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Manchester United are reportedly closing in on free agent Adrien Rabiot, with the French midfielder eager to play in the Premier League.

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Rabiot left Juventus on June 30Man Utd keen to bring the midfielder to OTLiverpool, AC Milan & Real Madrid have also been linkedWHAT HAPPENED?

Strengthening the midfield has become a top priority for United's manager Erik ten Hag and the club's new co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe. While Paris Saint-Germain's Manuel Ugarte is their primary target, Rabiot's availability presents an appealing opportunity for the Red Devils.

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French journalist Romain Collet-Gaudin has indicated that Rabiot is "getting closer to Manchester United" and favours a move to Old Trafford over Liverpool. Despite ongoing discussions between Rabiot's representatives and both clubs, the Red Devils appear to be in a stronger position to secure his signature.

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However, contrary to Collet-Gaudin, The Daily Mail's Lewis Steele and Fabrizio Romano, claim that Liverpool were never seriously interested in the 29-year-old midfielder this summer. This leaves United as the serious sole suitor of the French midfielder, despite being linked to AC Milan and Real Madrid.

Rabiot's departure from Juventus marks the end of his five-year stint with the Serie A giants. Having joined Juventus from PSG in 2019, Rabiot made 212 appearances. During his time in Turin, he helped Juventus secure a Serie A title, two Italian Cups, and one Italian Super Cup.

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Securing Rabiot on a free transfer represents a financially prudent move for Manchester United. They are already planning to put Scott McTominay and Casemiro on the market and by saving on transfer fees, the club can allocate funds towards other essential signings as they aim to sign at least another centre-back after adding Leny Yoro to the roster.

James Pattinson, following his code-of-conduct sanctions, is the favourite to come into the XI at the MCG

Andrew McGlashan15-Dec-2019Peter Siddle’s Test ambitions live on after he was picked out by Australia coach Justin Langer as a potential replacement in the squad for the injured Josh Hazlewood.Hazlewood will miss the Boxing Day Test against New Zealand after suffering a hamstring strain in his second over in Perth and appears unlikely to be fit for the final Test in Sydney.James Pattinson, who was ruled out of contention for the opening Test of the season against Pakistan after his code-of-conduct suspension, is the favourite to come into the XI on his home ground at the MCG, and the uncapped Michael Neser is also part of the squad. However, there is likely to be reinforcements added to the squad with an eye on the workloads of Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins.”We’ve started to think about it, the obvious one would be Peter Siddle,” Langer said when asked who could come into the squad. “He did a really good job in the Ashes, he’s bowling very well for Victoria and it’s at the MCG where he’s played a lot of cricket. We’ll see what happens the rest of this game and then make a decision.”Later, speaking to Channel Seven during the tea break, Langer suggested Australia could consider a five-man attack in Melbourne. “If the wicket’s been like it has the last few years we might even be able to play four quicks and a spinner,” he said. “There’s lots of combinations. Nice to see Marnus and Travis head bowling a few overs as well so that gives us a nice combination.”Siddle played in three of the Ashes series taking nine wickets but picked up an injury in the early stages of the final match at The Oval which hindered his performance. He is Victoria’s leading wicket-taker in the Sheffield Shield this season with 18 wickets at 19.77.Having enforced the follow-on in the second Test against Pakistan in Adelaide and now been reduced to two frontline quicks in Perth, Langer was conscious of the strain the bowling attack is under although there will be nine day gap before the Boxing Day Test.”It always makes you nervous when a bowler goes down,” Langer said. “You always think about the implications for this game but also the cumulative effect of a lot of overs. We also think back to the winter and what’s already been this summer, so they are things you keep in mind. We’ll go through the process and come up with the best solution.”It’s a shame for Josh; he’s built up so well during the Ashes. I feel for him. Hopefully it’s not too bad. He’s certainly out of Boxing Day and but we’ll have a look for Sydney. We’ll have a look at the end of this Test at how many overs the boys bowled, how long we were in there for the second innings and we’ll make a decision on who the next bowler is.”With the overs clocking up for the fast bowlers – and the potential for a second spinner to be needed in Sydney – the question of an allrounder has been raised again. However, options are limited with Mitchell Marsh only just beginning his comeback from the broken wrist he suffered when punching the dressing room wall and the highly-rated Cameron Green is unable to bowl due to a stress fracture of his back. Another Western Australia allrounder, Marcus Stoinis, has had promising returns in the Shield with 322 runs at 35.77 and 12 wickets at 27.25 but would appear a long shot.”There are a few injuries and there’s a great opportunity in Australian cricket for someone to put their hand up and knock really hard on the door to fill that gap,” Langer said. “There’s a lot of talk about allrounders but the truth is, whether it’s a club side, T20 side, Shield side, they all want an allrounder but there aren’t many of them around. And that’s okay, we just find different ways of winning.”Marsh, who will play the Perth Scorchers’ opening match of the BBL against the Sydney Sixers on Wednesday as a specialist batsman, and is at least a week away from bowling competitively, admitted his wrist may never be 100% again following a nine-week recovery. He also conceded he had tried to rush back too soon.”It’s been a long nine weeks, so looking forward to it,” Marsh said. “I’ve only had a couple of bowls, so it will take me a while to get going. It’s been slow but it’s feels good now. Injuries in sport you learn to deal with, but when you do it to yourself, it’s a bit different. We knew it was a ten-week injury but I wanted to get back in four. It’s natural as an athlete and I pushed really hard.”

Reliable journalist David Ornstein has weighed in with the latest information he has heard on Liverpool's hunt for a new manager.

Liverpool eyeing major success

Returning to Premier League action this weekend against Brighton & Hove Albion, Jürgen Klopp's side are still eyeing a massively successful campaign.

They have already won the Carabao Cup courtesy of an extra-time Virgil van Dijk goal against Chelsea, while they sit second in the Premier League as things stand, behind Arsenal only on goal difference.

Pos

Team

Played

GD

Points

1

Arsenal

28

46

64

2

Liverpool

28

39

64

3

Manchester City

28

35

63

Better yet, the Gunners face a trip to third-placed Premier League champions Manchester City next, themselves just a point off top spot. With at least one side certain to drop points, it will be a successful weekend for the Reds if they can overcome Roberto De Zerbi and co.

They could scoop the Europa League too, a trophy which Klopp has not won during his time at Anfield. They have been drawn against Serie A side Atalanta in the quarter-finals, before a semi-final clash against either Benfica or Marseille.

All that has been overshadowed somewhat by the news that Klopp will be leaving at the end of the season, with the focus firmly on who the incoming manager will be.

Ornstein weighs in on managerial hunt

Now, journalist David Ornstein has weighed in on the conversation around the next Liverpool boss,

Quizzed on the potential arrival of Sporting boss Ruben Amorim, he admitted that he was "sure" talks had taken place over a potential move, but warned that the same could be said of all candidates. However, he did reveal that his release clause was now lower than it had been when Chelsea tried to lure him to England previously, which will come as a boost to the Reds.

"He is definitely among the candidates under consideration, I’m sure (like with all options) dialogue of some description has taken place and no doubt he would at the very least consider a club like Liverpool," he explained in a Q&A.

"There is a release clause in his Sporting contract but I think that is now lower than it was when he spoke to Chelsea in the past. I do see him making a move this summer and Liverpool is certainly a possibility, although the process is ongoing and open, so I’m not aware of any firm decisions at this point."

Amorim chiefly plays with a 3-4-3 system at Sporting, something that would be a major shift from Klopp's 4-3-3 were he to implement it at Anfield. However, it is very successful and has turned him into one of the most talked-about managers in world football.

Spanish media: Liverpool make increased £68m offer to sign Real Madrid star

The Reds have already begun planning their squad for next season.

ByBen Browning Mar 28, 2024

Mikel Arteta was effusive in his praise of the Portuguese boss when Arsenal took on Sporting in last season's Europa League campaign.

"What him and the coaching staff have done over the past few years is incredible," the Gunners boss explained after the 2-2 draw in the first leg of their tie.

"They are a really good team, so credit to the manager because you can see they have a really clear idea."

Should Liverpool get their way, Arteta may find himself facing up against Amorim on a much more regular basis come next season.

The fact that Aston Villa are fourth in the Premier League with just eight games to go really does highlight the progress made this season.

However, in truth, the Villans have been a much more complete side ever since Unai Emery took over in November 2022.

Not only has the Spaniard been able to get the best out of every individual, but he’s also successfully juggled the recent injury crisis at the club, which proves that man-management is one of his key strengths.

Unfortunately, the boss received more bad news this week in regards to another setback to a player on international duty, but luckily, the boss has a promising talent ready to step up to the challenge.

Matty Cash’s latest injury update

The March international break is a period that all club managers fear, as they all hope each member of the squad returns fully fit and unscathed.

However, unfortunately for the boss and the Villa faithful, an injury to Matty Cash while playing for Poland in the past week has left an already thin position extremely weak.

According to Fabrizio Romano, the number 2 is set to face up to three weeks on the sidelines due to a hamstring injury, which isn’t terrible considering he will be fit for the crucial end of the season.

Nonetheless, despite Cash missing crucial games against Wolverhampton Wanderers, Manchester City, Brentford, and Lille, there is one exciting gem who could finally be handed a chance to shine.

Aston Villa struck gold selling ace who’s now worth 6x less than Cash

The former Villa star has suffered with injury since leaving the club in 2022.

ByTom Lever Mar 26, 2024 Emery may opt for a young talent over Ezri Konsa

Ezri Konsa has often been the first-choice preference to Cash at right back throughout the season, but this time around, Emery may look to the youth for inspiration, with Kaine Kesler-Hayden ready to step up.

If the Spaniard did opt to use the 20-year-old, the Villa number four would slot into his usual role, alongside Pau Torres at right-centre back.

Kesler Hayden started the season on loan at Plymouth Argyle, where he played 27 times, but due to the lack of depth at right back, the boss recalled the youngster in January.

With Konsa a centre half by trade, Emery wanted to have a natural right back in the squad to be called upon, but what gives the number 29 an advantage, is that he has similar characteristics to Cash, with the manager saying:

"We have added Kaine [Kesler-Hayden], we needed one player with his characteristics as a right full-back, the only player to play like that is Matty Cash and now with Kaine we have two."

Goals conceded

0

Tackles

2

Dribbled past

0

Pass accuracy

88%

Key passes

2

Duels won

9/11

Successful dribbles

2/2

As you can see by the table above, the former Plymouth ace is an extremely well-rounded full back who can attack and defend with confidence and security, even if deployed at left-back like he was against Sheffield Wednesday.

According to journalist Jonny Leighfield, Kesler-Hayden has “got everything,” being further described as “a player who like to do his damage up the other end of the pitch,” and the statistics from that game definitely support that.

Although it may be a risk to throw Kesler-Hayden in at the deep end, especially as he’s not played a minute since returning to his parent club, he has all the attributes to succeed in that high-octane right-back role under Emery.

Furthermore, with Cash’s injury, there’s not a better time to hand the prospect and opportunity to cement himself in the side, and based on his loan spell, he deserves a chance.

Former Liverpool goalkeeping coach John Achterberg has branded Lionel Messi a "diving c**t" on a recent podcast.

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Former Liverpool coach Achterberg shared his thoughts on MessiSlammed him for diving in 2019 UCL matchDelighted with one particular Andy Robertson tackleWHAT HAPPENED?

Having left Liverpool for Al Ettifaq, goalkeeper coach Achterberg has lifted the lid on his experience of the Reds' game against Barcelona in their run to Champions League glory in 2019. The 53-year-old did not hesitate to admit he would take the World Cup winner in a team over Cristiano Ronaldo, but that did not stop him from voicing a strong opinion on his antics during that famous European tie and the delight he felt when full-back Andy Robertson put in a particularly strong challenge on his opponent.

AdvertisementGettyWHAT ACHTERBERG SAID

Speaking on The Football Historian Podcast, he said: "When we played him I thought he was a diving c***. I liked it when we played him and Robbo smashed him so I thought: 'F***ing do him, c***!'"

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Achterberg may have been frustrated by the ex-Barcelona star back in 2019, but he got to witness first-hand the magic of Messi. The magician scored twice in the first leg but suffered heartbreak at Anfield as Liverpool came from behind to win 4-0 and progress to the final.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR ACHTERBERG AND MESSI?

Five years later both Messi and Achterberg are still thriving on and off the pitch. The former remains a key part of Inter Miami's set-up in Major League Soccer, while the latter is working alongside Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard in Saudi Arabia as Al Ettifaq prepare for the new season.

He has been called up to replace Usman Shinwari who has withdrawn due to international duty commitments

Alex Malcolm12-Dec-2019Melbourne Renegades have made a left-field move on the eve of the Big Bash League season signing Lancashire quick Richard Gleeson to replace Usman Shinwari who was withdrawn due to international duty.Shinwari was called up for his Test debut against Sri Lanka and is now unavailable for the BBL while fellow Pakistan allrounder Faheem Ashraf has also been withdrawn from the tournament to remain in Pakistan.Gleeson, 32, has impressed over the last four seasons of the T20 Blast in England. He started his career with Northamptonshire before moving to Lancashire. He has experience overseas having played in the Bangladesh Premier League for the Rangpur Riders in 2016. He also toured West Indies with the England Lions in 2018.Gleeson will now play the first eight games of the BBL as one of the Renegades overseas players before Mohammad Nabi arrives for the second half of the tournament.”Richard bowls with genuine pace and is capable of hitting the areas that make it difficult for batsmen to score on a regular basis. His skills in the power play and at the death have resulted in him being one of the best T20 bowlers in the UK T20 Blast in recent years,” Renegades Head coach Michael Klinger said.”It’s obviously unfortunate to lose Shinwari and Ashraf on the eve of the season but sometimes that’s the nature of T20 cricket in a busy international schedule. We know things can change quickly with international players and we need to be ready to respond.Harry Gurney, who was a key part of the Renegades title last season, is now available for the entire season which means the Renegades do not need a fourth overseas player.”We’re delighted to have Harry Gurney for the whole tournament given his performances in the Big Bash last season and Nabi will also be a welcome addition when he arrives in January,” Klinger said.

Heung-min Son has become a Tottenham Hotspur legend over his nine-year spell at the club, even developing into a Premier League superstar.

The South Korean icon has now netted 160 goals and provided 83 assists in 401 appearances for the Lilywhites, and he’s now leading his side out with the captain’s armband, which just highlights his development as a player.

The service that Son has given to Tottenham has been absolutely priceless, and he’s even performing this season without his partner in crime, Harry Kane, scoring 15 league goals.

However, there’s a summer signing who’s been just as important as the number 7 this season, even becoming just as valuable as Son himself.

What Spurs paid for Guglielmo Vicario

Going into the summer transfer window, signing a new number one was arguably the most important task, with long-term goalkeeper Hugo Lloris leaving the club.

After months of scouting, Guglielmo Vicario was selected as the best possible replacement for the French icon after impressing for Serie A side Empoli.

In truth, football fans outside of Italy were likely to have not heard of Vicario prior to his move to England, but he kept seven clean sheets last season, making 3.1 saves per game.

Spurs officially completed the signing of the Italian in June, settling for a fee of £17.2m, with the number 13 signing a contract until 2028, but what is the first-choice keeper valued at today?

Spurs could sign "unstoppable" striker to finally replace Kane

The Spurs transfer target has scored 24 goals this season.

ByTom Lever Apr 9, 2024 Vicario’s transfer value in 2024

The pressure of quickly adapting to the Premier League is always a difficult task for foreign players, but his first home game at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium couldn’t have gone any better.

Against Manchester United, Vicario played a huge role in Postecoglou’s side picking up a 2-0 victory, making six saves, preventing 1.46 goals, and most impressively, having a 92% pass accuracy.

Over the rest of the campaign, the 27-year-old has gone from strength to strength, even becoming a frequent member of the Italian national team, and cementing himself as one of the most reliable players in between the sticks in the Premier League.

Vicario has featured in every single league game this season for Spurs, keeping six clean sheets and preventing a whopping 4.85 goals, the highest in the league, which could prove to be the difference between Champions League qualification and falling short.

#1 Andre Onana, Ederson

£51m

#2 Aaron Ramsdale, Bart Verbruggen

£43m

#3 David Raya

£34m

#4 Vicario, Alisson, Sanchez, Kelleher

£26m

As you can see, his instant success has made him the joint-sixth highest-valued goalkeeper in the Premier League, now being worth the same amount as Liverpool’s Alisson Becker.

However, this is also the exact same value as Son, and over time, it seems inevitable that the goalkeeper will overtake the 31-year-old attacker in terms of worth.

Between now and the end of the season, the goal for Vicario will be to continue to impress, not just the Tottenham coaching staff but also Luciano Spalleti, with the upcoming 2024 European Championships around the corner.

Overall, it’s extremely clear that Spurs truly hit the jackpot on the star who was once called “unbelievable” by legendary Italian Gianluigi Buffon, and they certainly have the goalkeeper spot nailed down for the foreseeable future.

Market Movers

Football FanCast's Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club's star player or biggest flop worth today?

Former South Africa spinner Paul Harris has been working on a consultancy basis with the Test team

Firdose Moonda13-Jan-2020There is someone in the South Africa set-up who needs the team to produce big first-innings runs and it is not who you might immediately think. It’s not the trio of experienced batsmen, Dean Elgar, Faf du Plessis and Quinton de Kock, who all played reckless shots at Newlands, and it’s not the younger three, Pieter Malan, Zubayr Hamza and Rassie van der Dussen, who are all trying to secure their places for the foreseeable future. It is Keshav Maharaj, who is waiting for an opportunity to make an impact on the ongoing series against England.”Without a good first innings total, it’s difficult for a spinner to really get stuck in,” Paul Harris, who has been working as South Africa’s spin consultant in the Mark Boucher era, said. “As a spinner, you need the batsmen to stand up so you can bowl to more attacking fields and have a more aggressive mindset.”Look no further than the first two matches of the series for proof. At SuperSport Park, South Africa had a 103-run first-innings lead and controlled large parts of the game. That allowed Maharaj to be kept on even after England tried to take him on in the second innings and it resulted in the all-important wicket of Ben Stokes.At Newlands, however, South Africa were 46 runs behind in the first innings and playing catch-up for the rest of the match. While Maharaj had been used to hold an end and allow the quicks to rotate from the other in the first innings, in the second his role was unclear, as captain du Plessis struggled to contain England and his quicks were unable to make inroads. As a result, Maharaj was South Africa’s most expensive bowler in that innings and Boucher later called him a “work in progress”.Given that Maharaj has been a mainstay in the Test team since he made his debut in November 2016, it seemed an unusual way for Boucher to describe him. He is South Africa’s second-most successful spinner since readmission, and overall only Aubrey Faulkner has a better strike rate (minimum 40 wickets). Most players will say they never stop learning and those of the bashfulness of Maharaj are unlikely to ever consider themselves the finished article but Boucher’s description would have been more apt for a junior member of the squad, especially at such a politically sensitive time in South African cricket.Lest we forget, there is an undercurrent of suspicion from quarters such as the Black African Cricket Clubs and on social media that Boucher and co are whitewashing the game after the Africanisation of the previous administration. Those fears won’t be helped by Boucher’s paternalistic choice of words when it comes to Maharaj or Harris’ involvement. Like batting consultant Jacques Kallis, Harris is a personal friend of Boucher’s.However, it is worth knowing that he has been mentoring Maharaj for a prolonged period of time, mostly over the telephone, after Maharaj approached him several summers ago. Harris and Maharaj had planned to meet up before but were unable to coordinate schedules until recently. Harris still has a full-time job and is only employed on a consultancy basis.Jacques Kallis and Paul Harris at South Africa training•Getty Images”We’ve worked on getting him closer to the stumps and bowling more wicket-to-wicket, rather than from wider. If you bowl from wider, the ball has got to turn quite a lot to catch the outside edge,” Harris said. “And we’ve also worked on getting his front arm higher, because sometimes it drops and then he bowls a little shorter. I could definitely see the improvement in Cape Town.”Maharaj’s figures may not immediately reveal that but Harris hopes the results will come in Port Elizabeth, South Africa’s slowest surface and the most likely to take turn. “We’re expecting it to play more in his favour than other wickets. In South Africa conditions are generally not suited to spinners, which presents its own challenges.”South African spinners are used to playing second fiddle to the seamers, and usually operate on green tops which limits their role to a containing one for the bulk of their careers. That means they have to get used to doing the donkey work, something Maharaj has never shied away from. “He is a hard worker and he can bowl long spells,” Harris said. “He takes it seriously and he wants to improve and if he can get 10-20% better than what he is, why not?”Importantly, Maharaj knows he has to keep getting better because there are several others nipping at his heels. Three of the top five first-class bowlers in South Africa are spinners and one a recent debutant: George Linde, who was capped in India, currently tops the domestic wicket-takers’ chart, Jon-Jon Smuts is third and offspinner Prenelan Subrayen is fifth, all of whom Harris hopes will push Maharaj to stay a step ahead of the rest. “It’s sometimes harder to keep your spot than it was to get into the side because you always have a target on your back,” Harris said. “It’s good to have that and I don’t think it will negatively affect Keshav.”

Pedro Porro scored a brilliant long-range goal for Tottenham as they lost 2-1 to Bayern Munich in their latest pre-season friendly.

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Spurs beaten in SeoulPorro scored rasping long-range strikeRight-back in fine form in pre-seasonWHAT HAPPENED?

In a difficult pre-season workout for the Premier League club, Porro pulled a goal back at 2-0 with a brilliant strike from the edge of the box. The right-back strode forward from his natural position and took aim from over 20 yards out, lasering an effort beyond Sven Ulreich and into the far corner.

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Porro is not exactly prolific for Spurs but he also scored against Vissel Kobe during the club's Asia tour. Amazingly, he scored a strikingly similar goal against Burnley in the FA Cup last season, in the last Spurs meeting with a team managed by Vincent Kompany.

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Bizarrely, Spurs will play Bayern again in another pre-season friendly next weekend, this time in north London. They then kick off their Premier League campaign with a trip to newly-promoted Leicester City on August 19.

Barcelona are reportedly set to offload outcast Clement Lenglet, while long-serving Sergi Roberto's time with the Blaugrana is at an end.

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Lenglet not played for Barcelona in yearsClub legend Roberto became a free agent Both set to leave in different waysWHAT HAPPENED?

According to , centre-back Lenglet will leave Barcelona in the next few days. Despite them wanting to sell him outright, a third-straight loan is on the cards. Lenglet is on an annual salary of €16 million (£15m/$17m) and he still has two years left on his contract. However, the former Aston Villa loanee is willing to drop his wage demands to secure a temporary exit – which frees up funds for Barca.

AdvertisementGetty Images WHAT BARCELONA SAID

Meanwhile, Sergi Roberto was not part of Hansi Flick's plans and it would have been hard to register the player due to the club's financial problems. The club confirmed on Sunday that he will not return after seeing his contract expire this summer.

A statement read: "Sergi Roberto has made his official departure from the Club where he has spent virtually his entire career, FC Barcelona. The first team captain's contract came to an end at the conclusion of last season and via an emotional video published on his social media networks he has made his farewell to the Club public. Furthermore, the Catalan player will hold a farewell event at the Auditori 1899 at at the Club on Tuesday 13 August at 12pm CEST in the presence of president Joan Laporta. The event will be shown live on Barça One."

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claim Atletico Madrid and Villarreal are interested in signing Lenglet on loan, so long as he dramatically drops his wage demands. Barca sporting director Deco reportedly wants to get a deal done before the new La Liga season starts next weekend.

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GettyWHAT NEXT?

The Catalan side will bid a proper farewell to Sergi Roberto in the coming week at a press conference while negotiations regarding Lenglet's next move will continue in the background as Flick's side gear up for the new season.