There has been a lot of conjecture about what this summer’s transfer window will look like, and Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho confirmed that Spurs will not be splashing the cash this summer.
COVID-19 has devastated the balance sheet of many clubs and Mourinho admits he is prepared for a changed market once new dates are announced with huge sums for players not expected to be the norm.
The Mexico national team will not be playing in the United States until fans are allowed back into stadiums, meaning El Tri is unlikely to play in the U.S. this year, according to Mexican federation (FMF) president Yon de Luisa.
Mexico usually plays five friendly games per year in the United States through its contract with Soccer United Marketing (SUM), attracting crowds that are regularly over 50,000.
However, the coronavirus pandemic means the immediate future of international football is up in the air.
David Luiz is one of the defenders expected to leave Arsenal in the summer. The defender only signed a one-year contract when he joined from London rivals Chelsea in 2019 – not a two-year deal as was widely reported – and Sky Sports say that he’s not been offered an extension.
Mikel Arteta has praised Luiz’s influence on the team since his arrival as manager and wants him to stay.
But Sky claims the 33-year-old is now heading for the exit door, as Arsenal chiefs look to cut costs amid the coronavirus pandemic and the likely lack of Champions League football next season.
Tomorrow Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund meet in potential title decider. The matchup between first and second place in the Bundesliga is called Der Klassiker or the “German Clasico”.
Since the foundation of the Bundesliga in 1963, they are two of the most successful teams in German football, having won a combined total of 21 of the past 25 Bundesliga titles as of 2019. The two teams also met in the 2013 UEFA Champions League Final.
Bayern Munich head coach Hansi Flick says that the latest Der Klassiker is not a title decider, despite the fact that a win for leaders Bayern at the Allianz Arena would move them seven points clear of Dortmund with six games left.
Chelsea are reportedly in the hunt for Mauro Icardi, as PSG struggle to agree a permanent transfer for the on loan striker with his parent club Inter Milan.
The Argentina international joined the Ligue 1 champions, awarded the 2019-20 title after the season in France was cancelled last month, on a season-long-loan at a cost of €13m, scoring 20 goals in 31 competitive games. PSG had an option to make the loan permanent for €70m.
With Edinson Cavani leaving on a free transfer, PSG are keen to do a deal but don’t want to pay the full price, and had an offer of €50m plus €10m in bonuses rejected by Inter last week, who want the full price for the Argentina international.
Italian Minister for Sport Vincenzo Spadafora confirms Serie A could resume ‘on June 13 or 20,’ while there is the possibility of showing games free to air on television.
Italy is already well into Phase Two of the coronavirus pandemic response, with deaths and new cases falling daily for several weeks.
“We are working on two possible dates to begin Serie A games, on June 13 or 20,” Spadafora told Rai TG3.
“The protocol arrived for resuming the season and it is very similar to the one that was agreed for training. On Thursday, we’ll decide if and when to resume.”
La Liga can resume behind closed doors from 8 June, says Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. La Liga president Javier Tebas also stated the league will work with clubs in the coming days, to establish an exact return date, likely to be from June 12.
La Liga players this week started training in groups of no more than 10.
“Spain has done what it should and now new horizons are opening for everyone. The time has come to bring back many day-to-day activities,” said Sanchez.
“From 8 June, La Liga will be back. Spanish football has a huge following but it will not be the only recreational activity that will return.”
Manchester United’s executive vice-chairman, Ed Woodward, addressed the club’s investors on Thursday to discuss the club’s latest set of financial results, the numbers sounded bleak.
Over a 40 per cent increase in net debt, revenues down and an estimated £23 million ($28m) already lost due to Covid-19 made up the headlines, and the worst is yet to come as these numbers are through only the end of March.
Games behind closed doors, the club’s shop and museum remaining closed and a huge reduction in broadcast revenue will ensure the next quarter’s results have a similarly negative impact.
Paris Saint-Germain are reportedly ready to ask Inter Milan to either extend Mauro Icardi’s season-long loan for another campaign or reduce the sum of the option-to-buy clause in his contract.
Icardi joined the Ligue 1 side during the summer on a season-long loan after being left out of Antonio Conte’s plans at Inter Milan, losing his place to Romelu Lukaku and Lautaro Martinez in attack.
The Argentine has done well during his season with PSG, who now the club want to re-negotiate the terms of his loan deal, according to L’Equipe.
Juventus were the first big club to demand wage concessions from their players when Serie A stopped playing, a move that others across Europe quickly followed.
Are Juve trendsetters again as they have become the first Italian club to launch their own salary cap? Will other clubs follow this lead, leading to a reduction in wages across the top clubs in Europe?
From next season, the Serie A giants will hand out contracts worth a maximum of €9million a year, which works out at around €173,000 a week.