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Leeds United are never far from a bit of drama, and despite a transfer window that seemed to mostly go swimmingly, the Whites still managed to find time for a gripping transfer saga that all went wrong.

Of course, we’re talking about the failed signing of Michael Cuisance.

The French midfielder seemed set to come to Elland Road on a permanent deal, but complications with his medical saw the deal fall apart at the 11th hour.

Unfortunately, Leeds won’t get the chance to revisit this one in January as he’s already found himself a new club, joining Marseille on loan, with the French club holding the option to buy him.

To make matters even worse, he’s been solid since joining the French outfit.

The 21-year-old may not have any goals or assists to his name as of yet, but he has been brilliant in a defensive sense, something his Leeds counterpart Mateusz Klich has struggled with.

We’ve covered Klich’s defensive problems in some depth before, but to cut a long story short, his main issue is that he’s dribbled past far too often.

Indeed, the Pole is dribbled past 2.7 times per game, making him the second-most dribbled past player in the division, but while Klich is struggling in that area, Cuisance is thriving.

It’s rare to see Cuisance taken on, with the Frenchman being dribbled past just once per game, and it’s not as if he’s one to shy away from putting a foot in either, making three tackles per game this season.

It has to sting to see Cuisance thriving where Klich is coming up short.

There was plenty of disappointment for everyone associated with the club when the initial deal fell through, perfectly highlighted by Noel Whelan’s comments at the time:

“Disappointment because I think everyone was getting quite excited, 21-years-old from Bayern Munich, big prospect so on that front, very disappointing. It is a setback, absolutely.”

Leeds fans can only be left wondering what could have been after missing out on their man.

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A partida contra o Santos, além dos três pontos e da esperança de escapar do rebaixamento na última rodada, marcou a comunhão entre time e torcida do Vasco nesta reta final de Brasileirão de 2015. Um dos momentos mais marcantes do jogo de São Januário foi quando os jogadores entraram para aquecer no gramado. Com o vestiário alagado, essa entrada se deu pelo meio da torcida, que fez uma festa bonita que arrepiou alguns atletas do elenco.

– Para fazer o aquecimento contra o Santos, passamos pela torcida. E aquilo arrepiou. Muito tempo que eu não via algo como o que a torcida do Vasco fez neste jogo. Lembrando que estava chovendo. Se a torcida abraçar o time, não tem como dar errado. Só tenho que agradecer aos torcedores pelo papel. Quando estávamos em uma situação pior, em momento nenhum eles nos largaram. Claro que existe a cobrança, mas eles apoiaram mais do que cobraram. No domingo, podemos confirmar a permanência graças a essa ajuda – disse Serginho.

Agora, o Cruz-Maltino conta com o apoio dos torcedores que irão comparecer ao Couto Pereira, para a partida contra o Coritiba, que poderá marcar o capítulo final dessa grande arrancada dentro do Brasileiro. Serginho comentou sobre a dificuldade do confronto e garantiu o time focado.

– Iniciamos a semana alegres, mas focados no próximo jogo. Vai ser uma partida muito difícil, que pode selar a nossa permanência na Série A. Vamos respeitar o Coritiba e procurar fazer uma grande partida – destacou o volante.

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As the dust settles on another hectic transfer window, Aston Villa’s attentions will already have turned towards their plans for the following year.

Big decisions will have to be made, not just in terms of the kinds of signings that need to be made, but also which of Dean Smith’s current first-team squad need to be sold.

And one man whose future is really up for debate, is Ahmed Elmohamady. The Egypt international’s contract at Villa Park comes to an end in the summer of 2021, meaning that he will be free to negotiate a pre-contract with foreign clubs in January and thus eventually seeing him leave on a free transfer when his deal expires.

Whilst the right-back has proven to be an astute piece of business since arriving from Hull City in 2017 – he has made an impressive 117 appearances for Villa – the time is surely right for the club to say goodbye to him.

At 33, he’s way past the peak years of his career, and whilst he’s done well in terms of his longevity thus far, if Smith is intent on ensuring his side push on and establish themselves as a top ten club, then making ruthless decisions on players like Elmohamady have to be made.

The £25k-a-week earning ace has been a reliable performer and welcome dressing room presence for Smith, with the Villa boss waxing lyrical about the veteran right-back when he penned an extension to his deal in 2019.

He said: “He’s deserved it for his performances, which is what all players deserve to get new contracts from. He was integral to the 10-game winning run we had at the end of last season to get into the playoffs. If you captain a country like Egypt, you have to be a certain type of character and player. He’s established himself in our dressing room and the English game and he’s a very well respected and good player to have in our squad.”

With Villa also spending decent money on Matty Cash from Nottingham Forest, it already feels like the club are moving in a fresh and new direction. When Elmohamady’s contract comes to its end, the Midlands side should just bid a fond adieu.

Marcos Rojo is ‘likely’ to leave Manchester United at the end of the season, according to his agent. 

The Red Devils have tried to sell Rojo in four of the past five summer transfer windows but haven’t succeeded so far. The veteran is currently on loan at Estudiantes de La Plata after agreeing a move in January.

Rojo has barely featured at all for his boyhood club, as a combination of injury and bad luck has limited him to one solitary appearance. The outcast has fallen out of favour with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and is considered surplus to requirements.

Jonathan Barnett, who also represents Daniel James, told Stretty News: “I couldn’t comment on what Solskjaer thinks but I think it’s obvious, I think with Rojo, probably [a move] is more than likely somewhere else.”

After years of trying to get rid of him, it looks like the club have finally got their wish. The 30-year-old arrived at Old Trafford from Sporting Lisbon in 2014 for £18m (as per Transfermarkt).

Barnett didn’t disclose a destination for the defender, as he admitted that he is “not sure” if the Argentine will stay in his homeland. However, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to work out that his time at the Theatre of Dreams is coming to an end.

United were unhappy after he was caught breaking the lockdown rules on two occasions earlier this season and issued the defender with a stern warning. Estudiantes don’t seem to pay too much attention to such behaviour as they are keen for him to stay at the club.

The centre-back, who is currently valued at £7m via Transfermarkt, is reportedly in favour of making his loan deal permanent if the two sides can reach an agreement. However, Los Pincharratas are struggling to cope with the uncertain times that many clubs are also experiencing and will only be able to afford another loan.

Whatever happens, everything points towards Rojo heading out the door, and United are ready to cut their losses as his contract will expire in a year anyway.

United fans, do you think Ed Woodward should sell Marcos Rojo this summer? Let us know by commenting below!

Just as it the case for many of the European giants this summer, Juventus are undergoing a huge change, both in terms of personnel and overall style of play. The former Chelsea gaffer Maurizio Sarri has been sacked and in his place came Andrea Pirlo, who will now be looking to give the team his own outlook.

According to the transfer expert Gianluca Di Marzio who reported the news for Sky Sports Italy, the Bianconeri are looking for potential partners for Cristiano Ronaldo and Paulo Dybala in the forward line. One of the new players who popped up on their radar is actually Arsenal’s Alexandre Lacazette.

Of course, this is not exactly the first time we hear the Frenchman’s name in this context as he was already linked with a potential move away from the Emirates and the Premier League earlier in the window.

Pirlo will need someone new and fresh in attack, especially if he ends up losing one of the two aforementioned stars. The financial situation in Turin is not great, partly because of the recent outbreak of the pandemic and partly because of their astronomical wage bill. For that reason, they are bracing for big changes in the immediate future and Lacazette might have a role to play.

But with not a lot of money to spend and Mikel Arteta still being fond of his forward, it will be interesting to see how the Italians go about completing this transfer.

Verdict

Needless to say, losing Lacazette would indeed be a big blow for the London outfit. Arteta is slowly but surely moulding this Arsenal team into proper contenders and fierce rivals and the Frenchman is surely a big part of that process.

But seeing how Juventus don’t have that much money to spend and the Gunners are not necessarily in a hurry to sell, maybe they end up keeping their striker after all.

Manchester United fans have been reacting to the latest update involving reported transfer target Jadon Sancho this week.

According to the Evening Standard, Red Devils boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer still wants to sign the English hotshot in the summer despite claims from Ed Woodward that some clubs will not be able to afford mega-money additions.

It has led to many a supporter discussing the news on social media after the information was relayed by popular Twitter account UtdReport.

United’s executive vice-chairman said: “I cannot help feeling that speculation around transfers of individual players for hundreds of millions of pounds this summer seems to ignore the realities that face the sport.”

Yet Solskjaer is determined to lead a squad overhaul beginning with the likes of Sancho, who could cost in excess of €110m (£96m).

Some supporters have been suggesting audacious swap deals whilst others have, of course, taken a swipe at Woodward.

Here’s what has been said so far…

AND in other news, Man Utd fans react to David Ornstein’s Grealish update…

When Liverpool took on Crystal Palace in the Premier League at Selhurst Park on May 5th 2014, the slip had happened.

Steven Gerrard had lost his balance and handed the initiative to Manchester City in the Premier League title race but the clash in south London gave them an opportunity to put things right, to steady the ship and pull themselves off the canvas and back into title contention.

A reminder of where we were prior to kick-off. There were two games left apiece and Liverpool and Manchester City each had 80 points, though the latter enjoyed a superior goal difference of nine. All four fixtures were against mid-table sides and this was the only one of the quartet that was away from Anfield or the Etihad.

A win was critical. A win was Brendan Rodgers’ base requirement. It would take the Reds three points clear and put serious pressure on their rival.

Only that goal difference picked and picked at their bravado and with the assumption that City would prevail against Aston Villa and West Ham coupled with a sincere belief based on recent experience that they could blow away sides, a victory was almost taken for granted. What Liverpool wanted was to score as close to ten as possible and eradicate City’s advantage in one fell swoop.

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By half time, chances had been missed but the away side were a goal to the good with Joe Allen cleverly finding space in the box and heading in a Gerrard corner. Eight minutes after the break their lead was doubled as Sturridge scuffed one home and when Suarez fired in his 31st of the season the impossible dream seemed slightly plausible.

“The game is won. Now it’s all about how many Liverpool can score,” the commentator intoned and judging by the Merseysider’s intent the answer could, potentially, have been 10. Liverpool attacked relentlessly, committing men forward at every opportunity as they desperately sought a fourth that could lead to a fifth and from there… Well, who knew?

Palace, though, under Tony Pulis, simply did not give up. It wasn’t in the manager’s nature and having steadied the ship in south London, he made a series of substitutions to capitalise on the wealth of space now appearing in his opponent’s back third.

With ten minutes to go Damien Delany blasted home a long-ranger from out of the blue and Liverpool frankly didn’t know what to do. Do they stick or twist? They furrowed on regardless. Two minutes later Dwight Gayle re-directed a low cross past Mignolet and the Liverpool defence went to panic stations. Three weeks earlier the team, club and fan-base were riding the crest of a wave. Seven days earlier they had been flattened by reality.

Now, having summoned up all of their bellicose belief again they were rocked, yet still ahead. Never before had a team so needed to find a central point of sense and reason.

With a schizophrenic strategy of holding on yet simultaneously ploughing forward perhaps it’s not surprising that Palace pulled off the shock of all shocks, leaving it until two minutes to go before Gayle struck again.

It was a twist that held the nation spellbound.

What happened next?

At the final whistle, Luis Suarez cried.

Manchester City duly went on to win their remaining two games to secure their second Premier League title. For Liverpool, their quest continued.

A point on the final day of the season was sufficient to secure 11th for the Eagles; a pleasing outcome considering they won only once from their opening eleven games.

اقترب نجم فريق مانشستر يونايتد برونو فرنانديز من تجديد عقده مع النادي الإنجليزي، حسبما أفادت صحيفة “ميرور”.

وكان برونو فرنانديز قد انتقل إلى مانشستر يونايتد قادمًا من سبورتينج لشبونة في يناير 2020.

وسرعان من أصبح اللاعب البرتغالي جزءًا أساسيًا من كتيبة أولي جونار سولشاير، حيث سجل 40 هدفًا وصنع 25 في 79 مباراة في مختلف المسابقات.

اقرأ أيضًا.. راشفورد بشأن إمكانية رحيله عن مانشستر يونايتد: مُعجب بـ ريال مدريد وبرشلونة

ومن المقرر أن ينتهي العقد الحالي لـ برونو فرنانديز مع مانشستر يونايتد في 2025، مع وجود بند التمديد لعام آخر.

ورغم ذلك، فإن تقارير صحفية سابقة أشارت إلى وجود رغبة قوية لدى مانشستر يونايتد من أجل تمديد عقد برونو فرنانديز.

وحسب صحيفة “ميرور” الإنجليزية، فإن برونو فرنانديز اقترب بالفعل من التوقيع على عقد جديد مع مانشستر يونايتد.

وأوضحت أن راتب برونو فرنانديز سيتضاعف بمقتضى العقد الجديد، حيث سيصل إلى 200 ألف جنيه إسترليني أسبوعيًا، دون تحديد مدته الزمنية.

وأشارت إلى أن وكيل برونو فرنانديز، ميغيل بينتو سافر إلى مانشستر يوم الثلاثاء الماضي لتكثيف محادثاته مع إدارة النادي.

وأفادت أن مسؤولي مانشستر يونايتد يرغبون في حسم تجديد عقد برونو فرنانديز قبل بطولة يورو الصيفية.

اكتسح فريق ميلان نظيره تورينو بسبعة أهداف نظيفة في منافسات الدوري الإيطالي، وزاد من الضغط على يوفنتوس في ظل المنافسة على مركز مؤهل لدوري أبطال أوروبا.

وحل ميلان ضيفًا على تورينو ضمن مباريات الجولة 36 للدوري الإيطالي “سيريا آ”.

وتقدم ثيو هيرنانديز بهدف لميلان في الدقيقة 19، ثم أضاف فرانك كيسي الهدف الثاني من ركلة جزاء في الدقيقة 26.

الهدف الثالث سجله إبراهيم دياز في الدقيقة 50، ثم أحرز ثيو هيرنانديز هدفًا ثانيًا له ورابعًا لميلان في الدقيقة 62.

وعقب ذلك تمكن أنتي ريبيتش من تسجيل هاتريك، حيث أحرز ثلاثة أهداف في الدقائق 67، و72، و79.

بهذ الفوز يتواجد ميلان في المركز الثالث الآن بـ75 نقطة، متساويًا مع أتالانتا الوصيف، وتورينو يتجمد رصيده عند 35 نقطة في المركز 16.

إنتر ميلان حامل اللقب يتصدر الترتيب بـ 88 نقطة، ونابولي رابعًا بـ 73 نقطة، ويوفنتوس خامسًا بـ 72 مع بقاء جولتين على نهاية الموسم. أهداف مباراة ميلان وتورينو

ذكرت تقارير صحفية إنجليزية أن أحد أندية الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز يرغب في التعاقد مع الدولي البرازيلي دوجلاس كوستا من صفوف بايرن ميونخ في نافذة الانتقالات الصيفية القادمة.

دوجلاس كوستا يلعب في صفوف بايرن ميونخ على سبيل الإعارة حتى نهاية الموسم الجاري.

بايرن ميونخ لا يرغب في شراء كوستا من بشكل نهائي من يوفنتوس، وكذلك النادي الإيطالي غير مُهتم بعودة صاحب الـ30 عامًا.

وحسب شبكة “سبورتس مول” البريطانية، فإن فريق ولفرهامبتون واندرز يرغب في التعاقد مع كوستا بصفة نهائية من صفوف يوفنتوس.

اقرأ أيضًا.. بعد انتقاله إلى بايرن ميونخ.. ناجيلسمان يصبح أغلى مدرب في تاريخ كرة القدم

وأشارت الشبكة إلى أن مسؤولي الذئاب على استعداد لدفع 8.7 مليون جنيه إسترليني للسيدة العجوز، من أجل التعاقد مع كوستا.

وأوضحت الشبكة أن إدارة يوفنتوس لن تقف أمام رحيل كوستا، ويرى المسؤولين داخل السيدة العجوز أن مبلغ الـ8 ملايين يورو، جيد، خاصةً أن لاعب شاختار السابق عقده ينتهي في نهاية الموسم القادم.

دوجلاس كوستا هذا الموسم في الدوري الألماني مع بايرن ميونخ، لم يلعب إلا في 11 مباراة، وسجّل هدفًا وصنع مثله.