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In the latest edition of transfer news we look at claims that Man United have secured a deal for Moussa Dembele, while
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Man United are linked with pretty much everyone but a report from Spain says that they’ve agreed a $75 million with Lyon for Moussa Dembele.
Dembele, 23, has scored 42 goals in 88 games for Lyon after arriving from Celtic in 2018 and the former Fulham striker has long been linked with a move to the Premier League. The French striker was linked with a move to Chelsea but it appears Man United have beaten them to signing Dembele, as Lyon are eager to sell on Dembele and Houssem Ouar to make up for the loss of European action next season as the points-per-game model used to end the 2019-20 season in France saw them finish in seventh.
Do Man United need another forward?
Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Mason Greenwood are their current options, while it looks unlikely that Odion Ighalo’s loan deal will be extended or made permanent. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer would probably like one more forward to add to his squad and Dembele is able to play centrally or out wide. Jadon Sancho, Harry Kane and many others have been linked with a move to Man United but Dembele makes sense.
He fits Solskjaer’s model of being young, hungry and is full of attacking talent and alongside Martial and Rashford and with Bruno Fernandes pulling the strings, Dembele is a poacher who is their leading goalscorer this season with 22 goals.
Talking about a goalscorer, that moves us nicely onto Luka Jovic. The Serbian center forward has been linked with a move to Arsenal, as Real Madrid try and offload the troublesome striker.
Jovic, 22, recently broke his foot during the La Liga suspension and that caps off a horrid year for him at Real Madrid after his $65 million move from Eintracht Frankfurt last summer.
According to Mundo Deportivo, AC Milan are keen on signing Jovic on loan with the details stating that a possible loan deal would include an obligation to buy for $53 million. The Sun claim that Arsenal have been long-time admirers of Jovic.
Jovic has scored just twice in 24 outings at Real Madrid and during the coronavirus pandemic he has been heavily criticized for breaking lockdown orders back in Serbia. If you can look past some of the issues off the pitch, on the pitch he was prolific for Eintracht Frankfurt last season, scoring 27 goals in 48 games for the Bundesliga side as they reached the UEFA Europa League semifinals.
With Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang set to move on when the 2019-20 season ends as he has just one year left on his current contract, Jovic is seen as his replacement. The striker is great in the air, can hold the ball up and his movement is very intelligent but he doesn’t quite work the channels the same way Aubameyang does.
With Arsenal having success loaning Dani Ceballos from Real Madrid this season, perhaps the clubs could link up again for a loan deal for Jovic? Given Arsenal’s financial position — they have agreed with their players to a pay cut over the next 12 months amid the coronavirus pandemic — Mikel Arteta will have to get creative in the transfer market and this loan deal makes sense.
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Fourth-tier American league United Premier Soccer League has announced it plans to start its spring season on June 20 in states where it’s legal to do so.
It’s stunning to read given the climate caused by the coronavirus pandemic in the United States right now, but commissioner Yan Skwara says participation will be voluntary and that teams have until June 10 to announce their intention to play in the spring season.
That’s awfully close to the start of play, but these are extraordinary, heavily-charged times.
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The UPSL’s official release reads, “The UPSL Spring 2020 Season will commence in a condensed format starting Saturday, June 20, and incorporating only the states, counties and municipalities where organized soccer is allowed. We are optimistic that play will be permitted in Florida, Texas, Georgia, Arizona, Colorado, Utah, Idaho, and South Carolina. Other states will be subject to ongoing developments and all locations are subject to change at very short notice.”
Skwara told ProSoccerTalk, “As the social distancing restrictions across the country continue to ease, we have officially initiated a return back to soccer competition. With our announcement today, we are creating an opportunity for those team that are able to compete to do so. This has been a long road over the past few months and we look forward to seeing the players back in the beautiful game.”
The league has canceled its national championship and will spread its prize money amongst the regional champions. It will conclude its competition in late August. It also announced its Fall season would start two weeks later and run into February if conditions around the virus allow it.
Fellow fourth-tier leagues USL League Two and the NPSL canceled their seasons earlier this spring but said they’d revisit abbreviated schedules and unusual competitions if the coronavirus pandemic eased and clubs wanted to play.
The UPSL was founded in 2011 and has over 300 teams across the country. It was nationally sanctioned by the USASA for the first time in October.
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Even the greats see the benefit of a fresh start of sorts.
La Liga leaders Barcelona have had an up-and-down season despite their statuses atop the Spain’s top flight and as a Champions League quarterfinalist.
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Much of the acrimony has been off-the-field — the boardroom is a mess — but clubs like Barca are sometimes measured by how their victories look rather than simply coming out on top.
From The Associated Press:
“Playing like we did in the matches before play was stopped, we would never win the Champions League,” Messi said. “I have no doubts about my teammates and that we can win it all, but not…
Read more at this link (News Source).
