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Reports: Mourinho Wants to Sign Saúl
Even though the club signed veteran midfielder Nemanja Matic on a free-agent deal earlier this week, Roma’s exhaustive search for a (young) defensive midfielder continues as we work our way through mid-June.
While Matic will steady the ship for the 2022-2023 season, José Mourinho and GM Tiago Pinto have identified several targets to fill the position on a long-term basis. First among these marks is Aston Villa’s Douglas Luiz.
Still, with the Brazilian midfielder perhaps a bit too expensive for Roma’s current tastes, the Giallorossi are being linked with a host of alternatives to the 24-year-old.
Late Friday afternoon we discussed the surprising addition of Bayern Munich’s Marcel Sabitzer to the rumor mill. Sabitzer, who signed with Bayern last August, may find himself searching for a new club after a rather pedestrian debut season with the perpetual German champions.
While rumor holds that Roma and Bayern have had preliminary discussions on a potential €15 to €20 million transfer for the 28-year-old Austrian international, the Spanish press has connected a new name with the capital club: Saúl Niguez.
Saúl, a 27-year-old Spanish utility midfielder, came up through the Atletico Madrid ranks in the early days of the 2010s and was a mainstay for the Mattress Makers, making 188 La Liga starts between 2015 and 2021.
Capable of playing various midfield roles, including defensive mid, Saúl’s standing with Atletico fell precipitously once the twenty-teens gave way to the twenty-twenties. From 33 appearances and more than 2,000 league minutes during the ‘20-’21 season, Saúl saw a measly 201 minutes with Atletico this past season before joining Chelsea on loan on deadline day last summer.
Unfortunately for Saúl, the new location didn’t bring better luck. Buried on the bench at Stamford Bridge, Niguez logged only 480 league minutes for the Blues this season, returning to Atletico as fresh and as frustrated as the day he left.
Football
“Call it a Day”: Manchester United Midfielder Slammed Over ‘Disastrous’ Liverpool Performance
Old Trafford witnessed a revealing scene during the pre-game festivities as Manuel Ugarte was introduced to the Manchester United faithful. The Uruguayan’s debut couldn’t have come at a more poignant time.
As the 23-year-old midfielder took his introductory bows, his predecessor, Casemiro, was gearing up for what would become a fateful encounter against Liverpool—a match that would underline the vast gulf the Brazilian now needs to bridge.
The defensive midfield role at Manchester United has been a subject of intense scrutiny and Casemiro, once a stalwart at Real Madrid, found himself overwhelmed in a game that laid bare many of United’s deeper systemic issues.
The match ended in a 3-0 defeat, with Casemiro’s disastrous performance a glaring weak spot. As Jamie Carragher insightfully remarked earlier, it might be time for Casemiro to step away from the top echelons of football, suggesting, “Football has left him at this top level. He needs to call it a day at this level and move.”
Despite the immediate criticisms, it’s crucial to remember Casemiro’s significant contributions to football, underscored by his wife’s poignant social media post showcasing his extensive trophy haul.
Such a decorated career deserves recognition, even as discussions about his current form persist. As Gary Neville empathetically noted, even the best can falter under pressure, reflecting on his own career’s twilight years.
For Manchester United, the challenge is not just about replacing a player but about realigning their entire midfield setup to compete effectively against top-tier teams like Liverpool.
Casemiro’s situation serves as a stark reminder of the relentless pace and physicality of the Premier League, where even the most experienced players can find themselves outpaced and outplayed
Football
“Biggest mistake of his life”: Real Madrid star told he has made the biggest mistake of his life for joining the Los Blacos
Kylian Mbappé joined Real Madrid as a free agent this past summer transfer window. While this is a significant step in his career, one person believes it’s the wrong decision.
Moreover, he notes that it’s an easy route to securing his football glory as winning the Ballon d’Or and UEFA Champions League at PSG would have had a different meaning than winning these honors at Real Madrid.
As a result, Cyril Hanouna stated in his interview with Europe 1 that the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner made a mistake leaving his hometown club.
“For me, Kylian Mbappé made the mistake of his life,” Hanouna stated (h/t Le10Sport). “I didn’t elaborate last time, but I’ll do it now. Winning the Champions League with Real Madrid is normal. Of course, winning the Champions League with Real Madrid, everyone does it. All the players who are at Real Madrid, at some point, will win the Champions League.
“Being Ballon d’Or at Real Madrid is rather easy. Benzema won it at Real Madrid. Mbappé should have stayed at PSG, won the Champions League with PSG, and won the Ballon d’Or with PSG. The club was giving him everything; it would have been his club. He would have been the main man at PSG.”
PSG are a young but exciting team, and perhaps they might not have the expectations of winning the Champions League this season. However, Real Madrid has the pressure of winning the competition this campaign with the Frenchman; if they don’t, then many will consider Year 1 of Mbappé a failure.
It will be interesting to see how this tournament plays out this season as Real Madrid know who they’ll be facing in the league phase. Mbappé won’t win the Ballon d’Or this year, but winning the Champions League and playing a key role could help his chances in 2025.
Football
“A really good signing”: Alan Shearer gives his verdict on Arsenal’s unexpected signing as he backs the player become a valuable star in the team
The term ‘baptism of fire’ is often overused in football, but it rings true for Raheem Sterling when considering he could make his Arsenal debut away to Tottenham Hotspur.
For a different player, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta might decide against deploying his new signing on such an occasion, but Sterling certainly has the mental resolve to handle it.
Sterling has endured some tough times in the past for England, criticised for his performances, and he’s been subject to similar at Chelsea too.
But in north London, the 29-year-old now has a new home, and the majority of Arsenal fans are excited to see if Arteta can recapture Sterling’s best, in a similar vein to Kai Havertz.
The two are at very different stages of their career, but like just Havertz, Sterling may find his confidence once again, a player who is still in his prime years.
Alan Shearer explains why Raheem Sterling could be really ‘valuable’ to Arsenal
Speaking on ‘The Rest Is Football’ podcast, Alan Shearer was very happy that Sterling had managed to get away from a ‘horrible’ situation at Stamford Bridge, which could have become even more messy.
And the pundit then went on to explain what Sterling can offer Arsenal, a move that suits both parties.
Shearer said: “Yeah I think it’s a really good move for him. I think it was important that he got out and played.
“It would have been horrible for him to sit there and rot in the stiffs, not even maybe, not even see first team football, never mind train or whatever with them.
“So I think it was really important for him to get out with his experience and know-how, he could be valuable to Arsenal.”
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