All posts by z3u9t.icu

Paris Saint-Germain manager Christophe Galtier was taken into custody on Friday morning amid allegations of discrimination by his former club Nice, as per Goal.

In a fresh update, it's now been revealed that he will go on trial in December as a result of the investigation (via BBC Sport).

Why has PSG boss Christophe Galtier been taken into custody?

An investigation into the alleged discrimination initially began back in April, based on accusations of homophobic and Islamophobic remarks made during Galtier's time at Nice in the 2021/22 season.

Since the start of the allegations, Galtier has reiterated his innocence, with his lawyer previously releasing a statement, which said (via Goal): "Christophe Galtier was amazed to learn of the insulting and defamatory remarks of Mr. Julien Fournier against him.

"Given the seriousness of the charges against him, which he disputes with the greatest firmness, Christophe Galtier immediately seized his lawyer… to initiate, without delay, the necessary legal proceedings which are necessary.”

Galtier also previously said, via BBC: "I have decided to take legal action against those who have violated my honour and I can only be satisfied with the opening of an investigation.

"I was stunned by the comments that were attributed to me and that were relayed in an irresponsible manner.

"I am a child of the HLM estates (subsidised housing estates), raised in diversity, raised to respect others no matter their origin, their colour or their religion."

Meanwhile, PSG backed the boss back in April, saying they: "wish that the judicial system will shine a light on the truth on the serious allegations against our coach".

The investigation into Galtier

A number of key figures have been involved in the investigation, with the PSG manager's son, John Valovic-Galtier, also taken into custody amid the accusations. Both Galtier and his son went to the police station at 8:45am on Friday, June 30.

Following this, the 56-year-old will now stand trial on December 15 before the Nice Criminal Court.

Nice president Jean-Pierre Rivere has been interviewed as part of the investigation, alongside former football director Julian Fournier, the man who made the investigation happen after an alleged leaked email. We will know the outcome of the arrest in the next 24 hours.

The news comes with his PSG future already up in the air, with their on-pitch form coming into question. After all, according to Fabrizio Romano, the French champions were close to reaching a termination agreement with the manager's contract earlier this month.

It remains to be seen if these off-pitch issues will play any sort of role in deciding his coaching future in Paris.

If you told us that the same Gary Neville who won eight Premier League titles – before going on to make questionable noises on the gantry for Sky Sports – would join Dragons’ Den, we’d have a lot of questions.Yet, here we are, with the Manchester United legend joining Steven Bartlett, Sara Davies, Touker Suleyman, Peter Jones, Emma Grede, and Deborah Meaden on the show, as confirmed by the BBC.It’s not as random a move as you may think, however. The former right-back actually does have plenty of business experience.

What is Gary Neville’s net worth?

Since retiring in 2011, Neville has gone on to have huge success off the pitch, becoming a constant feature on Sky Sports as one of their main pundits, and opening his own hotel, as well as a number of other businesses.

The Sky Sports pundit also owns an investment company, a property developer, a programme of study, a hospitality company. On top of this, Neville owns part of Salford City alongside other members of Man United’s class of 92.

So, it’s fair to say that he has been a busy man since hanging up his boots, arguably becoming more famous than in his playing days.

As of today, Neville’s net worth is reportedly as much as $25m (£19.65m), giving him plenty to invest with while on Dragons’ Den.

Why is Gary Neville joining Dragons’ Den?

As explained on the BBC, Neville is joining the show for series 21, which will air in 2024, to “shake things up and impart their unique business advice on those entering the Den”.

Speaking about joining the show, the Premier League winner told BBC: “I am excited to join the Dragons, and to meet the entrepreneurs brave enough to face us in the Den.

“I hope my personal journey shows that you can take the experiences you’ve had in one part of your career and use them to do something entirely different and make it a success.

“Business is all about managing people and managing yourself, and I’m looking forward to sharing my experience to help the entrepreneurs we’ll meet in the Den reach their potential.”

It will certainly be an interesting watch, with Neville’s involvement potentially attracting a new range of viewers to the show, given his popularity in football.

If it goes anything like his punditry career, too, then we’re bound to get moments worth watching over and over again. Although it must be said, Neville will want to avoid a debut similar to his first Sky Sports appearance when he famously attempted to interview then-Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini after his side’s game.

Mauricio Pochettino is eyeing a Chelsea swoop for highly rated Arsenal teen Ethan Nwaneri during the summer transfer window.

What’s the latest on Ethan Nwaneri to Chelsea?

That’s according to The Evening Standard, who claim that Chelsea, alongside Manchester City, are fighting it out to land the teen sensation during the transfer window.

His schoolboy registration runs out on Friday, meaning the Gunners have until then to agree scholarship terms with the 16-year-old and they face competition from the Blues and City, with the report indicating that these are the two clubs who are renowned for being the highest payers when it comes to academy talents.

With Arsenal making an offer to Nwaneri, it will be up to Pochettino to improve on that and outline his thoughts for the youngster over the coming years.

Who is Ethan Nwaneri?

The teen starlet made his Arsenal debut aged just 15 last September against Brentford, becoming the youngest-ever player to make their Premier League debut in the process.

He was lauded as a “wonderkid” by talent scout Jacek Kulig following this momentous occasion, whilst his former Arsenal U18s coach Dan Micciche also lavished praise on the teen after his impressive debut for the U18s against Reading, saying:

"He's someone very highly thought of here as there are other boys at Hale End as well.

"I trusted him to perform today and he got two assists. Knowing him, he will leave here disappointed that he has not scored a goal or he's misplaced a few passes because he's got that champion mentality."

This mentality could stand the 5 foot 10 gem in good stead and if he did make the move to the Stamford Bridge outfit, he could very well become the next Ashley Cole.

Having emerged from Hale End, Cole went onto become the first-choice left-back under Arsene Wenger between 2000 and 2006, before departing the club to join Chelsea in the summer of 2006.

He made over 200 appearances for the Gunners, but the lure of money and chances of winning the Champions League were too much to turn down for the 107-cap star and although Cole was one of the finest defenders in Europe when he left Arsenal, Pochettino will be aiming to pinch another talented player off the club in the form of Nwaneri this summer.

The move could turn heads, yet over the coming years, it may very well pay dividends for the Argentinian as he aims to significantly bolster the young talent available to him at Chelsea and in Nwaneri, they have one of the most promising gems in England.

Newcastle United are willing to pay the £80m fee that Real Madrid initially paid AS Monaco last year in order to sign Aurelien Tchouameni this summer, according to reports in Spain.

Newcastle United – are they signing Aurélien Tchouaméni?

Even though reports suggest that the Magpies are willing to pay a hefty fee for Tchouameni, Defensa Central have also suggested that the Spanish giants are not willing to sell the former Monaco man this summer.

Of course, there is still a lot of the summer transfer window to go, however, and a lot can change.

Such is Newcastle's spending power, if the move did become realistic, then the Magpies have the ability to make their move.

Eddie Howe has also been linked with a long-standing pursuit of James Maddison this summer.

Aurélien Tchouaméni would be Newcastle's biggest signing yet

The fact that Newcastle are even being linked with a move for Tchouameni shows just how far they've come in such a short space of time. Better yet, it could be said that they're more than capable of landing such a player.

The Magpies turned heads by splashing out on Alexander Isak back in January, but a move for the Real Madrid man would result in a reaction of jealousy from rivals and awe from the on-watching fans.

After the recent arrival of Jude Bellingham, too, Tchouameni may just begin to worry about his place at the Santiago Bernabeu, having played 2120 minutes in LaLiga last season – the equivalent of 23 games.

Add in the presence of the England international and the Frenchman may just struggle for game time. potentially opening the door for a shock move to St James' Park.

He could be Newcastle's answer to Declan Rice, who looks more and more likely to join Arsenal this summer, according to reports, with Newcastle known to have held an interest in recent months.

As per FBref, when compared, the Real Madrid man has a better pass completion rate, as well as more tackles and interceptions, won per 90 than the West Ham United midfielder.

With Champions League experience under his belt, too, Tchouameni represents the perfect option for clubs all around Europe at just 23-years-old.

His rise to the top has attracted praise from players of a similar calibre, with Paul Pogba speaking about his France teammate back in 2021, telling Ouest France (via the Daily Mail):

"It was a pleasure to play next to him. He brings a lot of energy. A lot of energy, extraordinary technical and physical quality.

"We wish him to play lots of matches and that I am always at his side."

It would be a landmark day for Newcastle if they did manage to sign Tchouameni, who journalist Lucas Navarrete once hailed as a "ball-recovering machine", that's for sure.

This would also be the moment that Howe's side pull up a chair at Europe's forcer expanding top table, where they would sit alongside the likes of Manchester City and co, especially with the Premier League runners-up closing in on a deal for Rice.

Although Real Madrid are currently unwilling to sell the French star, there's a long summer ahead, and anything could yet happen.

Leeds United's summer seemed destined to be dominated by the takeover rumours, and yet just last week it was revealed that the 49ers had finally completed the deal to push Andrea Radrizzani out the exit door.

This is a move fans will likely welcome, especially after the recent antics of the Italian, who even put Elland Road up as security as he sought to purchase a different club. Following on from his role in their relegation from the Premier League too, his position had become untenable.

These new owners will know how commercially viable the top flight can be when combined with a club of this size, thus making it a must-achieve if they are to turn a profit on this venture. However, such a goal will only be reached if they invest themselves this summer.

Reports from earlier this month of their interest in Coventry City striker Viktor Gyokeres will be welcome news to a fanbase desperate for some added firepower given the mass exodus now expected throughout the Yorkshire club.

However, the €20m (£17m) price tag could prove a stumbling block, alongside the subsequent interest from a host of Premier League teams. It would mark a massive statement of intent should the 49ers complete this coup, suggesting that their stay in this division is to be short-lived.

How good is Viktor Gyokeres?

As painful as it is to admit, the Whites are officially now a Championship club again. Despite their immense standing in the English game, and the stature that has often led to an unprecedented transfer allure, their presence in the second division diminishes this massively.

The quality of where they can now find their new targets from has dropped significantly, and in an effort to earn an instant promotion, perhaps within the league could be the best port of call for dominating it.

Therefore, to tempt one of its most prolific scorers in recent years makes perfect sense, as this Swedish marksman would surely fire them towards a playoff push at the very least. In his most recent term, the 25-year-old scored 21 times in the league and assisted a further ten.

Standing at 6 foot 2 but possessing frightening speed too, the powerful forward proved that he could create and score all on his own. This nearly culminated in the Sky Blues' playoff promotion too, although they were felled on penalties by a resolute Luton Town.

With 17 goals from the campaign prior too, this is a level he is clearly well above, with teammate Maxime Biamou even branding him "unplayable".

By joining Leeds, he could hope for one final year in the Championship before either moving elsewhere or leading the Yorkshire side back to where they will feel they belong under this new ownership.

Everton are interested in a summer deal to bring Angers SCO midfielder Batista Mendy to the Premier League, according to reports.

Who is Batista Mendy?

Mendy first arrived at the Raymond Kopa Stadium from FC Nantes on a free transfer back in 2021, and he’s since gone on to make a total of 73 appearances to date. The Frenchman started 35 out of the 38 Ligue 1 games last season and established himself as Alexandre Dujeux’s third best-performing defensive player, but despite his displays, his future is up in the air.

The Kelyxane Sport Agency client will be out of contract at the end of next season meaning that the upcoming window will be his club’s final big opportunity to cash in should they not want to risk losing him for free in 12 months time, and if he was to depart, he won’t be short of potential suitors in the top-flight.

Are Everton signing Mendy?

According to L’Equipe (via Sport Witness), Mendy is being “followed” by Everton, Nottingham Forest and Wolverhampton Wanderers, with the midfielder having “emerged as a target” for the trio ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

Angers are expected to sell their prized asset in the coming weeks and months and have already placed a €6m (£5m) price tag on his head, a fee that they would be happy to receive in order to “part ways” with him.

The Toffees and Sean Dyche “want to take advantage” of his side’s relegation to see if they could “lower” the demanded sum, but it’s currently “not clear” whether they would be willing to do such a thing.

Should Farhad Moshiri move for Mendy?

Everton will be in need of several new reinforcements over the summer to ensure that they don’t find themselves in danger of relegation again next season, but Mendy is not a player that they should be aiming to bring to Merseyside.

France’s former U19s international was ranked by WhoScored as Angers’ 16th overall worst-performing player last campaign with a match rating of 6.35, not to mention that he was averaging 1.9 fouls per league game which was higher than any other of his fellow teammates.

The 6 foot 3 defensive midfield colossus also lacks any kind of threat going forward having posted zero goals or assists across all competitions during the previous term, so fails to have a positive impact at either end of the pitch, therefore making this a deal that the hierarchy should avoid.

Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Julen Lopetegui is set for a 'really important week' as he reflects on what the club can change going forward at Molineux, according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest news involving Wolverhampton Wanderers and Julen Lopetegui?

According to BBC Sport, Lopetegui thinks that it will be difficult for Wolves to compete in the English top flight next term amid Financial Fair play issues at Molineux, as he stated: "I have had that meeting [with chairman Jeff Shi] and there are some Financial Fair Play problems I didn't know before. I hope we will solve this issue. It's very difficult to compete in the Premier League without investment."

The report states that the Old Gold posted a £46.1 million deficit in their last financial results in an environment where Premier League clubs are only allowed to record £105 million of losses in a three-year period.

Several first-team players could be on their way out at Wolves this summer in order to balance the books, one of them being club captain Ruben Neves, who is being courted by La Liga giants Barcelona, as per AS.

Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United, Roma and Aston Villa have been linked with a move for Wolves striker Hwang Hee-chan, who could become another asset used to raise funds to combat their financial restrictions, as per The Mirror.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jones thinks that Lopetegui will be anxious to seek clarity over what the future may hold for Wolves next season.

Jones told FFC: "I think it's going to be a really important week or so to reflect on what Lopetegui has actually changed about the club and what he's going to be able to change going forward. That's what he needs to be assured of, that the work that's gone in over the past five or six months can continue and that's, I think, is his big concern."

Who could Wolverhampton Wanderers bring in to supplement potential departures?

Obviously, Wolves will also need to try and bring in players in the summer to supplement prospective departures to build a team capable of competing in the Premier League in 2023/24.

Writing in his column for Caught Offside, journalist Ben Jacobs has stated that Liverpool youngster Fabio Carvalho has emerged as a target for the Old Gold, with a loan deal in the off-season believed to be a possibility.

FC Metz forward Georges Mikautadze has also cropped up on the Old Gold's radar according to reports in France, potentially adding some quality to Lopetegui's forward line.

talkSPORT understand that Coventry City striker Viktor Gyokeres is someone Wolves want to bring in ahead of next season; however, it may cost the best part of £25 million to bring him to Molineux.

Chelsea attacker Kai Havertz is being targeted by Real Madrid independently of their other business, Fabrizio Romano has revealed.

What's the latest on Kai Havertz?

It was recently revealed that Real Madrid are lining up a shock move for the 23-year-old, as they aim to add a versatile attacking option to their squad.

The forward is set to be targeted irrespective of the future of Karim Benzema or their reported interest in Harry Kane, and it has now been announced that Benzema will depart the club after days of uncertainty.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano claimed that Havertz is a target regardless of the decision over Benzema and their other attackers.

"The priority of Real Madrid now, I told you about Kai Havertz, but this is not dependent on Benzema in or out, in any case, Real Madrid want to go for others, and will try to understand the conditions of the deal," he stated.

"For Havertz, it's different, Havertz is a different kind of player, and Real Madrid are interested in him in any case."

Should Havertz go to Real Madrid?

The German international has been mostly disappointing at Chelsea, as despite scoring the winner in the Champions League final, his performances in front of goal have been underwhelming.

The attacker is yet to score more than ten league goals in a season since arriving at Stamford Bridge for around £75m in 2020, and Chelsea particularly struggled in front of goal this season, scoring just 38 times in 38 games.

This may raise questions about why the European Champions are interested in a move for the £150k-per-week forward, and whether Havertz will benefit from moving to the Spanish giants.

Real Madrid have announced that Eden Hazard, Marco Asensio, Mariano and Benzema will all leave this summer, and a versatile attacker as depth is now desired.

Havertz is seen as an option, given that he has played significant minutes on both wings, in midfield and as a false number nine in his career so far, and he could provide cover for wingers Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo, and any striker that may come in to replace Benzema.

With Chelsea also targeting a forward, with Victor Osimhen linked, a move away may be the best option for Havertz, as he aims to revive his career as his value continues to fall.

This may be the best time for Chelsea to sell the attacker, given that he has two years left on his deal, and his performances have not warranted either a starting spot or a contract extension.

Liverpool currently have the second-best defence in the Premier League this season, with just 25 goals conceded in 37 games.

Even though the Reds still have one match left to play in this top-flight campaign, which could potentially end with Jurgen Klopp’s side winning the league title, it seems as though the manager and the club’s hierarchy have identified one player who could make a move to Anfield in the summer.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from Voetbal International (via Sport Witness), Liverpool have joined the race to sign PSV Eindhoven midfielder Ibrahim Sangare.

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The report also claimed that fellow Premier League clubs Aston Villa, Leicester City and Newcastle United are all interested in signing the 24-year-old.

After scoring two goals and providing five assists in 86 appearances for Toulouse, the midfielder joined his current club in September 2020.

Since then, the Ivory Coast international has gone on to make 87 appearances in Eindhoven across all competitions, scoring five goals and supplying six assists along the way.

With 29 league appearances to his name this season, no other PSV player has racked up more minutes than Sangare, showing just how important he has been to the Eredivisie giants.

To further highlight his significance to the team and his defensive talents, he has the highest average for tackles (3.3) and interceptions (2.6) per game of any PSV player in the 2021/22 campaign.

Klopp’s own Yaya Toure?

Speaking about the PSV maestro, African journalist Alpha Balde put him in the same frame as two of the Premier League’s most decorated midfield stars of yesteryear. He said of the 24-year-old: “Physically, he’s like Yaya Toure but he reminds me of Michael Essien.”

Sangare has also received praise in the past from his former Toulouse boss Alain Casanova, who dubbed the Ivorian a “complete” player who is “calm in small spaces and comes out of pressure in incredible ways.”

Casanova also said that the PSV midfielder has “a great ability to recover the ball and does a huge amount of running.”

Taking all this into account, if Liverpool are to secure a deal for Sangare in the summer, which could reportedly cost them £30m, this could end up being a great bit of business from the Merseyside club and strengthen what is already a world-class squad.

In other news: FSG eyeing Liverpool swoop for £106m-rated titan, he will “be better than Van Dijk”

Pundit and former Leeds United defender Danny Mills has made an injury claim regarding Patrick Bamford, as per Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Bamford back on the pitch

The 28-year-old has been limited to a mere seven Premier League starts this season, playing just 559 minutes of action due to a number of injuries.

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His latest foot issue came against Wolves in March, although it looks as if he could have a part to play in the final games of the season as Leeds battle to avoid the drop.

Jesse Marsch confirmed last week that the striker has been back out on the Thorp Arch training pitches, but Mills had his concerns regarding Bamford’s fitness.

The Latest: Mills’ claim on Bamford

Mills, who contributes for Sky Sports, was talking to Football Insider regarding the Leeds striker.

He said that starting Bamford and having to take him off would be ‘disruptive’ to Marsch’s tactical setup and urged caution over the use of the 28-year-old given his injury troubles over the past few months.

The 44-year-old warned:

“It would be a real risk to have him as the main man up front going forward.

“He could break down at any moment, so to have him playing minutes if he’s not 100% – it’s a risk.

“If you have to then take him off, it’s disruptive. You’ve laid all your plans around him playing and having an impact.

“If you then have to take him off, it’s a bit like ‘oh no’ – because you have to change your set-up and your tactics completely if you’re Jesse Marsch.”

The Verdict: Impact sub?

Should Bamford return to the matchday squad for the final three games of the season, it could be wise if Marsch decided for an opposing plan to the one back in March.

Bamford was given the nod from the off in wins over Norwich and Wolves, but he failed to play more than 45 minutes in either game.

Therefore, it could be wise to use the striker as an impact sub instead of starting in upcoming games against Brighton, Brentford and possibly even Chelsea on Wednesday, with the Whites now at a make-or-break stage of the season.

In other news: Leeds and Orta now make first move to sign ‘undefendable’ star in blow to Everton