Frank de Boer is the new coach of the Dutch National Team. The former Nerazzurri coach will take over after Koeman, who left the position to take over at Barcelona this summer.
He will sign a contract until 2022 which would make him lead us at the EURO’s 2021 & World Cup 2022.
Virgil van Dijk’s attitude has been slammed by Dutch legend Wim Kieft, who believes the Liverpool star has become ‘lazy and nonchalant’.
The Holland centre-back has enjoyed a meteoric rise since making the move from Southampton to Liverpool in 2018 and finished second in last year’s Ballon d’Or rankings.
But he was blasted as ‘arrogant’ by Jamie Carragher during their opening day victory over Leeds earlier this month, and Euro 1988 winner Kieft has urged the 29-year-old to stay grounded.
‘He is not sharp, he behaves with the Oranje and Liverpool like the finished star, the great coaching leader, who shows a little too much that he does not like his fellow players’, he told De Telegraaf.
‘At the same time, he plays lazy and nonchalant himself. He makes mistakes and often runs away from defensive handiwork in matches. With his status, he should be at the forefront of the battle.
‘It took Van Dijk a long time to get to the top international level. He has been there for about two seasons now, but it is important that Van Dijk remains very critical of himself. His environment also plays an important role in this.
‘It’s okay if his trainers shake him up a lot.’
Van Dijk helped Liverpool keep a clean sheet in their 2-0 victory at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, but just a week before was punished for a loose touch on the edge of the penalty area that allowed Patrick Bamford capitalised to score in a thrilling game against Leeds.
Carragher, on co-commentary duties for Sky Sports, didn’t hold back when lashing out at the towering Dutchman, and Graeme Souness echoed his comments, saying: ‘Van Dijk has had an absolute stinker
Liverpool are reportedly in regular contact with Kylian Mbappe over a summer move in 2021 – but the Reds face competition from Real Madrid.
Mbappe has two years left on his Paris Saint-Germain contract and there is no indication he will sign a new deal with the French champions any time soon.
According to French outlet L’Equipe, Jurgen Klopp’s side are keeping an eye on the forward’s situation with Real also hoping to lure him away from the Ligue 1 side
Edouard Mendy is having his medical at Chelsea after the club agreed a £22m fee with Rennes for the goalkeeper.
The deal is expected to be completed in the next 24 hours following his medical and finalising personal terms.
Pressure has increased on Frank Lampard to bring in a new goalkeeper following two mistakes from Kepa Arrizabalaga from their opening two Premier League matches.
Chelsea have been in talks with Rennes since before the start of the season over the possibility of bringing Mendy to the club.
Lille’s Mike Maignan was also on Chelsea’s list of goalkeeper options but a price tag of £32m put Chelsea off.
Petr Cech, Chelsea’s technical director, has strong links with Rennes and has been involved in identifying Mendy as a target.
The 28-year-old kept nine clean sheets in 24 Ligue 1 appearances last season.
Mendy will become Lampard’s seventh first-team summer addition, joining Timo Werner, Hakim Ziyech, Ben Chilwell, Thiago Silva, Malang Sarr and Kai Kavertz.
Mark Bosnich says it is right for Chelsea to bring in competition for Kepa Arrizabalaga after he has started the season with two high-profile mistakes.
The former Chelsea and Manchester United goalkeeper, though, doesn’t believe it is the end for the Spaniard and thinks the competition could help him.
Bosnich said: “I don’t think it’s the end. But it’s been quite obvious for some time that Frank Lampard and his staff aren’t over the moon about him, we saw that last season.
“He needs competition. All big clubs should have competition in every position, including goalkeeper.”
Chelsea boss Frank Lampard has criticised Kepa Arrizabalaga for the mistake he made which led to Liverpool’s second goal in their 2-0 victory over the Blues on Sunday.
Sadio Mane took advantage of the Spanish goalkeeper’s error to net his second goal in the match and clinch the win for the Reds.
“With the Kepa situation, it’s a clear mistake,” Lampard noted after the defeat.
“It’s a clear mistake that cost us because, at that point, we go on to have a penalty which we maybe score.
“Those fine margins change games at this level.
“We have to keep working.
“Kepa has to keep working.
“He has to have support around him, that’s very clear.
“In difficult times, individually, players need support, particularly from myself.
“Kepa has to keep working; nobody tries to make mistakes in football.
“It is the nature of the game.
“You have to be strong and keep going
OFFICIAL: Ivan Rakitic retires from Croatia national team
HNS announced that after 106 appearances and 15 goals for the Croatia national football team, Ivan Rakitic decided to hang up his boots. The current vice-captain of the national team was one of the key players in Croatia’s campaign for the World Cup silver in 2018, when he scored the decisive penalties in the victories against Denmark and Russia.
“Saying goodbye to the Croatia national team is the most difficult decision in my career, but I felt that this was the moment when I had to break and make that decision. I enjoyed every game I played for my homeland, and unforgettable moments from the World Cup will remain among my favorites. I am convinced that we still have a great team with a bright future ahead. I wish my friends and teammates all the international sports luck in the upcoming challenges, and they will have the biggest fan in me,” said Ivan Rakitic on his farewell
Gary Neville has dissected Manchester United’s 3-1 loss to Crystal Palace at Old Trafford on Saturday and while praising Roy Hodgson’s side, the Sky Sports pundit also has some strong words regarding his former club’s recent transfer policy.
While United kicked off their season with a deserved defeat to Palace, Neville lays the blame for the surprise loss squarely at the feet of those who are responsible for bringing new players to the club this summer.
Speaking on the Gary Neville Podcast, the one-time United captain warned his former side unless a number of new signings are made before the transfer window closes on October 5, they could face missing out on a top-four finish this season.
United looked like a team who were well short of fitness and football, players missing, not got the players in who they wanted, short in confidence in some areas. Issues off the pitch in the last few weeks which might have distracted them and Crystal Palace exploited every single weakness Man Utd had.
But make no mistake about it, the shape of Palace, the way in which they interpreted the 4-4-2, they did not go back to a back six, like so many teams do – they really kept the four together narrow, which mean the wide players – Schlupp and Townsend – were able to counterattack. The front two worked really well together and sprung off that United midfield McTominay and Pogba who were sat deep.
It was a really well put together performance, they even got to the point where they were starting to show confidence on the ball, it was not just counterattacking and defending, they started to show possession and a little bit of arrogance.
They toyed with United and they more than deserved the win and there was the debacle over the second Palace goal, the penalty – I thought it was a nonsense, I really did – but the fact they got the third goal took away the element of, ‘Oh, Man Utd were hard done to.’
There were no excuses, Palace were by far the better team and if they can maintain that level of commitment and keep the players fit, they could have a really good season. They look like they could win a lot of football matches this season.
Because of what has happened in the last eight years, people have lost their confidence and they have now tried to go the other way in terms of, ‘we can’t now overpay’.
You see Liverpool getting a player for £40m, £25m, you see other clubs do it, Werner is quite cheap compared to some of the prices of players you see in the market and United always seem to have to pay top dollar and the people at the club will not like that, almost as though they are easy pickings. And there is a suggestion of that.
The problem is, they have to find a way to get deals done and they can’t get deals done efficiently. And it is negligence not to get the squad in place, they have had six months since March when lockdown was on being able to deliberate, do zoom calls, connect with agents, move things into place.
There is no excuse really for not getting your transfers done before the start of the season. They need four or five players, so to only get one done… I know Liverpool have only got theirs done in the last couple of days, but there is a feeling they are in control.
United have got the money – if they can spend £90m-100m on Sancho, they have got the money to do the deals. They have not got the quality or experience of football people within that club, it looks like a convoluted and complex structure, I’m not quite sure where the decisions lie.
Liverpool are definite, they are precise. Look at Chelsea, they are definite and precise, Man City are, but Man Utd do not seem able to get their business done. And that unfortunately has been a massive problem, whether it be signing the wrong player…. I think the recruitment has been better and more precise in the last 18 months.
But there is still that issue of not being able to get the players over the line quickly enough, in the building, with the squad, to get that team ready for the start of the season. And then you end up with that on Saturday and what that does is make them weaker, because now clubs who they are wanting players off will be looking it and thinking, ‘we will relax because they are going to come and knock on my door, they are going to have to’.
And that is the problem Man Utd have got – they have not got the authority and control in the transfer market. The people who are hearing these words and seeing them, they will not like it. But they have got to hear it, because they are not doing their jobs. The football players on the pitch did not do their jobs, the manager is going to get accused of not doing his job.
The people in the stands whose job is to put that team on the pitch, build a football team that can win the league and the people in the stand who have been at Man Utd for eight years now have not had the ability to build a football team that can win the league. And that is a problem, that is your job – to build a football team to win the league and they have not been able to do it. And they have to find a way of doing it quickly as these years are going to drag on.
You have seen Liverpool, we are going to see Man City on Monday night, we have seen Chelsea, not quite at their best, but they are investing and they have young players coming through. Man Utd have got to see the danger signs here – they could end up in fourth or fifth again if they are not careful and last season was a step forward.
That should have been the moment, Covid coming, economic uncertainty, United step up and drive the market forward, deal with the players, make a stand, get the squad in place and send a message to Man City and Liverpool that we are coming for you and now they are on the back foot and they have to do their business in the next couple of weeks.
Inter are close to announcing the signing of Arturo Vidal, who has recently carried out his medical with the Nerazzurri.
The Chilean midfielder leaves Barcelona for a return to Serie A, to reunite with Antonio Conte at San Siro.
Sky Sport Italia revealed Vidal arrived at the CONI centre this morning, where he carried out the first part of the tests.
He then travelled to Humanitas and stayed until 10.30 to complete the necessary examinations before he can sign with the Beneamata. The deal is expected to be closed at Inter’s headquarters today.
Watch Serie A live in the UK on Premier Sports for just £9.99 per month including live LaLiga, Eredivisie, Scottish Cup Football and more. Visit: https://www.premiersports.com/subscribenow
Just one week into the season and already the Premier League has served up what could be a season-defining clash.
Liverpool, the reigning champions, looked lethargic and were slow to get out of the blocks as they battled their way to a 4-3 victory over newly-promoted Leeds.
Meanwhile Chelsea, who have spent big in the transfer window in a bid to give Frank Lampard the tools to mount his own title challenge, overcame their own blip on Monday to secure a 3-1 win over Brighton.
With both holding lofty ambitions, but failing to fully convince on the opening weekend, it is an opportunity for both to restate their case for being considered genuine contenders.
Here, Sportsmail looks at the areas on the pitch that could define Sunday afternoon’s encounter.
For a long time, it seemed for all the world that Timo Werner would become a Liverpool player this summer.
However, a charm offensive from Chelsea and dithering on Merseyside means the Germany international lines up in Blue on Sunday as the pair prepare to meet at Stamfrod Bridge.
While Jurgen Klopp already possesses a formidable frontline, Werner could still make his compatriot regret his club’s hesitancy when it came to a move.
Werner looked sharp on his competitive debut – latching on to a mistake at the back to win his side their penalty from which Jorginho opened the scoring.
It was his second outing at the Amex Stadium, his first in a pre-season friendly saw his first strike in Chelsea colours.
He provides a focal point up front that Frank Lampard’s side sorely lacked last year, with the out-of-favour Olivier Giroud eventually muscling his way back into the fold such was their dearth of options up top.
Werner now has a chance to cement that place as his own, and will have been heartened to see just how badly Liverpool’s defence struggled with newly-promoted Leeds last weekend.
The 24-year-old scored 78 goals in 127 league appearances for RB Leipzig, and you sense it won’t be long until he is off the mark at Stamford Bridge. Scoring against the Reds would be extra-sweet for the striker, too.
For the past two seasons no defender has had a more intimidating aura surrounding them than Virgil van Dijk.
The glowing praise from pundits, team-mates and supporters, not to mention the personal awards, has been continuous for the Dutch stopper, who proved so instrumental in Liverpool’s 2019-20 title success.
However, last Saturday, a certain shine came off his usual polished performance. There was the trademark bullet header at the other end to put his side in front, so his aerial presence is not in question.
But it was his actions at the other end that caused concern, most notably his uncharacteristic mistake which allowed Patrick Bamford to steal in and level for Leeds at Anfield to make it 2-2.
It was symptomatic of an unconvincing display by Klopp’s defence, with the reigning champions surrendering three goals to a newly-promoted side.
Even more worrying is that the display was in keeping with Liverpool’s woes in the second half of last season, where they produced a handful of sub-par displays as they eventually wrapped up the title.
Having seen Werner pounce on mistakes and make Brighton pay on Monday night, eyes will be drawn to see how Van Dijk reacts to his opening day disaster.
While the Reds looked vulnerable last Saturday, Chelsea have their own frailties, too.
Brighton gained a lot of success down the flanks on Monday night, with Tariq Lamptey impressing against his old club down the right-hand side.
His pace caused Marcos Alonso no end of problems, and it was down the Spaniard’s wing the chance came for Lewis Dunk to equalise at 2-1.
They allowed 15 crosses in total, something they may wish to avoid replicating on Sunday.
With both Trent-Alexander Arnold and Andrew Robertson two of Liverpool’s most potent threats, the Blues will have to be alert to the danger from Klopp’s two full-backs.
Leeds attempted to quell the danger by overloading on the flanks, crowding out both the England and Scotland internationals in a bid to negate their threat.
A similar tactic may be thought upon by Lampard after his wide defenders’ limitations were shown up by a side tipped to struggle this season.
One thing that was clear from Liverpool’s opening day performance; they know how to make the most of a good set piece.
Three of their four goals came from dead-ball situations – Van Djk’s opener, Salah’s second and the second penalty was the result of a corner that just was not dealt with properly.
Liverpool are a tall team, the likes of their Dutch centre back and Fabinho can cause havoc in the air, and it is something Lampard’s men must be aware of.
It has been a growing concern at Chelsea, too, with the club conceding 14 times from set pieces last season – only six sides conceded more.
Organisation will be key then if the Blues are to keep Klopp’s men at bay, but that may be easier said than done when Liverpool possess one of the top dead-ball specialists in the country in the form of Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Chelsea are all too aware of it as well – with the England full-back having notched twice against them previously from a free-kick.
Let’s be honest. Without trying to jinx it, this clash has goals written all over it.
The pair served up seven goals between them on the opening weekend and looked far from convincing in defence.
Add on to that a reminder of the scoreline the last time these two met, a scintillating 5-3 encounter as Liverpool celebrated their title success in style, and it’s difficult to see a clean sheet for either side.
Both excel at playing on the front foot, and will do so to their detriment at times – Liverpool failing to stem the flow when being battered by Manchester City towards the end of last season, while Chelsea were on the end of some thumping defeats in Europe at the hands of Bayern Munich.
With neither side worrying about missing any of their top attacking stars, it could be another forgettable afternoon for defences at Stamford Bridge.
Marcelo Bielsa has been a revelation at Leeds United, taking the club back to the Premier League after a 16-year absence, and in doing so has made himself a legend at the club.
The Argentine can be spotted in his local Morrisons, sporting his full Leeds tracksuit and always has time for any fans who approach him for a selfie while he’s perusing the ‘3 for 2’ offers.
He wears that same tracksuit when he leaves his modest home in Wetherby outside Leeds to meet fans, he wore it to the club’s centenary event and also wears it when he walks five kilometres to the Leeds training ground in Thorp Arch every morning.
What makes Bielsa who he is are these little peculiarities which have characterised him in to being one of the most interesting and likeable managers in England over recent years and he won’t abandon his eccentricities now that he’s reached the glamour of the Premier League.
His methods and ideas both on and off the pitch have been memorable to say the least, with one example coming against Aston Villa where he ordered his team to concede a goal after they scored while an opponent was on the ground: something unforgivable for the Argentine and won the club a UEFA Fair Play award.
The most memorable Bielsa moment during his time in England was when one of his staff were discovered at the Derby County training ground and the club were accused of spying on their rivals.
In a press conference following the incident journalists expected Bielsa to resign but he simply admitted to the spying and told them that he in fact did it quite often and considered it part or preparing for a match.
Players at Leeds are used to a short working day which usually ends in the morning but Bielsa has had a room prepared for his young players with a PlayStation and other games, as well as a swimming pool so they can spend as much time together as possible
Players who have played under him have commented on how he is almost obsessive with his work and that the changes he has made at the club have paid dividends over the last two seasons.
He even had players out collecting rubbish for three hours around the training ground with the aim of showing them just how hard their fans have to work to buy tickets to come and watch their team.
It’s hard to imagine him having any down time, but he is known to have the occasional Costa Coffee or pop down to the local Italian restaurant for a meal; probably in that grey tracksuit.
There’s no doubt that Marcelo Bielsa is adored by the Leeds support and there are several pieces of evidence to demonstrate this: a street names after him in the city, a life-size statue, various murals of him on houses, walls and buildings and he’s even outselling some first-team players in terms or merchandise in the club store.
The famous mural in the city with the words ‘In Bielsa we trust’ sums up what the Leeds support think of him.
MASH THE WRITER 