Chelsea, Man City pursue Argentine wonderkid, amidst Barcelona’s interest

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Chelsea and Manchester City have moved ahead of Barcelona in the race to sign 17-year-old Argentine wonderkid Claudio Echeverri. The talented teenager gained global attention after his standout performances at the U17 FIFA World Cup. Barcelona initially expressed strong interest, offering to pay by installment, the player’s €25 million release clause, due to financial fair play issues. However, Echeverri’s club River Plate, rejected the move, which might now see them lose out in the race for the player. 🚨🔵 Understand both Chelsea and Man City have made contact to be informed on Claudio Echeverri situation. 🔵🔴 Barcelona remain keen but structure of the deal makes it complicated with Financial Fair Play. 🇦🇷 Release clause: €25m, up to €30m in the final days of the market. pic.twitter.com/8b3WLvrJfJ — Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) December 17, 2023 This financial limitation has opened the door for Premier League powerhouses, Manchester City and Chelsea, to make their moves. Reporter Fabrizio Romano confirmed that both English clubs have initiated contact regarding a potential transfer, putting them in the forefront of the race for Echeverri’s signature.

Tottenham move for Barcelona’s Raphinha, offering Cristian Romero in exchange

Tottenham move for Barcelona's Raphinha, offering Cristian Romero in exchange

Tottenham are reportedly willing to offer Cristian Romero in a swap deal involving Barcelona’s Raphinha in the upcoming transfer window. Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou wants to address recent setbacks in his team, especially the injury of star forward James Maddison. Tottenham’s recent poor performances have called for the urgent intervention, and Raphinha, an atfcking minded player who can fit in Postecoglou’s style, has caught the attention of the North London club. Spanish outlet Sport, says Barcelona’s financial constraints have forced them into negotiations, and Tottenham aim to exploit the situation by presenting Romero in exchange, for the potential deal. Tottenham move for Barcelona's Raphinha, offering Cristian Romero in exchangeTottenham move for Barcelona's Raphinha, offering Cristian Romero in exchangeBarcelona forward Raphinha – Getty image Recall that Barcelona ha pegged Raphinha’s at £61 million, posing a challenge for Spurs, hence, the need for the swap deal involving Romero, a defender who has previously attracted interest from Barcelona during his time at Atalanta. Xavi Hernandez side are also looking to reinforce their defensive lineup, making Romero’s inclusion particularly appealing. Furthermore, the rise to fame of young talents like Lamine Yamal has questioned Raphinha’s future with Barcelona, especially as he’s faced with fluctuations in form.

Xavi faces criticism for blaming media amidst Barcelona’s struggles

Xavi faces criticism for blaming media amidst Barcelona's struggles

Barcelona manager Xavi Hernandez is facing growing criticism after his comments following a narrow 2-1 win against Alaves. His criticism comes in the wake of recent poor performances, including a defeat to Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League. Despite securing wins against Real Sociedad, and Alaves on Sunday, Barcelona’s form have raised concerns, leading to heightened scrutiny of Xavi’s managerial approach. After demanding a reaction from his players, Barcelona conceded early against Alaves and relied on some luck to secure the victory.

Xavi faces criticism for blaming media amidst Barcelona's struggles

Xavi Hernandez – Getty image In a post-match interview, Xavi denied hearing whistles from the Montjuic crowd at half-time, stating, “What the press says affects the team’s game, scenarios are generated that are not real, this affects them.” He continued by suggesting that negative press coverage had impacted his own career, while defending his players. “These players deserve credit. We are bad at the moment, but we managed to pull off a win in a game that turned very ugly. I value the personality of coming back.” However, many found Xavi’s attempt to shift blame to the press as a weak excuse, citing that managing a club like Barcelona, come with intense scrutiny.

Pique expresses disappointment after Barcelona’s defeat to Manchester United

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Spanish football legend, Gerard Pique has expressed his disappointment with his former club Barcelona getting knocked out of the Europa League by Manchester United. It was a mess - Pique reacts Barcelona's defeat to Manchester United Barcelona was leading at halftime, thanks to Robert Lewandowski’s 18th-minute penalty after Bruno Fernandes’ needless foul on Alejandro Balde. Brazilian duo Fred and Antony, who came on as a half-time substitutes for Manchester United, both drilled home low first-time shots in front of an ecstatic Stretford End. The second-half goals from Fred and Antony secured a memorable United win as the La Liga leaders were beaten 2-1 on the night and 4-3 on aggregate.

It was a mess - Pique reacts Barcelona's defeat to Manchester United

Pique who retired from football earlier this season, was following the match and was live on Twitch on the Kings League show at the full-time whistle. Following some of the comments from his team-mates, Pique was heard saying during the live stream, “It was a f*cking mess.”