Dribble Diaries

Erik ten Hag has been fired by Manchester United following the club's worst start to a Premier League season and just four months after receiving a contract extension at Old Trafford. United have won just three of their first nine league games of the season, including Sunday's late 2-1 defeat at West Ham, and Ten Hag has failed to convince United's new owners. The decision was announced on Monday, and former Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy, Ten Hag's assistant, would take interim command with immediate effect. "We are grateful to Erik for everything he has done during his time with us and wish him well for the future," according to a club statement. "Ruud van Nistelrooy will take charge of the team as interim head coach, supported by the current coaching team, whilst a permanent head coach is recruited." The Dutchman was under enormous pressure last season as United dropped to a Premier League record-low eighth place, but he comple...

Eight hot topics ahead of the Premier League weekend, including Arsenal's injury woes, Fabian Hurzeler's strong start on the south coast, and Steve Cooper's reunion with his former club. Can Cooper continue to ascend against old club Forest? Steve Cooper was not the most popular choice as Leicester sought a replacement for Enzo Maresca in the summer, with Nottingham Forest ties and a shaky start doing little to help his standing. Back-to-back victories have boosted Cooper's cause, propelling Leicester to 14th place and six points clear of the relegation zone. It isn't enough to persuade, but the 44-year-old is on the right track at King Power Stadium. A comeback from two goals down to win against Southampton last weekend shown spirit, and the Foxes will now play his former club in an East Midlands rivalry on Friday night. Another win over in-form Forest might propel Leicester into the top half. Villa has enough depth to prevent another European hangover. Aston Vill...

Aston Villa might be forgiven for printing out the table, framing it, and sticking it to the wall. The club that dominated the continent in 1982 has not hinted at reaching such heights since. However, a chant broke up at the Holte End after Jhon Duran extended their lead and Real Madrid cancelled out and erased Borussia Dortmund's advantage at the Bernabeu. "We are at the top of the league," they chanted. They are, and the league under consideration is the Champions League. Villa have demonstrated significant growth under Unai Emery. However, as the Spaniard approaches the second anniversary of his appointment, the standings are some of the most startling. When Emery arrived, the club from the Second City was on the verge of relegation from the Premier League. Today, they are first in Europe, at the top of a 36-team division. It may only be for 24 hours, but it's a breathtaking sight. Bologna suffered defeat, as did Young Boys Bern and Bayern Munich before them. Vill...

Arsenal have suffered a major injury blow ahead of their Premier League meeting with Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday evening. The Gunners have had to deal with several injuries in the last month, and they are now without Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, and Jurrien Timber. Calafiori suffered a knee injury against Shakhtar, adding to the London club's concerns. He was replaced by Miles Lewis-Skelly in the 72nd minute. Calafiori attempted to continue for a few minutes after the setback but eventually requested to be substituted. The Italian is now a major worry for the league game against Liverpool, which might be the deciding factor in the title chase this season. Arsenal are already four points behind the Reds in the table, and they cannot afford another setback against the Merseyside powerhouse. Calafiori's absence would be a huge setback for the Gunners, given their troubles at left-back. Oleksandr Zinchenko and Takehiro Tomiyasu are out with injuries, and Jakub ...

Sol Bamba, a former defender for Cardiff, Leeds, and Leicester, has died at the age of 39. Bamba, who appeared 46 times for Ivory Coast and scored one goal, was working for Turkish club Adanaspor when his death was reported on Saturday. "Our technical director Souleymane Bamba, who fell ill before yesterday's match against Manisa Football Club, was taken to Manisa Celal Bayar University Hospital and sadly lost his battle for life," the Turkish club said in a statement. "Our condolences go out to his family and our community" . Bamba concluded his career at Middlesbrough, having previously played for Scottish clubs Dunfermline and Hibernian, Italian side Palermo, and Turkish side Trabzonspor. He retired in January 2023 and began coaching, first as an assistant manager at Cardiff before becoming technical director at Adanaspor. Bamba was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2021 but was certified cancer-free after undergoing chemotherapy. Sol Bamba played ...

France has produced some outstanding midfielders throughout the years, and Real Madrid has been fortunate to have the services of a few of them. Even with today's team, the foundation of Los Blancos' midfield is primarily French, thanks to Aurelien Tchouameni and Eduardo Camavinga. That number, however, could have been higher, according to an update from The Overlap podcast. While N'Golo Kante, Adrien Rabiot, and Warren Zaire-Emery, along with the Real Madrid stars, represent a distinct generation of French midfielders, Paul Pogba is one of his compatriots who deserves to be included on the list. A bout of insanity and a failing drug test, however, appear to have cost him the rest of his professional career. Pobga was close to Real Madrid. Former French player and Manchester United veteran Patrice Evra stated in a recent podcast that Pogba was close to signing for Real Madrid at one time in his career. "Paul (Pogba) wanted to move to Real Madrid." Florentino Perez...

After months of speculation, Napoli have finally sealed the permanent purchase of Romelu Lukaku from Chelsea for a sum of up to €45 million. The Belgian striker has signed a three-year contract at Stadio Diego Armando Maradona, ending his dismal second tenure at Stamford Bridge. The 31-year-old returned the Blues in the summer of 2021 for a then-club record €115 million price, seven years after his first spell with the club ended. However, Lukaku played only 44 games (scoring 15 times), resulting in a season on loan at Inter, from whom Chelsea had purchased the striker, and he has now returned to Italy with Napoli, who will pay an initial €30 million and may owe an additional €15 million in bonuses. He spent last season on loan at Roma, scoring 21 goals in 47 games, and his return to Serie A reunites him with former Inter manager Antonio Conte. The 2022/23 Serie A winners will be hopeful that the signings of Conte and Lukaku will help them recover from last season's poor 10th place...

Liverpool have signed Federico Chiesa from Juventus for an initial fee of £10 million. The sum for the Italy international winger might increase by £2.5 million depending on add-ons, such as Liverpool winning the Premier League and the Champions League. The 26-year-old has signed a four-year contract at Anfield, becoming Liverpool's first outfield signing under the new regime. "I'm thrilled to be a Liverpool player. When Richard Hughes phoned me and asked, 'Do you want to join Liverpool?' - and the coach called me - I answered yes right away because I know the history of this club and what it means to the fans," Chiesa stated. "So, I'm quite excited and can't wait to get started. "A fantasy has become a reality. When I hear the term Liverpool, I think of trophies, victories, and memorable evenings in the Champions League at Anfield. "It's very emotional for me." I can't wait to hear the anthem and all 60,000 fans singing ...

Barcelona has made a loan offer for a promising Liverpool midfielder. That is according to transfer insider Fabrizio Romano, who names Stefan Bajcetic as the player in issue. Over the last 24 hours, the brass at Camp Nou has been obliged to renew their search for reinforcements in the middle of the pitch. This comes after engine room sensation Marc Bernal suffered an ACL tear in his left knee, forcing him to miss a significant amount of time. Deco and co. have promptly gone about exploring market opportunities to fill the vacuum left by a player who started all three of Barcelona's La Liga games to begin the season. 🚨🔵🔴 EXCLUSIVE: Barcelona submits loan bid to Liverpool for young midfielder Stefan Bajcetic! More exclusive details: loan bid worth €4 million, no buy clause. After receiving a loan bid from RB Salzburg on Tuesday, Barça is now attempting to make it happen following Bernal's injury.   As previously said, this afternoon's quest brought the Blaugrana to Premier...

According to Italian media outlet Corriere della Sera (page 7), West Ham United is close to signing Tammy Abraham from AS Roma. The Hammers have offered a loan arrangement with a buyout clause worth roughly €22 million. Abraham did not play in Roma's recent defeat to Empoli, as manager Daniele De Rossi instead to rely on Eldor Shomurodov from the bench. AC Milan had indicated interest in Abraham, offering Alexis Saelemaekers in exchange, but West Ham's pursuit has gained traction. They feel they can reach a personal agreement with the player despite his high wage expectations. The 26-year-old has formerly represented Chelsea, Bristol City, Swansea City, and Aston Villa. Despite a recent injury setback, he remains a highly sought-after prospect. Given the availability of Niclas Fullkrug and Michail Antonio on West Ham's roster, the choice to pursue Abraham may raise questions. However, the club sees Abraham as a long-term investment. The striker can take his time adjusting t...

Arsenal have agreed to transfer goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale to Southampton for £25 million, according to Fabrizio Romano. Last season, the England international was a backup goalkeeper to David Raya. He made only 11 appearances in all competitions for Arsenal. It appeared that he would not accept another season as a deputy, and the Saints have now won the fight to sign him permanently from Arsenal. With the 25-year-old on his way to the south coast, Arsenal are ready to intensify their pursuit of Espanyol goalkeeper Joan Garcia. Arsenal plans to replace Ramsdale with Garcia. Ramsdale has been an effective shot-stopper for the Gunners. He now has a chance to earn guaranteed minutes and help Southampton avoid relegation. Arsenal is expected to find a replacement before Friday's transfer deadline, given they currently have no other senior shot-stoppers in the squad besides Raya. The team has verbally agreed on personal terms with Garcia, but a transfer may not be easy. The Gunners wi...

Arsenal has opted not to sign Sporting CP attacker Viktor Gyokeres before the transfer deadline, according to Portuguese outlet Record (page 4). The Gunners have been connected with the Sweden international several times in recent months, but they have yet to make an approach for him. Sporting is only willing to consider bids of €100 million (£84.3 million) for Gyokeres. This is the release clause in the striker's contract. Arsenal has already stated that they are unwilling to pay such a hefty price during the current transfer window. Chelsea has also backed out of the race. Gyokeres remains totally committed to the reigning Portuguese champions and has no plans to leave before the transfer market ends on Friday evening. Arsenal are unlikely to recruit a new striker before deadline. The Gunners were expected to sign a marquee centre-forward at the start of the summer, but the club has shown no interest. With only two days remaining in the transfer window, it appears the club'...

Manchester City have finalized the permanent sale of full-back Joao Cancelo to Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal. Cancelo hasn't played a competitive game for City since falling out of favor midway through the 2022/23 season and joining Bayern Munich on loan in January. The Portuguese then spent last season at Barcelona, but returned to Manchester when his contract expired. Pep Guardiola had not ruled out Cancelo, who became unsatisfied with his job amid increased competition from Nathan Ake and Rico Lewis, staying and being reintegrated this season, but a move to Al Hilal has now been completed. "I would like to wish everyone at City continued success in the future," Cancelo said after completing a reported £21 million transfer. "I experienced numerous extremely special memories throughout my time at this wonderful club. "I would like to thank my team-mates, the coaches, all the staff at City and the fans for everything during my time here." Cancelo is expected ...

Red Devils will sign Uruguayan midfielder on a permanent basis. Manchester United are likely to complete two vital midfield transfers. Manuel Ugarte is scheduled to fly to the north-west today for a medical after a fee was agreed upon for a permanent move from Paris Saint-Germain. According to various sources, the Uruguayan will now join for an initial fee of £42 million plus £8 million in add-ons, rather than a loan. The agreement also reflects an £8 million reduction from PSG's original asking. Erik ten Hag has made a defensive midfielder one of his top targets this summer, along with a new striker and defensive reinforcements. Ugarte hinted at his upcoming transfer with an eyes-open emoji post on X. Ugarte joins Joshua Zirkzee, Leny Yoro, Matthijs de Ligt, and Noussair Mazraoui as the summer's fifth key signing. Scott McTominay will leave Manchester at the same time. The academy graduate has reached an agreement in principle on personal terms to join Serie A club Napoli. A m...

 Liverpool have approached Juventus about signing Federico Chiesa this summer. According to Fabrizio Romano's exclusive update, Liverpool has planned a late transfer window call with Juventus for Federico Chiesa. The Bianconeri put the Italian star on the market after he requested a transfer this summer due to a disagreement with the club's administration over the previous season. Premier League clubs were interested in the 26-year-old, but it was the Reds who made the official move. Liverpool, having spent little during this window, has the financial resources to make Chiesa's arrival happen quickly, potentially avoiding deadline day controversy. Liverpool is currently looking into how to present the proposal to Juventus, believing that a permanent transfer is the best option. The Merseyside club is expected to sign the midfielder at a reduced price, but The Old Lady is unlikely to let him leave for less than €60 million, the amount paid by Juventus for him.  

Sky Sports News reports that Chelsea are "exploring [a] deal" to sign Jadon Sancho from Manchester United before the August 30 deadline. According to Sky Sports' top correspondent Dharmesh Sheth, Chelsea and Juventus are keen in signing the 24-year-old winger, with United wanting a "permanent" deal if Sancho leaves Old Trafford this summer. According to Sheth, a loan move is "not ruled out," with United executives likely to acknowledge that potential bidders are unlikely to match the club's £40 million asking price for Sancho. Chelsea and Juventus are considering a deal for Manchester United. Jaden Sancho. Juventus wants a loan. It is thought that Chelsea's deal might include a player moving the other way. United seek a permanent deal, although a loan is not out of the question. Sancho went to Brighton but was left out of the team. As The Peoples Person covered in greater detail here, Juventus appeared to be Sancho's "most likely"...

Arsenal have made it clear that they do not want Jakub Kiwior to move on loan, despite interest from Bologna and other clubs around Europe. The Gunners, who signed the versatile defender from Spezia in January 2023 for roughly £21 million, are only interested in a permanent deal if the appropriate offer comes in.

Arne Slot was unconcerned by Trent Alexander-Arnold's negative response to being substituted in Liverpool's 2-0 victory over Brentford. Slot, who otherwise had a fantastic competitive debut in charge, spoke to a plainly dejected Alexander-Arnold on the bench after the England defender was replaced by Conor Bradley in the 72nd minute. It came only moments after Mohamed Salah extended Liverpool's advantage following Luis Diaz's opener, although Slot denied any disagreement with Alexander-Arnold, who represented England at Euro 2024. "He didn't look that happy being taken off, I understand," Slot told me. "Every player wants to play 90 minutes, but I don't think the players on the bench from the start were pleased with the decision I made." "But Trent returned from the national team, where he played a lot at the start of the tournament, then stopped, took a few weeks off, and returned - this was just his third game. "We have to take c...

Spurs crushed Everton in their first home game of the Premier League season Micky van de Ven feels Tottenham's offense is more varied than last season, as he aims to win a trophy following Saturday's 4-0 hammering of Everton. Van de Ven stole the show with a stunning 70-yard dribble that set up Heung-min Son for Spurs' fourth goal, although several of Ange Postecoglou's players performed admirably. Yves Bissouma opened the scoring with a superb strike from the edge of the box, and Son doubled their lead with a brilliant stroke of opportunism that involved pickpocketing Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford. Cristian Romero scored in his 100th appearance for the club before Van de Van and the captain collaborated. Dejan Kulusevski stood out in an unaccustomed No. 8 role, while 19-year-old debutant Wilson Odobert was energetic, and James Maddison returned to form. "I think we are more dangerous this year," Van de Ven stated later. "Like the gaffer said, we ca...

What Morgan Rogers did to our midfield should not be repeated. The dust has cleared on Arsenal's statement win against Aston Villa last night, in a game where we needed to get one over a team that had caused us issues last season. A two-nil victory was ensured by to second-half efforts from Leandro Trossard and Thomas Partey. Even if I believe we were not convincing during the victory, it was a positive indicator that we found a way to win, as all excellent teams do. However, one area where I believe we suffered throughout the game was in midfield, with Morgan Rogers being the primary cause. He simply drove us ragged at times with his directness and strength, which I believe caught us off guard when engaging in duels. Partey, who had been in excellent form throughout preseason and the first game of the new season, struggled against him in particular, but it was the way Declan Rice was handled a couple times that shocked me. I recognize the player's undeniable talent, but we ju...