Mateo Kovacic completed a brilliant pre-season for Real Madrid and his two games against Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup were just as brilliant, man-marking star Lionel Messiwhile also distributing the ball effectively. Now, Juventus have sent a €70 million offer for the Croatian midfielder only to see it rejected by Real Madrid, according to AS.
Kovacic, still 23 years old, appears to be the first man off the bench whenever a midfielder is needed. Not only can he replace Luka Modric and Toni Kroos, he also proved that he can play as a defensive midfielder in Casemiro’s spot as well, which makes Marcos Llorente somewhat expendable.
Real Madrid are planning to reject every offer they receive for Kovacic. Modric isn’t getting any younger and Kovacic will be expected to be a starter for Madrid very soon. He has improved quite a lot as a player and he will still be better when he gets more experience.
Barcelona had a third bid worth £118million turned down for Coutinho on Friday.
Liverpool have insisted their playmaker is not for sale at any price, but Coutinho has handed in a transfer request and is attempting to force his way out of the club.
The third bid may have been worth a record fee for a Premier League player, but the money was not guaranteed.
(Picture: Getty)
Barcelona’s offer is made up of potential add-ons, for example if Coutinho wins multiple Champions League medals or a Ballon d’Or, Liverpool would be entitled to a bonus.
It is believed the money upfront would be around £82m and Catalan outlet Mundo Deportivo claim Liverpool have told Barcelona the add-ons are not acceptable.
Liverpool want most of the £118m fee immediately as they want to reinvest the funds into new players this summer.
(Picture: Getty)
Barcelona will continue to pursue Coutinho until the window slams shut and will accelerate their efforts to sign him even further this week.
The Spanish giants have timed their past bids on the eve of important games for Liverpool.
Coutinho’s transfer request on the eve of the new season followed a second bid while the third offer comes the day before Liverpool’s first home game of the campaign.
Liverpool's statement on Coutinho
‘The club’s definitive stance is that no offers for Philippe will be considered and he will remain a member of Liverpool Football Club when the summer window closes.’
Jurgen Klopp has ordered FSG to keep hold of Coutinho, but has refused to rule out any further transfer business.
‘A transfer window is a very important time but it’s also important what we do with the actual team,’ he said.
Antonio Conte believes Chelsea need stronger foundations for the future
Antonio Conte insists Chelsea must look to model themselves on London rivals Tottenham if they are to enjoy continued success.
Chelsea will look to bounce back from their shock opening-day defeat to Burnley when they travel to take on Spurs at Wembley this Sunday, live on Sky Sports Premier League.
Conte has been impressed with the work of his opposite number Mauricio Pochettino at Tottenham and the Italian believes the north London side are in a stronger long-term position than his own club, despite finishing as runners-up in the Premier League last season.
Ivan Perisic is set to sign a new contract at Inter and put an end to any speculation over a move this summer, according to reports in Italy.
The Croatian playmaker has been linked with a Premier League switch, with both Chelsea and Manchester United said to be interested in securing his services.
But according to Sky Italia, Perisic will ignore the advances of the two English giants in favour of a new, £90,000-a-week deal to keep him at the San Siro.
The Eagles travel to Anfield on Saturday to face Liverpool, in Frank de Boer’s first competitive match against a top six side.
With the Dutchman still searching for his first victory in the Premier League, we preview the game.
Kick off: 15:00
Venue: Anfield
Referee: Kevin Friend
Palace are likely to field a mainly unchanged side from the 0-3 defeat at home to Huddersfield. However, with Wilfried Zaha out with a knee injury, Andros Townsend is likely to come into the starting XI. Pape Souare has returned to full training but is still not match fit, as are Connor Wickham and Bakary Sako, out with knee and calf injuries respectively.
On the bench, there is a chance of returns for Yohan Cabaye and James McArthur, after the duo returned to playing in red and blue in the U23’s match vs Burnley.
Liverpool will be without midfield talisman Philippe Coutinho once again, as the transfer speculation regarding his potential move to Barcelona refuses to die down. He is out with a back injury. The Reds will also be without striker Daniel Sturridge and right-back Nathaniel Clyne due to respective injuries.
Both teams will be desperate to get three points on the board after disappointing opening weekends. After a tough game in Germany against Hoffenheim midweek, Palace will look to capitalise on the extra day’s rest. Liverpool on the other hand, won’t want to disappoint in their first home game of the season, but Coutinho’s absence will prove to be a big factor for Jurgen Klopp’s men.
These lovely photos of a car and helicopter made purely out of wood were shared online by Facebook user Izuchukwu Enemuoh who said they were made by a Biafran.
The CBS late-night host, James Corden took his creativity to another level during his recent 'Late Night Show with James Corden.'
The English actor and comedian gave Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee's record-breaking hit "Despacito", a summer remix, by highlighting some of the biggest headlines in 2017 so far.
Corden mocked Donal Trump's outrageous comments on white supremacists in Charlottesville and other political related issues.
The CBS late-night host also included everything in pop culture, from Gal Gadot's "Wonder Woman" pay to Anna Faris and Chris Pratt's unexpected divorce to the birth of Beyonce's twins, including Usain Bolt's shocking defeat at the IAAF World Championships 2017 in Central London.
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