April 2021 - Soccer Wiretap

Inter May Allow Christian Eriksen Exit As He Won't Be Cleared In Italy

Oct 29, 2021 2:52 PM

Christian Eriksen is not permitted to play in Italy this season as a result of the cardiac arrest he suffered during the Euros in June.

Eriksen later had a cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) device implanted, a type of pacemaker which can prevent fatal cardiac arrests by discharging a jolt to restore a regular heart rhythm.

Francesco Braconaro, a member of the Italian Football Federation's technical scientific committee, said in August that Eriksen will not be allowed to play in Italy unless the ICD device is removed.

"With reference to the registration rights of the player Eriksen, it should be noted that following a serious injury which occurred during the European Championship in June 2021, the player has been temporarily inhibited by the Italian medical authority from sporting activity in the current season," Inter Milan wrote in a statement on Thursday.

"Although the current conditions of the player don't meet the requirements of achieving sporting fitness in Italy, the same could instead be achieved in other countries where the player could resume competitive activity."

Reuters

Tags: Internazionale, Injury, Misc Rumor, Transfer Rumor

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Premier League Clubs Alerted On Eden Hazard Transfer In January

Oct 29, 2021 8:16 AM

Chelsea and Newcastle United have been alerted on a possible transfer for Eden Hazard during the January window.

Hazard has fallen out of favor with Carlo Ancelotti this season with Real Madrid. Hazard has dealt with injuries and poor form during his time with Real Madrid after joining on a €100 million transfer in 2019.

Hazard has started just 25 games in La Liga and has five goals from 52 appearances across all competitions after suffering with a various injury problems since arriving in Spain.

Real Madrid are looking to raise funds to pursue Erling Haaland in addition to their long anticipated signing of Kylian Mbappe on a free transfer. 

James Olley/ESPN

Tags: Chelsea, Newcastle United, Real Madrid, Misc Rumor, Transfer Rumor

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United Prepared To Lose Paul Pogba On Free Transfer

Oct 27, 2021 10:59 PM

Manchester United are prepared to lose Paul Pogba for free next summer after he's refused to sign an extension.

Real Madrid, Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain have previously expressed an interest in Pogba, but none of them is planning to make a move for the player in January, preferring instead to negotiate a free-agent deal next summer.

United have made repeated efforts to persuade Pogba to sign a new contract, but senior figures have believed since the end of last season that it was unlikely that he would commit to new terms.

Mark Ogden/ESPN

Tags: Manchester United, Misc Rumor, Transfer Rumor

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Barcelona Fires Ronald Koeman, Working To Hire Xavi As Replacement

Oct 27, 2021 10:48 PM

Barcelona has fired Ronald Koeman as manager following their 1-0 loss to Rayo Vallecano.

Barcelona will open talks with Xavi Hernandez on Friday regarding the vacancy as he is their first choice. 

An interim coach is set to take charge of the next three games against Alaves, Dynamo Kiev and Celta Vigo.

Koeman has long been in danger of being fired as Barcelona is currently in ninth place in La Liga.

Sam Marsden, Moises Llorens/ESPN

Tags: Barcelona, Misc Rumor

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Carlo Ancelotti: Eden Hazard Has A Coach Who Prefers Another Player

Oct 27, 2021 8:15 AM

Carlo Ancelotti has said "the problem [Eden Hazard] has right now is he has a coach who prefers another player."

Hazard was an unused substitute in Sunday's Clasico. 

Ancelotti picked Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo on the wings at Camp Nou and was rewarded when both were involved in David Alaba's opener.

"The problem [Hazard] has right now is he has a coach who prefers another player," Ancelotti said in a news conference on Tuesday ahead of Madrid's LaLiga game with Osasuna. "That can happen in a squad like Real Madrid's. What's important is the player has the motivation to work to play. He is doing that."


Alex Kirkland, Rodrigo Faez/ESPN

Tags: Real Madrid

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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer Loses Support, United Could Turn To Antonio Conte

Oct 25, 2021 8:23 PM

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has lost the support of several key stars, which could accelerate his dismissal as manager.

Antonio Conte has been identified as a strong candidate as a high profile manager currently available. 

Solskjaer, initially appointed as interim manager following the sacking of Jose Mourinho in December 2018, has now lost five of his last nine games.

Mark Ogden/ESPN

Tags: Manchester United, Misc Rumor

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Zinedine Zidane Not Interested In Manchester United Job

Oct 25, 2021 8:21 PM

Zinedine Zidane is not interested in pursuing the Manchester United managerial job should they part ways with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. 

Zidane is a huge favourite to take over as boss of Les Bleus whenever Didier Deschamps steps down, whether that be after the 2022 World Cup or Euro 2024.

Zidane, 49, left Real Madrid last summer to finish his second stint in charge of the club.

Julien Laurens/ESPN

Tags: Manchester United, Misc Rumor

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Ole Gunnar Solskjær Calls 5-0 Loss To Liverpool 'Darkest Day'

Oct 24, 2021 10:34 PM

Manchester United's 5-0 defeat to Liverpool has put the future of Ole Gunnar Solskjær as manager in doubt.

"I have come too far, we have come too far as a group. We are too close to give up now," said Solskjær. “I do believe in myself, I do believe that I am getting close to what I want with the club, what we’ve done, what I’ve seen, the development,” he said. “[True] the results lately haven’t been good enough, it’s hands up and that brings doubt in anyone’s mind probably, but I’ve got to keep strong and believe in what we’re doing.

“Today’s rock bottom [and we’re] low in confidence. Next week is Tottenham away, then it’s a Champions League game at Atalanta and the next team who visits us is Manchester City. We have to make sure we go into the next training session in the right frame of mind.”

Liverpool's victory was their best ever at United.

“It is not easy to say something apart from that it is the darkest day I have had leading these players,” Solskjær added.

“We were not good enough individually and as a team we can’t give a team like Liverpool those chances but we did. I am sad, disappointed and angry of course. My emotion doesn’t matter apart from what we do to improve and make sure it doesn’t happen.

“This could go either way, we could sulk or we could come together. The whole performance was not good enough. We created openings, they had chances and they have been clinical. The third goal decided the game. We know we are rock bottom, we can’t feel any worse than this. Let’s see where we take it. You can look at last season when we lose to Spurs 6-1: this is worse, miles worse. This is miles worse for me as a Manchester [United] lad. I’ve got to say we have to get over this as quickly as we can.”

Jamie Jackson/The Guardian

Tags: Manchester United

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Mohamed Salah Wants To Remain With Liverpool But 'Not Up To Me'

Oct 22, 2021 9:07 PM

Mohamed Salah said he would like to remain with Liverpool as his contract is set to expire in June 2023.

"If you ask me, I would love to stay until the last day of my football career. But I can't say much about that, it's not in my hands," Salah, 29, told Sky Sports.

"It depends on what the club want, not on me. At the moment I can't see myself ever playing against Liverpool. That would make me sad.

"It's hard, I don't want to talk about it, but it would make me really sad... but let's see what will happen in the future."

ESPN

Tags: Liverpool, Misc Rumor, Transfer Rumor

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Erling Haaland Out Several Weeks With Hip Muscle Injury

Oct 22, 2021 11:49 AM

Erling Haaland will be out for "a couple of weeks" with a hip muscle injury.

Haaland returned only last week from another muscle injury, scoring twice in a 3-1 win over Mainz before playing the whole game in Dortmund's 4-0 loss to Ajax in the Champions League on Tuesday.

"Erling will be out, we'll be without him for a couple of weeks even," Marco Rose told a news conference.

"He has a hip flexor injury which simply doesn't make it possible for him to play. It's the same thigh, but another location."

ESPN

Tags: Borussia Dortmund, Injury

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Ansu Fati, Barcelona Sign Extension Through 2027

Sam Marsden, Moises Llorens/ESPN

Barcelona, AC Milan Interested In Jesse Lingard

Rob Dawson/ESPN

Pedri, Barcelona Sign Extension With $1.57 Billion Release Clause

Sam Marsden, Moises Llorens/ESPN

France Beats Spain 2-1 To Win Nations League

Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski Headline 30 Ballon D'Or Nominees

ESPN

Premier League Sells Licensing Deal To Ted Lasso

Matt Slater/The Athletic

Javier Tebas: Barcelona Could Have Kept Lionel Messi

Sam Marsden, Moises Llorens/ESPN

Real Madrid Optimistic Of Signing Kylian Mbappe In January

Adriana Garcia/ESPN

Claudio Ranieri Agrees To Become Manager Of Watford

Ed Aarons, Fabrizio Romano/The Guardian

Kylian Mbappe Informed PSG Of Wish To Leave In July

ESPN