You have to wonder where Ernesto Valverde’s head is at. Barcelona are top of the league, having walked La Liga last season and yet, the manager is under pressure at Camp Nou. In the past few days, after Barcelona had the audacity to start their new year with a draw against local rivals Espanyol, Leo Messi has said he has “complete confidence” in his head coach, while Luis Suárez (now sidelined for four months with a knee injury) has said: “Valverde’s future is with this club. He doesn’t carry any blame.” Naturally, club suits have been lining up Valverde’s successor with the Spaniard still technically at the helm. The disrespect is real.
First Xavi Hernández breezed in and out of the door, turning down the opportunity to return to his home club, a decision that had nothing to do with the wage he is currently receiving for coaching Doha club al-Sadd. Next up, another former Barça great, Ronald Koeman, was on the blower to explain that he also couldn’t jump ship, at least not until after the Holland manager has dealt with the Euros this summer. And so we arrive at Mauricio Pochettino, the former Espanyol manager now out of work, who said last year that he would “never train Barcelona or Arsenal because I am tied to Tottenham. I grew up at Newell’s and I would never train Rosario Central. I would prefer to work on my farm in Argentina than to go and work in certain places.”
Let’s see if ambition and opportunity gets the better of young Poch. He wouldn’t be the first man to go back on his promises.
So long, Eddie. Move over, Patrick. Marcelo Bielsa wants Southampton’s Che Adams to come into his attack, with Leeds prepared to pay a £1m loan fee for a deal until the end of the season, after which the Yorkshire club will have an obligation to buy. Saints want to recoup most of the £15m they paid for him last year, but Adams is optimistic of a move. Then again, he was optimistic about Southampton winning the league.
Speaking of players that used to play for Birmingham, Jude Bellingham is hoping to become one of them. The Mirror reports that Manchester United have made a £12.5m bid for the 16-year-old defender, and would probably pay him more than the £145-per-week scholar’s wage he’s currently on. Ed Woodward drives a hard bargain, though!
Chelsea apparently are in the market for a central defender and so Brighton have decided Lewis Dunk, who turns 30 next year, can leave for £50m. The absolute cheek of it! They are also poised to announce Tromsø striker Bryan Fiabema – nicknamed the new Tore André Flo by absolutely nobody – with the Norway Under-17 player signing at three-and-a-half year contract. Fiabema also met Frank Lampard and the rest of the Chelsea players after the win over Burnley on Saturday. It’s a done deal, apparently.
Finally, Arsenal defender/calamity Shkodran Mustafi is off to Galatasaray, which seems like the best thing for everybody at this stage.