Daily Briefing: Arsenal star wants transfer away, Pochettino to Chelsea latest, Messi Barca return & more

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Good morning and welcome to the Daily Briefing – read on for today’s round-up of transfer news and click here to subscribe for this and more content ad-free and straight to your inbox!

Arsenal

Charlie Patino has decided he wants to leave Arsenal permanently this summer and try a new challenge. Patino doesn’t want to go out on loan again and there’s strong interest from many clubs in England and elsewhere who are prepared to invest on him.

Arsenal have many important players in the squad and will sign more this summer, including in midfield, so Patino doesn’t see any sense in going on loan again and simply wants a new experience. One thing to watch could be a buy-back clause, which will be discussed.

Folarin Balogun’s agents will talk to Arsenal at the end of the season, with plenty of interest in him after his superb form on loan at Reims. Arsenal need to decide if they want to loan him again or to cash in on him with a permanent sale, so he’ll be one to watch as well this summer.

Barcelona

There’s still no green light from La Liga to Barcelona for the return of Lionel Messi. The feeling is that it is “very complicated”, as president Javier Tebas stated. Barca have Financial Fair Play issues and need to reduce their wage bill, while they’re already signing Inigo Martinez and need to register a new contract for Gavi.

Xavi really wants Messi back, as do some of the Barca players, so there are no issues there, but the finances make this a complicated deal. It is looking set to be difficult for La Liga to approve the deal.

15-year-old wonderkid Lamine Yamal will sign new contract at Barcelona in the summer, no doubts, no issues – the agreement is imminent. His new deal will be valid until June 2026.

Xavi: “The renewal of Lamine Yamal is going very well, it is under control. He wants to be here, I’m calm about it”.

Bayern Munich

Leon Goretzka: “Overall there’s a lot of noise at Bayern. Players are now being completely destroyed in the media. That certainly doesn’t help. As players we have to put up with a lot ay the moment. Whether it’s right or not doesn’t really matter. It’s not nice.”

Bayern director Hasan Salihamidzic: “We will discuss with Benjamin Pavard for new contract — we will see his feelings to make a decision. I’m happy he’s with us, he’s doing so well and the performances are very good.”

Brighton

An official announcement is imminent – Joao Pedro will soon be confirmed as a new Brighton player. It will take place very soon as all documents are signed and he’s had his medical. Brighton will pay £30m to Watford and he will join on July 1.

Chelsea

Mauricio Pochettino

Chelsea will hold further talks with Mauricio Pochettino this week in order to complete the final points of the agreement. After key internal discussions in LA this weekend, Chelsea are now working on the final details in their process to hire a new manager. It’s very close, it’s very advanced, but it’s not complete yet.

Frank Lampard weighs in on the Chelsea manager situation: “I was always part of the Chelsea team that changed managers regularly. I won three league titles, but I should have won five or six. This club needs consistency, that’s my feeling.”

Marco Rose on Christopher Nkunku’s scoring return: “That goal should give him a boost for the next few weeks – for his last few weeks with us…”

Nkunku is on his way to Chelsea in the summer – he signed in December and passed his medical as new Chelsea player starting from July 1, 2023.

Leeds United

Leeds could be set to sack Javi Gracia as manager after internal talks on Monday; it looks the most likely solution as direct discussions took place in the last 24 hours. Sam Allardyce is the favourite candidate to become the new manager in an attempt to save the club from relegation in the final few games of the season.

Liverpool

Jurgen Klopp on Liverpool summer plans: “We will do business. You have to bring in the right players. This team wrote a sensational story, but now we start a new one.”

Manchester United

Eric Bailly and Alex Telles will return to Manchester United from their current loans this summer, but are then expected to leave the club again. Man Utd will look into what offers and proposals come in to let both Telles and Bailly leave in the summer.

PSG

Lionel Messi has not yet said no to PSG, but talks are on stand-by. The proposal from PSG is still there, it’s not collapsed, it’s not necessarily over between them. However, Messi wants to understand the PSG project and is also wanted by Barcelona and Al-Hilal. Inter Miami also have an interest but it is nothing advanced, and also the feeling is that Messi prefers to stay in Europe.

Real Madrid

Toni Kroos’ new contract at Real Madrid will be valid until June 2024, with no options or clauses included. The deal is 100% done and sealed, and we’re now just waiting on the club to release an official statement.

Carlo Ancelotti on his future: “There are fake news on deadline for me to accept or reject the job as new Brazil national team head coach, I never spoke to them. I don’t speak about my future, I always said that.”

Ancelotti wants a new striker signing: “In the future project for Real Madrid we have to sign a number nine. I say this because Karim Benzema has an age — even though, of course he’s doing very well. We never had any kind of problem with that.”

More Stories Alex Telles Benjamin Pavard Charlie Patino Christopher Nkunku Eric Bailly Folarin Balogun inigo martinez javi gracia Jurgen Klopp Lamine Yamal Leon Goretzka Lionel Messi Mauricio Pochettino Toni Kroos