Manchester United is set to acquire promising talent in Bayern Munich defenders Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui, while their Premier League rivals Chelsea consider their options after a failed move for Atletico Madrid's Samu Omorodion. Meanwhile, Liverpool and Arsenal face competition for their transfer targets as the summer window heats up. Stay updated with all the latest transfer news and rumors on Mirror Football's live blog.
Chelsea and Manchester United Make Moves in the Transfer Market
As the summer transfer window heats up, top European clubs are making significant moves to bolster their squads. Here's a closer look at recent developments involving Chelsea and Manchester United:
Manchester United Targets Bayern Munich Defenders
Manchester United are reportedly set to acquire two promising defenders from German giants Bayern Munich: Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui.
De Ligt, 23, is a Dutch center-back who has been a key figure for Bayern since joining from Juventus in 2022. Mazraoui, 25, is a Moroccan right-back who has also impressed at Bayern and is seen as a potential successor to Aaron Wan-Bissaka at Old Trafford.
Chelsea Considers Options After Failed Omorodion Move
Chelsea's pursuit of Atletico Madrid defender Samu Omorodion has hit a roadblock, and the Blues are now considering alternative targets. Omorodion, 17, was seen as a promising prospect, but Atletico is reportedly unwilling to let him leave for less than €40 million.
Chelsea have been linked with several other defenders, including AC Milan's Theo Hernandez and Sporting Lisbon's Pedro Porro. However, it remains to be seen whether these deals will materialize.
Competition for Liverpool and Arsenal Targets
Liverpool and Arsenal are facing competition for their summer transfer targets as other clubs join the race. Liverpool is interested in signing Jude Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund, but they are also being pursued by Manchester City and Real Madrid. Arsenal, meanwhile, is targeting Youri Tielemans from Leicester City but must contend with interest from Manchester United.
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Yogeshwar Dutt expresses his disappointment over Vinesh Phogat's joining of Indian National Congress ahead of elections in Haryana, stating that she should have apologized to the entire country for her disqualification in the Paris Olympic Games 2024. Dutt also criticized her for creating a negative atmosphere in the country during the protests last year, and for blaming false conspiracy theories, including involving the Indian Prime Minister. He believes that instead of apologizing, Phogat's actions have only damaged India's image internationally.
As the LaLiga 2024-25 season enters its second month, football fans are in for a treat as Atletico Madrid and Celta Vigo go head to head. Both teams have had a strong start to the season, with three wins out of six matches. However, their ranking on the table differs due to their performance in the remaining matches. With Atletico sitting in fourth position and Celta Vigo in ninth, this match could potentially determine which team moves up the ranks. Iago Aspas, the experienced striker for Celta Vigo, and young talent Julian Alvarez for Atletico Madrid, will add firepower to their respective teams' attacks. This match is not to be missed for LaLiga fans, happening at Balaidos Stadium, Vigo, Spain on Friday, 27th September.
The top teams in the Italian football league, including Juventus, Inter, Milan, and Roma, have been drawn against their opponents for the round of 16 in the Coppa Italia. Juventus will face Cagliari, Inter will take on Udinese, Milan will play against Sassuolo, and Roma will face Sampdoria. Other teams such as Atalanta, Fiorentina, Lazio, and Bologna will also have their opponents decided in the remaining matches. The fixtures are set to take place on December 4 and December 18.
In their first ever Indian Super League match, Mohammedan SC made a winning start by defeating Chennaiyin FC 1-0 at the Marina Arena in Chennai. Lalremsanga Fanai scored the lone goal for Mohammedan in a closely contested match, in which Chennaiyin had several opportunities to equalize but were denied by the solid Mohammedan defense. The win marks a confident start for the newly promoted Kolkata-based team in the current ISL season.
Indian shooter Manu Bhaker, who recently became the first Indian to win two medals at the same Olympics, shared her experience of how it all started and the determination that led her to this remarkable success. In an exclusive interview with X, Bhaker talked about her passion and drive towards chasing her dreams, which eventually led her to win two medals at the Tokyo Olympics. The 22-year-old's journey from the age of 14 to becoming a double Olympic medallist is a true inspiration for aspiring athletes.
The Indian Olympic Association faced another heated confrontation as PT Usha, the President of the body, clashed with the Executive Council over the appointment of CEO Raghuram Iyer. The majority of the Council members opposed Iyer's appointment, but Usha fiercely defended him. However, the Council has decided to re-initiate the process of appointing a CEO, much to Usha's dismay. This feud could have negative consequences for India's chances of hosting the 2036 Olympics, as warned by Usha and witnessed by an IOC Director during the meeting.
The Sri Lankan batsman, Kamindu Mendis, made history in the second Test match against New Zealand as he became the first player ever to score a half-century in eight consecutive Test matches since his debut. His impressive record-breaking feat helped Sri Lanka dominate the opening day of the match, with Dinesh Chandimal and Angelo Mathews also making noteworthy contributions to the team's total score of 306/3.
Polish goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny has expressed his willingness to come out of retirement to help Barcelona in the wake of first-choice keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen's season-ending injury. Ter Stegen, who underwent surgery for a ruptured patella tendon, could be out for the rest of the season and Barcelona may turn to Szczesny as a replacement. The Polish player retired from international football in 2019 but is now keen to make a comeback and support his new team.
20-year-old Ruben van Bommel, the son of Dutch football legend Mark van Bommel, has caught the attention of Premier League clubs Manchester City and Arsenal with his impressive performance as a winger for AZ Alkmaar. Despite his father's reputation as a world-class defensive midfielder, Ruben is a technical attacking player with six goals and three assists in just eight games this season. With many other clubs showing interest, AZ has the upper hand with his contract until 2027. Pundit Pierre van Hooijdonk has praised Ruben's progress and potential, making him a highly sought after young talent.
After retiring from professional football earlier in the season, former Juventus goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny has agreed to come out of retirement to join Barcelona as they face an emergency in their goalkeeping department. The Polish international, who was previously the first-choice goalkeeper at Juventus, retired after mutually terminating his contract with the club. However, the 31-year-old will now don the Barcelona jersey after reaching an agreement with the Spanish giants, rejecting bigger offers to retire at the end of the season.