PSG unlikely to realise interest in Inter Milan’s Marcelo Brozović

As reported by Ignazio Genuardi, PSG are unlikely to be able to realise their long term interest in Inter Milan midfielder Marcelo Brozović.

The 29-year-old Croatian international has been followed for several seasons by PSG sporting director Leonardo but the player is now close to agreeing a new deal in Milan.

Brozović’s new contract will last until 2026 and carry an annual salary of €6m net, excluding bonuses.

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HOT TAKE | Jorge Sampaoli is the best Marseille coach since Didier Deschamps but he needs time

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Since Didier Deschamps left Marseille in 2012 after a three year spell that included the 2009/10 Ligue 1 title, only Rudi Garcia has lasted longer than 18 months as OM coach. André Villas-Boas is the next longest serving manager since Deschamps and his spell included five months without a game due to the pandemic.

In that time, Marseille coaches have often followed a familiar pattern of initial promise which quickly fades amid a toxic atmosphere and unrealistic expectations, usually amped up by a poor run of form. Eventually, the club implodes under the pressure it exerts upon itself from all sides.

Jorge Sampaoli recently passed his first anniversary as OM coach and the pressure is starting to build right on cue. However, after years of waiting through failed coaching appointments, Sampaoli represents a real chance for Marseille fans and hiercahy to finally get the team and style they want. All they need to do is leave him to it.

Sampaoil is often accused of over complicating tactics and constantly changing plans, by players and club president Pablo Longoria as well as fans. But, considering this season’s high watermarks such a the controlling win at Lens or the riotous gung-ho rout of Angers, that seems like an odd criticism given the uninspired and functional football under previous coaches which often relied on Florian Thauvin’s magic.

Missteps, like the dire recent home defeat to Monaco, are to be expected given Sampaoli’s mad-scientist approach – especially after just one year in the job which hasn’t yet included a full season. While his belligerence and passion make him a perfect fit for OM, Sampaoli has proven he’s capable of giving the the club what it so desperately desires – an attacking, tactically nuanced, spirited team capable of out-outmanoeuvring strong opponents.

Manchester City finished third and 15 points adrift in Pep Guardiola’s first campaign. The end of next season is the time to judge Sampaoli. With his squad still taking shape and his complicated, modern ideas still taking hold, the Argentine coach still has the best points per game (1.85) of any Marseille coach since the mid-nineties, making questions over his future, in any rational terms, utterly preposterous. This is OM’s best chance at real success in a decade. If things fall apart again, they’ll only have their own paranoia to blame.

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Burak Yılmaz among players to leave Lille at end of season

L’Équipe report today that a host of players are set to leave Lille at the end of their contracts this season, among which Turkish striker Burak Yılmaz.

The 36-year-old has been at the club for two seasons and played a key role in last year’s title win, but his current wages are no longer compatible with the club’s recent financial restraints.

Portuguese pair José Fonte and Xeka are also reaching the end of their deals. The defender – who is club captain – stated in January that he was waiting for a sign from the club management in order to stay. The midfielder, on the other hand, has said that he is likelier to leave than to remain with Les Dogues.

Other players on the list include winter arrival Hatem Ben Arfa, who joined on a six-month deal, as well as Jérémy Pied, while goalkeeper Ivo Grbić is expected to return to his parent club, Atlético Madrid, having lost his place as a starter for LOSC.

 

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Leonardo still in the dark over his future at PSG

As reported by Foot Mercato, PSG sporting director Leonardo is still in the dark over his future at the club and is continuing to work as usual on summer transfer targets regardless.

With a significant overhaul likely at PSG in response to their latest Champions League capitulation, this time to Real Madrid, much like manager Mauricio Pochettino, sporting director Leonardo is expected by some in the French media to be pushed out ahead of next season.

However, Leonardo is, for now, fully involved in the club’s restructuring say the outlet and is yet to be informed over if he will remain at the Parc des Princes next season by the club’s Qatari owners with several other sporting directors approached over the position in recent times.

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Didier Deschamps leaves door open to France return for Dimitri Payet and Steve Mandanda

In an interview with Marseille-based paper La Provence, France manager Didier Deschamps has opened the door to a return to the national team for Dimitri Payet and Steve Mandanda.

The playmaker has been absent from the team since 2018, but his recent good form for OM has seen calls for his return. The former Marseille manager also indicates that the veteran goalkeeper, who has lost his starting spot this season, could also make a comeback with Les Bleus in the future.

“At one point, he had an important role, a decisive one even. Other players have [emerged] since. In the same vein as Steve [Mandanda], he can still be called up.”

“When I say that, people will think I’m not saying anything and that I’ll never take that kind of player back. But it does mean something. It depends on the situation.”

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“[On Mandanda] The France team is the consequence of what happens in club football. Unfortunately for him, these days he’s not playing much.”

PSG would have to pay €20 million to sack Mauricio Pochettino

Following PSG’s devastating Champions League elimination against Real Madrid two weeks ago, the possibility of Mauricio Pochettino’s departure from the capital club has been ever greater.

L’Équipe reveal this morning that it would cost Paris Saint-Germain around €20 million to dispense of the Argentine and his five assistants, who are contracted with the club until 2023.

This comes after the revelation that Pochettino earns around €1.1 million a month, making him the highest paid manager in the league. His staff earn significantly less, ranging from €20,000 to €80,000 a month.

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Season over for Marseille’s American winger Konrad De La Fuente

As reported by Daily Mercato, Marseille’s young American winger Konrad De La Fuente has seen his season ended early by injury.

Before Marseille’s Europa Conference quarter-final meeting with PAOK tomorrow, Marseille manager Jorge Sampaoli explained: “De la Fuente has a crippling cartilage injury, which requires surgery. I think, after the surgery, he’ll need three or four weeks, so it may be very difficult to see him play again this season.” 

After an impressive start to the season, the 20-year-old former Barcelona man has been seen less and less in Marseille’s constantly changing setup and has managed just one goal and three assists in 23 games across all competitions this campaign.

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Aurélien Tchouaméni prefers foreign move to joining PSG

As reported by RMC, Monaco’s 22-year-old sought-after midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni would prefer a move abroad rather than join PSG after Paris were reported as targeting the player ahead of this summer.

Real Madrid are a long-term admirer of the France international while Liverpool and Chelsea are also keen on the player, although the later’s ownership situation may make a move tricky.

Whoever signs Tchouaméni, and a summer departure is very likely, would need to pay at least €60m, although some reports suggest Monaco could ask for between €80m and €100m.

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Champions Cup: Exeter Chiefs kick off campaign with bonus-point win at Castres

Exeter Chiefs got their Champions Cup campaign off to the perfect start as they beat Castres 27-12 with a bonus-point at Stade Pierre Fabre.

Scores from Sam Simmonds, Dave Ewers, Jack Maunder and Olly Woodburn saw them to victory, with Joe Simmonds adding seven points off the tee.

Julien Dumora slotted four penalty goals for Castres, who will be disappointed with their opening performance on home soil as they were well beaten.

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It was the perfect way for Exeter to celebrate the news director of rugby Rob Baxter and coaches Ali Hepher, Rob Hunter and Ricky Pellow had all signed long-term contract extensions earlier in the week.

The Chiefs scored two first-half tries to take a grip on proceedings, but then allowed their hosts to stay in the fight by conceding a stream of penalties.

That allowed Castres full-back Dumora to score four penalties to level the game at 12-12 at the break, but Exeter ran out comfortable winners in the second half.

The breakthrough for the Chiefs came in the 19th minute when Sam Simmonds took a pop pass from scrum-half Maunder and raced 20 metres to score the opening points with a try in the left corner.

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That was nothing less than the more creative Chiefs deserved for their efforts and 10 minutes later they grabbed a second try when Ewers finished off a drive to the line by Sam Simmonds to cross from five metres out.

This time Joe Simmonds had no problem in adding the extras and the Chiefs were 12-3 ahead. But by the break it was all square as Dumora kept punishing the Exeter mistakes with his accurate kicking.

Four minutes into the second half Castres lost wing Geoffrey Palis to the sin-bin for a deliberate knock down as the Chiefs attacked. The penalty was kicked to the corner and it did not take long for the third try to come.

The forwards secured the line-out, drove for the try-line and eventually Maunder picked up and dived over.

With 14-men the home side picked up their effort and had two scrums five metres out from the Exeter line yet failed to make them pay.

Canadian number eight Tyler Ardron eventually picked up from the second scrum, was chopped down by Sam Simmonds and Ewers turned the ball over. No sooner had Exeter saved their line than they once again went into attack mode.

Stuart Hogg broke free up the right flank, raced up to the 22 and then sent Woodburn up the touchline and then around to the post for the bonus-point try.

That came on the hour mark and Joe Simmonds added the extras and then a penalty to make the Champions Cup game safe.

PSG’s Nasser Al-Khelaifi on the Super League: “It doesn’t exist.”

Speaking at the European Club Association congress on Tuesday, Paris Saint-Germain  president Nasser Al-Khelaifi notably reiterated his opposition to the Super League project.

The ECA president also pointed out his and his association’s position against another project in world football, namely FIFA’s plans for a World Cup every two years.

“As you know, the position of the ECA is against [a World Cup every two years] and we will always oppose it. In fact, for us, it’s not an idea, so I don’t even think we need to discuss it. It doesn’t exist, it hasn’t really started.”

“I will answer the question on the non-Super League. It doesn’t exist – neither the first plan nor the second. So here at the ECA we are looking to the future. We believe in our competition, that of UEFA, simply put the clubs’ competition.”

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“We don’t need this system [the Super League]. Everyone is against it, from the fans to the media, along with all of the clubs, from the small to the big ones. There’s just three of them.”