Vesper

Florentino Perez’s camp including son advise Real Madrid President to sell Vinicius Junior https://www.football-espana.net/2024/11/14/florentino-perezs-camp-including-son-advise-real-madrid-president-to-sell-vinicius-junior Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior is the centre of attention in the Spanish capital, and not just for his brilliant form. After dominating headlines during the Ballon d’Or news cycle due to President Florentino Perez’s decision for Los Blancos not to travel, the idea that the Brazilian might not be long for Los Blancos continues to persist. In the summer, a number of figures emerged stating that Vinicius could expect to earn €1b over five years if he were to move to Saudi Arabia. While Real Madrid quoted his €1b release clause, the talk is of a remarkable transfer fee between €400-500m. Vinicius’ agents also met with Saudi Arabian’ officials after the transfer window closed in London, to continue relations between the two. Of late, Vinicius has been quite clear that he wants to ‘stay at Real Madrid forever’, part of what Sport say is a back and forth between himself and the club. The persistence of the stories about his departure also come ahead of a potential contract renewal for Los Blancos, discussion that is on the horizon, with his current deal up in 2027. The same source goes on to state that there are a growing number of voices in the entourage of Perez advising him to sell Vinicius. Amongst them are his son, Chivo, who is being handed increasing power both within the club and within Perez’s business outside of it. They believe that in one fell swoop, Los Blancos could solve their financial issues and settle Kylian Mbappe in his preferred left-sided role. While it seems we are a long way from a deal happening, and ultimately Vinicius would have to be persuaded to leave the peak of European football for money, the groundwork is certainly being laid for Vinicius to be sold. The Brazilian has by a distance been their best player this season, but is not free from criticism all the same.

https://thedailybriefing.io/i/151635792/barcelona Barcelona’s sporting director, Deco, spoke to Spanish media in a wide-ranging interview covering a number of important subjects: “Pedri's contract renewal will happen because he wants to succeed at Barça and he wants to make history here. We are focused on winning important titles this season, but also on guaranteeing the future of key players and Pedri is one of them… I can see Gavi signing a new contract with us at Barça, for sure. Gavi personifies everything that Barça is. He is a special player. He's only 20 but it looks like he's 26 or 27. When a player wants to stay, it will be done… I imagine that Ronald Araújo wants to be part of our project. We're working on it but it's important that the players' ideas are in line with ours. We know what we want but it always depends on the players.” Deco had some strong words when asked about Vitor Roque. “For as long as I've had an association with Barça, I can't remember such an ugly attack on a young player who came from abroad like the one which happened to Vitor Roque,” he said. “There was malice. He suffered a lot but I'm happy now that he's enjoying and scoring goals at Betis… I can confirm that Vitor Roque joined in January as Xavi requested that he replace Gavi who was injured. Vitor didn’t have any responsibility for the situation, it’s not his fault. He will show that he’s a top player… Vitor Roque cost €30m, not €60m because no variables have been met. Vitor hasn't won titles with us nor reached a specific percentage of games, so it's only €30m.” Rumours that Diogo Costa could be on his way to the Catalan giants appear to be wide of the mark. “We are not negotiating for Diogo Costa as avnew goalkeeper,” Deco added during his interview. “I want him to win titles at Porto.” Deco also commented on Frenkie de Jong’s contract. “It’s a normal process. He’s a top quality player, we are working on contracts also considering our limits. We keep working in silence on that but it’s of my plan.” De Jong was also interviewed, this time by Dutch media, where he spoke about his frustration over his long-term injury. "Sometimes I thought: when is this going to end?" he said. "I always had belief that I would play football again, but the uncertainty regarding recovery was very difficult. Whether I would return the same as I was, I thought about that… I still have some discomfort, but it’s nothing big. I am not injured.” In another blow to his hopes of earning a new contract at Barcelona, Ansu Fati suffered a muscle injury in the femoral biceps of his right thigh during training and will now be out until mid December. Better news for another young Barcelona ace as Pau Cubarsí has been called up for international duty with the Spanish national team as a replacement for the injured Pau Torres.

https://www.fifa.com/en/tournaments/mens/intercontinentalcup/2024 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_FIFA_Intercontinental_Cup The 2024 FIFA Intercontinental Cup is the inaugural edition of the FIFA Intercontinental Cup, an annual club association football tournament organised by FIFA. The tournament comprises the six teams that won the previous edition of the continental championships in each FIFA confederation, playing each other in a single-elimination bracket. It will be held from 22 September to 18 December 2024, the first two games will be played in the stadium of a team involved in each match, and the final three (including the final) will be played in Qatar as a neutral venue. The tournament broadly maintains the format of the previous annual versions of the FIFA Club World Cup, which was expanded and reorganised into a quadrennial tournament with more entrants, with the exception of changes to venues for the initial rounds. The tournament name is derived from the former Intercontinental Cup, that was last played in 2004 between teams from UEFA and CONMEBOL.

Chelsea open to letting summer signing go ALREADY - Man United & Spurs on red alert Exclusive update on Chelsea star's future - could he already be sent packing by Enzo Maresca? https://thedailybriefing.io/p/excl-Chelsea-open-to-letting-summer Chelsea could be open to allowing one of their major summer signings to leave the club already as we edge closer to the January transfer window, sources have told the Daily Briefing… Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall has had a difficult start to life at Stamford Bridge and it’s understood that Chelsea could already consider letting the 26-year-old move on, most likely on loan. Although Dewsbury-Hall was a key player for Enzo Maresca when they were together at Leicester City last season, it’s proven difficult for the former Foxes playmaker to secure regular playing time for Chelsea. The Blues have plenty of competition for places in their midfield, and Dewsbury-Hall could now do well to look at other options if he is to revive his career. The Daily Briefing have been told that Manchester United and Tottenham are among the Englishman’s most high-profile suitors ahead of January, though it remains to be seen if Chelsea will allow him to join a big six rival. Alongside those clubs, it is also understood that others in the Premier League such as Newcastle, Aston Villa, Fulham, Brighton and Brentford could also be ready to rescue Dewsbury-Hall from his difficult situation at Chelsea. It could be a good move for Dewsbury-Hall to temporarily leave Chelsea to show what he can do in the Premier League, before perhaps returning to the Bridge at a later date, ready to fight for his place again. Failing that, a loan spell could also give Dewsbury-Hall the chance to show what he can do and put himself in the shop window, allowing CFC to cash in on the player and at least in some way make back their investment in him.

Cole Palmer says he needed persuading to join Chelsea from Manchester City https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5919438/2024/11/13/cole-palmer-Chelsea-man-city-transfer/ Cole Palmer says he needed persuading to join Chelsea from Manchester City last summer. In an interview with British GQ, Palmer said his manager helped convince him to make the move to the west London club after he had decided he wanted to leave City. He has previously spoken about how initially only wanted to leave City on a season-long loan before returning to the first team, but was told he had to either leave permanently or remain at the club. Palmer, 22, completed a move to Chelsea for a fee worth up to £42.5million (now $54.1m) on deadline day and enjoyed a hugely successful individual season, registering 25 goals and 15 assists in 46 games for his new club. “I wasn’t even gonna go (to) Chelsea,” Palmer said. “I got persuaded.” Discussions between the two clubs dragged on, Palmer says, leaving him anxious for updates even while training. “Every time the ball went out I’d ask the kit man or the doctor if they’ve agreed the fee yet,” Palmer added before revealing he didn’t get the chance at a proper farewell . “Most people went home,” he said. “I messaged the group chat, said, ‘Thanks and everything. I’m gone.’ That was it.” GO DEEPER Cole Palmer, the passer - and the man who makes Chelsea tick After scoring England’s equalising goal in the European Championship final against Spain over the summer, Palmer has started this season in strong form again, contributing seven goals and five assists in Chelsea’s 11 Premier League matches. Palmer signed a two-year contract extension before the new campaign started in August, with his deal at Chelsea now running until 2033. Having come through their academy, the attacking midfielder previously made 41 appearances in all competitions for City, with only two of those Premier League starts, before joining Chelsea. Palmer has withdrawn from the England squad for this month’s Nations League matches and will return to action when Chelsea travel to Leicester City on Saturday, November 23. GO DEEPER The cult of 'Cold Palmer' has reached America - can he become a global brand?

Marc Cucurella has become Chelsea’s irritant-in-chief – and may be what Enzo Maresca needs https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5914713/2024/11/12/Chelsea-marc-cucurella-dennis-wise-john-terry/ Every good Chelsea team of the Premier League era has needed an irritant. A nuisance. Someone who gets under the skins of opposition players and fans alike. Those who have thrived in the role include Dennis Wise, John Terry, Ashley Cole, Diego Costa and Antonio Rudiger. All were great players at their respective positions, which made them a target for abuse from the opposition-supporting sections of the stands anyway, but they also seemed to thrive having been cast as Chelsea’s pantomime villain. It has taken nearly a couple of years since he joined from Brighton in a transfer which could rise the fee rise to over £60million ($77m), but Marc Cucurella has now assumed the mantle those predecessors left behind — and seems to be absolutely loving it. To become this kind of player, it helps if you have something that makes you stand out. For example, Wise may have been small in size and portrayed himself as the ‘cheeky chappy’ but was perfectly capable of aiming a painful little dig at an opponent’s body while wearing an innocent smile at the same time. Terry and Cole, by their mere presence, were enough to create a hostile atmosphere. Their off-field issues ensured they were never going to be the most popular anywhere not called Stamford Bridge. The fact they were both excellent defenders who loved a challenge meant games were never dull when they were involved either. Costa and Rudiger did not try to hide what they were up to, getting involved in some extraordinary exchanges with opponents. Striker Costa seemed to go out of his way to rile up whoever was marking him. The way he got Gabriel Paulista sent off in a game against Arsenal in 2016 was a masterclass in s***housery. GO DEEPER Infuriating, embarrassing - and funny: What players really think of 'shithousing' Football purists tutted in disgust at such behaviour, but chants of “Diego, Diego” reverberated around Chelsea’s stadium as if he had just scored a goal. Similarly, whenever centre-back Rudiger got involved in some spat or produced an almost cartoon-like tackle to win a 50-50, you would hear cries of “Rudi, Rudi!” No matter what the game, these players always seemed to take centre stage, to be constantly in the picture. Cucurella is of a similar ilk. His flamboyant haircut, those long, dark curls seen bouncing away every time a TV camera zooms in on him, automatically makes the Spain international stand out from the rest. But for over a year at Chelsea after his arrival, he was not held in great regard by the fans, while opposing supporters saw him more as an example of the new Todd Boehly-Clearlake consortium getting a transfer wrong. Indeed, former Chelsea head coach Graham Potter admitted this weekend that, such were Cucurella’s struggles to win over the fanbase, it did influence his selection decisions on occasion during his time in charge between September 2022 and the following April. Potter, who had also managed the Spaniard at Brighton in 2021-22, said on Sky Sports: “He had to take some stick at Stamford Bridge; it was quite hostile at times. There was a period of time when if results weren’t going so well… you want to do as much as you can to have the crowd with you, but it was obvious that there was a real dislike for Marc here. It goes into your thinking about whether to put him in.” Cucurella’s man of the match display against Arsenal on Sunday just emphasised how much that has all become a distant memory. The 25-year-old was superb as he kept Bukayo Saka relatively subdued. It’s not the first time he has managed to do that in recent months, having also got the better of him when Spain defeated England in the final of Euro 2024 back in July. But even when he was not winning a duel or making a forward run during the Arsenal game, you could see Cucurella trying to have an impact on proceedings in other, more cynical, ways. Just some examples of the gamesmanship on display include talking to the referee over what seemed to be every decision, complaining to the assistant referees on the touchline, delaying throw-ins and dropping the ball close (but not close enough) for Arsenal to restart the game quickly from a set piece. Each time something was going on, Cucurella seemed to be there, chirping away. GO DEEPER What is the 'Pellegrini offside trap' and why is it undermining Chelsea this season? The annoyance his behaviour causes is particularly noticeable at away matches, where he soon becomes targeted for booing. Even at Bournemouth, whose fans do not exactly have a reputation for getting too animated, the crowd got rather irate with him during their loss to Chelsea in September. And how their counterparts at Stamford Bridge appreciate his efforts now. It has helped that, since returning from an ankle operation in March, Cucurella has started 20 of Chelsea’s 23 Premier League games. The only time he has not featured at all in that time is when he was suspended for the trip to Liverpool last month after picking up five bookings. Cucurella has been a consistent part of Chelsea’s team since returning from injury in March (Michael Regan/Getty Images) Speaking to The Athletic earlier this year, Cucurella said: “It’s been hard to turn the tables. I’ve worked very hard. I’ve suffered a lot for my family too. That’s been the worst thing. I was a bit scared, in the moments I was being criticised, that when going for a walk in the city with my family, someone would insult us. It’s never happened in a bad way but I was a bit wary of that. That’s what made me worry the most. GO DEEPER Chelsea have dealt with a tough run - and now there's an opportunity “I was working with a psychologist for a while. It helped me a lot to understand my job. Confidence is the most important thing. You miss it when you struggle, but it flows when you thrive. I’ve worked a lot on this, to stabilise those moments.” His consistency is one of the reasons why Champions League winner Ben Chilwell’s services are no longer required at Chelsea. Unlike 12 months ago, the fans want to see Cucurella’s name on the teamsheet. He is playing well but is also playing with an edge Wise and company would be proud of.

btec refs

absolutely agree

Same news for months. Hope it is true.

ludicrous reports all over the shit-media sphere about Citeh buying VALVERDE for only £59.75m from Real Madrid! LOLOL they would NEVER let him go for that he is arguably the best CMF on the planet

he was already sold On 22 August 2023, Hall joined Newcastle United on a season-long loan with an obligation to buy for £28 million, plus £7 million in add-ons.

I figured it was a leg issue, as he lacked leaping ability and any sort of his normal 'first few strides' explosive quick bursts he needs rest to recover his knee health

Sanchez was dropped down to 2nd and even 3rd string GKer at Brighton yet we splashed out £25m for him Mamardashvili was there for the taking (2 years in a row) plus 14 other options (for a total of 15) AT THAT TIME (many are off the board now) Lucas Chevalier Anatoliy Trubin Matvey Safonov Álvaro Valles Michele Di Gregorio Bento Dominik Livakovic Predrag Rajković Bono (a temp fix due to age) plus the big names (Costa has dropped in form, and not sure if all of the others are the right fit now, Maignan probably the best fit) Diogo Costa (erratic all of sudden) Gregor Kobel (poor from the back) Mike Maignan (age and cost blocked us from buying him I wager) Jan Oblak (not quite the same player now as at his long peak, and he is meh playing out) plus the best teen keeper atm, super athete Guillaume Restes

yep I posted this earlier:

CuCu MOTM for me Neto 2nd

yes, I am not putting this down as dropped points (I could, but the fact we came from behind to draw even and then Arse had so many more chances to win after that compared to us means a draw is a decent result) so we are still on 7 dropped points the 3 other draws (in those 3 games we should have beaten Palace, Forest, and Manure) and the loss to Pool that should have been a draw

the EPL is an absolute meat grinder now so so so many decent clubs no other league is remotely close

insanely close for 3rd to 9th places

we are 3rd after 11 games

they were offside goal would have been ruled out

I will take the draw decent game

Oliver has had a good game as the ref