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Cole Palmer shared an update on his injury as Chelsea continue to sweat on their star player's condition ahead of key Arsenal clash.

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• Palmer shares an update on his injury
• Suffered a knock on his knee against Man Utd
• Chelsea hoping to field Palmer against Arsenal this Sunday

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Palmer suffered an injury during the Blues' Premier League clash against Manchester United last week when he was on the receiving end of a high challenge from Lisandro Martinez. The England international was not included in their matchday squad against Noah in the midweek which the club won 8-0, however, he was present at the stadium to cheer for his colleagues. On Friday, the attacker shared an update on his condition on Instagram as he uploaded an image of himself in the club's training kit receiving cold-compression therapy on his injured knee.

  IG:@colepalmer10

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  While the 22-year-old is trying his best to recover in time to play some part in his team's upcoming Premier League clash against Arsenal, manager Enzo Maresca expressed his doubts over the star player's participation in the crucial league clash.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The England star has picked up where he left off last season, scoring seven goals and providing five assists in 10 league appearances for Chelsea. Despite his recent injury setback, Three Lions boss Lee Carsley has named the Blues attacker in his 26-man squad for their upcoming Nations League clashes against Greece and Ireland.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA?

  Maresca's side, who are tied on points with the Gunners, will aim to get all three points from their home fixture this Sunday before the players head into the international break.

The Dutch coach didn't spend transfer funds wisely during his time at Old Trafford, but who stands out as the worst buy of his turbulent tenure?

Manchester United were reduced to a laughing stock under Erik ten Hag's stewardship. The former Ajax boss is responsible for both of the Red Devils' worst starts to a Premier League season, and their worst-ever finish, with FA Cup and Carabao Cup success doing little to paper over the cracks.

Ten Hag inherited a poor squad when he arrived at Old Trafford in May 2022, but has been trusted with a £616 million ($807m) war chest to rebuild it in his own image. Almost two-and-a-half years and 20 signings later, United have reached the lowest point of the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era – which is really saying something.

So much money has been wasted while Ten Hag has insisted on targeting players he's worked with in the past, which proved to be a deeply flawed approach as many of them have struggled to cope with the intensity of Premier League football and pressure that comes with playing for one of the world's biggest clubs.

GOAL has ranked all of Ten Hag's signings at United, from best to worst, as the blundering Dutchman was finally relieved of his duties at Old Trafford on Monday…

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  1Noussair Mazraoui (Bayern Munich, £13m)

  Mazraoui is a versatile defender who has slotted into the right-back slot in United's starting XI seamlessly since his summer switch from Bayern. There's little doubt that the Moroccan has been an upgrade on Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who never had the technical skills needed to succeed at Old Trafford.

  At the bargain price of £13m, Mazraoui must go down as the shrewdest piece of business Ten Hag conducted in his time at the club. That being said, he has gone from being a utility player at Bayern to one of the first names on the teamsheet at United, which tells you everything about the gulf in quality between the two clubs right now.

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  2Jonny Evans (free)

  Evans had every right to feel hard done by when United sold him to West Brom in 2015. At 27, he was in his prime and still had plenty to offer. But bringing the academy graduate back to the club eight years later made absolutely no sense.

  Ten Hag stressed that Evans' experience would be invaluable to the younger players in his squad, and he's certainly been a good role model in that regard. Evans has also rolled back the years to deliver consistently solid performances at the back, including a Man-of-the-Match-worthy turn in a 0-0 draw at Aston Villa that essentially delayed Ten Hag's sacking for a few more weeks.

  However, a 36-year-old centre-back who is way past his best physically shouldn't be starting regularly for a top club. Evans may not have cost United anything, but he was never the right fit for a high backline in a team supposedly set up to press relentlessly from the first minute to the last.

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  3Altay Bayindir (Fenerbahce, £4m)

  United needed another back-up goalkeeper after Dean Henderson's permanent move to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2023, and Bayindir seemed to be the ideal fit. The Turkey international arrived with genuine pedigree, too, having served as Fenerbahce's No.1 for the previous four years.

  Bayindir might be regretting that decision now, though, especially given the erratic performances of first-choice 'keeper Andre Onana. The 26-year-old has a 100 percent winning record at United, but he's only played twice, in an FA Cup fourth-round win at Newport and a 7-0 victory over Barnsley in the third round of the Carabao Cup.

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  4Leny Yoro (Lille, £52m)

  United pulled off a considerable coup by beating Real Madrid to the capture of Yoro, who enjoyed a breakthrough campaign at Lille in 2023-24. The 18-year-old justified the hype on his debut, too, putting in an outstanding shift in a 2-0 pre-season win over Rangers.

  Unfortunately, disaster struck in his second outing against Arsenal, as he was forced off after just 35 minutes. Yoro was subsequently diagnosed with a serious foot injury and underwent surgery, which left him facing three months on the sidelines.

  The talented teenage defender may end up being a superb signing in the long-term, but there is also a chance his development will stall after such a damaging fitness blow. Questions have rightly been asked over whether United should have eased Yoro into the fold more gradually.

Arsenal have made an approach to sign a "priceless" star from London rivals Chelsea, as Mauricio Pochettino's departure opens the door for his exit.

Edu and Arteta targeting new midfielder for Arsenal

The possible departure of midfielder Thomas Partey, which is looking like a very real scenario, is partly why sporting director Edu Gaspar and manager Mikel Arteta are looking to bring in a new name for the engine room.

£120,000-per-week ace who Arteta called "incredible" wants to quit Arsenal

The feeling is mutual at Hale End.

By
Emilio Galantini

Jun 20, 2024

Partey has been in talks over a move to Saudi Arabia, according to some reports, and the Ghanaian is now in the final 12 months of his contract. The 30-year-old has been a great servant for the club since joining in a £45 million move from Atletico Madrid in 2020, but also suffered from injury problems which limited him to 14 Premier League appearances last season.

It is widely reported that Arsenal could look to sign a new midfielder, who may well replace Partey and provide Arteta with a different option to star man Declan Rice. Real Sociedad star Martin Zubimendi has real admirers at Arsenal, but the 25-year-old is apparently happy in La Liga.

Arsenal are believed to be targeting Newcastle star Bruno Guimaraes as an alternative, and could even turn to using player-plus-cash offers to tempt the Magpies (Football Transfers), but it could still be a difficult deal to pull off due to the Brazilian's importance for Eddie Howe.

Everton midfielder Amadou Onana has also been repeatedly linked with a move to Arsenal in the last few months, so the north Londoners have an array of options on their transfer list as they look to challenge Man City for another Premier League title next campaign.

One player who hasn't been mentioned yet, though, is Chelsea star Conor Gallagher. The 24-year-old played his way into becoming a mainstay under Pochettino last season, which also earned him a call-up to Gareth Southgate's England squad for the Euros.

However, his contract expires in 2025, and there is no sign of an agreement over fresh terms as things stand. This has forced a potentially difficult decision from Chelsea, as reports suggest they could sell the fan favourite this summer rather than lose him for free next year.

Pochettino exit opens door for Gallagher exit as Arsenal make contact

A report by Spanish news outlet AS shares a very interesting update on his future this week. According to their information, Pochettino was Gallagher's "main supporter" at Stamford Bridge, and the Argentine's departure has opened the door for Chelsea's midfielder to make a move away.

They throw Arteta's side in the race to sign him as well. AS state that Arsenal have asked Chelsea about Gallagher's situation, alongside a host of other Premier League sides, and the Blues value their star at around £42 million.

Pochettino called Gallagher "priceless" last season, but the player's contract situation means he could leave for a fairly affordable fee. Atletico Madrid are said to have already had a low-ball bid rejected for Gallagher, so it appears the competition for a deal is heating up.

The entire squad at Chelsea is absolutely packed with talent, but the midfield department is particularly special.

Enzo Fernandez, Conor Gallagher, and Moises Caicedo are surely the future of the Blues midfield, given their age and quality.

Enzo Maresca must be incredibly excited to install his philosophy into the aforementioned trio, who all suit his play style perfectly.

Gallagher and Caicedo are particularly valuable to Chelsea, yet with that in mind, let’s take a look at a Chelsea star who’s now worth even more than the two midfielders.

What Chelsea paid for Cole Palmer

Having progressed through the ranks at Manchester City, Cole Palmer finally earned his breakthrough in the 2021/22 campaign, making four appearances.

In the following season, he’d go on to feature more frequently, playing 14 Premier League games but only starting twice, picking up just one assist.

Nevertheless, last summer, Chelsea saw the potential in the number 20 and took the risk of paying £40m to acquire the forward on Deadline Day.

Todd Boehly believed that he would play a huge role in the rebuilding of the club, and Palmer signed a seven-year contract, which has the option to extend for a further 12 months.

But absolutely nobody would have expected the extent of what was to come from the England international.

Cole Palmer’s value in 2024

It took the left-footed ace three games to truly get into the swing of things at his new club, but after scoring and assisting in a 4-1 victory over Burnley, there was no looking back.

The 22-year-old simply kept scoring while also proving that he can serve as a creative outlet, even single-handedly dragging Chelsea over the line in some games.

Throughout the campaign, Palmer started 29 Premier League matches, scoring an incredible 22 goals and registering 11 assists, which truly does make him “world-class,” as dubbed by teammate Carney Chukwuemeka.

To top off a perfect individual season, the former Citizen won the Premier League’s Young Player of the Season award, but what is Palmer worth right now?

Well, according to CIES’ Football Observatory, Palmer is estimated to be worth £85m, the joint-highest figure alongside Fernandez.

This also means that the versatile attacker is worth more than Gallagher and Caicedo, £51m and £68m, which is incredible considering the latter arrived for a record-breaking fee of £115.

For further context on just how valuable he is, Palmer is currently also the joint-highest-valued attacking midfielder in the world, alongside German duo Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz.

The fact that Palmer registered the most goal contributions in the entire Premier League last season is just one reason why his value has skyrocketed.

However, what will please Boehly is that if Palmer has an impact at the European Championships with England this summer, his estimated worth will only increase even further.

Overall, the signing of Palmer was without doubt the bargain of the 2023/24 season, and it’s fair to say that Chelsea truly hit the jackpot on their £40m superstar.

Chelsea must sell £50m star who earns more than Sesko & Olise combined

The Chelsea player started nine Premier League games last season.

By
Tom Lever

Jun 7, 2024

FMF exec Ivar Sisniega says federation using the next two years to prepare stadiums, fans and cities for the global event

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• Ivar Sisniega speaks on run to 2026 World Cup
• Says El Tri are planning
• Hopes tournament will help with game's growth

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Ahead of Mexico's 2-0 victory over the U.S. men's national team in an international friendly earlier this week, Mexican Football Federation executive president Ivar Sisniega told reporters that the FMF is doing "detailed planning" to prepare for the 2026 World Cup.

  Mexico are hosting the tournament along with the United States and Canada, with the international windows serving as important tests for the teams – but also the federations. The FMF is using the next two years to prepare their stadiums, fans and cities for the global event.

  One important piece of that is scheduling matches against opponents outside CONCACAF – and they're going about it in a unique way, too.

  "We're doing detailed planning with each of the FIFA dates, and some dates are certainly getting complicated," Sisniega said. "We've even talked with the U.S. to do the double-headers we sometimes do, where we will both play the same two teams, and that means it's more attractive for those teams to come and play for us, because they're playing against both of our teams.

  "We're going to continue looking at clubs. Some people maybe didn't believe in the Valencia option, in the end, it turned out to be a very solid team that is playing in La Liga, and they play together. So there's different conditions. We're looking at and going to South America, possibly in January. We're looking at that option, you just have to find the best option possible."

  And the hope is that the efforts will benefit all of North America.

  "We think a lot of teams will want to come and play here before the World Cup," he said. "And I think that's maybe a good thing for Canada, USA and Mexico."

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  As a host country, Mexico has three stadiums that will hold matches – Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, Estadio Akron in Guadalajara and Estadio BBVA in Monterrey.

  Preparations at all three grounds are already underway, including different transportation and safety safeguards, with FIFA-appointed groups handling all the specifics in each three cities.

  "We're proud, " Sisniega said. "We're happy with the three stadiums…. FIFA is working on it, but there are local organizing committees in each of these cities to make sure that everything runs smoothly. All three cities have hosted major events, perhaps events with much larger attendance than the World Cup game, so we're confident that they have the capacity and the people with sufficient experience and knowledge to do a great job. We're sure of that."

• WHAT'S MORE?

  In addition to scheduling matches and preparing their venues for the forthcoming tournament, the FMF is hoping that the World Cup will bring more to the country off the pitch, too.

  Improvement of the domestic game in LIGA MX and further extending their reach to the youth levels and the women's game is a priority, as well.

  "Perhaps differently in the U.S., football is very popular in Mexico.," he said. "I don't think we need to promote this sport more, but we are using the World Cup as a way to, one, revitalize the LIGA MX and do some improvements with the LIGA MX. And more importantly, something we haven't done before is we're going to be focusing on some grassroots efforts to get more kids to play football in the schools, to get the youth leagues more developed, and even use it to grow the women's game or women's participation.

  "So really, we want to use these events as a platform so that more children, more young people want to play in the very beautiful sport of football."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MEXICO?

  El Tri are back in action this November in the Nations League quarterfinals, where they will take on Honduras in a two-legged affair. They will travel to Honduras on Nov. 15 and then return home on Nov. 19. The matches will be their final of the calendar year.

Chelsea want to sign a £163,000-per-week star from Bayern Munich this summer, which would be a significant loss for their new manager Vincent Kompany.

Chelsea could sign another defender after Tosin Adarabioyo

The Bavarians and Chelsea could actually do some business together in this next transfer window, with both sides preparing for new eras under different head coaches before the start of next season.

£72 million player really wants to quit Chelsea with Maresca talks imminent

He has his eyes on the Stamford Bridge exit door.

By
Emilio Galantini

Jun 7, 2024

Chelsea announced Enzo Maresca as their new manager to replace Mauricio Pochettino earlier this week, with the Italian putting pen to paper on a five-year deal at Stamford Bridge, which includes the option of a further year.

The west Londoners want to sign multiple defenders for Maresca, as shared by Fabrizio Romano recently, who also said that Chelsea could be set for a busy summer transfer window.

"It will continue to be a busy summer at Chelsea," said Romano on Chelsea's transfer plans after bringing in Maresca.

"It won’t be completely crazy but they will try to make smart things happen, including a new goalkeeper and I expect them to try for at least one new centre-back, but it could be two. I also expect Chelsea to be busy with the striker position, and I mentioned many times Benjamin Sesko, who is highly rated at Chelsea but also by others like Arsenal and Manchester United."

Chelsea have already sealed a deal for Tosin Adarabioyo on a free transfer from Fulham, so that is one centre-back on the books and ready to replace the departed Thiago Silva, who re-joined Fluminese on a Bosman deal after leaving west London.

Romano's statement indicates that another centre-back may well arrive after Tosin, and one candidate to come in is Bayern Munich's Dayot Upamecano. The France international, on a rumoured wage of around £163,000 per week, made 33 appearances under Thomas Tuchel last season, and it is unlikely Kompany will let him go easily.

However, Bayern are rumoured to be targeting Chelsea left-back Ian Maatsen, so perhaps negotiations involving the Dutchman could help to sweeten any proposed deal.

Chelsea want to take Upamecano away from Bayern Munich

Such is his glowing reputation, Upamecano would be quite the statement capture by Chelsea, and he has plenty of experience on the biggest stages. The 25-year-old has 19 caps for Les Bleus at international level, and reliable Bundesliga journalist Christian Falk has claimed Chelsea would like to sign Upamecano from Bayern this summer.

"Yes, it's true: Chelsea would like Dayot Upamecano," said Falk on the FC Bayern Insider podcast.

"It's not really clear yet whether he'll have a chance next year. Vincent Kompany is looking at everyone, but would Bayern let him go? That would probably cost a lot of money. At the time, Bayern paid €42.5m to RB Leipzig."

France legend Marcel Desailly has previously tipped Upamecano to become one of the best centre-backs in his country, which surely suggests Chelsea would have a quality player on their hands.

Arne Slot suggested referee John Brooks wanted to prove he wouldn't be intimidated by the Anfield crowd in Liverpool's 2-1 win over Chelsea.

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• Liverpool beat Chelsea 2-1
• Slot not happy with refereeing
• Manager critical of official Brooks

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Despite the Reds getting the three points and staying top of the Premier League, manager Slot was not happy with some of the decisions that went against his side. One included a spot-kick being taken away from the Reds after it was deemed goalkeeper Robert Sanchez didn't foul Curtis Jones and another was when Tosin Adarabioyo was shown a yellow card for pulling back Diogo Jota as he threatened to bear down on goal. After the contest, the Dutchman hinted Liverpool would have won more comfortably if the officials took a different stance.

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  WHAT ARNE SLOT SAID

  When asked about the Anfield atmosphere, the ex-Feyenoord boss said: "The fans were really important for us. I don't know if this is something people say in England but they said at my former club, which was also an impressive stadium, that: 'Yeah, the referees are a bit impressed by the crowd and that's why you get the easy decisions in your favour.'

  "But today showed no matter how loud the fans were, the referee just wanted to show that he was able not to give the decisions he had to make. So it didn't help us with the referee but it definitely helped our players because they had to work so hard.

  "If every time they cheer so hard for you if you make a block tackle, or Darwin [Nunez] sprinted back, or all these moments, that definitely helps you mentally. They were really important for the players but unfortunately, it didn't happen what all people always think that Anfield always gives you easy penalties. Is that true or not? Today, it showed again that it wasn't."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Regardless of these grumblings, Liverpool maintained their one-point advantage over defending Premier League champions Manchester City at the top of the table. This Chelsea game was their biggest test of the season so far and they passed it.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Liverpool have a busy end to October as they travel to RB Leipzig in the Champions League on Wednesday, then are away at Arsenal in the Premier League next Sunday, before being entertained by Brighton in the last 16 of the Carabao Cup on October 30.

Glasgow Rangers have made some inroads into the transfer market already as Philippe Clement has made two signings for the Light Blues.

Brazilian left-back Jefte was announced at the end of May, while exciting young winger Oscar Cortes will remain in Glasgow for a season-long loan deal with an obligation to buy next summer.

The Colombian forward spent the second half of last season at the Gers, yet he made just seven appearances before injury curtailed his season.

These are two signings which fit Clement’s transfer strategy. Might a third arrival arrive sooner rather than later? As an update has arrived regarding a player Rangers have shown interest in…

Rangers transfer news

It is no secret that Clement is after plenty of attacking reinforcements this summer in order to bolster his frontline.

One name which has sprung up is that of Bayern Munich gem Yusuf Kabadayi and reputable German journalist Florian Plettenberg has given an update on his current situation ahead of the transfer window opening, stating that the Gers are among the "concrete suitors".

Again, it appears as though Clement is targeting players who are young and showing plenty of potential, with Kabadayi certainly fitting the bill.

There could be several options with regard to how best to secure a deal for the winger. His contract at Bayern expires next summer which could perhaps suggest they would be willing to sell him directly if an offer was to be made by the Ibrox side.

Rabbi Matondo's season in numbers

Last season, the Gers were plagued by injuries to a plethora of their wingers. At one point, Abdallah Sima, Cortes, Rabbi Matondo and Scott Wright were all unavailable, resulting in Clement having to rejig his starting XI on a regular basis.

Sima was excellent during his loan spell, scoring 16 goals across all competitions, but he will return to Brighton and Hove Albion with his future unclear.

One player who did improve from his dismal debut campaign – which featured zero goals and just five assists – was Matondo. The Welshman did make his mark last term, but does his future lie at Ibrox under Clement?

Straight away, It's safe to say Matondo improved vastly last season when considering his goal contributions. He only played three more games compared to his first season at Ibrox, yet he registered double the number of goal involvements – six goals and four assists – which included a stunning last-minute effort against Celtic to salvage a 3-3 back in April.

Six of these goals and assists came from the bench, indicating that perhaps he is a better impact option rather than someone who can dominate games from the very first whistle and this may give Clement something to think about.

With Cortes already signed, the interest in Kabadayi suggests there may be some movement out of the door in the summer. Can the young German be an upgrade on Matondo ahead of next season?

What Yusuf Kabadayi could bring to Rangers

The 20-year-old may have played just 24 senior matches during the embryonic stages of his career thus far, but his ceiling is high.

Kabadayi has made 78 appearances for several of the youth sides at Bayern, scoring 29 goals while adding a further 11 assists, meaning that he registered a goal contribution every 1.9 matches, which is a stunning ratio.

Kabadayi spent the 2023/24 campaign on loan at Schalke in the 2. Bundesliga in what was his first-ever taste of senior football.

He didn’t do badly at all, scoring five goals in just 26 matches for the second tier outfit, gaining vital experience at the top level while showcasing his talents, and he has clearly impressed a few teams in the process.

Profiling him for the Rangers Journal, Kai Watson stated that Kabadayi is a winger who is “strong, quick and good on the ball” which are all qualities which Clement looks for in his wide players.

Among his teammates at Schalke, the youngster ranked fourth for goals (four) in the German second tier, while also ranking third for shots per game (1.6) and fourth for successful dribbles per game (1.1). These statistics indicate that not only is the winger a solid threat in front of goal, but he also loves bursting down the left flank and taking on opposition defenders with ease.

In comparison, Matondo ranked fifth for goals in the Premiership among his teammates (five), along with finishing the season ranked eighth for shots per game (1.7) and fourth for successful dribbles per game (1.2), showing plenty of improvement from the season before.

While the stats are fairly similar between the two left-wingers, Kabadayi could have the edge, especially with Matondo’s injury history. The former Manchester City starlet has missed a staggering 39 matches for the Light Blues since arriving in the summer of 2022, resulting in him showing the supporters glimpses of his talents.

It is clear that Clement needs to sign players who are not injury prone and can be available for virtually every match. Kabadayi is still only 20 and appears to be in fine physical shape, which could suggest he would be an upgrade on Matondo should the Belgian coach step up his initial interest in the winger over the next week or two.

Matondo would still be an excellent option to utilise from the bench next term, especially if the Gers are struggling to break down a team, as his pace and brute strength were often showcased last season.

If Clement could sign Kabadayi, however, it would represent yet another solid piece of transfer business conducted in what could turn out to be a summer of transformation.

Clement could sign his own Aaron Ramsey in early Rangers swoop

The Light Blues have been linked with an interest in the England international.

By
Dan Emery

Jun 4, 2024

English top-flight clubs have been left annoyed after receiving an email from Manchester City over their ongoing legal battle with the Premier League.

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• Premier League clubs annoyed with City
• Club's email over tribunal judgement angers rivals
• All 20 teams to meet and discuss amendments

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Per Sky Sports, City’s general counsel, Simon Cliff, reached out to all the other top-flight clubs via email on Tuesday following the tribunal verdict concerning Associated Party Transactions (APT) rules. The reigning champions accused the Premier League of "misleading" the clubs in its summary of the findings as they believe the league's statement misrepresented key aspects of the tribunal’s findings.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Now the Independent and The Telegraph report that the email from the Cityzens has left the Premier League facing a "civil war" as almost all the top-flight clubs are "stunned" and "annoyed" by the champions. Some executives have even described the issue as "seriously escalating" before Thursday's emergency meeting.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  It was earlier reported that Chelsea, Newcastle United, and Everton had aligned with City, providing witness testimonies in their favour. However, the latest email episode has now angered the allies as well, according to the Independent's report.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  In Thursday's meeting, the 20 Premier League clubs will discuss the amendments in the APT rules before sending them to the Premier League's financial group and legal advisory ahead of a final vote.

New West Ham United boss Julen Lopetegui's appointment is now official, following the club's announcement on Thursday, and he's said to have already given the green-light for a new signing this summer.

Lopetegui arrives at West Ham to replace David Moyes

David Moyes' second tenure with the Irons is now over, after four successful years, with the Scotsman even guiding the club to a Europa Conference League title in Prague last year and ending the club's four-decade-long wait for a trophy.

£50k-p/w West Ham man to follow Moyes out exit door after losing his place

He could be on his way out alongside the manager who signed him.

By
Ben Browning

May 13, 2024

The Lopetegui era has now begun, though, with the Hammers electing not to hand Moyes an extension given a mixed end to his tenure at the London Stadium. His successor, a former Spain and Real Madrid manager, comes with an illustrious CV and Premier League experience at ex-club Wolves.

He appears to tick many boxes for chairman David Sullivan and technical director Tim Steidten, with their next task being the acquisition of summer signings to upgrade Lopetegui's squad and ensure West Ham keep growing after Moyes' departure.

“I feel very happy, first of all, to be able to be part of the future of this big Club,” said Lopetegui on joining West Ham.

“We will try to put our stamp on the Club. I feel that we have a fantastic platform. I think the last few years have been very good years to have this base, of course, but my ambition as a coach is always to be better and better, to achieve more and bigger aims and to encourage and improve the players, the team, and to compete because football is about this – to compete. We are very ambitious about this.

“I am where I want to be. I am here because I want to be here and for us it was a fantastic day when we closed our agreement here because our commitment is 100 per cent to be here. We had other opportunities but I am very happy that West Ham chose me because I chose West Ham too, so we are really happy about this."

Lopetegui is already thought to be on the verge of signing Arsenal youngster Luis Brown for the Hammers academy, but according to The Boot Room and other media sources, he's also now about to benefit from his first senior arrival.

Lopetegui green-lights Fabricio Bruno signing for West Ham

According to TBR, Lopetegui has personally approved West Ham signing Fabricio Bruno – with the Brazil international defender close to joining.

It is believed a deal, which could rise to £15 million with add-ons, is close to being agreed with Flamengo and the 28-year-old is ready to put pen to paper on a long-term London Stadium move. Bruno, who TBR highlight for his top pass completion and progressive passes record, as per FBref, made his Brazil debut earlier this year and could be the ideal man to reinforce Lopetegui's ageing defence.