Rumour Has It: Juve want Morata replacement before authorising Barca switch as Haaland hints at LaLiga move

By Sports Desk January 04, 2022

Barcelona want to sign Alvaro Morata and it would appear the Juventus striker wishes to join Xavi's team.

After bringing in Ferran Torres, Xavi would reportedly like to add experienced Spain international Morata to his ranks at Camp Nou.

Morata has scored five Serie A goals for the Bianconeri this season.

 

TOP STORY – JUVENTUS WANT MORATA REPLACEMENT BEFORE AUTHORISING BARCA SWITCH

According to Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona target Morata has informed Juve of his desire to leave the club in January.

Massimiliano Allegri met with the 29-year-old on Monday, with the upshot being that Juve will only grant Morata his move should they be able to find a replacement.

Paris Saint-Germain striker Mauro Icardi is seen as a possible option for the Bianconeri, who are having a poor season in Serie A, sitting 12 points off the summit.

However, further complicating matters in Morata's potential switch to Barca is that he is on loan at Juve from Atletico Madrid, who would need to authorise any transfer.

 

ROUND-UP

- Erling Haaland , who has been holidaying in Marbella, has told people close to him that he sees his next destination being Spain, with Real Madrid and Barcelona on high alert. That is according to Marca.

- Sky Sports believe that Romelu Lukaku will stay at Chelsea after holding talks with Thomas Tuchel following his comments in an interview with Sky Italia, which resulted in the striker missing Sunday's clash with Liverpool.

- The Daily Mail, citing Gianluca Di Marzio, claim that Barcelona are monitoring the situation of Lukaku's Chelsea team-mate Andreas Christensen, who is out of contract at the end of the season.

- Another Chelsea defender into the last six months of his deal is Antonio Rudiger, with Sky Sports reporting Real Madrid , Bayern Munich , PSG and Juve have all entered talks with the Germany international's representatives. 

- According to The Daily Mail, Newcastle United are aiming to sign Zenit striker Sardar Azmoun. The Iran forward has agreed personal terms with Ligue 1 club Lyon, but the French side may be unable to match Zenit's asking price for the 27-year-old.

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    Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham were both on target in the Champions League on Wednesday night.

    Kane struck from the penalty spot in Bayern Munich’s 4-3 victory over Manchester United, while Bellingham prodded home a stoppage-time winner for Real Madrid against Champions League debutants Union Berlin.

    Here, the PA news agency looks at the England internationals’ astonishing beginnings for their respective clubs.

    How has Kane started?

    After drawing a blank as a second-half substitute in Bayern’s surprise German Super Cup defeat to RB Leipzig, Kane, 30, has been virtually unstoppable.

    The £100million striker netted on his maiden Bundesliga outing in a 4-0 win at Werder Bremen before bagging a brace in a 3-1 victory against Augsburg.

    He scored the opener in an entertaining 2-2 draw with Bayer Leverkusen last Friday before netting from the spot against United – the club that wanted to sign him from Tottenham.

    “Manchester United are crying out for a centre forward and whatever it would have cost they should have got him,” United’s former midfielder Paul Scholes told TNT Sports. “If you had the money to buy one player or three, I would have bought Harry Kane all day long.”

    How has Bellingham played?

    Birmingham-born Bellingham, 20, has six goals and one assist in his opening six matches since his £88.5million move from Borussia Dortmund.

    He struck on his debut against Athletic Bilbao before netting a brace away at Almeria and then scoring the only goal in a 1-0 victory at Celta Vigo.

    Bellingham scored a stoppage-time winner against Getafe in his first Bernabeu outing – emulating Cristiano Ronaldo by netting in his opening four LaLiga games – before delivering another late goal, this time in his first Champions League outing for Los Blancos. His mark of six is one more than the rest of the Madrid squad combined this season.

    What has the reaction been?

    Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has trusted Bellingham from the get-go, preferring him to Luka Modric and Toni Kroos, who have just three league starts between them.

    Speaking after Bellingham’s heroics on Wednesday night, Ancelotti said: “He’s smarter than others when attacking from the second line. He has this quality and he’s making the most of it.”

    Bellingham has already won over the Real Madrid fans, who serenaded him with The Beatles’ classic ‘Hey Jude’ after his late winner against Getafe, and again on Wednesday night.

    “I have goosebumps speaking about it,” said Bellingham. “You don’t understand how big this club is until you are here. I have now got that honour and I will wear it with pride.”

    Kane’s brilliant start has also won him fans – not least in Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel.

    “I love him,” said the former Chelsea manager. “He is a fantastic guy, fantastic player and huge personality.

    “He is a clinical finisher, he controls a lot of balls, and he is so intelligent around the box. It has been a very good start from him. I am super happy.”

    How does their form compare to England’s other stars?

    With 11 goals and three assists between them, no other attacking member of Gareth Southgate’s England squad is performing better for their clubs this term.

    Bukayo Saka, Jarrod Bowen and Callum Wilson have all netted on three occasions this season, while Raheem Sterling, James Ward-Prowse, James Maddison, Eddie Nketiah and Dominic Solanke have all scored twice.

    Kane also has more England minutes since the Three Lions’ European Championship final defeat to Italy in the summer of 2021 than anyone else. Kane has played 2,016 minutes for Southgate, with Bellingham (1,540 mins) fifth behind Harry Maguire (1,927 mins) Declan Rice (1,889 mins) and Jordan Pickford (1,669 mins).

    Kane and Bellingham were also on target in England’s impressive 3-1 win against Scotland last week.

    What’s next?

    Kane will be back in action when Bayern host Bochum in the Bundesliga on Saturday before he returns to Champions League action next month in Copenhagen. Bellingham will be bidding to help Real maintain their 100 per cent start to the season in his first Madrid derby, at Atletico, on Sunday.

    They will join forces for England in a friendly with Australia at Wembley on October 13 before a European Championship qualifier against Italy at the same venue four days later.

    Meanwhile, Kane also revealed he will have one eye on Tottenham’s Premier League fixture versus Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium this weekend.

    “They have started the season well, so of course, Tottenham (will win),” he joked in an interview on CBS Sports with former Arsenal forward Thierry Henry – who earlier said the England captain “looked good in red and white”.

  • Bruno Fernandes tells Andre Onana to stop blaming himself for Man Utd defeat Bruno Fernandes tells Andre Onana to stop blaming himself for Man Utd defeat

    Bruno Fernandes threw his support behind Andre Onana and told the devastated Manchester United goalkeeper to stop blaming himself for the Champions League defeat at Bayern Munich.

    Having been beaten in three of their first five matches for the first time in the Premier League era, the Red Devils’ return to European football’s top table ended in a 4-3 loss on Wednesday night. Erik ten Hag’s men started the Group A opener surprisingly well at the Allianz Arena, only for summer signing Onana to somehow let a low Leroy Sane shot squirm home.

    The 27-year-old buried his head in the turf and was consoled by team-mates, later saying he “let the team down” and that United “didn’t win today, it’s because of me”.

    “It’s not about Andre,” United skipper Fernandes said. “Andre is a great goalkeeper.

    “He will keep giving us a lot of points, a lot of saves. He hasn’t to take any blame for nothing.

    “We have to take the blame as a team, that we’re going to go through this moment together because we are strong as a team.”

    Onana’s gaffe was swiftly followed by a Serge Gnabry strike, with Harry Kane then scoring a penalty straight after Rasmus Hojlund had pulled one back early in the second half.

    The match came to a hectic conclusion, with Casemiro scoring either side of Mathys Tel’s stoppage-time strike as United showed spirit but ultimately lost for a fourth time in five matches.

    “I think what everyone has to do is to do their own job and look at themselves first,” Fernandes said in the bowels of the Allianz Arena.

    “That’s what I do as a player, not as a captain – as a person and first point.

    “I think everyone does that and I think today it wasn’t the case that not everyone was doing the best for the team or trying to fight for getting the result. I think everyone did that.

    “It’s just the momentum and against big teams, as I said, when you give a lot of chances to them, they’re going to hurt you.

    “Even then they give us some chances and we scored three goals, so I think no-one would expect us to come into Bayern and score three goals.

    “I don’t think anyone outside of us would expect us to fight for the result in trying to get something from the game.

    “But I think the team did. Obviously it wasn’t enough but we’re not playing against some bad team.

    “We were playing one of the best teams in the world, with great players, with great qualities.

    “Obviously it’s not the best moment for us but we will get through this and we will get the results back.”

    United stayed in Germany following the Group A opener and are training before flying back as preparations step up for Saturday evening’s key trip to Burnley.

    Ten Hag will be hoping to have more options to choose from at Turf Moor, having headed to Bayern without nine injured players.

    “Obviously, we want to have everyone back because we know that as many players we have available, the team will be stronger,” Fernandes said. “And obviously more options for the manager to do his choices and whatever his tactics, the first 11 or whatever he picks.

    “But obviously, still, we have the players and we have enough experience and enough talent in the team to get through this moment even with all the players.

    “Obviously now I think some of them probably will come back earlier and will lift the team because we have quality players injured.

    “But it’s about the ones that are now playing, giving something to get the result and that’s it.

    “We can’t rely now on the injuries and everything.

    “We know it’s tough and you need to get through that because you can’t control (it).

    “But I think the team has players (good) enough to get a response.”

  • It’s difficult – Andre Onana takes responsibility for Man Utd’s defeat in Munich It’s difficult – Andre Onana takes responsibility for Man Utd’s defeat in Munich

    Devastated goalkeeper Andre Onana said he let the team down with his costly mistake at the start of Manchester United’s Champions League loss to Bayern Munich.

    Erik ten Hag’s side suffered a fourth loss in five matches as a bright start in Bavaria went up in smoke with the summer signing somehow letting a Leroy Sane shot squirm home.

    Bayern quickly added a second through Serge Gnabry and never relinquished control of the Group A opener, with Harry Kane scoring a penalty straight after Rasmus Hojlund had pulled one back after half-time.

    Casemiro scored either side of Mathys Tel’s stoppage-time strike in a dramatic conclusion to a 4-3 defeat that glum Onana took responsibility for.

    “It’s difficult,” the Cameroon international said.

    “It’s difficult to lose this way because I think in the beginning we started very good and after my mistake we lost control of the game.

    “It’s a difficult situation for us, for me especially because I’m the one who let the team down. But the team were good, very good, but because of me we didn’t win the game.

    “I am happy for the work of the team and we just have to move on. This is life of the goalkeeper and if we didn’t win today it’s because of me.”

    Onana requested to face the media after the game and was clearly cut up about his error in the first half, which he said was “the key point” in the loss.

    “I have to learn from it and be strong, move on,” the former Inter Milan player told TNT Sports.

    “It’s not an easy situation but I’m very happy for the comeback of the team. We were fighting until the end, but I have to recognise because of me we didn’t win.

    “I have a lot to prove because, to be honest, my start in Manchester is not so good, not how I want.

    “Play how I play today is one of my worst games and it’s difficult because we have big ambition, we are a very big club and we want to win everything.

    “It was a big opportunity for us to bounce back after the situation we are facing. It’s tough, a tough time. We have to be together, we have to continue what we are doing, learn from our mistakes because it’s the only thing to do.”

    Ten Hag did not sugarcoat things when asked about Onana’s error in the press conference, but made clear it is about the team rather than an individual.

    “I think he shows that he takes responsibility and shows personality and the personality he needs to get in high levels,” the United boss said.

    “But that’s not only about him, it’s about the team’s performance, so we have to support him on the pitch, not only in life, we have to help him.

    “But it doesn’t only count for Andre, it counts for all the players on the pitch. They have to understand they are in the same boat and they have to be on the same page to get results.”

    Ten Hag said people should “not make it bigger than it is” and is sure Onana will bounce back from the clanger as attention turns to Saturday’s Premier League trip to Burnley.

    “When you score three goals in Munich you have to take at least a point, which we didn’t,” the Dutchman said. “We have to take a look at ourselves in the mirror.”

    As for Bayern, they were far from their free flowing best but Thomas Tuchel – banned from the touchline – was happy with the result.

    “It is a deserved win,” the ex-Chelsea boss said. “Every win in the Champions League is a big point.

    “Every win against Manchester United is a big point. We didn’t have the rhythm that we wanted and in the phase after we made it 3-1 we could have killed the game off. But we reacted well to every setback.”

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