Alejandro Garnacho Signs New Long-Term Contract with Manchester United

Posted on April 28, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

United Alejandro Garnacho stands…

The 18-year-old Argentine-Spanish professional footballer has committed his long-term future to Manchester United‘s after signing a new contract on Friday.

Garnacho’s new deal will see him remain at Old Trafford until June 2028.

“When I joined this incredible club, I dreamt of achieving my debut, playing at Old Trafford, scoring my first goal and winning trophies with this badge on my chest,” Garnacho said in a statement.

“I feel very proud and emotional to have experienced these moments already, together with my family who have supported me every step of the way.

“We are all humbled to have this chance to continue our journey at Manchester United and I have already begun to work on achieving the next set of targets and ambitions.

“The manager and his coaching staff have helped me to improve in every way, and with their support, I am developing each day to help the team to be successful.

“I am relishing the future and can’t wait to create more special memories with this group, in front of our amazing supporters.”

Meanwhile, United manager Erik ten Hag said the club will not allow the 18-year-old to miss the end of the domestic season to represent Argentina at the Under-20s World Cup.

Garnacho is thought to have asked to join up with his international teammates for the tournament, which Argentina will host between May 20 and June 11.

Garnacho’s involvement would have meant missing United’s final three Premier League fixtures against Bournemouth, Chelsea and Fulham as well as the FA Cup final against Manchester City on June 3.

Asked whether Garnacho would join up with Argentina’s Under 20s, Ten Hag said: “No, we don’t release him.”

The winger has been sidelined with an ankle problem sustained in United’s 0-0 draw against Southampton on March 12.

Speaking after Thursday’s 2-2 draw at Tottenham, Ten Hag said Garnacho would step up his comeback on Friday.

“He will return tomorrow in team training, partial, and then we have to see when he can return totally in the team training and then back into games,” Ten Hag added.

Garnacho has registered four goals and five assists from 29 appearances across all competitions this season.

Rodrygo Helps Lead Real Madrid Into Champions League Semifinals

Posted on April 18, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Rodrygo has helped his team advance…

The 22-year-old Brazilian professional footballer scored a second-half brace for Real Madrid in a 2-0 win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday to seal a spot in the Champions League semifinals for the defending champions by a final aggregate score of 4-0.

It’s the first time Chelsea have lost four games in a row since 1993.

A cagey opening 45 minutes looked similar to Madrid’s 2-0 win in the first leg of the quarterfinal tie as Chelsea came out strong before the visitors settled into the game and were largely in control up to half-time.

Marc Cucurella should have scored just before the half, but a scampering Thibaut Courtois blocked his close-range strike after the Spaniard was left all alone at the far post and the teams went into the break tied 0-0.

“It isn’t easy to get to the semifinals or a final. In the last three years we’ve got to a lot of them,” Courtois said following the win. “Obviously when you play a semifinal and lose, like against [Chelsea] three years ago, you don’t celebrate it.

“We’re happy to get to a semifinal, which isn’t easy, but once you’re there, if you lose, it doesn’t feel like much. Our target is to go through and win.”

Any hopes Chelsea might have had of an improbable comeback were dashed when Rodrygo scored shortly before the hour mark — the celebrations starting well and truly in Madrid a little over 20 minutes later when the Brazilian doubled the lead for Carlo Ancelotti‘s side.

“I don’t know how to explain it. I always say it’s a very special competition for me, every time I play I can help the team,” Rodrygo said after the match. “I’m happy and I hope to carry on like that, scoring more goals, providing more assists and winning the Champions League again.”

Rodrygo finished off a sweeping counter-attack against a helpless Chelsea, who have lost all four games since Frank Lampard returned as interim manager, skipping past Trevoh Chalobah‘s wild lunge with his cross eventually played back to him by fellow Brazi international Vinicius Junior for him to slot home.

The closing stages were almost academic and Real turned on the style with Federico Valverde teeing up Rodrygo’s second that was the catalyst for a mass exodus of Chelsea fans from their home ground.

“It’s a pleasure to be here at Real Madrid, the biggest team in the world,” Rodrygo added. “We know we have almost the obligation to get to semifinals and finals and to win the Champions League. Since I arrived we’ve had that in our heads, we have to go far, we have to play well, and that’s what we’ve done since I’ve been here: we’ve gone far in this competition.”

While Chelsea’s season will end trophy-less under their new American owners despite a £500 million pounds ($621 million) outlay on new players, 14-times European champions Madrid march on with Ancelotti eyeing the trophy for a fifth time.

“We knew you have to suffer in this kind of game,” Ancelotti said. “They gave everything In the first half they caused us problems especially on the left, we fixed that in the second half. It’s normal to suffer, we had a good level, solid at the back. A good game, a deserved win, we’re very happy.”

Madrid did pick up one bit of bad news on an otherwise joyous night when Eder Militao picked up a yellow card that will keep him out of the first leg of the semifinals due to accumulation.

Ancelotti said: “A bit worried, going down to 10 men would have been difficult, but after that he had a spectacular game at the back. He’ll miss the first leg of the semifinal, but let’s hope we’ll have [David] Alaba back.”

Madrid will likely face Manchester City in the semifinals, with Pep Guardiola‘s team leading Bayern Munich 3-0 in their quarterfinal with one leg to play.

Chelsea & Benfica Remain Locked In Talks Over Enzo Fernandez

Posted on January 4, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

The fight is on for Enzo Fernandez…

Chelsea and Benfica remain locked in talks over what could turn into a British record transfer fee for the 21-year-old Argentina midfielder, according to ESPN.

Fernandez is keen on moving to Stamford Bridge and Benfica are willing to agree to the move if their €120 million release clause is met in full.

Negotiations are ongoing amid conflicting messages from sources close to both clubs. Those close to Benfica suggest Chelsea have indicated they could pay up to €127m, with the extra money designed to entice the Portuguese club into accepting a series of installments over several years.

However, sources with knowledge of Chelsea’s position insist they are yet to commit themselves to such a sum and are hoping to negotiate Benfica down to a lower figure. Payments are likely to be staggered in any agreement that is reached.

This is a common occurrence in many transfers but while Chelsea are confident they have significant headroom regarding UEFA‘s Financial Fair Play rules, the club have plans to continue an expensive overhaul after committing £278.4m in the summer.

A lower initial fee for Fernandez would give them more space to move on other deals, the first of which is likely to be the imminent €37m signing of Monaco centre-back Benoit Badiashile.

The British transfer record is £100m, paid by Manchester City to Aston Villa for Jack Grealish in 2021.

Chelsea’s interest in Fernandez is genuine and he is their top midfield target in this window. The club have engaged the services of agent Jorge Mendes in an effort to broker an agreement.

Sources have told ESPN that Fernandez is hopeful of completing a transfer to Chelsea this month with personal terms not thought to be an issue if the two clubs can finalize a fee.

Real Madrid Has Agreed to Sign Endrick on Five-Year Contract from Palmeiras

Posted on December 9, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Things are about to get Real for Endrick…

Real Madrid has agreed a deal to sign the 16-year-old Brazilian soccer wonderkid on a five-year contract from Palmeiras, according to ESPN.

Sources said the transfer is worth €72 million, although Endrick will only be able to move to Madrid in 2024, when he turns 18. The deal will begin when the transfer window opens in July 2024, according to sources.

The official announcement depends on Endrick signing the contract and other details thought to be formalities, given both sides have reached an agreement on the terms of the transfer.

Endrick’s release clause was set at €60m, and sources said Real Madrid added €12m to that figure to ward off competition from other clubs and account for taxes.

Sources had told ESPN the forward was being pursued by Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain, but the 14-time Champions League winners now appear to have won the race for his signature.

ESPN previously reported that Real Madrid were using a similar strategy to the one which helped them sign Vinicius Junior in 2017 to incorporate another young Brazilian into their squad.

Endrick only made his senior Palmeiras debut on October 6 but helped the Sao Paulo team win this year’s Brasileirao title and became the youngest goal scorer in the club’s history when he scored twice against Athletico Paranaense on October 25.

Several European Soccer Clubs Vying for Brazilian Wonderkid Endrick

Posted on November 12, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

He’s still a teenager, but Endrick could be playing soccer in Europe soon…

Paris Saint-Germain has made a €45 million offer for the 16-year-old Palmeiras teenager, but the Brazilian team swiftly dismissed the proposal for the forward, according to ESPN Brazil sources.

In a meeting with the player’s agents, the Ligue 1 champions said they were willing to extend the negotiations and meet the player’s release clause of €60 million, sources said.

PSG has been in contact with Endrick’s family for some time and have enlisted their Brazilian forward Neymar to reach out to him. The French giants are confident of getting a deal over the line, sources added.

Chelsea is another team that have been following Endrick’s development and showed interest in matching the €60 million price for the Brazilian wonderkid.

Sources have told ESPN that Chelsea has hosted the player and his family at the club’s training ground, with the Blues’ Brazilian defender Thiago Silva invited to meet his compatriot and convince him to move to London.

People close to Endrick tell ESPN that the final decision will rest with the player and that his dream is to play in the Premier League.

“I don’t pay attention to rumors, I know that to play in Europe, I have to perform well here,” Endrick said this week to the French website So Foot.

“I watch the Champions League, the Premier League, LaLiga, the French championship, the Bundesliga. I look to learn from these stars and see what I can imitate, but I don’t have a favorite club.”

Sources told ESPN that Real Madrid and Barcelona also showed interest in acquiring Endrick and may intensify their pursuits in the coming days.

Endrick could only go to Europe in 2024 when he turns 18. His contract with the Brazilian champions runs until 2025.

Since his debut with Palmeiras on October 6, Endrick has scored three goals and provided one assist in six matches, helping the Sao Paulo team win the 2022 Brasileirao title.

Aged 16 years, three months and four days, he became the youngest goal-scorer in Palmeiras history when scoring twice against Athletico Paranaense on October 25.

Alexia Putellas Wins Ballon d’Or Feminin for Second Consecutive Year

Posted on October 17, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Alexia Putellas has earned a place in soccer history…

The 28-year-old Spanish professional footballer and Barcelona midfielder has won the Ballon d’Or Feminin for the second consecutive year, becoming the first woman to win the award twice since it launched in 2018.

Putellas was named the best women’s player in the world at the Monday gala in Paris despite being sidelined since June with a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

She finished ahead of Arsenal‘s Beth Mead and Chelsea‘s Sam Kerr, who were second and third, respectively.

“Without my teammates this would not have been possible,” Putellas said after receiving the award. “I want to thank the staff and the coach and everyone involved at Barcelona.

“I’m very happy to be back here and pleased because a year ago I was able to win this prize and it pushed me to want to be even better.”

Prior to her injury in the summer, Putellas captained Barcelona to a third successive Primera Division title. The Catalan side made history by winning all 30 of their league games throughout the 2021-22 campaign.

She also led Barcelona to success in the Spanish Super Cup and the Copa de la Reina to complete a domestic treble, although they came up short in the Champions League.

Putellas’ strike in the final was not enough to stop French side Lyon from beating Barcelona 3-1 in Turin.

However, after scoring 11 goals in the Champions League, more than any other player in the competition, Putellas was later named UEFA Women’s Player of the Year ahead of Mead and Lena Oberdorf.

In addition to those 11 goals in Europe, she scored 18 league goals from midfield, four in the Copa de la Reina and one in the Super Cup.

Putellas had hoped success would follow for Spain in the summer, but she tore her left ACL in training with the national team ahead of the European Championship in England.

She has not played since and is expected to remain out of action for several more months.

Last year, Putellas became the first Spanish winner of a Ballon d’Or since Luis Suarez in 1960. She was also named the Best FIFA Women’s Player.

The Ballon d’Or Feminin was launched in 2018 when it was won by Lyon’s Ada Hegerberg. Megan Rapinoe won it the following year before it was suspended in 2020 because of the pandemic.

Thiago Silva Hints at Future AC Milan Coaching Job, But Not Before Clarifying Chelsea Future

Posted on October 10, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Thiago Silva is hinting at future coaching career…

The 38-year-old Brazilian professional footballer has said he would consider managing AC Milan one day. But right now he’s more concerned about his Chelsea future.

Silva’s contract expires at the end of the season and it is unclear whether Silva will be offered the chance to extend his stay after moving to Stamford Bridge on a free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain in 2020.

Silva previously spent three years at AC Milan between 2009 and 2012, where he won one Serie A title and an Italian Super Cup.

Speaking on Monday ahead of Chelsea’s Champions League clash against the Rossoneri, the centerback was asked about a possible return to San Siro and said: “I can tell you that I already made my history here at AC Milan, so I believe this is not the case at the moment.

“If it could happen at any case, it would have been before me joining Chelsea. But I don’t know about the future. Who knows what will happen in the future, we’ll have to see. But I am very happy now to be at Chelsea, a very big club, great professionals. In the future, we will see. Maybe the coach? Who knows?”

New head coach Graham Potter suggested “the decision is Thiago’s” over whether he signs a new deal with Chelsea. Potter has started the Brazil international in three of his four matches since succeeding Thomas Tuchel as head coach.

“It is probably not the right time to talk about new contracts,” Silva added. “What I can tell you is that the most important thing for me now is to continue playing at a high level and helping the team achieve the best possible results.

“For sure there will be the time where we need to talk. It could be before the World Cup or after the World Cup.

“Of course I need to know whether I will have a new contract with Chelsea, also for my family arrangements. It is not easy if I don’t have a new contract — I will have to decide what to do. I must involve my family. This is an important decision and so we will see what will happen.”

Potter also revealed that N’Golo Kante has suffered a fresh setback in his bid to recover from a hamstring problem and will miss Tuesday’s game against Milan.

Kante has not featured since the Blues’ 2-2 draw against Tottenham Hotspur on August 14.

“[On] N’Golo, we’re just waiting,” Potter said. “He had a reaction in training. So we’re just waiting for the news of that.

“It’s not ideal. It’s disappointing for him and us, but we have to wait and see the extent of it and go from there.”

Kante’s fitness is also a concern for France ahead of the World Cup in Qatar, which starts on November 20 and will see Didier Deschamps‘ defending champions compete against Australia, Denmark and Tunisia in Group D.

Bayer Leverkusen Considering Xabi Alonso for Manager Role

Posted on October 4, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Xabi Alonso may be headed to Germany…

Bayer Leverkusen is considering firing current manager Gerardo Seoane and looking to appoint the 40-year-old Spanish football manager and former professional player as his replacement, according to ESPN.

Seoane will be in charge for Leverkusen’s Champions League Group B game with FC Porto on Tuesday, but his future is uncertain after a poor start to the Bundesliga season with the club sitting 17th after picking up five points from eight games.

Alonso has been out of work since leaving Real Sociedad B in May after a successful three years in charge.

Sources told ESPN that he would welcome the challenge of turning around Leverkusen’s season.

Seoane managed Leverkusen to a third-place finish in the Bundesliga in his debut campaign last year, qualifying for the Champions League, but they have struggled so far this season.

Sources told ESPN that Alonso has emerged as a leading candidate to replace Seoane over the last week.

Germany’s Sport1 reported that Leverkusen had contacted Thomas Tuchel, who was sacked by Chelsea last month, but the former Borussia Dortmund coach turned down the approach.

Alonso is highly rated as a managerial prospect. He starred as a player for Real Sociedad, Liverpool, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich before retiring in 2017.

He began his coaching career with Real Madrid’s academy before taking over Sociedad’s B team in 2019, leading them to promotion to the Second Division in 2021 for the first time in 60 years before departing this summer.

Sociedad had been keen to keep him on board as a potential future first-team manager, but the performance of Imanol Alguacil in the role meant that was not an option in the short-term, and Alonso preferred to seek a new opportunity.

Chelsea Reportedly Submit €50 Million Bid for Ajax’s Edson Alvarez

Posted on August 31, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Edson Alvarez could be heading to

Chelsea have made a €50million bid for the 24-year-old Mexican professional footballer, a midfielder for Ajax and Mexico, according to ESPN sources.

Blues head coach Thomas Tuchel is thought to be concerned about the club’s midfield options in the wake of Tuesday’s 2-1 defeat at Southampton and nagging injury concerns over key midfielder N’Golo Kante, who is set to be sidelined for around a month with a hamstring problem.

Sources have told ESPN that Ajax are under no pressure to sell having already allowed Antony, Lisandro Martinez, Sebastien Haller, Ryan Gravenberch and Noussair Mazraoui to leave the club in the summer transfer window.

Chelsea were keen on a move for Barcelona midfielder Frenkie De Jong but the Dutchman has so far shown no interest in leaving Camp Nou.

The Blues are mindful that both N’Golo Kante and Jorginho, who has endured a difficult start to the season, have less than a year remaining on their current deals and believe Alvarez could be a long-term solution.

The transfer window in the Netherlands also closes 24 hours earlier than most of Europe due to an administrative error made by the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB) meaning less time is available to complete a deal.

Gio Reyna & His U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team Mates to Be Subject of World Cup-Themed Docuseries

Posted on August 16, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Gio Reyna’s World Cup preparations are headed to the small screen…

The U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team (USMNT) will be the subject of a new documentary series as they gear up for the international soccer competition featuring the 19-year-old half-Argentine American soccer player and his teammates.

Park Stories and H.wood Media have teamed up with the U.S. Soccer Federation and Soccer United Marketing on the untitled all-access docuseries.

The series is expected to launch on a streamer around the Qatar World Cup in November.

The series will bring fans into the locker room and visit the players in their hometowns as they prepare for the tournament.

The team is competing in its first World Cup since 2014 and has an exciting team of youngsters including Chelsea’s Christian Pulisic, Juventus’ Weston McKennie, Barcelona’s Sergiño Dest and Borussia Dortmund’s Reyna.

Led by head coach Gregg Berhalter, the first person in U.S. history to represent the country at the World Cup as a player and a head coach, the team will fight it out against England, Wales and Iran in the group stages.

They kick off against Gareth Bale-led Wales on November 21 before facing Euros finalists England on the day after Thanksgiving before competing against Iran on November 29.

The games will air on Fox and Telemundo.

The docuseries is exec produced by Rand Getlin and Janina Pelayo for Park Stories, and John Terzian, Jeremy Allen and Brian Toll are producing for H.wood Media.

The show is directed by Getlin and Luke Korver, and Nikle Guzijan will co-produce.

“Five billion people are projected to tune in for the 2022 World Cup, and this team has the potential to impact each of them in profoundly transformative ways,” said directors Getlin and Korver. “We know it starts with their play on the field, but we’re most excited for viewers to see them as sons, brothers, fathers and leaders who care deeply about their loved ones and bringing the world closer together.”

After representing the United States at several youth levels, Reyna received his first call up to the senior United States squad for matches against Wales and Panama in November 2020.^.On November 12, 2020, a day before his 18th birthday, Reyna made his senior national team debut against Wales. In the following game, a 6–2 friendly victory over Panama, Reyna started and scored his first senior goal directly from a free kick.

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