[ad_1]
With a small matter of the UEFA Champions League final happening Saturday in Madrid, let us pause for a brief moment and divert our attention to the latest rumblings out of the transfer rumor mill.
[ MORE: Win or lose UCL final, not much changes for Spurs ]
Bayern Munich’s pursuit of Manchester City winger Leroy Sane is real — very real, in fact — to the tune of $88 million, according to the Guardian. After the two-time reigning Premier League champions swiftly the seven-time reigning Bundesliga champions’ bid, they’re already pondering a second offer in short order.
Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge confirmed last week that Bayern would indeed be making an approach for Sane. “We will try. I can not promise whether it will succeed.”
According to Spanish newspaper AS, Bayern are expected to part ways with James Rodriguez this summer. Serie A side Napoli is one potential suitor, as it would facilitate a reunion with Carlo Ancelotti, who oversaw the most productive period of Rodriguez’s club career at Real Madrid.
Stoke City goalkeeper is a wanted man after spending a season in the EFL Championship, and a return to the PL looks a sure thing for the 26-year-old… only, it won’t be with the Potters. According to the Star, Crystal Palace and Bournemouth are set to enter the race for England’s no. 2. Stoke are seeking a fee of nearly $40 million, however.
Sergio Ramos appeared headed for the exit door following the end of Real Madrid’s disappointing season, but new/old manager Zinedine Zidane reportedly intervened and convinced Ramos that Madrid is still the right place for him. According to ESPN, Zidane helped to reduce the growing tension between player and president Florentino Perez, thus he is set to remain at the Santiago Bernabeu for at least one more season.
According to the Standard, Arsenal manager Unai Emery will allow Mesut Ozil to leave the club this summer… if anyone will take him and his $440,000-per-week wages off the Gunners’ books.
The Daily Mail is reporting that Leicester City midfielder James Maddison is one of Arsenal’s targets this summer, but they have told the asking price is $75 million for a player who just a year ago was playing in the Championship before moving to Leicester for $25 million.
Follow @AndyEdMLS
The New England Revolution announced on Sunday that the club hired Curt Onalfo as technical director, with Richie Williams brought on as assistant coach.
Onalfo, a 49-year-old Sao Paulo, Brazil native, has been a coach in the United States since 2000 when he joined D.C. United as an assistant. Since, he has spent time with Sporting Kansas City, the LA Galaxy and the U.S. Youth National Team, leading both MLS clubs for a time and taking charge of the U.S. U-20 and U-23 sides. He will report directly to Bruce Arena, who was named Sporting Director and Head Coach on May 14.
Arena is familiar with Onalfo from his first stint with the USMNT and more recently with the Galaxy, where Onalfo served as an assistant until Arena left to take the USMNT job in late 2016 and Onalfo was named his successor. Most recently, Onalfo was out in Poland with Tab Ramos and the U-20 side at the World Cup.
“I am very pleased to add Curt to our technical staff as we continue to build the soccer organization in New England,” Arena said in the official club release. “Having worked with Curt for many years, I know his vast knowledge and experience in the game will make him an immediate asset to the club.”
Williams, meanwhile, left his job as head coach of USL club Loudoun United FC to take the position with the Revolution. He has previously been with Arena as an assistant with the USMNT during Arena’s second stint and with the New York Red Bulls before that. During his playing days, Williams made 20 appearances for the USMNT and played for Arena with D.C. United and the national team, and even as far back as in college at Virginia, where Arena spent 27 years as head coach.
“Richie and I have a relationship that dates back nearly 30 years, and I have the utmost confidence that he will bring the same energy, enthusiasm, and expertise of the game to the Revolution that he has throughout each stop of his coaching and playing career,” Arena said in the release.
Follow @the_bonnfire
A wild back-and-forth game saw the Philadelphia Union take home a 3-2 win at Minnesota United thanks to Auston Trusty’s 86th minute winner.
Philly twice held a lead, first going in front with the opener 18 minutes in from Jamiro Montiero who struck from the spot. The 25-year-old slipped his penalty inside the bottom-right corner after Brent Kallman hacked down Sergio Santos to earn the foul.
The early lead was under immediate and constant fire, with a 12th minute flurry somehow kept out before Minnesota finally leveled in the 28th minute. 21-year-old Hassani Dotson took a bouncing clear at the top of the box and rifled a volley into the back of the net for his first career professional goal.
Philly restored the lead just before halftime as Haris Medunjanin bagged a wonderful free-kick that found the top left corner of the net. The goal marked the Bosnia & Herzegovina international’s first this season and sixth for the club since joining back in early 2017.
With Philadelphia up at the break, it stayed 2-1 until Minnesota was back level again in the 77th minute on a Kevin Molino low rip from a tight angle, fed by Abu Danladi from the right flank.
Finally, Philadelphia found the winning moment four minutes from the final whistle as Auston Trusty powerfully beat Kallman to a curling Ilsinho cross and poked it past Vito Mannone. The cross had flown over the head of Kacper Przybylko who lept to try and connect, and with Kallman waiting for the ball to arrive so he could clear, Trusty came soaring in,…
Read more at this link (News Source).
