Live Football Update: Watford Terminate Cleverley's Contract, Early Transition for Alexander-Arnold to Real Madrid Likely as Negotiations Commence, Improved Injury Situation for Arsenal
After a packed Premier League weekend, European football takes centre stage and talkSPORT has got you covered.
Trent Alexander-Arnold, Liverpool's right-back, has confirmed that he's jumping ship at the end of the season, likely joining Real Madrid. Meanwhile, Arsenal is gearing up for a critical Champions League semi-final second-leg clash against PSG tomorrow night. nearby teams like Man United, Tottenham, and Chelsea are closing in on their respective finals.
European semi-final second legs this week:
- Champions League
- Inter Milan vs (3-3) Barcelona - live on talkSPORT
- Paris Saint-Germain vs (1-0) Arsenal - live on talkSPORT
- Europa League
- Bodo/Glimt vs (1-3) Tottenham - live on talkSPORT 2
- Man United (3-0) Athletic Bilbao - live on talkSPORT
- Europa Conference League
- Chelsea vs (4-1) Djurgarden
- Fiorentina vs (1-2) Real Betis
Hearts, a Scottish football club, has revealed that Tony Bloom, Brighton owner, has proposed investing in the club. Bloom, who's been Brighton chief since 2009 and also owns a minority stake in Union Saint-Gilloise (Belgium) and Melbourne Victory (Australia), could soon have yet another club under his control. The Scottish side is owned by its supporters through the Foundation of Hearts, and a consultation period is underway to consider Bloom's investment proposal.
Tom Cleverley, former Watford coach, has taken to Instagram to bid farewell to the club's supporters after his departure was announced. He's grateful for his time at Watford, despite the team's 14th-place finish this season.
Real Madrid has approached Liverpool to sign Trent Alexander-Arnold before his contract ends this summer. Los Blancos want the right-back for their Club World Cup campaign, which kicks off a few weeks before his deal officially ends. According to reports, Real Madrid is willing to pay up to £850k to sign Alexander-Arnold early. However, Liverpool initially rejected their offer, looking for a higher sum for an early release.
Watford has sacked manager Tom Cleverley just three days after the end of the Championship season. He's been with the club since his interim appointment last summer, leading them to a 14th-place finish. Despite a mid-season playoff push, the Golden Boys' performances dipped, failing to secure a top-six finish.
Injury boost for Arsenal: defender Jürrien Timber is in training ahead of the Gunners' crucial Champions League semi-final second leg against PSG. Timber, who missed the game against Bournemouth at the weekend, could be back in action tomorrow night. Riccardo Calafiori is also in training, looking to return to action for the second leg against PSG.
Former Premier League referee Jon Moss believes referees have become more hesitant to make decisions with VAR in the game. He feels that the referees' approach has changed due to VAR's backup, as they now aim to only make decisions when they're 100% sure.
Leroy Sane has switched agents and is now demanding a better contract offer from Bayern Munich. Having been on the brink of re-signing, Sane is now demanding a new deal after reportedly joining forces with Pini Zahavi. Bayern could face competition from clubs like Arsenal, Chelsea, and Saudi clubs if they fail to meet Sane's demands.
Chris Wood failed to score once again in Nottingham Forest's 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace. Despite struggling in recent weeks, Wood has scored 18 goals before this slump. Manager Nuno Espirito Santo has spoken about Wood's form, praising his contributions to the team.
Bruno Fernandes is not up for sale amid interest from Saudi Arabia. Despite reports suggesting an audacious bid from Al Hilal, Manchester United has no intention of selling its captain. Fernandes, who's contracted at Old Trafford until 2027, boasts an impressive tally of 19 goals and 18 assists this season.
Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest played to a 1-1 draw at Selhurst Park. Eberechi Eze gave Palace the lead on the hour mark, but Forest equalized just four minutes later with a strike from Murillo. Despite a late onslaught from Palace and an offside goal from Eddie Nketiah, Forest held on for a valuable point.
Mohamed Salah took to social media to wish his Liverpool teammate, Trent Alexander-Arnold, well after his decision to leave Anfield was announced. Salah, who has shared a special friendship and played alongside Alexander-Arnold, wished him the best and expressed his belief that they'll meet again.
[1] 'Real Madrid approach Liverpool to sign Trent Alexander-Arnold before Premier League rivals can sign him', Daily Mail, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-11895899/Real-Madrid-approach-Liverpool-sign-Trent-Alexander-Arnold-Premier-League-rivals-sign-him.html[2] 'Fans divided over Trent Alexander-Arnold's Liverpool exit', talkSPORT, https://www.talksport.com/football/1189757/liverpool-trent-alexander-arnold-real-madrid-exit-split-opinion-social-media/[3] 'Real Madrid approached Liverpool to sign Trent Alexander-Arnold earlier after Champions League quarter-final', Daily Express, https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1679027/Real-Madrid-Liverpool-Trent-Alexander-Arnold-transfer-club-World-Cup-release[4] 'Liverpool readying training ground battle to hold on to £150,000-a-week Trent Alexander-Arnold', Metro, https://metro.co.uk/2023/05/09/liverpool-readying-training-ground-battle-to-hold-onto-lucrative-trent-alexander-arnold-contract-18189760/
- Given the potential move of Trent Alexander-Arnold from Liverpool to Real Madrid, fans might question his participation in the upcoming World Cup.
- In light of Arsenal's Champions League semi-final second leg against PSG, many football enthusiasts may tune in to talkSPORT to catch the live action.
- Meanwhile, as Tottenham prepares for their Europa League semifinal against Bodo/Glimt, fans of both teams can catch the playoff on talkSPORT 2.
- As Manchester United advances to the Europa League finals, MMA fans might be tempted to switch to their favorite UFC coverage, given the contrasting sports.
