Liverpool

Liverpool, Manchester United keen on 17-year-old PSG wonderkid

Published

1 year ago

May 9, 2023

Liverpool, Manchester United keen on 17-year-old PSG wonderkid

Liverpool and Manchester United are reportedly interested in signing 17-year-old Paris Saint-Germain defender El Chadaille Bitshiabu.

According to a report from Foot Mercato, El Chadaille Bitshiabu has attracted the attention of Liverpool and Manchester United. And the two Premier League clubs are hoping to make a move for the 17-year-old at the end of the season.

Bisthiabu is highly talented and he is already a first-team player for PSG at the age of 17. The defender has a contract with the French club until the summer of 2024 and the French outfit will be looking to renew his contract soon. It remains to be seen whether they are prepared to sanction his departure at the end of the season.

He would be a superb long-term prospect for Liverpool who are in need of defensive reinforcements. Players like Joel Matip and Joe Gomez have been largely underwhelming this season and Liverpool must look to bring in more options at the back.

The 17-year-old French defender could be a key part of the Liverpool first team in the coming seasons. Playing in the Premier League is likely to accelerate his development and a world-class manager like Jurgen Klopp will help him improve as a player.

Similarly, Manchester United need to add more defensive depth to the side as well.

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Players like Victor Lindelof and Harry Maguire are expected to leave the club at the end of the season when their contract expires. The two players have not been regular starters for Manchester United and they are unlikely to extend their stay at Old Trafford.

Erik ten Hag needs to replace them adequately in the summer and the 17-year-old PSG defender could prove to be a solid, long-term investment.

The 17-year-old will look to continue his development with ample first-team action in the coming months. If PSG cannot provide him with gametime assurances, he could be tempted to move on.

Both Manchester United and Liverpool have an impressive track record of nurturing young players into established first-team stars. They could promise the 17-year-old a pathway to the first-team and help him establish himself as a quality Premier League defender in the coming seasons.

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3 Premier League giants considering offering €40m to sign Barcelona attacker Robert Lewandowski: Reports

Three Premier League clubs are reportedly planning a move for Barcelona star Robert Lewandowski. The clubs are looking to take advantage of the Catalan side’s financial situation and lure the striker away for €40 million.

As per a report in El Nacional, Barcelona are ready to let go of Lewandowski as they look to raise funds to sign Lionel Messi. They are looking to raise over €100 million via player sales and believe Raphinha and the Polish striker are their best chances.

The Spanish publication claim that Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester United are ready to sign Lewandowski if he is available. However, they are set to test the waters by offering €40 million for the striker Barcelona paid €50 million last summer. The possible sale could come as a shock for the striker, who forced his way out of Bayern Munich to join the Catalan side.

He said last summer:

“I’m very happy to be here. It was hard work to join Barca, but in the end I’m here. I know we have work to do, we have huge potential in the team, huge quality. I’m ready to be a part of this big club with an amazing history and make new history, with titles as well. I’m very happy.”

He added that he was excited to be at the club and was quoted saying:

“In the next training session I’ll be on the pitch with the team and I’m ready to play in the next game [against Real Madrid in pre-season]. Everything that happened in the last few days was amazing, it happened fast but that’s football. You have to be ready for everything.”

Lewandowski has scored 19 goals in 29 matches this season in La Liga.

Barcelona star looking forward to playing with Lionel Messi

Barcelona star Robert Lewandowski was keen on playing with Lionel Messi at Camp Nou. He spoke about the possible link-up last month and was quoted by MARCA as saying:

“Messi will always be part of Barca. If he comes back, not only for the fans, but also for the players, it would be impressive. His place is here, in Barcelona. I don’t know what’s going to happen, I’m not the person to ask, but I hope we can play together next season. We need this type of player, for sure.”

However, if reports are to be believed, Lewandowski might have to make way for the Argentine in the starting XI.

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If Manchester City win the Champions League does fifth place in the Premier League qualify for next season?

Manchester City are eyeing their first European crown (Picture: Jan Kruger – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)

Manchester City will face Real Madrid in two blockbuster Champions League semi-final legs over the next nine days.

The Premier League leaders know that victory over the 14-time European champions will will put them on the brink of securing that elusive Champions League title, with the lesser-fancied AC Milan or Inter Milan awaiting the winning team in June’s final.

And so with City potentially just three games away from securing their spot in the Champions League hall of fame, fans of other English clubs have been asking one very simple question: Will fifth place in the Premier League ensure automatic qualification for next season’s Champions League?

Here is everything you need to know.

Will fifth place qualify if Manchester City win the Champions League?

Unfortunately for the likes of Newcastle, Manchester United and Liverpool, the team finishing fifth in the Premier League will not qualify for the Champions League next season if Manchester City win the competition this year.

United will have to finish in the top four (Picture: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

Pep Guardiola’s men are guaranteed to finish in the top four this season and so they have already qualified for the Champions League next year.

However, if City do indeed go on to lift the trophy in June’s final in Istanbul, they will qualify for next season’s edition as reigning champions.

But their qualification spot secured through their league position would then not be passed down to the side ending up fifth in the Premier League.

Instead, City’s league qualification would be transferred to the champions of the highest-ranked national league in the UEFA coefficient who don’t already occupy an automatic group stage qualifying spot.

As things stand, the winners of the Ukrainian league would qualify for the Champions League automatically instead of having to go through the qualification stage.

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The club ending the season in fifth place will instead qualify automatically for the group stages of the Europa League.

UEFA rules do actually allow five teams from the same country to play in the same Champions League season.

The only way this could have happened for next season is if an English club won the Champions League or Europa League this campaign but did not finish in the top four in the Premier League.

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