Borussia Dortmund do not want to sell Thomas Meunier before the transfer window closes, sporting director Sebastian Kehl has stressed.
The Belgium international has reportedly become frustrated with a lack of opportunities under Edin Terzic, and he was said to have expressed a wish to leave following Dortmund's 3-2 weekend defeat to Werder Bremen – where they capitulated after leading 2-0 heading into the closing stages.
Meunier denied that was the case, but suggestions of a potential swap with Barcelona involving Sergino Dest quickly emerged, while Manchester United have also been credited with a possible interest in the former Paris Saint-Germain defender.
Speaking ahead of Dortmund's Bundesliga clash against Hertha Berlin, however, Kehl played down the chance of Meunier leaving ahead of next week's transfer deadline.
"The transfer window is still open until next week, but we have no intention of selling Thomas Meunier," Kehl said.
"There will be another wild ride from Monday onwards. But I refer that overall to the market. Currently it is absolutely not our plan to sell him."
Kehl also addressed early criticism directed at new signing Anthony Modeste, asking for the forward to be given more time to settle.
"Tony Modeste has been with Borussia Dortmund for a fortnight. It's a change for him," Kehl said.
"In the end, he will be measured by goals, we know that. But I would ask for a little patience and that he not be dubbed a 'flop transfer'."
Yaya Toure confident of managerial opportunities despite Vieira sacking
Yaya Toure is "very positive" about having opportunities in management despite seeing Patrick Vieira recently sacked by Crystal Palace.
Toure was disappointed to see his former Manchester City team-mate lose his role as manager of the Eagles, who replaced Vieira with 75-year-old Roy Hodgson until the end of the season.
Speaking at a Football Black List event, the former Barcelona and City midfielder paid tribute to Vieira, whose dismissal meant there are no black managers in the Premier League.
"Patrick Vieira is a great person, and a great coach as well. I think it's a sad part of it," Toure said.
"It's a concern because if you have 50 per cent of the black players playing Premier League, and maybe one or two per cent of managers or coaches are black, it's quite strange."
Toure has taken up coaching since retiring from playing in 2019, with short-term assistant roles at Ukrainian side Olimpik Donetsk and Russia's Akhmat Grozny, before returning to England to work for Tottenham's academy in August.
He has designs on becoming a manager himself one day, and still believes the opportunities will be there for him.
"I think the Premier League and the FA are working hard to get it right, because for us it's very important," he said.
"And as well, for me, I can say, I'm confident, to be honest. I'm confident, I'm looking forward, I'm very positive [about] how the opportunities are going to come for me and I'm going to be ready for it."
Morata's pride at Spain captaincy as De la Fuente seeks strong start
Alvaro Morata has been named Spain's new captain ahead of Luis de la Fuente's first match in charge, with the new coach seeking the "security and confidence" of a strong start.
It is all change for Spain following the 2022 World Cup, with previous skipper Sergio Busquets retiring and De la Fuente replacing Luis Enrique as boss.
Morata is left as the most experienced player in the former Spain Under-21 coach's first squad and was confirmed as captain ahead of their first Euro 2024 qualifier against Norway on Saturday.
"It's a pride and a joy," Morata said in a news conference. "I'm looking forward to things going well and winning. I'm here to help the younger ones."
The Atletico Madrid striker has been enthused by what he has seen from De la Fuente so far – and he believes he is not alone in that sense.
"I have been with different coaches and I see everyone very excited," Morata added. "He likes to give affection to his players and work hard.
"We all have to win from playing and competing. The ticket for a European Championship and a World Cup is not easy, and we are all clear about what is important for us and that we have to always be at these tournaments."
De la Fuente is "enjoying and living an incomparable experience", but he knows the importance of the result against Norway.
"Any project has to start well," the coach said. "It's not all about getting off to a good start, but I'd like to.
"It would give us more security and confidence. We are sure of that."
Spain's hopes of that first win have been boosted by the absence of Norway's superstar striker Erling Haaland, out with a groin injury.
De la Fuente added: "I'm very sorry for any footballer's injury. It is the ugly face of this sport. We also have injuries.
"That said, to say I'd like to see Haaland on the field tomorrow would be lying."
Casemiro the latest Brazil star to endorse Ancelotti for Selecao job
Casemiro is the latest Brazil player to endorse his former Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti for the Selecao's vacant head coach position.
Brazil are yet to appoint a successor to Tite, whose six-year stint in charge came to an end after the five-time world champions were knocked out at the quarter-final stage of the 2022 World Cup by Croatia.
Ramon Menezes, who guided Brazil's Under-20s to South American U-20 Championship in February, has taken over on an interim basis for Saturday's friendly against Morocco.
The coach who has been linked with the full-time role the most, however, is Ancelotti.
Several Brazil players have openly approved his potential candidacy and Casemiro joined the chorus, though the former Madrid player reminded his team-mates of a need to respect Ancelotti's employers.
"Firstly, what we players would like to have is a capable coach with great players," Casemiro told reporters on Friday.
"We have 30, 40, 50 players of exceptional level. You could make three, four teams that could compete with any other team in the world.
"As far as Ancelotti is concerned, he is a coach that I already know, I know very well. He is a friend of mine, he is someone I have admired in football and it was a pleasure to work with him.
"But there is also another side to this; Ancelotti has a club, which is Real Madrid. We have to respect the club and Ancelotti."
He added: "Ancelotti has already won everything in his career. He is a coach with a lot of experience and, without a doubt Ancelotti is a great coach."
Casemiro was also careful not to completely rule Ramon out of the running.
A former Brazil international who enjoyed a 26-year professional career and has spent much of the past decade in various coaching roles, Ramon is not thought to be among the frontrunners for the full-time job.
But Casemiro pointed out the 50-year-old now has an opportunity to stake his claim and insisted the players are treating him as if he was there for the long term.
"We also have a coach here, who is Ramon," Casemiro continued. "He is not the permanent one, but he is here to play this game and we know that in life there are opportunities.
"Today, he is not permanent, but if he does a great job, [and] if the names that the president [of the Brazilian Football Confederation] wants do not accept, Ramon is there.
"From the moment I came here, I am respecting that and treating him as if he was the coach of a World Cup. Not only me, but all the players are respecting him because he is the coach now, and you have to have respect for the coach."
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
