Latest news with #LuisDiaz
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Newcastle braced for new Liverpool approach for key man
Liverpool could revisit their interest in Newcastle United winger Anthony Gordon, if Luis Diaz leaves the club this summer. Diaz has been subject of an approach from Bayern Munich and is keen on the move to the Bundesliga champions. The German side are preparing an improved bid for the Colombian. Should an exit materialise, Liverpool have been backed to reignite their interest in Gordon. The Reds explored a deal to sign the Liverpudlian last summer as Newcastle needed sales for their Premier League Profit and Sustainability compliance. Gordon is a player that Liverpool admire and journalist Ben Jacobs has said it is one to watch. A potential move for the England international comes just days after Liverpool saw an approach for Newcastle's Alexander Isak turned down. Speaking to Liverpool streamer Grizz Khan on YouTube, Jacobs said: 'There will be a chance, if the left side is being strengthened, that Liverpool revisit Anthony Gordon. That is another one to keep an eye on. 'Rodrygo, it is not that I'm not getting acknowledgement of appreciation from Liverpool, because I am, it's just the idea that they're in Madrid or negotiating or ready to bid, for now feels a bit premature. With Anthony Gordon it is more than that. '12 months ago they had a deal in place to be done. Had Newcastle not sold Elliott Anderson to Nottingham Forest and Yankuba Minteh to Brighton, they would have been in a PSR bind, and Gordon would have definitely got over the line because it was verbally lined up for I think about £75m. 'Suddenly Newcastle were able to pivot because they were reluctant sellers and they found the money another way. 'Given that was only 12 months ago, don't just think about Rodrygo, if Diaz leaves, there may well be a possibility that a revisited approach for Anthony Gordon is made.' Read – See more – Follow The Football Faithful on Social Media: | | | |
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Arsenal rule out summer move for Real Madrid rising star
In recent days, speculation over Rodrygo's future has only intensified, with Liverpool, in particular, accelerating their pursuit of the young forward. The Reds are determined to bring in a new face in attack amid uncertainties over Luis Diaz's future at the club. Liverpool, therefore, are ready to do whatever it takes to sign Rodrygo. However, they are not the only Premier League club interested in the Real Madrid. In recent weeks, Arsenal, too, have been linked with a move for the Brazilian international, who even reportedly harbours the dream of playing for the Gunners. Arsenal won't make Rodrygo move However, a recent update from Anton Meana on Carrusel claims that Arsenal have closed the doors on a move for Rodrygo this summer. It appears the arrival of Noni Madueke and Viktor Gyokeres has significantly reduced the London club's need for a new attacker. Arsenal do not require Rodrygo's services anymore (Photo by) The deal for Rodrygo has now become 'very complicated' and that the door is essentially closed, at least for now. Arsenal had previously shown interest, even fielding enquiries through the player's entourage. But they could not wait for Real Madrid to put him on the market, and have moved on. Real Madrid, for their part, are not actively looking to offload Rodrygo either. The club have set a price tag of €100 million. While Liverpool have shown a lot of interest in recent days, it remains to be seen whether or not the Reds are ready to meet such a steep valuation, especially after spending a fortune on Florian Wirtz this summer. Rodrygo, for his part, is not too keen on the idea of leaving Real Madrid as he truly loves the club. Therefore, it will be interesting to see how things transpire in the coming days.
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Journalist: Liverpool ‘Really want to Sign' £84m Real Madrid Star
Liverpool's Rodrygo Pursuit Signals Bold Ambition Under Slot Liverpool's continued push for elite-level reinforcements in Arne Slot's second season has taken another intriguing turn, with fresh links to Real Madrid's Rodrygo gaining serious traction. According to Lewis Steele, speaking to The Redmen TV, the Reds' admiration for the Brazilian international is both credible and concrete. 'A guy that I speak to in Madrid, who was really reliable with the whole Trent Alexander-Arnold saga, sent me a text last week to say that Liverpool really want to sign Rodrygo,' Steele revealed. This isn't idle speculation. The source involved has previous when it comes to inside information, and this latest development aligns with the club's growing appetite for top-tier attackers. Rodrygo, still only 24, represents the sort of signing that would elevate Liverpool's frontline even further. Having already captured Giorgi Mamardashvili, Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez and Florian Wirtz, and with Hugo Ekitike set to arrive for £69 million, the club's intent to dominate across all competitions is crystal clear. One Out Before One In Despite the excitement, there's an unavoidable caveat to any potential deal. As Steele pointed out, 'There's definitely interest. It's a case of who leaves first between Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez. One of them would have to leave for Liverpool to sign Rodrygo.' This is a pragmatic approach, both financially and tactically. Rodrygo is unlikely to be brought in merely for depth. His arrival would indicate a key role, which naturally prompts questions about who makes way. Darwin Nunez has flattered to deceive in large spells, while Luis Diaz, though impactful, has not nailed down an undroppable status under Slot. Both are also likely to command significant fees if sold, especially in a market still adapting to post-Premier League inflation. Steele himself touched on the financial balancing act: 'As we know, Liverpool have spent an awful lot of money. Can they really afford to sign Rodrygo without selling someone? I'm not so sure.' This honest assessment puts the spotlight on Liverpool's decision-makers, who will need to juggle short-term needs with long-term planning. Photo: IMAGO Strategic Statement of Intent Rodrygo is more than a flashy name. He fits the high-press, high-intensity model that Slot values. Quick, intelligent in possession and adept in multiple forward roles, he would suit Liverpool's fluid attacking approach. Crucially, his Champions League pedigree and consistency in big games offer an edge that Liverpool have lacked at times in recent seasons. There's also a sense that Slot, fresh off a title-winning debut campaign, wants to reshape the squad with his fingerprints. Bringing in Rodrygo, especially at a time when Real Madrid are flush with attacking talent like Endrick and Kylian Mbappé, could be seen as a rare opportunity to pounce on a top player who may find minutes harder to come by in Spain. Big Decisions Await With Federico Chiesa also reportedly on the move, the forward market is buzzing. Liverpool's name being firmly in the mix is no coincidence. Whether the Rodrygo pursuit becomes a blockbuster transfer or simply a missed opportunity depends on the next few weeks. If a suitable offer comes in for Diaz or Nunez, expect this to gather pace quickly. What's clear is that Liverpool are not resting on last season's success. Under Arne Slot, they are building something new, aggressive and forward-thinking. The pursuit of Rodrygo may be the next major step in that evolution.
New York Times
9 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Barcelona and Marcus Rashford: How we got here and why it makes sense
When the summer began, Barcelona knew they had to strengthen in attack. At that point, Athletic Club winger Nico Williams was not being considered, after a failed prospective move for him last year. Barca assumed their chance had passed. In sporting director Deco's mind, Liverpool's Luis Diaz and Marcus Rashford of Manchester United were the two candidates. Deco preferred Diaz, but financially, that deal was difficult to pull off. Then Williams offered himself to the club, actively showing interest in playing for Barcelona, and plans changed. Deco reopened the club's doors to the Spain international, who turned 23 this month. However, when they were convinced that Williams' signing was a matter of days away, on July 4, a video appeared on Athletic's social media confirming three things: he was staying in Bilbao, he was renewing his contract there for another 10 years and, once again, he had stood up Barcelona. With that, the club closed the door definitively on the transfer and went back to considering other options. Diaz remained Deco's first choice — the Colombia winger was the player he liked the most. But Spanish champions Barca cannot yet employ La Liga's 1:1 rule — whereby they can spend a euro for every euro they raise — although club sources, speaking anonymously to protect their roles, claim they are very close to achieving it. Financial constraints mean Barcelona have to work with what they can do rather than what they want to do. And there was one player who ticked all the boxes in those circumstances: Rashford. The 27-year-old England international has signed for the club on a season-long loan with the idea of playing on the left wing, although he can operate in any position up front. His signing was necessary for several reasons. One was that the coaching staff wanted more options in attack. Last season, the starting front line of Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha proved very fruitful for the team. Barca were the highest-scoring team in La Liga, with 102 goals. Real Madrid were a distant second with 78. Lewandowski scored 27 and was just four short of equalling Spain's top scorer, Kylian Mbappe of Madrid. Raphinha got 18 and Yamal nine. Advertisement That first-choice forward line was clear and unshakeable, but the problem came when injuries and late season fatigue set in. Head coach Hansi Flick and his assistants felt they needed greater depth. They did not have enough confidence in Ansu Fati, who left on loan to Monaco a few weeks ago, or last summer's signing Pau Victor, and when the final stretch of 2024-25 arrived and Lewandowski was out for 17 days with a hamstring injury, Raphinha, Yamal and Ferran Torres were the only players relied on. Flick also preferred to use Raphinha in a central role and, although the Brazilian began as a left-winger, he ended up playing more in the middle than out wide. To take advantage of this profile, and bearing in mind that Torres is seen as a centre-forward to compete with Lewandowski, who turns 37 next month, allowing the Pole to be rested for some matches, Flick wanted to bring in a winger with more pace on the left. In fact, when it looked like Williams was going to sign, the way voices at Barca envisaged him fitting into their system was to drop Raphinha back to play almost as an attacking midfielder. With Rashford arriving instead, Flick has the option of doing that or allowing him to miss the occasional game. They wanted someone to fill that need, and after interest in and moves for Diaz and Williams came to nothing, Rashford emerged as the most feasible option. Deco tried to buy Diaz, but it was not a viable option, no matter how much they wanted him. Barcelona just could not afford him — he had a high salary and other financial aspects affecting registrations complicated the operation. The club are trying to save wherever they can to get back to a normal situation in terms of signing players this summer. Diaz and Williams would have been permanent signings and not loans, with the amortisation of their transfer fees (the transfer fee divided by the years of a player's contract) included in La Liga's salary cap. This is not the case with Rashford, who arrives without the need for a fee — although his registration is not guaranteed. The club are still operating above their league-imposed salary limit, meaning they cannot register any of their new signings (Rashford, goalkeepers Joan Garcia and Wojciech Szczesny and the young winger Roony Bardghji) as things stand. They must make room in their wage budget by moving out high-earning players or finding significant new revenue streams. Even so, Rashford was financially viable, much cheaper than Barca's other targets, could play as a winger, and Flick liked him. Another key point was the player's desire for the move. He was desperate to play for Barcelona and, after learning of Williams' decision, made this known to the club. He was coming from a difficult personal situation at United, where he had been left without a shirt number for the coming season in a clear invitation to leave, and was enthused by the idea of becoming a Barca player. Rashford wanted to come despite knowing he may have to wait until the last minute of the summer window to actually be registered, as happened to Victor and Dani Olmo when they were signed this time a year ago. This, combined with their experiences with Williams and the contract clauses he requested to cover him in the event that he could not be registered after signing, added points in the Englishman's favour. Rashford is not the player Barcelona would have gone for under normal circumstances, but he is one who more or less fits the bill. He was not their first choice, but he suits the club's current financial situation.
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Two La Liga clubs come forward for Liverpool star
Liverpool look set to sanction several departures before the end of the summer transfer window. We could see Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez go - as well as Harvey Elliott, Tyler Morton, Ben Doak and Federico Chiesa. While the club would prefer to hold on to Ibrahima Konate, they may be forced into a sale if he doesn't sign a new contract. The club also have the option of conducting some outbound loan moves. LFC Kits Shop Now LFC x New Era Shop Now LFC Signed Merch Shop Now LFC x Titleist Shop Now This would serve the purpose of providing first-team football for some youth and fringe players who might still be a little way off joining Arne Slot's team on a regular basis. Among this contingent are potentially Owen Beck, James McConnell and Jayden Danns. Interest has been expressed from within the Premier League and Championship for those players - and one more Liverpool midfielder is firmly on the radar in Spain. Valencia and Celta come forward for Bajcetic Stefan Bajcetic, 20, was loaned out twice last season - first to RB Leipzig and then to Las Palmas. Although the Spain under-21 international couldn't help the Canary Island side stave off relegation, he did enough to merit interest from several LaLiga clubs. One of which is Valencia, as documented in a report from GOL Digital. They would like Bajcetic on loan but the possibility of a permanent deal further down the line hasn't been ruled out. And the same publication suggests Celta Vigo are STRONGLY interested in bringing Bajcetic back to Galicia. Bajcetic 'set to join' Celta 'Bajcetic is reportedly set to join Celta Vigo on loan, in a move authorized by the Reds,' a report reads on GOL Digital. 'Since the Galician midfielder arrived at Anfield, he has been loaned out twice. The first was last summer, when he signed with RB Salzburg. 'He then signed with the Canary Islands side in the winter transfer window. 'Thus, the 20-year-old center is preparing for his third loan spell, this time at Balaídos.' © IMAGO - Stefan Bajcetic Liverpool
