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Tag: Kelvin Debruyne

Predicted Man City lineup against Liverpool as Guardiola faces limited choices due to Kevin De Bruyne injury worry

Manchester City face Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday, with the Blues desperately needing a positive result to prevent their season from slipping further.

City has suffered three consecutive league defeats and five losses in six matches across all competitions. The only bright spot came on Tuesday against Feyenoord in the Champions League, though even that result was disappointing, as City squandered a three-goal lead in the last 15 minutes to draw 3-3.

Liverpool, on the other hand, triumphed over Real Madrid the following night and have lost just once this season in all competitions, sitting top of both the Premier League and Europe. This success has raised the stakes for Sunday’s match, with Arne Slot’s team able to extend their lead over City to 11 points with a win.

Pep Guardiola still faces injury concerns, with Rodri, Mateo Kovacic, and Oscar Bobb long-term absentees. Kevin De Bruyne has been coming off the bench in recent matches but is not yet fully fit, having just recovered from an injury in the past week. Guardiola pointed out before the midweek draw that De Bruyne had only trained properly for one day, making it risky to start him against Liverpool.

Ruben Dias was available against Feyenoord but did not play, and John Stones was absent entirely. As a result, Guardiola will likely rely on the same core group of players for the Anfield trip, limiting the potential for changes. Kyle Walker may return to the defense, but Josko Gvardiol, Manuel Akanji, and Nathan Ake are expected to start, given the team’s injury issues elsewhere.

Ederson will be in goal, while Ilkay Gundogan seems poised to start in midfield for his intelligence and ability to operate in a defensive midfield role. Rico Lewis might be pushed further forward to provide additional support, as Guardiola has done in previous matches this season. This would leave Mathues Nunes, who started in midweek, without a place in the starting lineup. Nunes has made only occasional appearances in the Premier League, with most of his outings coming on the left.

With De Bruyne still not fully match fit, Phil Foden may continue in a creative role. Bernardo Silva’s experience and versatility make him a reliable option, while Jack Grealish is likely to complete the attacking trio behind Erling Haaland. Savinho remains inconsistent, and Jeremy Doku is only recently back in training after injury.

November 30, 2024
As Liverpool supporters pay attention, Pep Guardiola finally clarifies Kevin De Bruyne’s transfer future

Liverpool won’t have any benefits when vying for the Premier League title since Manchester City won’t be trading Kevin De Bruyne this summer.

Pep Guardiola has stated that Kevin De Bruyne will remain at Manchester City, and the Premier League champion will probably have the same team available for the upcoming campaign.

The head coach of City announced that De Bruyne will not be leaving the team, dispelling any rumours that the midfield player was about to depart after reportedly reaching a personal terms agreement with Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia. The 33-year-old De Bruyne was about to reach the last year of his contract, so there was a lot of talk that City would take the Saudi money and cash in on him.

Rival Premier League teams’ supporters started to rejoice as De Bruyne proved to be a valuable asset to City and cemented his place as one of the greatest midfield players in league history. The Belgian has been instrumental in City’s recent domination, inflicting damage on Liverpool as a result of their defeat in many Premier League title contests.

Before City’s preseason match against Celtic, which marked the beginning of their U.S. tour, Guardiola declared: “Kevin isn’t leaving.”

If someone departs, we will discuss that. Guardiola added, “Of course, until the last day, we have chances (to make transfers),” as he carried on talking about the remaining players on the roster and possible trades. Although I don’t discount the possibility of adding new players, I believe there is an 85–90% likelihood that our current roster will remain intact.

“I am at ease because our squad consists of people whose calibre is hard to replace and will always remain.” But we’ll see. I’m not sure if we’ll make a decision at the last minute if someone comes for some players and they depart.

It would be nearly difficult to replace De Bruyne, and although it will inevitably happen in the future, Guardiola is positive that he won’t have to deal with it this summer. Only one new player has been added to City during the transfer season, with the $43.6 million purchase of 20-year-old winger Savinho.

The $40.3 million in sales made by Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Tommy Doyle, and Sergio Gomez more than paid for Savinho’s compensation. After winning the Premier League for a record-tying fourth time in a row last season, Guardiola’s team is expected to win the championship once more in 2024–2025.

In recent years, a rivalry has developed between City and Liverpool, with both teams flourishing under respective managers, Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp. Although Liverpool did experience success and put an end to its thirty-year league title drought, City has won more trophies than any other English team since Guardiola took over.

There have been rumours that Guardiola may step down soon, which might have an effect on City’s dominance as it changes. After feeling at ease under Klopp for over nine years, Liverpool is facing the same dilemma with new head coach Arne Slot.

Despite a significant obstacle in his first season, Slot is seen as the ideal candidate for the position. Guardiola’s confirmation of De Bruyne’s stay means he will have to play at full strength against City.

July 23, 2024
Man City exit bombshell from Kevin De Bruyne as move ‘agreed’ and Liverpool looks on

Kevin de Bruyne’s contract with Manchester City, Liverpool’s fiercest rival, is set to expire in one year.

A considerably diminished Manchester City team may begin the forthcoming Premier League season against Liverpool. The Reds have frequently fallen short of their opponents for the championship, largely because of Kevin de Bruyne, who is now rumoured to be looking for a new challenge in Saudi Arabia.

The Belgian playmaker for City is currently in the last year of his contract at the Etihad Stadium. He has enjoyed nine trophy-filled years there, mostly at the expense of Liverpool, as fans recall his 2021/22 contributions that saw the trophy go to Manchester by one point while the player in question won Player of the Season.

However, it looks as though the Reds won’t have to contend with De Bruyne’s talent for very long as the Mirror reports that he has now agreed to personal terms to move to the Gulf state following direct negotiations with Al-Ittihad.

The 33-year-old is expected to leave before his contract expires if City can reach a transfer fee agreement before the deadline in September. This unexpected turn of events follows the midfield player’s hint last month that he would leave.

“At my age you have to be open to everything,” he said. “You’re discussing enormous sums of money at a time when my career might be coming to an end.

“You have to consider that sometimes. I can make a huge amount of money if I play there [in Saudi Arabia] for two years. I had to play football for fifteen years prior to that.

“I might not even get close to that sum yet. You then need to consider what that might imply going forward. However, I haven’t had to consider that as of yet.”

De Bruyne’s exit would signal a change in leadership for a City squad that has dominated the Premier League for the better part of a decade. In his 382 appearances in sky blue, he has scored 102 goals and provided 170 assists. The contract for manager Pep Guardiola is also set to expire in 2025, and there is currently no indication that he will extend it.

More news…….

Liverpool and Manchester United in transfer battle to sign $33 million star from Jose Mourinho

Liverpool and Manchester United will compete with many other clubs across Europe for the signature of Turkey international Ferdi Kadioglu during the summer transfer window.

Liverpool and Manchester United are reportedly vying for the signature of Fenerbahce striker Ferdi Kadioglu. According to sources, the Turkish full-back shone while away with the national squad at Euro 2024 and is now garnering interest from clubs across the Premier League.

According to Calciomercato, Liverpool and United have joined the growing list of clubs in Europe keeping an eye on Kadioglu. Arsenal, Juventus, and Newcastle United are among the other clubs linked with the defender’s transfer.

The 24-year-old can play on either flank and would be a valuable addition for new Liverpool manager Arne Slot, who may aim to shift Trent Alexander-Arnold into a more permanent midfield role in future.

The Turkish giants are apparently opposed to the player’s departure, but if he does leave, they will demand around $33 million (€30 million/£25 million). Liverpool has yet to complete a signing in the summer transfer window, but the Red Devils have been one of the busier teams, pursuing other targets such as Joshua Zirkzee and Matthijs de Ligt.

However, if any team wants to recruit Kadioglu, they would most certainly face a big stumbling block this summer, as new manager Jose Mourinho seeks to retain one of the club’s top players. “Our president wants our club to develop, not regress,” Mourinho said Hurriyet when questioned about Kadioglu’s and other team members’ futures.

“This means keeping the greatest players and not selling them. The primary priority is to get the players we have back on the team. “This will happen gradually.”

Liverpool.com reports that Liverpool is looking to add depth to its defence during the summer transfer season. Andy Robertson and Alexander-Arnold both missed lengthy stretches of time last season, so having a guy like Kadioglu who can cover numerous positions could be crucial in the coming season. At 24 years old, he is still a long way from his peak and might thrive under Slot.

July 21, 2024
Liverpool’s position on activating the release clause for Kevin De Bruyne “replacement”

The transfer of Dani Olmo from RB Leipzig, who is anticipated to have his £50 million release clause activated at some point this week, has not yet been linked to Manchester City.

Dani Olmo is reportedly in line to take over for Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne, who is nearing the end of his contract at Etihad Stadium.

De Bruyne is set to stay in Manchester this summer, but after that, his future is still up in the air, which has led to rumours regarding his successors. Olmo, a Spanish attacking midfielder for RB Leipzig, has gained notice for his actions during Euro 2024.

His contract currently contains a £50 million release clause, which is scheduled to expire the following week. According to The Mirror, clubs in La Liga and the Premier League are getting ready to use his release clause before it runs out.

It’s unclear if City wants to make Olmo’s release clause effective. However, it is said that Chelsea and Liverpool are not among the Premier League teams keeping an eye on the circumstances.

The Spanish daily Sport claims that City manager Pep Guardiola may also compel the sale of Joao Cancelo in addition to the prospect of losing De Bruyne. According to reports, Guardiola is certain that the full-back should not practise with the Blues again before the season.

According to the Manchester Evening News, City would prefer Cancelo to move on and is not interested in signing another loan agreement. Cancelo has not expressed interest in accepting the two permanent offers that Al Ahli and Al Ettifaq are rumoured to have made. Barcelona is pursuing a loan agreement, but they may still be contenders.

Guardiola may pressure City to agree to this, even though the club is not thrilled with the notion, in order to keep Cancelo from going back to the Etihad.

However, supporters of City and their Premier League opponents will undoubtedly be more concerned about De Bruyne’s future. It is difficult to imagine the Etihad without him because he has been crucial to their dominance.

But Olmo has drawn attention at Euro 2024 and might be a wise substitute. Although his release clause issue heightens the mystery around the transfer, Anfield fans will be more concerned on whether he ends up joining their championship rivals instead, following claims that Liverpool has decided not to trigger the clause.

More news……

Liverpool has been tracking the Serie A left-back “for months,” with a £25 million price tag.

Patrick Dorgu, a youthful full-back for Lecce, has reportedly caught Liverpool’s attention “for months,” according to an Italian source.

The 19-year-old Dorgu had a fantastic season in Serie A last year, making 32 appearances for Lecce, who finished in a respectable 14th place.

Senior football’s breakout season saw the left-back, who scored twice in 17 league starts, dazzle, and as a result, top European teams are showing interest in the Denmark under-21 international.

Although Dorgu is valued by several Premier League teams, he has previously been connected to various Serie A powerhouses, including Milan, Napoli, and most recently, Atalanta, the winners of the Europa League.

The Reds is Among the Patrick Dorgu suitors

PianetaLecce reports that three English teams have expressed interest in Dorgu. Liverpool is one of them. Although the Reds have been “following him for months,” Tottenham and Arsenal have also taken notice of the teenager and are impressed. He was reportedly scouted by the Gunners last season, and they are ‘pushing’ for a trade.

Dorgu, who is also a left winger, is anticipated to go this summer as Lecce looks to cash in on one of their assets. The Italian team is asking about €30 million (£25 million). The Lecce star is apparently eager to make a lucrative move overseas.

Liverpool’s interest in Dorgu has not been previously published, thus it is unclear how credible these rumours are.

In the upcoming weeks, Liverpool is not anticipated to bolster their left-back lineup. Arne Slot, the new head coach, seemed happy with Andy Robertson, Kostas Tsimikas, and even Joe Gomez playing in that position.

However, the Reds had problems last season due to injuries at left-back, and they could need to look soon for a player to fill that position.

Wolverhampton Wanderers left-back Rayan Ait-Nouri has been loosely connected to Liverpool in recent weeks, but at this point in the transfer window, a move appears doubtful.

July 12, 2024
Gary Neville is confident in Liverpool’s own Kevin De Bruyne’s ability to lead Liverpool to victory in the title match.

Trent Alexander:After his injury, Arnold is back. Gary Neville understands why he might be exactly what Liverpool needs to salvage the Premier League title fight.

The timing of Trent Alexander-Arnold’s return to Liverpool could not be more ideal. He will need to take Conor Bradley’s job at right-back, if nothing else.

However, as everyone is aware, the Reds’ 66 is much more than just a band-aid fix. He might even be just what Liverpool needs to go back into the running for the title.

Perhaps Alexander-Arnold’s Sunday return to the team came sooner than Jürgen Klopp had intended. After missing action since February, he naturally didn’t appear up to par after entering the game off the bench against Crystal Palace. Regretfully, he was in a situation where his team might have needed him more than ever.

Liverpool’s chances of winning the title are now gone after the 1-0 loss. The Reds will need to hope that both Manchester City and Arsenal make mistakes before the end of the season in addition to maintaining a flawless record if they are to win another championship before Klopp departs.

But now that Alexander-Arnold is back, they could be better able to accomplish that. The academy product has consistently shown that he can transform the game for Liverpool; this season, two examples of his impact are at home against Fulham and away against City.

And he was, of course, the driving force behind the Reds’ incredible comeback the previous season, when they mounted a late push for the Champions League in spite of an otherwise dismal record overall. Gary Neville is well-versed in the potential impact of Alexander-Arnold.

Neville statement to Alexander-Arnold on the most recent episode of The Overlap, “I would put you in the same category as Kevin De Bruyne and David Beckham in terms of use of the ball, I have never seen anything like it, I don’t know how you do it.” “I don’t know how you play passes, how you get the ball out of midfield, how you get up high on the pitch, or how you deliver it.”

Neville continued to compliment Alexander-Arnold, drawing a comparison between the two of them during his playing career. The twenty-five-year-old has established a reputation for being somewhat of a trailblazer.

Was it my job as a right back to win the game for my team? No, quite uncommon,” Neville went on. “That was my mentality—I could only lose the game and my team.” I played 600 games for Manchester United, always knowing that most weeks I wouldn’t win the game for my club and that, even if we did, nobody would ever claim that Gary Neville was the best player on the field.

“That’s how I played my entire career, but you have the freedom to play your career knowing that your style of play will positively impact the game.” Wayne Rooney was like that. I recall asking him whether he was okay on gameday during the 2004 tournament’s quarterfinal, figuring he would be a little anxious. He replied, “I can’t wait for tonight.” I was thinking, “I’m playing against Ronaldo and Figo, so I’m glad someone can’t.”

Anticipating Alexander-Arnold to return to the side and have an instant impact would be a bit unrealistic. He will most likely need some time to get back on his feet after missing two months due to injury.

But De Bruyne, who plays for Liverpool, has demonstrated that he has it in his locker. After a protracted absence, the City player himself has demonstrated how it’s done, leading Pep Guardiola’s team to a thrilling victory over Newcastle in January on only his second appearance.

With its game-changer back, Liverpool will look to finish the season on a victorious note. He will have done everything in his power to return the title to Anfield if he can pull that off.

April 17, 2024
It was the right decision for Jürgen Klopp to alter Liverpool’s transfer strategy for the amazing ace who is now considered ‘world class’.

Since the 1-1 draw with Man City, Liverpool boss Jürgen Klopp has been highlighting the strengths of several players. One midfield player is not to be disregarded.

If you had been informed in the summer that Liverpool would play Manchester City at Anfield in March, with Joe Gomez starting at left-back, Conor Bradley and Jarell Quansah making up half of the defence, and Wataru Endō among the first names on the roster, you could have been forgiven for questioning what had gone wrong.

When Jürgen Klopp made roster changes to his Liverpool club last summer, that was not the team that was expected. On the injury front, however, nobody could have predicted anything near to what transpired. Up to ten players, including certain starters like Alisson and Ibrahima Konaté, were sidelined, while Mohamed Salah was limited to 30 minutes of action off the bench.

But what happened at Anfield in a match that could have been crucial in the three-way fight for the Premier League title was not at all what many had anticipated a few months ago. Liverpool felt disappointed not to win by the end. Alexis Mac Allister ought to have won a second spot-kick, and Luis Díaz had opportunities.

A reversal in the second half was essential to all of that. Liverpool was still very much in the game, but Manchester City rightly led after the first forty-five minutes of play. However, Liverpool was clearly in the lead after the half.

The midfield was the source of it all. Kevin De Bruyne had discovered spaces earlier in the game, but those gaps had closed. Erling Haaland had very little chance to kick, and the balls into Phil Foden were blocked at the source.

The running that Endō, Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Harvey Elliott completed was essential to everything. The 31-year-old Endō played with the intensity of a player ten years younger.

“What do you anticipate? that the 30-year-old Japanese skipper you sign would be an exceptional player in the Premier League?” stated Klopp in a post-Manchester City interview with BBC Sport.

“We thought he would be a terrific player, but what he’s doing with that role, whether it be with Macca, Dom, or Harvey—what a game he played, by the way— You never know when someone can reach world-class status, but that’s exactly what transpired.”

That really is a great compliment. However, it is not uncalled for. With more than 20 minutes of regular time remaining, De Bruyne was substituted by Endō, who played an outstanding game against Manchester City.

Pep Guardiola concluded that Mateo Kovačić was the person needed to help turn the tide. By then, Endō, Mac Allister, and Elliott were winning the midfield battle, and Manchester City’s major creator was out of the game.

Endō was not your average Liverpool transfer. He was well over the age the Reds typically move for at thirty. However, Klopp and previous sporting director Jörg Schmadtke were completely justified in their $21 million (£16 million/€19 million) transfer; it is difficult to envision Moisés Caicedo, who would have cost about seven times as much, having an influence similar to Endō’s this season.

More news……

Liverpool sends scouts to see the £60 million midfield player against Arsenal.

According to sources, Liverpool dispatched scouts to study Alan Varela, a £60 million transfer target, during Porto’s Champions League victory over Arsenal last week.

Since moving from Boca Juniors in his home Argentina to Portuguese club Porto in August, the 22-year-old defensive midfielder has drawn attention.

Leading teams are allegedly keeping an eye on Varela’s status in anticipation of a potential transfer at the end of the current campaign.

Seven of the Argentine’s twenty-eight outings for Porto have come in the Champions League.

Porto qualified for the round of sixteen after finishing second behind Barcelona thanks to his assistance in winning four of their six group games.

Prior to their second meeting at the Emirates on March 12, Porto leads Arsenal 1-0 from the first leg. A quarterfinal spot is up for grabs.

“We achieved a fantastic outcome,” Pepe declared. We need to be even more concentrated than we were today because it will be even harder in London. We must be faultless.

Galeno’s goal was crucial to our hopes of making it to the quarterfinals. We were aware that the game would be difficult.

“We put on a great show and won with a great goal, but Arsenal has a lot of quality.”

March 12, 2024
Amidst transfer rumors, Kevin De Bruyne admits to Liverpool while the Ballon d’Or winner is “leaked.”

Liverpool rivals round-up: the winner of this year’s Ballon d’Or is reportedly known, and Kevin De Bruyne has been questioned about joining the Reds.

Liverpool has had one of the hardest schedules of any Premier League team thus far, but things are going to start looking up soon. The Reds have traveled to Chelsea, Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur, and Brighton & Hove Albion on their first four away games.
All four of these teams have a realistic chance of placing in the top six or higher this season.

Nevertheless, Everton, Nottingham Forest, Brentford, and Luton Town—Jürgen Klopp’s team’s next four opponents—all presently occupy positions 13 through 16 in the standings.
However, how does this run stack up against its rivals?

Arsenal, the league leader, will look to maintain its winning streak against Fulham, Crystal Palace, and Wolves, as well as win a London derby against former manager Mauricio Pochettino.
Meanwhile, Arsenal will be the clear favorite for home games against Burnley, Sheffield United, and Chelsea. Manchester City’s difficult run of games—Brighton, Manchester United, and Chelsea—continues after its defeat to Arsenal prior to the international break.
However, a home match against Bournemouth may offer some relief.

In response to a question about a transfer to Liverpool, Kevin De Bruyne says no.

Despite acknowledging that he once supported Liverpool as a child, Manchester City star Kevin De Bruyne has ruled out a future move to the club (via Football Escapes).
As he answered questions from younger supporters, De Bruyne acknowledged that he had been a Reds fan “when he was young,” but when asked if he would sign with the team, he laughed and said, “No, no.”

According to Liverpool.com: Although signing De Bruyne was always going to be a pipe dream, Liverpool will be happy that Trent Alexander-Arnold is their own answer to the Belgian.

With his versatility as a right-back and midfielder, the 24-year-old plays a different position than De Bruyne, but he has already finished in the top three of the Premier League assist charts three times.
The two could easily be argued to be the best playmakers in the division, not in world football.

Lionel Messi ‘wins Ballon D’Or’ as missing Liverpool piece remains for Mohamed Salah

The Mirror reports that Lionel Messi has won the Ballon D’Or for a record-breaking eighth time, according to Spanish publication Sport.
Not until a ceremony on October 30 will the award be formally given out, but it appears that Messi has been notified of his victory already.

Messi scored seven goals in as many games, including two in the World Cup final against France, to lead Argentina to the tournament at the end of the previous year.
Nevertheless, he did quit playing in Europe in the summer to sign with Inter Miami of the Major League Soccer, where he was up against treble winners at Manchester City like De Bruyne and record-breaking Erling Haaland.

According to Liverpool.com: Mohamed Salah was the only player from Liverpool to make the list of nominees this time around, but it was never really possible for him to win.
Despite his outstanding individual performance, which included 30 goals and 16 assists across all competitions, the Reds had a terrible season, missing out on Champions League spots and losing every cup competition at the second round.
Given their individual and group accomplishments, it was always going to be between Messi, Haaland, and De Bruyne.

Three Premier League Golden Boots and two PFA Player of the Year awards are just two of Salah’s incredible array of individual achievements during his time at Anfield.
Though he is still lacking the Ballon d’Or, Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, who have both had a strong hold on the trophy, are not in Europe, so he could have a good chance to win it next year.

October 17, 2023