🚨 Highlights as Saka scores beauty in big Arsenal win, Sterling comes back to haunt Man City, plus latest on Mbappe to Real Madrid, Man Utd director targets & more
Today's round-up, featuring goals from Arsenal, Chelsea and more, and the latest on Mbappe's future...
Good morning everyone and welcome to the latest edition of the Daily Briefing - thanks as always for reading, and hope you enjoy! :-)
Today’s top stories:
Ajax
What does the future hold for Ajax wonderkid Jorrel Hato? There’s a lot of interest from top clubs, including Arsenal - more here from Fabrizio Romano’s exclusive column.
Arsenal
Arsenal keep flying and Bukayo Saka in particular is showing incredible form, with seven goals and one assist in his last six Premier League games. What a finish this was against Burnley in another comfortable win yesterday. FT Burnley 0-5 Arsenal [Pictures from X/Arsenal]
Could this versatile defender be a potential Arsenal target to watch?
Mikel Arteta on Kai Havertz’s qualities: “I love to see Havertz, he’s just a joy to work with. You ask him to play as a centre striker, as right attacking midfielder, as a left attacking midfielder, on the base defending... and he does it.”
Arteta praises his goalkeeper: “What I like about David Raya is what he does in goal - the things he prevents us from, you don’t even see because they don’t happen, because he has anticipated them. Courage, character and personality. I love him.”
Barcelona
What a strike by Robert Lewandowski in this Barcelona win! FT Celta Vigo 1-2 Barcelona [Pictures from ViaPlay Sports]
Lamine Yamal has provided one more assist - it’s now five goals and six assists in all competitions this season at just 16 years old.
Bayer Leverkusen
Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen keep going - they’re still unbeaten this season, with 95 goals scored (!) in 32 games all competitions. And Jeremie Frimpong scored again, making it a remarkable nine goals and ten assists playing as RWB.
Bayern Munich
Mathys Tel’s agent Gadiri Camara: “Mathys loves Bayern, the fans… and he wants to be important and win all the trophies. Sometimes you just need to feel like you're on the same path. I’m confident about it. If not, we have to consider all options.”
What about those Mathys Tel to Man Utd links? Latest details and insight from Fabrizio Romano here.
Thomas Tuchel on Bayern’s struggles: “The mood in the squad is of course depressed at the moment. But I’m sure that we'll have every chance and energy tomorrow to start a turnaround. Giving up is not an option for us, it will not happen - neither in the title race nor in the Champions League.”
Tuchel on Harry Kane: “Harry’s not happy with the connection in games. Neither are we. The way he scores in training, world class… incredible. But then we rarely find him in matches, so we’re working on it.”
Chelsea
Raheem Sterling did brilliantly with this goal to open the scoring for Chelsea away to City yesterday. FT Man City 1-1 Chelsea [Pictures from Sky Sports]
Mauricio Pochettino: “I’m so happy, I like how we fight. We need to feel that it’s possible to beat Liverpool in the Cup final. We are going to play the second best team in the world. I think belief is the most important thing.”
Pochettino on Raheem Sterling: “The goal was important. He needs to score to feel confident. And he worked really hard for the team. He defended well. He was always in the right position to help the team.”
Conor Gallagher was bizarrely criticised for this “nonsense” by Richard Keys!
Crystal Palace
Oliver Glasner is set for his first training session as Crystal Palace new head coach on Tuesday - after fair goodbye to Roy Hodgson. Glasner also expected to watch the game vs Everton with Steve Parish, after he was following Spurs today preparing for the game in two weeks.
Juventus
A tidy finish here from Adrien Rabiot to bring Juventus level. FT Hellas Verona 2-2 Juventus [Pictures from TNT Sports]
Gleison Bremer has been linked with a move away from Juventus - Fabrizio Romano addresses those rumours here.
Lille
Jonathan David scored an hat-trick for Lille today and so he has hit double goalscoring digits in all his senior league years. It’s 11 goals this season for the striker, one to follow in the summer as many clubs are already keen. His current deal expires in June 2025.
Liverpool
What a finish this was by Darwin Nunez as Liverpool earned a convincing win at Brentford. FT Brentford 1-4 Liverpool [Pictures from TNT Sports]
Ibrahima Konate when asked about Kylian Mbappe and Liverpool links: “Guys, in all honesty, do you really think he’s coming here?! We all know where Kylian is going!”
Jurgen Klopp on Liverpool being linked with Kylian Mbappe by English media: “I have no clue. I am not involved in that... but I can tell you that I would be surprised. It would be tricky for most of the top clubs I know - wages, signing fee...”
Klopp on Xabi Alonso as a manager: “Xabi Alonso was like a manager already when he was playing! The football he is playing, the teams he sets up, the transfers he did... it was absolutely exceptional. I played a long time in my life in the Bundesliga, how they play... that is super impressive. Leverkusen was better than Bayern. Not counter-attack, just... better! That was the real surprise given the short time he was there, with a young team.”
Klopp confirms Alisson’s injury — tests to follow to understand how long he will be out: “In the next 1-2 days we will know more.”
Diogo Jota could be another injury worry for Liverpool as he was taken off the field on a stretcher after sustaining a heavy knock to his knee against Brentford. Tests will follow to understand more about his injury.
Klopp on Jota, Darwin Nunez and Curtis Jones: “It doesn’t look good in the first moment, but we have to wait… sometimes you get a positive surprise when you get the diagnosis. Darwin Nunez, we are not sure if he has something or not. He felt something. We will see.”
Manchester City
Rodri scored this important equaliser against Chelsea last night, but it was a frustrating evening overall for Manchester City. FT Man City 1-1 Chelsea [Pictures from Sky Sports]
Pep Guardiola on Erling Haaland missing chances: “It’s good he had nine shots - the next game he is going to score. Listen, I was a football player. I played 11 years and scored 11 goals. What a stat, hey? One goal a season, those are my stats. So, I am not the proper man to give advice to the striker, and what they have to do. We created the chances, he had the chances and next game he is going to score.”
📰 Man City hope it will be easier to persuade Erling Haaland to sign a new contract now that Kylian Mbappe is joining Real Madrid (Mirror)
Manchester United
Could Mathys Tel be a realistic target for Man Utd? Fabrizio Romano takes a look in his column here.
Erik ten Hag: “In the summer, we chose to bring in young players for the future — that had to do with FFP. With that choice, you know it will take longer before you can come into the competition for the top positions in the Premier League or Champions League.”
Joshua Zirkzee to Manchester United - latest on this saga here.
📰 Marcus Rashford is on PSG’s list of targets to replace Kylian Mbappe this summer (Times)
Napoli
PSG
Lucas Hernandez scored a beauty to give PSG the lead against Nantes! FT Nantes 0-2 PSG [Pictures from TNT Sports]
Kylian Mbappe started on bench as Luis Enrique wanted him to rest after the Champions League in midweek - it was the manager’s decision, not PSG’s decision. The player told PSG that he’s available to do his best until June but there’s no chance for him to stay. Mbappe already received Real Madrid’s contract proposal since January.
Could another big name follow Mbappe from PSG to Real Madrid?
Ibrahima Konate when asked about Kylian Mbappe and Liverpool links: “Guys, in all honesty, do you really think he’s coming here?! We all know where Kylian is going!”
Real Madrid
Can Real Madrid afford both Kylian Mbappe AND Alphonso Davies? Fabrizio Romano has the latest info here.
Carlo Ancelotti when asked about Kylian Mbappe. “I see what you say, I read what you write and I can understand it’s big topic of the day for you… but not for us. Our focus is on Rayo Vallecano. I would like to finish this season and win titles. We work for that. There is too much time left for next season…”
Ibrahima Konate when asked about Kylian Mbappe and Liverpool links: “Guys, in all honesty, do you really think he’s coming here?! We all know where Kylian is going!”
Arda Guler has been linked with a loan move away from Real Madrid - Fabrizio Romano takes a look at the story here.
Ancelotti on Luka Modric not playing: “I talked to Luka, he was used to always play… it's difficult. He’s a professional, very serious. He always trains to play. I respect him. He’s the leader in the dressing room. Everything is clear between me and Modric.”
Sevilla
Sevilla manager Quique on Alejo Veliz joining on loan from Tottenham: “He has completed an extraordinary week with the group, he has desire, hunger, enthusiasm... He does what we ask of him. He is a boy who is going to mark a clear path of what the team needs again.”
Tottenham
Ange Postecoglou: “I’m not a magician, I’m a football manager. We’re trying to be the best possible team we can and progress this year to build something. That doesn’t change, we keep going.”
West Ham United
David Moyes: “Maybe some fans want a change or maybe they’ve had managers who excite them more possibly… but the one who’s sitting here wins more.”