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Premier League

Ins and Outs: Transfer Targets Lined up in Premier League

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Manchester United and Chelsea appear to need a striker. Manchester City has a shortage of full backs. Arsenal’s transfer plans could hinge on whether Alexis Sanchez stays.

With six weeks to go until the Premier League begins, English soccer’s top clubs are gearing up for preseason training and in the process of reshaping their squads in what is set to be another offseason of heavy spending.

In 2016, the Premier League spent more than 1 billion pounds (now $1.3 billion) in an offseason transfer window for the first time, at least doubling the amount spent in any of the other big leagues in Europe.

Courtesy of AP, here’s a look at what last season’s top six in the Premier League are prioritizing this year:

ARSENAL

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Retaining players, rather than signing them, appears to be Arsenal’s priority this offseason.

A failure to qualify for the Champions League makes Arsenal a less-attractive proposition to its big-name players, Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil. Sanchez, in particular, would be a massive loss to manager Arsene Wenger after finishing last season with 24 league goals.

Until the futures of Sanchez and Ozil are decided, Wenger’s plans in the transfer market could be paralyzed. Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette could be a realistic option.

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CHELSEA

With Diego Costa recently revealing that he is no longer wanted by Chelsea manager Antonio Conte, there is an obvious gap that requires filling in the attack.

One of the biggest transfer stories in England currently centers on the possibility of Everton striker Romelu Lukaku making a return to Chelsea. Lukaku has been quite open about his future while on international duty with Belgium this month, saying that staying at Everton “is not really an option” and that he had reached an agreement with an unnamed club.

Chelsea is back in the Champions League after a season out of Europe, so Conte also will probably look to strengthen his options at wing back and central midfield.

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TOTTENHAM

Of the top six, Tottenham has the most settled squad and no pressing concerns — provided that manager Mauricio Pochettino keeps hold of his best players.

Most intrigue surrounds the future of right back Kyle Walker, who was no longer assured of being first choice at the end of last season thanks to the emergence of Kieran Trippier. Walker, who is England’s starting right back, has been heavily linked with Manchester City.

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MANCHESTER CITY

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Manchester City was the biggest Premier League spender last year ahead of Pep Guardiola’s first season in charge, splashing out nearly 175 million pounds (now $225 million). The club is already on the way to topping that figure.

In has come Brazilian goalkeeper Ederson Moraes for $45 million and Portugal playmaker Bernardo Silva for $55 million.

City has made no secret of its desire to sign as many as three full backs following the release of right backs Pablo Zabaleta and Bacary Sagna, and left back Gael Clichy. Dani Alves and Benjamin Mendy are expected to be two of the full backs coming in.

Heavily linked with Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Guardiola also bringing in a central midfielder.

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LIVERPOOL

Juergen Klopp’s squad was undermanned last season when Liverpool only had domestic competitions on its schedule.

Now back in the Champions League, expect Liverpool to strengthen in most departments over the next two months so the team can make a challenge on two fronts.

The Reds broke the club’s transfer record to sign winger Mohamed Salah for an initial fee of $42 million ($46.8 million) last week and have brought in Dominic Solanke from Chelsea as a back-up striker.

Klopp is also in the market for a center back — Liverpool ended its interest in Virgil van Dijk after a complaint from his team, Southampton — and will surely sign a left back to avoid having to play midfielder James Milner there for a second straight season.

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MANCHESTER UNITED

Manchester United is in the market for a striker after releasing Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who is sidelined by a long-term knee injury. That has left manager Jose Mourinho light up front, with only Marcus Rashford, Wayne Rooney and potentially Anthony Martial as options.

Antoine Griezmann appeared to be United’s likely replacement for Ibrahimovic but the France forward announced he would be staying at Atletico Madrid, with the Spanish club currently serving a transfer ban and unable to register new players until January. Real Madrid striker Alvaro Morata might be United’s chief target now.

There is also a doubt surrounding the future of Rooney, who struggled for game time under Mourinho last season.

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United, which is back in the Champions League, already has signed Sweden center back Victor Lindelof from Benfica for 35 million euros ($39.4 million).

 

Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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Premier League

Chelsea’s Pochettino cries  foul over VAR decision in 2-2 draw with Villa

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 Premier League - Aston Villa v Chelsea - Villa Park, Birmingham, Britain - April 27, 2024 Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino reacts after the match Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers

A VAR decision chalking off what looked to be a late winner for Chelsea at Aston Villa on Saturday has damaged the Premier League, the London club’s manager Mauricio Pochettino said.

His side thought they have completed a remarkable comeback when substitute Axel Disasi netted in second-half stoppage time, but the goal was ruled out after a VAR review penalised a push by Benoit Badiashile in the build-up.

“Me and you and everyone in the stadium watching the game, they didn’t see a foul on the pitch and then VAR changed the decision of the referee. For me that was a normal challenge. The decision was there and that’s it,” Pochettino told broadcaster TNT following the 2-2 draw.

“For me, it damaged a little bit the Premier League and English (football). If we want to be the best league in the world it should be protecting the spectacle and the decision … (it) damaged myself, damaged my team, my players, the fans,” he added.

Chelsea were 2-0 down at the break but goals from Noni Madueke and Conor Gallagher put them level before the late goal was overturned.

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“The performance was very good and we played really well. It is true in the first half we conceded easy … to play Villa, who are fighting for the top four, I am pleased with the team and the players were good,” Pochettino said.

Villa boss Unai Emery said his side, who are currently in fourth spot and seven points ahead of Tottenham Hotspur, still had their sights set on qualifying for next season’s Champions League. Spurs, however, have three games in hand.

“We have to try to keep being consistent with the players we have and I believe in the players … in Premier League we are fighting with Tottenham for fourth position,” he said.

-Reuters

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Salah in touchline row with Klopp as Liverpool drop points

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West Ham United v Liverpool - London Stadium, London, Britain - April 27, 2024 Liverpool's Mohamed Salah talks to manager Juergen Klopp after being substituted Action Images via Reuters/John Sibley

Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah appeared to have a heated exchange with manager Juergen Klopp shortly before the Egypt international was brought on as a second-half substitute in a 2-2 Premier League draw at West Ham United on Saturday.

Salah, who has not been at his best since returning from injury last month, was brought on in the 79th minute, just after the Hammers’ second goal levelled the game.

He appeared angry with Klopp on the touchline before he was introduced and continued to remonstrate with his manager as fellow substitute Darwin Nunez pushed him away from the German.

Klopp tried to play down the incident, telling reporters: “We spoke about that in the dressing room and it’s done for me, that’s all.”

But Salah seemed to have a different perspective and refused interviews with reporters in the mixed zone, saying: “There’s going to be fire today if I speak.”

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Saturday’s draw further dented Liverpool’s already slim chances of winning the Premier League in Klopp’s final season with the club and leaves them reliant on rivals Arsenal and Manchester City dropping points in the run-in.

-Reuters

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Iheanacho, Ndidi back in Premier League as Leicester City get promotion

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Leicester City earned promotion back to the Premier League on Friday after nearest rivals Leeds United were beaten 4-0 by Queens Park Rangers, ensuring the Championship leaders will finish in the top two in the standings.

This means that the Super Eagles duo of Kelechi Iheanacho and Wilfred Ndidi, both players of Leicester City again taste action in the English Premier League next season.

The result of Leed City and QPR left second-placed Leeds’s chances of automatic promotion from the second-tier Championship hanging by a thread. They trail Leicester by four points with one game left to play and are only a point ahead of Ipswich Town, who have two games in hand.

It was a dream first half for QPR as the London side scored two goals without reply.

First Ilias Chair scored with a deflected effort from outside the area, while a curled finish from Lucas Andersen midway through the first half made it 2-0.

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Leeds tried to up the pressure in the second half but with little effect, with French forward Georginio Rutter pulling a shot wide from the middle of the penalty area.

Scottish forward Lyndon Dykes and Sam Field both scored headers from set pieces in the second half to complete the 4-0 win.

Leeds manager Daniel Farke turned to his bench to try and influence the game and it was one of those substitutes, striker Mateo Joseph, who came closest, seeing his close-range attempt turned wide by Rangers keeper Asmir Begovic

-Reuters

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