Arteta ‘requests’ Barcelona star as Laporta ‘asks for more’ after Arsenal make £25m ‘offer’

Mauricio Pochettino insisted the best team lost in the Trophee des Champions as Jocelyn Gourvennec dealt the first psychological blow of the 2021-22 campaign to collect Lille s first ever triumph in the competition.

Pochettino s men failed to secure a third domestic trophy of his tenure as they succumbed to a second straight 1-0 defeat against Lille, a result which ended PSG s eight-year reign in the Trophee des Champions.

PSG have enjoyed a productive transfer window, bringing in Gianluigi Donnarumma, Sergio Ramos, Achraf Hakimi and Georginio Wijnaldum, though only the latter two were able to feature on Sunday.

I think we were the best team on the pitch tonight, Pochettino said after the final loss. But we failed to realize our opportunities, and to win in foot…

According to a recent report from Tuttosport, Gonzalo Higuain is set to meet with Chelsea representatives regarding securing a deal that would bring him to Stamford Bridge. The Argentine forward is currently in Saudi Arabia preparing for the Italian Supercoppa, and the general belief is that the Blues’ representatives will meet him in Jeddah prior to the game. The rumours surrounding Higuain moving to Chelsea have been ongoing since the summer, but courtesy of his loan move to AC Milan, it seemed as if it was off the table.

The 31 year old, who has been playing for the Argentina national team since way back in 2009, has been with Milan since 2018 when he joined on loan from Juventus. Alas, while he’s had success over in Italy, many have wondered what would happen if he did …

New Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner warned he was “no magician” as he prepares for his first game in charge of the relegation-threatened side.

While there will no doubt be changes coming at Selhurst Park, the Austrian’s message in his first press conference at times echoed his predecessor Roy Hodgson who, in the weeks leading up to his departure last Thursday, liked to remind critics that he did not have a “magic wand.”

Glasner, who led Eintracht Frankfurt to Europa League glory in 2022, takes over a Palace side five points clear of the relegation zone and 12 ahead of Saturday’s opponents Burnley, still missing a trio of their most influential players, and in recent weeks playing in front of an increasingly disillusioned fanbase.

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Inter have named the same starting XI that thrashed Shakhtar Donetsk for Friday s Europa League final with Sevilla, who have rewarded Luuk de Jong with a start after his late heroics in the semi-finals.

Antonio Conte s men crushed Shakhtar 5-0 on Monday to secure their passage to the final in emphatic fashion.

Lautaro Martinez and Romelu Lukaku – who scored four of the five goals between them last time – lead the line, while Danilo D Ambrosio lines up on the right having netted the other goal on Monday.

Victory for Inter will see them claim their first title since 2011.

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Here s your Nerazzurri team for the !  

— Inter (@Inter_en)

As for Sevilla, hoping to lift this trophy for a sixth time having won it three…

A defiant Massimiliano Allegri defended his record with Juventus after again failing to deliver Champions League glory.

Ajax s sparkling 2-1 win in Turin on Tuesday ended Juve s campaign at the quarter-final stage for the second straight season.

Cristiano Ronaldo opened the scoring, but goals either side of half-time from Donny van de Beek and Matthijs de Ligt inflicted a shock 3-2 aggregate defeat on the Bianconeri and extended the Serie A side s 23-year wait for a third European crown.

Former AC Milan boss Allegri has now had five unsuccessful attempts at ending the drought, the latest having been billed as a major opportunity following the recruitment of Ronaldo from reigning champions Real Madrid.

The Italian insisted his hunger for success remains un…

Barcelona are interested in signing Joao Pedro from Brighton and Hove Albion in the summer transfer window, according to . The report has claimed that Barcelona, who won the La Liga title last season, have been in touch with the entourage of the winger and are keen on bringing him to the club for next season and beyond.

Pedro has been on the books of Brighton since the summer of 2023 when he joined from Watford. The 22-year-old Brazil international winger has been superb for the Seagulls so far this season. He has made 12 starts and 11 substitute appearances in the Premier League this campaign, scoring eight goals and providing two assists in those games.

Barcelona are third in the La Liga table at the moment with 57 points from 26 matches, as many as eight points behin…

Mesut Ozil has completed a move to Fenerbahce after negotiating his departure from Arsenal.

World Cup winner Ozil, once Arsenal s record signing, had been excluded from Mikel Arteta s first-team plans this season and departs after seven and a half years with the Premier League club.

The former Germany midfielder was under contract until the end of the current campaign but reached an agreement for an early termination, clearing him to sign elsewhere.

Fener have now confirmed the arrival of Ozil, with Arsenal announcing the playmaker s departure on their official website.

In a statement in the Gunners announcement, Ozil said: I d like to thank the club for this amazing journey over the past seven-and-a-half years.

The support I have felt fr…

Dirk Kuyt believes Thiago Alcantara is the best midfielder in the world and has backed Liverpool to complete an unprecedented quadruple.

Thiago moved to Anfield from Bayern Munich for £20million (€23.8m) on a four-year deal in September 2020, but failed to live up to expectations during a first season at the club that was hampered by injuries and COVID-19.

Jurgen Klopp s side lost nine of the first 21 games in which the Spain international featured, including six home defeats in a row, while they were dumped out of the FA Cup and Champions League.

However, Thiago has come to the fore this season, with the Reds a point behind Premier League leaders Manchester City, through to the semi-finals of the Champions League and in the FA Cup final after alread…

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Seeking a real bounce in midweek, Manchester City will turn their attention back to Champions League duties when they make the trip to Olympiakos on Wednesday evening.

Olympiakos

Starting with the hosts, managing to pick up a 1-0 win against former Greek heavyweights Panathinaikos over the weekend, Olympiakos will be desperate to build off of that result if they re to pull off what would be a real Champions League upset in midweek. Opening Wednesday s fixtures sat third in Group C and sat three points adrift of leapfrogging Porto to that lucrative final spot in the knockout stage, Pedro Martins men will undoubtedly be glad to make a return to home soil after their eventual hammering away at the Etihad earlier in the month. Hit with a…

Scott Arfield vowed to return to Rangers “in some capacity” after saying his goodbyes to the club and supporters at Ibrox on Wednesday night.

The Govan club asked fans to stay behind after the final home game of the season – a 2-2 cinch Premiership draw with Hearts – to pay tribute to the 34-year-old midfielder as well as Allan McGregor, Alfredo Morelos, Ryan Kent and long-term injured defender Filip Helander, all of whom will leave in the summer.

Arfield, who became a fans favourite following his move from Burnley in 2018, told RangersTV: “It is an amazing five years I have had here.

“I wanted to win the title when I first came and I managed to play a major part in winning the 55th title and that is something that nobody will ever take away from you.…