April 2024 - Soccer Wiretap

Giovanni Reyna Loaned By Dortmund To Nottingham Forest

Jan 31, 2024 10:45 AM

Giovanni Reyna has been loaned from Borussia Dortmund to Nottingham Forest for the rest of the season. The loan deal contains an option to make it a permanent transfer. 

Reyna was determined to leave Dortmund during this window. 

Wolverhampton Wanderers, Marseille, Monaco, Lyon, Real Sociedad, Sevilla, Villarreal and Benfica were also interested.

Along with agent Jorge Mendes and father Claudio, Reyna was trying to find the best move possible, either on loan or on a permanent basis. Dortmund wanted around €15 million ($16.3 million) to transfer him.

Tom Hamilton/ESPN

Tags: Borussia Dortmund, Nottingham Forest, Loan, Misc Rumor, Transfer Rumor

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Mikel Arteta Strongly Denies Links To Barcelona

Jan 29, 2024 3:05 PM

Mikel Arteta strongly denied reports linking him to becoming manager of Barcelona this summer. Xavi announced over the weekend he will leave the club at the end of the season.

“It’s totally untrue and I’m really upset about it,” Arteta said. “I’m in the right place with the right people. I’m immersed in a beautiful journey with this football club, the staff and the players and there is still a lot to do. I love what I do, I love every minute and I get a lot of joy. It drives you when you feel respected, loved, when you see a clear direction and ambition. That is where we are right now.”

Arteta became manager of Arsenal in 2019 and played for the club from 2011 until 2016. Arteta spent part of his childhood at La Masia.

Arteta's contract with Arsenal expires at the end of the current season. 

“I could not believe it. I don’t know where it’s coming from. I think we have to be very careful when you talk about personal things especially. When someone puts a statement about what we’ve done personally.

“Secondly because I don’t think someone deserves to hear news like that. I’ve always said completely the opposite. That’s why I feel upset.”

Ed Aarons/The Guardian

Tags: Arsenal, Barcelona, Misc Rumor

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Xavi Announces He'll Step Down As Barcelona Manager After Season

Jan 29, 2024 11:32 AM

Xavi has announced he will step down as manager of Barcelona at the end of the current season.

Xavi, who only recently penned a new deal until 2025, says he made the decision before the Villarreal game, but that now is the right moment to make it official.

"I would like to announce that I will not remain Barça manager beyond the end of this season," Xavi confirmed in a news conference.

"I had decided to leave a few days ago, but I think now is the right time to announce it to help reduce the tension that exists around the club. A change of dynamic is needed.

"So, as a Barça fan, thinking of the club's best interests, and of the players, I think it's the right decision. No one is bigger than the club and I am a supporter above all. I love this club."

Barcelona is 10 points behind Real Madrid in LaLiga.

Sam Marsden/ESPN

Tags: Barcelona, Misc Rumor

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Jurgen Klopp Announces He's Leaving Liverpool After Season

Jan 26, 2024 7:32 AM

Jurgen Klopp has announced he will step down as manager of Liverpool at the end of the season.

Klopp will take a break from management and said he will not manage a club or country for at least a year. He also said he will never manage another club in England other than Liverpool.

"I can understand that it's a shock for a lot of people in this moment, when you hear it for the first time, but obviously I can explain it, or at least try to explain it," Klopp said in a video statement released by Liverpool.

"I love absolutely everything about this club, I love everything about the city, I love everything about our supporters, I love the team, I love the staff. I love everything. But that I still take this decision shows you that I am convinced it is the one I have to take.

"It is that I am, how can I say it, running out of energy. I have no problem now, obviously, I knew it already for longer that I will have to announce it at one point, but I am absolutely fine now. I know that I cannot do the job again and again and again and again."

Klopp was hired in 2015 and led the club to the Premier League title in 2020 and the Champions League in 2019.

"It would be cool if you can accept my decision as a hard one, but the right one," Klopp said. "I need to find a different purpose and look for it."

"I told the club already in November," he added. "I have to explain a little bit that maybe the job I do people see from the outside, I'm on the touchline and in training sessions and stuff like this, but the majority of all the things happen around these kind of things. That means a season starts and you plan pretty much the next season already.

"When we sat there together talking about potential signings, the next summer camp and can we go wherever, the thought came up, 'I am not sure I am here then anymore' and I was surprised myself by that. I obviously start thinking about it.

Tom Hamilton/ESPN

Tags: Liverpool, Misc Rumor

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Kylian Mbappe Considering Offers From Real Madrid, PSG

Jan 25, 2024 4:13 PM

Kylian Mbappe has received an offer to join Real Madrid next summer as well as another extension with Paris Saint-Germain.

Mbappe has been asked by Madrid for a definitive answer in the coming weeks, but other sources say no deadline has been given.

Mbappe is out of contract with PSG at the end of the season.

Madrid is reportedly not willing to offer as much as they did in the past as the club doesn't want to pay him significantly more than their established stars such as Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior. Those players earn around $11.4 million net per season.

Mbappé earns €37 million per-season at PSG and he has been offered the same salary in the club's new contract offer.

Liverpool also remains interested and are monitoring the situation. 

Julien Laurens, Rodrigo Faez/ESPN

Tags: Liverpool, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Misc Rumor, Transfer Rumor

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City Signs 18-Year-Old Claudio Echeverri From River Plate

Jan 25, 2024 4:12 PM

Manchester City have signed 18-year-old River Plate midfielder Claudio Echeverri. 

The deal is worth around $15.9 million plus add-ons. 

Echeverri also received interest from Barcelona. 

The deal City have agreed for Echeverri is similar to the arrangement that eventually brought Julian Alvarez to the Etihad.

ESPN

Tags: Manchester City, River Plate, Misc Rumor, Transfer Rumor

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West Ham Agrees To Loan Move With City For Kalvin Phillips

Jan 23, 2024 2:20 PM

West Ham have agreed to a loan deal with Manchester City for Kalvin Phillips.

The midfielder made a £43 million ($54.5 million) move from Leeds United to City in 2022 but has never been a significant part of manager Pep Guardiola's plans.

West Ham manager David Moyes has a long-standing interest in Phillips.

Connor O'Halloran, Rob Dawson/ESPN

Tags: Manchester City, West Ham United, Loan, Misc Rumor, Transfer Rumor

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Jose Mourinho In Talks To Become Manager Of Al Shabab

Jan 19, 2024 10:44 AM

Jose Mourinho is in negotations to become manager of Saudi Pro League team Al Shabab.

Mourinho was fired this week as manger of Roma.

Mourinho has also received early interest from some European clubs, so there remains a chance he opts against a move to Saudi Arabia.

Julien Laurens/ESPN

Tags: Misc Rumor

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Premier League's New TV Deal Down By One Third Factoring Inflation

Jan 18, 2024 12:10 PM

The Premier League's new television deal is a four-year deal worth $8.4 billion that runs between 2025 and 2029.

On a seasonal basis, it is worth £1.675 billion per year, which is less than the £1.713 billion per year in the Premier League's 2015 agreement that covered the 2016-2019 seasons. When factoring in inflation, the deal is about one third less valuable than that one.

The deal also covers 99 more matches than the 2016-19 agreement, so factoring in inflation and a per-game basis, the value of each individual game has gone down by 50 percent.

Gab Marcotti/ESPN

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Christian Pulisic Named U.S. Soccer Player Of Year For 4th Time

Jan 18, 2024 11:57 AM

Christian Pulisic was named U.S. Soccer's male player of the year for 2023. 

Pulisic has previously won the award in 2017, 2019 and 2021.

Pulisic received 53% of the vote, followed by Yunus Musah (21.5%) and Ricardo Pepi(12.9%).

"It's an honor to win this award again for the fourth time," Pulisic said. "It was an incredible season for me. I always enjoy playing with the national team and winning more trophies with the national team. Of course, coming here to AC Milan, it's been just a really exciting year. I've enjoyed it so much, so I'm really grateful to win an award like this."

ESPN

Tags: A.C. Milan, United States, Personal Award

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Kylian Mbappe Warns European Soccer Schedule Becoming Excessive

ESPN

Karim Benzema Seeking Exit From Al Ittihad

Julien Laurens/ESPN

Giovanni Reyna Attempting To Leave Dortmund During January Window

Julien Laurens/ESPN

Xavi Losing Support From Some Barcelona Players

ESPN

Jose Mourinho Fired By Roma

Tom Hamilton/ESPN

Trent Alexander-Arnold Out Several Weeks With Knee Injury

Mark Ogden/ESPN

Franz Beckenbauer Dies At Age Of 78

ESPN

Kylian Mbappe To Decide Future In Coming Weeks

Julien Laurens/ESPN

Dortmund, United Agree To Jadon Sancho Loan Deal

Rob Dawson/ESPN

Kylian Mbappe Misses Playing With Lionel Messi

Adriana Garcia/ESPN

Erling Haaland, Jude Bellingham Headline Guardian's Top 100 For 2023

RealGM Staff Report

Dortmund In Talks With United On Loan For Jadon Sancho

Rob Dawson/ESPN

Birmingham City Fires Wayne Rooney

Mark Ogden/ESPN