June 2025 - Soccer Wiretap

While Manchester City is in transition and building out a younger roster, Pep Guardiola wants many of the club's older players to remain on the team next season.

While Kyle Walker has exited on loan to AC Milan and Kevin De Bruyne will likely follow when his contract expires, Guardiola sees a place for the likes of Bernardo Silva, John Stones, Ederson and Ilkay Gündogan.

"There are players here that their age is over 30 but they are part of the future of this club. Except Kevin, and Kevin and the club will decide on his future everyone who has a contract for next season I expect him to be here," he told a news conference on Friday.

"They are going to help us. Next season will be a lot of games. We cannot do it just with our new ones. They will be able to help and be part of our season."

The Club World Cup could force the Premier League to operate under two separate transfer windows this summer. Fifa has announced plans to open an interim transfer window at the end of this season for clubs competing in the tournament, to allow clubs such as Chelsea and Manchester City to add to their squads and agree contract extensions with their current players before the tournament begins on 14 June.

Fifa’s interim transfer window for Club World Cup teams will be open from 1-10 June.

One option under consideration by the Premier League is to open the transfer window at the start of June before closing it when the Club World Cup begins, and then opening again later in the month. 

The inaugural Club World Cup is an unwanted addition to a crowded calendar for the Premier League, which is party to a legal action led by the World Leagues Association and the international players’ union, FifPro, against Fifa over an alleged lack of consultation. 

Claudio Echeverri has completed his permanent move to Manchester City more than a year after signing for the English champions before staying at River Plate on loan. Echeverri is a 19-year-old attacking midfielder who will join City's squad for the remainder of the season.

City director of football Txiki Begiristain described Echeverri as "one of the finest talents to emerge from South America in recent years."

"Football has been my life and my dream was to play for one of the best teams in Europe. Today I am closer to that dream," Echeverri said.

"Manchester City are one of the best teams in the world. Not only do they win trophies, they play the game so beautifully."

Arsenal intend to appoint a new sporting director in March. The position has been vacant since Edu Gaspar’s resignation on November 4, which saw his deputy Jason Ayto promoted on an interim basis.

Ayto is a candidate for the position and is joined by Dan Ashworth, Andrea Berta, Roberto Olabe and Thiago Scuro as candidates.

Arsenal’s ownership, KSE, is heavily involved in the matter and an ultimate call will not be made without its consultation, approval and sign-off.

Pep Guardians said "the old Manchester City" won't be back again this season after beating Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 on Wednesday. 

"We have a young, young team. The three up front is the future. Nico [Gonzalez], when Rodri comes back, will be the future. And of course, [Abdukodir] Khusanov you are seeing it today. Josko [Gvardiol] is young so yeah, there are certain areas. But, listen, Bernardo [Silva], [Ilkay] Gündogan, Kevin [De Bruyne] the other ones -- they are really important for us -- but of course it is a question of time.

"We have seen this season, the young players and the new acquisitions maybe the club will do in summertime -- in the next transfer window -- have to lead this club for the next few years."

Arne Slot believes Mohamed Salah will have a chance of winning the Ballon d'Or if Liverpool wins either the Premier League or Champions League this season. Liverpool are overwhelming favorites to win the Premier League and have been one of the best clubs in the initial stage of the Champions League.

“It is a good thing Mo is in the discussion because it means he is doing well and we are doing well, but to stay in the discussion he should bring in the same performances he has been doing for seven or eight months,” Slot said ahead of Liverpool’s game with Newcastle United on Wednesday.

“In general for someone to win the Ballon d’Or he has to win something (with the team). It’s a great challenge in front of him and us.

“I like how he takes this challenge, not only by scoring a big goal or an assist but he wants the team to win because his defensive work rate against Man City was outstanding. For us as a team to win something, he will have a far better chance to win an individual prize like the Ballon d’Or.”

Enzo Maresca believes Chelsea have become excessively reliant on Cole Palmer as they have fallen to seventh in the Premier League with their 2-1 loss at Aston Villa. 

Palmer has not scored in his last six matches dating back to Jan. 14 and also wasted a good opportunity to put Chelsea 2-0 up at Manchester City last month, a match they went on to lose 3-1.

"I am always concerned about general performance but I am not concerned about Cole because Cole is a human being and during the season he can have some moments where he struggles a little bit more," said Maresca. 

"The problem with Cole is probably that we rely on Cole for everything and I said since we start we need to rely on the team. For sure, we need big players, top players like Cole but we are not worried about Cole at all."

Palmer has had an excellent season for Chelsea until recently with 14 goals and six assists from 26 games.

Robin van Persie has been appointed the manager of Feyenoord on a deal until 2027.

Van Persie began his playing career with Feyenoord before moving to Arsenal in 2004, joining Manchester United eight years later. He left Old Trafford for Fenerbahce in 2015 and then returned to Feyenoord in 2018, retiring a year later.

“Everyone knows how special my bond with Feyenoord is,” said Van Persie. “I am enormously looking forward, together with a strong staff, to working with the player group at 1908 [the club’s training ground] and then in De Kuip, supported by the Legion [fans], playing matches and achieving successes together.”

Feyenoord are third in the Eredivisie, 11 points behind the leaders, Ajax.

Pep Guardiola sees a "bright future" for Manchester City in their 2-0 loss at home to Liverpool. Guardiola sat Ruben Dias, Mateo Kovacic, Ilkay Gündogan and Bernardo Silva on the bench a trio of 20-year-olds in Rico Lewis, Savinho and Abdukodir Khusanov playing. City's average age in the match was just 24.7 years old.

"I saw a bright future," Guardiola told the BBC after City dropped to 20 points behind Liverpool in the table.

"Other than Kevin [De Bruyne] and Nathan [Ake], they are the future of this club in the next years, with others who will come in future windows.

"It was a good game. Tight game in the first half. First half it was more open and in the second half they defended very deep. They always have the threat but it is not easy to control it. Big compliment to them but I am very pleased with the way we play."

Erling Haaland may miss Sunday's match against Liverpool after also missing Manchester City's Champions League loss on Wednesday to Real Madrid. 

"Don't know yet. Tomorrow, we'll know it," Pep Guardiola told a news conference on Friday when asked if Haaland will be fit to play Liverpool.

"Yeah, maybe [I'm hopeful] but I don't yet. We train today and tomorrow, he will test, I guess, but I don't know."