April 2016 - Soccer Wiretap

Memphis Depay Asks To Leave United

Jan 1, 2017 12:08 PM

Memphis Depay has asked to leave Manchester United.

United signed Depay for £25 million from PSV Eindhoven in the summer of 2015. 

Depay has started just one match under Jose Mourinho this season.

"In the past couple of months, my decisions in relation to Memphis were influenced by the feelings and information that he would like to leave in January and that we were going to have a real offer that we would be willing to accept," Mourinho told a news conference.

"That obviously influences me.

"We had this conversation with a few players and we left things very, very clear. If I know, if I have the feeling that a player is leaving, I have to give chances to and develop other players.

"So then I go to [Jesse] Lingard, [Henrikh] Mkhitaryan, [Anthony] Martial, the players I know 100 percent are going to stay with us. And it is also a position where we have more options.

"Memphis was not playing last season. It was not that last season he was playing phenomenally and now this season he is not playing at all. That's not the situation."

Mark Ogden/ESPN

Tags: Manchester United, Misc Rumor, Transfer Rumor

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United Rejects West Brom's $16M Bid For Morgan Schneiderlin

Dec 30, 2016 1:55 PM

Manchester United has rejected West Bromwich Albion's £13 million ($16 million) offer for Morgan Schneiderlin.

Last week Tony Pulis confirmed West Brom made a bid for Schneiderlin.

“We have not received one single offer that we are going to accept," said Jose Mourinho.

“I don’t want to sell players. The club and the board is totally with me, but as I told before, if a player is not having lots of minutes and really wants to leave, we have no right to stop him leaving if the conditions are our conditions.”

Jamie Jackson/The Guardian

Tags: Manchester United, West Bromwich Albion, Misc Rumor, Transfer Rumor

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Chinese Club Offered $316M To Real Madrid For Cristiano Ronaldo

Dec 31, 2016 1:53 PM

An unnamed Chinese Super League club offered Real Madrid €300 million ($316 million) for Cristiano Ronaldo, which would have paid him more than €100 million ($105 million) per season in wages.

“Money is not everything; the Spanish club is his life,” Jorge Mendes told Sky Sports Italia. “The Chinese market is a new market. They can buy a lot of players, but then again it is impossible to go for Ronaldo. Cristiano is the best player in the world and best ever. It is normal to have some offers.

“He won the European Championship with Portugal, it’s like winning the Italian league with Genoa: they were not the favorite.”

The transfer fee would have eclipsed the £93.2 million fee Manchester United paid for Paul Pogba.

The Guardian

Tags: Real Madrid, Misc Rumor, Transfer Rumor

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Carlos Tevez Signs With Shanghai On $753k Per Week Deal

Dec 30, 2016 1:53 PM

Carlos Tevez has agreed to sign with Shanghai Shenhua of the Chinese Super League, leaving his boyhood club Boca Juniors.

“Shanghai Greenland Shenhua FC reached a transfer agreement with Argentina Club Atletico Boca Juniors. Carlos Alberto Tevez is officially joined Shanghai Shenhua,” the club said in a statement on their website.

 

Reports have suggested that the Chinese club paid €84 million (£71.6 million) for Tevez.

Tevez will earn around £615,000 per week ($753,000) on a two-year contract with Shanghai Shenhua.

Reuters

Tags: Boca Juniors, Misc Rumor, Transfer Rumor

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United Abandon Pursuit Of Victor Lindelof

Dec 28, 2016 7:01 PM

Manchester United have decided to end their pursuit of Victor Lindelof of Benfica.

United were keen to purchase the 22-year-old to add depth to Jose Mourinho’s squad although they were reluctant to meet his €45 million (£38 million) release clause.

United have won five straight matches while conceding only two goals.

Phil Jones and Marcos Rojo have struck up a solid partnership in central defense and Mourinho can also count on Eric Bailly, Chris Smalling and Daley Blind in that position when they are fit.

Jamie Jackson/The Guardian

Tags: Benfica, Manchester United, Misc Rumor, Transfer Rumor

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Liverpool Interested In January Transfer For Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

Dec 29, 2016 3:26 PM

Liverpool have interest in making a move for Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain of Arsenal during the January transfer window.

Jurgen Klopp is considering ways to acquire extra depth as they challenge for the Premier League table.

The relationship between Liverpool and Arsenal was undoubtedly harmed during the 2013 transfer saga involving Luis Suarez.

Oxlade-Chamberlain's deal expires after the 17-18 season. At 23, he is still young in football terms and a player who joined Arsenal from Southampton for £12 million in 2011, shortly before his 18th birthday, would still be a relatively expensive acquisition, with a valuation in today’s market in the region of £20 million-£25 million.

Arsenal were open to the idea of selling him in the summer but Arsene Wenger stated recently that he wanted the player to sign a new contract and remain at the club.

Daniel Taylor/The Guardian

Tags: Arsenal, Liverpool, Misc Rumor, Transfer Rumor

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Arsenal Targeting Marco Reus As Alexis Sanchez Contract Talks Drag On

Dec 28, 2016 12:14 PM

Arsenal could pursue Marco Reus if Alexis Sanchez doesn't sign a long-term deal.

Reus is under contract with Borussia Dortmund until 2019 but would receive a pay raise at Arsenal.

Sanchez signed for the Gunners from Barcelona in 2014 for £30 million.

Arsenal are planning to break the £200,000-a-week barrier to keep Sanchez.

Matt Maltby/Daily Mail

Tags: Arsenal, Borussia Dortmund, Misc Rumor, Transfer Rumor

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Shanghai SIPG: Oscar Left Chelsea Due To Lack Of Playing Time

Dec 28, 2016 11:54 AM

Shanghai SIPG's general manager has said Oscar's decision to leave Chelsea was due to his lack of playing time.

Oscar will be paid up to £20 million per year.

"Oscar has fallen out of favour with Conte because he has no place in Chelsea’s 3-4-3 formation," said Sui Guoyang.

"It played a key part in his desire to leave. He felt terrible to sit on the bench and not be involved. He is so young.

"Oscar wants to come back to the Brazil national team. Some of his compatriots play in the CSL and they still get called up to the national team. So it helped him to make the decision to move to China.

"And of course, the appointment of [ex-Chelsea boss] Andre Villas Boas is a plus. Oscar knows we are an ambitious club."

Goal.com

Tags: Chelsea

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Martin Odegaard Close To Loan Deal To Ajax Or Heerenveen

Dec 28, 2016 11:45 AM

Martin Odegaard is close to leaving Real Madrid for a loan to either Ajax or Heerenveen.

Odegaard is now 18 and he's looking for first time experience. Real Madrid bought Odegaard when he was 16 and he's only played in two competitive first team matches.

Odegaard has been playing for Real Madrid's Castilla who play in the third division in Spain.

As.com

Tags: Ajax, Real Madrid, Loan, Misc Rumor

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Atalanta Rejects Chelsea's $26M Bid For Franck Kessie

Dec 28, 2016 11:37 AM

Atalanta have rejected a €25 million ($26 million) offer from Chelsea for Franck Kessie.

Kessie's agent claims there's also interest from Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City and Arsenal.

Kessie, who spent last season on loan at Cesena, has been in outstanding form as Atalanta have risen up to sixth place in Serie A after 18 games. Kessie has drawn comparisons to Yaya Toure.

Chelsea are keen to find a replacement for the Brazil international Oscar, who completed his move to Chinese Super league side Shanghai SIPG for £52 million this week.

Ed Aarons/The Guardian

Tags: Atalanta, Chelsea, Misc Rumor, Transfer Rumor

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Anthony Martial Considering Sevilla's Loan Offer
Anthony Martial has scored just once while providing three assists in 11 Premier League appearances.

Ian Holyman/ESPN

Leicester Agrees To $18.4M With Genk For Wilfred Ndidi
Claudio Ranieri sees Wilfred Ndidi as the perfect replacement for N'Golo Kante, who signed with Chelsea in the summer.

Fabrizio Romano/The Guardian

Olivier Giroud Hints He Could Soon Sign Extension With Arsenal
Olivier Giroud has scored in each of his three starts so far this season.

Ed Aarons/The Guardian

Swansea Fires Bob Bradley As Manager
Swansea had wanted to give Bradley the January transfer window to strengthen the squad but the loss to West Ham was viewed as a gamechanger.

Stuart James/The Guardian

Atleti CEO: Diego Simeone Will Remain With Club Next Season
Diego Simeone has stated his intention to manage Inter Milan, who he played for during his career.

As.com

Neymar Won't Kill Himself To Win Ballon d'Or
Neymar finished in fifth place this season for the Ballon d'Or.

FourFourTwo

James Rodriguez Won't Leave Real Madrid In January
Manchester United, Chelsea, Inter Milan and Bayern Munich would be interested if James Rodriguez becomes available.

ESPN

Roberto Firmino Charged With Drunk Driving
Roberto Firmino has been charged with drink-driving after being stopped by police on Christmas Eve.

The Guardian

Christian Pulisic Named To UCL's Breakthrough Team Of 2016
Seven clubs are represented in the XI, but Dortmund have the most number of players with Christian Pulisic joined by Ousmane Dembele and Raphael Guerreiro.

ESPN

Julian Draxler Sold By Wolfsburg To PSG For $49M
Julian Draxler joined Wolfsburg from their Bundesliga rivals Schalke in August 2015 to replace Kevin De Bruyne, but he never really settled at the Volkswagen-backed club.

The Guardian

Sam Allardyce Hired As Manager Of Crystal Palace
Sam Allardyce spent 67 days as manager of England before he was fired amid scandal.

Dominic Fifield/The Guardian

Morgan Schneiderlin Asks To Leave Manchester United
West Bromwich Albion leading the race to sign Morgan Schneiderlin after lodging a £13 million bid.

Mark Ogden/ESPN

Ronaldo, Messi, Suarez, Griezmann Headline Guardian's Top 100 For 2016
Cristiano Ronaldo has reclaimed his spot from Lionel Messi as the top footballer in the world.

The Guardian

Draxler Considering Future With PSG, Arsenal, Liverpool Interested
Juventus was close to leaving Schalke in 2015 for Juventus.

Stephan Uersfeld/ESPN

Diego Costa, Chelsea To Discuss Extension In January
Diego Costa's salary could climb to £200,000 per week.

Dominic Fifield/The Guardian

Hugo Lloris Signs Extension With Spurs Until 2022
Hugo Lloris joined Tottenham in 2012 from Lyon and has played 189 times for them.

Press Association

Chelsea Interested In Monaco's Tiemoue Bakayoko, Djibril Sidibe
Chelsea plan on reinforcing their midfield and defense during the January transfer window using their £60 million windfall from Oscar's move to Shanghai SIPG.

Dominic Fifield/The Guardian

Crystal Palace Fires Alan Pardew
Alan Pardew signed a long-term extension in the summer after leading Palace to the FA Cup final in May.

Ed Aarons/The Guardian

Thiago Silva Signs Extension With PSG Through 2020
Thiago Silva's previous deal was due to expire at the end of this season, only to be renewed automatically for one year if Champions League qualification was confirmed.

Jonathan Johnson/ESPN

Juventus Interested In James Rodriguez
Juventus has admitted interest in signing James Rodriguez from Real Madrid while ruling out making a second attempt to sign Julian Draxler.

Ben Gladwell/ESPN