March 2015 - Soccer Wiretap

EPL Clubs Paid Out Nearly £130M To Agents Last Season

Nov 30, 2015 7:27 PM

Premier League clubs paid out nearly £130 million to agents during the 14-15 season, representing a £15 million increase on the previous year.

Liverpool spent the most of any club, £14.3 million, followed by Manchester United (£13.8 million) and Manchester City (£12.4 million) with the total reaching £129.86 million for the year ending Sept. 30. 

Fees are not just paid to agents when transfers happen, but also when players sign new contracts.

PA Sport

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Alexis Sanchez Out Three Weeks With Hamstring Injury

Nov 30, 2015 2:28 PM

Alexis Sanchez will miss three weeks with a hamstring injury.

Sanchez suffered the injury in Sunday's tie at Norwich.

Sanchez will miss the final Champions League match of the group stage on Dec. 9th.

Thomas Wachtel/The Short Fuse

Tags: Arsenal, Injury

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Pochettino: Chelsea Were The Small Team

Nov 30, 2015 1:52 PM

Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea played to a 0-0 draw on Sunday.

“No, not really happy. We deserved more than we got, so I was disappointed, but it’s true that I’m proud of the players. For me they’re big heroes,” Mauricio Pochettino told ProSoccerTalk. “The effort was massive. Chelsea played one of their best games of the season, and when you make the effort we showed and the maturity, you have to be happy with your players but disappointed with one point.”

Tottenham is now unbeaten in 13 Premier League matches.

“This is a good thing. We play the champions. It’s good. You got the feeling that Chelsea were a small team and Tottenham can win every game we play,” Pochettino said. “It’s very difficult, though. Not easy. We’re the youngest team in the PL and the maturity we showed today we have shown in different games. We have to feel happy. It’s a good thing that, maybe, we are a bigger club than Chelsea or that we deserve more. We showed good performances in the last few games, and I’m happy, but we have to keep working hard. We’ve only had 14 games in the PL and it’s too early to think about the end of the season.”

Joe Prince-Wright/ProSoccerTalk

Tags: Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur

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Columbus Given 64 Percent Chance To Beat Timbers In MLS Cup

Nov 30, 2015 1:07 PM

The Columbus Crew and Portland Timbers have advanced to the 2015 MLS Cup.

Columbus will host the match and are given a 64 percent chance to win versus 36 percent for the visiting Timbers.

Columbus defeated the New York Red Bulls in the semifinals, while the Timbers beat FC Dallas.

Paul Carr/ESPN

Tags: Columbus Crew, Portland Timbers

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Agent: Gianluigi Donnarumma Worth $179M

Nov 30, 2015 12:45 PM

Gianluigi Donnarumma is already worth €170 million, according to his agent Mino Raiola.

Donnarumma is just 16 and is already AC Milan's preferred choice at goalkeeper.

"I'd compare him to a [piece by Italian artist Amadeo] Modigliani," Raiola told Mediaset Premium. "He's worth 170 million.

"He has a great future. He's an extraordinary kid and everyone loves him.

"He's already a little champion but he can become a great one."

Mark Doyle/Goal.com

Tags: A.C. Milan, Misc Rumor, Transfer Rumor

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Arsenal Preparing £22M Bid For Porto's Ruben Neves

Nov 30, 2015 12:43 PM

Arsenal are preparing a £22 million bid for Porto's defensive midfielder Ruben Neves.

Francis Coquelin is out for several months.

Arsenal are willing to pay £12 million to Porto up front with a further £10 million in add-ons.

The Sun

Tags: Arsenal, Porto, Misc Rumor, Transfer Rumor

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Rummenigge: EPL TV Deal 'Poses Great Threat To Other European Leagues'

Nov 30, 2015 12:41 PM

Bayern Munich CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has said the new Premier League TV deal "poses a great threat to all other European leagues."

With broadcasters Sky and BT Sport having bought the Premier League TV rights from the 2016-17 season on for a record £5.136 billion, the team that finishes bottom from then on will receive £99 million, with the champions earning more than £150 million.

The German Football League distributes around £600 million to its 36 member clubs.

In an interview with kicker, Rummenigge said: "I recently talked to Florentino Perez, the Real [Madrid] president, and to [AC] Milan CEO Adriano Galliani. We agreed that England poses a great threat to all other European Leagues."

Rummenigge warned that players were demanding more and more money and there would come a time "when it will get difficult for Bayern to withstand the money pressure from England."

Rummenigge warned that international competitiveness would be jeopardised "when we have to admit during contract talks" that offers from English clubs could not be matched."

"Then we'll lose sporting quality, and some in Bundesliga might actually like it," he added.

"Some of my colleagues have suggested that you can sell players for a high price and buy cheap. But that's a naive fallacy, and it won't work out."

Stephan Uersfeld/ESPN

Tags: Bayern Munich

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Neymar's Ballon d'Or Shortlist Spot Costing Barcelona €3M

Nov 30, 2015 12:37 PM

Neymar's place on the Ballon d'Or shortlist will cost Barcelona €2 million as part of their agreement with Santos.

Neymar joined Barcelona from Santos in 2013 for €57.1 million, which included a clause to pay a further €2 million if he secured a place in the Ballon d'Or three.

Chris Davie/Goal.com

Tags: Barcelona, Santos

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Arsenal, Chelsea Could Face Transfer Bans

Nov 30, 2015 11:12 AM

Arsenal and Chelsea could receive transfer bans from FIFA similar to Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid.

Barcelona are nearing the end of a two-year ban for illegally signing players under 18.

AS.com

Tags: Arsenal, Chelsea

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Lloyd, Miyama, Sasic On Women's Ballon d'Or Shortlist

Nov 30, 2015 11:10 AM

The women’s world player of the year shortlist for the Ballon d'Or is headed by the American World Cup winner Carli Lloyd, Aya Miyama (Japan) and Celia Sasic (Germany). 

Lloyd and Sasic each scored six goals in the World Cup.

The Guardian

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Neymar Joins Messi, Ronaldo On 2015 Ballon d'Or Shortlist
The winner will be announced in Zurich on Jan. 11.

The Guardian

Jamie Vardy Scores In 11th Straight EPL Match
Jamie Vardy scored in his 11th straight match, breaking Ruud van Nistelrooy's Premier League record.

Scott Murray/The Guardian

Benitez: Ronaldo, Bale Have Positional Freedom In Attack
Rafa Benitez has stressed that Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo have free roles in attack and do not demand to play in specific positions.

FourFourTwo

Ezequiel Lavezzi Would Like Return To Italy
Ezequiel Lavezzi joined PSG from Napoli in 2012.

ESPN

Alex Teixeira Dreaming Of Move To Chelsea
Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus have also registered interest in Alex Teixeira.

ESPN

Atletico Enjoy Being 'Annoying' To Opponents
Diego Simeone stresses Atletico Madrid enjoy being "annoying" to their opponents.

Joe Wright/Goal.com

Klopp: Daniel Sturridge Needs To Cope With Pain
Daniel Sturridge has made just 10 Premier League starts since the beginning of last season.

Mike Whalley/ESPN

Pellegrini Downplays Lionel Messi To City Rumors
Reports emerged on Friday that City were willing to pay Lionel Messi £800,000 a week.

Richard Jolly/ESPN

Guardiola Cancels News Conference Amid Links To City, Real Madrid
Spanish paper Cadena COPE reported that Pep Guardiola had agreed to leave Bayern in the summer and make the move to City.

Stephan Uersfeld/ESPN

Pochettino: Harry Kane Wants To Stay With Tottenham, Win Titles
Harry Kane has been linked to a January bid by Chelsea, but Mauricio Pochettino is confident he will remain with the club.

Press Association

Bayern Seeks Decision From Pep Guardiola By Christmas
Bayern is said to be interested in Carlo Ancelotti if Pep Guardiola leaves.

Grant Wahl/Sports Illustrated

Real Madrid Considering January Sale Of Cristiano Ronaldo
Real Madrid believes Cristiano Ronaldo will only retain a significant transfer value if he's sold in January or in the summer.

Grant Wahl/Sports Illustrated

Sergio Roberto Has Become Barcelona's 'Joker'
Sergi Roberto has been one of Barcelona's most important players this season due to his versatility.

Carlos Volcano/Tribal Football

Neymar, Barcelona Close To Long-Term Extension
Neymar is currently signed with Barcelona through 2018.

Chris Myson/Goal.com

Bradley Wright-Phillips Interested In Loan To EPL
Bradley Wright-Phillips began his career with Manchester City and has become one of the best players in the MLS.

Peter O'Rourke/ESPN

Bale, Hart Are Only British Players On UEFA's 40-Man Shortlist
The Premier League only has five players in total on the UEFA shortlist for team of the year.

Press Association

Steven Gerrard Will Train With Liverpool
Steven Gerrard has ruled out a return to a playing role with Liverpool as there is not a spot for him in Jurgen Klopp's side.

Press Association

Suarez: Messi, Neymar And I 'Really Enjoy' Playing With Each Other
Luis Suarez told Catalan TV that the trio were able to put aside their personal ambitions and make their understanding work for the benefit of the Barca team.

Dermot Corrigan/ESPN

Mourinho Downplays Seriousness Of Argument With Diego Costa
Jose Mourinho and Diego Costa were arguing while walking towards the players' tunnel.

FourFourTwo

Ancelotti: Zinedine Zidane Ready To Become Real Madrid's Manager
Carlo Ancelotti believes Zinedine Zidane is ready to become manager of Real Madrid.

Dejan Kalinic/Goal.com