Tag Archives: Premier League

Pep Guardiola Named Premier League Manager of the Year

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Pep Guardiola is in a premier class all his own…

The 53-year-old Spanish professional football manager and former player has been named Premier League Manager of the Year after guiding Manchester City to an unprecedented fourth successive title.

Pep Guardiola,Guardiola has previously won the award four times since he joined the club in 2016.

With six league titles, he’s now the joint second-most successful coach in the history of English football.

Only former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, with 11, has won the award more times.

Guardiola saw off competition from Arsenal‘s Mikel Arteta, Aston Villa’s Unai Emery, Bournemouth‘s Andoni Iraola and Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp.

“I want to share it, yes, oh yes! Especially with Mikel for the incredible job he has done until the last game, bringing us to our limits,” Guardiola said.

“Of course, for Jurgen, for the unforgettable battles for many, many years. And Unai Emery, making something unbelievable again to bring Aston Villa to the Champions League.

“And Andoni Iraola, with Bournemouth, being his first season in the Premier League, doing what he has done, coming back from the tough start of the season.

“It is an honor to be alongside all of them and to win this trophy. We will defend this award as best as possible in the future.”

Added Guardiola: “Winning four titles in a row is one of the proudest achievements of my career. This is the toughest league in the world and our competitors have played some incredible football.”

Jesús Navas Signs Lifetime Contract with Sevilla FC

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Jesús Navas is Sevilla por vida…

The 38-year-old Spanish professional footballer and Sevilla FC captain has signed a lifetime contract with the club, the LaLiga side said on Saturday, just days after announcing he’d be leaving at the end of the season.

Jesús NavasNavas is Sevilla’s record appearance holder, having played for the club for 17 seasons over two different spells, winning eight trophies.

The right-back published an open letter on Friday saying he’d taken the “painful” decision to leave his boyhood club, having received “not one phone call” offering him a new contract, with his deal set to expire this summer.

“I’ve always been told that I could stay here as long as I wanted, but nobody has dispelled my doubts as to whether that call confirming that I’m staying would come at the end of the season,” Navas said. “People have said that I’ve leaving for a better offer, but I don’t have a team [for next season] yet because I want to focus on my country [at the Euros].”

Sevilla president Jose Maria del Nido Carrasco held a news conference on Saturday to contest that version of events, blaming a “misunderstanding.”

del Nido said he “loved, respected and admired” Navas, calling him “the club’s greatest legend.”

“I don’t want to start any conflict with him, either publicly or privately,” del Nido said. “But neither can I let the history books read that Jesus won’t stay because Sevilla don’t want him to. It has all been a misunderstanding, for which I take responsibility, because I know that Jesus is hurting.”

del Nido insisted that he’d discussed future plans with the player on more than one occasion, saying he was in a “state of shock” after being told of Navas’ decision on Thursday.

“If we are able to sit down with [Navas] and talk things through, hopefully we can amend the situation,” Del Nido said. “I would like to offer him a lifetime contract, so that he can continue to play here for as long as he wants.”

Later on Saturday, Sevilla said that Navas had “signed a lifetime contract.”

“The player and the president have come to an agreement for him to extend his playing contract until 31 December 2024, before taking on a role inside the club,” a statement said.

“I didn’t doubt for a second about saying yes to the president’s proposal,” Navas said, in a social media post. “I want to keep playing for Sevilla… My desire is to keep playing until December, in a transition to help the team.”

“One more thing, in these last months as a professional, I won’t receive pay. The salary agreed with the president will go to charity.”

Navas made his debut for Sevilla in 2003 and starred for a decade before joining Manchester City. He returned to his hometown club in 2017 after four years in the Premier League, going on to become club captain and having the training ground’s stadium named after him.

He was part of the Spain squad that won the 2010 World Cup, and the 2012 European Championships.

Chelsea FC Reach Agreement with Palmeiras for Estêvão Willian

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Estêvão Willian is headed to England.

Chelsea FC has agreed to a deal with Palmeiras for the 17-year-old Brazilian soccer player, per ESPN sources.

Estêvão WillianThe west London club have beaten off competition from some of Europe’s biggest clubs to agree a deal that sources have told ESPN is worth an initial €34 million ($37m) with performance-related add-ons potentially taking the total to a figure in the region of €67m.

The teenager is regarded as one of the best young talents in his native Brazil but, should the transfer be completed, the teenager will not join the club until 2025

Chelsea have prioritized signing young talent ever since Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital completed their takeover two years ago, with the club’s new owners investing more than £1bn in the time since.

They have executed a number of deals with clubs in South America over the past few transfer windows. Andrey Santos and Kendry Páez, signed for Chelsea last year, while Thiago Silva will leave the club to rejoin his former club Fluminense after the final match of their Premier League season on Sunday.

Keyrol Figueroa Signs Professional Contract with Liverpool F.C.

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Keyrol Figueroa has a new deal…

The 17-year-old Honduran soccer player and United States youth international has signed a professional contract with Liverpool F.C., the Premier League club announced Tuesday.

Keyrol FigueroaFigueroa, a forward, has been impressive since moving to the Merseyside club when he was 14 and has consistently scored at different age levels.

Liverpool described him in a statement as a “prolific goalscorer.”

Figueroa, who can also play as a wide attacker, scored seven goals to help the United States reach the final of the CONCACAF Under-17 Championship in 2023.

He played in last year’s Under-17 World Cup, where the U.S. was eliminated in the round of 16 by Germany.

Having advanced through Liverpool’s academy, Figueroa recently scored for the Under-18s team against Wolverhampton.

Figueroa is the son of former Wigan and Honduras defender Maynor Figueroa.

Premier League Teams Eyeing FC Barcelona Phenom Pau Cubarsí

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It appears that all eyes are on Pau Cubarsí.

The 17-year-old Spanish soccer player, a defender for F.C. Barcelona, is being targeted by several Premier League clubs with his release clause set at around €10 million ($10.7m), per ESPN.

Pau CubarsíCubarsí only signed his first professional contract with Barça last year, but his emergence in the first team has accelerated the need for the club to agree a new deal with the teenager. 

Barça was already negotiating an improvement with the center-back’s camp, but sources explain his performances with the first team have “changed the starting point” when it comes to reaching an understanding over a new long-term agreement.

Sources close to the coaching staff detail the maturity and bravery Cubarsí has demonstrated since being handed his debut as a 16-year-old in the Copa del Rey against Unionistas de Salamanca in January.

Cubarsí has since made six appearances under coach Xavi Hernández, including starts in LaLiga wins against Real Betis, Osasuna and Alavés.

“We were joking about him the other day because at just 17 he already seems like a veteran,” Xavi said after last weekend’s 3-1 win over Alavés.

“He is already playing like a player who is far older than his years. He is aggressive, he does not lose possession and he’s so good at bringing the ball out from the back.”

Those qualities have led to an urgency to renew Cubarsí’s contract as some of England’s biggest clubs circle due to his clause being fixed at a relatively affordable €10m.

Cubarsí joined Barça in 2018 as an 11-year-old after spending four years at Girona. He has since progressed through the Catalan club’s La Masia academy before he made his Barça Atlétic debut earlier this season as he began to train regularly with the first team.

Xavi handed him his first-team debut on Jan. 19. He has made six appearances since, impressing at the heart of the defense alongside Uruguay international Ronald Araújo.

“He’s very well prepared,” Xavi said of Cubarsí after he made his LaLiga debut against Betis in January, just days before his 17th birthday.

“He doesn’t seem 16 when you speak with him. He is a focused and responsible kid. I don’t think he lost a single ball, either.

“He’s going to mark an era, the same as Lamine [Yamal] .We are continuing to build a team with young footballers. These are players who we must build the club’s future with.”

Cubarsí is one of several youngsters to breakthrough under Xavi, with Yamal (16), Hector Fort (17) and Marc Guiu (18) among the others to have made an impact this season.

Fort, who can play across the back four but is primarily a full-back, is close to being signed to Jorge Mendes‘ agency, sources have told ESPN.

Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez Reportedly Agrees to Return to Chivas of Guadalajara

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Javier “Chicharito“ Hernandez is preparing for a homecoming…

The 35-year-old Mexican soccer star has agreed to return to his hometown club, Chivas of Guadalajara, 14 years after leaving the team to join Manchester United before playing for Real Madrid and Los Angeles Galaxy, according to Mexican journalist Sergio Dipp.

Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez Hernandez and Dipp are also close friends, so it’s safe to assume the report is accurate, though nothing is official as of now. The Mexican journalist broke the news during Thursday’s broadcast of SportsCenter in Spanish.

Chivas president Amaury Vergara reportedly did everything in his power to sign Hernandez, who wants to return to Guadalajara to prove he can still play.

Chicharito’s last few seasons with the Galaxy went from bad to worse, especially since he had to battle several injuries.

Hernandez, Mexico’s top goal scorer ever, won the UEFA Champions League while at Manchester United, along with two Premier League titles.

His time with Bayer Leverkusen, followed by a West Ham United tenure, both made much noise, but never quite reached past heights.

Manchester City ThisClose to Signing Argentina’s Claudio Echeverri

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Claudio Echeverri is the Man (City) of the hour…

Manchester City are closing in on the signing of the 17-year-old Argentine professional footballer, a midfielder, from River Plate, according to ESPN.

Claudio EcheverriMan City have held formal talks with Echeverri and are nearing an agreement for the midfielder.

If a deal is reached, it’s likely that Echeverri would be loaned back to River Plate until at least the end of the Premier League season. It would be a similar arrangement to the one which eventually brought Julián Álvarez to Man City.

Álvarez was signed from River Plate in January 2022 but remained in South America until the following summer. He made his Premier League debut in August 2022 and has gone on to win the Premier League title, FA Cup, Champions League, Super Cup and Club World Cup.

He was also part of the Argentina team which won the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Echeverri, who sources have told ESPN was also receiving interest from Barcelona, is highly-rated and starred for Argentina at the under-17 World Cup earlier this month.

He has indicated to River Plate that he is unlikely to sign a new contract with his existing deal set to expire in December 2024.

City are not expected to make first-team signings during the January window but there could be departures from Pep Guardiola’s squad.

Kalvin Phillips is keen to move to find regular first-team football and is wanted by both Juventus and Newcastle. There has also been interest in defender Sergio Gómez and goalkeeper Zack Steffen.

The return of Kevin De Bruyne is set to give City a boost in January. The midfielder hasn’t played since the opening weekend of the season because of a hamstring injury but returned to training during the trip to Saudi Arabia for the Club World Cup.

Douglas Luiz Remains Atop Arsenal F.C.’s Wish List

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Douglas Luiz remains a leading target for the Arsenal F.C.…

The English professional football club is eyeing a reshuffle of its midfield in January with the 25-year-old Brazilian professional footballer, who plays for Aston Villa, a leading target and the future of Thomas Partey uncertain, according to ESPN.

Douglas LuizArsenal had three bids for Luiz rejected in September 2022 — the final offer totaling around £25 million ($31.6m) — and the Brazil international subsequently signed a new contract which ties him to Villa Park until 2026.

Luiz has been a key figure for Unai Emery‘s side this season, starting all 13 Premier League games with Aston Villa fourth in the table following Sunday’s 2-1 win at Tottenham.

Arsenal’s interest remains but they would likely have to make a dramatically improved offer to convince Aston Villa to allow Luiz to leave in the middle of such a promising campaign.

Arsenal have limited funds available after spending more than £200m in the summer — significantly, their deal to sign goalkeeper David Raya from Brentford was structured initially as a £3m loan with an option for a permanent move worth around £27m specifically to aid Arsenal’s compliance with financial rules.

They could raise money for new signings with Partey’s departure. The midfielder has started just three league games this season amid ongoing injury problems.

The 30-year-old is now sidelined until the New Year with a hamstring issue and is due to join up with Ghana for the Africa Cup of Nations, which runs from January 13 to February 11

Reports in Italy said Juventus are tracking Partey, and sources have told ESPN that Arsenal considered allowing the midfielder to leave in the summer but a suitable offer failed to materialize amid reports clubs in Saudi Arabia were also interested at the time.

Arsenal are open to keeping Partey but it remains to be seen whether a club formalizes their interest as his departure would give Arsenal more financial clout to test Aston Villa’s resolve in keeping Luiz.

Mikel Arteta may choose to prioritize other areas, however, given they are also tracking Brentford striker Ivan Toney and Wolves winger Pedro Neto.

Lionel Messi Leads Shortlist of Nominees for FIFA’s The Best Mens Player Honor

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Lionel Messi is hoping to best his fellow professional soccer players…

The 36-year-old Argentine soccer star leads the 12-player shortlist for FIFA’s The Best Mens Player nominees alongside Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappé.

Lionel MessiMessi, Haaland and Mbappé are joined by Declan Rice, who is nominated after captaining former club West Ham United to Europa Conference League success.

Argentina’s national team captain, Messi, now playing for Major League Soccer side Inter Miami, is aiming to win the award for a record third time having been given the honor in 2019 and 2022.

But despite helping Argentina to World Cup glory at Qatar 2022, Messi faces stiff competition from Manchester City forward Haaland after the Norway international scored 52 goals as Pep Guardiola‘s side completed a Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup treble last season.

Julián Álvarez, Marcelo Brozovic, Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gündogan, Rodri, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Victor Osimhen and Bernardo Silva make up the shortlist alongside Messi, Haaland, Mbappe and Rice.

Voting for the eighth annual awards opened on Thursday on FIFA.com and closes in mid-October. National team coaches, captains, journalists and fans make up the list of voters.

Lionel Messi Leads 30-Player List of 2023 Ballon d’Or Candidates

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Lionel Messi is back in the running for one of soccer’s biggest honors…

The 36-year-old Argentine soccer star and Erling Haaland lead the 30-player list of candidates for the 2023 Ballon d’Or award after France Football magazine announced the nominees.

Lionel MessiMessi’s nomination comes a year after he was omitted from the shortlist. Should he win the men’s Ballon d’Or this year, it would mark his eighth time winning the award — the second most is Cristiano Ronaldo with five.

In February, Messi also won the Best FIFA Men’s Player award for a second time.

Ronaldo, who now plays for Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia, didn’t make the cut for the first time since 2003.

The winner will be announced at a ceremony at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris on October 30.

Messi led Argentina to win the 2022 World Cup in December — the only major trophy that had eluded him in his 21-year career — finally claiming the trophy at his fifth attempt.

At the club level, Messi had a mixed year. He struggled at Paris Saint-Germain as the French side were dumped out of the Champions League at the round-of-16 stage for a second consecutive season, although he did help the side lift an 11th Ligue 1 title.

However, he ended his stay in Paris this summer, opting to join Inter Miami on a free transfer, where he has made an instant impact by helping them to win the Leagues Cup and claim a spot in the final of the U.S. Open Cup.

Haaland could provide Messi’s strongest competition for the award.

The Norway striker scored 52 goals in 53 games in all competitions as Manchester City clinched the Premier League, FA Cup and the Champions League titles.

The 23-year-old broke the Premier League‘s single-season scoring record with 36 goals in his debut campaign in England.

The striker also won a number of individual awards for his stunning performances, including PFA Player of the Year, Premier League’s Player of the Season and Football Writers’ Association‘s Men’s Player of the Year.

Unsurprisingly, players from Manchester City and Argentina dominate this year’s list of nominees. Seven players who helped City win the treble last season, including Haaland, made the shortlist, while there are four Argentine players, including Messi, who were part of their country’s third World Cup triumph.

Full list of men’s Ballon d’Or nominees:
André Onana – Manchester United/Cameroon
Josko Gvardiol – Manchester City/Croatia
Karim Benzema – Al Ittihad
Jamal Musiala – Bayern Munich/Germany
Mohamed Salah – Liverpool/Egypt
Jude Bellingham – Real Madrid/England
Bukayo Saka – Arsenal/England
Randal Kolo Muani – Paris Saint-Germain/France
Kevin De Bruyne – Manchester City/Belgium
Bernardo Silva – Manchester City/Portugal
Emiliano Martínez – Aston Villa/Argentina
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia – Napoli/Georgia
Rúben Dias – Manchester City/Portugal
Nicolo Barella – Inter Milan/Italy
Erling Haaland – Manchester City/Norway
Yassine Bounou – Al Hilal/Morocco
Martin Ødegaard – Arsenal/Norway
Julián Álvarez – Manchester City/Argentina
Ilkay Gündogan – Barcelona/Germany
Vinícius Júnior – Real Madrid/Brazil
Lionel Messi – Inter Miami/Argentina
Rodri – Manchester City/Spain
Lautaro Martínez – Inter Milan/Argentina
Antoine Griezmann – Atletico Madrid/France
Robert Lewandowski – Barcelona/Poland
Kylian Mbappé – Paris Saint-Germain/France
Kim Min-jae – Napoli/South Korea
Victor Osimhen – Napoli/Nigeria
Luka Modric – Real Madrid/Croatia
Harry Kane – Bayern Munich/England