🚨 Real Madrid are La Liga champions, Arsenal and City cruise, Ipswich EPL bound, Portu's stunner, Spurs clear out and more
Today's round-up, featuring Chelsea, Man City, Man United, West Ham and more...
Good morning everyone and welcome to another Daily Briefing - thanks as always for reading, and hope you enjoy!
Today’s top stories:
Al Nassr
Cristiano Ronaldo scores the 66th hat-trick of his career and it’s 52 goals in 52 games this season. It’s now 66 G/A this season with 14 assists completed.
Arsenal
Arsenal cruised to a 3-0 victory over Bournemouth thanks to goals from Bukayo Saka, Leandro Trossard and Declan Rice. The pick of the bunch was from Rice - just look at how far he ran to give himself the opportunity! [pictures from TNT Sports]
Understand Arsenal plan remains clear since last summer: David Raya will sign on a permanent deal from Brentford for £27m. It’s all verbally agreed between the parties. Raya wins the Golden Glove with 15 clean sheets in the Premier League.
Havertz: "Bukayo Saka is unbelievable and he shows it every week. I think he’s still 21 or 22 right now. I’ve never seen a player like Saka before and I think England can be so happy to have him. Unbelievable player. Unbelievable guy. So hungry everyday."
Kai Havertz: "I enjoy every second with Mikel Arteta as a coach. He’s taught me so many good things, especially at the beginning when it was tough for me. I’m so glad I’m here."
Declan Rice’s impact at Arsenal highlighted by incredible stats [CaughtOffside]
Atlético Madrid
Atlético Madrid decision is confirmed: Mario Hermoso will not sign a new deal and he's set to leave the club as a free agent. Plans are not changing. Hermoso, exploring several opportunities as he's not agreed terms with any club yet.
Atlético Madrid unwilling to pay €30m asking price for Man United star [CaughtOffside]
Barcelona
Sergi Roberto, set to sign a new deal at Barça with details to be clarified in the next days in order to seal the agreement. Xavi strongly wanted him to stay and Sergi's now ready to accept, waiting for one final meeting.
Despite leading 2-1 at one stage, Barcelona lost 4-2 to Girona for the second time this season, and now drop behind their opponents in La Liga. Portu, a 65th minute substitute for the hosts, scored with his first touch to level things up, then assisted another two minutes later before hitting a volley that’s being compared to Marco van Basten’s just nine minutes after coming on. What an impact! [pictures from Premier Sports]
Xavi: “We have to change and improve a lot to compete next year. We can’t give away games like this. Against Real Madrid and Girona we were better in all four games but we didn’t win…”
Xavi: "The defeat vs Girona won't change the plan we have together. I will stay and continue as Barcelona manager."
Xavi demands Barcelona improvement as Real Madrid seal title [MARCA]
Bayern Munich
Bayern director Max Eberl: “Ralf Rangnick has made a decision in his life. That ultimately came as a surprise to us. But it is what it is… we move on. He was a candidate that we would've been very happy to see at FC Bayern.”
Bayern director Freund confirms that there’s “no chance” to continue with Thomas Tuchel as manager next season.
Raphaël Guerreiro left the stadium on crutches and Bayern believe it will be difficult for him to play vs Real, says director Eberl.
Chelsea
Chelsea remain well informed on Estêvão Willian since November, as one of 4-5 South American talents they are tracking. Chelsea are aware of the release clause structure for the summer but have not presented any formal proposal so far - as Palmeiras wait for first official step.
Palmeiras manager Ferreira: "I’ll ask our president Leila not to sell Willian Estêvão. Let his father, his agent, the boy be sad… let him stay with us until 2027. Trust me, this boy is something different. Estêvão is just something I’ve never seen in my career."
Si Phillips takes an exclusive look at why Mauricio Pochettino hasn’t been backed by the Chelsea owners.
Cruz Azul
Cruz Azul are closing in on a deal to sign Mexican defender Jorge Sánchez from Ajax, it’s almost done. Understand final package will be around €3m for Sánchez to join Cruz Azul.
Be the first to read EXCLUSIVE NEWS ARTICLES from me, Fabrizio Romano, Christian Falk, Neil Jones, Ben Jacobs, Jonathan Johnson, Charles Watts and Matteo Moretto!
Girona
Congratulations to Girona, qualified to the Champions League for the first time in their history!
Inter Miami
Lionel Messi with five assists and one goal for Inter Miami, winning 6-2 vs New York Red Bulls. Three assists for Luis Suárez who scored his first MLS hat-trick. 12 goals, 11 assists in 11 games for Messi since the new season started.
Inter Milan
Inter manager Inzaghi confirms: “Yes, we have signed Mehdi Taremi on a free transfer from Porto. He’s an important player at international level, he scored a lot of goals so we’re very happy with this move.” Here we go, confirmed.
Inzhagi: ‘Told Inter I want to keep every player’ [Sky Sports Italia]
Ipswich Town
Ipswich Town are promoted back to the Premier League after a 22-year absence thanks to their 2-0 win over Huddersfield. Wes Burns set them on their way and Omari Hutchison bagged the second to send the Portman Road crowd wild at full-time [pictures from Sky Sports]:
Leicester City
Despite losing 2-0 to Blackburn Rovers on the final day, a result which saved the visitors from relegation to League One, Leicester ended the day by lifting the Championship trophy aloft at the King Power Stadium [pictures from Sky Sports]:
Journalist reveals worrying Enzo Maresca news after Leicester triumph [Guillem Balague]
Manchester City
Pep Guardiola: "I'd love Stefan Ortega to stay, same for the club. We will let him feel it but I don’t know. Everyone has their own life, wives, kids, desires, I don’t know. I think he’s fine, really happy at Man City, but I could understand if he wants to play every game."
36 goals in all competitions including four vs Wolves. Erling Haaland, again and again. That’s nine hat-tricks (!) in less than two seasons as a Man City player.
Erling Haaland on Roy Keane’s “League Two level” comments: “I really don’t care about that man.”
Erling Haaland’s fourth goal in Man City’s 5-1 win over Wolves was the best of the bunch. Just look at that assist from Phil Foden too [pictures from Sky Sports]
Lazio ace coveted by Man United in contact with Man City [TeamTalk]
Manchester United
Ten Hag on the failed Frenkie de Jong deal in 2022: "The plan was to play Frenkie and Casemiro, as I'm sure they would have been very complementary. To play the Ajax style, you need this type of player."
Ten Hag on attempt to sign Harry Kane last summer: "Yes, but don't compare him with Højlund. We signed a GK who can play out from the back, a dynamic midfielder in Mason Mount who has been injured all season... and a goalscorer in Højlund who is young and needed the time."
Ten Hag on injuries: "We've played 47 games and we had 30 combinations in the back four. They weren't from choices you make, they were forced choices because of players injured… anyone with even a little bit of knowledge about football knows it will have a huge impact."
Getafe in talks with Man United over Mason Greenwood [The Athletic]
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Newcastle United
Burnley’s recent revival was stopped in its tracks by a brilliant away performance for Newcastle. Dara O’Shea scored for the Clarets but they were already 4-0 down by then thanks to goals from Callum Wilson, Sean Longstaff, Bruno Guimarães and Alexander Isak, the latter also missing a penalty.
Eddie Howe on Tonali: "It's the right decision the FA have arrived at, that his ban isn’t extended. He’s conducted himself in a really positive way. I’ve seen the hunger [to return] all the time.” Tonali will be back on August 27.
Newcastle now willing to keep midfielder with £100m release clause [Football Insider]
Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest did themselves no harm with a vital 3-1 win at Sheffield United. Two goals from Callum Hudson-Odoi and one from Ryan Yates means Nuno Espirito Santo’s team are three points clear of the drop zone now.
Nottingham Forest charged by the FA for social media post [Mirror]
RB Leipzig
RB Leipzig confirm Xaver Schlager suffered a tear of the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. Schlager will miss Euro 2024 with the Austrian national team.
Real Betis
Ez Abde on links with Saudi move: “I want to stay at Real Betis and I’m gonna win titles here. I’m really happy at the club and next season will be the best of my life, mark my words.”
Real Madrid
Thibaut Courtois, back with a clean sheet for Real Madrid. Ancelotti: “Courtois is a very important piece for us. He’s returned well and he will always be key for us.”
Luka Modrić becomes the oldest player to play a La Liga game with Real Madrid. 38 years and 238 days, surpassing Ferenc Puskás' record (38 years, 233 days).
Real Madrid win La Liga for the 36th time in their history! Fantastic season by Carlo Ancelotti’s team with their Champions League semi-final to follow on Wednesday.
Carlo Ancelotti celebrates with his Real Madrid players [pictures from Fabrizio Romano via X]:
Carlo Ancelotti wins his 6th league title, and 2nd La Liga title of his extraordinary career. 1x Serie A, 1x Premier League, 1x Ligue Un, 1x Bundesliga, 2x La Liga… in addition to 4 Champions Leagues and much more.
Jude Bellingham, Toni Rüdiger, Arda Güler and Aurélien Tchouaméni have just won their first ever league title.
Liverpool legend Virgil van Dijk makes Real Madrid transfer point [Diario AS]
Tottenham Hotspur
Postecoglou on exits at Spurs this summer: "Yes, we already made tough decisions letting experienced players leave... it's the only way if you want to change. Sometimes you let people go who you think: he’s a good player, but how am I going to change things if I don’t do that."
Radu Dragusin’s agent hits out an Ange Postecoglou [Radio CRC]
West Ham United
Kalvin Phillips will surely leave West Ham at the end of the season, plan already decided weeks ago. Kalvin will head back to Manchester City with club open to solutions, including Leeds interest and more. He’s now out due to injury.
Strong message as West Ham set to lose key man this summer [The Times]
