Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk’s future is still a major talking point at Anfield and now an important new update has emerged courtesy of the Dutchman himself.

Van Dijk's future up in the air as Liverpool fall at Fulham

The 33-year-old has enjoyed an all-conquering season at the heart of the Reds’ defence, made even more impressive by the fact that his contract situation has created endless column inches.

Van Dijk’s current Liverpool deal expires at the end of the campaign, and despite seemingly appearing happy at Liverpool, he is yet to sign an extension, nor have there been any truly concrete reports of a deal being close.

On Sunday, the Reds legend produced arguably his poorest performance of the season so far, making mistakes and being out muscled by Rodrigo Muniz for Fulham’s third goal in their 3-2 victory in the Premier League at Craven Cottage.

Van Dijk seemed strangely off the boil throughout, with This Is Anfield‘s James Nalton giving him a negative assessment in his player ratings, saying: “Muniz outmanoeuvred him with a great touch for Fulham’s third goal as a below-par spell of form continued for Van Dijk as well as Konate.

“He helped out his centre-back partner following the early error, but was himself at fault later on. Improved once Liverpool went all-out-attack, and there are few defenders you’d trust more to defend on their own in such a scenario, but the damage had already been done.”

Audio tape of Van Dijk speaking about Liverpool contract talks

On Monday, reliable reporter Lewis Steele shared the audio of what Van Dijk has said about his Liverpool future, with the centre-back admitting “there is progress” on the situation, adding that “internal discussions” are continuing as he spoke with reporters in the mixed zone at Craven Cottage.

Van Dijk is clearly still remaining relatively coy about what will happen next, but it is still encouraging to hear that some progress has been made, especially with Trent Alexander-Arnold potentially off to Real Madrid this summer.

If Liverpool only lost one of their captain, vice-captain and Mohamed Salah, it may be an outcome that supporters would just about accept, and at this point, it might be considered a shock if Van Dijk leaves.

Appearances

31

Starts

31

Minutes played

2790

Goals

1

Assists

1

Clearances per game

5.1

Aerial duel wins per game

3.2

Pass completion rate

91.6%

While his last few performances haven’t been his best – he was lucky not to gift Beto a goal in the Reds’ 1-0 win at home to Everton last week – he has still enjoyed an exceptional season, and remains arguably the world’s leading centre-back.

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Losing him this summer would be an almighty blow to anyone of a Liverpool persuasion, not least Arne Slot, and the hope is that an agreement is reached as soon as possible.

Fresh from their Premier League title celebrations following a 5-1 thrashing of Tottenham Hotspur, it seems as though Liverpool have already turned their attention towards the summer and one particular winger.

Liverpool crowned Premier League champions

When Jurgen Klopp bellowed Arne Slot’s name in front of an emotional Anfield this time last year, not even those in attendance would have believed that his Liverpool side were champions in waiting. One year on, however, the Reds have done what Manchester United failed to do and Slot has done what David Moyes failed to do by keeping what is now officially England’s most successful club on their perch.

Whilst there’s plenty to celebrate, however, there’s also still plenty of work to do at Anfield this summer. And that should only excite those around the club. Slot’s champions, who rarely looked unlikely to take their crown, still have clear levels to reach which could see them endure a busy transfer window.

The likes of Alexander Isak and Jonathan David have been names mentioned in recent months, which should indicate the attacking overhaul that the Reds are looking to complete this summer.

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Isak, given his outstanding Premier League record at Newcastle United, should be the dream move for Slot. Amid the Swede’s hefty £100m+ valuation though, David wouldn’t be a bad second choice. The LOSC Lille forward is set to become a free agent when the summer arrives, allowing his next club to land one of the bargains of the window.

Strikers aside, meanwhile, it looks as though Michael Edwards is also looking to sign another winger when the summer arrives, reportedly turning towards Ligue 1 and a frustrated player.

Liverpool make first Seghir enquiry

According to L’Equipe, Liverpool have made their first enquiry over signing Eliesse Ben Seghir from AS Monaco this summer. The winger is reportedly valued at just €30m (£25m) and is becoming frustrated by his game time in France, where he has started just 18 of 31 Ligue 1 games.

At 20 years old, Monaco’s caution would be seen as understandable if it wasn’t for Ben Seghir’s impressive form throughout the current campaign, which has seen him score nine goals and assist a further four in all competitions despite those limited starts.

Dubbed an “exciting” player by scout Jacek Kulig earlier this season, Liverpool’s interest should come as no surprise and their status as champions may yet go a long way towards beating Manchester City to Ben Seghir’s signature, with the Blues also showing some interest.

A young talent frustrated by his game time at Monaco, the 20-year-old is certainly one to watch as the summer transfer window approaches, having already drawn in a sponsorship deal with Adidas, who are soon to return as Liverpool’s chief kit manufacturer.

Manchester City are now considering a move for a “sensational” £50m midfielder to replace Kevin De Bruyne this summer, according to a report from David Ornstein for The Athletic.

Pep pays tribute to De Bruyne

De Bruyne has played a pivotal role in Man City’s success during the Pep Guardiola era, and the manager has paid tribute to the Belgian for his contributions, saying: “We’ve always had a special relationship. Kevin is a special person and player.”

The attacking midfielder is the last player remaining from the squad Guardiola inherited in 2015-16, but the Spaniard will now have to bring in a replacement this summer, with the 33-year-old set to leave upon the expiration of his contract.

Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz has regularly been linked with a move to the Etihad Stadium, and there has now been a positive update on City’s pursuit of the German, with it being revealed they are now leading the race for his signature.

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Apr 8, 2025

Bringing in a young attacking midfielder from the Bundesliga has shades of the Sky Blues’ original move for De Bruyne, who arrived from Wolfsburg, but they could also choose to bring in an established Premier League player.

That is according to a report from The Athletic, with Ornstein stating Man City are now considering a move for Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White as a replacement for De Bruyne.

A number of targets are being considered, including Wirtz, with a move unlikely to be made until Hugo Viana is fully underway as director of football, although City could also select Phil Foden as a direct successor to the Belgium international.

Should Gibbs-White be chosen, however, there is a feeling the Nottingham Forest star could command a fee of around £50m.

"Sensational" Gibbs-White enjoying impressive campaign

The attacking midfielder made an instant impact for Forest in the Premier League, amassing five goals and eight assists in his debut campaign with the Tricky Trees, but the current campaign is on course to be his best to date.

With seven games left to play, the Englishman has 14 goal contributions to his name, playing an integral role for Nuno’s side, who are still on course to unexpectedly qualify for the Champions League.

Lauded as “sensational” by members of the media, there are clear signs Gibbs-White could now be entering his prime, although there are doubts over whether he would be a suitable replacement for De Bruyne, given that he remains unproven at the very highest level.

Wirtz, on the other hand, experienced winning the Bundesliga title with Bayer Leverkusen last season, while he has also impressed in the Champions League this term, with six goals and one assist to his name in nine matches.

Chelsea are reportedly preparing a bid to sign a new striker target who’s been “surprising” on-lookers with his form this year, as manager Enzo Maresca and Stamford Bridge chiefs begin to make transfer plans for the summer.

Chelsea's rumoured striker targets for the summer window

Nicolas Jackson is still yet to score a single Premier League goal this calendar year, while Christopher Nkunku was left out of the matchday squad entirely for Chelsea’s last game against Fulham.

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Maresca’s shortage of prolific strikers has forced the Italian to get creative in recent weeks, with Pedro Neto even being utilised as a centre-forward in that time. Chelsea’s boss will be very eager to fix this hole in the squad ahead of his second full campaign in charge, and it is believed the west Londoners are eyeing a few top striker targets for next season.

Everton (home)

April 26th

Liverpool (home)

May 4th

Newcastle (away)

May 11th

Man United (home)

May 16th

Nottingham Forest (away)

May 25th

According to reliable journalist Simon Phillips, Chelsea have the likes of RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko, Ipswich Town starlet Liam Delap, Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitiké and long-term target Victor Osimhen on their radar.

Sesko is a “very serious” potential signing for Chelsea, following another excellent campaign with Leipzig in the Bundesliga, while Delap is likely to be up for grabs this summer after Ipswich’s relegation to the Championship.

The latter’s contract has a £30 million release clause tied with Ipswich’s relegation, so Delap could be a very astute option after his impressive season in an otherwise struggling team at Portman Road.

However, other elite clubs who are on the look-out for number nines will be fully aware of the 22-year-old’s exit clause too, and Sesko’s, which is rumoured to currently stand at around £62 million.

With Arsenal, Man United and Tottenham also in the market for proven forwards, according to reports, the competition will be fierce, so Chelsea may also have to think outside the box when it comes to solving their striker woes.

Chelsea preparing £43m bid for Como star Assane Diao

According to reports out of Spain, it is now claimed that Chelsea are targeting Como’s new striker, Assane Diao.

The Senegal international only just signed for Cesc Fabregas’ side in January, and has enjoyed a rip-roaring first few months of his Serie A career with eight goals from his last 15 top flight matches.

There is now a belief that Chelsea are preparing a £43m summer bid for Diao after being impressed by his excellent form at Como, with the 19-year-old “surprising” critics after a prolific start.

Liverpool have also been linked with a move for Diao, so he’s clearly turning heads in the Premier League, with journalist Antonio Mango also calling the teenage talent “ridiculous” within his first few weeks as a Como player.

Celtic clinched their 55th top-flight title when they won the Scottish Premiership with a 5-0 win over Dundee United at Tannadice Park on Saturday.

An own goal from Ryan Strain put the Hoops ahead before Nicolas Kuhn and Adam Idah both netted braces to secure a comprehensive victory for the away side, and one that wrapped up the title.

One player who was not involved in the matchday squad for the crowning moment, however, was Maik Nawrocki, who has fallen out of favour despite a couple of impressive outings recently.

Why Maik Nawrocki's time at Celtic might be over

The Polish defender, signed from Legia Warsaw, has only played two games in the Premiership this season, despite being available for every match, and they both came in March in back-to-back games against Rangers and Hearts.

Minutes

90

90

Clearances

7

9

Blocks

0

3

Tackles + interceptions

5

1

Duels won

7/10

8/9

Dribbled past

0x

0x

Pass accuracy

93%

98%

Error led to shot/goal

0

0

The rarely-seen star stepped up in those matches, as shown in the table above, with dominant defensive displays, whilst also being reliable in possession.

However, he was then an unused substitute in the next two games and was not named on the bench against Dundee United, with Liam Scales preferred as a starter and Auston Trusty preferred on the bench.

Nawrocki has only played 12 Premiership matches in almost two seasons at Parkhead and that may be why his time at the club could be over heading into the summer window, as the defender may want to go and play regular football.

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The 24-year-old ace may not be the only centre-back to move on from Parkhead this year, though, as Celtic must ruthlessly bin Stephen Welsh as well.

Why Celtic should sell Stephen Welsh

Once dubbed “excellent” by Brendan Rodgers, the 25-year-old flop was sent out on loan to Mechelen in Belgium during the January transfer window but he’s done very little to suggest he deserves a future at Parkhead, something the player clearly wants.

Welsh has started 11 matches in the Pro League during the second half of the campaign, and his team are yet to keep a single clean sheet – conceding 25 goals in the process.

Those statistics do not suggest that the Scottish dud is likely to return to Parkhead to challenge for a starting berth next season, given how poor his current team’s defence has been with him in the side as a starter.

His disappointing form is reflected in his current market value of £700k, as per Transfermarkt, which is even lower than Nawrocki’s valuation of £1.7m, despite him having only played two league games this season.

Welsh’s current contract at Celtic does not expire until the summer of 2027. However, the decision to send him out on loan, coupled with his market valuation and his dismal defensive numbers with Mechelen, suggests that he does not have much of a future at Parkhead.

Therefore, the club must ruthlessly bin the central defender by cashing in on him in the upcoming summer transfer window, and Nawrocki may follow him out of the door if he wants to play regularly next term.

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This summer is another opportunity for Chelsea to flex their muscles in the transfer market, with the hierarchy able to back Enzo Maresca in his quest at Stamford Bridge.

The Italian took over the role last summer, joining from Leicester City, still having the opportunity to end the season with a Europa Conference League triumph and a place in the Premier League’s top five.

Should they achieve the latter, they will secure a place in the Champions League once again, finally mixing with Europe’s elite after missing out in each of the last two campaigns.

However, if they are to be competitive in such a competition, the hierarchy will need to hand Maresca the funds to invest and land key squad depth in multiple key areas of the pitch.

One area in particular has been subject to huge interest over the last few weeks, with the board looking to back the manager upon the opening of the summer window.

The latest on Chelsea’s pursuit of a new striker this summer

Despite Nicolas Jackson’s double against Djurgarden on Thursday night, Chelsea have been in the market for a new talisman over the last couple of years.

Liam Delap has been the main striker that’s been on their shortlist in recent months, with his £30m relegation release clause potentially allowing the Blues to get themselves a bargain.

However, another name has recently entered the mix in West London, in the form of Ollie Watkins, who looks set to depart Aston Villa in the coming months, according to FootballTransfers.

The report claims that the Blues have already made an approach for the 29-year-old striker, with the hierarchy willing to pay his £60m asking price set by Unai Emery’s side.

It also reports that Maresca is keen on a move to land the England international, needing to act quickly to avoid missing out, with Arsenal once again in the hunt for his signature.

Why Chelsea’s £60m target could be their own Isak

Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak has been one of the Premier League’s leading talismen in 2024/25, scoring a staggering 22 times in his 31 outings.

The Swede has played a huge role in the Magpies’ ambitions of also finishing within the top five, coming up against the Blues in just over seven days time.

The 25-year-old has been the subject of huge interest from the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal and Real Madrid over the last few months – with Chelsea even getting themselves positioned in the race.

However, it’s highly unlikely that any side will be able to afford the striker this summer, with Eddie Howe’s side placing a whopping £150m price tag on his shoulders for the upcoming window.

Such a figure could lead to a move for Watkins, with the Englishman being the Blues’ own version of Isak – with FBref labelling him as a similar player to the Swede.

When delving into their respective stats from the ongoing campaign, the 29-year-old has managed to outperform the Magpies star in numerous key areas, showcasing what a superb addition he would be.

Watkins, who’s been labelled “tremendous” by former boss Dean Smith, may have registered fewer combined goals and assists, but has managed a higher shot-on-target accuracy rate – showcasing his clinical ability in the final third.

Games played

35

31

Goals & assists

22

28

Shot-on-target accuracy

43%

42%

Pass accuracy

75%

74%

Aerials won

1.8

0.9

Aerial success rate

43%

34%

Fouls won

1.2

0.4

He’s also managed to complete more of the passes he’s attempted, whilst achieving a higher aerial success rate, offering Maresca an all-round option in forward areas.

The Englishman has showcased over the last few years that he’s more than capable of leading the line for a side who are pushing to land a place within the Champions League places.

£60m may seem a hefty fee for a 29-year-old, but such a fee would be worth every penny if he can fire the Blues to immediate success at the Bridge – allowing the likes of Jackson to work off him in the process.

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Arsenal have made contact with a potentially low-cost striker option who’s scored north of 170 career goals, with new sporting director Andrea Berta registering serious intent already ahead of his first summer at the club.

Andrea Berta's rumoured striker targets for Arsenal

One of Berta’s key items on the agenda is signing a prolific new striker.

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Their need for a proven goalscorer was evident before Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus were sidelined with long-term injuries, but their absences have left it beyond all doubt, with Mikel Arteta even forced to use midfielder Mikel Merino as an emergency makeshift striker over the last few weeks.

Arsenal’s next five Premier League games	Date
Ipswich Town (away)	April 20th
Crystal Palace (home)	April 23rd
Bournemouth (home)	May 3rd
Liverpool (away)	May 11th
Newcastle United (home)	May 18th

Truth be told, the Spain international has done very well – scoring four in his last eight Premier League games and helping to bury Real Madrid in Europe – but Merino is hardly a long-term solution going forward.

Instead, Arsenal are developing a serious interest in Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres, who’s bagged a pretty incredible 47 goals in his last 46 matches across all competitions, not to mention a further 11 assists.

These numbers, combined with the intense competition for his services from Arsenal’s rivals, mean Sporting will demand a package of up to £60 million with additional add-ons to let him leave (Fabrizio Romano).

Berta is said to be a fan of Gyokeres, while it is reported elsewhere that Newcastle star Alexander Isak is a “dream” signing for Arsenal, with a move for the Swede looking far too difficult to pull off in terms of price.

RB Leipzig starlet Benjamin Sesko is another striker on Arsenal’s target list, despite their failed bid to sign the Slovenian in 2024 (Fabrizio Romano), and they internally discussed the possibility of striking a deal in January.

All these names will come at a premium, especially when factoring in the overall costs, including wages, commission fees and signing bonuses.

Arsenal make contact with Lille star Jonathan David

Bearing this in mind, journalist Graeme Bailey is reporting for The Boot Room that Arsenal are throwing their hat in the race for out-of-contract Lille star Jonathan David.

It is quite surprising that no elite side has taken the plunge with David yet, considering just how incredible he’s been for Lille over the last few seasons, but it is now a matter of time before he seals his big move.

The Canada international is set to leave on a Bosman this summer, and Arsenal held initial talks with David’s representatives in their pursuit of a striker.

The 25-year-old, who’s racked up a grand total of 176 career goals for club and country combined, is also a big-game player. David boasts seven strikes from his 10 Champions League outings this term, scoring against the likes of Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid, Juventus, Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund, so notions he can only score in an inferior division have been put to bed.

Despite being a free agent, he could still set Arsenal back around £28 million, including his yearly demands, signing-on fee and additional commission fees (Sacha Tavolieri), but this is still far cheaper than some of Berta’s other striker targets.

Liverpool fans are loving life after being crowned Premier League champions and could now be set for another reason to get excited after landing a boost ahead of the summer transfer window.

Liverpool enjoying life at the top of the tree

Truthfully, it is hard for Liverpool fans to have too many gripes at the minute after their side were crowned champions last weekend, trouncing Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield. Arne Slot and company took it all after enjoying the occasion at Anfield, but they will already have one eye on the summer in order to stay one step ahead of their Premier League rivals.

Virgil Van Dijk and Mohamed Salah have both committed their future to the Dutchman’s project. However, the same can’t be said for Real Madrid-linked star Trent Alexander-Arnold. Intriguingly, Liverpool are keeping informed on Barcelona defender Jules Kounde as a potential replacement, which may paint a picture regarding whether their top academy product will stay or leave the club.

Celtic forward Daizen Maeda is also on the radar at Anfield. The Japan international is attracting further interest from Arsenal and Aston Villa in light of his excellent form north of the border.

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FSG have their work cut out in the coming window to ensure that Liverpool stay top of the pile, with the suspicion that a tighter title race will be in store circa 2025/26 once managers have had a chance to rectify squad flaws.

Of course, the Reds’ priority will be padding out each position with enough depth to handle the strain of both domestic and European competitions, and they have now received a boost in the hunt for a classy midfield operator.

Liverpool look to strike deal for Genoa star Morten Frendrup

According to TEAMtalk, Liverpool are in the hunt to sign Genoa’s Morten Frendrup and have been informed that the Serie A outfit plan to sell the midfielder for around £26 million this summer. Reds officials have turned out to watch the Denmark international several times this season and they have been mightily impressed by his performances, especially from a defensive standpoint.

Morten Frendrup’s Serie A statistics – 2024/25

Successful passes

963

Shots on target

9

Chances created

12

Tackles won

59

Duels won

168

Goals

2

Assists

0

Frendrup himself is ready for a new challenge and has formed part of Liverpool’s mission to find a defensive midfielder for over a year. Nevertheless, they aren’t alone in pursuit of the 24-year-old amid further interest from Italian top-flight clubs Atalanta, AC Milan, Inter Milan, and Fiorentina.

Ryan Gravenberch has excelled despite not being a natural number six, something which may have prompted Slot to have a look for alterations on the market.

Strength in numbers will be key if Liverpool have designs on retaining a well-earned title next term, so it won’t come as a surprise to see that they are already proactive in their efforts to land reinforcements.

Leeds United fans would have entered Elland Road on Monday full of both nerves and excitement, knowing that one more win and Sheffield United failing to win in a showdown with Burnley in the Championship would clinch promotion.

Well, the Whites certainly kept to their end of the bargain in West Yorkshire with Daniel Farke’s hosts hammering a petrified Stoke City side 6-0 in front of their jubilant home masses and after the Blades later went on to lose against the Clarets, promotion to the Premier League was sealed in spectacular fashion at the second time of asking.

Joel Piroe – who has had his fair share of critics in recent weeks for his wasteful showings – staggeringly chipped in with four of the strikes, with the Dutchman a man possessed in front of goal as he became their promotion hero.

Piroe's remarkable performance vs Stoke City

Heading into this big clash against Mark Robins’ visitors earlier today, Piroe was deep in a barren patch of form, with nine Championship clashes passing him by without finding the net.

He more than made up for these lacklustre showings on Monday, however, as the deadly 25-year-old sucker-punched Stoke with two goals inside the first ten minutes.

Constantly in the right place at the right time to tap home, Piroe would go on to secure a memorable hat-trick inside a bonkers 20 minutes after his early brace, before further managing to fire home his fourth of the remarkable day four minutes before the half-time interval.

Now up to a league-high 19 strikes for the season in the second tier, the ex-Swansea City man will be hoping he can be equally as clinical for the Whites if Premier League football returns to Elland Road, with this whirlwind win pulling them ever closer back to the promised land.

But, whilst Piroe obviously delivered a display of the highest order, he wasn’t the only Whites performer against the Potters who was near faultless…

Performance in Numbers

Want data and stats? Football FanCast’s Performance in Numbers series provides you with the latest match analysis from across Europe.

10/10 Leeds star was as good as Piroe

Nobody in Leeds white exactly let the team down in all fairness, with every single player picked by Farke singing off the same hymn sheet to secure a huge three points.

While the attack were en song at Elland Road, the two full-backs were in fine fettle too, evoking memories of Ian Harte in his prime, charging forward to contribute in the final third with Junior Firpo finding the net and Jayden Bogle running the Stoke defence ragged.

Minutes played

90

Goals scored

0

Assists

1

Touches

63

Accurate passes

28/42 (67%)

Shots

2

Key passes

1

Successful dribbles

3/3

Interceptions

2

Tackles

4

Total duels won

10/12

He has had a fine season in West Yorkshire to date after dramatically leaving Sheffield United behind for Leeds last summer.

The gung-ho full-back would get in on the act when assisting Piroe’s second of the day, taking Bogle’s assist count for the season all the way up to a weighty four, on top of his stunning six strikes, while he also hit the post in the build-up to Piroe’s fourth.

Bogle would constantly maraud forward and leave Stoke shirts in the dust – seen in his 100% dribble completion rate – leading to Leeds reporter Graham Smyth to remark that the expansive 24-year-old “absolutely mullered” the Potters across a breathtaking first half.

But, the ex-Blades defender also looked strong defensively when infrequently called into action, with four tackles and ten duels won to preserve Leeds’ likely clean sheet.

Unsurprisingly, the aforementioned Smyth dished out a flawless 10/10 rating to Bogle post-match too, waxing lyrical further that he “tortured” Robins’ visitors who just had no answer to the home side’s persistent waves of attacks.

Come the full-time whistle, Leeds simply looked top-flight bound after brushing aside Stoke with ease, with both Bogle and Piroe ready for the challenge of Premier League football.

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Ahead of what could be a summer full of many changes at Old Trafford, one Manchester United player is now reportedly pleading with his agent to make a move to Real Madrid happen in the coming months.

Biggest game of Amorim's Man Utd tenure awaits

In his six months in charge, there’s no doubt that Ruben Amorim has experienced more moments to forget than moments to savour. Yet, the Europa League has consistently provided the former Sporting Club boss with a beacon of hope. Even when his side looked destined to exit the competition against Lyon in the last round, Harry Maguire’s last-gasp header in extra-time rounded off one of the most frantic affairs that Old Trafford has ever seen.

Now, one step away from the final, the Red Devils play host to Athletic Bilbao looking to complete what they started in Spain last week. After smashing the La Liga outfit 3-0, Manchester United are well and truly in the driving seat.

Amorim recently spoke about this week’s second-leg, reiterating that anything could still happen: “If you look at our team, we cannot say today what is going to happen,’ said Amorim, whose side also conceded four at Brentford on Sunday.

“Some teams, the story is going to be like this and control the narrative – we cannot do that. I feel we need to score to go to the next round. Then we use Brentford, we are near a draw then we suffer a goal and another one. We will have to suffer a bit to go to the final, and we are ready to suffer. Sometimes during the game we are one team and then we lose our mind a little bit.”

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Meanwhile, another problem at Old Trafford has seemingly emerged away from the pitch which may take place with or without a place in the Europa League final.

Yoro now desperate to leave Man Utd

According to Defensa Central in Spain, Leny Yoro is now pleading agent Jorge Mendes to make a move to Real Madrid happen after regretting his decision to join Manchester United last summer. Since arriving for a reported £52m, the central defender has been given ample opportunity, but has not been able to drag the Red Devils back towards their perch at such a young age.

Now, it seems as though he’s ready to quit the Manchester club for a side unlikely to linger in the bottom-half any time soon. Whether Florentino Perez comes calling and matches United’s asking price remains to be seen, however, especially since Yoro only arrived last summer.

Dubbed “special” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, Manchester United should be desperate to keep hold of Yoro, who could become the future of their backline. Whether the 19-year-old shares that sentiment remains to be seen, however.