The 2020 Champions League is in Manchester City’s sights, but since their domestic dominance has spectacularly ended this season, the Sky Blues are ready to embark on a summer spending spree.
Liverpool won the Premier League by a distance and Pep Guardiola’s men were stunned by Arsenal yesterday, as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang fired the Gunners to the FA Cup final with a 2-0 win over the Sky Blues. Pep’s former assistant Mikel Arteta exploited City’s weaknesses as Auba struck in either half to send the Gunners through.
As well as crashing out of the FA Cup, Manchester City have lost nine league games this season, and much of the blame has been laid at the door of a long term injury to Aymeric Laporte. Sky Blue fans ask how Liverpool would have fared this season if Virgil Van Dijk had suffered the same fate, but the loss of one player, however important, shouldn’t have such a big impact.
So Guardiola is rumoured to be preparing a bid to bring Atletico Madrid centre back Jose Gimenez to the Etihad to play alongside Laporte, and that would be some pairing. The Rojiblancos player may be open to a move to the Premier League but the Sky Blues must be prepared to shell out 120m Euros to land the Uruguayan.
The early Premier League 2020 betting odds for next season have installed Manchester City as favourites and that centre back partnership would add plenty of weight to their chances.
They have no such worries in the creative department, but City have also been tracking Valencia wing sensation Ferran Torres and have been told they must shell out £39m to lure the 20 year old away from the Mestalla.
Chelsea home in on Havertz
Frank Lampard has already been busy at Chelsea, bringing Hakim Ziyech and Timo Werner to Stamford Bridge. And now he has made it clear that Bayer Leverkusen skipper Kai Havertz is his main summer target.
The 21-year old Havertz has been one of the hottest football talents in Germany this season and would be a superb acquisition for the Blues who could shape up to be contenders if their progress under Lampard continues. As well as fighting for a Champions League place Chelsea have gone deep in the FA Cup with a semi-final against Manchester United today.
The plethora of young talent emerging at the club, alongside these new recruits, will increase the competition for places, and Brazilian winger Willian has said he’s up for the fight and would sign a contract tomorrow… if the club can come up with something agreeable. Meanwhile former Chelsea boss Antonio Conte would like to take N’Golo Kante to Inter Milan, but the Frenchman’s wages may be a sticking point.
Coming and goings at the Emirates
One of the more intriguing ideas to come out of the transfer rumour mill today is that there could be a sensational swap deal to take Matteo Guendouzi to Barcelona with former Liverpool ace Philippe Coutinho coming the other way.
And the Gunners are also interested in triggering the £41m release clause of Sporting Lisbon forward Joelson Fernandes. The 17 year old has been likened to a young Cristiano Ronaldo, now that is some comparison.
Meanwhile, down the road at Spurs it won’t have gone un-noticed that their former winger Gareth Bale has been left out of Real Madrid’s 22-man squad for their final La Liga game of the season.
Up in the North West there has been some interest in the plight of relegation threatened Watford. Whether or not the Hornets survive their highly rated winger Ismaila Sarr could be on the move. He destroyed Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool, scoring a brace in the Reds’ first league defeat of the season, and there is some speculation the new champions’ boss was so impressed he might want to add him to his own squad.
Manchester United, who were hoping to sign Jadon Sancho from Borussia Dortmund, and also missed out on Jude Bellingham after the Birmingham starlet also chose Dortmund over Manchester, could also make a move for Sarr.
The summer transfer speculation will continue to throw names up but in the meantime, as the English league comes to a fascinating climax, with European and relegation issues set to be resolved within a week, keep watching out for all the latest Premier League 2020 updates and results here at SBOBET.
Then we go again with the Champions League and the Europa League as the world class football just keeps on coming!
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