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Friday’s Transfer Rumor Roundup: Reus to Manchester United, Montoya to Liverpool

By Joe Prince-WrightNov 29, 2013, 9:40 AM EDT
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Manchester United are set to make a shock move for Borussia Dortmund midfielder Marco Reus as the German international could arrive at Old Trafford in January. Reus, 24, is just the type of attacking midfielder United need to help fire their Premier League season and make a charge for the title. Former Dortmund playmaker Shinji Kagawa, who has failed to settle at United, is apparently being offered as part of the deal as David Moyes sent his trusted scouts to watch Reus in action for Dortmund in midweek.

Liverpool are close to signing FC Barcelona defender Martin Montoya, as the 22-year-old Spaniard could arrive at Anfield in January. Montoya can operate at either left or right back and will provide Brendan Rodgers with welcome competition in either full back spot. Regular left back Jose Enrique has missed most of the campaign and Aly Cissokho, on loan from Valencia, has failed to adapt quickly to life in the Premier League. Montoya will be out of contract at the end of the season, so Barca are keen to cash in and grab whatever they can for the full back.

Arsenal are keeping a close eye on Dundee United youngster Ryan Gauld, the 17-year-old dubbed as “the Scottish Messi” who we’ve previously mentioned in this column. Manchester United, Liverpool and Everton have also been monitoring Gauld but Arsenal’s scouts will be in place to watch Gauld on Friday night against Kilmarnock. The Tannadice club are said to want $8 million for the teenager after he’s surged into the spotlight in recent weeks with some eye-catching displays in the Scottish Premiership.

Following the news that Andy Carroll is still nowhere near match fitness, West Ham United have switched their search for a new striker to France as Andre-Pierre Gignac is on their wishlist. The powerful Marseille striker has scored six times this season in Ligue 1, that’s just three less than the Hammers total number of goals, and would suit their direct style superbly. The French international, 27, could be snapped in January as he’s on a list of 20 strikers who could arrive at Upton Park. The Hammers are serious about adding more firepower as they aim to surge back up the table after an alarming drop-off that’s seen them not score in five games.

Dimitar Berbatov could be on his way out of Craven Cottage as Turkish side Trabzonspor have inquired about the 32-year-old Bulgarian’s availability. Berbatov has come under criticism from many Fulham fans after several lackluster performances for the Lilywhites this season and move to the Turkish league could be in the cards for the former Tottenham, Manchester United and Bayer Leverkusen strike. Would Fulham miss Berba? Who else have they got up front?

Spurs defender Kieran Trippier officially joins Atletico Madrid

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By Kyle BonnJul 17, 2019, 2:35 PM EDT
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A transfer that only became legitimately rumored one day ago has come to fruition as Tottenham right-back Kieran Trippier completed a move to Atletico Madrid, the two clubs confirmed.

The move is for a reported transfer fee of about $25 million plus add-ons and sees Trippier become Atletico Madrid’s first English player in over 90 years.

The 28-year-old signed a team-friendly three-year deal with Atleti, keeping him tied to the Spanish side through the summere of 2022. Trippier will hope to replace the retired Juanfran, and will no doubt benefit from the coaching of Diego Simeone, but it will be interesting to see a player with some defensive deficiencies look to earn a place in the starting lineup of such a defensively stout team.

Trippier leaves Tottenham after a four-year spell where he made 114 appearances for the club across all competitions after joining from Burnley in 2015. However, he began to lose his consistent starting place at Spurs over the past year after a dip in form this past season. While he started the Champions League final, Juan Foyth began to take Trippier’s place as the third center-back in Mauricio Pochettino‘s three-at-the-back system, and both Serge Aurier and Kyle Walker-Peters began to challenge for the traditional right-back role.

There is a lot of risk for the England international in this move. With such a short contract, he could be shopped by Atletico Madrid if he does not lock down a first-team place in his first year, with clubs often looking to cash in on players with two years left on their deal before market value dips. He also will need playing time to earn his place on the England national team, having played a starting role for the country at the 2018 World Cup but with plenty of competition at his place. Trent Alexander-Arnold, Kyle Walker, and the versatile Joe Gomez all made the England squad over Trippier for the recent Nations League semifinals and finals.

FOLLOW LIVE – Tunisia and Nigeria in AFCON third place game

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By Kyle BonnJul 17, 2019, 2:23 PM EDT
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The appetizer to the main course takes place today as Tunisia and Nigeria meet in the third place match of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.

Both sides fell in the semifinals on last-minute goals, with Tunisia dropping to Senegal on an extra-time own-goal while Nigeria was pipped by a Riyad Mahrez 95th minute winner.

[ LIVE: Africa Cup of Nations scores ]

While this match is obviously a chance for both sides to finish the tournament on a high note, also notable is the race for the Golden Boot. Odion Ighalo is in the lead with four goals and could look to tack on to that total with Mahrez, Adam Ounes, and Sadio Mane all on three goals and playing in the final.

Nigeria boss Gernot Rohr will want to save face after a disappointing tournament, and while he received the dreaded vote of confidence from the Nigerian federation, he still will want something tangible to take home. The Super Eagles came into the tournament as the third-highest FIFA ranked African nation, but after a shaky group stage performance and a pair of narrow one-goal knockout stage wins before the loss to Algeria, the need for a quality outing is great.

Five of the six previous matches between these two teams have ended in draws, so something has to give this time in Cairo.

Guardiola to Leroy Sane: only “happy” players will see the field

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By Kyle BonnJul 17, 2019, 1:41 PM EDT
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Leroy Sane has been the subject of some uncertainty this summer, and it might be getting to Pep Guardiola.

After Sane came off the bench and helped Man City pummel West Ham 4-1 in the preseason Premier League Asia Trophy, Guardiola was asked about his future with the club after reports this summer that Bayern Munich was interested in snatching him away from the Etihad.

“The club made him an offer last year,” Guardiola said. “So, I have said many times, we only want people happy to be here. We are going to help him to be the best, we know his potential and what level he is. He has a special quality that is difficult to find around the world. He knows, they all know, all the forwards, all the midfielders, how difficult it is to play, it’s difficult because of the quality we have.”

“But, at the same time I spoke to the club ten times and I want people here to be happy, if they don’t want, they go. The desire to have him be with us is always there.”

Sane was spectacular at times last season as Manchester City won the Premier League title, but he played a shrinking role as the end of the campaign pressed on, forced to come off the bench as a substitute four times after February and left as an unused substitute five other times down the stretch as well. Sane played just two full 90 minute appearances in Premier League play in the 2019 calendar year.

With that in mind, it has proven difficult to convince Sane to sign a new contract at Manchester City, with his current deal set to expire in two years. That caught Bayern Munich’s attention, and the German side has been persistent in hoping to attract the 23-year-old to Allianz Arena.

Once Guardiola made his comments about happy players, he was asked bluntly if he thinks Sane will be with the team at the start of the season. He did not want to go into the situation further, saying, “I have already answered that question really well.”

Argentina women’s team players critical of coaches after roster changes

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By Kyle BonnJul 17, 2019, 12:53 PM EDT
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The Argentine national team is facing controversy after making a host of changes to its roster for the 2019 Pan American games despite a solid showing in the World Cup earlier this summer.

Most notably, 29-year-old Estefania Banini, who captained the side at the World Cup, was left off the roster. She lashed out on social media, claiming on Instagram that she was left off after making internal comments critical of the coaching staff and trying to improve the team’s ability to compete.

“No rest, not injured, permission from my club, I have enough to be in the national team,” she wrote. “From 5 years old I trained to defend the blue and white, fighting for my place equally without discrimination. The coaching staff decided to leave me out…because we have our differences, they decide to put an end to my dream of defending the shirt.”

Banini goes on to explain that she wants coaches “with enough experience we can learn from” and who can help grow the game in their country. She said what they don’t want is something they experienced at the World Cup – “being told ‘just defend because we don’t want to concede 11’ when going out to play.”

Other players left off the roster for the Pan American games are Ruth Bravo and Lorena Benitez, both of whom were starters at the World Cup less than a month ago. Bravo, along with Belen Potassa, posted similarly critical comments on their own social media accounts after being left off the roster, with much of the content word-for-word to what Banini wrote.

Argentina performed well in the group stage of the World Cup, nearly advancing in the final seconds of the group stage before a 3-3 draw with Scotland saw them fall just short of passing Japan into a qualifying spot. They managed a 0-0 draw with Japan in the opening match and fell to England by a close 1-0 scoreline.

Banini has been outspoken in the past, criticizing the Argentinian federation back in 2014 for not supporting the women’s game enough. With her most recent comments potentially costing her a place in the team, some of her teammates had her back. Soledad Jaimes and Florencia Bonsegundo, also both starters in the World Cup, resigned their places on the Pan American Games roster in solidarity with their teammates, believing them to be unfairly treated.

“While 18 teammates pack their bags for the Pan American Games, I decided to withdraw from the roster,” Bonsegundo wrote in her own Instagram post. “Today I have to take a step forward for this struggle that we all started and that few have the courage to do. I understand that in this way I am protecting you more [the fans] because I know that in a future with properly trained players, Argentina may be at the level of the world powers! I’m still dreaming of a country with greater equality, without discrimination and where the voice of women is taken into account with the same weight as that of a man”

Argentina was drawn into a group with Panama, Costa Rica, and Peru for the Pan American games, with their first match set for July 28.