RISIBLE BOLLOX OF THE DAY
Barcelona director slams Manchester City and ‘out of control’ market
Barcelona director Albert Soler has voiced his displeasure at the state of the current transfer market, while also aiming a thinly-veiled jab at Premier League outfit Manchester City.
Soler was speaking at a press conference following the close of the Spanish transfer market on Friday, with the majority of the questions directed at the Catalan unsurprisingly pertaining to his side’s summer activity.
Barcelona’s struggles throughout the transfer window were widely covered in the media, with the Blaugrana having lost Brazilian superstar Neymar to PSG, as well as missing out on key target Philippe Coutinho.
Soler began by explaining that PSG’s interest in Neymar was not known until July, contradicting reports that suggested the Ligue 1 giants had made initial contact long before the opening of the summer transfer campaign:
‘I have a message that tells me PSG wanted Neymar on July 19. Luckily, WhatsApps have dates. The interest was not in January or March, but on July 19.’
‘The rumours started at the end of July. Both the President and I didn’t know he’d leave prior to that.’
He continued:
‘We immediately got to work once we learnt about Neymar going to PSG, but he’s a very, very, very difficult player to replace.’
‘Issue isn’t the £198m, it’s that Neymar is no longer with us. We’d like him to still be here. Whoever says otherwise is lying.’
‘Release clauses are an added handicap for Spanish clubs. We should all play with the same rules.’
Soler then took the opportunity to take aim at current transfer fees as a whole, before pointing an accusing finger in the direction of Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.
‘If Robert [Fernandez, fellow director] and I sat here and announced we signed 2 players for €270m, we’d have crossed the line and we’d have to resign.’
‘It’s reached the stage where one club (Manchester City) paid 50 million (was actually 40 million plus bonuses) for a goalkeeper (Ederson). We’re relieved that UEFA are opening investigations. We’re not going to enter into a market which has gone way out of control.’
Despite Soler’s claims, Barcelona proved key protagonists in the inflated nature of the recently-closed transfer market, with the La Liga giants having brought in the talented yet relatively-unproven Ousmane Dembele for a fee which could rise to 150 million Euro, as well as reportedly making several bids in excess of 100 million Euro for Liverpool star Philippe Coutinho.
Alexis Sanchez has broken his silence after the dramatic collapse of his deadline day move to Manchester City.
The Chilean was left devastated when Arsenal pulled out of a £60m deal after missing out on Thomas Lemar.
City plan to resurrect their interest in the 28-year-old next summer when he becomes a free agent.
But they could yet move again in January if they fear losing out on Sanchez, who can negotiate with foreign clubs from the New Year.
The forward is currently on international duty and was part of a Chile team that lost 3-0 Paraguay in a World Cup qualifier shortly after the transfer window shut on Thursday.
He was described as a having a ‘funeral face’ by onlookers as he failed to hide his dismay at the end of an emotionally-draining summer.
But he reacted by posting a series of inspiring quotes on Instagram.
One read: “When the world reminds you of your defeats, remind them of your unforgettable victories.”
Another read: “A winner is just a loser who tries more than once.”
He added: “What you do matters, but the reason you do it matters much more.”
A final post read: “You will realise that what today seems like a sacrifice, will end up being the greatest achievement of your life.”
Despite Sanchez’ disappointment at the collapse of his move, and refusal to sign a contract extension at Arsenal, Arsene Wenger is convinced he will be fully committed when he returns to the Emirates.
“I have no doubt about that,” Wenger told beIN Sports. “I spoke before about integrity and values, and I always think first: make sure my commitment is at the level that it is expected from people who pay me and have confidence in me, and I think on the player’s side it is exactly the same.”
The Arsenal manager added: "It's very difficult for me to speak about that because what I want now is the player to focus on his career, on his season and on Arsenal football club.
Are Manchester City really going to sue Arsenal?
Manchester City are reportedly going to sue Arsenal over breaking a ‘gentleman’s agreement’ on Transfer Deadline Day… but are they really?
City are said to be suing Arsenal after the Gunners allegedly agreed to sell Alexis Sanchez to them for £60m and then didn’t. It was understood at the time that Arsene Wenger must first replace him before allowing him to just skip off to Arsenal’s rivals.
Arsenal were set to replace the Chilean with Monaco’s Thomas Lemar and even made an offer of £92m, but the 21-year-old didn’t want to move and therefore Alexis has been forced to stay in north London for the final season of his contract.
According to Chilean outlet, El Mercurio, City argue that Arsenal broke their agreement. The publication says that if Alexis did sign a contract while away on national duty, City could have a case. However, there doesn’t seem to be any real indication that this happened.
In fact, compatriot Arturo Vidal claimed that the 28-year-old hadn’t mentioned City at all and had been focused on Chile’s 2018 World Cup qualifier against Paraguay.
“To whom? No, no, (he didn’t mentioned it) to nobody,” Vidal told reporters after Chile’s 3-0 loss.
“Not to me. I don’t think so.
“I think it was all made up because he was very focused on today’s game.”
This leads us onto another point. It was Chilean outlet, La Tercera, that claimed Alexis had announced to his teammates that he had signed for City, which has turned out to be false.
The Chilean press, which all the UK media are being very careful to cite in their reports, don’t seem to like Arsenal very much.
The report from El Mercurio claims that City are annoyed because they had no time to sign a new forward either, which doesn’t make much sense since if Pep Guardiola wanted another forward, which City don’t actually need, he would have moved for one earlier. If they were that desperate, they probably wouldn’t have left it until the final day of the window to put in a £60m for Alexis. Daily Cannon
Meanwhile Alexis Sanchez’s alleged Manchester City wages have been released/hacked/made-up and they’re pretty eye-watering.
According to the Daily Star, if Alexis had completed his £60m move to City on Transfer Deadline Day, he would have been made the club’s highest earning player. The Sky Blues were reportedly willing to hand the Chilean £275k-per-week.
On top of this, the 28-year-old would have supposedly earned £50k-per-week in bonuses, which means he would make £325k-per-week some weeks… Most weeks, if said bonuses were for scoring.
But wait, there’s more. The forward was reportedly set to receive a whopping £8m signing-on bonus.
If true, no wonder he couldn’t bloomin’ wait to leave.
Alexis current earns £130k-£140k-per-week depending on which publication you read. Along with Mesut Ozil, he’s the highest earner at Arsenal. However, being the highest earn at Arsenal and being the highest earner at City are two very different things.
City’s highest paid player at the moment is Yaya Toure, who allegedly earns £190k-per-week, which does make Alexis’ rumour wages of £275k seem a little far-fetched considering he wants to go there anyway. It’s not as if they need to persuade him with cash.
Alexis has under a year left on his deal with Arsenal so he won’t have to wait too long to find out.
WAG OF THE DAY
Daniela Aranguiz (Jorge Valdivia’s Wife)
OTHER BOLLOX
Playmaker Lionel Messi, 30, is said to be considering his future at Barcelona following the departure of Neymar, 25, and the club's failure to sign the likes of Philippe Coutinho, 25, and Angel Di Maria, 29. (Diario Gol, via Daily Express)
Arsene Wenger has admitted he considered quitting Arsenal before signing a two-year contract this summer - but now insists the Gunners can still win the title this season. (Daily Mirror)
Manchester United could revive their interest in Antoine Griezmann, 26, as his release clause at Atletico Madrid is to be halved from its previous figure of £184m (€200m) when the Spanish club's transfer embargo ends in January. (Mundo Deportivo, via Daily Express)
Tottenham's 28-year-old Belgium international defender Toby Alderweireld, whose current contract runs until 2020, has urged the club to hand him an improved deal, insisting a host of other clubs are keen to sign him. (The Sun)
Crystal Palace boss Frank de Boer is prepared to change his favoured 3-4-3 formation but could still be sacked before next weekend's match with Burnley after three successive defeats and no goals to open his Premier League campaign. (Independent)
Everton's England international midfielder Ross Barkley, 23, will sign for Tottenham in the January transfer window. (Daily Star)
Serie A champions Juventus are lining up a January move for Liverpool midfielder Emre Can, 23. (Tuttosport, via Independent)
Arsene Wenger has said he will revisit his interest in Monaco forward Thomas Lemar, after confirming Arsenal submitted a late £92m bid for the 21-year-old France international before last month's deadline. (Guardian)
Former Manchester United and City forward Carlos Tevez, 33, says it is "very difficult to return" to his first club Boca Juniors in Argentina as his contract at Shanghai Shenhua is "very complex". (Guardian)
Ex-Arsenal defender Bacary Sagna, 34, is available on a free transfer after being released by Manchester City and has been linked with Crystal Palace, West Ham and Brighton. (Croydon Advertiser)
Tottenham's defensive midfielder Eric Dier, 23, insists he had no intention of asking for a transfer request amid summer interest from Manchester United. (Manchester United Evening News)
Wayne Rooney insists there will be no reversal of his decision to retire from international football but is taking his coaching badges and would one day like to manage England. (Talkshyte)
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp says he has no worries about Philippe Coutinho, 25, returning to the side after submitting an unsuccessful transfer request. (Guardian)
Former Arsenal striker Ian Wright described 28-year-old midfielder Mesut Ozil's call for less criticism and more support as "laughable". (606, on BBC Radio 5 live)
West Ham are launching legal action against the Sporting Lisbon director who called co-chairman David Sullivan a "liar" and a "parasite". (Daily Telegraph)
Chinese spending power in European football is set to be reined in as the country's government takes action to prevent money leaving the mainland and the Midlands could be particularly affected, with Aston Villa, Birmingham, West Bromwich Albion and Wolves all under Chinese ownership. (Birmingham Mail)
Tottenham defender Jan Vertonghen celebrates Belgium becoming the first European side to join hosts Russia at next summer's World Cup finals and is on the scoresheet as they beat Greece to qualify with two matches still to play.
Chelsea boss Antonio Conte chose "Football English: Soccer Vocabulary for Learners of English" as his reading material during a holiday on a sun-kissed beach in his native Italy. (The Sun)
Tottenham's Eric Dier says footballers are "the last people to blame" for the extraordinary wages in the game. (London Evening Standard)
Watford's Jerome Sinclair with a forthright reply to a website forum. "This footage is one-sided and very misleading. I was approached, but nothing was agreed. I am very happy at Watford and am looking forward to the season. Don't believe everything you read or watch!"
At least two Manchester United stars are being investigated by HMRC over alleged image rights tax issues. (Daily Mail)
Brighton goalkeeper Tim Krul believes Newcastle made a mistake by dismissing Chris Hughton, now his manager again on the south coast. (Newcastle Chronicle)
GOLDEN BOLLOX
On this day in 2014
Pellegrini: Mangala not guaranteed a place in City team
Blues boss tells new £32m signing he will have to fight for his place at the Etihad Stadium after arrival from Porto.
Manuel Pellegrini has warned Eliaquim Mangala his £32m price-tag does not guarantee him a place in the Manchester City team.
Mangala arrived at the Etihad Stadium from Porto this summer after a transfer saga that lasted months.
The French defender was City's most expensive import during the transfer window, but is yet to feature in the first-team this season.
Vincent Kompany and Martin Demichelis have been Pellegrini's preferred centre-half pairing in the games against Newcastle, Liverpool and Stoke.
And although the Chilean says Mangala will get chances to impress, he insisted the 23-year-old will have to play well to dislodge either Kompany or Demichelis.
Pellegrini said: "We need the three of them.
"Like I have said about the strikers, it's the same with the defenders.
"We have so many games to play. At the moment Demichelis and Kompany are playing well, but that doesn't mean Mangala can't play.
"He will have his time to play, and then it depends on performances."
Fernando boost for City
Manchester City Manchester City's new Brazilian midfielder Fernando has been given the all-clear on a groin problem. The player looked set for a long spell on the sidelines after picking up the injury during last weekend's shock home defeat to Stoke City. But the 27-year-old has since been told he has not suffered serious damage and has been ordered to put his feet up during the international break. The £12million summer signing from Porto had impressed in the opening two wins over Newcastle and Liverpool and is seen as a key cog by boss Manuel Pellegrini this campaign. Fernando will be further assessed next week and City are still hopeful he will make the trip to face Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium when the Premier League resumes next Saturday.
Lampard: I'll happily face Chelsea
Frank Lampard says he will have no problem trying to inflict defeat on Chelsea if he is picked to face them for Manchester City.
The midfielder spent 13 years at Stamford Bridge and has angered some fans by going back on a claim that he could never play for anyone else in the Premier League.
But he is confident he will get a good reception from Chelsea supporters when City, who he is on loan with from New York City, host them on September 21.
Frank Lampard still hopes to get a proper chance to say goodbye to Chelsea fans after playing 648 games for the club and scoring a club-record 211 goals. But he admits he missed the chance at the end of last season because he feared he could embarrass himself.
"I only found out I would be leaving in the last week of the season," he told The Sun."The last home game was the week before, against Norwich. I knew it was a possibility it could be my last game and so would have loved to have had my farewell moment then.
"But I wasn't sure so I didn't want to do the big parade because that would have looked a bit foolish if it had gone the other way and I'd stayed. I ended up stuck in the middle.
"There are not a lot of things I regret in my Chelsea career but not being able to say my goodbyes properly to all the Chelsea fans is certainly one."
"I don't see it as a slight on anyone if I take part," Lampard, who confirmed he would have signed a new deal at Chelsea, told The Sun. The way I feel about Chelsea fans, it wouldn't be a problem to play in front of them again.
"I have nothing but good feelings for them and know I'd get a good reception.
"I know I said I'd never play for another Premier League club and I never thought I would.
"I left Chelsea and my feeling was to go to play abroad. So I signed for New York - which is a great chance for me - entirely in good faith.
"I know people say it was a set-up situation for me then to go to City. It wasn't. The only thing I hadn't worked out was how to stay fit before starting in the States.
"But then City approached me to train, play and be part of the squad. The champions of England, a fantastic club, with a squad brimming with talent. It just made complete sense.
"If I'd had five months off at 36, I don't know what state I would have been in to play.
"But now I'm fit enough to be involved and knocking on the door and I don't want to be here just to make up the numbers.
"I haven't broached it with the manager yet but I'm sure we will speak about it. I don't think it would be right for me to declare now that I didn't want to play because what happens if City get two or three injuries in midfield?
"Am I going to allow them to play a kid there when they are paying my wages? On a professional note, I have to get my head round that one.
"As a Chelsea player I would never have acted like that and I don't want to start now. Whatever I do, it will be with completely the right intentions on all fronts."
WAG OF THE DAY
Polly Parsons, Thomas Vermaelen's Girlfriend.
Joe Hart critical of Roy Hodgson's England as fans stay away from Wembley
ONLY 40,000 fans turned up to watch England labour to victory over Norway, and Joe Hart admits the team were grateful even that many were at Wembley after a World Cup to forget.
"We haven't exactly set the nation alight in the summer," said Hart. "We are very grateful that 40,000 people turned up to support us because people have gone back to school and it was a Wednesday night kick-off.
"I am happy to play for England, and all the boys are happy to play for England, whether it is behind closed doors or in front of 100,000 people.
"We are one of the few nations that play in a 90,000-seater stadium every single time, so you've got to understand that it is not always going to be possible to fill it.
"Hopefully we put on a good show and a few more faces would be more than welcome at the next game."
It is the start of a new era for Roy Hodgson's side with Wayne Rooney captaining a young side that no longer has Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard to call on.
We know if we perform, we know we are going to give anyone a good game
Hart was a contender for the captaincy but says Rooney was the right choice.
"Wayne is the main man in English football and someone we are proud to play behind," he said.
"It was an easy choice for Wayne to be captain and an easy for us to play behind.
"Wayne is exactly the same as he was when he wasn't captain. Just because one person wears the armband that doesn't mean it is solely relied on them to run the team.
"There are loads of us who are trying to rally the team and Wayne is one of the main ones. If we all work together, we've got a good chance.
"It is good, it is fresh, it is exciting. It is a new challenge for all of us, we've all got new roles in the team.
"The new boys have come in and we're all going to thrive off that, especially being captained by Wayne.
"The new lads have got responsibilities to buy into what we are doing. The older lads have got responsibilities to help the new boys bed in."
Hart prevented a major upset when making this spectacular save in the second half against Norway [GETTY]
The first real test comes on Monday when England travel to highly-ranked Switzerland for the opening game of the Euro 2016 qualifying campaign. Hart was just happy that England can go there on the back of a victory thanks to Rooney's penalty after five games without a victory.
"We needed to get back to winning ways," said Hart. "We've obviously had a tough summer.
"We can't hide from that, but at the same time it is a new regime now, a new schedule, a new tournament we're trying to qualify for. We can only look forward.
"It'll be important to get a result in Switzerland. It's a results business as we learned this summer. Some would say we sent a good message in the way we played football but we didn't win.
"We are confident. You can listen to outside opinions but we're all very aware of what we've got inside.
"We know if we perform, we know we are going to give anyone a good game and have a chance of winning."
Flowers for Doubters: Guidetti can talk the talk but will everything come up roses?
IF John Guidetti can play anywhere near as expansively as he talks then he should light up Scottish football this season.
The Swede's protracted season-long loan deal from Manchester City was belatedly confirmed last night after FIFA granted Celtic special dispensation to sign the 22 year-old, despite some of the paperwork relating to the move not being concluded until after the transfer deadline.
"After checking the documentation received and the information contained in the international transfer matching system managed by FIFA TMS, the Scottish Football Association was informed today that the envisaged loan deal may proceed," read a typically dry FIFA statement.
Celtic will find out next weekend if it has been worth all the hassle. In interviews Guidetti, currently on under-21 duty with Sweden, comes across as a fascinating character, bursting with self-confidence.
A City player since 2008, this is the fifth time he has been farmed out on loan, the previous four delivering varying levels of success. It was at Feyenoord in 2011/12 that he really came to life, scoring 20 goals in 23 games. a campaign that included three hat tricks. That earned him the adoration of the Feyenoord fans and had some tipping him to start for Sweden in Euro 2012 alongside Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
At his 20th birthday party in April of that year, however, things took a turn for the worse. A mystery stomach virus sustained that night started to attack his nervous system, effectively paralysing his right leg. He barely kicked a ball for the best part of the next two years. When he returned in January this year, it was at Stoke City on another loan spell.
The feeling was this would be his chance to recapture the highs experienced during his year in the Netherlands but instead it proved to be something of a comedown. He played just six times for Mark Hughes' side, all as a substitute, and failed to register a goal.
His self-belief, however, remains undiminished. In an interview carried out shortly after joining Stoke, he told of his plan to open a flower shop when he finally hangs up his boots, and send bouquets to all those who said he would never make it. "We'd call it Flowers for Doubters and send flowers to all the people who doubted me," he said. "All those people, they don't realise they drive me on. The flowers would be a little thank you."
For one so young, he has led a colourful life. It has included two stints living in Kenya as a child, a place he describes as "my favourite place on earth". He intends to live there when he retires and has established the John Guidetti Foundation to help build football pitches and schools. He has one full international cap to his name but ambitions to do so much more.
The comparisons with Zlatan are inevitable and, like his compatriot, he has no problem outlining his vision for the future. Unsurprisingly, such a talkative approach is sometimes divisive. "I speak my mind. I go to Holland and say I'm going to score 20 goals. And I do it. You get injured for two years and you see people saying: 'He's nothing.' That's Flowers for Doubters, man. The people who say you can't make it - you're going to eat your words."
Whether Celtic have signed the Guidetti who sparkled at Feyenoord or the one who struggled at Stoke remains to be seen. The player, though, is evidently happy to be given the opportunity to play for the Scottish champions, even if there is still doubt over whether he will be eligible for the Europa League campaign. "Delighted to have finally joined @celticfc on loan . . . Can't wait to get started and play in front those fans #TheBhoys," he tweeted.
He could make his debut against Aberdeen at Celtic Park a week tomorrow. It is unlikely to be dull.
