Gossip: Gyokeres open to Gunners move
Liverpool, Manchester City or Arsenal would be Viktor Gyokeres' preferred destination if the 26-year-old Sweden striker leaves Sporting this summer. (A Bola - in Portuguese), externalArsenal are in pole position ahead of Barcelona to sign Espanyol's 23-year-old Spanish goalkeeper Joan Garcia. (Cadena Ser - in Spanish), externalWant more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip columnFollow the gossip column on BBC Sport
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Daily Mirror
17 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Club World Cup's importance is clear as Man City and Chelsea chase £97m jackpot
Pep Guardiola joked he will be taking his golf clubs to the Club World Cup. But no-one should be fooled about the importance of FIFA's new-look competition in the United States this summer. Manchester City, Chelsea, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain and the rest have their eyes on a £97m jackpot for the winners as part of the overall £775m prize money. And it is not just the cash on offer which is motivating the clubs even though it is a major factor. The likes of Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe will be among the star-studded cast list but it will also be huge show bigger than just a dress rehearsal 12 months before the US jointly hosts the next World Cup. And if you are in any doubt about the clubs wanting to win the Club World Cup then you only need to look at the 'mini transfer window' ahead of the tournament. City boss Guardiola went on another spending spree to make sure they are competitive as they have spent over £100m on new signings for the tournament. Big-spending City have brought in AC Milan midfielder Tijjani Reijnders for £46.5m, plus there signed Rayan Ait-Nouri, Marcus Bettinelli and Rayan Cherki in another massive purge. Perhaps just as significantly, Real Madrid spent around £10m just to have Trent Alexander-Arnold available for the Club World Cup. Alexander-Arnold had already agreed to join Real Madrid on a free transfer this summer but the Spanish giants paid out to be able to register the England right back before his contract was due to expire at the end of June. The controversy surrounding the workload, the lack of a proper summer holiday and also too many games is impossible to ignore. As have been reports of slow ticket sales for the major games. Plus FIFA took some time to find a TV deal and, back in the United Kingdom, it is being shown on DAZN who have struck an agreement with Channel 5 to also share coverage. Chelsea and City provide Premier League interest and four of their combined six Group matches kick off in the afternoon or evening UK time. It means Chelsea's first game in Atlanta next Tuesday could be scorching hot in the stadium - but a good watch for viewers back home. That will be key for the tournament to catch light and capture the imagination of the football-loving masses in Europe. And when it comes to kick off, Chelsea won the previous incarnation of this tournament in Abu Dhabi in 2022. City lifted in December 2023. It feels like FIFA have engineered the qualification process for the Club World Cup to get their pick of 32 teams but it will throw up big matches, good clashes and huge interest. Why on earth they had to put in an extra round - the last 16 - ahead of the quarter finals is anyone's guess. But it does mean it will last a month, finally finishing in the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, on July 13. That will put extra strain on the players. But big players and big managers are winners by nature and that means that they will give everything this summer. They will end up with a hangover for next season rather than go easy this summer. That is the reality. Players want to play - and then complain afterwards. And rightly so. We will also get a glimpse of the set-up in the United States. England boss Thomas Tuchel is spending time there to look at base camps, training facilities and also getting his head around how it will all work. The whole thing is designed to deliver stardust. It will be a dress rehearsal for next summer. And it promises to be spectacular. Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. The FIFA Club World Cup will see 32 of the world's best club teams including Man City, Chelsea, Real Madrid, PSG and Bayern Munich play across 63 games from June 14-July 13. Fans can watch every match live and for free by signing up to DAZN.
Daily Mirror
17 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Joao Pedro's real transfer preference between Chelsea and Newcastle confirmed
Joao Pedro looks set to leave Brighton this season with a number of clubs having expressed their interest in the Brazilian but it appears that he has already picked his next club Joao Pedro has opened the door to a sensational move to Chelsea despite Newcastle 's growing interest. The Brazilian striker finds himself in the middle of a tug of war between the two clubs this summer. Reports have recently suggested that Newcastle are stepping up their attempts to sign him as Eddie Howe tries to bolster his front-line. Chelsea have also been linked with a £50m move this summer. And it appears that a switch to Stamford Bridge appeals more to Pedro, if his Brighton teammate Igor Julio is to be believed. The defender has suggested that the forward is prioritising a move to London despite his own attempts to get the former Watford man to sign for Liverpool. 'Joao Pedro had already told Brighton some time ago that his desire was to leave, seek new things, take the next step,' Igor told Trivela. 'It seems it will be difficult and complicated for him to stay here. 'We have to be honest, the club already knows that. (I'm) very happy for him. He deserves it. He's been here in England for five years and hasn't played for a big team yet. It's his moment, his time, so he can make the best decision and be happy wherever he is. 'He always told me that he really wants to live in London, so I think he will prioritise what comes from there first. 'I told [Pedro] that he has to think about what he wants from his career. In my opinion, if I were going to a 'Big Six' team, I would go to a team that fights for the Premier League, plays in the Champions League and is always in a position to win. 'I would go to a Liverpool team and I think he would fit in perfectly at Liverpool. It's because I've always dreamed of playing for Liverpool and I would go there.' Would Joao Pedro be a good signing for Chelsea? Share your thoughts in the comments below Pedro, 23, has scored 30 goals for Brighton having signed for the club in a £30m move from Watford two years ago. He still has three years left to run on his contract at the Amex Stadium. Despite reports suggesting he could be on the way out, Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler hinted earlier this year that he would have the striker's services to call on next term. He said: 'Joao is still a young player and there's still a lot of potential where he will grow, and I'm sure that he will learn from this and come back strong next season. "I'm really looking forward to seeing him renewed and reinvigorated at his highest peak for us and that's all I will say on this.' Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Daily Mail
20 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Bayern Munich make move for Benjamin Sesko as 'Harry Kane's successor' in major blow to Arsenal's transfer plans… as the German giants plot surprise new role for the England skipper
Bayern Munich reportedly hold an interest in signing Benjamin Sesko as their long-term replacement to Harry Kane. The Bundesliga champions were keen on him last summer and are still considering a swoop for the RB Leipzig striker, who is also Arsenal 's top target. Sesko is priced at £75million after a prolific couple of seasons in Saxony, with the 22-year-old banging in 21 goals last campaign despite Leipzig's struggles. Arsenal have held initial discussions over a potential move, with a striker the main priority on sporting director Andrea Berta's summer wish list. But Bayern could throw a spanner in the works as German newspaper Bild have revealed that they are still open to signing him. If they did, their plan would be to shove Kane backwards into a number 10 role - a position he is not formally acquainted with but which may suit his tendency to drop deep. However, Bild acknowledge that Arsenal 'hold the upper hand' over Bayern in the race for Sesko. Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal also made an approach for the Slovenian international but his priority is to stay in Europe. Sesko has scored 39 goals in 87 games for Leipzig since joining the German club two years ago. Before that, he cut his teeth at Red Bull Salzburg in Austria, the same club where Erling Haaland honed his talent before jumping to Borussia Dortmund and Manchester City. He has been on the radar of the Premier League's top clubs for at least four years. Salzburg had some fun on social media at the expense of Manchester United in 2022 on learning of their interest in Sesko, who was then 19. 'We now want €1billion, Bruno Fernandes and Fred the Red for Sesko,' they wrote in July 2022. In a recent deep dive in Sesko by Mail Sport's Tom Collomosse, a long-time observer of Sesko spoke of his qualities. 'Sesko has the potential to become one of the best and most complete strikers in the game,' came the assessment of Oliver Durr Dehnhardt, head of football strategy at scouting platform Eyeball. Podcast All episodes Play on Apple Spotify Sesko speaks good English and it is expected that he would adapt to life in England well. Bayern may be encouraged to step up their pursuit, however, after the body blow of Liverpool agreeing a transfer fee for Bayer Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz. Wirtz will soon complete the most high-profile transfer of the summer after Liverpool finally agreed a deal to sign the German superstar for a fee that could rise to £116million. Mail Sport reported last week that Liverpool were confident of doing a deal and were just finalising the details of add-ons and bonuses. And they have now struck an agreement with Bayer Leverkusen for a base £100m fee that will rise to an English record £116m based on those bonuses which include winning the Premier League and Champions League with Wirtz at the heart of those potential successes.
