Barcelona, Liverpool move in on Arsenal target Thomas Lemar

With the January window on the horizon, there's plenty brewing in the transfer market. All the latest deals and potential deals can be found here.

TOP STORY: Arsenal face stiff competition for Lemar

Arsenal maintains an interest in Thomas Lemar but the Mirror reports that Barcelona and Liverpool will now rival them for the Monaco star.

The Gunners identified the France international as a potential replacement for Alexis Sanchez in the summer following Manchester City's late push for the Chilean.

Monaco vice-president Vadim Vasilyev insists a deal for Lemar to move to the Emirates was "really close" with a £90 million offer tabled. But with the deal falling through ahead of the deadline, the Gunners pulled the plug on Sanchez's proposed move to the Etihad.

Lemar is expected to use the increased interest to command wages of up to £250,000-per-week when he does eventually move -- likely after the 2018 World Cup in Russia.


Thomas Lemar Aurelien Meunier/Getty Images

Barcelona monitor new deal for Dybala

Paulo Dybala's new contract with Juventus looks close to being finalised, but Barcelona are monitoring the details of the Argentinian's extension, according to Calciomercato.

The No. 10's release clause could be set at a huge €230m, which was a previously unthinkable sum before Paris Saint-Germain grabbed Neymar from the Blaugrana this summer for around £200m.

The former Palermo star's rise has continued for the Old Lady this term, striking 11 times in just 10 Serie A appearances, meaning that fee could become an attractive figure by next year for some of Europe's richest clubs.

A potential linkup with compatriot Lionel Messi has always fuelled speculation of interest from Barca, but the steep price could now dissuade them after forking out £135.5m for Ousmane Dembele last summer.

Juve offered Rafinha

While Barca are looking to boost Ernesto Valverde's squad, others may be moved on with Sport reporting that Juventus have been offered Rafinha.

The Brazilian, who is on the fringe of the first team when fit, has been plagued by injuries recently and has just two years remaining on his contract at the Camp Nou.

It remains to be seen whether the Old Lady will bite and submit an offer for the 24-year-old, possibly in January, with the player aiming to play at the World Cup next summer.

Arsenal prepare summer move for Jorginho

Napoli star Jorginho could be the centre of attention for Arsenal scouts tomorrow in their Champions League game with Manchester City, according to the Sun.

The Brazilian has already played international football for Italy but remains eligible for both countries having not played a competitive match for either. Giampiero Ventura's reluctance to select him for the Azzurri is baffling after Jorginho's excellent performances as the pass master for Maurizio Sarri's side.

The 25-year-old is under contract until 2020, but the Gunners appear to be readying an offer next summer to add a focal point to their midfield.

Read More: http://www.espn.in/football/blog/transfer-talk/79/post/3253391/barcelona-liverpool-move-in-on-arsenal-target-thomas-lemar

Barcelona’s improvement under Ernesto Valverde examined

Guillem Balague examines Barcelona’s improvement under new coach Ernesto Valverde.

Back in August, it seemed Barcelona were in for a long season.

Neymar's departure to Paris Saint-Germain had left a cloud over the club and their defeat to Real Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup did not bode well.

Ernesto Valverde had inherited problems on and off the pitch, but fast forward two months and the picture looks very different.

Barcelona's 2-0 win over Athletic Bilbao was their ninth in 10 La Liga games. They are eight points clear of Madrid at the top of the table, with 28 goals scored and just three conceded.

Since those Spanish Super Cup defeats in August, Barcelona have won 13 of their 14 games in all competitions, and optimism has returned to Camp Nou.

So what's changed under Valverde? His use of Lionel Messi is the most significant factor.

The Argentine has been given a more central role and it has paid off. Messi has raced ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo in the scoring charts, hitting 12 in La Liga and 16 in all competitions.

Guillem Balague's weekly column: Real Madrid's two main problems after slow La Liga start

Guillem Balague brings you his five main talking points from the weekend's La Liga action, plus he answers your questions...

What's up with Real?

Real's 2-1 loss to Girona comes off the back of four victories so it is not a huge crisis. But they lacked the right attitude - you consider the fact Marcelo did not want to play - Toni Kroos and Luka Modric missed lots of passes, there was no movement and they went to sleep after scoring first.

On the other hand, the attitude shown by Girona was fantastic. The atmosphere was great and it was absolutely ridiculous to suggest - as some did before the match - there might have been trouble at the stadium. That kind of talk came from people that didn't understand Catalans or people in Girona.

Read More: http://www.skysports.com/football/news/12087/11105826/guillem-balagues-weekly-column-real-madrids-two-problems-after-slow-la-liga-start

18-YEAR-OLD FRANCIS UZOHO GETS SUPER EAGLES CALL-UP

Just two weeks after making his La Liga debut, the 18-year-old shot-stopper has been handed an invite to the national team

Deportivo La Coruna’s Francis Uzoho has been handed his first Nigeria call-up ahead of the World Cup 2018 qualifier and worldwide friendly against Algeria and Argentina respectively.

Uzoho made his La Liga debut for the Blues and Whites in a 0-0 draw with Eibar on October 16.
And the 18-year-old has been extended an invite for the Super Eagles’ last Russia 2018 Qualifying match against the Desert Foxes on November 10 and a friendly against Jorge Sampaoli’s star-studded Albiceleste on November 14.

Read More: http://www.goal.com/en-za/news/francis-uzoho-gets-super-eagles-call-up/tua46g0h76ak1aakii8upst5u

Zidane: “Desire to win the league still alive” despite big upset

Real Madrid isn’t immune to let downs, but Zinedine Zidane says that’s not what happened in Sunday’s historic and politically-highlighted 2-1 loss to Catalan club Girona.

“We have to analyze this game because if we lose it’s for a reason, but it wasn’t due to the attitude,” Zidane said.

[ WATCH: Giovinco’s free kick playoff winner ]

The back-to-back reigning UEFA Champions League winners are now eight points behind Barcelona in a race to defend their La Liga crown, and Zidane says their title dreams remain alive.

The margin for error has almost disappeared, putting added emphasis on Nov. 19’s Madrid Derby and further circling the Dec. 20 El Clasico at the Bernabeu.

If we’ve learned anything about Real Madrid, especially under Zidane, it’s that writing them off is a poor, poor idea. Madrid lost three of five league matches in Nov-Dec 2015, and still finished just a point behind Barca.

So where’s Zidane’s mind now? From RealMadrid.com:

“I’m only worried about the three points and having had the possibility to kill off the match. There was no lack of desire or intensity. We’re going to continue working like this as it’s served us well. It’s not that we don’t work. I’m not worried. In football small details matter. … The league isn’t a chore for us, it’s our day to day. It’s true that we dropped three points and it wasn’t expected. After four wins we didn’t expect this kind of match. The players’ desire to win the league title is still alive.”

It’s certainly not over, especially because Barca’s schedule hasn’t gotten thick yet. The Blaugranas drew 1-1 at Atleti but have yet to face Valencia, Sevilla, Real, or Villarreal. Of the same crew, Real has only met Valencia. So, plenty to play for.

For a team which has proven the potential to go on nearly year-long runs without a loss, Zidane’s mentality will play a big role in sorting this out quickly.

Source: http://soccer.nbcsports.com/2017/10/30/zidane-desire-to-win-the-league-still-alive-despite-big-upset/

TRUTH IS ELSEWHERE – DENIS THE MENACE

This is a guest post from Davour, who you can follow on Twitter as @Davour10 and who has previously appeared in this space. If you are interested in guest posting, just write something up, and reach out to team@barcelonafootballblog.com.

Not long ago I decided to finally join Twitter. I found myself visiting anyway, and thought I might as well establish a timeline of my own, with selected (primarily) Barça accounts. Limiting the amount and trying to carefully select who to follow enabled me to enjoy a relatively balanced and interesting feed of thoughts and opinions.

Even so, thoughts from the more chaotic parts of the culerverse slip through, via comments and likes and whatnot, and it is fascinating to follow the minds of people so ingrained with hostility and bile, and inability to discuss an issue in a civil manner. The humor is sometimes spot on funny, Twitter’s perhaps greatest appeal. But more it is often crude – bantering derailed into simplistic attacks, bouncing off each other without anyone listening or trying to understand.

My way, or f**k you.

But the perhaps most prominent feature of all I have encountered so far is the iknowbetter. These voices always seem to see the truth that escapes the coach: “if only…so.. Why doesn’t he understand”. It would certainly be interesting to watch a team being coached by the average sum of Barca Twitter’s opinions!

The Czech author Milan Kundera has written a novel called Life is Elsewhere, about a posturing poet with political ambitions. The title came to mind in this context. The Answer is Elsewhere would, I think, be an apt way of naming the predominant attitude of Twitters posturing pundit-wannabes with coaching ambitions. And the answer at the moment, for many, is Denis Suarez; the self-appointed heir to Iniesta himself. But who isn’t playing.

It seems a few promising cameos from earlier in the season have elevated Denis to suddenly become some kind of answer to our woes: to our lack of control and creativity; to Messi’s lack of playmates (well, Paulinho…); of a continuation of “The Barça Way” (he has Xavi’s shirt number, for crissake!), La Masia credentials that he has, if rather thin.

To my mind, Denis is a good player who has potential yet to be fully developed. He has
purpose and alacrity, sprinting around making himself available, even scoring one or two goals from a LW position. Then suddenly, he is gone. He has made way for Gomes, or should play instead of Rakitic, or Luis Suarez, or… Just get him on the pitch, goddamn it!

So, why isn’t he playing? Personally, I don’t think he will ever be consistent enough to command a place in Barça’s first eleven, but then again – I am no coach. Valverde, however, is – and with a few years under his belt at that. And he seems to agree. Denis
seems to be lacking in… substance? There is something flimsy to his game, some lack of proper command and solid end product. But he looks right, and seems to do the right things that a Barça mid should – in contrast to Gomes and Rakitic, say. And there is a
rumoured connecting with Messi (that’s stems from last pre-season, I think).

All in all, opinions might differ, and he should get his chances, but there is little to suggest Denis would make any big waves. Reports have it that Carles Alena outshone him in the copa.

So, why has he suddenly received this status, then? You guessed it. He is not playing, so he is the elsewhere upon which one can project one’s iknowbetter-ideals. He is proof Valverde does not go for youth or La Masia or short, technical players, the Barca way, etc. etc. We win, sure, but something ain’t right!

In a sense, I think he functions as a surrogate for the Coutinho so many hoped for. Or Thiago. Or…

Read More: http://www.barcelonafootballblog.com/26548/truth-is-elsewhere-denis-the-menace

SPURS BOSS POCHETTINO OPTIMISTIC OVER KANE AHEAD OF MADRID CLASH

The Tottenham manager is hopeful of having his star striker available for Wednesday's Champions League match against the defending champions

Mauricio Pochettino is optimistic Harry Kane will be fit enough for Tottenham's Champions League showdown against Real Madrid, but the Spurs manager does not want to take any risks with his star striker.


England international Kane missed Tottenham's 1-0 loss to Premier League rivals Manchester United through injury on Saturday.


The two-time reigning Golden Boot winner was absent due to a minor strain in his left hamstring but Pochettino is hopeful of having Kane available for Wednesday's Group H clash with the Champions League holders at Wembley.


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"With the doctors and the player, we will take the best decision for everyone," said Pochettino.
"It's not the last game or the final where you would say, 'OK, after that it's holidays'.

Source: http://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/spurs-boss-pochettino-optimistic-over-kane-ahead-of-madrid-clash-/1j2wt45sel2x18uyq0bmje8u1