Latest news with #Valverde
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Athletic Club boss shrugs off Nico Williams exit distraction
Athletic Club boss Ernesto Valverde has spoken out over the summer transfer saga surrounding star player Nico Williams. Barcelona opted to revive their interest in the Spain international for a second successive summer on the back of being rejected in 2024. As the saga rolled on into June, it was taken for granted that Williams would make the move to Barcelona, with the player notifying Athletic Club over his intention to join the La Liga champions. However, the move unravelled in spectacular fashion, as Williams again opted to remain in Bilbao and the 22-year-old eventually chose to sign a new 10-year contract in the Basque Country. Nico Williams' new release clause after Barcelona rejection The call to stay includes a major wage rise and a significantly increased release clause. It will be over around €87m, and while previously his €58m release clause was seen as relatively affordable for Europe's top clubs, he is now in a different realm in terms of price. Image via Sport The focus is now on preseason and Athletic Club's return to the UEFA Champions League in 2025/26 with Valverde feeling confident. Valverde rejects Nico Williams distraction Williams' on-off exit dominated the Spanish football news cycle at the start of the summer but his current boss insisted there has been no ill effects. 'The summer transfer market teaches us that many things come up, but you never know what's going to happen,' as per Marca. 'I haven't stopped to think about whether Nico would be here or not. It was like last year, but without any drama. In the end, Nico is staying and we're delighted with his decision. 'Now we have to put all that noise aside and get back to work.' Valverde's side kick off their warm up games at home to Ponferradina on July 19, with Williams expected to be involved, with a clash at Liverpool scheduled for August 4
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Real Madrid already having transfer REGRET over Trent Alexander-Arnold
Why didn't Alexander-Arnold play against PSG? But this isn't a situation Madrid wanted to find themselves in. Valverde is a midfielder - one of the best in the world. The club do NOT want to use him as a right-back. Advertisement Last season they had to manage as best they could with Dani Carvajal injured and a dearth of other options. Trent was supposed to sort this out. Signed to a massive contract and a sizeable signing-on fee, Madrid should be able to rely on him to fill the position long term. So where was he? Well, according to reports in Spain, he was injured. He didn't finish training well, it was claimed on Cadena Ser, and so starting duties had to be doled out elsewhere. And they are not happy about it. Carvajal tipped to take over 'Fede Valverde has to assume a position that is not his natural demarcation to keep the team competing, a circumstance to which he is more than accustomed,' reads a report in Defensa Central. Advertisement 'However, from the new Real Madrid coaching staff they know that this is not the solution to a problem that seemed extinct with the arrival of Trent Alexander-Arnold himself. 'If the physical problems of the Real Madrid '12' continue towards the league start, Dani Carvajal may be the one finally chosen to assume the starting position on the right lane.' © IMAGO - Trent Alexander-Arnold Liverpool 2024-25 Madrid not getting value from TAA deal For Madrid at least, the signs are worrying. Right-back is not a glamour position. You expect those guys to play the vast majority of the games. Spending a reported €15m per annum in salary costs should get you consistency and robustness. Not to mention the €2m per game they lavished on Trent to play in the CWC. Advertisement But those fitness problems are stacking up. Last season for the Reds, Trent had at least THREE separate injuries - causing him to miss around 10 matches in total. The season before, knee ligament trouble saw him miss even more matches. © Anfield Watch Liverpool have moved on from Trent Alexander-Arnold He may only be 26, but there is a lot of football in the legs of a player who's played senior football for close to a decade. Trent played close to 400 times for Liverpool - and has 34 England caps. Liverpool fans were dismayed by his decision to leave the club at the end of his contract - taking it to be a betrayal. Advertisement They would have preferred the vice-captain and homegrown hero to grow old at Anfield and enjoy the adulation coming his way for the rest of his career. But there is a chance that Liverpool have already got the best of Trent Alexander-Arnold - and are now ready to move on with Jeremie Frimpong and Conor Bradley. And for Real Madrid his signing could be one which only adds to their problems at right-back rather than solving them. Madrid's players are already reported to be disgruntled at the level of so-called privilege Trent has been afforded. It's not been a great start to life for the Englishman in Madrid. Who knows, it may be a move he comes to regret as time passes.
The Independent
04-07-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Xabi Alonso compares Fede Valverde to former Liverpool teammate
Alonso and Gerrard both scored on that fabulous night in Istanbul in 2005, when Liverpool came back from the dead to beat AC Milan and lift the Champions League trophy. Now it's Real Madrid who could benefit from that Gerrard-like magic, 20 years on, in their quest to lift the Club World Cup crown. The holders have gone through to tomorrow's quarter-final tie against Dortmund unbeaten and the star of the show has been the Uruguayan midfielder Valverde, who'll turn 27 this month. 'I see Fede in many places, like I did with Steven,' said Alonso. 'But given the shape we have and the balance we need, starting from that slightly deeper position, from the second line, that double No 6, he can arrive [in the other area]. 'He has that ability to accelerate through, to go through lines very easily and in 30 metres, be there [in shooting positions]. 'We are using him in that position and it's working well. We know his qualities, we know that his best virtue is not receiving back to goal and turning but to see the game in front of him and, starting from a bit deeper [than a forward], arrive. He has scored twice and he has that ability to accelerate and get close to the area.' Valverde's tournament statistics have delighted the analysts and he looks like being the catalyst if his team is to successfully defend its title. 'I'm happy, I'm enjoying this. I am trying to make the most of every minute, giving all my energy until my body can't give any more,' he said. 'When someone like Xabi Alonso talks about you like that, it's an honour, it makes you proud, and it encourages you to keep working.'
Time of India
02-07-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Gonzalo scores winner as Real Madrid edge Juventus 1-0 to reach Club World Cup quarters
Real Madrid secured their quarter-final spot in the Club World Cup with a 1-0 victory over Juventus at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens on Tuesday, courtesy of Gonzalo Garcia 's header in the 54th minute. The fixture proved successful for Xabi Alonso 's team, with the additional positive of Kylian Mbappe returning from illness as a substitute in the 68th minute. The opening half showed both teams' capabilities, with Juventus starting strongly before Real Madrid gained control. Juventus' Randal Kolo Muani missed an early opportunity after Kenan Yildiz's setup, attempting to chip Thibaut Courtois but sending the ball over. Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track default , selected Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like If you have a mouse, play this game for 1 minute Navy Quest Undo Yildiz later created another chance, his powerful shot deflecting off Aurelien Tchouameni. — FIFACWC (@FIFACWC) Live Events Despite Juventus' confident ball movement following their 5-2 loss to Manchester City, Real increased their pressure. Jude Bellingham forced Michele Di Gregorio into a close-range save, while Federico Valverde tested him from distance. Trent Alexander-Arnold's low cross added to Real's strong finish to the half. Real maintained their dominance after the break, creating numerous opportunities. Bellingham and Valverde both came close before the decisive goal arrived. Alexander-Arnold's precise cross found Gonzalo, who scored his third goal in four tournament matches with an accurate header. — FIFACWC (@FIFACWC) Juventus attempted to respond through Francisco Conceicao's low shot, which was well saved by Courtois. Real continued pressing, with Valverde attempting an overhead kick and Arda Guler forcing a save from Di Gregorio. Nicolas Gonzalez nearly equalised with a long-range effort for Juventus. Alonso expressed satisfaction with the team's performance, particularly praising Gonzalo, while indicating Mbappe might receive more playing time in the next fixture. "I think day by day he will be better, and from now until the quarter-finals on Saturday, in 3-4 days, he will be better. We will keep watching him. I talk to him every day about how he's feeling, and well, I think he will be much better for the quarters," he said.
Daily Mirror
24-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Xabi Alonso compares Real Madrid star to former team-mate Steven Gerrard
Xabi Alonso is newly through the door at Real Madrid but has been hugely impressed by Federico Valverde - comparing him to Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard after just a matter of weeks Xabi Alonso has hailed the qualities of Federico Valverde and has likened the Real Madrid star to Steven Gerrard - whom he played alongside during his Liverpool days. Valverde has continued to blossom and assisted the winning goal in the Champions League final in 2022, where Real downed the Reds in Paris. Alonso is still getting to grip with his Los Blancos squad as he gets the chance to see them up close and personal. The Uruguayan, whilst not being one of the headline names in the starting XI at the Bernabeu, has proved a crucial cog for the Spanish giants and he's already made an impression on his new manager. Alonso has compared Valverde to Gerrard, whom he played with at Anfield for five years. The pair were hugely influential in midfield with Gerrard regarded as possibly the greatest player in Liverpool history after spending nearly his whole career with his boyhood team. The Reds icon helped deliver Champions League glory in 2005 and throughout his time at Anfield, under several different managers, was able to excel in a number of different midfield positions with Valverde's versatility also proving a huge asset for Real. The Spanish manager said: "I haven't seen many players with his physical performance. He reminds me of someone like Steven Gerrard. He can play anywhere, and I'm very happy to be coaching him. All coaches would like to have a Valverde on the team. He got rid of the bad taste in his mouth from the penalty the other day today, and his determination was evident in his celebration." Valverde moved to Real from Penarol in his homeland when he was still a teenager and has gone on to play more than 300 times for Los Blancos. During that period he has won La Liga three times and the European Cup on two occasions. Real are currently in Club World Cup action and, after an underwhelming draw in their first match with Al-Hilal, they saw off Pachuca with Valverde among the scorers. Alonso arrives having previously led Bayer Leverkusen to the German title but maintained his style won't be implemented overnight. He said: "There are many, but the main thing is to develop an understanding so we can recognise ourselves in each match. That takes time. We also want to develop the culture of using context. We need that game intelligence, and today we had to change quickly. After the hydration break, we talked, and from then on, we played a great game." Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
