Lionel Messi failed in his attempt to leave Barcelona this window but Paco Jemez has urged the club to do “everything possible” to sell him.
Lionel Messi has been “deceived and ignored” by Barcelona, according to former Rayo Vallecano manager Paco Jemez, who said the club should still be grant him his wish to leave,
Six-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi announced on September 4 he was staying at Camp Nou after Barcelona made it “impossible” for him to leave with their demands.
Barca disputed that the 33-year-old was still able to take up an option in his contract that would have allowed him to depart for free, meaning any suitors had to pay his €700million release clause or negotiate a fee.
He will now remain in Catalonia for at least another season, but Jemez has suggested it may have worked out better had the Argentina international moved on.
Messi staying is great news for Spanish football
“It is great news that Messi remains in Spanish football and Barca will think the same, but I would not be so happy because Messi has not been comfortable,” he said on YouTube channel Idolos.
“Messi has stayed because they have forced him.
“If what he said is true, Messi has been deceived and ignored. That is not a good thing. If I was the president of Barca, I would do everything possible to make Messi leave. Because if not, this situation will burst.”
Jemez has sympathy for recently appointed Barca boss Ronald Koeman and insisted the issue will not go away now that Messi has committed to staying.
“Letting go of Messi is also very difficult. I understand it, too. What I am clear about, at least as a coach, is that I would not like to have Messi unhappy,” he said.
“Koeman has a significant ‘dead man’. It often happens to us coaches, finding yourself with a problem that other people have generated. You get there and it turns out that the one who has to fix it is you.
“The problem will not be solved just because Messi is staying at Barcelona. There comes a time when there is so much animosity that it is practically impossible to redirect things.”
Ex-PSG winger Jérôme Rothen is expecting Neymar to miss four games after his red card against Marseille.
Neymar can expect a four-game ban for hitting Álvaro González after he accused the Marseille defender of racism, says former Paris Saint-Germain winger Jérôme Rothen.
The Brazilian superstar was one of five players to be sent off at the end of Sunday’s Classique, which Marseille won 1-0 at the Parc des Princes.
A VAR check showed Neymar striking Álvaro on the back of the head, with the forward later saying he was subjected to a racial slur – an allegation his opponent has since categorically denied.
PSG and Marseille have fully backed their respective players and are awaiting a review from French football’s governing body, the Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP).
“For Neymar, it will be four games, I’m sure”
A decision could be made as early as Wednesday and Rothen is expecting Neymar to be hit with an extended suspension.
“For Neymar, it will be four games, I’m sure,” he told RMC Sport. “I’ve been there before after fighting on a field. I had four games.”
PSG also had Leandro Paredes and Layvin Kurzawa sent off in Sunday’s heated clash, while Jordan Amavi and Dario Benedetto saw red for Marseille.
PSG begin Ligue 1 defence with two straight defeats
Reigning Ligue 1 champions and Champions League finalists PSG have kicked off their 2020-21 campaign with back-to-back losses, having also been beaten 1-0 at Lens last week.
Thomas Tuchel’s side are back in action on Wednesday with a home league meeting against Metz, before taking on Nice, Reims and Angers in the next 16 days.
In his latest column, Paul Merson asks why the Manchester clubs haven’t tried to sign Harry Kane yet, and insists Liverpool could easily finish fourth.
Kane’s Tottenham started the season with a 1-0 home defeat by Everton, with the England striker touching the ball in the opposition box just twice.
Meanwhile, Liverpool conceded three but scored four to beat newly-promoted Leeds, but the fact the champions have conceded 16 goals in their last nine games concerns Merse, while the former Arsenal forward also believes the Gunners are still some way from top-four material despite a positive opening-day win at Fulham.
‘What is Kane going to win at Tottenham?’
I’m probably Harry Kane’s biggest fan after his Mum and Dad! I look at him and I think: “What are you going to win at Tottenham?” He’s one of the best in the business at scoring goals, but he’s scoring 30 goals a season and not getting chances to win trophies, what’s the point in being there?
I just cannot believe nobody has come in for him. What am I missing?! Manchester United are crying out for a goal scoring centre-forward, and if I’m being honest I think Man City are too. If Sergio Aguero gets injured, they miss too many chances. Aguero is two shots, one goal.
I just don’t understand why there isn’t more talk about a team signing Kane.
In terms of Spurs, you hear Jose Mourinho saying Spurs aren’t fit enough; if they lose four or five of their first six games, the season is over. That’s it. It’s massive. I said on air with Sky last year – and I got crucified for it – this is the way Mourinho plays. You’re not turning up at Spurs this season seeing 5-4s. It’s all well and good talking about the fitness, but it’s also the way he plays. He’ll sit deep, and he’ll counter-attack teams.
It’s OK when there’s nobody in the ground, but with 60,000 people at Spurs, and they’re seeing that, they’re not going to be happy. They’ve seen some entertaining football there over the last few years. Over the last few years they’ve been as good as anybody, before the Champions League final.
I can understand if he plays that way against Man City, but it’s Everton, at home! If you’re a Spurs fan watching that, you’re thinking: ‘Where are we going?’ I know there’s a long way to go, but you might be the most loyal Spurs fans in the world, you cannot sit there and honestly think, hand on heart, that you’re going to finish in the top four this season.
It’s a shame for them, considering where they’ve been in the last few years.
‘Liverpool could easily drop to fourth’
You look at the goals Liverpool let in against Leeds: wow. I just think they turned up and thought they’d wipe the floor with Leeds.
I think they need to buy someone. It wouldn’t surprise me if the finished fourth this season, and I thought that before this game. It’s the same team, and they have a massive amount of players who have to play every week. Virgil van Dijk can’t get injured. The full-backs can’t get injured. They haven’t got anyone to replace the front three if they’re injured.
I keep saying it. There’s a famous fast food chain that used to sell more chips and burgers than anyone; they still did adverts. You spend to stay at the top.
If Man City get injuries, they’ll just play: ‘We’ll score more goals than you’ anyway. What we’ll see later in the season is teams like Man City come into the fold massively, because their squad is too big. That’s why I worry about Liverpool, there’s five or six players who must play week in, week out, otherwise the team is weakened immensely.
This is the hardest league in the world. You have to be fit, it’s the first thing. Passing comes well below fitness! You could be the best passer in the world, but if you’re not fit, you’re not playing a game. After that, it’s about pace and passing the ball.
‘Why did Chelsea sell Willian?’
I can’t believe Chelsea let Willian go. I know they’ve gone out and get special players, but there’s nothing to say they’re going to hit the ground running. In Willian, you’ve got someone there who is ready-made. I like who they’ve signed, but they cost a lot of money, and their wages are probably the same as Willian.
Frank Lampard has now. He hasn’t got four years. That’s management, I’m not being horrible. Even if Frank wins the league this year, it doesn’t mean he’s going to be there in four years’ time! We know that, and how it changes.
Who is to say this isn’t going to take time for Chelsea? And I don’t think they’ve got time at the moment.
In terms of Arsenal’s win at Fulham, these are the dangerous games; you don’t want to play promoted teams when they come up. You want to play them in January when it’s hit home how hard it is, and they have a couple injuries.
I thought it was a great result for Arsenal. Gabriel makes his debut, is solid, and scores a goal. It was a good performance. I like Arteta, you can see what he’s trying to do, playing a certain way, as a team and with a high tempo.
I like what they’re doing, but top four? I just think the gulf is too big. There’s three or four leagues within the Premier League. I think the top four is the top four in their own league, then you’ve got your Arsenal, Tottenham and maybe even Everton now with Leicester. Then you’ve probably got another little league in mid-table before you get to the lower ends. It’s quite interesting, and that’s why it’s the best league in the world.
Whoever is the fittest, and whoever hits the ground running, has an unbelievable chance.
‘West Ham’s fixtures? I’ve never seen anything like it!’
West Ham had to beat Newcastle. It was their cup final! Look at their fixtures! I’m not being horrible, but what results are they going to get? I honestly think if Man City had the same fixtures, they wouldn’t win the league!
I know people say there’s a long way to go, but that’s such a cruel start for them. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like that.
People will say: ‘It all equals out’ and ‘What follows hard fixtures is easy fixtures,’ but you want it the other way around. You want confidence going into hard games. I do feel for them, I really do.
Fenerbahce are reportedly in talks with Liverpool over signing striker Divock Origi.
The Turkish outfit are one of five clubs believed to be interested in landing the Belgian this summer.
Aston Villa, Newcastle, Brighton and Fulham are keen on Origi’s signature, but Turkish journalist Ekrem Konur claims Fenerbahce have made the first move.
Konur states that Fenerbahce have made enquiries with Liverpool over the possibility of taking the 25-year-old on loan.
Liverpool are open to letting Origi go providing Fenerbahce pay a loan fee and for the agreement to include a mandatory obligation to buy clause.
Origi is contracted to Liverpool until 2024 and is valued at around £30m, but Konur claims The Reds would be prepared to let him go for just shy of £14m.
Fenerbahce would no doubt be charged a considerable sum initially to take Origi on loan and would almost certainly be required to pay his wages in full.
Liverpool would also not allow Origi to leave without lining up an adequate replacement.
The forward is considered a cult hero around Anfield following his exploits in Liverpool’s 2019 Champions League win.
Origi’s actions in Liverpool’s title celebrations sparked speculation he could be leaving the club as he was the last off the pitch having been seen staring at the Kop end whilst out on the field by himself.
While he made 41 appearances for his side last season, many of those came as a substitute, and Origi is largely considered as back-up to the front three.
His six-goal haul will not have convinced Jurgen Klopp otherwise, and rumours suggesting Liverpool were in the market for a new forward will have done little to put Origi at ease.
It is thought he is now prepared to move on in order to seek first-team football.
Despite their reported interest, it is unlikely Villa or Newcastle will make a move for Origi considering both have signed new strikers for big sums recently.
Kylian Mbappe, who has a contract at Paris Saint-Germain until 2022, seems to want to leave in 2021.
He wants to end his stay there a year early, and it seems like a good thing, but again we’re faced with the same situation.
A season is short, but it’s long.
According to The Times, he’d like to cut his time in Paris short by a year and has already made that clear to the club.
Perfect. Now, you have to wonder, how much will the Frenchman be in 2021? Will PSG want him to leave a year early?
As much as the player is clear about things now, there is a contract in place.
He’s still young. He could wait another year and then be free. Nobody knows how the market will look after the pandemic.
Mbappe himself is now out due to a positive test result, but he’ll get over it and return.
Real Madrid and Europe’s greats’ interest is clear.
This is a different player. He can be a pillar of a side, but this is next year’s deal.
In these next few months the price, not the value of the player, can be very different.
A lot of clubs want him, but we have to see how many can meet the asking price.
Going somewhere on a free is very different than being sold.
If he leaves on a free, the salary could be record breaking. If he has to be bought, that’s unlikely.
It doesn’t appear that Mbappe’s situation is unfolding at the best financial time. Society is struggling to get out of a pandemic and the world is engulfed in fear, pain and uncertainty.
Football exists in a bubble and Mbappe is wanted by many.
The world isn’t as it was a year ago. We don’t know how things will be in 12 or 24 months.
Having Mbappe in LaLiga Santander would be great. Madrid will always be well placed, among other reasons because Zinedine Zidane has been the youngster’s idol
Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah is reportedly wanted by Barcelona, while Manchester United could move for Real Madrid outcast Gareth Bale.
Mohamed Salah is being tipped for a switch to LaLiga once more.
Salah, who on Saturday scored a hat-trick in Liverpool’s 4-3 opening-day win over Leeds United in the Premier League – is reportedly wanted by Barcelona.
TOP STORY – BARCELONA MAKE SALAH TOP TARGET
The Blaugrana have made the Egyptian forward their top transfer target, according to the Express.
Salah and his Liverpool team-mate Sadio Mané have often been linked with moves to Barça’s rivals Real Madrid.
Since Ronald Koeman arrived to take charge at Camp Nou, Barça have been said to be interested to numerous forwards, including Lyon star Memphis Depay.
ROUND-UP
– Frustrated in their pursuit of Borussia Dortmund star Jadon Sancho, Manchester United may look elsewhere. The Express reports the Premier League giants could make a move for Real Madrid forwardGareth Bale.
– Back at Camp Nou and Luis Suárezis expected to make an exit this close season. Mundo Deportivo reports Juventus – the most strongly linked to the forward – remain hopeful of signing Suarez.
– Could Christian Eriksen leave Inter after less than a year? CalcioMercato reports the Serie A giants are prepared to listen to offers for the midfielder.
– Inter may already have their replacement if the Denmark international leaves. Gianluca Di Marzio reports Barcelona midfielder Arturo Vidal is “one step away” from joining Inter.
– Emiliano Martínezlooks set to leave Arsenal. Goal reports the goalkeeper is close to a £20 million move to Aston Villa with a deal to be finalised in the coming days. Martínez has been at Arsenal since 2010.
Kylian Mbappe has reportedly told Paris Saint Germain he is to play his final season with the club, before seeking out a move during next summer’s transfer window.
Mbappe is contracted to PSG until 2022, meaning next summer is the last opportunity for the Parisians to sell their star asset before the risk of losing him as a free agent.
And now the 21-year-old, who has been linked with both Liverpool and Manchester City, has made clear his intentions to his club, as report the Times.
PSG made a huge investment in Mbappe, signing him from AS Monaco in 2018 for a fee in the region of £165 million.
The deal remains the second highest ever paid for a footballer, behind PSG’s marquee capture of Neymar after triggering his Barcelona release clause.
PSG are said to have made multiple lucrative offers to Mbappe in hope of getting him to commit his future to the club, including making him their highest ever paid player and pledging to build the team around him in future.
But the World Cup winner already has his eyes on pastures now, and it now appears Real Madrid are front-runners for his signature.
Madrid have already drawn up a battle plan for next summer’s transfer window, with Mbappe set to be the headline signing in a busy period of elite talent recruitment.
Mbappe is understood to have been frank with PSG about his wishes to leave, in order to allow technical director Leonardo a final summer window in which to recoup the club’s transfer-fee investment.
PSG will also need to earmark a replacement for the talented youngster, who was a driving force behind their journey to the 2020 Champions League final.
Manchester United will force creative talisman Paul Pogba to play a deeper role this season in order to accomodate new boy Donny van de Beek, believes club legend Rio Ferdinand.
Van de Beek became United’s big name this summer, following a £40m arrival from Ajax.
And now Ferdinand feels Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be forced to play Pogba as a holding midfielder, in order to allow the new boy space to create alongside the energetic Bruno Fernandes.
Speaking this week on BBC Radio Five Live, Ferdinand said: ‘Listen, if you say you’re going to play your best players in that midfield and you’re going to play three, then you’d say Paul Pogba playing in the holding role and [Bruno] Fernandes and Van de Beek being the guys that are playing around that, a bit more free and able to move around and create.
‘Is that Paul Pogba’s best position? I would argue not. But you have to look at what Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wants to do. Does he want his best players on the pitch or is he talking about players fitting in a system?
‘I think that’s the intriguing part for me going into the season from Man United’s perspective in terms of the signing that they made, that player.’
Van de Beek has previously played a deeper central position role at Ajax in recent seasons, following the departure of Frenkie de Jong to Barcelona.
United still remain heavily linked with Jadon Sancho, as Solskjaer begins to feel the pressure of needed to improve his side before the transfer window closes.
On the Pogba situation, Ferdinand added: ‘It’s a big call and that remains to be seen, but I still think Manchester United will have some sort of movement and there will be additions in this squad going into the season.’
When it comes to English football, the Premier League is the place to be. Whether it be the increased quality, the larger crowds, the financial reward or the prestige of the league, every club longs for a place in the top-flight.
But of those who are lucky enough to make it into the top division, just over half survive their first season in the Premier League. More often than not, teams do the hard work to achieve promotion but struggle to find their form on the big stage.
This year, Fulham, West Bromwich Albion and Leeds United will try their luck, but do they have what it takes to last the Premier League’s survival of the fittest?
Sportsmail take a look at how the newly promoted teams will fare in the top-flight this season.
Fulham
Fulham are back in the big time after securing promotion the Premier League following their play-off final win over Brentford last season.
The club claimed a 2-1 win in extra time following a goalless draw over 90 minutes against the Beeds at Wembley.
Fulham are no strangers to the Premier League, having most recently featured in the 2018-2019 campaign. But the Cottagers lasted just one season in the top-flight after winning the Championship play-offs under Slavisa Jokanovic.
The Serbian was sacked in November with the club later crashing out of the league after only mustering 26 points, with the squad failing to gel after some heavy investment saw 13 players arrive at Craven Cottage.
Their disappointing Premier League run saw opposing teams put a total of 81 goals past them, causing the Cottagers to lose 26 of their 38 games.
Looking towards the future, Fulham will be desperate to avoid the same fate as they return to the top-flight for the 2020-2021 season under Scott Parker.
Fulham may have the Championships joint-top goalscorer Aleksandar Mitrovic and a range of promising midfield options, but the squad have struggled to achieve the free-flowing attacking style that was expected of them last season.
They achieved their success by placing emphasis on possession over penetration. The Cottagers made more passes than any other Championship side last season, but struggled to find the back of the net, with more than six teams bypassing them in their goalscoring tally.
While Parker did a remarkable job in getting them out of the Championship, their troubles in front of goal stemmed from their inability to counter, having created the least counter-attack chances in the division – an issue they must address before beginning their Premier League campaign.
With Fulham potentially struggling to score in the Premier League, responsibility will fall to Mitrovic.
Mitrovic played an instrumental role in Fulham’s attack last season, contributing to 49.1 per cent of their goals when he was on the pitch. He had a similar involvement during the club’s stint in the Premier League in 2018-2019, contributing for 46 per cent of goals.
Fulham’s attacking flare may also be hindered by Scott Parker’s trademark slow tempo. Players such as Anthony Knockaert – who has experience of the top-flight football with Brighton and Hove Albion and Leicester City – has struggled to make a mark under given the teams tactics.
In addition, team captain and midfielder Tom Cairney may be problematic for the Cottagers as the crucial Championship player struggles to create chances in Premier League.
Cairney flopped in the Premier League last time around, scoring just one goal and registering one assist.
West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion have returned to the Premier League after two years, having finished second in the Championship behind Leeds United.
At the helm is manager Slaven Bilic, who masterminded a second placed finish with West Brom during his first season in charge at the Hawthorns.
Under his tutelage, West Brom had the third-best defensive record in the Championship last season, having conceded 45 goals in 46 matches.
The Baggies kept 14 clean sheets over the course of the season, just eight short of the champions Leeds.
That being said, West Brom have at times looked loose at the back with their first clean sheet not coming until February of this year and having only achieved five of their 14 clean sheets at home.
A leaky defense is something West Brom have struggled with before, having conceded 62 goals in the 2018-2019 season. Given the step up in quality at the Premier League, West Brom will need to start quickly or risk being punished.
Defensive responsibilities in the Premier League will most likely fall to Kyle Bartley – who recorded the most clearances, blocks, interceptions in the team last season.
Bartley also completed the highest number of successful passes in the team – with a 83 per cent accuracy rate.
Right-back Darnell Furlong , meanwhile, could be the secret to their goal-scoring success, having registered 126 crosses from open play last season. That is just one fewer than winger Matt Phillips managed despite starting eight less games.
Leeds United
Leeds have always been defensively sound as the Whites earned a place in the top-flight by utilising some exciting full-back options and prioritising possession.
The swashbuckling style of Leeds under Marcelo Bielsa has seen them win the Championship while keeping 22 clean sheets – a total that beat their closest competitor by five.
In addition, the team conceded just 35 goals in 2019-20, the lowest total in the league, averaging at 0.8 per game.
It is proven that Leeds perform their best at Elland Road, keeping 59.1 per cent of their clean sheets there. This could either play into their favour as they host Premier League clubs, or could see them crumble under the pressure of playing away.
As it stands, Marcelo Bielsa’s first choice keeper for the 2020-2021 season is undecided.
Kiko Casilla was the first choice between the sticks at the start of last season, but he missed the end of their campaign due to an eight-match ban after being found guilty of racial abuse.
Illan Meslier stepped in to perform for Leeds, starting all 10 of their final games and kept five clean sheets while doing so.
Defensively, Leeds are known for sitting deep and focusing on their counter-attacking principles, but this may be somewhat more difficult in the Premiership.
The Whites scored a total of 77 goals last season which was the second-highest in the Championship. However, if you were compare that tally to the score of those who have previously been promoted to the Premiership, Leeds’ predicted number of goals in the top-flight next season equates to a lesser total than Sheffield United and Bournemouth recorded last term.
MASH THE WRITER 