Football News: Review Of The Day 29th August 2022

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Review of the Day

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Contracts

Transfers

Manchester United have agreed a deal to sign Brazilian winger Antony from Ajax. Antony went public with his desire to make the move and forced Ajax to make a deal.

West Ham United are close to signing another Brazilian, in the shape of Lucas Paqueta from Olympique Lyonnaise.

Yet another Brazilian nearing a move to the Premier League is Atletico Madrid's full-back Renan Lodi, who is close to becoming Nottingham Forest's latest signing on loan with an option to make the move permanent.

Heart of Midlothian have paid an undisclosed fee of £360,000 to Heracles Almelo to sign Orestis Kiomourtzoglou.

Everton full-back Niels Nkounkou has joined Cardiff City on a season-long loan deal.

Sheffield Wednesday have sold forward Sylla Sow to De Graafschap for an undisclosed fee.

Cadiz have spent £1.71m on Uruguayan winger Brian Ocampo from Nacional.

Former Manchester City forward Felipe Caicedo has joined Abha of the Saudi Pro League on a free transfer from Genoa.

Andrea Belotti has finally completed his free transfer move to AS Roma from Torino.

Former Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool defender Steven Caulker has joined Karagumruk on a free transfer from Fenerbahce.

Experienced Crewe Alexandra midfielder Luke Murphy has joined Macclesfield Town on a free transfer.

Former Manchester United midfielder Ander Herrera has re-joined Athletic Bilbao on loan from Paris Saint-Germain.

Michele Cavion has moved to Vicenza from Salernitana.

Hellas Verona have spent £2.88m on Djurgarden defender Isak Hien.

Sturm Graz have received £15.3m from Atalanta for young Danish forward Rasmus Hojlund.

Injury Round Up

Bristol Rovers defender James Connolly has been ruled out of action for a "long period" after suffering a stress fracture in his lower back. He is expected to miss at least a month but more likely longer.

Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimaraes has picked up a knock which is expected to keep him out until after the weekend game against Crystal Palace. Toon head coach Eddie Howe has revealed that he expects him to miss the midweek trip to Liverpool and the home game against Palace. Definitely missing for several months is full-back Emil Krafth who has an ACL injury.

Gheorghe Hagi has revealed that his son Ianis, who plays for Rangers now, is back in light training and expecting to be back in action this season after a serious knee injury has kept him out since January.

Job Changes

Alex Neil has quit as Sunderland manager to take up the same role at Stoke City. The 41-year-old only took over at the Mackems in January but was quick to jump ship when the chance came to him. Seems a very strange choice, a hugely arrogant man who has had limited success at best, with little signs of him being able to build and improve a side for the long term. His success has alway come with teams he has inherited, before gradually making them worse. His arrogance shone through in his decision to take the Sunderland job on the basis that he had to have a clause in it allowing him to speak to any other team that showed an interest in him. With his record, he should have been just delighted that a team the size of Sunderland were even interested in him, rather than thinking about how he could jump ship the moment an opportunity came along! Stoke's interim coach Dean Holden has left the club following the arrival of Neil.

Disciplinary Charges

Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba has claimed to be the target of extortion and threats from an organised gang. French police have opened an investigation. The brother of the former Manchester United player, Mathias Pogba, has claimed that there is more to be revealed about Paul and involving Paul's agent Rafaela Pimenta. It has been claimed that Paul has been suffering intimidation from armed gangs, some encounters even happening at Juve's training ground. Bizarrely it has been alleged that the gangs include his childhood friends and even his brother Mathias. According to French reports, Paul told French investigators that he had been threatened by "childhood friends and two hooded men armed with assault rifles". They were demanding nearly 13m from him for "services provided". Paul told investigators that his blackmailers were trying to discredit him by claiming he had asked a marabout to cast a spell on Paris Saint-Germain star Kylian Mbappe. Mathias wrote in response on social media: "I hope that you will not be fooled by an attempt to manipulate the media and the authorities. When you are famous the world is with you, the authorities listen more attentively. But that does not put you above the law, the police are not your minions. Paul, you really wanted to shut me up and lie and send me to prison. You left me in the hole, while running away and you want to play the innocent. When all is said people will see that there is no bigger coward, bigger traitor and bigger hypocrite than you on this earth."

Defender Willy Boly failed to report for Wolverhampton Wanderers' match against Newcastle United on Sunday, despite being in the matchday squad. Head coach Bruno Lage said: "He has been a great professional but in the end he wants to force something. They have to be professionals. I take my decision to put him in the squad list and he takes his decision."

Pointless List Of The Day

The highest paid players in Major League Soccer according to Capology, though it does not seem to have been updated to include the new Italian influx. Amounts in US$ per week:
1. Lorenzo Insigne - Toronto - 288,462
2. Federico Bernadeschi - Toronto - 178,077
3. Xherdan Shaqiri - Chicago Fire - 141,346
4. Chicharito - LA Galaxy - 115,385
5. Gonzalo Higuain - Inter Miami - 98,077
6. Alejandro Pozuelo - Toronto - 73,077
7. Josef Martinez - Atlanta United - 72,115
8. Jozy Altidore - New England Revolution - 71,272
9. Luiz Araujo - Atlanta United - 69,231
10. Carles Gil - New England Revolution - 62,500
11. Lucas Zelarayan - Columbus Crew - 59,615
12. Cucho Hernandez - Columbus Crew - 57,692
13. Douglas Costa - LA Galaxy - 57,692
14. Nicolas Lodeiro - Seattle Sounders - 50,769
15. Domenico Criscito - Toronto - 50,769
16. Franco Jara - FC Dallas - 48,846
17. Gustavo Bou - New England Revolution - 48,077
18. Raul Ruidiaz - Seattle Sounders - 47,538
19. Adrien Hunou - Minnesota United - 47,115
20. Victor Wanyama - Montreal Impact - 46,154
21. Carlos Vela - Los Angeles FC - 43,269
22. Sebastian Driussi - Austin - 42,308
23. Carlos Salcedo - Toronto - 42,308
24. Karol Swiderski - Charlotte - 42,308
25. Alan Pulido - Sporting Kansas City - 42,308
26. Ryan Gauld - Vancouver Whitecaps - 41,538
27. Gaston Gimenez - Chicago Fire - 39,615
28. Johnny Russell - Sporting Kansas City - 38,462
29. Luciano Acosta - Cincinnati - 37,375
30. Ercan Kara - Orlando City - 35,769
38. Gareth Bale - Los Angeles FC - 30,769
46. Giorgio Chiellini - Los Angeles FC - 28,846

Lyon Fans Want Green Boot Ban

The fans of Olympique Lyonnaise are protesting after 13 first-team players were spotted wearing green boots in recent weeks. Lyon fans see green as the colour of bitter rivals Saint-Etienne. During Lyon's recent 4-1 win over Troyes, their fans hoisted a banner saying: "Respectez Nos Traditions" (respect our traditions). This has been a long-term issue at Lyon with former Lyon boss Bernard Lacombe forcing striker Sydney Govou to bin a pair of green boots while he was playing for Lyon. In 2011 Bafetimbi Gomis upset the board by wearing green boots.

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Written by Tris Burke August 29 2022 14:27:56