the Debrief

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit thedailybriefing.ioWe’re joined by Ricky Sacks of Last Word on Spurs to break down Big Ange’s comments following the team’s 2-0 defeat to Manchester City.Did he say the quiet part aloud? That Spurs do not have a winning mentality. Or is it simply a matter of unique circumstances with Arsenal challenging to win the league?Fabrizio Romano is here as always, answering your ques…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit thedailybriefing.ioThis week Angus and Ben are joined by Simon Johnson — The Athletic’s Chelsea Expert — to discuss the state of that club’s project compared to Newcastle, Manchester United and Tottenham. How do we evaluate each club’s performance this season and which is primed to rejoin the top-four ranks next year.Fabrizio Romano takes your questions on a variety of to…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit thedailybriefing.ioThis week on The Debrief we take a deep dive into Arne Slot’s appointment at Liverpool. Who is he? What has he done? And how will he fit into Liverpool as he tries to fill the gigantic shoes of Jurgen Klopp. Ben and Angus are joined by European Football Expert Kevin Hatchard and Dave Powell, Chief Business of Football Writer at Reach Plc to give a uniqu…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit thedailybriefing.ioI’m answering your questions from Substack!An email will go out each week asking for your questions, so make sure to respond and we’ll pick the best ones to answer each week.In this edition, we talk about Pochettino’s future at Chelsea, Mo Salah’s current situation with Liverpool and the likelihood of David Moyes exiting West Ham.The full podcast episod…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit thedailybriefing.ioCBS Football Correspondent Jonathan Johnson joins us this week to look back at the Champions League Quater-Finals and preview the Semi-Finals next week.Johnson, along with Fabrizio, have the latest on Mbappe’s announcement and how the end of this season will play out for the French superstar.

This week Ben Jacobs and Angus Scott tackle what is expected to be one of the busiest windows for managers in recent memory. Amorim, Ten Hag, Pochettino, Moyes, Xavi and more are either leaving their posts or rumoured to do so. What is fact and what is fiction in each case?Fabrizio Romano weighs in on these managerial situations and also provides updates on the futures of both Virgil van Dijk and Mo Salah at Liverpool. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thedailybriefing.io/subscribe

Today’s focus is on Chelsea and the club’s immediate needs in terms of results, finances, incomings and outgoings and a new stadium. Here to break it all down is Chelsea expert and football insider for The Evening Standard, Nizaar Kinsella.Fabrizio Romano joins us in his normal spot — updating Chelsea’s key targets for the summer window and weighing in on the latest rumours from around the game. Could Xavi stay at the Camp Nou after all? Fabrizio explains. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thedailybriefing.io/subscribe

We take a step back during the international break to assess the most critical needs for the top-six clubs and make a few predictions on how they’ll move this summer.Fabrizio Romano joins in his normal slot to give his expectations for Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham, Arsenal, Manchester United and Manchester City in the Summer Transfer Window. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thedailybriefing.io/subscribe

Caught Offside Arsenal Columnist Charles Watts joins The Debrief to analyse Arsenal's road to a Premier League Title. Fabrizio Romano is in his normal spot to give the latest insight on the biggest transfer rumours and headlines. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thedailybriefing.io/subscribe

Liverpool legend Jason McAteer joins the show to analyse Liverpool’s road ahead and make predictions on the Reds winning “The Quad”. We also take a look at the impact of Michael Edwards’ return to Merseyside and how the club will operation moving forward.Don’t miss Fabrizio Romano’s latest reporting on the futures of Osimhen, Rashford and Mbappe, plus two important targets that are on Arsenal’s radar this summer. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thedailybriefing.io/subscribe

Good morning everyone and welcome to another Daily Briefing - thanks for reading, and hope you enjoy! :-)Today’s top stories:* An awful penalty by Lautaro Martinez as Atleti knocked out Inter to progress to the Champions League quarter-finals [Pictures from TNT Sports]* How close was this Man Utd star to joining Arsenal or Liverpool?* Don’t miss Charles Watts’ first column on all things Arsenal!* Plus more from Chelsea, Man City and PSGAC Milan* AC Milan are closing in on a new deal for 2005 born talent Kevin Zeroli as talks are progressing well with his agent Rafaela Pimenta. Negotiations are underway, it’s expected to be completed soon as Milan trust him for present and future.Arsenal* Arsenal plan includes David Raya’s buy option to be triggered without any doubt, already decided months ago. Arsenal will invest £27m on that as planned since last summer. Meanwhile, a new deal has already completed for Takehiro Tomiyasu, and a new deal will be sealed soon for Ben White.* Mikel Arteta on David Raya: “I don’t have to see him now, I was convinced that he was going fantastic. You see in the first few days here… his body language, the position that he takes, he doesn’t get very affected and that’s a key quality for a goalkeeper.”* More here on the Raya transfer deal from our new columnist Charles Watts!* Eddie Nketiah is likely to leave Arsenal, but who will they sign up front this summer?* Arsenal have been linked with a host of midfielders, but Charles Watts has singled out the most likely option in his column here.* Finally, will Oleksandr Zinchenko really leave Arsenal in the summer? Charles Watts takes a look at his future and the Kieran Tierney situation in his exclusive column.Atletico Madrid* What a crucial goal this was from Memphis Depay as Atletico Madrid eventually overcame Inter Milan in their Champions League tie. FT Atletico Madrid 2-1 Inter (3-2 on penalties) [Pictures from TNT Sports]* What a game this was as Antoine Griezmann also got on the score sheet…* Atletico Madrid have now reached seven Champions League quarter-finals under Diego Simeone as manager, having previously only reached that stage five times in their entire history before his arrival.Barcelona* Xavi: “I’m leaving in June. It’s time for the change for Barca. Before the game you said that against big teams we are not up to it and look at today…If we had lost vs Napoli, you would be writing that I have to leave would be on the street!”Bayer Leverkusen* Josip Stanisic on loan to Bayer Leverkusen due to expire in June: “What will happen remains to be seen. I have to go back to Bayern. But in football you never know. The business is very fast-moving. One day I’m there, the next day I’m gone. We’ll see.”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!Bayern Munich* Talks between Alphonso Davies and Bayern took place on Tuesday - no agreement yet, with Bayern offering €14m a year, while the player’s agent is asking for €20m a year.Borussia Dortmund* Jadon Sancho’s goal means 4 goals and 3 assists in his last UCL home games for Borussia Dortmund…and he’d really love to stay at the club. FT Borussia Dortmund 2-0 PSV (3-1 on aggregate) [Pictures from TNT Sports]* Ian Maatsen: “My plan was to stay at Chelsea but with the pressure they are under it is sometimes difficult for a manager to let everyone play…I understand that on manager’s point of view. But I want to play football.”Bournemouth* What a goal this was by Dominic Solanke as Bournemouth completed a stunning second-half comeback against Luton Town - one of the games of the season! FT Bournemouth 4-3 Luton [Pictures from AFC Bournemouth/YouTube]Brighton* 📰 Roberto De Zerbi has interest from top clubs and Brighton are increasingly fearful of losing him this summer (Times)Chelsea* Chelsea are super happy with the investment they made on Malo Gusto in January 2023. Real fee spent to sign French RB was £26m, as Chelsea anticipated two clubs from abroad also keen on him. 7 assists, excellent performances and club more than happy with his development.* Noni Madueke has reportedly decided to leave Chelsea in the summer…* Chelsea are looking into the left-backs market for the summer transfer window as Ian Maatsen could be on his way out of Stamford Bridge.* Ian Maatsen: “My plan was to stay at Chelsea but with the pressure they are under it is sometimes difficult for a manager to let everyone play…I understand that on manager’s point of view. But I want to play football.”* Chelsea could face competition from Manchester United for key transfer targets…Everton* Does it seem increasingly likely that Everton will lose one of their most important players this summer?Inter Milan* What a start this was by Inter but unfortunately they surrendered their 2-0 aggregate lead. FT Atletico Madrid 2-1 Inter Milan (3-2 on penalties) [Pictures from TNT Sports]* Simone Inzaghi after the game: “This team was not accustomed to losing. Defeat has to hurt, we had qualification in our grasp. I am nonetheless super proud to coach this team. It is disappointing for all of us, but there are 10 games to go in Serie A and we want to achieve a very important objective. The lads have to hold their heads up high, knowing that details make the difference at this level. We should’ve closed the game, we had the chances in the second half. After that, penalties are a lottery and they did better.”* Inter directors had a meeting in Madrid with Lautaro Martinez’s agent to discuss new deal details. Negotiations over salary are proceeding as Lautaro wants to stay; working on key details with more discussions to follow in the next weeks.* Inter CEO Beppe Marotta: “We want Lautaro to stay and sign new deal, he wants the same. That’s crucial. He’s our captain, he loves to stay here at Inter so I don’t see any issue for his new contract — just time to advance at the right moment, no rush.”Juventus* Dejan Kulusevski: “I had barely started a game at Juventus for six months. You feel terrible because you’ve given your life to play this game, training as hard as you can, and you end up watching players play in your position that are not even wingers. Honestly, I felt embarrassed, even worthless. Some people began saying that I wasn’t good enough, that I was too slow. And it affects you, 100%. It’s normal, it’s human.”Liverpool* Florian Wirtz to Liverpool - this story doesn’t seem to be going away…* Jurgen Klopp: “Michael Edwards didn’t ask me to stay, because he's not dumb. It was not a subject to talk about. We always had really good relationship. Very good on professional basis anyway. Now he’s back, I’m really happy. I want to see the club in the best possible place.”* Klopp: “Virgil van Dijk is super ambitious and wants to reach a lot of things with the club. The captaincy helped. Took to the role exceptionally well. The whole leadership group stepped up. They all made big steps.”* Luis Diaz to PSG transfer interest seems to be genuine…Luton Town* Ross Barkley continued his fine form with this emphatic finish, but it ended up being a nightmare for Luton as they lost their 3-0 lead. FT Bournemouth 4-3 Luton [Pictures from AFC Bournemouth/YouTube]Manchester City* Could Kyle Walker’s future be one to watch again this summer? Fabrizio Romano has the latest in his column.* Bernardo Silva to PSG in this surprise swap deal?Manchester United* Did Mason Mount really join Manchester United for the right reasons and how close was he to agreeing deals with their rivals?* More on Mount and Arsenal and Liverpool contacts in Fabrizio Romano’s exclusive column here.* Antony has been strongly linked with a loan move to this Brazilian club, but how likely is it?* Despite new rumours, PSG’s position on Marcus Rashford hasn’t changed. They don’t plan to bid, and are not advancing anything, unless they get a clear indication Rashford wants the move, which hasn’t happened to date. Rashford has been on PSG's radar since 2022, they like his profile, but nothing is progressing as of now.Napoli* Victor Osimhen to Arsenal this summer, or will he be too expensive?Porto* Several European top clubs were in attendance at Emirates Stadium on Tuesday to keep close eye on Alan Varela. The Argentine midfielder is on the list of many clubs from the Premier League and elsewhere. His release clause is around €70m.PSG* Despite new rumours, PSG’s position on Marcus Rashford hasn’t changed. They don’t plan to bid, and are not advancing anything, unless they get a clear indication Rashford wants the move, which hasn’t happened to date. Rashford has been on PSG's radar since 2022, they like his profile, but nothing is progressing as of now. They also have plenty of other options on their list, including Victor Osimhen.* Luis Diaz to PSG transfer interest seems to be genuine…* Bernardo Silva to PSG in this surprise swap deal?Real Madrid* Good news for Real Madrid after this Kylian Mbappe decision…Tottenham* Dejan Kulusevski: “I had barely started a game at Juventus for six months. You feel terrible because you’ve given your life to play this game, training as hard as you can, and you end up watching players play in your position that are not even wingers. Honestly, I felt embarrassed, even worthless. Some people began saying that I wasn’t good enough, that I was too slow. And it affects you, 100%. It’s normal, it’s human.” This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thedailybriefing.io/subscribe

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]* Has this Liverpool star really held talks with Barcelona?* 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. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thedailybriefing.io/subscribe

Ben and Angus are joined by Fabrizio Romano and Guillem Balague to give a 360-degree view of Victor Osimhen the player and the person and the two most likely teams to land his signature. Plus, we’ll get an update on Mbappe’s continued talks with Real Madrid. Make sure to stay tuned for Fabrizio’s latest information on transfer targets Ivan Toney, Victor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thedailybriefing.io/subscribe

Good morning everyone and welcome to the latest edition of the Daily Briefing - thanks for reading and hope you enjoy! :-)Today’s top stories:* Erling Haaland and Manuel Akanji score in comfortable Man City victory [Pictures from TNT Sports]* Real Madrid are also through to the quarter-finals after this Vinicius goal* Chelsea have been monitoring this €50m winger* Latest on Xabi Alonso in Neil Jones’ Liverpool FC column* Plus more from Arsenal, Man Utd and PSGArsenal* Arsenal youngster Mika Biereth is looking very impressive on loan - what are Mikel Arteta’s plans for him?* Kieran Tierney could leave Arsenal for a Premier League rival in a permanent move this summer…Atletico Madrid* Cesar Azpilicueta’s contract will be extended until June 2025 - one more season at Atletico Madrid. It’s all agreed, it’s already signed and sealed, as Atleti wanted the former Chelsea defender to stay.Barcelona* Has Paulo Dybala really offered himself to Barcelona? Fabrizio Romano has the latest info in his column.* Barca president Joan Laporta: “I’d give Ronald Araujo a lifetime contract here at Barcelona!”* “Do you hope to stay at Barca beyond this season?”. Joao Cancelo’s response: “Yes, yes — I do!”* 📰 Barcelona have reportedly made contact with Mikel Arteta in an attempt to convince the Arsenal manager to replace Xavi (Sun)Bayer Leverkusen* Xabi Alonso is yet to decide on his next move and could he even be persuaded to stay at Bayer Leverkusen?Bayern Munich* Mathys Tel has signed a new deal at Bayern valid until June 2029, with a salary rise also part of the agreement. His agent Gadiri Camara is in Munich right now to get it sealed. He was never close to Manchester United — as Bayern confirmed plans to keep Tel to his agent in meeting one week ago.* Tel after signing new deal at Bayern until 2029: “This contract extension means a lot to me. I've already learnt a lot at Bayern, both on and off the pitch. I want to score and set up goals, play with heart and energy for Bayern, give my best for club and fans.”* What could the Mathys Tel deal mean for Bayern’s option to re-sign Joshua Zirkzee?* Bayern director Max Eberl: “I haven’t spoken to Alphonso Davies about new deal yet. But I always have hope, the story is still open. I won’t give it up.”* Harry Kane: “Hopefully we can use this as a turning point for the rest of the year. Tuchel leaving? It’s an unusual situation. As players we have a responsibility to achieve every win in every competition, not only for the coach but also for the club.”* Thomas Tuchel says he thinks he broke his toe after giving his pre-match team talk ahead of Bayern’s win over Lazio: “It hurts. It's painful. After my last speech before the match I kicked the door. It was the wrong technique. It feels like I broke it!”Borussia Dortmund* Marco Reus will be a free agent this summer, so where could he move to next? Fabrizio Romano addresses some rumours in his column.Brighton* Brighton CEO Paul Barber: “We don’t want to lose De Zerbi, he’s one of the best in the world. Roberto loves Brighton and all people involved here — but at some point in the future he may choose to take that skill base that he has elsewhere.”Bristol City* Tommy Conway has been called up by the Scotland Under-21 team. At the moment, there’s still no agreement over a new deal with Bristol City, but no final decision made yet. Several clubs are monitoring Conway in the Premier League and other top leagues as current contract expires in June 2025.Chelsea* Chelsea have been scouting Nico Williams for a long time and considered him alongside Michael Olise and Cole Palmer in the summer.* More here on Chelsea’s interest in Nico Williams, who has a release clause this summer.* Olise to Chelsea could be in doubt as the player is expected to favour another move…* Arne Slot for next Chelsea manager? Reports suggest he’s in line for the Blues job if Mauricio Pochettino is sacked.* No changes on Raheem Sterling’s future despite fresh stories; no contacts with Al Hilal, no even talks so far. His full focus is on Chelsea.Liverpool* Liverpool vs Manchester City - will this be a title-decider?* Xabi Alonso is expected to favour Liverpool over two other clubs, says Neil Jones in his exclusive column.* Could Joshua Kimmich and Nicolo Barella Liverpool transfers be on the cards? Neil Jones takes a look at the links in his column.* Richard Hughes remains a strong candidate for a role in the new Liverpool board. Interest has been there since months ago; now he’s confirmed his plan to leave Bournemouth at the end of the season. It will depend on other appointments in Liverpool’s structure but Hughes is on the club’s list.Manchester City* What a finish this was by Manuel Akanji as Manchester City beat FC Copenhagen. FT Man City 3-1 Copenhagen [Pictures from TNT Sports]* Liverpool vs Manchester City - will this be a title-decider?* “Do you hope to stay at Barca beyond this season?”. Joao Cancelo’s response: “Yes, yes — I do!”Manchester United* Michael Olise transfer latest - Man United are reportedly VERY confident of beating Chelsea to this signing!* Ole Gunnar Solskjaer: “The summer before I got to Man United I rang them and said: you’ve got to sign Erling Haaland. He will be top. Absolutely top class. That was June, July 2018… they said: nah, we’ve got enough reports. Molde sold him to Salzburg but after he didn’t play for them for three or four months, I said to Man United: just sign him now! He had a release clause for €20m. It would have been a bargain.”* Jude Bellingham could’ve joined Manchester United, but Fabrizio Romano has praised his career choices in his exclusive column.* Mathys Tel was never close to Manchester United, despite links. He’s now set to sign a new Bayern Munich contract until 2029.* 📰 Roberto De Zerbi, Gareth Southgate and Thomas Frank are being considered for the Manchester United job (ESPN)PSG* Despite yesterday night’s “no comment” on the story, PSG are 100% aware of Kylian Mbappe’s decision to leave and it won’t change. Formal communication is expected as soon as Mbappe will complete his agreement with Real Madrid, which is now progressing very well.* Mbappe denies any issues with Luis Enrique. “My relationship with the coach is good. There is no problem even if people might think there is. I have many issues but the coach is not one of them.”Real Madrid* Vinicius Junior scored his 15th goal of the season - he’s now on 22 goals and assists completed in all competitions. FT Real Madrid 1-1 RB Leipzig [Pictures from TNT Sports]* Aurelien Tchouameni: “Mbappe? I didn’t tell him anything! I wasn't aware of his departure. I was taking a nap, I woke up, bam Twitter, little popcorn! I’m going to ask the president if he wants to come.”* Bayern director Max Eberl: “I haven’t spoken to Alphonso Davies about new deal yet. But I always have hope, the story is still open. I won’t give it up.”* Fabrizio Romano has the latest on Real Madrid’s Alphonso Davies transfer stance in his exclusive column here.* Jude Bellingham has been suspended for the next two games by La Liga after what took place at the end of the Valencia-Real Madrid game.* Carlo Ancelotti: “We could have both Eder Militao and Thibaut Courtois as part of the squad for the Champions League quarter finals.”Roma* Paulo Dybala has been linked with one of Europe’s biggest clubs, so what’s the situation with his release clause this summer?West Ham United* Marco Reus to West Ham? The Borussia Dortmund star is out of contract this summer and Fabrizio Romano takes a look at his situation in his exclusive column. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thedailybriefing.io/subscribe

Good morning everyone and welcome to the latest edition of the Daily Briefing - your essential round-up of the biggest football headlines, all delivered straight to your inbox and completely ad-free. Enjoy!Today’s top stories:* Kylian Mbappe’s superb brace sends PSG through [Pictures from TNT Sports]* Harry Kane in fine form and latest Bayern transfer news* Liverpool delighted with their smart transfer business in midfield* Plus more from Arsenal, Chelsea, Man Utd & SpursAC Milan* AC Milan could command a record fee to sell Theo Hernandez, says Fabrizio Romano in his exclusive column.Arsenal* Pedro Neto to Arsenal could be one to watch, but Wolves want HUGE money to sell, according to Ben Jacobs.* Mikel Arteta on Thomas Partey: "Thomas is available now to play a certain amount of minutes and he needs to build that. It was his first minutes after four months and like everybody you have to earn the right to play the minutes."* Could this Arsenal star be a summer target for West Ham?Barcelona* Frenkie de Jong’s Barcelona future has been discussed in Ben Jacobs’ latest exclusive column.* Oriol Romeu: “The feeling is getting better and better, and I’m optimistic that the end of the season will be good. I want to enjoy the last 2-3 months, compete and live beautiful experiences.”Bayer Leverkusen* Bayer Leverkusen are NOT happy with the speculation over Xabi Alonso’s future - more detail here in Fabrizio Romano’s column.* Alejandro Grimaldo: “My childhood’s idol is Leo Messi. He’s the best player of all time, in my opinion. I grow up in La Masia, I saw Messi there at Barca. As a full-back, I always loved Marcelo from Real Madrid.”* Grimaldo: “Xabi Alonso is special. He’s going to mark an era as a manager. In the game vs Stuttgart, we did very bad in first half...Xabi Alonso told us: I don’t care about the result. It doesn’t matter. What I want is to see our style, our football.”Bayern Munich* Harry Kane was in superb form in the win over Lazio - he has now scored 33 goals in 33 games in all competitions this season. FT Bayern 3-0 Lazio [Pictures from TNT Sports]* Joshua Kimmich is being eyed by Manchester City and others as his Bayern future looks a serious doubt…* Could Harry Kane’s Bayern future really already be uncertain?* Is this Bayern’s potential replacement for Alphonso Davies?* During the meeting with Mathys Tel's agent last week, Bayern also touched on a potential new deal to be discussed in the coming months. It’s nothing urgent or imminent as Bayern have priorities like Jamal Musiala, Alphonso Davies, Joshua Kimmich; but just to confirm he's a key part of their future project.* Karl-Heinz Rummenigge on future Bayern manager: “We have not decided yet, we are taking our time. We have to go to next UCL round, that is important; then now for sure Bayer Leverkusen are gonna win the Bundesliga title.”* Rummenigge on Bayern’s €40m buy-back clause for Joshua Zirkzee: “It’s up to Max Eberl, I don’t want to enter into his job. I don’t know if we will activate the clause for Zirkzee or not. It will be part of our summer strategies.”Bournemouth* Bournemouth confirm that Simon Francis will become the club's first-team technical director in the summer. He’s replacing Richard Hughes who’s set to leave the club, and who is appreciated by Liverpool.Brentford* Ivan Toney transfer may no longer be a priority for Chelsea, but what about Arsenal?Brighton* Roberto De Zerbi is attracting plenty of interest - more info from Ben Jacobs’ exclusive column here.Chelsea* Ben Jacobs reveals Chelsea’s list of manager targets as Mauricio Pochettino faces an important run of games…* Victor Osimhen to Chelsea may now be the Blues’ priority as they made this interesting decision in January…* Chelsea could be a ‘dark horse’ in the race to sign Alphonso Davies this summer, says Ben Jacobs in his exclusive column.* Chelsea’s owners have begun work on a new stadium – but not for the Blues…Inter Milan* Simone Inzaghi on his future: “I'm happy here at Inter, I feel good with board and fans. About my contract, we're gonna meet after this season to discuss the extension but the relationship is really great. Talks will be good.”* Alexis Sanchez to get a new contract with Inter?Liverpool* Could Liverpool face competition from Chelsea for this top manager?* How Bayer Leverkusen have responded to the Xabi Alonso to Liverpool speculation…* Pedro Neto to Liverpool? Wolves may have to sell because of FFP and the Reds can’t be ruled out…* Liverpool rebuilt their midfield last summer and feel they got one bargain in particular, says Fabrizio Romano.Manchester City* Manchester City are exploring a potential transfer deal for Joshua Kimmich, according to Ben Jacobs.* Joao Neves has also been monitored as a midfield target for City, says Fabrizio Romano.* Erling Haaland on his future: “I'm really happy at City, really happy with all people I’m surrounded by — manager, board, directors…I say this now: tomorrow you never know what the future brings but I am happy. You can write this but also everything I said before!”* Haaland on new contract talks with Man City: “My focus is mainly now on the pitch. There's a lot of games… two days ago a derby, now Champions League, Sunday is Liverpool — I think I should focus on that.”Manchester United* Manchester United have some big-name managers in mind in case they decide to replace Erik ten Hag, who is now at a crucial point in his Old Trafford reign…* Casemiro could be one to watch amid interest from Saudi, and have Man Utd already been scouting his replacement?PSG* What a goal by Kylian Mbappe as PSG booked their place in the Champions League quarter-finals! FT Real Sociedad 1-2 PSG [Pictures from TNT Sports]* PSG like this Barcelona star, according to Ben Jacobs in his latest column.* PSG are NOT telling Luis Enrique to use Kylian Mbappe less often, so what’s really going on? Fabrizio Romano has the latest info in his exclusive column.* Luis Enrique confirms: “Apparently the immediate future of Kylian Mbappe will not be here, so we will have to test tactics with other players.”* Kylian Mbappe: “I always want to play and do my best in Champions League, I just try my best. Luis Enrique? It’s all very good with him. Great relationship, no issues. People can think different about it but really, all very good.”* PSG president Nasser Al Khelaifi: “I can’t confirm Kylian Mbappe departure, it’s always the club communicating our stuff. He’s under contract here but we are building something for the future.”* PSG president Nasser Al Khelaifi on Luis Enrique: “The coach is the one who decides, we are behind him. Every technical and tactical choice is up to him.”* Warren Zaire-Emery turns 18 on Friday and Paris Saint-Germain plan to have all documents signed soon for his new professional contract. It's all ready on verbal basis, one of the first steps of the new PSG era with WZE as part of present and future project.Real Madrid* Eduardo Camavinga on Kylian Mbappe and Real Madrid: “I tell you the truth; I haven’t spoken with Kylian. He’s a PSG player and I don’t know what will happen next season.”* Carlo Ancelotti on his future: “I love my job and I love it at Real Madrid, I love to manage things here — happiness and difficult moments. I’m very happy because I’m at the best club in the world.”Tottenham* Tottenham are among the clubs in the race for the Pedro Neto transfer, but he could cost huge money… This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thedailybriefing.io/subscribe

Good morning everyone and welcome to the latest edition of the Daily Briefing - thanks as always for reading, and hope you enjoy!Today’s top stories:* New Champions League format explained* Arsenal thrash Sheffield United and eye Victor Osimhen* Latest on the Manchester United manager saga* Plus more from Chelsea, Barcelona and Real MadridAC Milan* Rafael Leao on links with Chelsea and PSG: “My future is very clear and it’s here at AC Milan. I’m under contract for the next four years, AC Milan helped me in difficult moments and I won’t forget that. I want to win again at Milan, my focus is here.”Arsenal* What a goal this was by Ben White in last night’s thrashing of Sheffield United! Arsenal have now scored 31 goals in their last 7 Premier League games. Ft Sheffield Utd 0-6 Arsenal [Pictures from Sky Sports]* Arsenal made history with this result - no team in English football has ever done this before!* Arsenal’s William Saliba had more passes (169) than the entire Sheffield Utd team combined (142) last night. Mikel Arteta’s response: “Good! We’re trying to improve in every phase of play, the chemistry of the players and the desire of the players to improve in every area.”* Arsenal are being linked again with Victor Osimhen and their interest is genuine - more here from Fabrizio Romano.Aston Villa* Aston Villa statement on club record post-tax operating loss of £119.6m for the 2022-23 season. “It’s important to note that these figures are in line with the strategic business plan and we continue to operate within the Premier League’s Profit & Sustainability rules. The owners of Aston Villa remain committed to the long-term and sustainable development of the Club. We look forward to continued progress on the delivery of our strategic plan.”Athletic Bilbao* Alvaro Djalo to Athletic Bilbao starting from July 1 - it’s now official. He’s joining the club in a €15m plus €5m deal.Barcelona* Raphinha could be sold by Barcelona this summer, but where will he end up? * Pedri and Frenkie de Jong are expected to be out for more than one month after their injuries. De Jong has a lateral ligament sprain in his right ankle, while Pedri has a right quadriceps injury.Bayern Munich* Is Harry Kane’s Bayern Munich future already in doubt? Fabrizio Romano takes a look in his exclusive column.* What next for Thomas Tuchel if Bayern don’t get past Lazio in the Champions League tonight?* Real Madrid have a fee in mind for Alphonso Davies as they look to avoid paying ‘crazy’ money for him.* Matthijs de Ligt on his future: “I’m not thinking about that now. I’m very happy at Bayern Munich. Of course I haven’t had an easy season so far. I was injured for a long time. But at the moment I feel good and am fit, I want to play.”* Bayern director Max Eberl: “Bayern can’t sign superstars all the time. Now Harry Kane has proven his worth for Bayern, but we can’t make such transfers all the time. We want to build a team. And there are very, very good players who maybe don’t cost €80/100m.”* Feyenoord manager Arne Slot on Bayern job links: “I really can't answer that, but it's nice that I'm on a list!”Chelsea* Victor Osimhen to Chelsea transfer interest is nothing new - more here from Fabrizio Romano’s column.* Could Chelsea and Milan both be going after the same manager this summer?* ‘Give Michael Edwards the keys’ at Chelsea?* Mauricio Pochettino: “I think the performances have been very good, I’m so happy with the performances. If the fans want to listen, perfect. If not, what can I do? They’ll keep booing. But I’m giving my best to this team. Boo me, not the players. It’s fine.”Fulham* Fulham are among the clubs on alert as Habib Diallo could be on the move on the cheap this summer, according to Ben Jacobs.Inter Milan* What a well-taken finish by Kristjan Asllani in Inter’s win last night. FT Inter 2-1 Genoa [Pictures from TNT Sports]Juventus* Juventus will hold internal talks over a possible change in manager - more info here from Fabrizio Romano’s exclusive column.Las Palmas* Las Palmas have now formally completed the agreement to sign Manu Fuster from Albacete. The fee will be around €1.5m for the permanent move.Liverpool* Has Xabi Alonso already decided NOT to take over as Liverpool manager?* Jamie Carragher has highlighted a possible Liverpool title advantage…Manchester City* Phil Foden transfer worry for Man City - could his fine form attract interest from these European giants in the summer?Manchester United* Zinedine Zidane for Manchester United manager? Fabrizio Romano addresses the speculation.* Could Harry Kane really be heading back to the Premier League?* Casemiro on INEOS plans: “The new owners want to do ambitious plans. I hope that they arrive and grow together with us. It is important for the club to have people who want to grow here.”* 📰 A growing number of Man Utd players think Erik ten Hag will be replaced in the summer (Mail)Osasuna* What a move and finish this was by Osasuna in their game last night! FT Osasuna 1-0 Alaves [Pictures from ViaPlay Sports]PSG* PSG and Victor Osimhen - what’s the latest? Fabrizio Romano takes a look in his exclusive column.* Luis Enrique on getting used to play without Kylian Mbappe also in the Champions League after recent subs: “Maybe yes, maybe no. Who knows?”* Nuno Mendes is set to return as Luis Enrique confirms: “He could start tomorrow, but won’t play the whole game. He is a top-class player, it’s fantastic to have Nuno back — he’s great both offensively and defensively.”Real Madrid* Real Madrid have a fee in mind for Alphonso Davies as they look to avoid paying ‘crazy’ money for him.* It looks increasingly likely that this Real Madrid player will leave in the summer…Tottenham* Tottenham midfielder Pierre Emile Hojbjerg has signed for USG Italy as new agency, represented by Luca Puccinelli. Hojbjerg is under contract at Spurs until June 2025. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thedailybriefing.io/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit thedailybriefing.ioBayern’s possible advantage over Liverpool in the race for Xabi AlonsoIs Xabi Alonso going to Liverpool or Bayern? I think he doesn’t know at the moment. So imagine me! It’s too early to know where he’s going, but I really think it’s going to be a really important month, I would say, because the discussion, the internal discussion at these two clubs have already started.The advantage for Bayern is that they already have a structure in place, whereas Liverpool still need to hire a new director. The interest from Liverpool is absolutely there - they still want Xabi Alonso as a priority target, but both clubs, Liverpool and Bayern, have alternatives as well. They have other candidates because they know that it’s going to be not an easy fight.

Bundesliga football expert Kevin Hatchard joins the show to talk about Bayer Leverkusen’s fairy tale run this season. Can Die Werkself remain unbeaten this season? Will they win the Bundesliga, DFB Pokal and Europa League? Our experts weigh in.Plus, Fabrizio Romano on Xabi Alonso’s future, Pochettino’s prospects of staying at Chelsea and what a Man United player exodus might look like in the summer. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thedailybriefing.io/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit thedailybriefing.ioWhy Kylian Mbappe finally decided to leave PSG for a new challengeWe still have to wait for formal steps with Kylian Mbappe and Real Madrid, as from what I’m hearing nothing is signed yet. Still, I really think this time it’s the end of the saga and the formal step will happen soon, and Mbappe will communicate with PSG once he’s formally signed the document. At that moment, PSG will announce that Mbappe will leave the club as a free agent.

Angus Scott and Ben Jacobs are joined by French Football Insider, Jonathan Johnson, to go in-depth on Mbappe’s decision to leave PSG and his future at Real Madrid. They also discuss the impact of the departure on PSG and Ligue 1. Could this actually be a blessing in disguise for both?Fabrizio Romano joins in his normal spot with some worrying news for Thomas Tuchel at Bayern and some critical updates on Takehiro Tomiyasu and Ben White at Arsenal. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thedailybriefing.io/subscribe