Real Madrid did contact Mauricio Pochettino

Le Parisien report that Real Madrid did make direct contact with Mauricio Pochettino earlier this summer following the departure of Zinedine Zidane.

Since, Pochettino and his staff have had their contracts automatically extended until June 2023.

At the end of May, he was contacted by Daniel Levy about returning to Tottenham, something he was interested in, but the Los Blancos opportunity is understood to have been considered more carefully by the Argentinian.

Real Madrid approached Pochettino directly via President Florentino Perez – the ex-PSG player has never hid his desire to eventually coach Los Blancos. This was part of a larger plan by Perez to create the best possible conditions for Kylian Mbappé’s arrival, as the French attacker and Pochettino adore each other.

In his weeks of holiday, Pochettino spoke to every single one of his players one on one.

Mbappé contacted him to tell him that he intended to stay this summer – a sign of how much the French attacker rates Pochettino is that the manager was the only individual at PSG that the Bondy-born forward informed.

In June, Pochettino also worked on the transfer window with Leonardo and Nasser Al-Khelaifi – several meetings were held to discuss targets. Achraf Hakimi and Sergio Ramos were suggested by Pochettino, whose wishes are set to be granted.

The arrival of Gianluigi Donnarumma was on the contrary a Leonardo idea and acquisition. For Pochettino, the challenge will be to balance the competition with Keylor Navas if the Costa Rican doesn’t leave PSG this summer. As for Georginio Wijnaldum, he was a player offered to Pochettino by the PSG board who then gave his green light.

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Official | Achraf Hakimi signs for PSG

PSG have confirmed the arrival of 22-year-old Moroccan international right-back Achraf Hakimi from Inter Milan.

The deal is believed to be worth €60m plus up to €8m in bonuses – the player has signed a 5-year contract with Les Parisiens and represents the first summer incoming for PSG that has involved a transfer fee, following the free transfer arrivals Georginio Wijnaldum (Liverpool) and Gianluigi Donnarumma (AC Milan).

Hakimi replaces Alessandro Florenzi numerically in the 1st team squad, after the Italian full-back disappointed on loan with an option to buy from AS Roma in major European clashes, leading to PSG deciding not to activate his option to buy which stood at around €8m.

Hakimi had the following to say on the move:

“I feel a lot of pride today. After my experiences in Spain, in Germany and in Italy, PSG offer me an opportunity to discover a new league wearing the colours of one of the most prestigious clubs in the world. I am excited to meet my new team-mates, the fans and to feel this extraordinary fervour that reigns over the Parc des Princes. I share with the coach and the players the same ambitions that are very elevated and I will do everything to give my club what it is expecting from me.” 

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Official | Monaco sign Ismail Jakobs from FC Köln

21-year-old German left-back or left-midfielder Ismail Jakobs on Monday completed a move to AS Monaco from German outfit FC Köln.

Jakobs has signed a 5-year contract with the Principality outfit – he became a European champion this summer for the Germany U21s.

The deal is expected to have cost ASM around €6.5m.

Fodé Ballo Touré is in the meantime very close to an €8m transfer from Monaco to AC Milan.

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Official | Jessy Moulin joins ESTAC Troyes

Having been usurped by exciting young keeper, and nominative determinism favourite, Etienne Green (21) at Saint-Étienne last season, Jessy Moulin (35) has left for promoted Troyes.

Moulin signs a two year deal having been deemed surplus to requirements at Les Verts by coach Claude Puel dispute a 20 year association with the club. Moulin follows fellow stalwart keeper Stephane Ruffier (34) out of the club after a dramatic clash with Puel last season.

Part of a slow start to Troyes’ summer window, Moulin joins battling Nîmes forward Renaud Ripart in being one of the promoted side’s only major additions so far having been inducted into the City Football Group last season.

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Moulin’s arrival also threatens the position incumbent keeper Gauthier Gallon (27) who has quietly impressed in recent times as Troyes won Ligue 2 last season.

Benjamin Stambouli chooses Adana Demirspor over Montpellier

RMC Sport report that 30-year-old free agent and French midfielder Benjamin Stambouli has decided to sign for the nouveau riche Turkish 1st division project Adana Demirspor, despite conversations over returning to Ligue 1 and Montpellier.

Stambouli, who has been a free agent since exiting Schalke last month, was convinced by the new project which includes Mario Balotelli and will sign a 2-year contract with his new outfit.

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MHSC had not been making concrete proposals, according to Mohamed Toubache-TER and the player could not wait around forever.

Thierry Henry to appear as Ligue 1 pundit on Amazon Prime

New Ligue 1 broadcaster Amazon Prime have announced that France legend Thierry Henry will be a part of its pundit team for the upcoming season, along with the likes of former Monaco and Barcelona winger Ludovic Giuly and recently-retired Montpellier captain Vitorino Hilton.

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The Arsenal legend had been present at this summer’s Euro 2020 tournament as part of the Belgium coaching staff, after leaving his position as MLS side Montréal’s manager. The World Cup winner has previously made appearances on Sky Sports in the UK between 2015 and 2018.

Amazon Prime will be this season’s main broadcaster of Ligue 1 in France, with the streaming platform holding the rights to eight games every matchday.

Bayern Munich working to sign Toulouse’s Amine Adli

RMC Sport report this morning that Bayern Munich are working to sign Toulouse’s Amine Adli, having been in contact with the attacking midfielder for the last few weeks.

The Bundesliga side have gone as far as presenting the Frenchman with a full career project, in which he would begin life in Bavaria as the fourth-choice winger – behind Kingsley Coman, Serge Gnabry and Leroy Sané.

Toulouse president Damien Comolli had earlier this summer admitted that the 21-year-old was on his way out, with various European clubs looking to sign the want-away French youth international. The Bundesliga champions are now expected to formulate an offer to Toulouse following initial discussions.

 

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Andrés Iniesta on Lionel Messi joining PSG: “It will hurt to see him in another shirt.”

Speaking to AFP this Tuesday, former Barcelona midfielder Andrés Iniesta discussed the prospect of his former team-mate Lionel Messi joining Paris Saint-Germain, and leaving Catalonia after more than two decades.

The World Cup winner, now at Vissel Kobe, admitted that seeing the six-time Ballon d’Or winner in another shirt would be painful, but that Barcelona would nonetheless be able to recover from the 34 year old’s departure.

“I don’t know what happened internally, nor how things unfolded, but the club will need to recover from this transfer.”

“It will hurt to see him in another team’s shirt. Leo personifies Barcelona. He was everything, he’s a player who transcends the team. I’ve never seen a player like him and I don’t think I ever will.”

“[Barcelona] will continue to be one of the best teams, one of those that has to be on the summit.”

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Betis looking to sign Marseille’s Darío Benedetto on loan

RMC Sport report tonight that Darío Benedetto could be set to leave Marseille for La Liga outfit Real Betis, with the striker seemingly destined for a move away.

With Arkadiusz Milik confirmed as this season’s starting striker, manager Jorge Sampaoli is now unlikely to afford Benedetto much playing time despite holding his compatriot in esteem. As a result, Betis are working to define the terms of a loan deal, while the striker hopes to experience a full Vélodrome for the last time, during OM’s match against Bordeaux tomorrow.

The forward is in search of playing time, and a move to Andalusia appears to fit the bill – European football, a city where multiple Argentines play and a manager rates him in Manuel Pellegrini.

The 31-year-old has been with Marseille for the last two campaigns, scoring 11 league goals in his first season before a less prolific second year with five strikes. The Argentina international had previously been with Tijuana, Club América and Boca Juniors.

 

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Montpellier’s Andy Delort pushes for move as Nice make first bid

L’Équipe reports today that Montpellier striker Andy Delort is looking to leave the club before the end of the summer, with a move down the coastline to Nice looking the likeliest option.

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Although manager Nice Christophe Galtier had confirmed on Friday that Lille striker Burak Yılmaz – with whom he won the title last year – had called him, the former Saint-Étienne manager also discussed links to Delort. Although previously insisting that he had heard nothing to suggest a move could happen, he lauded the Algeria international for his maturity and later stated that the club was “working in that direction”.

Delort has met with the Montpellier management and made his desire to leave known, with an initial bid being made by Nice under €10m. The club will not stand in the player’s way, despite Delort being only recently named captain. The forward also recently changed agents, and is now represented by Galtier’s stepson. 

With Montpellier needing to sell, negotiations could also involve the arrival of Jordan Ferri to Les Aiglons, a target of Galtier should Khephren Thuram leave Nice.

Mohamed Toubache-TER adds that the striker’s transfer fee would be set at €15m, although a figure in the range of €11m-€14m is also possible. Nice are also looking to lower Delort’s price by including a player of their own in the deal, notably either strikers Dan Ndoye or Myziane Maolida.