Football News: Review Of The Day 12th October 2020

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Review of the Day

Contracts

Transfers

Watford defender Craig Dawson has signed for West Ham United on loan for the rest of the season with an option to buy.

Manchester City winger Patrick Roberts has joined Middlesbrough on loan.

Former Fulham and Nottingham Forest midfielder Pajtim Kasami has joined Basel on a free transfer from Sion.

Sion have signed Italian midfielder Luca Clemenza from Juventus.

Senegal striker M'Baye Niang has admitted he is sad that his transfer to Saint-Etienne fell through as he was looking to leave Stade Rennais. Niang told L'Equipe: "I'm sad because I wanted to go there . I showed it by being there since Thursday. I was convinced of the interest of the project. It's a choice that I assume. I will now get my head back in Rennes. I hope it goes well."

FC Cincinnati have signed a player from their strategic partner TSG Hoffenheim in the shape of forward Franko Kovacevic on loan until 30th June 2021, with an option to extend until the end of Major League Soccer's 2021 season.

Injury Round-Up

Just days after Celtic and Israel teammate Nir Bitton tested positive for CV, Hatem Abd Elhamed has also returned a positive test. Elhamed fell ill while playing for his country against the Czech Republic.

Poland's Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski is to have a precautionary ultrasound on an ankle injury that is hoped to be no more than heavy bruising.

Borussia Dortmund centre-back Dan Axel Zagadou is ruled out for at least another month due to the knee injury he suffered in pre-season.

Managerial Changes

English Football League chief executive David Baldwin is to leave the role in 6 months, just 4 months after taking up the position. Baldwin stated: "Accepting this position pre-Covid-19 means the situation is now very different to the one I originally envisaged, coupled with it being a very different environment inside the EFL compared with the one I left in 2015-16. Taking those two factors into consideration and balancing the needs of my family, health and well-being, I feel the decision to leave is the right one."

Salford City have sacked manager Graham Alexander and appointed Manchester United legend and part-owner of the club Paul Scholes as caretaker boss. Alexander had led the club to promotion to the EFL in his first season and leaves with the side in 5th place in League Two, with an unbeaten record so far this season.

Disciplinary Charges

Rangers manager Steven Gerrard has escaped punishment after the charge of "indicating bias or incompetence" on behalf of match officials was found not proven.

Guilbert Hits Out At Dishonest Villa

Aston Villa's French right-back Frederic Guilbert has told a website dedicated to his former club SM Caen that Villa did not tell him the truth during the transfer window: "At the moment, I'm not playing at all. I've been told I'm third choice for my role. They're choices, you need to respect them, even if they have been completely honest on all points, maybe even not at all, but well... Aston Villa bought Matty Cash for €16m during the window. It's a huge amount and he's a good player. They're choices. You need to accept them and fight to play. After that, if I have to leave, I'll leave. It nearly got done with Nantes. I had the manager Gourcuff on the phone. He wanted me and everything, but after that I didn't get any news from the club's board. It would have been a loan."

Magath Criticises Messi-Less Pep

Former Bayern Munich and Fulham boss Felix Magath has claimed Pep Guardiola is nothing without Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi. Magath told Sport Bild: "Messi won the titles, not Guardiola. Without Messi, this system has never worked as successfully for Guardiola, otherwise he would have won the Champions League with Bayern or Manchester City long ago. Tiki-taka only works if you have players who are technically superior to their opponents. For the spectator, holding the ball, as I call it, is just boring and a top team doesn't really need it. In my opinion, Guardiola generally too often gets lost in trying to win a game in advance. That tactic often ends in wrong decisions, which prevent success."

Dortmund To Register 15 Year Old Player

Borussia Dortmund have confirmed that they plan to register 15 year old wunderkind Youssoufa Moukoko in their Champions League squad. Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc told Bild: "Yes, it's true. We will register Youssoufa for the Champions League via the B-list."

Written by Tris Burke October 12 2020 20:35:45