Rumour Has It: Man City confident of signing Nunez, Man Utd's Cavani could make Madrid move

By Sports Desk October 03, 2021

Could Darwin Nunez be the next Benfica star to make a big move?

Portuguese sensation Joao Felix swapped Benfica for Atletico Madrid in a club-record deal in 2019.

Now, Uruguay international Nunez is attracting interest from across Europe.

 

TOP STORY – CITY FRONT OF QUEUE FOR NUNEZ

Manchester City are leading the race to sign Darwin Nunez from Portuguese giants Benfica, according to the Daily Star.

Premier League champions City are desperate to sign a forward amid links with Tottenham's Harry Kane, Borussia Dortmund sensation Erling Haaland and Fiorentina forward Dusan Vlahovic.

Nunez has also reportedly attracted interest from BarcelonaLiverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea, Bayern Munich, Milan, Inter and Atletico Madrid.

 

ROUND-UP

– United forward Edinson Cavani could join Real Madrid in January, claims Mundo Deportivo. It comes as Cavani finds himself battling Cristiano Ronaldo for regular game time at Old Trafford, where the club's hierarchy are concerned amid their form under manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

- The Daily Star reports Arsenal are weighing up a move for out-of-favour City forward Raheem SterlingBarca are also believed to be interested in Sterling, according to The Sun, as they face the prospect of missing out on Leipzig's Dani Olmo. The Spain international has been linked with United, Juventus and Bayern.

Liverpool are eyeing Pogon Szczecin midfielder Kacper Kozlowski, says the Mirror. The 17-year-old has been linked with Bayer Leverkusen, Milan, RB Leipzig and Salzburg.

Related items

  • Arteta hoping for 'something beautiful' as Arsenal target title Arteta hoping for 'something beautiful' as Arsenal target title

    Mikel Arteta retains faith that "something beautiful" could occur on Sunday to make Arsenal Premier League champions, despite Manchester City being heavy favourites.

    After City's 2-0 win over Tottenham on Tuesday, Arsenal need Pep Guardiola's champions to drop points at home to West Ham to have any chance of leapfrogging them.

    The Gunners must also beat Everton, whose 14 final-day losses are the most of any team in Premier League history.

    Ahead of Sunday's fixtures, the Opta supercomputer gives Arsenal just a 15.9 per cent chance of becoming champions to City's 84.1 per cent, but Arteta will not give up hope.

    Asked how he will assess Arsenal's season if they fall short, Arteta said on Friday: "I can't think like this. 

    "We have to win the game and we hope something beautiful is going to happen. If I don't believe today, imagine how much I could believe in August! 

    "From August, 38 games against Man City after what they've done in 12 or 13 years, and what we've done in that time... we can't think like this."

    Arsenal have won their final game of the Premier League season more often than any other club, doing so on 22 occasions including the last 12 in a row.

    Though many have already written the Gunners off, Arteta says simply ensuring a Premier League trophy will be present at the Emirates Stadium on the final day represents a major success.

    "We are on the last day of the season playing for the Premier League trophy, which has not been at the Emirates since it was built 20 years ago," Arteta said.

    "The trophy is going to be there, it's possible. We have to do our duty, then hope what happens. Let's wish that's the case."

  • Juventus sack head coach Allegri for behaviour at Coppa Italia final Juventus sack head coach Allegri for behaviour at Coppa Italia final

    Juventus have relieved head coach Massimiliano Allegri of his duties with immediate effect, citing his behaviour during Wednesday's Coppa Italia final win as a factor in their decision.

    Allegri led Juve to a 1-0 win over Atalanta in Wednesday's domestic cup final at the Stadio Olimpico, the Bianconeri's first major trophy since they won the same competition in 2021.

    They have now won the Coppa six times in the last decade, while Allegri's five titles make him the most successful coach in the competition's history outright.

    However, cup glory was not enough to save Allegri's job after a staggering collapse in the second half of Juve's 2023-24 Serie A campaign.

    Juve were neck-and-neck with Inter at the summit at the turn of the year, but they are not even assured of a top-four finish with two games remaining following a run of five straight draws.

    They are guaranteed Champions League football for 2023-24 due to Italian clubs' performances in Europe this term, but Allegri will not lead them on their return to Europe's elite club competition.

    In a statement, the 36-time Italian champions said Allegri's animated behaviour during and after Wednesday's final contributed to his dismissal.

    The club said: "Juventus announces that it has relieved Massimiliano Allegri of his duties as coach of the men's first team.

    "The dismissal follows certain behaviours during and after the Coppa Italia final that the club deemed incompatible with the values of Juventus and with the behaviour that must be held by those who represent it.

    "A period of collaboration which began in 2014 and restarted in 2021 for three more seasons together comes to an end.

    "The club wishes Massimiliano Allegri the best of luck in his future projects."

    Thiago Motta – who has led Bologna to Champions League qualification – has been strongly linked with the role, with Allegri's position being questioned throughout the last few months.

  • Postecoglou reflects on 'worst experience' as a manager in Man City defeat Postecoglou reflects on 'worst experience' as a manager in Man City defeat

    Tottenham's Ange Postecoglou had "the worst experience" he has had during his managerial career when Spurs lost to Manchester City.

    Spurs went down 2-0 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Tuesday, as City went top of the Premier League heading into the final day of the season.

    There was a peculiar atmosphere, with Spurs supporters seemingly torn as to whether to fully back their team, given a positive result would have all but handed Arsenal, their biggest rivals, the title.

    Postecoglou was in spiky form in the post-match media conference, suggesting there was a "fragility" to the club.

    On Friday, ahead of Spurs' final game of the season against relegated Sheffield United, the Australian explained he feared people would question his integrity.

    "That's probably the worst experience I've had as a football manager in a game," he said.

    "Once I realised I'd got it wrong in terms of what the atmosphere was going to be like and what people felt, I got a real anxiety within me of, 'What happens if Man City, the best team in the world, who were disposing of teams quite easily in the lead-up, what if we play as well as we can but they beat us 5-0?'

    "I got cold sweats thinking about people questioning my integrity and the people I work with.

    "Even watching the game back, there was a comment on the commentary, 'Oh, Tottenham are having a real go here'.

    "That's why I was animated on the night. I didn't enjoy the night.

    "I needed the boys – and credit to them – aside from everything else, their football was outstanding on the night. That was important for our football club. It would have cast aspersions on us as a football club. I don't think anyone can say we didn't make Man City earn that win the other night.

    "It could have gone a very different way, just by Man City being Man City."

    PLAYERS TO WATCH

    Sheffield United – Ben Brereton Diaz

    Brereton Diaz has scored six goals for the Blades since he arrived on loan from Villarreal, and may be out to end on a high note in order to try and secure a Premier League move for next season.

    Tottenham – James Maddison

    Maddison has created 62 chances for Tottenham in the Premier League this season, the most by a player in their debut season for Spurs since Christian Eriksen in 2013-14 (68). It is the most overall by an Englishman since Dele Alli in 2017-18 (64).

    MATCH PREDICTION: TOTTENHAM WIN

    Spurs have lost five of their last six Premier League matches (W1), one more than in their previous 18 games combined (W10 D4 L4). However, they are unbeaten in 11 games against the side starting the day bottom (W8 D3), scoring 35 goals.

    The Blades have a goal difference of -66 – defeat by four goals here will see them finish the campaign with the worst goal difference in Premier League history (currently -69 by Derby County in 2007-08).

    They have conceded 101 Premier League goals this season, the outright most in a single campaign. In a top-flight season with a maximum of 20 teams, only Leicester in 1908-09 (102) and Darwen in 1891-92 (112) have shipped more.

    Tottenham have lost their final league game in just one of the last 13 seasons (W10 D2), with that loss coming at already-relegated Newcastle United in 2015-16 (1-5).

    Tottenham won 3-1 in their last away league game against Sheffield United, last winning consecutive visits to Bramall Lane in December 1975.

    OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

    Sheffield United – 11.7%

    Tottenham – 67.7%

    Draw – 20.6%

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