Vesper

yes, but pretty much no chance AM would sell João Félix for less than £80-90m and his salary demands were insane (tbh so would Kane's) AM paid 127.2m euros for Félix plus AM paid another €12m in mediation and 3rd party fees https://www.slbenfica.pt/pt-pt/agora/noticias/2019/07/03/futebol-benfica-comunicado-cmvm-joao-felix-atletico-de-madrid “Por último, de referir que os encargos com os serviços de intermediação relativos a esta transferência ascendem a 12 milhões de euros e que o Club Atlético de Madrid, SAD será responsável pelo pagamento do valor do Mecanismo de Solidariedade devido a clubes terceiros, o qual não poderá ser deduzido ao montante da transferência acordado com a Benfica SAD acima mencionado” translated “Finally, it should be noted that the charges for intermediation services relating to this transfer amount to 12 million euros and that Club Atlético de Madrid, SAD will be responsible for paying the value of the Solidarity Mechanism due to third-party clubs , which cannot be deducted from the transfer amount agreed with Benfica SAD mentioned above ”

almost 2 nil Manure are wide open for a gutting

13 seconds fasted goal ever in an FA Cup final and also this is the first FA Cup game ever played in June

what a fucking strike

woooooot 1 nil Citeh

2022-23 English FA Cup, Final Manchester City Manchester United https://www.sportshub.to/sports/2023/fa-cup-manchester-city-vs-manchester-united-s1/ https://www.vipleague.st/fa-cup-final-2023-manchester-city-vs-manchester-united-1-live-streaming

Hazard level 'star' offensive players: basically none, or almost none will come by valuation Kylian Mbappé (we could have signed him as a youth, ffs) Erling Haaland Vinicius Junior (he may leave due to crazy racism, especially if the get Mbappe, but so doubt he would come here) Jamal Musiala (ex Chels) Bukayo Saka Phil Foden Victor Osimhen Harry Kane (he won't come as we have no CL) Rodrygo Lautaro Martínez Florian Wirtz Rafael Leão Martin Ødegaard Marcus Rashford Kevin De Bruyne (ex Chels) Mohamed Salah (ex Chels) Robert Lewandowski Karim Benzema Lionel Messi

double it

Karim Benzema to leave Real Madrid https://theathletic.com/4570670/2023/06/01/karim-benzema-real-madrid-transfer/?source=twitteruk Karim Benzema is leaving Real Madrid after 14 years at the Santiago Bernabeu. On Tuesday, The Athletic reported that Benzema, 35, had received a lucrative offer from Saudi Arabia with Madrid aware of that proposal and the Frenchman’s decision to leave for several days. Latest transfer news from The Athletic What are your favourite Benzema memories? Several sources from Madrid’s Valdebebas training ground — who asked to remain anonymous to protect their position — said the striker and head coach Carlo Ancelotti held a meeting on Wednesday which was not considered usual or part of the team’s schedule. These sources all said they expected Benzema to leave after that meeting unless the board could change his mind. Madrid have not stood in Benzema’s way, despite having renewed his contract until June 2024 earlier this year. Benzema’s Madrid team-mates knew he had been tempted by the offer from Saudi Arabia for several weeks and he has also asked one of the club’s physios to join him there. Benzema refused to be drawn on his future when questioned on it at the Marca awards on Thursday evening. “I’m in Madrid,” he said. “What people talk about is the internet and reality is not the internet. “At the moment I’m here, I enjoy every day and there’s a game on Sunday.” Benzema joined Real from Lyon for an initial £30million in 2009 and is Madrid’s second top scorer of all-time with 353 goals in 647 games — behind only Cristiano Ronaldo who has 450 goals in 438 appearances. He won his first Ballon d’Or last year and has lifted 24 trophies during his time at the club, including four La Liga titles and five Champions League trophies. Benzema scored a career-best 44 goals in 46 appearances to lead Real to a La Liga-Champions League double last season but he has struggled with muscular problems this campaign. The Frenchman will receive a hero’s send-off in Madrid’s last game of the season against Athletic Bilbao at the Bernabeu on Sunday (5.30pm BST kick-off). GO DEEPER 'You're not the worst journalist I've seen': Can our writer match Benzema's training routine? Shearer: ‘Benzema’s a brilliant centre-forward, a master technician’ Here Alan Shearer and Michael Cox dissected what makes Benzema such a complete striker, analysing some of his best goals and what they show about him as a player… “First of all, I think Benzema is a master technician. He can’t be around at the highest level, scoring the number of goals he has, for that number of years, without being brilliant technically. “He is a brilliant centre-forward. Look at the longevity of him, how long he’s been at Real, how long he’s been scoring goals, who’s been in and gone from Real in that time — and he’s still scoring goals, goals, goals. “When you look at his goals, there’s something of everything. Finding space at the near post, finding space at the far post, and finding space on the edge of the box. Benzema can do all three. “He hasn’t slowed down at all. If anything, he’s got better.” GO DEEPER Alan Shearer: Dissecting brilliant Benzema, the striker who has everything

https://thehardtackle.com/transfer-news/2023/06/02/Chelsea-step-up-interest-in-manuel-ugarte/ Mauricio Pochettino has contacted Manuel Ugarte in a bid to convince the Sporting CP midfielder to move to Stamford Bridge this summer amid Manchester United and PSG interest. Chelsea have set their sights on winning the race for sought-after Sporting CP destroyer Manuel Ugarte and are trying to strike a deal as soon as possible in light of ever-increasing outside interest in his services. That’s according to Football Insider, who reports that newly-appointed Blues boss Mauricio Pochettino has attempted to persuade Ugarte to head to west London by holding a phone conversation. The West London side have had a season to forget, having finished 12th in the table with just 44 points. Failing to even reach the 50-point mark is a marker of the scale of the task ahead this summer, and they have already set the wheels into motion. Indeed, Pochettino has finally been announced as their new manager, and the Argentine is likely to have some huge decisions to make on who will make his squad for the new campaign. The Argentine looks to thin out his roster and put his time into the players he actually wants and trusts. However, this is not to say Chelsea will not be looking to bring in some new players, with Uruguayan midfielder Manuel Ugarte believed to be high on their radar. Midfield is by no means an area where Chelsea are short in numbers, considering they added the £106.8 million Enzo Fernandez in the January window. However, if the likes of Conor Gallagher, N’Golo Kante, and Mateo Kovacic are to move on over the summer, then perhaps this is a department that has to be addressed. Regarded as one of the best young holding midfielders, the Uruguay international has been terrific for Sporting over the past year or so, making a total of 47 club appearances this season. He has averaged 3.9 tackles and 1.8 interceptions per Liga Bwin appearance in the 2022–23 campaign. The 22-year-old has also been stellar with his distribution, completing 92 percent of his passes. Needless to say, he has been touted to pursue a bigger challenge elsewhere during the upcoming transfer window. Chelsea are currently battling it out with Paris Saint-Germain for the Uruguay international, with both clubs ready to meet the Sporting midfielder’s €60 million release clause. Ugarte’s preference is to join Chelsea and play in the Premier League. In fact, he has already verbally accepted terms on a long-term deal with the Blues, but the 22-year-old has received a significantly better offer from PSG. PSG, meanwhile, have another advantage over Chelsea as they are willing to pay Ugarte’s buy-out clause up front, while the Blues reportedly prefer to agree to a structured deal. Premier League rivals Manchester United have now entered the fray, and are seeking to steal Ugarte from under the noses of Chelsea as they look to bring in cover for Casemiro. As a result, it is understood that Chelsea have upped the ante in their pursuit as they look to fight off the stiff competition. And it’s claimed that new Chelsea manager Pochettino has himself spoken to his priority midfield target to help accelerate the club’s push. It remains to be seen whether the former Spurs manager’s intervention will be enough for Chelsea to get a deal over the line for Ugarte or not.

‘I WOULD START HIM AHEAD OF GABRIEL JESUS’: PUNDIT WOULD SIGN £98M STAR FOR ARSENAL https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2023/06/01/i-would-start-him-ahead-of-gabriel-jesus-pundit-would-sign-98m-star-rivals-dont-want/ Darren Bent has stated that he would happily take loaned-out Chelsea star Romelu Lukaku at Arsenal and start him ahead of Gabriel Jesus. There is the suggestion that Romelu Lukaku, who is thriving in Italy with Inter, is misunderstood and not appreciated enough in English football. Well, his £98 million transfer to Chelsea in 2021 (Sky Sports), and the struggles after, haven’t helped matters, with Bent adding that he would start for Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal by benching Gabriel Jesus, as he told talkSPORT Drive (31/05/23 at 4:45 pm).

NEWS “Thanks to everyone” – Chelsea midfielder confirms departure after penning farewell message https://absolutechelsea.com/denis-zakaria-pens-farewell-Chelsea-message-after-loan-spell/4876/ Denis Zakaria has expressed his gratitude to Chelsea fans after bidding farewell to Stamford Bridge. The 26-year-old will return to Juventus this summer after his season-long loan spell at Chelsea concluded following the end of the 2022/23 campaign last weekend. Zakaria joined on loan with an option to make the switch permanent, but newly-appointed head coach Mauricio Pochettino made the decision not to trigger the buy clause, which sees the Swiss international head back to Italy where he will assess his next options. He was limited to just 11 appearances for Chelsea in all competitions, restricted due to the competition for places in midfield. Zakaria is one of the many casualties in west London this summer as Chelsea overhaul their squad, particularly in the midfield department. Jorginho was sold to Arsenal in January, while Mateo Kovacic nears a move to Manchester City and Mason Mount closes in on a potential move to Manchester United. N’Golo Kante’s future is also unclear, he is out of contract next month and an extension is yet to be agreed. Ruben Loftus-Cheek has also been linked with a move to AC Milan. Zakaria follows fellow loanee Joao Felix out of the door. Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo confirmed on Tuesday that Pochettino made the decision not to bring him back to England earlier this week. The midfielder took to Instagram on Thursday evening to say goodbye to Chelsea, writing: “It’s been a tough time but you guys always had my back. Thanks to everyone who’s been supporting me! Let’s focus on the beautiful memories.”

After he sticks one in the Stallion bumpah

lol, Luton's entire wage bill is £148K PW

England crash out 😓

very impressed with Cesare Casadei

Manure says £55m we say £85m split the difference and make it £70m

Real will want 135-140m euros for him he is a top 10-15 player on the planet cray versatile, athletic, runs forever, great defensively, and can score and pass

Andrey Santos with another brace

Carney looked to have won a pen but no call just now

ENG 3-4-2-1 5 Bashir Humphreys 10 Carney Chukwuemeka 11 Harvey Vale Italy 4-3-1-2 8 Cesare Casadei

https://www.vipleague.st/argentina-u20-vs-nigeria-u20-1-live-streaming

11th place La Liga team in the Champions League Mou stopped from being outright most european trophies won manager ever Serie A stopped from having 5 CL teams for the first time ever and Serie A stopped from winning all 3 euro trophies this season in the first hurdle

he used all defenders as the first pen takers