أعلن نادي بوروسيا دورتموند الألماني في بيان رسمي، رحيل لاعبه ماركو رويس بنهاية الموسم الجاري.
وأوضح بوروسيا دورتموند أنه توصل إلى اتفاق مع رويس على عدم تمديد عقده، على أن يغادر نهاية الموسم الجاري.
رويس لعب لدورتموند في فريق الشباب من عام 1995 إلى بداية عام 2005، وأمضى ما يقارب 21 عامًا بقيمص الفريق الألماني.
وسبق وغادر ولعب لبوروسيا مونشنجلادباخ، وفي عام 2012 عاد رويس إلى دورتموند واستمر في صفوف الفريق حتى الموسم الجاري وسينتهي عقده في صيف 2024.
ومن أبرز النجاحات التي حققها ماركو رويس بقميص دورتموند، التواجد في نهائي دوري أبطال أوروبا في لندن عام 2013 وفاز بكأس ألمانيا مرتين.
وفي 424 مباراة حتى الآن، سجل رويس 168 هدفًا وساهم بصناعة 128 هدفًا آخر، وفي عام 2019، تم اختياره أفضل لاعب كرة قدم في ألمانيا.
اقرأ أيضًا | بيلد توضح حقيقة صراع بوروسيا دورتموند وبايرن ميونخ على لاعب ليفربول
وقال رويس: “أنا ممتن وفخور للغاية بهذه الفترة المميزة التي قضيتها في بوروسيا دورتموند، قضيت أكثر من نصف حياتي في هذا النادي واستمتعت بكل يوم، على الرغم من وجود لحظات صعبة بالطبع”.
وأضاف: “أعلم بالفعل أنه سيكون من الصعب علي أن أقول وداعًا في نهاية الموسم، ومع ذلك، أنا سعيد لأن الأمر أصبح واضحًا الآن ويمكننا التركيز بشكل كامل على المباريات النهائية المهمة التي لا تزال معلقة”.
وأكد: “لدينا هدف كبير في الاعتبار، ونحن جميعا نريد تحقيقه معًا، ولهذا نحن بحاجة إلى كل واحد من مشجعينا الرائعين، الذين أود أن أشكرهم صراحةً على دعمهم المذهل على مر السنين”.
ويتواجد دورتموند في نصف نهائي دوري أبطال أوروبا، وحقق الفوز في مباراة الذهاب بهدف دون رد أمام باريس سان جيرمان.
Folarin Balogun to Chelsea wouldn't be a smart deal for the Blues according to transfer insider Dean Jones
The USA international enjoyed a strong loan spell in Ligue 1 last season and has reportedly attracted the interest of the London side this summer.
What is the market value of Folarin Balogun?
Balogun won't be cheap for Chelsea, especially when you consider the selling club are London rivals Arsenal.
The 22-year-old spent last season out on loan at Stade Reims, where he made 39 appearances for the club across all competitions, scoring 22 goals and recording three assists as the side finished 11th in the league.
The forward received plenty of praise from pundits and his manager alike, with manager Will Still saying: "He’s unbelievable, he has real talent, but he is also just a top person, He’s trying to learn the language – we have a bit of banter because his French is terrible (but) I think he realises: being good here will allow him to get the spotlight and attention he needs.”
The player's representatives reportedly held a meeting with manager Mikel Arteta, however with Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah already at the club as well as the signing of Chelsea forward Kai Havertz, first-team opportunities for the forward may not be as forthcoming as he would hope for following his performances last season.
According to reports, a number of sides are interested in signing the forward, with RB Leipzig pushing to bring in the striker following their failed pursuit of RC Lens forward Lois Openda. Another report states that Chelsea have held talks with Balogun's representatives ahead of a potential move, with Arsenal valuing the forward at £50m.
Jones, however, doesn't think the move is a smart one for Chelsea.
What did Dean Jones say about this transfer?
Speaking to FootballFanCast, Jones revealed that due to the lack of guaranteed quality in the Chelsea squad ahead of next season and the price tag the Gunners have put on the forward, he doesn't believe the Blues should make the move.
The journalist stated: "Chelsea have already got enough players that they aren't sure are going to deliver immediately next season. And they shouldn't really be going near this one, I mean Balogun is a good player, just no detriment to the player itself. But he's not cheap and He's not guaranteed to score goals in the Premier League."
Should Balogun sign for Chelsea?
A move to Chelsea probably wouldn't be the right move for the forward.
Nkunku new Chelsea player
The Blues have already made two moves in the market for players in the position that Balogun plays, with Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson arriving from Leipzig and Villarreal respectively. First-team football could once again be hard to come by at Stamford Bridge, especially if reports that Ivan Toney is wanted by the club once his ban has concluded are true, Balogun could fall further down the pecking order.
A move to Leipzig seems to be a better fit, with the opportunity to come straight into the first team and replace Nkunku. The German side also offer Champions League football next season, which Chelsea do not due to their incredibly disappointing season last time around.
Balogun has to decide his next move very carefully if he wants to build on the form and success he had in Ligue 1, and Chelsea just might not be the best club to do that at compared to RB Leipzig
Everton appear to have missed out on a move for Almeria's El Bilal Toure, leaving supporters even more anxious ahead of the start of the new Premier League campaign.
However, Italian outlet il BiancoNero reports that Everton have shown a concrete interest in Juventus winger Samuel Iling-Junior in what could be a rare smart piece of business from the Merseyside outfit.
Who are Everton trying to sign?
After narrowly avoiding relegation from the Premier League on the final day of last season, Everton's squad was in need of some serious rebuilding this summer.
However, with two-and-a-half weeks to go until the new season kicks off, the Toffees have so far brought in only 38-year-old Ashley Young on a free transfer, plus Arnaut Danjuma on loan from Villarreal.
That is not to mention the fact that the likes of Yerry Mina, Tom Davies and Ellis Simms have all moved on and need to be replaced in the squad.
Bilal Toure has been strongly linked with a move to Goodison Park, but L'Equipe reports that the Almeria forward has instead opted to join Serie A side Atalanta.
Sean Dyche's men may now turn their focus to Iling-Junior, whom Gazzetta dello Sport previously reported could be available for as little as £10m due to Juventus needing to raise money.
How good is Samuel Iling-Junior?
Iling-Junior spent nine years in Chelsea's academy before making the switch to Juventus in 2020, and he was part of the Italian giants' first team within two years.
The England U20 international made his debut against Empoli last October and assisted goals in his next two appearances, against Benfica in the Champions League and Lecce in Serie A.
Iling-Junior, who does not turn 20 until October, scored his first – and so far only – senior goal in Juve's 2-0 win over Atalanta in May, but he has largely had to play a back-up role and the Bianconeri are reportedly open to offloading him.
Given his small valuation, Everton must ensure they see off rumoured competition from top-flight rivals Fulham and West Ham United – not least because the Englishman would provide an upgrade on Neal Maupay in attack.
Everton striker Neal Maupay.
Maupay struggled in his first season at Goodison Park after arriving in a £15m deal from Brighton & Hove Albion, scoring just one goal and assisting none in 27 Premier League outings last time out.
Used mainly as a centre-forward in a campaign in which Everton's star performer Dominic Calvert-Lewin spent more time on the sidelines than on the pitch, Maupay's inability to either score or create was a huge factor in why the Toffees were involved in a relegation scrap.
Indeed, Maupay was described as "absolutely woeful" by football reporter Paul Brown towards the end of last season. A failure to bring in an upgrade could well lead to another dismal campaign on the blue half of Merseyside.
Looking at their figures from last season, there is no reason why the younger Iling-Junior – labelled "simply superb" by football talent scout Jacek Kulig for his performance in that aforementioned game against Benfica – cannot provide a better outlet than Maupay.
Soccer Football – Serie A – Inter Milan v Juventus – San Siro, Milan, Italy – March 19, 2023 Juventus’ Dusan Vlahovic, Samuel Iling Junior and teammates celebrate after the match REUTERS/Daniele Mascolo
Taking all competitions into account, Iling-Junior was involved in 0.43 goals or assists per 90 minutes last season, as per FBref, compared to 0.14 for Maupay. The 19-year-old also won more of his aerial duels (50% v 23.8%) and had a better take-on success percentage (42.9 v 36.8).
Iling-Junior was also stronger in defensive metrics such as tackles won per 90 (0.94 v 0.35) and recoveries (5.64 v 2.10), which will no doubt please Dyche.
Juve's decision to listen to offers for Iling-Junior seems bizarre on the face of it, but there will be no complaints from Everton supporters should their side land the hugely talented player.
Chelsea "have an interest" in Brazilian wonderkid Matheus Franca, with the youngster himself being "keen" on a move to Stamford Bridge, claims transfers expert Fabrizio Romano.
Chelsea transfer news – what's the latest on Matheus Franca
After securing the signatures of Villarreal forward Nicolas Jackson and 16-year-old prodigy Kendry Paez last month, the Blues seem to have turned their attention to another exciting youth prospect in Flamengo's Franca.
Matheus Franca in action for Flamengo in a Copa Libertadores clash vs Aucas.
The 19-year-old has been courting the attention of some of Europe's biggest clubs over the last six months, with Newcastle United reportedly offering the Brazilian club €16m (£14m) for the player's signature, only to be told that he wouldn't be sold for anything less than £20m.
Around the same time, Spanish giants Real Madrid noticed the youngster's exploits and sent some scouts to the country to 'monitor him'.
However, this competition hasn't seemed to worry Chelsea, as they look to make contact with the Brazilian side later this week, to thrash out a deal and find a price all parties can agree upon, per Fabrizio Romano.
He explained the situation on his YouTube channel, saying:
"We can confirm that Chelsea have an interest in Matheus Franca, one of the best talents in Brazil, born in 2004. Newcastle had a bid rejected for €15m (£13m) plus add-ons, it was in January. Bayer Leverkusen and also many other clubs have always been following him, but now Chelsea are entering the race.
"Chelsea will have a direct contact club to club this week, so Chelsea will speak to Flamengo in the next days and they will try to reach an agreement. Flamengo want around €25m (£21m), Chelsea will offer something around €20m (£17m). The add-ons structure could be important and so keep an eye on Matheus Franca who is keen on the move to Chelsea."
Would Matheus Franca be a good signing for Chelsea?
Despite being a relative newcomer to senior football, making just 53 total appearances for Flamengo, Franca looks to be an unbelievable talent.
According to WhoScored, the prospect achieved an average rating of 6.62 across his career so far, finding the back of the net on nine occasions.
His underlying numbers also look promising, with FBref placing the young attacker in the top 2% for non-penalty goals, the top 4% for non-penalty expected goals, total shots and touches in the opposition's penalty area, and the top 10% for successful take-ons, all per 90 compared to players in his position within their definition of the 'next best eight' leagues in world football.
Soccer Football – Copa do Brasil – Semi Final – Second Leg – Flamengo v Sao Paulo – Estadio Maracana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – September 14, 2022 Flamengo’s Matheus Franca in action REUTERS/Sergio Moraes
Talent scout Jacek Kulig identified the sought-after prospect two years ago when he was playing with the club's youth set-up and described him as a "great midfielder, great striker, he can play almost everywhere. One of the most exciting teenagers in Brazil at the moment."
There has been a recent trend of young talent coming straight from the Brazilian league and making an impact for Europe's elite teams, the two clearest examples being Gabriel Martinelli for Arsenal and Vinicius Junior for Real Madrid.
If Kulig is right in his assessment, and the player is "keen" on the move, it could be worth the extra money for Chelsea to get this deal done, as he certainly looks very promising.
Manchester United's persistence to sign the highly rated Inter Milan keeper Andre Onana looks to have paid off as the deal has "progressed" as the club "look to close a deal out", claims transfer insider Dean Jones.
Manchester United transfer news – what's the latest on Dean Jones?
It could finally be the end of the road for David De Gea at Old Trafford as the Spanish goalkeeper's £375,000-a-week contract with the Red Devils runs out at the end of June, and any move to resign him look to have been put on hold.
According to the Athletic, the former Atletico man has communicated his desire to remain at United, but those within the club are 'relaxed' about the situation, feeling they have 'sufficient options to replace him.'
United's relative serenity around their goalkeeper situation probably stems from the club's chances of signing Cameroonian international Onana as a replacement for De Gea, as talks to bring him to Old Trafford have "progressed", per Jones.
According to transfers expert Fabrizio Romano, the Italian giants will want around €60m (£52m) for their brilliant shot-stopper, but that personal terms should be less of a problem as Erik ten Hag "knows the player very well since he was at Ajax, and they have a good relationship."
What has Dean Jones said about Andre Onana to Manchester United?
Jones spoke on the changing nature of United's transfer window and highlighted just how "game-changing" the signing of Onana would be for the Red Devils.
Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, he said: "The signing of Onana would be game-changing for United – literally. The style of play would be altered and definitely for the better. What he has brought to the identity of Inter Milan's play is hard to praise enough, and as United look to close a deal out, it is pretty exciting.
"This was not a priority coming into the window but United are having to react to the circumstances they find themselves in and I am hearing this really has progressed."
Would Andre Onana be a good signing?
Onana would be an outstanding signing for ten Hag's project at United. Not only is there already a pre-established relationship between the player and manager, but he has also proven himself on the highest stage, the Champions League.
During Inter's run to the final, the 6 foot 3 colossus consistently impressed fans and pundits alike with both his brilliant skills with the ball at his feet and the fact that he still excelled as a traditional shot-stopper when the situation called for it.
Andre Onana Chelsea target
Rio Ferdinand heaped praise on the player after their win against AC Milan in the semi-finals, saying:
"[As a] modern-day goalkeeper, he's top class. He takes the ball under pressure, doesn't panic, and brings the other team onto him, which creates space around that.
"He plays over or through the press. He was fabulous tonight in doing that."
He also had a great year in Serie A last season, with WhoScored giving him an average rating of 6.72 across his 24 appearances.
If the Red Devils can secure his signature in the coming weeks, they could be a completely different proposition for teams next season.
An update has emerged on Manchester City and their attempts to bolster their defensive options after their treble-winning 2022/23 campaign.
What's the latest on Josko Gvardiol to Man City?
According to Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano, the Citizens are set to advance their attempts to land RB Leipzig central defender Josko Gvardiol this summer.
Pep Guardiola is pursuing a deal to sign the Croatian ahead of next season and the club will need to pay at least £85m in order to secure his signature.
The reporter said: "Manchester City will keep working on Joško Gvardiol deal next week. Talks will enter into advanced stages with Leipzig with new verbal bid. Exclusive story from yesterday: personal terms, 100% agreed. Gvardiol said yes. Leipzig want at least €100m."
Where would Josko Gvardiol fit in at Man City?
Guardiola often deployed a system last season that had four out-and-out central defenders across the back four and Gvardiol could easily slot in on the left side in either position.
The 21-year-old has experience playing as a central defender and as a left-back in his career and the talented youngster could come in as a big upgrade on Nathan Ake in the latter role.
RB Leipzig's stopper has proven himself to be an excellent Bundesliga performer and caught the eye with his exceptional performances at the World Cup last year. He averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.16 and made 2.9 tackles and interceptions per match across seven outings in the tournament.
Croatia defender Josko Gvardiol.
The Croatian defender also averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.10 across 29 Bundesliga appearances in 21/22 and made 3.4 tackles and interceptions per game.
Ake, comparatively, has not averaged a Premier League rating higher than 7.08 or managed more than 1.9 tackles and interceptions per outing in any of his three campaigns with City to date, which suggests that Gvardiol has the potential to deliver better performances week-in-week-out.
The "monster" – as the aforementioned Romano once described him – could suit the left-back role in Guardiola's new-look system perfectly as he is adept at progressing the ball through dribbles to get his team up the pitch.
He has averaged 1.63 progressive carries and successful take-ons per 90 over the last 365 days in the Men's Big Five Leagues and European competitions, in comparison to Ake's 1.41 per 90.
This suggests that the £19k-per-week colossus could also be an upgrade in terms of how he drives the team forward by dribbling past opposition attackers to open up space for the midfielders and attackers to then receive possession.
Gvardiol is also seven years younger than Ake and, therefore, has many years left ahead of him to grow and develop under Guardiola's coaching, which is another reason why City could land a big upgrade on the Dutchman by securing this deal.
Leeds United are on the lookout for a new boss to replace Sam Allardyce and former Aston Villa boss Steven Gerrard would be open to taking over at Elland Road.
What's the latest news involving Leeds United and Steven Gerrard?
As per The Telegraph, Gerrard has emerged as a contender to become the next Leeds United manager as the Whites look to find their new boss to lead them into the Sky Bet Championship next term.
talkSPORT pundit Simon Jordan has backed the 43-year-old for the role, stating on the outlet's YouTube channel: "Gerrard to me, I don't see why he couldn't do the job if the lessons that needed to have been learned have been learned. "If he can sit in front of a chairman and walk him through what it is that he would bring to his football club and what he's learned from the lessons he's had previously and could then deploy them.
Nevertheless, The Daily Mail have revealed that Gerrard, whose organisation was hailed as "incredible" during his time at Rangers, is also in the running for the Leicester City job, potentially offering him a route back into football ahead of 2023/24.
Scott Parker and Manchester City coach Enzo Maresca have also been looked at by the Foxes as they prepare to rival Leeds United in the English second-tier.
Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jones thinks that whoever Leeds United appoint will be determined by their ongoing ownership situation.
Jones told FFC: "It'll be really interesting to see what happens with Steven Gerrard, who is very open to taking both the Leeds and the Leicester job and is keen to get back into work as soon as possible. I think at this stage, Leeds still have due diligence to do on the managerial front and who they appoint will be impacted by the ownership situation."
Who else has been linked to the Leeds United job?
Leeds United look to have a lengthy list of candidates at Elland Road as they weigh up who would be the best fit for the club moving forward.
As per The Athletic, former Fulham boss Scott Parker has emerged as a candidate to take over at the club and has been discussed internally at Elland Road.
West Bromwich Albion manager Carlos Corberan.
West Bromwich Albion boss Carlos Corberan is also of interest to Leeds United and has been shortlisted as they do their due diligence within their hiring process, as per Football Insider.
The Daily Star claim that Brendan Rodgers is another name that has been mentioned in connection with the club, though Leeds United are likely to face competition from his former club Celtic to land the 50-year-old, as per Sky Sports.
Todd Boehly is eyeing up a Chelsea move for Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic this summer as he aims to bolster Mauricio Pochettino's attacking options.
What’s the latest on Aleksandar Mitrovic to Chelsea?
According to Chelsea writer Simon Phillips on his Substack, the Blues are looking at a potential swoop for Mitrovic during the summer transfer window.
The £80k-per-week frontman still has three years left on his contract and Fulham will be demanding a fee in excess of the £22m they shelled out on him back in 2018 from Newcastle United.
Pochettino desperately requires a centre-forward with Premier League experience and the Serbian could be the ideal player to lead his attack next term.
Will Mitrovic be an upgrade on Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang?
This season has been, to put it politely, a disaster for Chelsea. They will record their lowest Premier League finish since 1993/94, and having scored just 37 league goals – the joint-fourth-lowest total in the top flight – a striker will surely be top of Pochettino’s wishlist.
Upon his arrival from Barcelona last summer and having scored 92 goals in four years for Arsenal, Aubameyang was looked to as the one who could take Chelsea to the next level, yet the striker has managed to net just three for the Blues across 21 appearances.
In his 15 league matches, the 33-year-old has only posted 1.1 shots per game, created zero big chances, succeeded with just 0.2 dribble attempts per game and scored just one goal, indicating just how poor he has been in front of goal and with the ball at his feet.
Compare this to Mitrovic’s statistics during the same period, and the Fulham striker would almost certainly be a major upgrade for next season. He managed 3.9 shots per game, created five big chances, succeeded with one dribble attempt per game and scored 14 times, and these numbers have given the player an overall rating of 7.15/10, ranking him as the second-best performer out of the Whites squad.
Fulham's Aleksandar Mitrovic reacts.
The 28-year-old was dubbed as “magic” by Statman Dave at the start of the year as he matched his own Premier League scoring record. He has since surpassed this tally, and with one match left, could end up scoring more than the 14 already to his name – a decent total having recently returned from a lengthy ban.
With this in mind, Boehly must launch a move for the former Newcastle man, as his experience in the top flight, combined with his current ability, could potentially give the Blues 15–20 goals next term, and this could take them from mid-table mediocrity back towards Champions League contention.
كشفت تقارير صحفية إسبانية، عن مشكلة تواجه تجديد عقد الدولي الهولندي فرينكي دي يونج مع برشلونة، تشبه ما حدث في صيف 2022.
اللاعب الهولندي أصبح من الركائز الأساسية في برشلونة، والنادي الكتالوني يرغب في تمديد عقده، ولكن بشروط محددة، وهو ما قد يجعل الأمور معقدة نوعًا ما.
صحيفة “سبورت” الإسبانية، أكدت بأن رغبة الإدارة الرياضية هي بقاء دي يونج، ولكن إذا لم يقبل العقد الجديد، فيمكن عرضه للبيع لمساعدة الفريق في التعزيزات الصيفية.
طالع أيضًا.. تشيلسي يُغري برشلونة بمبلغ كبير لحسم صفقة دي يونج
برشلونة ينوي تمديد عقد اللاعب لسنوات إضافية ولكن مع راتب أقل، حيث يرى البلوجرانا أن ما يتقاضاه الهولندي دي يونج مرتفع للغاية.
وأشارت الصحيفة إلى أنه رغم ما يقوله النادي الكتالوني علنًا، أنهم لا يفكرون في بيع دي يونج، إلا أن الحقيقة هي وجود عدد كبير من الأصوات التي تقول سرًا أن النادي يتعين عليه التخلص من بعض النجوم وتعديل الفريق للموسم المقبل.
دي يونج واحد من ضمن هؤلاء بالإضافة إلى رونالد أراوخو، ولكن بالنسبة للإدارة الرياضية فإن دي يونج قد حدث معه نفس الأمر منذ عامين، في صيف 2022 تحديدًا، وكان برشلونة قد توصل حينها لاتفاق مع مانشستر يونايتد بشكل شفهي، لكن الهولندي رفض الرحيل في اللحظات الأخيرة.
المشكلة الرئيسية ظلت كما هي، رغم أن خوان لابورتا تدخل لتسوية الأمور، وهو ما جعل ديكو يطلب ما طلبه ماتيو أليماني من قبل، بمحاولة تخفيض الأجور ورواتب الفريق الأول، ودي يونج في المقدمة.
ويعتبر راتب دي يونج الذي وقعه في 2019 مع جوسيب ماريا بارتوميو، الرئيس السابق للبلوجرانا، فإن الهولندي يكلف النادي أكبر راتب في الموسم الواحد، وهو ما يجعلهم يفكرون في تخفيض راتبه، مقابل التمديد لمدة أطول.
ستعين على دي يونج حاليًا دراسة عرض برشلونة الجديد، والذي سيكون براتب أقل، وفي حالة لم يوافق، سيكون أمامه الفرصة للمغادرة بوصول عرض يرضي النادي الكتالوني.