Real Madrid plan £40 million move for Liverpool hero

by Sourav Mahanty1 

Real Madrid find themselves in an interesting position at the moment. On one hand, it is clear that this squad has a lot of quality and with players like Eduardo Camavinga, Fede Valverde, Eder Militao, Aurelien Tchouameni, Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo as the core of the team, they can be serious contenders for years to come.

On the other hand, it is also clear that they need to make additions. They simply do not have enough depth to be competing in all three competitions or to keep up with truly elite squads, like that of Manchester City.

One area where they might need to improve in the near future is left-back. The future of Ferland Mendy is in doubt and there have been suggestions that the Frenchman could leave in the summer.

As reported by The Mail+, Real Madrid plot a £40 million transfer move for Andrew Robertson. They have placed the Scotland captain on a list of potential summer reinforcements.

Real Madrid plan £40 million move for Liverpool hero

Robertson has had an interesting journey in football to say the least. After failing to make it at Celtic, there were many who felt that he would have a tough time establishing himself at a top level.

Now though, he has established himself as a Liverpool icon and been a key part of one of the club’s most successful eras. It has been made even sweeter by the fact that they had struggled to return to the top of English football for such a long time.

Robertson has not enjoyed a great campaign this time around. And while there have been no suggestions that he is looking for an exit, a chance to join Real Madrid might certainly interest him. Let’s see what the future holds for the Liverpool left-back as we approach the summer transfer window.

Seyi Vibez announces date for 2023 London O2 show

Street-pop sensation Seyi Vibez has announced the date for his maiden O2 show.

Since breaking into the mainstream in 2022 with the release of his hit single 'Chance', Seyi Vibez has become a recurring figure in Afrobeats as he continues to dazzle fans with his music.

On May 26, 2023, Seyi Vibez took to his Instagram page to share the date for his upcoming 2023 London show.

The show which is slated for August 11, 2023, will be taking place at the Indigo O2 and the presale tickets will be available from June 2nd.

Seyi Vibez has emerged as one of the most in-demand artists in Nigeria following the success of his album 'Billion Dollar Baby' which he released in 2022. He followed up the album with the release of the 'Memory Card' EP in 2023 and he has appeared as a guest artist on tracks with Zlatan and BNXN.

His exploits in the first quarter of 2023 made him the most streamed artist in Nigeria in Q1 2023 according to TurnTable Charts.

With his upcoming O2 show, Seyi Vibez joins Nigerian superstars including Burna Boy, Asake, and Rema set to perform in the UK in the coming months.

 Arsenal have Rice and Mount on midfield shortlist 

Declan Rice, Mason Mount, Ilkay Gundogan

Arsenal are expected to bid for West Ham captain Rice at the end of the season, with Chelsea's Mount and Manchester City captain Ilkay Gundogan among their summer midfield shortlist.

Internal discussions at the Emirates Stadium are continuing over the possibility of signing the England midfielder, who was of interest to the Gunners back in January.

Sky Sports News reported Rice has a "gentleman's agreement" that he can move in the summer - provided West Ham receive an offer worth £120m, be that in a transfer fee or a transfer fee plus players.

Rice has one year left on his contract at West Ham - with the option of a further year.

Arsenal also keeping an eye on Moises Caicedo's situation at Brighton. Arsenal had two bids rejected in January - the latest was worth £70m.

Caicedo has since signed a new contract at Brighton - but manager Roberto De Zerbi admitted to Sky Sports earlier this month the player could leave in the summer.

Arsenal going for both Rice and Caicedo in the summer window has not been ruled out - but the prospect of bringing in both players would likely depend on money generated from possible sales.

Arsenal are also keeping an eye on a number of other midfielders, with Granit Xhaka expected to leave in the summer.

Gundogan is out of contract this summer - last month, he said talks with City were ongoing. City boss Pep Guardiola has made it clear he wants Gundogan to stay. Arteta worked closely with Gundogan when he was assistant to Guardio

la at City.

Analysis:Why Mount is in demand

 

Mount offers so much as a midfielder in the No 8 position. There is his dynamism, his runs from deep, but it's more his work off the ball, how he initiates the press. He wants to get stuck in and help his team-mates, he does a lot of cover work.

"In an attacking sense, I'm told you get an eight out of 10 player in Mount, but in a defensive sense, he's always nine or 10 out of 10 when it comes to what a manager expects from that No 8 position. Mount is an all-rounded player, and because he's 24 there's the feeling he is nowhere near his ceiling yet.

"He is somebody managers feel they can trust, not only to carry out their tactical plan but also to technically execute a number of mechanisms. He is also able to be versatile across those midfield positions.

"It's not just Erik ten Hag at Manchester United who likes him, you also have Jurgen Klopp and Mikel Arteta who are admirers. It's because Mount is a player who could drop into any team really because of the dynamic he offers."

Manchester United transfer news: Harry Kane is club's number one target, with Declan Rice and Mason Mount on shortlist

Manchester United 

Man Utd identify Harry Kane, Mason Mount and Declan Rice as summer transfer targets but unlikely to sign all three; United frontrunners to sign Mount; Kane is United's No 1 target; 

Harry Kane, Declan Rice and Mason Mount are on Manchester United's transfer shortlist this summer but it is unlikely they will sign all three.

The three players are thought to be the type of characters that Erik ten Hag wants to add to his dressing room.

Manchester United are in the market for a striker and it's thought their No.1 target is Kane. United have a long-standing interest in the striker but Spurs do not want to sell and he is contracted to them until next summer

Rice will be allowed to leave West Ham for the right price this summer but Arsenal are his most likely destination at the moment. Mount has a year left on his contract and Chelsea still want him to sign a new deal.

United's transfer strategy will depend on what happens with the takeover and who owns the club. United will be looking to sell as well as signing players over the summer.

Man Utd frontrunners to sign Chelsea's Mount

United have emerged as the leading contenders to sign Mason Mount - if he leaves Chelsea this summer.

Erik ten Hag's club are understood to be showing the strongest interest in the England midfielder, ahead of rivals Liverpool.

They are also understood to have made a number of enquiries over his potential availability this season and have been encouraged by his complicated situation at Stamford Bridge.

Mount's contract expires in 2024 and - with Chelsea wanting him to stay - there have been talks about a new deal over the course of a difficult campaign on the field for team and player.

The player must fit into the responsible wage structure Chelsea are trying to implement, however, and those discussions have so far not found an agreement.

It has led Liverpool to show interest in Mount, who is being represented by Neil Fewings of Roof, who - among others - represents Virgil van Dijk and Jordan Henderson.

But Manchester United are now believed to have moved ahead of their rivals, with Newcastle also watching the situation closely along with Tottenham.

Mauricio Pochettino is expected to hold talks with Mount after his appointment as Chelsea's new manager, which may change the dynamic of the situation.

It remains to be seen whether Pochettino sees the midfielder as being integral to his plans and can influence his decision over whether to recommit to his boyhood club.

But if Mount sees his future elsewhere, Chelsea are prepared to sell him but will demand in excess of £70m for the 24-year-old.

Full cost of Liverpool's failure to qualify for Champions League as Man Utd secure place

 Jurgen Klopp's team will be missing from the Champions League for the first time in seven years after Manchester United confirmed their return to the competition

Liverpool are set to miss out on at least £50m in prize money and participation fees because of their fifth place Premier League finish.

And while Jurgen Klopp’s squad is expected to see substantial investment this summer with the aim of competing against next season, the budget will be greatly affected by their failure to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

Their fate was confirmed by Manchester United, who beat Chelsea 4-1 on Thursday evening; with the result securing a top-four spot for Erik ten Hag’s side before Sunday’s final round of fixtures.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/all-about/liverpool-fc earned an estimated £159.8m for last season’s second-place finish and that will fall by £6.6m for fifth spot with broadcasting earnings also set to take a hit.

But the real difference will come from UEFA payments. Klopp’s side were knocked out of Champions League at the round of 16 by Real Madrid but still banked a total of €67.7m (£58.9m).

All 32 group stage teams make €15.6m (£13.5m) as a base participation fee, with Liverpool’s ten-year coefficient payment this season worth an additional €27.3m (£23.7m). They made €2.8m (£2.4m) for each of their five group stage wins and a €9.6m (£8.3m) top up for making it into the knockout stages

Those figures are in stark contrast to the sums available in the Europa League. United, for instance, made €15m (£13m) for reaching the quarter-finals of that competition only to be beaten by Sevilla after throwing away an advantage in the first leg.

A Europa League participation fee is only €3.6m (£3.1), with group stage wins earning €360,000 (£313,000) and progressing into the knockout stages worth an initial €500,000 (£435,000).

There could also be commercial consequences because many sponsors include performance related add-ons. United lost several million last summer because of clauses in their contracts with kit manufacturer adidas and front of shirt sponsor TeamViewer.

Roberto Firmino, James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita are all leaving the club this summer. The quartet’s salary combined has cost the club about £500,000-per-week.

Liverpool’s primary focus will be on strengthening their midfield but hopes of bringing in Jude Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund have been all but extinguished, with the England star instead tipped for Real Madrid.

They have also been linked with Brighton star Alexis MacAllister, who was part of Argentina’s World Cup winning squad, but champions Manchester City are also interested.

Klopp's team close out their campaign with a trip to already relegated Southampton on Sunday afternoon. An impressive finish to the campaign, winning seven and drawing three of their past 10, has not been enough to close the gap following their early-season struggles.

He's right!' - Jurgen Klopp defends Mohamed Salah after Liverpool star apologises to fans for Champions League failure

 Jurgen Klopp defended Mohamed Salah after the Liverpool star apologised to supporters for the Reds' failure to secure Champions League qualification.

*Salah posted on social media after Reds' fifth-place finish

*Egyptian said there was "no excuse" for poor season

*Klopp believes Salah spoke the truth

WHAT HAPPENED?

 Salah posted on social media on Thursday night, after Manchester United's win over Chelsea had confirmed Liverpool's place in the Europa League next season. The Egyptian said he was "totally devastated" at the way the Reds' season had panned out, and said there was "no excuse" for their failure to secure a top-four finish. "We let you and ourselves down," the 30-year-old stated.

WHAT THEY SAID: 

Asked whether he agreed with Salah's negative tone, Klopp told reporters: "It's completely normal, in the world of social media so many bad things happen and I don't think that's one of them. It's a normal description of the situation, and he's right. But I saw him now an hour ago in the canteen and he was smiling, he was not in a bad mood!"

THE BIGGER PICTURE:

 Liverpool have played Champions League football in each of the last six seasons, reaching three finals in that time, but they will now have to settle for European football's secondary club competition. Asked whether that may make it more difficult to land their top transfer targets - and to do so early - this summer, Klopp again struck a defiant tone.

"I don't think so, but we will see," he said. "It is always possible that things don't go as quick as you want. In fact it is likely because the better player you want, the less the desire of the other club [to sell]. We are prepared. I don't think if it takes six or seven weeks [to sign players], it is a game-changer. We have time. In an ideal world, they are all signed tomorrow, and I can tell them when they start."

Real Madrid offered chance to sign €100 million superstar

 Real Madrid are heading towards an important summer transfer window. It became clear this season that they do not have the depth at the moment to compete with elite European teams like Manchester City. Their attempt to retain the La Liga title also fell completely flat and it is possible that they might finish third in the league behind Barcelona and Atletico Madrid. The Copa del Rey triumph was a positive but it is never the main objective at Santiago Bernabeu.

It is hard to point the finger towards Carlo Ancelotti though. Most people realise that he has not been dealt the best hand and has been making the most out of what he has available to him.

Real Madrid must improve next season though. And one would be hoping that they bring in reinforcements all across the pitch.

One position in need of reinforcements is striker. Karim Benzema is 35 years of age and Father Time is starting to catch up to him, as he has been dealing with a series of fitness issues lately. At this stage of his career, his minutes need to be managed to get the best out of him. Interestingly, it looks like Los Blancos have a great chance to sign a world-class centre-forward.

Real Madrid offered chance to sign €100 million superstar

As reported by Cadena SER, 

Harry Kane has been offered to Real Madrid, who weigh the option. He looks set to leave Tottenham Hotspur this summer.

Kane is one of the best strikers in the world. And at 29 years of age, he is in the middle of his prime. Thus, if Real Madrid did sign him, he would most probably be a big success story at Santiago Bernabeu.

At the same time, one has to wonder whether the club should try to sign Kane now. Or wait for the opportunity to bring in Erling Haaland in the near future.