March 2020 - Soccer Wiretap

Ivan Rakitic Returns To Sevilla

Aug 31, 2020 5:36 PM

Ivan Rakitic has left Barcelona to return to Sevilla.

Rakitic joined Barcelona from Sevilla in 2014.

Rakitic played 310 games for Barca in his six years there, winning 13 trophies, although his involvement was noticeably reduced last season.

Moises Llorens, Alex Kirkland/ESPN

Tags: Barcelona, Sevilla, Misc Rumor, Transfer Rumor

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Henrikh Mkhitaryan Terminates Arsenal Deal, Joins AS Roma

Aug 31, 2020 5:35 PM

Henrikh Mkhitaryan has joined AS Roma after terminating his contract with Arsenal.

Mkhitaryan joined Roma at the start of last season after a disappointing 18-month spell at Arsenal following a swap deal in January 2018 in which Alexis Sanchez went to Manchester United.

"Micki leaves us following his season-long loan in Italy. We have agreed to terminate his contract with us by mutual consent to allow him to join Roma in a permanent move," Arsenal said in a statement.

Reuters

Tags: Arsenal, Roma, Misc Rumor, Transfer Rumor

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Barcelona To Offer Lionel Messi Extension Worth $100M+ Per Season

Aug 31, 2020 2:20 PM

Josep Maria Bartomeu is requesting a meeting with Lionel Messi's father and agent, Jorge, and will present an extension offer through 2023.

The salary would be similar to what Messi currently earns, close to €100 million ($119 million) gross annually.

Barcelona is not optimistic Messi will sign the extension given his desire to leave the club.

Sam Marsden, Moises Llorens/ESPN

Tags: Barcelona, Misc Rumor, Transfer Rumor

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Barcelona: Lionel Messi Would Have To Sit Season To Leave For Free

Aug 31, 2020 2:17 PM

Barcelona believes the only way Lionel Messi can legally leave the club for free is if he commits to not playing soccer next season.

Messi is attempting to exercise a clause in the contract he signed in 2017 that allows him to leave for free at the end of each season. The deadline for the clause was in June, but Messi believes it should be pushed back to the end of the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Reports in Spain over the weekend claimed Messi's €700 million buyout clause is no longer active, causing further confusion. Barcelona insists that is not the case.

Sam Marsden, Moises Llorens/ESPN

Tags: Barcelona, Manchester City, Misc Rumor, Transfer Rumor

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Dell Loy Hansen To Sell Real Salt Lake, Utah Royals FC

Aug 30, 2020 10:08 PM

Major League Soccer announced that Dell Loy Hansen will sell Real Salt Lake, Utah Royals FC, and the Real Monarchs.

The decision stems from comments Hansen made after MLS players boycotted games on Wednesday.

Hansen described the protests "like somebody stabbed you and you're trying to figure out a way to pull the knife out and move forward. That's what it feels like. The disrespect is profound to me personally."

Hansen would walk back his comments in an official statement.

"I recognize that at times I have spoken too quickly, without pausing to consider the feelings or good intentions of others. This is not acceptable and I assume full responsibility for allowing my words to travel unfiltered as to their significance and impact," said Hansen.

MLS commissioner Don Garber added that Hansen came to the decision to sell all three teams on his own.

Jeff Carlisle/ESPNFC

Tags: Real Salt Lake, Legal

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Zlatan Ibrahimovic Signs One-Year Extension At AC Milan

Aug 30, 2020 4:59 PM

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has signed a one-year contract extension with AC Milan.

The contract is worth $8.2 million.

The 38-year-old scored 10 goals in 18 matches on loan last season.

"As I've always said, I'm not here to be a mascot. I'm here to bring results and to help the team, the coach and the squad return to where Milan should be.

"We had a great last six months but we haven't won anything. This year I've got the chance to be here from the start so we've got to continue like we were, working hard and sacrificing ourselves to reach our goals," said Ibrahimovic.

Joe Shread/Sky Sports

Tags: A.C. Milan, Terms Agreement

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Manchester United, Ajax Agree To $53 Million Fee For Donny Van De Beek

Aug 30, 2020 4:55 PM

Manchester United and Ajax have agreed to a $53 million fee for attacker Donny van de Beek.

United are set to discuss personal terms with the 23-year-old. 

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has reportedly tracked Van de Beek for over a year.

Van de Beek was also on Barcelona's radar. 

Rob Dawson/ESPN

Tags: Ajax, Manchester United, Transfer Rumor

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La Liga: Lionel Messi Will Have To Pay $833 Million Release Clause

Aug 30, 2020 12:21 PM

La Liga released an official statement declaring that Lionel Messi will have to pay his $833 million release clause in order to leave Barcelona.

Messi reportedly remains confident that he will be able to leave the club for free this summer, and that the clause is invalid for the final year of his contract.

La Liga's statement gives an added boost to Barcelona's claims.

Messi is set to skip the start of Barcelona's preseason training on Monday.

M. Carmen Torres/Marca

Tags: Barcelona, Legal

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Lionel Messi To Skip Barcelona Preseason Training On Monday

Aug 29, 2020 4:18 PM

Lionel Messi is set to miss COVID-19 testing on Sunday and the start of Barcelona's preseason training on Monday.

Messi informed that club last week that he wants to leave, with Manchester City one of the favorites to land his signature. 

There is a sense that Messi attending training could impact his legal situation. 

Barcelona players are set to begin working with new manager Ronald Koeman on Monday. 

Moises Llorens & Alex Kirkland/ESPNFC

Tags: Barcelona, Manchester City, Transfer Rumor

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Leeds Break Club Record To Sign Rodrigo

Aug 29, 2020 1:41 PM

Leeds United have officially signed Rodrigo from Valencia for a club-record $35 million.

The 29-year-old has signed a four-year deal with the club.

“Since the first time Victor (Orta, director of football) talked to me I knew I wanted this new challenge with Leeds. I will be working with one of the best coaches (Marcelo Bielsa) in football, he has done important things in different clubs and I’m excited to learn," said Rodrigo.

Rodrigo, who has been capped 22 times for Spain, played in the Premier League during the 2010-11 season. 

Will Unwin/The Guardian

Tags: Valencia, Official Transfer

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Barcelona, Atleti Discussed Antoine Griezmann, Joao Felix Swap

Rodrigo Faez, Alex Kirkland/ESPN

City Confident Lionel Messi Will Pick Them

ESPN

Jurgen Klopp Rules Out Liverpool Signing Lionel Messi

Aramide Oladipo/ESPN

Thiago Silva Joins Chelsea On Free Transfer

ESPN

MLS Investigating Alleged Racist Language From RSL Owner

Jeff Carlisle/ESPN

Neymar, Angel Di Maria Speak To Lionel Messi About Joining PSG

Julien Laurens/ESPN

Josep Maria Bartomeu Pledges To Step Down If Lionel Messi Stays

Sam Marsden, Moises Llorens/ESPN

Chelsea Sign Ben Chilwell From Leicester For $66M

ESPN

Sid Lowe: Lionel Messi's Anger Has Been Building For A Very Long Time

Sid Lowe/ESPN

Juventus Pursuing Transfer For USMNT's Weston McKennie

Andrew Cesare Richardson/ESPN

Man City Considering New York City FC Clause In Offer To Lionel Messi

Rodrigo Faez, Moises Llorens/ESPN

Lionel Messi Decides He'll Seek Move To Manchester City

Marcelo Bechler/Esporte Interativo

Lionel Messi Discusses Potential Move To City With Pep Guardiola

Rodrigo Faez, Moises Llorens/ESPN

Everton Interested In Permanent Transfer For James Rodriguez

Jason Burt/The Telegraph

Barcelona Responds To Lionel Messi Saying They Want Him To Stay

Jordi Blanco/ESPN

Harry Maguire Found Guilty Of Assault, Resisting Arrest, Bribery

ESPN

Lionel Messi Informs Barcelona He'll Leave On Free Transfer

TYC Sports

City Breaks Down Numbers To See If Transfer For Lionel Messi Viable

Moises Llorens, Rodrigo Faez/ESPN

Chelsea On Verge Of $118M Transfer For Kai Havertz

Jacob Steinberg, Fabrizio Romano/The Guardian

Paul Pogba Won't Leave United As Sides Discuss Extension

The Guardian