Subterms
BARCELONA are set to offer Lionel Messi a ‘job for life’ to keep the Argentine superstar out of the clutches of Manchester City. Presidential candidate Victor Font revealed he plans to give Messi, 33, a position ‘beyond the days he is on the pitch’. The Catalan giants’ skipper is set to leave the club when […] More
CRISTIANO RONALDO edged closer to becoming the highest goalscorer of all time last night. His long range, left-footed strike in the first-half of Juventus’ 2-1 Champions League win against Ferencvaros put the Portuguese mega-star on 749 OFFICIAL total goals. Pele is arguably the best footballer ever to play the game and he sits on 767 […] More
BARCELONA can now save £89million on a transfer fee for Sadio Mane should they try and sign the Liverpool forward. That is because a ‘surcharge’ contract clause inserted into the deal that took Philippe Coutinho to the Nou Camp has expired. As revealed by The Times, when Liverpool sold the Brazilian playmaker for £145m in […] More
LIONEL MESSI fans have been left devastated after seeing their hero look distant and subdued during Barcelona training.
The Argentine saw his best friend Luis Suarez forced out of the club in the summer, in the aftermath of a disastrous 2019-20 campaign.
Messi appeared distant in the training session
The Argentine’s head was bowed while receiving instructions from Koeman
When Messi, 33, himself tried to follow, however, Barca refused – making it clear that he would have to take legal action if he was to leave his boyhood club.
So he remains at Barcelona, but things just don’t look the same.
In a video that has circulated online, Messi can be seen walking away from his team-mates as they entered the training field.
And as Ronald Koeman dished out some instructions, his No10 had his head bowed, looking as if he perhaps didn’t want to be there.
As the session got underway, his team-mates including Jordi Alba and Philippe Coutinho appeared to be in good spirits.
But Messi looked as if it was a struggle to conjure the energy.
The subdued star didn’t go unnoticed, as sad fans flocked online to express their grief at the situation.
One wrote: “A lot of fans don’t care about how he feels, he’s drained out, he’s not right mentally after all the transfer drama, I just want the best for him he looks lonely”.
Messi lost his mate Suarez to Atletico Madrid in the summerCredit: EPA
And another mused: “A lot of people think Messi is just a robot with no feelings, at the end of the day, he is a human with real emotions, and regardless of the fact that he’s not been performing to his standards, it seems like he feels lonely at the club rn, and disinterested as well.”
To which a third replied: “He’s exhausted mentally, went through so many things that I don’t know how can he still keep up. It 100% has a major effect on his form.”
Messi does at least still have his pal Suarez to chat to on the phone.
Following Atletico’s 1-0 victory over Barca on Saturday night, the Uruguayan told Marca: “We talk about life, the virus, everything, but very little about football, about the goals we miss or about tactical systems.”
The loss saw Barcelona fall to 13th in the table, having won just three of their opening eight games under Koeman.
Messi and Co fell to a 1-0 defeat to Atletico at the weekendCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Pep Guardiola admits Lionel Messi’s future is up in the air as Man City plan transfer bid for unsettled Barcelona star More
BARCELONA have shifted their attentions to Eric Garcia ahead of the January transfer window, reports claim.
The Catalans tried to get the Manchester City defender in the summer, having a £16million bid knocked back by Pep Guardiola’s side.
Eric Garcia could leave Man City in JanuaryCredit: AP:Associated Press
It was thought their attentions had turned toward reuniting boss Ronald Koeman with Dutch national team star Memphis Depay.
But following Gerard Pique’s horror injury sustained at the weekend, chiefs have been forced to think again.
The stalwart limped out of Barca’s 1-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid on Saturday night with a cruciate knee ligament injury.
And following assessments that Pique, 33, is set to miss around six months of action, Goal claim that Barcelona chiefs are desperate to land Garcia, 19, earlier than expected.
Garcia, already a four-cap Spain international, burst onto the scene with City last season, making 20 first-team appareances.
Despite this rise to prominence, he has declined to sign a new contract – with his current deal set to expire in the summer.
Barca tested the waters in the summer, to try and bring back the defender that left their academy in 2017.
City, however, held firm – and Barcelona may have to pay more than the £16m they turned down last month – despite the fact that Garcia would be able to negotiate a free transfer away for next summer.
Barca are also targeting Memphis DepayCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Gerard Pique sustained an awful knee injury on SaturdayCredit: EPA
The defender has been more on the fringes this term, playing in only two of City’s eight league games so far.
As for Lyon star Depay, the 26-year-old appears to be as eager as ever to join Barcelona – but for now is focusing on his current club.
He recently said on the prospect: “Who wouldn’t like to play there? They are one of the best teams in the world. Everyone would like to play there, but I’m not thinking about that.
“I don’t know about Barca. The transfer market is not open. My mind isn’t on that.
“I am trying to give my best, to play well in order to become a better player. There is a lot of speculation out there.”
Lionel Messi walks alone in Barcelona training after Luis Suarez exit leaving fans heartbroken More
REAL MADRID chiefs have labelled Manchester United target Raphael Varane ‘untransferable’, according to Zinedine Zidane.
United have been heavily linked with a move for the French centre-back but Los Blancos boss Zidane has moved quickly to quash the idea.
Man Utd target Raphael Varane has been labelled ‘untransferable’ by Real MadridCredit: EPA
United reportedly have an ‘opportunity’ to sign the France international for less than £100million.
They tried to sign him was back in 2011 when Sir Alex Ferguson was in charge but the 27-year-old moved to the Bernabeu instead.
But Zidane is not interested in United’s renewed interest.
⚽ Read our Man United live blog for the latest news from Old Trafford
Speaking ahead of Real’s 1-1 draw at Villareal on Saturday, Zidane said: “It’s not just me [that wants to keep him].
“He is part of this club, we were very lucky to be able to bring him to Madrid.
“He has a great career, he’s achieved a lot since he’s been here.
“Of course, he is ‘un-transferable’ for the club, for the coach that I am, for people in general.
“That’s clear and unambiguous. Now we can’t stop people from talking.
“They’re not just talking about Varane, but about all the players, Real Madrid ones and others.
“But for Varane, my position is clear, and it’s the same as the club’s position.”
When Varane left Lens for Real, United went on to sign Phil Jones.
Varane’s name was put forward again after winning the World Cup in 2018.
But Jose Mourinho did not think he could get him, so he called off the pursuit before United splashed £85m on Harry Maguire last year.
However, they could make a sensational move to try and land him a decade on when the transfer window reopens in January.
Varane will have 18 months left on his current deal and would plug a gap as both an elite centre-back and strong leader in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side.
He did switch agent to join Base Soccer in September – a company United have a good relationship with – and is in the ideal age bracket for a defender.
However, the rumoured interest may just be the work of Varane’s new agent to broker an improved deal with the LaLiga champions.
Man Utd legend Wayne Rooney reveals he smashed Ravel Morrison’s BlackBerry phone More
ISCO’S agent has revealed the Real Madrid playmaker is looking to leave the Bernabeu in 2021 for a new challenge abroad.
The 28-year-old – who has started just three games in LaLiga this season – is believed to be attracting interest from Arsenal and Manchester City.
Isco could leave Real Madrid next year having fallen down the pecking order under Zinedine ZidaneCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Isco could depart in January as he seeks regular playing time in order to be included in Luis Enrique’s Spain squad for Euro 2020.
⚽ Read our Arsenal live blog for the latest news from The Emirates
The ex-Malaga star is tied down at Los Blancos until 2022, but he is determined to challenge himself in another league.
His father and agent Paco Alarcon told radio show El Larguero: “Right now, we have no offers.
“But Isco wants to try another league.”
He then insisted that Isco would be willing to wait until next summer in order to force through a move.
Paco added: “Staying in Madrid would not be a problem.”
It has been claimed that Real would be willing to sell the player should they receive a fee in the region of £45million.
Reports from Spain have also stated that Isco could leave on a loan deal with an option to buy in January.
Isco has made 314 appearances for Madrid since joining in 2013, but he hasn’t made at least 20 starts in LaLiga since the 2017-18 campaign.
Arsenal are desperate to sign a creative midfielder in the New Year having scored just nine goals in as many games in the Premier League this term.
Red Bull Salzburg ace Dominik Szoboszlai has been heavily linked with a switch to the Emirates as he boasts just a £22.5m release clause in his contract.
Arteta explains why he’s so cross, addresses Pepe’s unacceptable actions and reveals his worries over a lack of goals More
LIONEL MESSI fans have been left devastated after seeing their man look distant and subdued during Barcelona training.
The Argentine saw his best friend Luis Suarez forced out of the club in the summer, in the aftermath of a disastrous 2019-20 campaign.
Messi appeared distant in the training session
The Argentine’s head was bowed while receiving instructions from Koeman
When Messi, 33, himself tried to follow, however, Barca refused – making it clear that he would have to take legal action if he was to leave his boyhood club.
So he remains at Barcelona, but things just don’t look the same.
In a video that has circulated online, Messi can be seen walking away from his team-mates as they entered the training field.
And as Ronald Koeman dished out some instructions, his No10 had his head bowed, looking as if he perhaps didn’t want to be there.
As the session got underway, his team-mates including Jordi Alba and Philippe Coutinho appeared to be in good spirits.
But Messi looked as if it was a struggle to conjure the energy.
The subdued star didn’t go unnoticed, as sad fans flocked online to express their grief at the situation.
One wrote: “A lot of fans don’t care about how he feels, he’s drained out, he’s not right mentally after all the transfer drama, I just want the best for him he looks lonely”.
Messi lost his mate Suarez to Atletico Madrid in the summerCredit: EPA
And another mused: “A lot of people think Messi is just a robot with no feelings, at the end of the day, he is a human with real emotions, and regardless of the fact that he’s not been performing to his standards, it seems like he feels lonely at the club rn, and disinterested as well.”
To which a third replied: “He’s exhausted mentally, went through so many things that I don’t know how can he still keep up. It 100% has a major effect on his form.”
Messi does at least still have his pal Suarez to chat to on the phone.
Following Atletico’s 1-0 victory over Barca on Saturday night, the Uruguayan told Marca: “We talk about life, the virus, everything, but very little about football, about the goals we miss or about tactical systems.”
The loss saw Barcelona fall to 13th in the table, having won just three of their opening eight games under Koeman.
Messi and Co fell to a 1-0 defeat to Atletico at the weekendCredit: Getty Images – Getty
Pep Guardiola admits Lionel Messi’s future is up in the air as Man City plan transfer bid for unsettled Barcelona star More
