Good morning all, and welcome to the latest edition of the Daily Briefing - thanks as always for reading, and hope you enjoy! :-)
Today’s top stories:
David Raya’s penalty save against Galeno sends Arsenal through vs Porto! [Pictures from TNT Sports]
Manchester United duo unlikely to return after going out on loan
Plus more from Chelsea, Man City & is Jose Mourinho set for a job in Saudi?
Arsenal
What an assist by Martin Odegaard as Arsenal took the lead against Porto last night, with Leandro Trossard’s goal levelling the tie and eventually taking the match to penalties. FT Arsenal 1-0 Porto (4-2 on penalties) [Pictures from TNT Sports]
Mikel Arteta: “Thank you to Arsenal fans, we love them so much. It’s been special, the energy that they bring to us… we did it together. We are where we want to be.”
David Raya: “I should have saved three, but I'm over the moon to save two...It’s a great feeling, especially for me personally. It’s the first time in so many years we have got the to the Champions League quarter-finals. It’s a great moment both personally and collectively.”
Porto manager Sergio Conceicao: “Arteta turned to the bench during the game and insulted my family in Spanish. I told him that the person he insulted is no longer among us. Let him worry about training his team, which has more than enough quality to play a lot better.”
“No comment. Thanks very much”, this was the reply by Mikel Arteta when asked about Sergio Conceicao’s strong accusations. Arsenal club sources have firmly denied any offensive or insulting sentence towards the Porto manager.
Eddie Nketiah’s future could be one to watch - more on the Arsenal striker in Fabrizio Romano’s column here.
Viktor Gyokeres to Arsenal - is the Swedish striker now their top target?
Atletico Madrid
Talks between Koke’s camp and Atletico Madrid are progressing well, almost final stages. Atleti are optimistic to get it sealed soon after Cesar Azpilicueta and Stefan Savic extensions.
Be the first to read EXCLUSIVE NEWS ARTICLES from me, Fabrizio Romano, Christian Falk, Neil Jones, Ben Jacobs, Jonathan Johnson and Matteo Moretto!
Barcelona
Beautiful football here by Barcelona as Robert Lewandowski finished yesterday’s tie against Napoli. FT Barcelona 3-1 Napoli (4-2 on aggregate) [Pictures from TNT Sports]
Xavi: “You keep on asking me if I will stay if we win the Champions League… no, I will not. My future will not change. My response will not change. I will leave at the end of the season. I will enjoy Champions League next season yes, but as a fan.”
Barcelona are currently not working on Mason Greenwood deal despite recent links. Manchester United are open to selling the player and finding a solution in the summer, but Barca’s focus is now on different targets.
Luis Diaz has been linked with Barcelona, but can they afford the deal? Fabrizio Romano takes a look in his exclusive column.
Ronald Araujo: “My future depends on the club. Everyone knows that I’m very happy at Barca and very grateful to Xavi.”
Barcelona got a €15m boost from making it into the Champions League quarter-finals!
Bayern Munich
Bayern are interested in Chris Fuhrich of Stuttgart in case Leroy Sane doesn’t sign a new contract. Fuhrich, 26, has a release clause worth €23.5m.
Bayern director Christoph Freund on talks with Alphonso Davies over a new deal: “It’s not unlikely at all. There are talks and the talks are good and open. We’ll see what happens in the next few weeks.”
Brighton
Brighton’s Marc Leonard is on the radar of Preston, Plymouth and also Swansea for the summer transfer window. Leonard’s performances in League One on loan at Northampton Town have been appreciated. He’s contracted to Brighton until summer 2025.
Celta Vigo
Celta Vigo have sacked Rafael Benitez as manager. It’s over as the La Liga club part ways with the Spanish head coach.
Chelsea
The international break could bring a major injury boost for Chelsea, according to latest reports.
Ian Maatsen could leave Chelsea as they eye a new left-back for the summer, according to Fabrizio Romano.
Mauricio Pochettino: “We need to understand players are young and we are in a project that's completely different. Some people can be confused. We are a different Chelsea. The relationship with the owners is good.”
Pochettino: “I’m really happy with Cole Palmer. He’s doing fantastic and getting more mature every day. You can see his quality, he can help us a lot.”
📰 Chelsea could be preparing to offload Raheem Sterling in a clear-out this summer (Daily Mail)
Everton
James Vaughan has been appointed Everton’s Head of Academy Recruitment & Player Pathways. Vaughan will begin his new role with immediate effect.
Lazio
Maurizio Sarri has formally resigned as Lazio manager — he informed the club early yesterday afternoon.
More here about what Sarri told the Lazio squad about his decision to quit.
Liverpool
Luis Diaz to Barcelona rumours have been doing the rounds, but what’s really going on? Fabrizio Romano has the latest in his exclusive column.
Michael Edwards has reached an agreement with FSG as he returns to Liverpool in a crucial role to help with the new project. After an initial approach and a new attempt revealed in the last two months, it’s now a done deal.
More here from Fabrizio Romano’s column about the clubs Edwards rejected in favour of Liverpool!
Richard Hughes will also join the Reds as part of their new structure. After doing an excellent job at Bournemouth with CEO Neill Blake, he’s going to leave at the end of the season to sign for Liverpool.
Michael Edwards: “It was vital for me that, if I did return, it had to be with renewed vigour and energy. I was humbled by desire, persistence FSG showed in wanting to work with me again. This is definitely not something that I take for granted.”
Manchester City
Bruno Guimaraes to Manchester City could be a transfer saga to watch out for this summer, according to latest reports.
Could City and United be set to battle it out for the transfer of Mikel Merino?
Our reader-funded model means we can provide you with the most reliable transfer news from football’s most authoritative journalists advertising free, but it does rely on some readers making a contribution by subscribing to the premium content, please try it out by clicking the ‘2 months for Free!’ button below.
Manchester United
Manchester United will target a new left-back as a priority this summer - more info here from Fabrizio Romano’s column.
Mikel Merino of Real Sociedad has also been linked with Man Utd - Fabrizio Romano addresses his future here.
Barcelona are currently not working on Mason Greenwood deal despite recent links. Manchester United are open to selling the player and finding a solution in the summer, but Barca’s focus is now on different targets.
Are Mason Greenwood and Jadon Sancho likely to return to United this summer?
Mason Mount is expected to be fit and ready after international break as he’s now back to training. Boost for Manchester United as Mount has been sidelined since November with a calf problem.
Napoli
Napoli pulled this well-worked goal back against Barcelona last night but it wasn’t enough to prevent their exit rom the Champions League. FT Barcelona 3-1 Napoli (4-2 on aggregate) [Pictures from TNT Sports]
Napoli will not make it easy for suitors to sign Khvicha Kvaratskhelia this summer, and will try to tie him down to a new contract. More here from Fabrizio Romano.
Napoli president Aurelio de Laurentiis: “Kvaratskhelia’s agent said he would only leave if he received an offer that could not be refused? The offer that cannot be refused must come to me and not to him. I want to extend his contract. He has been a gentleman, we will talk soon.”
Porto
Porto manager Sergio Conceicao: “Arteta turned to the bench during the game and insulted my family in Spanish. I told him that the person he insulted is no longer among us. Let him worry about training his team, which has more than enough quality to play a lot better.”
Could Porto goalkeeper Diogo Costa be one to watch on the market again this summer?
Yesterday Pepe became the first outfield player aged 41 or over to play a Champions League game. He’s 41 - same age as Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta. His debut in the Champions League was all the way back in 2004.
West Ham United
Eddie Nketiah to West Ham? Fabrizio Romano takes a look at the story here.
🚨 WATCH Raya save and Trossard goal as Arsenal go through, plus Man Utd duo likely to LEAVE, and Liverpool star linked with Barcelona