🚨 Odegaard scores to send Arsenal TOP, City through to another FA Cup final, latest on Toney's future, Man Utd's CB search, & more
Today's round-up, featuring Arsenal, Man City, Man United, and much more!
Good morning everyone and welcome to the latest edition of the Daily Briefing! Thanks for reading, and hope you enjoy!
Today’s top stories:
Odegaard scores as Arsenal return to the top of the Premier League
Plus more from Chelsea, Real Madrid and Tottenham
Arsenal
Martin Odegaard scored from a difficult angle to seal an important win over Wolves last night. FT Wolves 0-2 Arsenal [Pictures from Sky Sports]
Mikel Arteta: “Now is the time to prove who you are as a team. You want to make a step forward as a team, as a club? You need to leave those week with whatever the outcome is. You want to be at the top? There’s only one way down. You have to live with that.”
Takehiro Tomiyasu was left out of the Arsenal squad against Wolves as a precaution after picking up a knock against Bayern on Wednesday.
📰 Arsenal and Man United could rival AC Milan for the signing of Bologna forward Joshua Zirkzee this summer (Gazzetta dello Sport)
Atletico Madrid
Barcelona
Andreas Christensen: “I have no doubts that I will be at Barca next season. I still have two years of contract and I'm happy here, so… zero doubts.”
Xavi: “There’s no issue between Ilkay Gundogan and Ronald Araujo. Everything is solved, it’s ok. When you have no bad intentions, you always understand each other at the end.”
Xavi: “There’s no meeting scheduled to discuss my future, no one has told me about that. I’m not the important one now, focus on the game. There will be time to discuss.”
Bayer Leverkusen
Scouts from three top clubs will be in attendance today to follow Edmond Tapsoba again, as he’s been monitored for months. After being high on Tottenham and Man United’s list last year, he’s attracting interest again for this summer.
Bayern Munich
Harry Kane has scored his 40th goal of the season in 41 official games. 33 goals in 30 Bundesliga games.
Bayern director Max Eberl: “I can say that our search for new manager is at the final stages. The coach should speak English, not necessarily German.” Does Zidane speak English? “I don’t know if he speaks English.”
Alphonso Davies to Real Madrid - Fabrizio Romano has the latest in his exclusive column.
Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund are in active talks with Mats Hummels to extend his contract again. Nothing has been sealed yet but there have been positive conversations with the club and all parties are confident to reach an agreement, while there are more details to be clarified.
Brentford
Ivan Toney’s wage demands have made some headlines - Fabrizio Romano takes a look at the story in his exclusive column.
Chelsea
Thiago Silva was crying after the defeat against City at Wembley…as it could have been his last chance to play a cup final in Europe. Silva and Chelsea will discuss his future soon, he could leave the club at the end of the season as his current deal expires in June.
Chelsea were unlucky in their defeat against City and Nicolas Jackson is still seen as a good signing by the club, according to Fabrizio Romano in his column.
Still, did Jackson need to do better with these two big chances against City? FT Man City 1-0 Chelsea [Pictures from BBC Sport]
Eintracht Frankfurt
Hugo Ekitike scored his first goal for Eintracht Frankfurt last night... and he will stay at the club on a permanent deal, as planned. PSG will receive a total fee in excess €20m after €3.5m loan fee plus €16.5m buy clause. Ekitike has also agreed terms with Eintracht.
Hoffenheim
Melayro Bogarde will leave Hoffenheim as free agent in the summer. The decision has been made. The Dutch Under-21 player remains fully committed to the club until June then he will leave. Many clubs in Europe are considering Bogarde as a good option for the summer on a free transfer.
Inter Miami
Lionel Messi scored a brace and he also provided an assist tonight for Inter Miami. That’s 9 goals and 5 assists in all competitions this new season with Inter Miami. 14 G/A in 9 official games.
Watch above as Messi sets up Sergio Busquets for his first goal for Inter Miami! FT Inter Miami 3-1 Nashville [Pictures from MLS]
Inter Milan
Nacho will take some time before deciding his next club - his full focus is on the final games of the season as he wants to leave in the best way possible. No plans to stay in La Liga as he doesn’t want to play against Real Madrid. Inter Milan looks like a difficult option despite their interest in him.
Lazio
Matteo Guendouzi’s permanent buy clause to join Lazio from Olympique Marseille has been activated. OM receive €13m fixed fee plus €5m potential add-ons as part of the deal.
Liverpool
Could Fabio Carvalho get another chance at Liverpool once Jurgen Klopp leaves Anfield this summer?
Manchester City
Bernardo Silva made up for his penalty miss against Real Madrid by scoring the winner against Chelsea to book Man City’s place in the FA Cup final! FT Man City 1-0 Chelsea [Pictures from BBC Sport]
Pep Guardiola on Erling Haaland missing the Chelsea game: “Haaland is injured. I don’t think it’s much but he’s not able for today. I don’t know if he will be back for the next game.”
Guardiola: “People can’t understand the punch in our face to be out of the Champions League. Why not give us an extra day with Man Utd, Chelsea, Coventry not playing in midweek? For the broadcasters... ok, don’t ask me to do extra things after the game — because I am not going to do it.”
Guardiola’s further rant: “It’s unacceptable to play today. It’s unacceptable. It’s not normal. For the health of the players, after 120 minutes... it's unacceptable. I don’t understand how we survived today. Nothing is gonna change. Nothing. Why today and not tomorrow when Chelsea, Man United and Coventry don’t play midweek? Why? Tell me why, it’s for the health of the players. These players are legends. Legends. I don't understand how they survive. Chapeau. We love playing football but it’s for the players, for their health... it’s too much.”
Manchester United
Dani Olmo to Manchester United transfer won’t come cheap - more info in Fabrizio Romano’s exclusive column here.
Mason Mount, Sofyan Amrabat and Willy Kambwala miss Manchester United’s game against Coventry City today due to injury. That’s now more than 60 separate cases of injury or illness for Man United this season.
Harry Maguire will be Man United’s only fit centre-back for the Coventry game, with Erik ten Hag understood to have tested Casemiro as an emergency option to fill in in defence.
Man United want a centre-back this summer and Jason Wilcox will be a key figure in their recruitment - more info in Fabrizio Romano’s latest column.
Scouts from three top clubs will be in attendance today to follow Edmond Tapsoba again, as he’s been monitored for months. After being high on Tottenham and Man United’s list last year, he’s attracting interest again for this summer.
Marseille
Matteo Guendouzi’s permanent buy clause to join Lazio from Olympique Marseille has been activated. OM receive €13m fixed fee plus €5m potential add-ons as part of the deal.
PSG
Hugo Ekitike scored his first goal for Eintracht Frankfurt last night... and he will stay at the club on a permanent deal, as planned. PSG will receive a total fee in excess €20m after €3.5m loan fee plus €16.5m buy clause. Ekitike has also agreed terms with Eintracht.
📰 PSG may abandon their pursuit of Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong due to Financial Fair Play concerns (Sport)
Real Madrid
Alphonso Davies to Real Madrid - Fabrizio Romano has the latest in his exclusive column.
Nacho will take some time before deciding his next club - his full focus is on the final games of the season as he wants to leave in the best way possible. No plans to stay in La Liga as he doesn’t want to play against Real Madrid. Inter Milan looks like a difficult option despite their interest in him.
Carlo Ancelotti: “We will respect Nacho’s decision. He knows what do we think about him. He’s the one deciding his own future. Even against Man City, he did a fantastic game. He’s a top level defender.”
Ancelotti: “Luka Modric will never accept to be a bench player, I know him well. He never stops to train, to fight... he always has the same excitement and will to fight and play. He will never accept that.”
📰 Real Madrid are leading the race to sign Bernardo Silva from Man City this summer (Daily Star)
Tottenham
Tottenham full-back Destiny Udogie will miss the rest of the season due to injury. Udogie has announced it with an official statement. He’s also expected to miss Euro 2024 with Italy this summer as he’ll be out for around three months.
Scouts from three top clubs will be in attendance today to follow Edmond Tapsoba again, as he’s been monitored for months. After being high on Tottenham and Man United’s list last year, he’s attracting interest again for this summer.
What is happening with the referees, yesterday with Chelsea and City was, let's say, weird