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Nunez has been banned for five games and fined €20,000 for his role in a Copa America brawl after Uruguay's loss to Colombia

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• Uruguay lost to Colombia in Copa America
• Nunez involved in brawl after defeat
• Gets international ban and fined €20,000

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  CONMEBOL have announced that the Liverpool striker will be banned from his next five international games following his involvement after fights broke out following his country's 1-0 loss to Colombia in the semifinals of the Copa America in July. He has also reportedly been fined £15,151 – but this will not rule him out of Liverpool action.

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  Nunez was one of several Uruguay players who confronted a group of Colombia supporters after the defeat to their South American rivals. It was reported that a group of drunk fans had attacked their friends and families in the stands, while videos emerged of babies and children being passed down towards the pitch to avoid the fighting.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Tottenham midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur has also been banned from representing his country following the events against Colombia. The 27-year-old will miss four matches for Uruguay, one fewer than Nunez. Overall, 11 players have been sanctioned by CONMEBOL, including three-match bans for Mathias Olivera, Ronald Araujo and Jose Gimenez. Fines were issued to six others, including Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Nunez's ban means he cannot feature for Uruguay until November. He will miss the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Paraguay, Venezuela, Peru, Ecuador and, ironically, Colombia but will return in time to face Brazil.

Tottenham Hotspur will not play any football this weekend due to the FA Cup semi-finals, so will have a rest ahead of a crucial home clash against Arsenal in the Premier League in just over one week.

While Champions League qualification is hanging in the balance – Spurs lie three points off fourth-placed Aston Villa with a game in hand, one month of Premier League action remaining – Ange Postecoglou will likely have held some form of internal discussion to map out an initial transfer strategy.

Having been one of the busiest clubs in the market since the Australian was selected to lead the revival, Tottenham have improved and the fresh faces have made their presence known, but the canyon that the division's top three sit at the other side may well be narrowed with the right moves in several months.

Daniel Levy is worth his salt and with the streamlined strategy suggestive of success, the club's latest top target might be the one to go for.

Spurs' search for a forward

According to Football Insider, Tottenham have registered a 'concrete' interest in Bayern Munich star Serge Gnabry, with the recently-usurped Bundesliga champions open to selling the former Arsenal product.

Gnabry, aged 28, has long been a central figure in a team of trophy specialists but has been afflicted with injuries this season and might welcome the chance for a new chapter.

His contract isn't up until 2026 but there is a good chance that, if Tottenham can present an exciting package, the versatile forward would be willing to listen to an offer.

Serge Gnabry's season in numbers

Bayern signed Gnabry from divisional rivals Werder Bremen after activating his €8m (£7m) release clause, two years on from his departure from Arsenal, having made 18 appearances for the Gunners, scoring once and supplying two assists.

His move to Bayern has been a stunning success, winning every trophy on offer over six years of service and, in total, scoring 86 goals and supplying 52 assists across 235 fixtures.

The £310k-per-week winger might have endured an injury-riddled campaign but he has still demonstrated respectable levels in the final third and boasts five goals and one assist from just eight starting appearances in all competitions.

Of course, his overall Bayern record highlights his prowess – only last year, the Germany international posted 17 goals and 12 assists in all competitions.

In the Bundesliga last season, as per Sofascore, Gnabry clinched 19 goal contributions from just 22 starts, completing 82% of his passes, creating 11 big chances and averaging 1.1 key passes per game.

While he's been unfortunate on the injury front this season, Bayern are clearly in need of a reshuffle after losing out in the Bundesliga title race for the first time in a decade, and Gnabry could be one of the long-time servants shown the exit as the soon-to-return Julian Nagelsmann gets to work and competes against a new superpower in Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen.

Having been hailed for his "world-class" quality by pundit Rio Ferdinand in the past, Tottenham would only be too happy to relieve Die Roten of his signature…

How Serge Gnabry could fit in at Spurs

Brennan Johnson and Timo Werner are express options down the flanks and have found success this season through their speed and directness, while Dejan Kulusevski operates on the other end of the spectrum and focuses on technical quality and ball retention, albeit guilty of slowing proceedings down, thus benched for the past three league matches.

Principally playing from the right, Gnabry could prove to be a massive upgrade on Kulusevski, offering a far more reliable goal threat and offering a level of creativity that ensures he's not serving as a one-dimensional outlet.

Gnabry would offer the closest thing to a complete collection of these aforementioned Lilywhites, having been described as "lightning quick" and "tailor-made for big transition moments" with a "clinical finish with both feet" by former Werder Bremen boss Alexander Nouri.

While he's found a position of lesser importance in Bayern's first-team this season, Gnabry has retained his potency in front of goal and currently ranks among the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 12% for total shots and pass completion, the top 10% for tackles and the top 16% for blocks per 90, as per FBref.

What does this tell us? Well, arriving at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Gnabry would likely provide a steady goal threat – possibly the sharpest from any of the current wide options, barring Son – with Kulusevski, by contrast, ranking in just the bottom 42% for goals per 90, as well as the bottom 27% for shots, the top 35% for pass completion, the top 10% for tackles and the bottom 36% for blocks.

He's scoring at an incredible rate despite only ranking in the top 12% for shots taken, meaning that he is excellent at snatching his chances. Moreover, the German is crisp in possession and boasts some impressive defensive metrics; Bayern are not known for their defensive work but are still organised and strong in preventive sequences, and Gnabry seeks to contribute in this regard.

For Postecoglou, whose system is steeping hard-working movements, fluidity and sharp-edged attacking intent, this is a player who would only thrive, and presented with a proposal promising an influential role, he might just be tempted, especially if promised Kulusevski's place as the regular starter on the right.

While some might think that a return to the rigours of the Premier League could weaken Gnabry's constitution, he has hardly struggled to perform against English opposition, bagging against the Gunners in the Champions League this season and, as Spurs supporters will acutely recall, decimating Mauricio Pochettino's side and plundering four goals in a 7-2 demolition in north London back in 2019.

£20m Spurs man could be the latest to prove Ange wrong after Dier revival

Ange Postecoglou’s side could surely make good use of this talented defender’s skill set.

By
Angus Sinclair

Apr 19, 2024

Gnabry is still only 28 and has honed his qualities over many illustrious years in Bavaria – just maybe, Tottenham might offer a package that convinces him to try his hand in England once again, taking Postecoglou's project to the next level.

Jurgen Klopp is enjoying life away from football after jetting off to Paris to support a close friend at the Paralympics.

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• Klopp in Paris for Paralympics
• Ex-Liverpool boss supporting Wojtek Czyz
• Czyz plays badminton for New Zealand

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Klopp has headed to France in support of his friend Wojtek Czyz. Czyz plays badminton and is representing New Zealand, having previously been a German citizen. He met Klopp while he was a footballer, and the pair have been close for over 20 years, per The Sun.

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  Czyz played football for Fortuna Koln but suffered a serious knee injury in 2001, which required amputation. As he began his rehab, he met Klopp and the pair have remained in touch ever since.

• WHAT CZYZ SAID

  Per The Sun, Czyz said: "I'm really happy to see him. We talk a lot about the Paralympics. He is a big fan of it – to see what people can achieve and how hard the competition is. He will enjoy being there and I look forward to giving him a good show."

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  WHAT NEXT?

  If we know anything about Klopp, it's that he is a vociferous supporter of those he believes in, so we can expect to see him cheering loudly in the stands. He will hope Czyz, who adopted New Zealand citizenship after being stuck in the country during COVID, returns with a medal.

Leeds United are readying a new move to sign an “excellent” player this summer, according to a fresh update.

Leeds transfer rumours

The Whites are currently involved in a tight battle for Championship promotion alongside Leicester City, Ipswich Town and Southampton. Daniel Farke’s side now have just three games remaining to finish in the top two, however, promotion isn’t in their own hands as things stand.

Despite this, it looks as if those in Yorkshire are making transfer plans ahead of the summer, with a number of targets rumoured, including a permanent move for loanee Joe Rodon.

Former Chelsea striker Michy Batshuayi is wanted in a surprise move, with another attacking target being Southampton’s Che Adams. Former Leeds midfielder Kalvin Phillips has also been heavily linked with a return to the club, and a new update has now emerged.

Kalvin Phillips to Leeds update

It was claimed earlier this month that Leeds had contacted Phillips’ representatives over a summer move, setting aside £30m to secure a permanent transfer.

Now, according to reliable reporter Sami Mokbel of The Daily Mail, Leeds are ready to explore a loan move instead in an apparent change of heart from the 49ers Enterprises. The new update says that the Whites need to win promotion back to the Premier League to have a chance of signing their former midfielder, who will return to Manchester City following his loan spell at West Ham.

On £150,000-a-week since leaving Elland Road, Phillips looks likely to be on the move again with City willing to sell. Since moving to the London Stadium in January, Phillips has made nine appearances, being on the winning side just twice.

His last top-flight appearance for the Hammers came against Newcastle, coming on for the final 20 minutes when West Ham were winning 3-1, only to lose 4-3 with Phillips giving away a penalty.

Despite his tough loan spell at West Ham, Phillips has received the backing of David Moyes, who said recently: "Kalvin is a human being and can do things we all do at different times. What he needs is support behind him, people to help him, and we're going to stand with him, help him as much as we possibly can.

The Scot then added: "Kalvin Phillips is a really good player, an international player, an excellent footballer and I do believe we can still make something out of the time we’ve got left with him here."

TalkSPORT presenter Alan Brazil stunned by "incredible" Leeds update

The news has emerged from Elland Road this week.

By
Charlie Smith

Apr 12, 2024

A return to Yorkshire for Phillips could make sense for all involved, however, they first need to finish the job in the second tier over the coming weeks, otherwise, they may have no chance of bringing the boyhood Leeds fan back.

Italy boss Luciano Spalletti provided an update on Riccardo Calafiori's injury after the Arsenal star was involved in a freak clash against France.

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• Italy faced France in Nations League
• Calafiori forced off due to injury
• Spalletti provides update on Arsenal ace

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Despite conceding an early goal, Italy put up a spirited comeback to secure an impressive 3-1 victory thanks to goals from Federico Dimarco, Davide Frattesi, and Giacomo Raspadori. However, Spalletti looked concerned when Calafiori crashed onto the ground in the second half holding his calf after an unusual collision.

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  It all started when Alessandro Bastoni won back possession from Ousmane Dembele with a crunching tackle. While Bastoni’s challenge on the French winger was fair, Dembele lost balance and his leg hit Calafiori in the back of the defender's calf. The Arsenal defender had no involvement in the tackle but found himself on the receiving end of a painful blow, collapsing to the pitch in agony.

  As Calafiori lay on the ground, writhing in pain, his Italy teammates gathered around him with concern on their faces. The bizarre nature of the injury and the severity of Calafiori’s reaction caused immediate worry and he was subsequently substituted off.

• WHAT SPALLETTI SAID

  The sight of Calafiori being escorted off the field sent shockwaves through both the Italian and Arsenal fanbases. Having only joined Arsenal in the summer transfer window, any potential long-term injury could have disrupted his integration into Mikel Arteta’s squad.

  However, Spalletti quickly moved to alleviate concerns regarding Calafiori’s condition and suggested that the injury might not be as serious as initially feared.

  “We need to assess Riccardo, but with our staff, we’ve a good chance to have him back with us for the next game,” Spalletti told reporters.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  If Spalletti's words hold true, then Calafiori should be back in action against Israel on Monday. It should be a relief to Arteta as the Gunners are set to play five matches across three different competitions: the Premier League, Champions League, and Carabao Cup in September, starting with a fierce North London derby against Tottenham on September 15.

Aston Villa are set to snap up a proven European talent on a free transfer this summer.

Aston Villa transfer rumours

Aston Villa are in the midst of a superb 2023/24 campaign that is all but guaranteed to see them secure a top-four Premier League finish, and with it, Champions League football.

While Villa have impressed under the guidance of Unai Emery this season, it is fair to say they will need to improve their squad during the 2024 summer transfer window if they are to compete in the Champions League. To their credit, the Midlands outfit have already begun making plans for the upcoming window. Aston Villa have reportedly sent scouts to watch Alex Baena ahead of a summer move that would see the Villans trigger the Villarreal midfielder's reported €60m (£52m) release clause.

Elsewhere, reports earlier this week claimed that Aston Villa are leading the race for Lille striker Jonathan David, who is valued at £30m. While said players would be great additions for Villa, the fees that come with signing big names who can compete in Europe may prove too much for the English outfit in light of PSR limitations.

Earlier this season, Unai Emery praised Aston Villa's owners for wanting to help the club but also appeared to hint that Financial Fair Play had to be monitored.

He said: “The owners are always helping – always. They are very involved with me, with us, with Aston Villa. They want to support us. They ask how we can improve – but it’s not easy. If we can improve, we will do it. We have added a young player – he needs time – Jhon Duran. He is getting better, getting confident, playing minutes. We are trying to support him. But it’s not easy to improve in those circumstances. If it is, you tell me names.”

One way Aston Villa can strengthen their squad ahead of next season without having to worry too much about FFP is by signing players on free transfers.

Aston Villa poised to beat Inter to free transfer

Now, the Villans look set to do exactly that, as Spanish outlet Diario AS claims that Aston Villa are primed to press ahead and reach an agreement with Mario Hermoso to make him their first summer signing.

The centre-back, who currently earns €160k (£137k) per week, is set to depart Atletico Madrid at the end of this season when his contract expires after four years working under Diego Simeone. Hermoso is of interest to a number of clubs around Europe, including Serie A champions Inter, but Villa are said to be the ones closing in on the Spaniard's signature.

Hermoso is a left-sided defender who could replace Clement Lenglet when he returns to Barcelona after his loan ends in the coming weeks. The stopper won the La Liga title with Atletico Madrid in 2021 and has made a total of 169 appearances for the club, with 29 coming in the Champions League.

As a result, he could be a great fit for an Aston Villa side who, barring a complete collapse, will be plying their trade in Europe's premier club competition next term.

Lamine Yamal simply cannot be stopped at the moment as he brought Barcelona level with Monaco thanks to his first Champions League goal.

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• Barcelona concede early against Monaco
• Yamal scores first Champions League goal
• Becomes second-youngest scorer in the competition

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Barcelona went down to Monaco after the French side capitalised on the Catalan side's early red card for Eric Garcia with a goal from Maghnes Akliouche. However, it was Yamal yet again for Hansi Flick who turned the tide in Barcelona's favour as he slotted a perfect shot into the bottom left of Monaco's goal to bring up his first goal in the Champions League.

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  The goal also made Yamal the second-youngest player to score in the Champions League behind teammate Ansu Fati as the 17-year-old missed the Champions League record by just 28 days. Yamal has been on a remarkable run so far this season as he has scored four goals in five games.

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• WHAT NEXT FOR YAMAL?

  Yamal will next be in action when Barcelona play Villarreal this weekend.

To say it was a disappointing season for Sunderland in the Championship would be an understatement, and that failure has sparked the club into ruthless action ahead of the summer transfer window.

Sunderland transfer news

The Black Cats' main focus must be on finding a new permanent manager following the end of Mike Dodds' interim spell in charge. It is a decision that they must get right after things went so wrong with Michael Beale's appointment. A move that Sunderland have regretted ever since, they've been left in desperate need of a fresh start.

Whilst it remains to be seen just who will be the next manager in charge, speculation has been rife around the likes of Paul Heckingbottom and even Jermain Defoe more recently in what would be a shock appointment to hand their former forward his first foray into the managerial world. Meanwhile, the less surprising Will Still has also been linked with the role, having recently parted ways with Reims following an excellent spell in charge of the Ligue 1 side.

Sunderland were rinsed by goal-shy star who earned more than Ballard

This dire signing was a disaster for Sunderland.

By
Kelan Sarson

May 5, 2024

Whether it's Defoe, Heckingbottom, Still or another option, however, one player who will not be part of that new era is Corry Evans. According to Pete O'Rourke of Football Insider, Evans has been shown the door at Sunderland after being told that the club will not be renewing his current contract, leaving the central midfielder to become a free agent.

As Sunderland clear Evans' reported salary of £6,400-a-week from their wage bill, the 33-year-old must find his next challenge in the coming months. Ultimately, when looking back on his time at the Stadium of Light, it will be his ACL injury that steals the headline for Evans, who may be thinking what might have been had he not suffered such a significant blow at such an important time last season.

Sunderland must replace Evans' leadership

Evans may have struggled to feature for Sunderland this season, but his leadership remains an asset that will be difficult to replace. The club captain will leave a gaping hole that the likes of Luke O'Nien will need to fill as he has done throughout the current campaign, though that doesn't mean that the Black Cats shouldn't turn towards the transfer market.

Ahead of the summer window, the Wearside club have been linked with moves for the likes of Divin Mubama in what would be a wise way to spend the gap left behind by Evans on Sunderland's wage bill. The young West Ham United forward, like Evans, is set to become a free agent at the end of the season to potentially hand the Black Cats a bargain deal.

It would be in line with the club's philosophy to welcome young, fresher faces as those seemingly past their peak head for the exit door. And as ruthless a decision as Evans' exit may seem, and as difficult as it will be to replace his leadership, Sunderland must get back to their energetic, brave best which saw young players thriving last season.

In the 109th edition of the United States' most storied competition, LAFC claimed their first Open Cup title

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• LAFC win 2024 Open Cup
• Defeat Sporting Kansas City 3-1 in extra-time
• Giroud scores second cup final goal since summer arrival

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  TELL ME MORE

  LAFC claimed their first US Open Cup Wednesday night, defeating Sporting Kansas City 3-1 in extra-time. Goals from Olivier Giroud, Omar Campos and Kei Kamara secured the result, with Sporting's lone effort coming off the boot of Erik Thommy.

  Their marquee signing of the summer, Giroud was the regulation hero, while Campos and Kamara netted their strikes in extra-time. A player with a big-game reputation, the 27-year-old Frenchman scored his second goal across all competitions for , and his second in a Cup final for LAFC since arriving from AC Milan on a free transfer during the summer.

  He opened the scoring in the 53rd minute, breaking the scoreless deadlock, but Thommy countered quickly with a goal of his own seven minutes later. Unable to find a winner in regulation, the two sides went to the additional period of play to declare a victory, with the Los Angeles-based side coming out on top.

  Campos scored in the 102nd minute, and Kamara's game-winner arrived in the 109th, handing them the Cup.

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  This was LAFC's first US Open Cup final appearance, but their second championship game appearance of the season. The Black and Gold featured in the final of the 2024 Leagues Cup, but fell to the Columbus Crew in the contest.

  Sporting, meanwhile, were four-time winners of the competition entering the evening. Had they won, they would have been the first MLS side to claim the Cup five times.

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  THE MVP

  Kei Kamara: 40-years-old, his 11th MLS club, the journeyman of MLS secured the trophy for LAFC Wednesday evening. What a moment for the former Sporting Kansas City forward, who bagged the winner against his former club 12 years after he led them to an Open Cup title himself. It was a full-circle moment for Kamara, and a brilliant header, too.

  A 109th minute dagger, he leapt into the air and smashed the ball home off a Denis bouanga cross.

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  THE BIG LOSER

  Peter Vermes: With the loss, Sporting's 2024 season essentially ends. Already eliminated from postseason contention, the Western Conference side had everything to play for Wednesday evening. Falling just short, it means they will end the campaign without a playoff appearance or a trophy to their name.

  For the Sporting manager, it could be the final straw in his illustrious and storied career with Kansas City. He's been the club's manager since 2009, but after the campaign they've had, Wednesday's loss could be what forces the front-office to move in a different direction.

Everton travel to face Arsenal at the Emirates this afternoon, looking to end the season on a high whilst potentially having a huge impact on the Premier League’s title race.

Sean Dyche and co are looking to make it five wins from their last six against Mikel Arteta’s side who are still in with a slim chance of claiming their first league title since 2003/04.

The Toffees will also hoping to make it two wins in a row, following on from last weekend’s 1-0 win against already relegated Sheffield United, with Abdoulaye Doucoure’s first goal in 2024 securing the win for the hosts.

If Everton are to pull off a shock and claim another three points in north London, Dyche will have to brutally drop one player from the starting eleven – with tomorrow potentially his last game for the club.

Why Seamus Coleman should be dropped against Arsenal

Experienced right-back Seamus Coleman has been an excellent servant during his time at Goodison Park, making 421 appearances since 2009, but unfortunately, injuries have caught up with the Irishman in recent years.

He’s only featured 11 times in the league this campaign, with his latest display coming against Chris Wilder’s side last Saturday.

His outing against the Blades was just his sixth Premier League start of the 23/24 season, but he failed to take advantage of the rare opportunity.

The 35-year-old featured for the whole 90 minutes, losing possession 19 times and winning just 37% of the duels that he contested during the victory.

Coleman also committed two fouls and completed zero of his three attempted dribbles down Everton’s right-hand side, with the ageing full-back – who recently signed a new contract – looking past his best.

With his poor display, coupled with the much-improved quality of the opposition, Dyche must brutally drop the Irishman and replace him with one Toffees player who has excelled out of position so far this season.

The man to replace Coleman against Everton

Ben Godfrey has enjoyed a return to the side in recent months, after only making one appearance up until the middle of December.

However, all but two of his 15 Premier League appearances this season have come in an unnatural right-back position, with the 26-year-old unable to dislodge either James Tarkowski or Jarrad Branthwaite from the heart of Everton’s defence.

He’s taken to his new role exceptionally well, with his best display undeniably coming against Liverpool during the 2-0 win in the Merseyside derby.

Godfrey, who’s been dubbed as “immense” by boxer and Everton fan Tony Bellew, made six clearances and five interceptions, whilst winning two tackles – preserving the Toffees’ clean sheet in a pivotal match for the club.

His pace is key when coming up against quick wingers and with Arsenal possessing rapid players such as Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard, the 26-year-old’s acceleration and tackling ability are potentially able to nullify the Gunners’ attacking threat down the left-hand side.

It may seem a brutal call to bench Coleman, but Dyche must hand the Englishman another opportunity to prove himself ahead of next season.

Dyche could send Coleman packing by unleashing Everton's teen sensation

The 35-year-old is out of contract at the end of the campaign.

By
Ethan Lamb

May 17, 2024