career in Atalanta’s academy. Roma are currently on the hunt for a new sporting director after the departure of Tiago Pinto.
UNITED, VILLA WATCHING TORINO FLIER
Staying in Italy, where Raoul Bellanova is said to be catching the eye of Manchester United and Aston Villa.
Bellanova is currently locking down the right-side of Torino’s defence while so far offering five assists this season.
The 23-year-old spent last season on loan from Cagliari at Inter Milan but failed to dislodge Denzel Dumfries. Torino took him in the summer for around £5million and could make a four-fold profit inside a year, especially if Bellanova earns the Italy call-up that is rumoured for this month’s friendlies.
Tuttosport says Villa have watched the Milan-born ‘high-speed train’ most often, while United have also checked on him during Torino’s draw with Roma.
Read next: Big Weekend: Manchester derby, depleted Liverpool, Thomas Partey, Chelsea
Rashford hits back at media treatment: ‘There’s a tone to it that you don’t get with all footballers’
Marcus Rashford says his commitment to Manchester United should never be called into question.
The 26-year-old England international has faced questions this season for issues both on and off the field.
Last month Rashford was under the spotlight after reportedly being seen in a Belfast nightclub before missing the following day’s training due to illness and he subsequently missed United’s FA Cup tie against Newport.
However, in a piece for the Players’ Tribune website, Rashford has responded to his critics, asking them to show “a bit more humanity”.
“When I make a mistake, I’ll be the first one to put my hand up and say that I need to do better,” he wrote.
“But if you ever question my commitment to Man United, that’s when I have to speak up. It’s like somebody questioning my entire identity, and everything I stand for as a man.
“I grew up here. I have played for this club since I was a boy. My family turned down life-changing money when I was a kid so I could wear this badge.
“I can take any criticism. I can take any headline. From podcasts, social media and the papers. I can take it.
“But if you start questioning my commitment to this club and my love for football and bringing my family into it, then I’d simply ask you to have a bit more humanity.”
Mailbox: Rashford’s form is down to Ten Hag’s treatment of his mate Sancho and McTominay > Casemiro…Related video: Alan Shearer reveals why he has no regrets turning down Manchester United twice (Dailymotion)
Rashford came under scrutiny in October last year after attending a nightclub party following United’s 3-0 home derby defeat to Manchester City.
He has also faced criticism for performances on the pitch having scored only five goals in 32 appearances across all competitions this season.
The forward suggested there is a “tone” to media coverage surrounding him, which he believes may stem from his campaigning for free school meals during the pandemic in which he was made an MBE.
Rashford added: “I’m not trying to have a go at the media. I understand the game, you know what I mean? They’re not really writing about me. It’s like they’re writing about this character, ‘Marcus Rashford.’
“It can’t just be about me as a 26-year-old lad on a night out, or a lad getting a parking ticket. It’s got to be about how much my car costs, guessing my weekly salary, my jewellery or even my tattoos.
“It’s got to be about my body language, and questioning my morals, and speculating about my family, and my football future.
“There’s a tone to it that you don’t get with all footballers. Let’s just leave it at that.
“I think some of it goes back to the pandemic. I was just trying to use my voice to make sure that kids weren’t going hungry, because I know exactly how it feels.
“For some reason, that seemed to rub certain people the wrong way. It seems like they’ve been waiting for me to have a human moment so they can point the finger and say, ‘See? See who he really is?’.”
Read now: Paul Pogba among top 10 most expensive players ever to leave on free transfers
EPL: I made it difficult for him – Arteta makes admission about Arsenal player
Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta, has admitted he made it difficult for Jakub Kiwior at the club.
However, Arteta says he is impressed by Kiwior’s progress in recent weeks.
The 24-year-old signed for the Gunners last January from Spezia, but barely featured during the run-in as Arsenal struggled defensively in William Saliba’s absence.
With Saliba reforming his partnership with Gabriel Magalhaes at the heart of the defence, chances had been few and far between, especially in the Premier League, for Kiwior until the turn of the year.
However, in the absence of Oleksandr Zinchenko and Takehiro Tomiyasu, Kiwior has demonstrated his versatility by filling in at left-back.
Kiwior’s promotion to the starting XI has coincided with Arsenal’s blistering run of form which has shot them back into title-winning contention.
Arteta said: “We made a decision to bring him in earlier because we believed we were assigned to have the role that he had, but he was going to need time and that was the case.
“We have made it difficult for him for two reasons: one because he hasn’t played that many minutes, and secondly because we’ve asked him to play in a position that he’s never played in before.Related video: Partey-time! Arteta confirms midfielder is fit to return to Arsenal squad for first time since October (SNTV)
Thomas had a session before the game.
“I think he has adapted really well and he is playing better and better, you can tell that he is earning confidence and physically, he is better.
“He understands the role much better and he has been really good.”
EPL: I made it difficult for him – Arteta makes admission about Arsenal player
Big Weekend: Manchester derby, depleted Liverpool, Thomas Partey, Chelsea
It’s massive in Manchester where United might simply hope to avoid a humping from City, while Liverpool seek a landmark win at Nottingham Forest, and Chelsea look to regain some trust…
Game to watch: Manchester City v Manchester United
United fans have grown used to being wary of derby day. But this one feels like a cross-town trek for a hiding to nothing.
City are doing what City do: easing into their stride before going hell for leather through the business end of the season. They haven’t been as fluent in attack, but they are more resilient in defence and eight wins from nine suggests they are primed to push on and defend their Treble.
There were some concerns over Erling Haaland’s form. Then he scored five goals, four assisted by Kevin De Bruyne, and no-one seems to be too concerned any more.
Erik ten Hag, though, is a man of many worries. The United manager has already suffered one Etihad annihilation, when Haaland and Phil Foden scored a hat-trick apiece, but that was early enough in his reign for the blame to fall at his players’ feet. Seventeen months and a new regime on, the focus is firmly on Ten Hag.
He’d be right to fret if United were at full-strength, but Ten Hag goes into another derby – three defeats in four in all competitions so far against City – without a fit-for-purpose centre-forward and an injury-ravaged defence.Related video: We have to focus on Liverpool game, Klopp has them playing well - Nuno (English Football Channel)
With the FA Cup now done,
All logic points to a comfortable City win. Restricting the margin to something respectable might be the best Ten Hag can hope for.
Read more: Erik ten Hag looks more Van Gaal than Fergie despite FA Cup heroics
Team to watch: Chelsea
Take your pick here: Chelsea or Newcastle…
Both clubs go into the weekend in similar situations. Each edged past Championship opposition in midweek after humbling outings last week. Newcastle didn’t lay a glove on Arsenal before eking past Blackburn on penalties; Chelsea scored late to see off Leeds at Stamford Bridge after losing the Carabao Cup final to a second-string Liverpool.
The criticism of Newcastle was firm and justified, but Chelsea really copped it. Deservedly so, even if Gary Neville later regretted sticking the boot in quite so hard.
Beating Leeds and moving into the FA Cup quarter-finals was the minimum response required but the Blues need a more sustained rebuttal to the criticism they received, with Mauricio Pochettino firmly in the firing line.
On Saturday lunchtime, he takes his Blues on the short journey to Brentford. The atmosphere at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday highlighted how far Pochettino and his team have to go to regain the faith of Chelsea supporters. That won’t be achieved in Brentford, but they could dig themselves a bigger hole in their near-neighbours’ backyard.
Manager to watch: Jurgen Klopp
In contrast to Pochettino and Chelsea, Klopp and Liverpool are buzzing right now. The high before the low of goodbye in the summer.
In the meantime, the Reds have it all to achieve. They have won their first trophy of the season and maintained their run in another while dealing with a potentially-crippling injury crisis. Can the kids keep it up at Forest to retain their seat at the Premier League summit?
Klopp will be counting the bodies at Melwood before they head to Nottingham on Friday having made do without 14 first-teamers against Southampton in midweek. Many won’t board the bus, but Darwin Nunez, Mohamed Salah, Andy Robertson and Dominik Szoboszlai might.
Their current momentum suggests Klopp need not rush back too many of his senior stars but Liverpool have a poor record at Forest. Never in the Premier League era have they won at the City Ground and Nuno’s side will be scrapping harder than Chelsea, and with more intent than Championship-focused Southampton, which may see the Reds take a more familiar look.
Read more: Full list of every Liverpool academy graduate Klopp has given debut to should embarrass Mourinho
Player to watch: Thomas Partey
“He’s been out for many, many months now,” said Mikel Arteta before revealing that Partey will finally be back for Arsenal’s trip to Sheffield United on Monday night. The question now, though, is: do the Gunners really need him?
Partey was once considered crucial to Arsenal’s prospects – arguably their most important player at times since he joined from Atletico Madrid in 2020. His return from a variety of muscle problems would have ordinarily been seen as a huge boost to their title prospects. But the Gunners seem to have learned how to live without the Ghanian.
Declan Rice’s arrival is a large factor in Partey’s absence not being felt as hard as it might. But so too is Jorginho’s recent form.
So good has the Italian been, Arsenal are reportedly set to offer him a new contract beyond the deal that expires at the end of the season. Jorginho has given Arteta the control he craves in games as well as the leadership Arsenal have been known to lack.
And now, Arteta has depth were not long ago there was none. The manager won’t drop Jorginho, but with Partey now available – for how long, who knows? – the battle for the spot at the base of Arsenal’s midfield is on.
EFL game to watch: Huddersfield v Leeds
West Brom versus Coventry could be huge in the race for the Championship play-offs, but Winty would pull rank if her Terriers didn’t feature ahead of their West Yorkshire derby against Leeds on Saturday lunchtime.
Town remain in the relegation mire, three points above the drop zone but only two ahead of third-from-bottom Stoke. But their current inconsistency is better than what they were serving up prior to the decision to dispose of Darren Moore.
That, and the impact of new manager Andre Breitenreiter ahead of his first home match in charge, could make this a trickier assignment than it appears for Leeds, who took many positives from a midweek cup defeat to Chelsea, but remain laser-focused on chipping further into Leicester’s six-point lead at the top of the table.
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European game to watch: Napoli v Juventus
Not much jumps out from the European leagues as a must-watch meeting this weekend. PSG go to Monaco on Friday night for the Mbappe derby and, on Sunday evening, Barcelona go to Athletic Bilbao.
We might flick between that and Juve’s trip to Napoli. The Serie A champions have offered a pitiful defence of their Scudetto and haven’t beaten any of Inter, Milan or Juve in their four attempts so far this season.
But Napoli might have been sparked into life by the appointment of Francesco Calzona. They earned their first win under the new coach on Wednesday evening by looking more like their old selves while thrashing Sassuolo 6-1. The fact Victor Osimhen is back among the goals, with a hat-trick in midweek on Chelsea’s watch and another strike in his other outing since returning from AFCON is ominous for Juve, who are struggling to see Inter for the Nerazzurri’s dust.
It seems unlikely that Juve midfielder Paul Pogba will make an appearance.
Man Utd see De Zerbi as ‘stand-out candidate’ to replace Ten Hag as new arrival to pave way
Manchester United see Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi as a “stand-out candidate” to replace Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford this summer.
Ten Hag is under significant pressure at Old Trafford after a difficult second season in charge, which sees United 16 points off league leaders Liverpool and facing an uphill battle to qualify for the Champions League.
The arrival of Sir Jim Ratcliffe as co-owner of the club has further ramped up the pressure, with the British billionaire overseeing major change behind the scenes to fix a broken club.
Omar Berrada has been poached from Manchester City to become United’s new CEO, while Dan Ashworth is expected to be the new sporting director having been placed on gardening leave by Newcastle, and reports suggest they will also be looking for a new manager.
Ratcliffe wanted Zinedine Zidane, but that’s out of the question for these five reasons, and now a source has told Football Insider that they see De Zerbi as the “stand-out candidate” to replace Ten Hag.
The report states that ‘club chiefs feel his front-foot, aggressive playing style far better fits the Red Devils’ ethos than that of Ten Hag, while he also has a proven track record of improving and developing players’.Related video: Our form is as good as City's, they're a great side - Ten Hag (Dailymotion)
Ashworth had left the Seagulls by the time De Zerbi was appointed, but was heavily involved in the process.
READ MORE: Simone Inzaghi now among leading Man United manager contenders if Ten Hag sacked
Football finance expert Kieran Maguire revealed earlier this month that Ashworth, and De Zerbi should he also arrive, will have a a huge budget courtesy of the club’s £600m revenue, but most will be spent on the club’s wage bill and transfer debt.
“I think a lot depends on whether or not Manchester United qualify for the Champions League,” Maguire told Football Insider’s Sean Fisher.
“We could be left in the ironic situation of Manchester United wanting Manchester City to win the Champions League this season to boost the chances of an extra qualification spot.
“So I think there are a number of unknowns as far as Manchester United are concerned.
“They will continue to generate revenue of around £600million next year and the maximum amount you can spend on player wages, agents fees and net transfer cost is 80 percent of revenue then decreasing to 70.“
“So, and I’ve looked at the paperwork, that gives United and Ashworth a figure of £480million.
“However, Manchester United had a wage bill of £340million and they have a considerable transfer debt too.
“So, there will have to be some smart trading, the club has not spent the money well in recent years and that is what Ashworth is being brought in to do.”
