Good morning! Welcome to your Monday morning Daily Briefing - thanks for reading, and hope you enjoy!
Today’s top stories:
Jurgen Klopp announced Arne Slot as his successor! [Pictures from Sky Sports]
Ask Me Anything! Fabrizio Romano will be taking YOUR questions in this week’s Debrief Podcast!
Plus more from Arsenal, Man Utd and Real Madrid
Arsenal
Kai Havertz continued his fine recent form as Arsenal got the win they needed, even if it wasn’t quite enough to deliver the title. FT Arsenal 2-1 Everton [Pictures from TNT Sports]
Read Fabrizio Romano’s exclusive thoughts on this season’s incredible title race in today’s column.
Mikel Arteta to Arsenal fans after the game: “All this is happening because you started believing. You were patient. All the credit has to go to the players and the staff. They are unbelievable. But don’t be satisfied. We want much more than that - and we are gonna get it!”
Arteta: “Nobody has to explain to me what the level is. I have been there. I know what we have to do and I also know we are on the right trajectory as a club.”
Martin Odegaard speaks to Arsenal fans: “You all believe in us now. I can’t wait to come back after the break. We have to use the break to come back even stronger, even more hungry, and push to win everything.”
Josh Kroenke: “While we are undoubtedly proud of the progress we have made, I want to be clear that no one at the club will stand still. However things finish today, we’re all working behind the scenes to move us forward again. There is so much that we want to achieve.”
As of 1st June 2024, the Daily Briefing will become a completely premium newsletter, which means that only paying subscribers will be sent the update each morning.
If you would like to continue to receive this newsletter in your inbox every day, then please upgrade to a full membership. As a special offer to new subscribers, we’re giving away 3 MONTHS for FREE until midnight on 31st May. Click the link below!
Atalanta
Atalanta want to complete Charles De Ketelaere permanent deal - more info in Fabrizio Romano’s latest column.
Barcelona
Lamine Yamal reaches ten assists this season with a wonderful one for Robert Lewandowski…and he’s the youngest player in Barcelona history to reach 50 official games.
Xavi. “I have no news. The situation is the same. I usually see Laporta after the game. If not today, it will be tomorrow. I received his congratulations the other day. I didn’t like the whistles towards the people of the club today.”
Darwin Nunez to Barcelona? Reports suggest he’s been offered to Barca by his agent Jorge Mendes…
Bayern Munich
Bayern confirm Thomas Tuchel is leaving the club, as he already announced in the pre match press conference. Bouna Sarr and Eric Choupo-Moting are also leaving the club as free agents.
Brentford
Brentford confirm loanees Neal Maupay and Sergio Reguilon will return to Everton and Tottenham respectively. Shandon Baptiste, Saman Ghoddos, Charlie Goode will also leave the club on 30 June once their contracts expire.
Brighton
Roberto de Zerbi: “There isn’t any club behind me. No one offered me a job at this stage. I hope to work in the Premier League again. I don’t know where or when…”
Kieran McKenna to replace De Zerbi at Brighton? Fabrizio Romano takes a look at the situation in his exclusive column.
Chelsea
What a screamer from Moises Caicedo as Chelsea ended their season with another win and an impressive climb to 6th place! FT Chelsea 2-1 Bournemouth [Pictures from X/Chelsea FC]
Chelsea will be in the Europa League next season if Man City beat Man United in the FA Cup final next week. The Blues ended with five Premier League wins in a row, finishing the season 6th. 14 goals scored, four goals conceded in the last five games for Mauricio Pochettino’s team.
Chelsea want Estevao Willian to be part of the first team as soon as he arrives in 2025, no plans for loan as he is considered a ‘generational talent’. €40m fixed fee, €25m in add-ons considered not difficult to reach as performance related.
Could Crysencio Summerville to Chelsea be another transfer to watch? Fabrizio Romano takes a look in his exclusive column.
Thiago Silva: “I am at peace. I did everything I could do. Everything. I know what it means to wear the Chelsea shirt. If I have a message to the boys here today, I hope they understand that everything they did to get to Chelsea has to be worth it because the season we’re having is not worthy of Chelsea, it’s not. I think they have to do more next year.”
Thiago Silva was given a guard of honour before telling the crowd: “My dream is to see my kids play for you. I’ll miss you guys a lot. I love you.”
Mauricio Pochettino when asked if he will have a say on summer transfers at Chelsea: “That is the club’s decision. We will be there if they need help.”
Will Pochettino stay at Chelsea? Fabrizio Romano has the latest info in his exclusive column.
Pochettino: “I’m really happy. But the questions on future are for owners and directors, not me. On Friday night, Todd Boehly invited me for a dinner and it was a nice dinner together. I don’t know about the rumours!”
Crystal Palace
Jean-Philippe Mateta has scored 16 goals and provided 4 assists in PL this season. Since Oliver Glasner's arrival, he has scored more Premier League goals than any other player with 13 total goals.
Could Mateta leave Palace this summer? They want to keep him, even if others could leave - more info in Fabrizio Romano’s exclusive column.
Fulham
Marco Silva on Financial Fair Play to impact Fulham plans: “The feedback I have, no. We’ve been building with this group of players, on the pitch and off the pitch the platform is there. It’s not the numbers, we don’t need to change many things, we have to add quality.”
Inter Milan
Lautaro Martinez on new deal talks: “I don’t know what’s gonna happen. This upcoming week we [club and player side] have to find an agreement.”
Liverpool
A lovely header by Alexis Mac Allister helped Liverpool on their way to a win over Wolves in Jurgen Klopp’s final game! FT Liverpool 2-0 Wolves [Pictures from Sky Sports]
Darwin Nunez to Barcelona? Reports suggest he’s been offered to Barca by his agent Jorge Mendes…
Klopp: “People say: you didn’t spend enough. This is Liverpool way. We don’t overspend. The other clubs, with most money and best managers, they win it. We didn’t have the best manager and never had the best team but for a while we played the best football… I love that!”
Klopp: “Whatever happened at City with the 115 charges, Pep Guardiola is the best manager in the world. Put any other manager in the world at that club, they do not win the league four times in a row!”
As of 1st June 2024, the Daily Briefing will become a completely premium newsletter, which means that only paying subscribers will be sent the update each morning.
If you would like to continue to receive this newsletter in your inbox every day, then please upgrade to a full membership. As a special offer to new subscribers, we’re giving away 3 MONTHS for FREE until midnight on 31st May. Click the link below!
Manchester City
What a goal by player of the year Phil Foden as Manchester City got the win they needed on the final day, making it an incredible four Premier League title victories in a row! FT Man City 3-1 West Ham [Pictures from Sky Sports]
Rodri: “Arsenal did an unbelievable season but the difference was the mentality. When they came here… they didn’t want to beat us. They just wanted to draw.”
Pep Guardiola on his future with contract due to expire in June 2025: “The reality is I’m closer to leaving than staying. We have talked with the club and my feeling is that I want to stay now. I will stay next season. But during the season we will talk, we will see.”
More from Fabrizio Romano’s exclusive column on Guardiola’s Man City future.
Do you have a message for those who say you had a bad season? Erling Haaland: “It’s just good, that! The more haters and critics, the better you are. If this is a bad season... I’m in it, then it can only go up!”
Erling Haaland won the Premier League Golden Boot again following 27 goals (and 5 assists) in 31 games.
Manchester United
Manchester United want a new left-back this summer after injury problems in that position - full details in Fabrizio Romano’s column.
Casemiro on playing as centre back: “I've done it probably two or three times, in my time at Real Madrid…But everyone knows that I am a central midfielder”. “It's not a role that I like to do but, you know what, I do it with the absolute best will in the world.”
Casemiro: “I was considered one of the best signings of the Premier League last season, and now I’m not worth anything anymore? The criticism is disrespectful. So when it’s lacking respect, then it's worrying, and I don’t have to respect that either.”
Erik ten Hag: “We develop some young players with high potentials that can really add to the quality levels of our squad. So, with the established players, they can make a very good mix and it can be a very strong squad that can compete at the highest levels.”
Are Manchester United in a better position than last year? Ten Hag: “When you look at the results, you'd say no but we know the reasons... I would say yes. We’ve more high quality players in the squad, in that perspective we’re in a better position.”
Ten Hag: “You have to finish higher, and this is not good enough. We have 60 points, two years ago, it was 58 and were sixth and, now, 60 and eighth... but it is not good enough. We’re disappointed.”
Monaco
Monaco director Carlos Avina set to stay at the club despite being one step away from joining San Diego FC. MLS side and AS Monaco didn’t agree on compensation fee, Mexican director will stay at the club. Thiago Scuro and Avina, together again with Monaco in UCL.
PSG
“Will you join Real Madrid this summer?”. Ethan Mbappe: “No.”
Xavi Simons’ future will be decided soon - more info in Fabrizio Romano’s latest column.
RB Leipzig
RB Leipzig have made contact with Benjamin Sesko’s agent in recent days to offer him a new lucrative contract. Several top clubs want Sesko this summer, especially from the Premier League. Leipzig will offer a new deal and key-player project to stay for one more year. It’s up to Sesko now.
More on Sesko’s future in Fabrizio Romano’s latest column.
Real Madrid
Real Madrid and Luka Modric are prepared for the final meeting to discuss terms of his extension, after Luka told the club that he wants to stay. Modric won’t create any problem about the salary, he only cares about staying at Real.
Lucas Vazquez confirms: “I want to stay at Real Madrid! Negotiations for my renewal are going good.”
Carlo Ancelotti: “Arda Guler has something special. This kid is excellent.”
Tottenham
Ryan Sessegnon is expected to leave Tottenham as a free agent, it’s time to part ways with the left back. There is already plenty of interest across England and Europe for Sessegnon, but the player’s preference is to stay in the Premier League.
West Ham United
Mohammed Kudus’ first season at West Ham: eight goals and six assists in the Premier League, 18 goals and seven assists in all competitions. Fantastic signing, and what a finish this was against Manchester City! FT Man City 3-1 West Ham [Pictures from Sky Sports]
As of 1st June 2024, the Daily Briefing will become a completely premium newsletter, which means that only paying subscribers will be sent the update each morning.
If you would like to continue to receive this newsletter in your inbox every day, then please upgrade to a full membership. As a special offer to new subscribers, we’re giving away 3 MONTHS for FREE until midnight on 31st May. Click the link below!
🚨 Klopp announces Slot! Plus Foden scores screamer on final day, Chelsea to discuss Pochettino's future, Sesko surprise deal, Man Utd want LB, & more