Thursday, March 31, 2022

Manchester City: Ukrainian refugee Andrii Kravchuk permitted to train with club

The Premier League are allowing Ukrainian refugee Andrii Kravchuk to train with Manchester City's Under-23s squad.

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England’s dream and nightmare groups ahead of Qatar 2022 World Cup draw

England v Cote D'Ivoire - International Friendly
Gareth Southgate will have a keen eye on Friday’s draw (Picture: Getty Images)

Millions will be waiting on the result of the World Cup draw on Friday afternoon as the teams heading for Qatar learn their fate.

Qualification is not over yet, but 29 of the 32 teams have been confirmed and England are one of them.

Gareth Southgate’s side are right where they want to be ahead of the draw, in Pot One, alongside six of the world’s best teams and host nations Qatar.

Each of the eight groups at the World Cup will include one side from each of the four pots, with teams – in theory – decreasing in quality down the pots.

However, there is quite a range of quality within the groups, meaning that there are some very favourable draws and some absolute stinkers – as evidenced by Qatar and Brazil sitting in the same pot.

Pot 1

Qatar
Belgium
Brazil
France
Argentina
England
Spain
Portugal

Pot 2

Denmark
Holland
Germany
Mexico
USA
Switzerland
Croatia
Uruguay

Pot 3

Senegal
Iran
Japan
Morocco
Serbia
Poland
South Korea
Tunisia

Pot 4

Australia/UAE/Peru
New Zealand/Costa Rica
Scotland/Ukraine/Wales
Saudi Arabia
Ecuador
Ghana
Cameroon
Canada

The dream draw for England

This is clearly subjective, but it looks three group opponents of Mexico, Morocco and Saudi Arabia would be a very handy draw for the Three Lions.

England fans would also be pretty happy with a trio of USA, Iran and New Zealand, if that came to pass.

The nightmare scenario

There is a chance of England being stuck in a group with Germany, Senegal and
Peru, which does not look like much fun.

Another tricky option would be Uruguay, Poland and Cameroon.

When are the remaining qualifiers?

Scotland and Ukraine’s play-off is likely to be played in June, with the winner taking on Wales for a place in Qatar.

Australia are playing UAE in the Asia qualifying play-off, with the winner meeting Peru in one of the inter-continental play-offs for a place at the World Cup.

The other inter-continental play-off will be between Costa Rica and New Zealand.

When is the 2022 World Cup draw?

The draw for the 2022 World Cup group stage takes place in Qatar on Friday at around 5pm UK time.

The World Cup draw will be screened on BBC One from 4.45pm on Friday, and will also air on Sky Sports.

Alternatively, you can watch the draw via the BBC iPlayer or via livestream on the Fifa website.

MORE : ‘Absolute joke!’ – Gareth Southgate slams England fans who booed Harry Maguire

MORE : Roy Keane bizarrely criticises Gareth Southgate for defending Harry Maguire over England boos

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Steve McClaren likens Manchester United target Erik ten Hag to Alex Ferguson: ‘Tactically he’s outstanding’

Steve McClaren has likened Erik ten Hag to Man Utd legend Alex Ferguson
Steve McClaren has likened Erik ten Hag to Man Utd legend Alex Ferguson (Pictures: Getty)

Steve McClaren has likened Erik ten Hag’s meticulous planning to Sir Alex Ferguson and insists the Manchester United managerial target is ‘ready’ for a top job in Europe.

Ten Hag has emerged as one of the frontrunners to take over at Old Trafford at the end of the season, having impressed United chiefs in initial talks last week.

The 52-year-old has won multiple domestic trophies since his appointment at Ajax in 2017 and appears to have moved ahead of Paris Saint-Germain boss Mauricio Pochettino in the race to become United’s next manager.

Ralf Rangnick has been doing the job on an interim basis since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s sacking in November but is not in the running for the vacant position as the German coach will instead move into a consultancy role at the Theatre of Dreams.

McClaren, who acted as Alex Ferguson’s assistant in the early 2000s, worked with Ten Hag at FC Twente and has hailed him as ‘very disciplined and outstanding tactically’.

‘His great strength lies not just in his attention to detail and organisation,’ McClaren told the Daily Telegraph. ‘He has a clear philosophy of how he wants to play football; the environment he wants to create.

Ten Hag appears to be the frontrunner to take over at Old Trafford
Ten Hag appears to be the frontrunner to take over at Old Trafford (Picture: Getty)

‘The player progression programme was a key part of Twente. He has done that at Ajax too, for each player from the academy to the first team.

‘You look at Hakim Ziyech and now the [Brazilian] striker Antony, a very good player who will be the next one to go. I have seen this Ajax team and it’s very good.

‘Erik is very disciplined and people have to buy into that and have that work ethic. Tactically he’s outstanding.

‘He worked with Pep [Guardiola] at Bayern Munich and took in his philosophy too. They called him “Mini Pep” out there.

‘He’s ready. A lot of top clubs in Germany and England will be out to get him.’

On Ten Hag’s meticulous attention to detail, McClaren added: ‘The only other one I would have seen do that? That would have been the gaffer [Alex Ferguson].’

While Manchester United look to make progress on their manager hunt, Rangnick’s side have a job to do as they look to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

The Red Devils are sixth – four points behind fourth-placed Arsenal – ahead of Saturday’s clash with Leicester City.

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Premier League predictions: Lawro v actor & Crystal Palace fan Jim Piddock

Mark Lawrenson takes on actor & Crystal Palace fan Jim Piddock to predict the results for this weekend's Premier League fixtures.

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John Terry reveals who he wants to replace Cesar Azpilicueta as Chelsea captain

Azpilicueta
Cesar Azpilicueta could be on the way out of Chelsea this summer (Picture: Catherine Steenkeste/Getty Images)

John Terry feels Mason Mount should become the next Chelsea captain once Cesar Azpilicueta leaves the club.

The Spaniard is edging closer to leaving the Blues at the end of the season with Barcelona looking set to wrap up a deal for the veteran defender.

Azpilicueta has won the Champions League and the Europa League twice in his time in west London as well as winning two Premier League titles.

Should the 32-year-old depart in the summer, Jorginho, who captains Italy has been tipped to become the next club captain but Chelsea legend Terry feels academy graduate Mount is the perfect fit.

‘He [Azpilicueta] has been superb and as you said, there are many ways to skin a cat,’ Terry told Stadium Astro.

‘He does it differently. His performances first and foremost have to speak for themselves, and they certainly do that.

Mason Mount
Mason Mount has come through Chelsea’s academy (Picture: Catherine Steenkeste/Getty Images)

‘When your captain it’s important that you are a consistent performer, week in and week out. You give a solid seven or eight out of 10 every week. He does that for the group.

‘And again, he is that example for everyone else to follow. I love what he does but I think the progression from that would probably lead itself to Mason for me.

‘I think Mason has got the ability to go on and I think he’s capable of grabbing the game by the scruff of the neck if we need to.

‘The Chelsea fans relate to him. He is Chelsea through and through. His family are as well. I would personally love to see Mason take it.’

Should this be Azpilicueta’s final season as captain, he’ll hope to end the season with another trophy by lifting the FA Cup.

Chelsea face Crystal Palace in the semi-final on Sunday, April 17 with the winner facing Manchester City or Liverpool.

MORE : N’Golo Kante ignored Paris Saint-Germain’s offer to leave Chelsea this summer

MORE : John Barnes defends Thomas Tuchel’s decision to sell former Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham despite Roma heroics

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Wednesday, March 30, 2022

Record crowd for women’s football match watch Barcelona thrash Real Madrid

BARCELONA, SPAIN - MARCH 30: Barcelona's supporters cheer during the women's UEFA Champions League quarter final second leg football match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid CF at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona on March 30, 2022. (Photo by Adria Puig/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
There were memorable scenes at the Camp Nou on Wednesday night (Picture: Getty Images)

History was made at the Camp Nou on Wednesday night as a crowd of 91,553 people watched Barcelona Women beat Real Madrid Women 5-2 – the attendance ever for a women’s football match.

The enormous crowd were watching the second lef of the Champions League quarter-final between the two giant Spanish clubs and they were far from disappointed.

Barca were 3-1 up from the first leg and goals from Carolina Graham Hansen, Mapi León, Aitana Bonmati, Claudia Pina and Alexia Putellas secured the huge win in front of the mammoth crowd.

BARCELONA, SPAIN - MARCH 30: Alexia Putellas of FC Barcelona celebrates after the UEFA Women's Champions League Quarter Final Second Leg match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid at on March 30, 2022 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images)
The home side won 5-2 in front of the packed crowd (Picture: Getty Images)

‘I’m almost speechless, honestly,’ Putellas said. ‘The fans didn’t want to go home. There was such a connection between them and us while we celebrated. To hear them singing that they want to go to Turin was superb.’

BARCELONA, SPAIN - MARCH 30: Aitana Bonmati of FC Barcelona takes a selfie with a fan after the UEFA Women's Champions League Quarter Final Second Leg match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid at on March 30, 2022 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images)
Aitana Bonmati snaps a selfie with some of the vast crowd (Picture: Getty Images)

The clash in Spain beat the previous record for any women’s match, which was previously held by the USA vs China game in the 1999 World Cup at the Rose Bowl, Pasadena.

The game absolutely smashed the previous record for a women’s club match, which was set in 2019 when Barcelona took on Atletico Madrid at the Wanda Metropolitano and 60,739 were in attendance.

Third on that particular list was set in 1920 at Goodison Park when 53,000 watched Dick, Kerr Ladies play St Helens Ladies.

Soccer Football - Women's Champions League - Quarter Final - Second Leg - FC Barcelona v Real Madrid - Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain - March 30, 2022 FC Barcelona players celebrate after the match REUTERS/Albert Gea
It was a party atmosphere at the Camp Nou (Picture: REUTERS)

Barcelona surge into the semi-finals where they will play either Arsenal or Wolfsburg.

MORE : Gary Neville makes big Liverpool prediction and admits: ‘It’s scary for a Manchester United fan’

MORE : Gary Neville gives the Glazers a five-step plan to ‘reset’ Manchester United

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Gary Neville makes big Liverpool prediction and admits: ‘It’s scary for a Manchester United fan’

Arsenal v Liverpool - Premier League
Gary Neville’s prediction may have been music to Jurgen Klopp’s ears (Picture: Getty Images)

Gary Neville now reckons that Liverpool will win the Premier League this season and fancies their chances of claiming three or four trophies in total, which really pains him as a Manchester United fan.

Jurgen Klopp’s side have already won the Carabao Cup and their hopes of a quadruple are alive as they remain in the FA Cup, Champions League and the Premier League title race.

With Manchester City to overhaul in the Premier League – although only a one-point lead – and FA Cup semi-final, it is no small task, while the Reds meet Benfica in the Champions League quarter-finals.

Neville has been so impressed with Liverpool in recent weeks, especially in their 2-0 win over Arsenal earlier this month, that he can now see them winning every competition they remain in.

The Manchester United legend has tipped Man City for the Premier League all season and is grimly sticking to it, despite now believing it will be Liverpool who will triumph.

‘I think they’re unbelievably dangerous and I think they’re going to do something pretty special this season,’ Neville said on Sky Sports’ The Overlap.

‘When I watched them against Arsenal last week there was nothing that I saw that didn’t tell me that was a team that’s going to go on and win the title. It was a title winning performance.

‘I’ve said [Manchester] City all season so I’ll stick with it, but I think Liverpool will win the league and I think they’re dangerous in the other two competitions. I think they’ll do something special.’

Liverpool Carabao Cup final
Liverpool beat Chelsea to win the Carabao Cup in February (Picture: Getty Images)

Neville is being honest about Liverpool’s chances, because he also admits he would hate to see it happen.

‘They’re going to do something dangerous this season, it’s scary for a United fan to say that,’ he said. ‘I really do worry that they’re going to and win three or four trophies. It would concern me.’

MORE : Erik ten Hag would be a ‘great’ appointment for Manchester United, says Liverpool hero Dirk Kuyt

MORE : ‘It’s scary how good he is’ – Jack Grealish blown away by England’s Jude Bellingham amid Man Utd, Liverpool and Chelsea links

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Jamie Carragher labels Everton ‘the worst run club in the country’

Wolverhampton Wanderers v Leeds United - Premier League
Jamie Carragher (Picture: Getty Images)

Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher believes Everton is the worst run club in England and one of the worst in Europe, mocking the owner and labelling the players a ‘disgrace’.

It has been an extremely difficult season for the Toffees so far, sacking Rafael Benitez and replacing him with Frank Lampard in the dugout, but still finding themselves 17th and deep in a relegation battle.

There have also been issues off the pitch, with investor Alisher Usmanov sanctioned by the government and the club forced to look for new financing after cutting ties with the Russia.

The club’s majority shareholder, Farhad Moshiri, has regularly been criticised for splashing cash on the wrong things and the transfer policy is something that has particularly baffled Carragher.

For many reasons, the former Liverpool defender reckons no club in England is run any worse than the Toffees.

‘I think Everton are the worst run club in the country, probably one the worst run in Europe. They must be. They have to be,’ Carragher told Sky Sports’ The Overlap.

‘And that’s not just because they’ve spent lots of money and it hasn’t worked – that’s happened before.

‘Some of the things that Everton do, it’s unbelievable. When you think about what they did in January – bringing two full-backs in and then sacking the manager a week later. Bringing [Anwar] El Ghazi in – what was that all about? They brought El Ghazi in from Aston Villa. A winger. I don’t even know why.

‘That’s why they’ve had five or six managers. I think any manager who goes into any club thinks he’s the guy to turn this around. That’s why I fear for Frank [Lampard] a little bit, because Everton Football Club now is not a place that you’d want to go as a manager. There’s that much going on around you, it’s an absolute mess.

Crystal Palace v Everton: The Emirates FA Cup Quarter Final
Frank Lampard has been tasked with keeping Everton in the Premier League this season (Picture: Getty Images)

‘The owner hasn’t got a clue has he? You’ve obviously got the Usmanov thing right now. But in terms of those players, I said a few weeks ago, they’re a disgrace.’

Everton are three points above the relegation zone and with two games in hand on 18th places Watford, so their fate is very much in their own hands.

They picked up a vital win over Newcastle last time out and return to Premier League action on Sunday with a tough trip to West Ham.

MORE : Erik ten Hag would be a ‘great’ appointment for Manchester United, says Liverpool hero Dirk Kuyt

MORE : Frank Lampard ready to give Arsenal the greenlight to sign Everton star Dominic Calvert-Lewin

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Barcelona Femenino 5-2 Real Madrid Femenino (8-3 agg): Hosts win in front of record crowd

Barcelona beat Real Madrid to reach the Women's Champions League semi-finals in front of a record crowd at the Nou Camp.

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Gary Neville gives the Glazers a five-step plan to ‘reset’ Manchester United

Manchester City v Liverpool FC - Premier League
Gary Neville has a string of ideas he wants to see implemented at Manchester United (Picture: AMA/Getty Images)

Gary Neville has set out a clear, but very ambitious, plan for Manchester United owners the Glazer family to follow and ‘reset’ the club.

The former United and England right-back has long been outspoken about changes that need to be made at the club and he continues to call for an overhaul on how it is run.

They are well articulated plans from Neville, although the chances of the Glazers taking them up seem fanciful given how they have run the club since taking over.

A brand new stadium, new training ground and restructure of how the American family finance the club are among his recommendations on offer.

‘They’ve got to stop taking the dividends out of the club if they want to reset the culture,’ Neville told Sky Sports’ The Overlap. ‘When the owners are pulling money out of the club at the expense of the fans at the expense of the project, it’s a bad message from the very top the cultural aspect of that is terrible

‘They’ve got to pay off that debt and they can do that by selling £500m-worth of shares to the fans, not take it out of the club and pay off that debt, they can then rebuild that stadium for a billion quid.

‘That doesn’t need renovation, that needs a new stadium and that money can be funded by a 20-year contract by getting a sponsor in at £70million-a-year call it something Old Trafford but we have a brand new stadium and it resets the culture of Manchester United having the best stadium in the world. That needs to happen.

‘They then need to build a new training ground. Roy [Keane] and I were part of the squad when we moved 22 years ago out of The Cliff, we were devastated to leave but we’ve now got a training ground that’s behind Tottenham and the others.

Manchester United v Burnley - Premier League
Avram and Joel Glazer are co-chairman of Manchester United (Picture: Getty Images)

‘They then need to put another £150m-a-year into a proper sporting project along with those four things and then you can say the Glazer family have reset the whole culture from the top; of giving, of doing something that means something.

‘They’ve got to do something that resets the culture of the football club. They’ve not done that for 10 years and they need to do it now. The fans are on the edge again.’

MORE : Jamie Carragher explains why Harry Maguire will find it hard to kick-start his Manchester United career

MORE : Erik ten Hag would be a ‘great’ appointment for Manchester United, says Liverpool hero Dirk Kuyt

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Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette scores hat-trick in Brentford friendly

Arsenal v Wolverhampton Wanderers - Premier League
Lacazette scored a hat-trick today for Arsenal in a friendly at London Colney (Picture: Getty)

Alexandre Lacazette bagged three goals for Arsenal today in a friendly match against Brentford B played at London Colney.

In what was an impressive display by the Frenchman, Lacazette scored his first halfway through the first-half with a deflected shot.

He then doubled Arsenal’s lead just after the break by reacting to a rebound before scoring his third with a shot from distance as the Gunners beat Brentford 4-1 in a behind closed doors friendly.

Lacazette rediscovering his shooting boots will be welcome news for manager Mikel Arteta who is short of goalscorers ever since Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang moved to Barcelona in January.

Arsenal were interested in signing striker Dusan Vlahovic in the winter window but missed out on the Serbian, who joined Italian giants Juventus instead.

FBL-ENG-PR-ARSENAL-ASTON VILLA
Lacazette is out of contract in the summer (Picture: Getty)

Despite his strong work ethic and pivotal role within the team’s play, Lacazette has scored just four goals in 23 Premier League appearances this season.

The 30-year-old is out of contract in the summer and is due to hold talks with the club at the end of the season.

‘We have discussed that at the end of the season, when we know where we are going, to make a decision together,’ Arteta said earlier this month.

‘We agreed the decision is to do it in the summer and that’s when we are going to do it.’

MORE : Mikel Arteta drops major hint that Alexandre Lacazette is set to stay at Arsenal

MORE : ‘It’s all because of him’ – Alexandre Lacazette reveals the biggest change at Arsenal under Mikel Arteta

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Paris St-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi on European Super League & FFP

Almost a year on from the European Super League proposal, Paris St-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi discusses the key issues affecting European football.

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Ruud van Nistelrooy: PSV Eindhoven appoint former Manchester United striker as boss from the 2022-23 season

Ex-Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy will become PSV Eindhoven manager in the summer - his first senior managerial role.

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Tuesday, March 29, 2022

David Beckham’s Inter Miami target Luis Suarez among string of Barcelona legends

F1 Grand Prix of Qatar
David Beckham wants to assemble a team of stars at Inter Miami (Picture: Getty Images)

Inter Miami are interested in signing a quartet of Barcelona legends in the next two years, targeting Luis Suarez, Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba.

David Beckham’s MLS side have made some notable signings in their short history so far, bringing Gonzalo Higuain, Blaise Matuidi, Kieran Gibbs and DeAndre Yedlin to Florida, but they now want to really step it up in terms of blockbuster arrivals.

Spanish publication Sport report that Inter Miami want to wait until the four Barcelona heroes see their contracts run out at their various clubs and then pounce for free transfers.

Suarez is out of contract at Atletico Madrid at the end of this season and could be tempted over to America at 35 years old as he finds himself aon the bench regularly under Diego Simeone.

Lionel Messi’s PSG contract runs until 2023 and he, of course, would be the biggest signing of all if Beckham could lure the 34-year-old to Miami then.

Busquets, 33, and Alba, 33, are still playing for Barca, with the former under contract until 2023 and Alba a year later.

The two South Americans have been linked with an American move in the past and seem the more likely to play in MLS than the Spanish pair, but Inter Miami are reportedly keen on all four.

Rayo Vallecano v Club Atletico de Madrid - La Liga Santander
Luis Suarez has had to settle for a lot of time on the Atletico Madrid bench this season (Picture: Getty Images)

It is not going well on the field for Inter Miami, with Phil Neville’s side enduring a shocking start to the 2022 MLS season.

A goalless draw with Chicago Fire on the opening day of the campaign has proved the high point so far, losing their next three matches to Austin, Los Angeles and Cincinnati, conceding 10 goals in the process.

Neville has been speaking positively, though, saying ahead of their weekend fixture against Houston Dynamo: ‘They are a great bunch of guys that just want to do well for this football club.

‘They’ve gelled together so well; now they just need to transfer that out onto the pitch. The things I see in training, really, really excite me; the things I see in training are really positive.’

MORE : Liverpool and Chelsea circling to snap up PSG teenager Ismael Gharbi on free transfer

MORE : Liverpool’s Andy Robertson slams FIFA and UEFA over Scotland summer fixture schedule

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Harry Maguire booed by England fans during Ivory Coast friendly

England v Cote D'Ivoire - International Friendly
It was not a warm reception for Harry Maguire at Wembley from England fans (Picture: Getty Images )

England defender Harry Maguire was booed by fans at Wembley before and during the friendly with Ivory Coast on Tuesday night.

The Manchester United centre-back’s name was jeered when it was read out by the stadium announcer and he was booed again when he first touched the ball and from then on in the first half.

His selection has caused some controversy among fans due to his below-par performances for his club this season, with manager Gareth Southgate facing questions over whether he should still be in the England side.

Maguire was left out of the side in the 2-1 win over Switzerland on Saturday, but was returned to the starting XI on Tuesday, with Southgate referring back to his good international form, with the 29-year-old an important part of the runs to the World Cup 2018 semi-final and Euro 2020 final.

‘He got us to a World Cup semi-final and the European Championship final so there’s no doubt he’s more than capable of playing at the highest level,’ Southgate said.

‘He was very good for us in the autumn and the club are in a difficult moment. There could be any number of reasons for that. But that doesn’t mean that players can be poor for a couple of years and then still find their way in and sometimes it depends on competition for positions.

‘We’ve obviously left some forward players out who haven’t been in good form. But there’s direct replacements, experienced replacements for those players. So as I say, it is a complicated decision.’

MORE : ‘It’s ridiculous’ – England star Tyrone Mings clears up bizarre Harry Maguire clip that went viral

MORE : Gareth Southgate admits ‘complicated decision’ over Harry Maguire’s England future

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Poland 2-0 Sweden: Robert Lewandowski helps Poland reach World Cup finals

Poland are through to this year's World Cup finals in Qatar after Robert Lewandowski and Piotr Zielinski's goals give them a play-off victory over Sweden.

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Liverpool and Chelsea circling to snap up PSG teenager Ismael Gharbi on free transfer

Entente Feignies-Aulnoye v Paris Saint-Germain - French Cup
Ismael Gharbi has attracted attention from the Premier League (Picture: Getty Images )

Highly-rated Paris Saint-Germain teenager Ismael Gharbi is out of contract at the end of this season and both Liverpool and Chelsea are among the clubs interested in bringing him in.

The 17-year-old made his professional debut for PSG this season and has spent a lot of time with the senior squad, although his involvement has ebbed away in recent months.

This has put his future in serious doubt, especially with his deal set to end in June and no agreement reached yet.

Goal report that Gharbi wants to stay in Paris, but would need some promises regarding game time, which could be hard to come by with manager Mauricio Pochettino facing an uncertain future.

The report states that Chelsea and Liverpool would be keen to bring him to the Premier League, taking advantage of the situation, although it is unlikely the 17-year-old would be guaranteed a lot of first team football at Anfield or Stamford Bridge.

Gharbi is described as a playmaking midfielder, while his former coach Guillaume Serra told RMC, via Goal: ‘He is capable of playing in the middle, but also out wide where he can then drift towards goal. He has a keen sense of when faced with the goal, too.

‘But he also has a lot of room for improvement in positional play and transition phases.’

Gharbi is yet to make an appearance in Ligue 1 for PSG, sitting on the bench four times in the French top flight, but he has made appearances in the Coupe de France and Trophee des Champions.

MORE : Carlton Cole explains why Declan Rice should reject Man Utd and says Chelsea transfer isn’t realistic

MORE : Liverpool’s Andy Robertson slams FIFA and UEFA over Scotland summer fixture schedule

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Netherlands 1-1 Germany: Steven Bergwijn equalises as Germany's winning run ends

Germany's eight-match winning start under Hansi Flick comes to an end as substitute Steven Bergwijn earns the Netherlands a draw against Germany.

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‘It’s ridiculous’ – England star Tyrone Mings clears up bizarre Harry Maguire clip that went viral

Harry Maguire
Harry Maguire is on international duty with England (Picture: Eddie Keogh – The FA via Getty Images)

Tyrone Mings has branded criticism of Harry Maguire in a recent England training video ‘ridiculous’ by explaining the full story behind what happened.

Footage earlier this week went viral on social media after Maguire stopped the ball during a rondo session with team-mates Nick Pope and Jack Grealish being put through their paces in the middle.

With Jordan Henderson counting out loud and his team-mates racking up over 40 successful passes, Maguire stopped the drill and the Liverpool captain stared at the defender, saying: ‘What are you doing?’

With Maguire coming in for plenty of criticism for his poor displays at club level this season, some took aim at him again in the rondo video.

But England team-mate Mings has hit back at the criticism and cleared up exactly what happened.

‘I think it’s ridiculous really,’ Mings told talkSPORT.

‘We got to about 45 passes and he stopped the ball and I can only presume, there’s no other reason to stop the ball at that point, it was to give the people in the middle a breather.

‘Once you get to 20 passes you are in for another one, so the two that were in there anyway were going to be in for another two when it got to 42, 43.

‘He’s actually giving them a bit of a breather to say ‘that’s enough, let’s start again’.

‘So to take a negative spin on that just shows people don’t always know what is going on and don’t quite understand the full context of the video.

‘But for social media these days the truth is sometimes far less exciting than making something up or sending something viral.’

Maguire and Mings line up alongside one another in the heart of the England defence in their friendly with Ivory Coast tonight.

MORE : Gareth Southgate admits ‘complicated decision’ over Harry Maguire’s England future

MORE : ‘No doubt in my mind’ – Gareth Southgate explains picking Harry Maguire for England

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