Frank Lampard’s Coventry will play in the Premier League for the first time since 2001 (Photo: Getty) A former Manchester United star is reportedly keen on returning to the Premier League amid interest from Frank Lampard’s Coventry City. After cruising to the Championship title, Coventry are preparing to play in the Premier League for the first time since in 2001, kicking-off the new season against champions Arsenal on August 21. And Lampard has splashed the case this summer transfer window, spending £86million on five players, including highly-rated English goalkeeper Carl Rushworth from Brighton. More signings will be needed to give the Sky Blues the best possible chance of avoiding relegation and, according to L’Equipe, they have made enquiries about Marseille’s Angel Gomes. Get the latest transfer news every morning Sign up to our daily football newsletter for personalised updates on who your team is trying to sign and who won't be around next season. The midfielder came through United’s academy but failed to break into the first-team before joining Lille, where he quietly impressed, leading to Lee Carsley giving him his England debut in 2024. Gomes only signed for Marseille last summer before spending the second-half of the season on loan at Wolves, though he was unable to stop their relegation. It is said that the 25-year-old wants another chance to prove himself in his homeland and while Marseille do not wish to sell him, they will not stand in his way if a suitable deal can be agreed. Angel Gomes joined Marseille on a free only last summer (Photo: Getty) Due to their financial situation, the French club need to sell this summer, and as one of their top earners, Gomes, who is under contract until 2028, is a top candidate to leave. Additionally, Sky Sports report that Marseille striker Neal Maupay, formerly of Brentford, Everton and Brighton, and defender Leonardo Balerdi, are also of interest to several Premier League clubs. Newcastle United were on course to sign Gomes’ current midfield partner Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg to replace captain Brumo Guimaraes, who recently completed a £75m switch to Arsenal. Gomes made just 10 senior appearances for boyhood club Man Utd (Photo: Getty) However, it was reported on Monday that the former Tottenham star has declined the chance to return to England, in yet another transfer blow for the Magpies. In other news, rumours from Italy suggest Lampard is preparing an ambitious bid to reunite with former Chelsea and England centre-back Fikayo Tomori, whose future at AC Milan is unclear. For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source
While addressing why he decided to step back from Italy's sporting director role after the president blocked Andrea Pirlo's signing, Paolo Maldini revealed that the money wasn't the reason why Pep Guardiola rejected the coach offer. Paolo Maldini was the central figure behind Italy‘s attempt to hire Pep Guardiola as the next manager of the Azzurri, though the Spanish tactician ultimately passed on the opportunity. While opening up about his departure from the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), the legendary defender explained why Guardiola chose not to take charge of the national team. In his former role as Italy‘s sporting director, Maldini was tasked by federation president Giovanni Malago with spearheading the search for a new head coach. While Carlo Ancelotti reaffirmed his commitment to Brazil, Guardiola, who had recently departed Manchester City, emerged as a viable candidate, leading to promising initial discussions. In an interview with Corriere della Sera, Maldini reflected on how negotiations with Guardiola unfolded: “He is the manager who most embodies technical, attacking play. Through a few mutual friends, he had expressed an interest in managing a national team. We went to visit him in Barcelona, had lunch together, and talked for an entire day. He was very tempted. He came very close to accepting. He even started writing line-ups down on paper.“ Maldini and technical advisor Leonardo traveled to Barcelona for face-to-face talks with Guardiola, who had recently stepped down after a decade at Manchester City. Although reports suggested Guardiola demanded a €20 million annual salary (roughly $22 million USD), Maldini clarified that money was never a barrier. “Financial terms were never an obstacle. Pep made it clear: give me one euro less than the previous manager, and I am satisfied,” Maldini revealed. Mikel Arteta (L), head coach of Arsenal, and Pep Guardiola (R), head coach of Manchester City. (Michael Regan/Getty Images) When asked about the deciding factor behind Guardiola’s refusal, Maldini was candid: “Out of fatigue. Guardiola is coming off ten grueling years in the Premier League. He had back surgery. He wants to rest. But it was a very serious discussion; we went over the rosters, from the under-17s on up… So we went with Andrea. Malago knew everything; we kept him informed step by step.“ Since making his top-flight managerial debut with FC Barcelona in 2008, Guardiola took a single sabbatical year between 2012 and 2013 before taking over at Bayern Munich, followed by a ten-year reign at Manchester City from 2016 to 2026. While managing a national team remained a career goal, the Spaniard ultimately decided the timing was not right to take the helm of the Azzurri. Maldini’s brief tenure and sudden resignation An institutional crisis following Italy’s third consecutive missed World Cup prompted Malago to appoint Maldini as sporting director. However, after assuming the role on July 11, Maldini resigned just 16 days later on July 27 after the federation president blocked the hiring of Andrea Pirlo over alleged ties between the former midfielder and a Russian betting firm. When asked whether those reported ties influenced the decision to override Pirlo’s appointment, Maldini defended his choice while addressing the controversy: “That definitely played a role. We didn’t know about it. The media did its job. But legally speaking, there was nothing that could have prevented Andrea from becoming the National Team head coach.“ Maldini emphasized that no legal impediments existed to block Pirlo’s appointment, arguing the situation was sensationalized beyond proportion. However, the disagreement prompted Malago to unilaterally alter the administrative structure, leading to an ultimatum that the AC Milan legend found unacceptable. “He (Malago) called me and Leonardo to say: ‘In my view, we can no longer hire Pirlo. From today on, I decide the manager. From today, the rules change: I choose the head coach, and you e
Ahead of the 2026-27 season, Al Hilal are already looking to strengthen the squad to compete for every title. However, Karim Benzema could lose a teammate, as Darwin Núñez is reportedly close to leaving on loan to Portugal. After failing to win the Saudi Pro League title last season, Al Hilal have already decided to strengthen their roster, signing Crysencio Summerville for the wing. However, they remain open to bringing in more players, looking to reinforce Karim Benzema in attack. To do so, the Saudi side is preparing key departures, opening up foreign-player slots. With this in mind, Darwin Núñez is reportedly close to leaving on loan to Portugal. According to Arriyadiyah, a well-known Saudi media outlet, Darwin Núñez is very close to leaving Al Hilal on loan, heading to the Portuguese league. Both FC Porto and Benfica are closely monitoring his arrival, with negotiations already underway. Despite having played in LaLiga and the Premier League, the Uruguayan striker produced his best version in the Primeira Liga, so a return there would be key. With Benzema’s arrival, Darwin was left out of Al Hilal’s Saudi Pro League squad, leaving him available only for the AFC Champions League Elite. With the veteran Frenchman and Marcos Leonardo, the Uruguayan striker appears to have no place in the team, making his departure almost mandatory. With this, Núñez seems set to end his spell in the Saudi Pro League without playing a single minute alongside Karim. Darwin Núñez has gone from being one of the best strikers in the Premier League to becoming a marginal player in the Saudi Pro League. In the 24 matches he has played, he has scored only nine goals and provided five assists, disappointing many. Because of this, a return to the Primeira Liga would be key to rediscovering his best form, as he is only 27 years old and is looking to relaunch his professional career. Darwin Nunez of Al Hilal controls the ball during the Saudi Pro League match. Jader Duran’s arrival to Benfica could shut door to Darwin Núñez Recognizing Darwin Núñez as a great talent, SL Benfica are looking to bring the Uruguayan striker back for the 2026-27 season. Head coach Marco Silva faced him on numerous occasions in the Premier League and could look to relaunch his career. However, the 27-year-old striker will not have an easy path to earning a place, as they have just signed Jhon Jader Durán on loan, which would leave him out of the rotation. Head coach Marco Silva not only has Durán, but also Vangelis Pavlidis, Franjo Ivanović, and Anísio Cabral. Therefore, Darwin Núñez would be the fifth option or adapt to the left wing. In his spell at Benfica, the Uruguayan striker scored 48 goals and provided 16 assists in 85 games, but he is not coming in his best version and needs continuity. With this in mind, FC Porto seem to be his best option to have continuity.
FK Neftchi and Dinamo Minsk begin their battle for a place in the third qualifying round of the UEFA Conference League when they meet at Neftchi Arena on Wednesday evening. With both clubs carrying ambitions of reaching the league phase, the first leg in Azerbaijan could prove crucial before next week’s return fixture in Belarus. […] The post Prediction: FK Neftchi vs Dinamo Minsk appeared first on SoccerNews.
Liverpool are continuing their search for a long-term successor to Mohamed Salah and Bournemouth winger Rayan has emerged as a player of interest, according to Teamtalk. The Reds have made enquiries about the Brazilian youngster, who is understood to be a player discussed in detail with new head coach Andoni Iraola. As Liverpool plan for […] The post Liverpool enquire about Rayan appeared first on SoccerNews.
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