Real Madrid are plotting a deal for Bayern Munich star Michael Olise, while Chelsea want to sign Messi… just not the Inter Miami one.
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TRENDING RUMORS
– Real Madrid president Florentino Perez is planning a major move to sign Bayern Munich winger Michael Olise in the summer, but Bundesliga leaders do not plan on letting him leave, according to Sport Bild. The 24-year-old’s contract runs until 2029 and doesn’t include a release clause, so Bayern feel no obligation to offload him. Liverpool also want Olise as they look for a possible successor to Mohamed Salah, who could soon leave Anfield.
– Arsenal have little intention of letting Riccardo Calafiori leave in the summer despite the defender being the topic of interest from Inter Milan, AC Milan, Juventus and Napoli, according to TEAMtalk. The Gunners are fully committed to keeping the 23-year-old, who is settled in north London and not actively looking to leave the Emirates. Interest from Chelsea has also been reported but Calafiori joining the club is seen as highly unlikely.
– Chelsea are lining up a move to sign Rayane Messi from Strasbourg, with the winger on loan at Saudi Pro League club Neom, reports TEAMtalk. Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain have also enquired about the 18-year-old but Chelsea’s owners, BlueCo, don’t want to see him leave their multi-club network. The plan had originally been for Messi to be integrated into Strasbourg’s first-team next season before heading to Stamford Bridge, but that plan is now being reviewed.
– AC Milan and Inter are among the clubs who will try to compete with Arsenal to sign Leon Goretzka as a free agent when the midfielder’s Bayern Munich contract expires in the summer, as reported by Calciomercato. Milan have already initiated contact with the 31-year-old’s entourage, while Inter are hoping to complete a move that would be similar to the ones they have previously completed for Hakan Çalhanoglu and Henrikh Mkhitaryan. Even so, Arsenal are the frontrunners to complete a deal.
– Marseille want to sign Jonathan David in the summer if they qualify for the Champions League but face competition from the Premier League, as reported by Tuttosport. While David would reject any offer from Olympique Lyonnais due to Paulo Fonseca being in charge of Les Gones, the 26-year-old has always been fascinated by the idea of playing in the Premier League. Nottingham Forest, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United all made attempts to sign him in January.
EXPERT TAKE
Signing Michael Olise would be a typically Galactico-style addition at Real Madrid, but do they need him? ESPN columnist Graham Hunter writes on their exciting young crop:
Interim manager Álvaro Arbeloa is suddenly responsible for the greatest influx of young talent into Real Madrid‘s first team in living memory. And it has taken less than nine weeks, never mind nine months’ gestation, of him in charge to produce it.
Los Blancos’ drive to win LaLiga, plus their push for the Champions League quarterfinals, is being sustained by a clutch of teenagers: Thiago Pitarch (18 years old), Dani Yáñez (18), Jorge Cestero (19), Víctor Valdepeñas (18) and Diego Aguado (19), while César Palacios (21) and Manuel Ángel (22) have been hauled up from the B team and given debuts. These breakthrough kids join slightly more established academy graduates Gonzalo García and Raúl Asencio, who are relatively new emergences but have 123 first-team appearances and 20 goals/assists between them.
The last time anything remotely similar took place at Madrid is still the stuff of fabulous legend, but it began as far back as 1983 — not far off half a century ago. It’s when the Quinta del Buitre group broke through and Madrid’s academy became, arguably, as powerful and prestigious as at any time in the club’s imperious history.
OTHER RUMORS
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Nicol: Max Dowman is just not normal!
Steve Nicol reacts to Max Dowman becoming the youngest goalscorer in Premier League history.
– Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal, RB Leipzig, Borussia Dortmund and several LaLiga clubs have been closely monitoring Newcastle United left back Lewis Hall. (Caught Offside)
– Crystal Palace and Leeds United both want Derby County and USMNT striker Patrick Agyemang. (Football Insider)
– Manchester City could sign Tottenham right back Pedro Porro for significantly less than his £70 million valuation. (Football Insider)
– Inter and AC Milan are both seriously considering a move for Manchester City defender Nathan Ake. (Caught Offside)
– Newcastle United could accelerate their plans to renew Kieran Trippier‘s contract amid fears that Tino Livramento could move to Manchester City. (Football Insider)
– Various clubs from England and Europe have contacted Liverpool about signing goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili permanently or on loan. (TEAMtalk)
– Rocco Reitz will join RB Leipzig from Borussia Monchengladbach for €20 million plus another potential €3 million in bonuses. (Florian Plettenberg)
– Juventus and Dusan Vlahovic are rapidly moving towards agreeing a new contract, with the striker’s current deal set to expire at the end of the season. (Tuttosport)
– Feyenoord and Wolves will speak to Bournemouth about signing Max Aarons at the end of the season, while Porto are also interested in the right back on loan with Rangers. (Ekrem Konur)
