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Monday Kickoff: Man United bid for Everton duo rejected; Chivas sack Galindo; and more

MarouaneFellainiEverton3 (PremierLeague)

By DAN KARELL

Nearly two months into his new job at Manchester United, David Moyes seems to have forgotten that Everton won’t sell below market value.

According to reports in England, Man United bid a combined £28 million ($43.8 million) for Everton duo Marouane Fellaini and Leighton Baines, as the Red Devils hope to strengthen their side before the end of the transfer window on September 2. The bid was quickly rejected by Everton, who called it in a club statement “derisory and insulting.”

Fellaini had a release clause in his contract expire last Thursday that would have allowed him to leave for £23.5 million, though now if Everton are to sell him it would depend on their valuation of the Belgian midfielder. The latest bid also is the second time that Moyes has tried to bring Baines to Old Trafford this summer, with the first bid of £12 million being rejected as well.

Both Baines and Fellaini went the full 90 minutes in Everton’s season opening 2-2 draw with Norwich City on Saturday.

Here are some more stories to get your Monday kicked off:

CHIVAS SACK GALINDO AFTER ROUT

Benjamin Galindo’s reign at Chivas Guadalajara has come to an end.

After being demolished at home against Puebla, 4-2, Galindo was sacked by Chivas as their side sit in 15th place in the Liga MX table, with just four points from the club’s first five matches. Chivas’ one victory this season came against last place Atlante.

Galindo, who starred for Chivas and the Mexico National Team as a player, took over the club for his second time in January, but the club finished a dreary 17th place (second to last) and lost their last six matches of the Clausura season. Galindo was the Clausura champion in 2012, but he was unable to replicate those successes at the Estadio Omnilife.

LAZIO PUNISHED FOR RACISM IN ITALIAN SUPER CUP

During Juventus’ 4-0 thrashing of Lazio in Sunday’s Italian Super Cup at Rome’s Stadio Olimpico, a group of Lazio fans allegedly racially abused three players of African descent in Juventus’ lineup.

Paul Pogba, who scored Juve’s first goal of the afternoon, Angelo Ogbonna, and Asamoah Gyan were all the subject of the abuse, which has resulted in punishment to the Lazio ultras. A judge on Monday ruled that the Curva Nord, the main stand for Lazio’s ultras, would be closed for the club’s next home match. The match happens to be Lazio’s Serie A season opener on August 25 against Udinese.

After the match, Pogba called the abusers ignorant, but said that he didn’t walk off because he just tried to focus on the game. He also said that the fans will abuse opposing players, even if they have players of African descent on their own squad.

QUICK KICKS

Southampton have completed a record transfer signing, inking Italy striker Pablo Daniel Osvaldo to a 4-year contract after he made a £15 million plus add-ons move from Roma to the EPL club. (REPORT)

Former FA chairman David Bernstein has called for a rebidding in the 2022 World Cup selection. (REPORT)

Arsenal have made a £10 million ($15.7 million) offer for Newcastle midfielder Yohan Cabaye. (REPORT)

Schalke 04 forward Klass-Jan Huntelaar has been ruled out for at least four weeks with a partial tear of ligaments in his right knee. (REPORT)

Cruz Azul are going to FIFA over the transfer of Teo Gutierrez to River Plate, as the Argentine club have yet to pay the Mexican side for the Colombian striker. (REPORT)

France has scheduled a friendly match against Australia on October 11 in Paris. (REPORT)

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What do you make of these reports? Do you see Man United increasing their offer? Do you agree with Galindo’s sacking? Do you feel that Lazio should have been punished more?

Share your thoughts below.

 

Comments

  1. Rumor is that Oxlade-Chamberlain has done his knee and is out for the year, been going around since the game but more reputable sources have been reporting it. Arsenal is definitely in crisis mode at this point.

    Reply
  2. Arsenal needs a holding midfielder. Arsenal are not into big spending, but are about to struggle. Why not make an offer for Geoff Cameron. I know that Americans are not valued, but Cameron is a very solid defensive player that is at home in the midfield, very good at tackles, has pace, and can play the ball out of the back. Arsenal has been missing a holding midfielder since they let Fabregas go.

    Reply
    • 1) Fabregas is not a holding midfielder and never was one. Esepcially not during his Arsenal days where he played at the front a midfield 3.

      2) I love Cameron, but he doesnt have the passing ability to play for Arsenal. Michael Bradley on the other hand…

      Reply
      • Fabregas played a more offensive role for Arsenal, but is a very good defensive CM as well. Fabregas was trained as a D-Mid at La Masia in Barcelona, and that will explain his ability to mix it up with much bigger players. In fact he changed perceptions on what a CM should look like. That was my point, but really they have been using stop-gap players that are more offensive and have not had a true holding midfielder for a decade.

        Bradley may or may not pass better, but Cameron is much better fit physically to the EPL, and while not be a proven holding midfielder in England, he is a proven tackler. Last season he was only behind Zabaleta in defenders with the most tackles.

      • song was the holding midfielder at arsenal who coincidentally left for barca a year after fab.

        not sure how fab changed perceptions about def mids when he did not play there.

        lastly, bradley is 100x the passer cameron is. a fan of his, but cameron is not arsenal material.

      • Fabregas used to be a deep playing CM that was very good defensively, and offensively. He at one time was much more defensive of a player than he is now. He’s the complete CM, and even though he was small, and slow, he bossed the center of the pitch. Players like Fabregas, Nasri, and other midfielders like Ribery have changed the perception in football, that you need a big fast, and physical midfielder. The little guys are in style because of Fabregas and similar players.

        I should’ve worded it better, but Arsenal have not bought a holding midfielder for 10 or more years. They never replaced Fabregas, nor Song. I think that they need a holding midfielder.

  3. “Derisory and insulting” indeed. £28 million for the best leftback and one of the best mids in England? That’s absurd.

    Reply
    • Agreed. It should be 23-25m for Fellaini and at least 20m for Baines, he’s the best LB in the EPL and if Everton sell him they sell their best option for creating chances as well.

      Reply
    • Right!, who could he honestly think it would have worked out!? Maybe double that…

      Seems like your non-big four clubs are much more finacially sturdy theses days: not selling out to the big guns as easy any more..

      Reply
  4. 2022 WC = USA? Or at least Australia so it’s a place that’s fun to go. Although affording that trip would be another matter. At least I have nine years to save.

    Reply
      • You will be able to buy and consume your official Qatar 2022 WC beer (Budweiser) in the official FIFA Fun Zones, sponsored by Visa! Although it will be 120 degrees outside so it would be more like pound your beer and find some air conditioning.

    • As much as I would love the US hosting another WC, a WC in Australia would be awesome. Seppy and his boys can fly the nation building flag there.

      Only downside would be length of time to get there (East Coasters, get ready for 20 hours of flights) and winter temps there, but would be more than made up by Aussie hospitality.

      Reply
      • And the fact that games will be played at 12-6 am in this hemesphere and 7-10 am in Europe/Africa.. Thats not changing and they have done it before…

        Australia would be a great host, China or India would be interesting if they really want to do some nation building..

  5. Man U and Moyes are failing big time on the transfer front this summer. Did Moyes really believe Everton management was gonna be doing him favors, especially after Moyes let Fellaini’s release clause expire. Not smart if Man U truly wants Fellaini.

    Reply
    • you can argue both ways on letting the release clause expire. From one position, if you think you can get Fellaini cheap, it’s a shrewd move. On the other hand, you remove ALL guarantees, and leave the ball in Everton’s hands. In this case, I think he did Everton a favor. Now, Everton has leverage.

      Reply

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