Man United give Britain’s richest man silent therapy; Barcelona, Atletico at odds over Griezmann

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has heard nothing from Manchester United since declaring an curiosity in shopping for the membership — ESPN’s Insider Pocket book has the most recent. PLUS: Barcelona are apprehensive about Antoine Griezmann’s future at Atletico Madrid.

Leap to: Barca and Atletico in Griezmann row | Leicester’s financial fears | Ten Hag wants to keep Maguire | Bellerin set for free transfer | Celtic star eyed by Prem giants

Britain’s richest man given quick shrift by Man United

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has heard nothing from the Glazer Household about his curiosity in Manchester United, greater than per week after announcing his interest in buying the club, sources have informed ESPN.

Ratcliffe, value a reported £9.8 billion ($11.6bn), has suggested he is willing to open negotiations a couple of takeover at Outdated Trafford as fan pressure mounts on the Glazers.

Sources have informed ESPN the Glazers are on the lookout for funding to assist fund the redevelopment of Outdated Trafford, though Ratcliffe, who made a £4.25bn ($5.2bn) bid to purchase Chelsea in Could, can be eager for a full takeover. Nonetheless, there was no indication the Glazers wish to relinquish management.

The Glazers have confronted opposition from United followers since launching their leveraged buy-out in 2005.

They’ve been accused of saddling United with a whole lot of hundreds of thousands in money owed and draining the membership of cash by means of dividend funds. In the meantime, the protests are being performed out in opposition to a backdrop of little or no success on the pitch.

Round 10,000 supporters joined a protest in opposition to the Glazer Household’s possession forward of the 2-1 win over Liverpool on Monday. Fan teams say they’re planning related demonstrations at each residence sport this season or till the membership is offered.

United haven’t received the Premier League title since 2013 and haven’t received a trophy of any variety since 2017. They completed sixth final season to overlook out on a spot within the Champions League.

When Chelsea had been offered earlier this yr, the club fetched a price of up to £4.25bn and it’s estimated United can be valued at significantly extra if a sale was to undergo. Sources have informed ESPN that Ratcliffe’s place is unchanged. — Rob Dawson

Barcelona, Atletico in dispute over Griezmann switch

Barcelona are involved about what would possibly occur with Antoine Griezmann subsequent summer season, sources have informed ESPN, with the LaLiga membership believing Atletico Madrid will search to keep away from paying the agreed €40 million to make the ahead’s transfer everlasting.

Griezmann returned to Atletico final yr on a two-year mortgage deal, with a clause stating that they’d be obliged to pay Barca €40m if the France worldwide performed no less than 45 minutes in 50% of the video games for which he’s obtainable over the 2 seasons. Final yr, Griezmann did so in 30 of the 37 video games for which he was obtainable, match and never topic to suspension — however in Atletico’s two league video games to this point this marketing campaign, he has performed simply 28 minutes in opposition to Getafe and one other 28 minutes in opposition to Villarreal.

Barca and Atletico held a sequence of conferences over the summer season to debate the scenario, with sources telling ESPN that Atletico had been making an attempt to persuade Barca to supply them a greater deal.

Sources stated Diego Simeone nonetheless believes Griezmann is able to find his finest type — after scoring simply three league targets final season, his worst ever tally, and going 9 months with out discovering the online in LaLiga — however the membership imagine €40m is extreme for a participant who turns 32 subsequent yr. Barcelona will not be eager on taking Griezmann again both, and his annual wage of over €20m would trigger additional issues for a membership already struggling to fulfill LaLiga’s squad spending limits.

Varied potential options have been mentioned — together with Griezmann reducing his wage calls for, or the golf equipment renegotiating the phrases of their settlement — with Atletico pointing to the instance of Philippe Coutinho, who Barca allowed to hitch Aston Villa for half the unique €40m sum laid out in his mortgage deal. — Moises Llorens and Rodrigo Faez

Leicester sweating on monetary future

Leicester City face a frantic finish to the switch window as a consequence of the brinkmanship employed by a number of rivals regarding the Foxes’ future accounts, sources have informed ESPN. A number of intermediaries with information of the scenario imagine that Leicester are underneath strain to maneuver gamers on attributable to Monetary Honest Play considerations and their projected losses for the 2021-22 season.

Defender Wesley Fofana has been linked with a transfer to Chelsea for weeks — Leicester turned down a third offer worth £70m on Tuesday — whereas Newcastle have had two bids rejected for playmaker James Maddison.

Midfielder Youri Tielemans has one yr left on his contract and is unlikely to signal an extension amid curiosity from Arsenal and different golf equipment, however stays at Leicester with lower than per week left within the window.

Moreover, different gamers deemed surplus to necessities, together with Jannik Vestergaard and Caglar Soyuncu, haven’t attracted affords near their valuations.

Sources have informed ESPN that Leicester’s monetary difficulties are broadly identified and as a consequence, golf equipment are lowballing them with affords beneath the respective asking costs. Tielemans, for instance, is a free agent subsequent summer season however Leicester are thought to need as a lot as £40m, whereas they proceed to demand £80m for Fofana, a world-record price for a defender.

The varied delays have induced points inside the squad — Fofana was unnoticed of final weekend’s defeat to Southampton, with supervisor Brendan Rodgers saying he was not in the fitting mind-set to play, and also will miss this weekend’s sport in opposition to Chelsea for a similar cause.

They’ve taken only one level from their opening three Premier League video games and required a penalty shootout to edge previous League Two facet Stockport County within the Carabao Cup second spherical.

Rodgers needs to revamp his squad however is aware of Leicester have to boost funds earlier than they will signal new gamers. Different golf equipment know Leicester want time to behave and due to this fact imagine the strain created by Thursday’s deadline will construct to the purpose they settle for a decrease supply for no less than considered one of their star names. Both means, a busy finale to the window awaits. — James Olley

Ten Hag decided to maintain Maguire

Erik ten Hag needs to maintain Harry Maguire at Manchester United regardless of dropping the defender for the victory over Liverpool, sources have informed ESPN.

Membership captain Maguire was criticised for his performances throughout defeats to Brighton and Brentford and regardless of public backing from Ten Hag, misplaced his place for Liverpool’s go to to Outdated Trafford on Monday. It has raised the chance that Maguire might depart the membership forward of subsequent week’s switch deadline and the 29-year-old has been linked with a transfer to Chelsea, who’re going through resistance from Leicester of their bid to signal Fofana.

However sources have informed ESPN that Ten Hag needs to maintain Maguire, even when he has to attend to win again his place. Ten Hag needs 4 senior centre-backs in his squad forward of a busy season that may even embrace a break for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar throughout November and December.

Eric Bailly has been loaned to Marseille, whereas Phil Jones and Axel Tuanzebe are each obtainable for switch, leaving him with Maguire, Raphael Varane, Lisandro Martinez and Victor Lindelof. — Rob Dawson

Bellerin and Arsenal in talks to terminate deal

Hector Bellerin‘s future stays unsure with lower than per week of the switch window remaining as contract termination talks with Arsenal proceed, whereas each Barcelona and Real Betis face issues in signing the defender, sources have informed ESPN.

In what one supply near the scenario describes as a sophisticated take care of “loads of transferring components,” Bellerin is in negotiations to agree a monetary package deal for the ultimate yr of his contract with the Gunners which might then free him to hitch one other workforce. Arsenal have agreed contract terminations with a number of gamers lately — together with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Mesut Ozil and Shkodran Mustafi amongst others — and talks are ongoing with Bellerin to do the identical.

Betis and Barcelona are but to point they’re keen to pay a switch price and so the emphasis is on Bellerin and Arsenal to achieve a deal first. Nonetheless, sources have additionally informed ESPN that Betis and Barcelona must resolve points with registering gamers as they search to adjust to La Liga’s monetary laws.

Betis want to boost funds, most clearly by means of participant exits, to register a few of their current gamers whereas Barcelona’s issues are effectively documented — Jules Kounde, signed from Sevilla for €55m in the summertime — continues to be unregistered.

There are different golf equipment who’ve expressed an curiosity in Bellerin, however the 27-year-old is eager on returning to Spain after transferring to Arsenal as a youngster in 2011. — James Olley

Liverpool, Man Utd, Arsenal observe Celtic starlet

Celtic midfielder Matt O’Riley is attracting loads of consideration from a few of Europe’s greatest golf equipment, together with Borussia Dortmund, Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United, in accordance with ESPN sources.

O’Riley moved to Celtic from MK Dons in January for £1.5m and his type and statistics have caught the attention of groups throughout Europe, with sources saying there might but be a late transfer for him on this switch window. Celtic have no real interest in shedding the 21-year-old, sources stated, however a bid within the area of £15m-£20m may very well be tempting on this window, although it’s anticipated his worth will enhance this yr if he continues his spectacular run.

If a bid is forthcoming on this switch window then sources informed ESPN that Newcastle United and Leicester City are the probably who’ll be making an attempt to tempt the English-born Denmark U21 midfielder to the Premier League. Scouts from Wolfsburg and Lille have additionally watched O’Riley play and have come away impressed. — Tom Hamilton

Lyon upset by Forest’s switch strategy

Just a few days in the past, it seemed prefer it was only a matter of time earlier than midfielder Houssem Aouar grew to become Nottingham Forest’s 18th signing of a busy summer season.

The 24-year-old France worldwide had an settlement with the Premier League membership and Forest had been about to make a proposal to Lyon for him. Nonetheless, their bid was considerably stunning, sources have informed ESPN. The quantity — €10m with add-ons — was good worth for a participant with one yr left on his contract and who under-performed the earlier season.

However what stunned Lyon was the construction of the deal proposed by Forest, who needed to pay the €10m in six instalments of €1.6m over the size of his contract.

Lyon, who need a €15m switch price for Aouar, weren’t proud of the proposal and felt disrespected. The 2 golf equipment are nonetheless in contact and the switch stays a risk, sources have informed ESPN, however Forest have some work to do. — Julien Laurens