Nottingham Forest submit €6m bid for La Liga star Pablo Maffeo
According to El Chiringuito, the Tricky Trees have submitted a €6 million bid for the 27-year-old, who has already agreed personal terms with them.
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Now it remains to be seen if the bid is enough to tempt Mallorca into a sale.
Maffeo was part of Manchester City's academy and went on to make three appearances for the senior team.
Following stints at Girona, VfB Stuttgart and Huesca, the Spaniard joined Mallorca in the summer of 2021, initially on loan that was later made permanent.
Maffeo has been a consistent performer for Los Piratas over the years, making 128 appearances across all competitions and scoring four goals.
Last season, he featured in 30 La Liga matches, averaging 2.0 tackles, 3.6 ball recoveries and 2.8 clearances per game.
Pablo has two years left on his contract at Mallorca, but he is now ready to take a fresh challenge in the Premier League.
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Transfer activity has been relatively quiet at Forest, with the club yet to add a new player in the summer transfer window.
But the situation will likely change in the coming weeks, as they look determined to seal a move for Pablo.
Nuno Espirito Santo's side have also been linked with Juventus duo Timothy Weah and Samuel Mbangula, but it remains to be seen whether they can land the services of the two highly-rated players.
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New York Times
40 minutes ago
- New York Times
One regular day of Barcelona: Rashford's arrival and a pre-season tour thrown into chaos
On June 16, Barcelona announced their plan for a three-game tour of Japan and South Korea this summer, with games against Vissel Kobe on July 27, FC Seoul on July 31 and Daegu FC on August 4. The trip was to form a major part of the pre-season preparations for Hansi Flick's team before the 2025-26 campaign. A team that won the double in Spain last year (La Liga and Copa del Rey) and who reached the last four of the Champions League. Advertisement There was also an important commercial element. Barca have regularly visited the two countries in the past, and have a historically close relationship with Vissel Kobe, the Japanese team that club legend Andres Iniesta used to play for. Barca also faced them in 2019 and 2023. They were particularly interested in visiting Asia this summer, given they had travelled to the United States for the past two summers and felt they would have to compete with the Club World Cup if they returned there this time (they did not qualify for the tournament and their rivals Real Madrid got to the semi-finals). Those plans were thrown into chaos late on Wednesday, just hours before the team were scheduled to fly out to Japan, when Barca said they would not be travelling there over a row with promoters. After plenty of twists and turns on Thursday, late that evening, Barca finally confirmed they would be flying to Japan at 11am local time on Friday, with the squad list to be released shortly before. The Athletic spoke to sources around the club — from the boardroom to the dressing room — to break down a chaotic 24-hour period that began on a hugely positive note with the presentation of Marcus Rashford as a Barcelona player… On Wednesday night, Barca made Rashford's loan move from Manchester United official. Rashford's agents and sporting director Deco had stayed at the club's training facilities until the early hours finalising that move, while club officials had also stayed beyond midnight to negotiate the fee to take backup striker Pau Victor to Portuguese side Braga. After Rashford's presentation at the club museum, word began to circulate that the team would not be flying out to Asia as scheduled the following morning. At just past 8pm, Barca released a statement saying the club had 'been obliged to suspend its participation in the game scheduled for next Sunday in Japan due to serious contractual breaches on behalf of the promoter'. Advertisement The statement said the team's participation in the second two games in South Korea would only take place if 'certain conditions are met by the promoter', without detailing what those conditions were. Players who thought they were spending the last night in two weeks with their families were informed by the club that they would instead be training in the morning. Some only learned the news via social media, and scrambled to find out more details online. A statement was circulated to reporters covering Barcelona from Ham Seul, chief executive of a company called D-Drive, which the club had partnered with to organise the tour. This statement claimed the issue was that Japanese company Yasuda Group, which was promoting the Kobe game, had not made a payment as agreed. It also alleged 'invalid and forged documents' as well as 'deliberate fraud'. The Athletic contacted Yasuda for comment. D-Drive said it agreed with Barca's decision to cancel the game in Japan, but said the other two games in South Korea would go ahead and that 'all match-related expenses' had already been 'covered'. After Rashford's presentation, Barca president Joan Laporta and other club executives went with the new signing and his entourage for a meal in the Catalan capital. While leaving the restaurant, club vice-president Rafa Yuste was asked by a reporter from Twitch outlet Jijantes whether Barca were still going to South Korea. 'We're working on it,' Yuste replied. When asked whether it was a pity that Barca were not going to Japan, Yuste replied: 'We always defend the interests of the club. If the agreements are not respected, we have to look after (Barca).' Around the time when Barca's squad were supposed to be leaving Barcelona airport on Korean Airlines plane KE9916 for Kansai International Airport in Osaka, the players were instead reporting for training at the club's Joan Gamper training ground. Rashford took part in a workout with his new team-mates under Flick's watchful eye. 'Rashford shared some nice moments with his team-mates on the pitch at the club's facilities, with good vibes during training,' said a Barca club statement about the session. Good morning, Marcus! 👋 — FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) July 24, 2025 Barca staff were investigating the possibility of flying directly to South Korea for the other two games, including sorting administrative issues such as visas, and the difficulty of finding a plane to carry the 120-strong group of players, staff and club officials at short notice. There was also communication with the seven club staff who had already travelled to Kobe, reported to include security staff, travel managers and a chef. Advertisement Catalan media reports, including from the newspaper Sport, suggested that Barca were already looking for another team to play them in a friendly in Spain on Sunday — before flying to South Korea. The chief executive of D-Drive, Ham Seul, spoke on Catalan radio show Que t'hi Jugues! about the situation. 'A man sent me a message over LinkedIn, saying he was one of the main sponsors of a Spanish club, and had organised friendlies in Japan,' she said. 'I believed him and we met. He told me if Barca went to Kobe, maybe he could guarantee me a good amount of money from a very big Japanese company. So I signed a good contract with FC Barcelona, and I myself sent an advance (payment).' Ham said that payments agreed by this person, who she did not identify, did not arrive, that financial documents she requested were not received, and eventually things came to a head on Wednesday. 'Last night I pressed him and his secretary, who finally confessed that the Yasuda Group had never paid any money,' she said. She was now working on organising a charter plane to bring Barcelona to South Korea for the two games there. Ham also said she would 'do everything for Barca to get to Korea, full payment for the two games there has been made, 100 per cent assured'. The Yasuda Group is yet to comment on the claims made against the company. As speculation mounted that Barca would be flying to Japan in time to play Sunday's game, the team bus arrived at the training ground — sparking rumours online that the team could travel as soon as Thursday evening. The players believed they would be leaving for Japan in the evening. 📺 DIRECTO @JijantesFC 🚍 Llega el autobús del Barça a la Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper El equipo tiene previsto viajar a Japón en las próximas horas 🇯🇵🔵🔴 🔗 — Jijantes FC (@JijantesFC) July 24, 2025 Vissel Kobe release a statement suggesting the game would still go ahead, but without confirming this. 'Regarding the match scheduled with Barcelona on Sunday, July 27, we are continuing to work together closely with all the related stakeholders to gather essential information and make necessary adjustments,' the statement said. Advertisement 'We are not in a position to provide definitive information. We will continue to make every effort possible for all the fans and stakeholders out there eagerly awaiting this match. We will swiftly announce any progress via our club's official website as soon as it becomes available. We kindly ask for your patience for just a little while longer.' The wording of the statement is updated twice across the day but the messaging remains the same. Most of the tickets had already been sold for Sunday's game at the 30,000-capacity Noevir Kobe Stadium. Some final seats were still on sale on the club's website on Thursday afternoon. Tickets to attend Barca's open training sessions scheduled for Saturday morning at 10am Kobe time were also still on sale. Barca sources, speaking anonymously to protect their jobs, told The Athletic that the club were expecting €15million (£13m; $18m) from the entire tour — they said the €10m linked to the South Korean games was paid as agreed, but the €5m for the game in Kobe had not been received. Those voices suggested that Japanese technology company Rakuten — the owner of Vissel Kobe — was now 'expected to step up and pay the money', though it was not immediately clear why this should be for them to pay. Rakuten was Barca's shirt sponsor from 2017 to 2022, in a deal agreed during the presidency of Josep Maria Bartomeu. The Rakuten founder and chief executive Hiroshi Mikitani is also a co-founder of the Barcelona-headquartered Kosmos agency along with ex-Barca defender Gerard Pique. Kosmos' projects have included running the Davis Cup tennis competition, moving the Supercopa de Espana to Saudi Arabia and owning Spanish second-division side Andorra. Rakuten declined to comment when asked by The Athletic whether it would pay the €5m. By this point, Barca players and staff had been told by the club that they would not be travelling to Japan on Thursday. Advertisement 'I don't know what else to say,' a dressing-room source, speaking anonymously to protect relationships, told The Athletic during the afternoon, when asked whether they were expecting to travel the next day or at some point. 'We don't know anything right now. It's madness.' 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(Top photos: Rashford at his presentation and Barca players in training earlier this week; Getty Images)
New York Times
40 minutes ago
- New York Times
Inside Rashford's loan move to Barcelona: Messaging Yamal, a €30m buy option and why ‘he will have to run'
Deco and Hansi Flick's priority in this transfer window was an attacking player and in Marcus Rashford, they have what they were after. Barcelona have signed the 27-year-old on a season-long loan deal that will see the Englishman competing for a spot in the highest-scoring front line in Europe's top five leagues. Last season, that front three was Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha. Advertisement Rashford also gets his dream move. His desire to join Barcelona was so great that he has agreed to take a pay cut to the effect of between 15 per cent and 25 per cent, depending on factors including bonuses. United are not paying any of his wages and his gross salary at Barcelona will be about €14million a year (before bonuses). The deal includes a €30m buy option at the end of the season, and contrary to reports, it does not include a €5m penalty fee if Barcelona decide not to trigger that option. From a Manchester United perspective, they are saving a huge amount in wages, with Rashford earning around £300,000 per week even after a cut to his salary of a quarter for the club's failure to reach the Champions League (a clause all players have in their contracts). Rashford scored seven goals in all competitions for United last season, but he did not feature after a poor display at Viktoria Plzen on December 12, with Ruben Amorim taking a hardline approach to the player's perceived efforts. Even after returning from his loan period at Aston Villa, Rashford was cut aside from the first-team group. He trained for a couple of days at Carrington but was informed he should report to the training ground at 5pm, once Amorim and his team-mates had left. United took the No 10 shirt off Rashford and gave it to new signing Matheus Cunha, a clinical illustration of the changing times. Clawing back any money is a bonus for United, given Rashford was entirely out of Amorim's plans. 'The situation with United is, the club is in a period of change and they have been for a while,' said Rashford during his presentation in Barcelona. 'I don't have anything bad to say about Manchester United, it's been an important part of not only my career but my life. I am grateful for the opportunity to play for them but football is the same as life and not everything goes as simply as you may have thought. Advertisement 'I just wish them all the best. I hope they are successful in the future.' Rashford has also agreed not to include any written guarantee on his contract regarding his registration at Barca. The club have assured the player they will be in a position to register him within La Liga's salary rules by the end of the transfer window, and Rashford's camp will trust their word. It has been seen at the club as a positive sign of his desire to join the Spanish champions. Rashford landed in Barcelona on Sunday but the foundations of this signing were laid six months ago. It was in January 2025 when the Catalans were told by intermediaries that Rashford dreamt of joining them, and the player's camp linked with the Barcelona-based agency AC Talent to help facilitate a move. There was a meeting in Lisbon on January 21, just before Barcelona's Champions League match against Benfica. Agent Arturo Canales, from AC Talent, met Barcelona's sporting director Deco to discuss a possible six-month loan for Rashford. At that point, Barca were already considering bringing in a new winger. They had failed to sign Nico Williams from Athletic Club last summer (for the first time), and despite all the goals scored by the players in his squad, Flick was keen on bolstering his options in attack. The German coach approved Rashford's signing in January. Besides appreciating his football skill set, he also spoke to those close to Rashford and became aware of his commitment to playing in Barca's system. According to people close to the negotiations, who spoke anonymously to protect relationships, Rashford did not move to Barcelona in January because of the lack of salary room to add him to the squad, combined with the turmoil Barcelona were experiencing with Dani Olmo, Pau Victor and their registrations. Advertisement It took a decision from the Consejo Superior de Deportes (CSD, a national high court) to allow Barca to register both players for the second half of the season, which stopped €60m signing Olmo from leaving for free just four months after he joined the club. La Liga had previously denied the players' registration as they understood Barcelona had failed to meet their financial requirements by the end of 2024. Their decision was overturned by the CSD ruling, causing a stir at La Liga and among other clubs competing in Spain's top division. Olmo and Victor's situation was resolved just in time, but that saga left Barcelona working on a thin margin with their salary cap — and it increased tensions with La Liga. In that spectrum, there was no room for Rashford. Nine days after the meeting in Lisbon between Rashford representatives and Barcelona, the player was posing with an Aston Villa shirt after agreeing a six-month loan to the Premier League club. This was a move that Rashford needed time to assess and agree to. He decided to join Villa as he understood it would put him in a better position to achieve his dream move to Barcelona this summer. Villa offered a Champions League platform to shine, and a well-assembled team capable of competing against any opponent. Those close to Rashford convinced the player to make the move by arguing that as long as he performed at Villa, he would have the chance to join Barcelona for — at least — one full season from summer. The plan worked. 'It was not difficult to choose. I was clear on my preference from the very beginning, actually from maybe in January, but it didn't work out in January so I went to Aston Villa and I enjoyed a good period there,' said Rashford during his unveiling on Wednesday. 'The summer came around quickly and again it was time to make another decision. My choice was easy. One, it's a family club, something I am used to from my past. It feels like home, I feel like I've made the right decision. I am excited to get going and play the first game and play in front of the fans. To play for this football club is a special moment for me and I'm ready to get going.' Advertisement Before this transfer window, Barcelona were fully aware of the terms Rashford was on at United, the effort he was willing to put in to make the move happen and to have an impact at the club, and the offer they needed to submit. Rashford's camp travelled to Barcelona in May and met Barcelona officials to discuss whether a move was possible. It was still early days for the Catalans, who wanted to see how the start of the summer unfolded for them. By the start of last week, senior figures at Barcelona realised they had to make their move for Rashford. They had already missed out on Williams (again), due to the 22-year-old's fears that they might not be able to register him. Luis Diaz was Deco's preferred option, but they were a long way from meeting Liverpool's financial demands to sanction the deal. A first enquiry from Barcelona was rebuffed by Liverpool in June. At this point, all roads led to Rashford. As soon as Barcelona executives contacted Rashford's camp, it took only a few days to reach an agreement. They were fully aware of his terms and his willingness to waive some of his salary to join them. Before the end of the week, the Catalans submitted a loan offer to United and by Sunday, the forward had landed in Barcelona to finalise the deal. Up until he posed with his new Barcelona shirt with the No 14 printed on the back — a homage to his childhood idol and Barca legend Thierry Henry — the city had barely seen Rashford. He spent two days going from the Torre Melina hotel in the city, where he'll stay until he finds a new home, to the Joan Gamper training facilities in full secrecy. He barely set foot in the streets, where local photographers had been waiting for days outside the hotel. The club also tried to hide his involvement in Flick's training sessions on Monday and Tuesday, carefully selecting the pictures that were released before his signing was made official. Advertisement It was an open secret within the club how much Rashford wanted this move, though. Rashford's only intention this summer was to join Barcelona. If a deal could not be struck, the forward planned to stay at Manchester United, despite all the turmoil around his status at the club and his relationship with Amorim. In his press conference on Wednesday, he reiterated that. 'My mind never changed,' he said. 'It's difficult to not be disrespectful to anybody but I have to make a decision and my choice is my choice and I would have waited longer (for Barcelona) if I had to. Regardless of what happens next season, I'm not going to regret my decision.' He also seems unconcerned by the possibility of Barcelona not being able to register him with La Liga. 'From the conversations I've had with everyone, they only fill me with confidence about the club. I don't have any negative thoughts, or I don't believe in the negative thoughts that might be around.' Rashford has been texting Barcelona players, including Lamine Yamal, in recent months. The dressing room was fully aware of his willingness to be a part of the squad. 'He's a very, very special talent,' Rashford said of Yamal. 'Last season, he was one of the leading players in the world, if not the best in the world. It's exciting. Everybody in sport wants to play with the best'. Barcelona's first-team squad has given Rashford a warm reception this week. 'If you see the pure raw skill set he has… boof, it is top, top class,' a source within the dressing room told The Athletic. 'But here he will have to run. I don't know what went wrong at Manchester United, but if you are a striker and don't run off the ball and when the team are counterpressing, you are done here.' Flick believes Rashford has everything it takes to fit his high-pressing system — and those higher up at the club believe the timing could not be better. Rashford is at a defining point in his career and needs to work hard and throw everything into this move to meet Flick's demands in effort and application. Amorim gave a strong impression that he felt Rashford's focus had slipped at United. The Athletic revealed in January how Amorim asked Rashford about his social life before the Everton game in December, and then judged his performance in training before the Manchester derby later that month as well below standards. Amorim dropped Rashford, who has not played for United since. Advertisement 'It's one thing to say you are motivated and determined,' Rashford said on Wednesday, 'but these are things that can change day to day depending on how you are feeling. The thing that I bring back to my life, not just the sport, is the discipline. 'The discipline is something that stays regardless of whether you wake up and don't feel like it today. The discipline is the thing that keeps you going.' The expectation from the Barcelona backroom staff is that Rashford is used primarily as a left-winger. Through the middle, the club see Ferran Torres as Lewandowski's natural backup — plus there are other options such as using Olmo as a false nine. Rashford playing on the left would also allow Raphinha to start from central positions, something Barcelona's staff are keen on exploiting this season. In June, Rashford gave an interview to the Barcelona-based YouTuber xBuyer, where he spoke about his future and his roles. 'Playing as a No 9 is becoming more comfortable, more natural,' said Rashford. 'Small things, such as playing back to goal, it's becoming easier for me. You're always in front of the goal, so you're always dangerous.' Back then, Barcelona were in the process of trying to sign Williams, with conversations understood to be at an advanced stage. People at Barcelona saw Rashford's words as proof of how keen he was on joining the club in any role, even if Williams had completed a transfer. This season is a lifeline in Rashford's career. He has a point to prove and a target to reach, with the World Cup in sight next summer. Playing for England in the United States, Mexico and Canada next summer is a major aim for Rashford. Barcelona believe he has too much at stake to mess around and not adapt to Flick's demands. Their belief in his motivation to work was part of why they signed him. A post shared by Marcus Rashford (@marcusrashford) There is another handy element to all this: of all the names Barcelona have considered for the left-wing position, Rashford will be by far the easiest one to register. He joins on a one-season loan, with no upfront payment, so, unlike any permanent signing, he does not come with a fee to amortise over the years of his contract. Advertisement Even with the pay cut he is taking, Rashford is still expected to be among the best-paid players in the current squad, below Yamal and Lewandowski but in line with Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Pedri and Frenkie de Jong. 'This is a team that is happy, so when people are happy it's always easy to go into this environment,' said Rashford. 'I feel comfortable, I can express myself. It's an easy dressing room to be relaxed in. And it's very ambitious, so it's perfect for me.' (Top photos: Stringer/Anadolu via Getty Images; graphic: Eamonn Dalton/The Athletic)
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Alexia Putellas says Euro 2025 has shown how much women's football has improved
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