Reports have claimed that Paul Mitchell is reportedly pushing to sign a Newcastle United target in the January transfer window after sending scouts to watch him in action.
Newcastle transfer news
After failing to sign the highly sought-after Marc Guehi in the summer transfer window, sporting director Mitchell has plenty of making up to do at St James’ Park in the new year. And if reports are anything to go by, he’s well aware of that, with the likes of Castello Lukeba and Marc Bernal already linked with 2025 moves to Newcastle.
Castello Luekba for RB Leipzig.
Away from the transfer window and the action on the pitch, meanwhile, Newcastle have been left to turn their focus towards appointing a new CEO after Darren Eales was forced to step down due to health reasons.
With such a transition set to take place off the pitch, Mitchell must ensure that he gets the winter transfer window right, with an attacking reinforcement now reportedly eyed.
According to CaughtOffside, Mitchell is now pushing to sign Alex Baena in the January transfer window in a deal that could be worth €55m (£46m) after sending scouts to watch the La Liga star.
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However, the Magpies aren’t the only side interested in the Villarreal winger, with Aston Villa also keen on a move to sign Baena, who reportedly prefers a move to the Midlands club to work under Unai Emery once again.
Creating a fierce battle in the transfer market, Newcastle will have to flex their financial power to sign a major attacking reinforcement for Eddie Howe’s side this winter.
"Fantastic" Baena would be an upgrade on Miguel Almiron
Having failed to find an upgrade on Miguel Almiron in the summer window, one of Newcastle’s first priorities in January should be signing a winger to compete for a place with Harvey Barnes – and Baena should be on their list of options. The Spaniard has got off to a fine start in the current campaign for Villarreal, with his four assists in six games already more than Almiron managed in the entirety of last season.
Dubbed a “fantastic player” by Football Talent Scout’s Jacek Kulig earlier this season, Baena is more than ready for a big move away from La Liga at 23 years old.
Whether that big move is to St James’ Park remains to be seen, of course, but there’s no doubt that he would hand Howe’s attack an upgrade on Almiron in 2025.
After a bleak campaign last season that ended with a surprise triumph in the FA Cup, Erik ten Hag and Manchester United have a massive ten months ahead of them in the Premier League.
Unfortunately, while the Dutchman's side were able to win their opening game against Fulham last month, they have since lost away to Brighton & Hove Albion and, even worse than that, at home to Liverpool.
The three-time European Champions will need their attacking players like Alejandro Garnacho, who enjoyed a brilliant campaign last year, and Marcus Rashford, who wasn't quite as effective, firing on all cylinders from here on out if they are going to break back into the Champions League places come May.
Interestingly, though, a former United flop who was sold almost a decade ago actually managed to outscore both wingers last season.
Garnacho and Rashford's 23/24
Okay, so while United were rather dismal in the league overall last season, Garnacho actually enjoyed a relatively successful year for someone his age.
Man United's Alejandro Garnacho
For example, in 50 appearances, the 20-year-old winger racked up a haul of ten goals and five assists, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 3.33 games, which for a side with the 15th worst underlying numbers in the league, per Understat, isn't bad going.
Moreover, while he has been in the side for some time now and has therefore become a recognisable face to the fans, he is well ahead of where most attackers are at his age, as according to research by The Athletic, wide players hit their peak at around 26 years old.
Now, while the Madrid-born dynamo can look back on last season as a year of progression, unfortunately, Rashford cannot. In fact, it was undeniably a campaign in which he regressed.
In 22/23, the Manchester-born star was practically unplayable and ended the season with a ludicrous tally of 30 goals and 11 assists in 56 matches, while last year, he could only manage eight goals and six assists in 43 appearances.
This means he went from averaging a goal involvement once every 1.36 games to once every 3.07 games in the space of a year, so it's not hard to see why some fans are starting to lose their patience with him, especially as he has yet to open his account this season.
So, it would be fair to say that between Rashford and Garnacho, it was a season of mixed fortunes last year, although both were outperformed by a former United flop who left almost a decade ago.
Ángel Di María's 23/24
Yes, the player in question is none other than World Cup winner Ángel Di María, who joined Louis Van Gaal's United side for about £60m in August 2014, scored four goals and provided 11 assists in 32 games, and then left the following summer to join Paris Saint-Germain for about £44m.
Now, while the Argentine icon did put up some pretty impressive numbers for the Red Devils, he didn't quite set the world alight as many hoped.
Moreover, he later revealed that several factors, including a break-in and disagreements with Van Gaal, meant he had to leave, and considering he recently labelled the Dutchman as the "worst manager" he's ever played for, we imagine that was the main factor.
The Rosario-born dynamo spent the next seven seasons playing in Paris, where he picked up five league titles, before moving to Juventus for the 22/23 campaign, in which he managed a return of eight goals and seven assists – oh, and he also won the World Cup that December.
In the summer of 2023, he made what is likely to be his final transfer and rejoined his first club, Benfica, where he has since been tearing it up.
Appearances
48
50
43
Goals
17
10
8
Assists
15
5
6
Goal Involvements per Match
0.66
0.30
0.32
Last season, the "outstanding" winger, as talent scout Jacek Kulig described him, scored 17 goals and provided 15 assists in 48 matches, meaning he averaged a goal involvement once every 1.5 games for the Portuguese giants, thus outscoring the two United wingers.
However, the caveat here is that while Liga Nos is stronger than most people give it credit for, the level of competition is still lower than that of the Premier League, and while he's had a brilliant career since leaving Old Trafford, selling him was the right thing to do for all parties involved.
Man Utd flop sold for £3m has been outperforming Rashford & Antony
The former Red Devil has been on a world tour in the last couple of years.
Glasgow Rangers head coach Philippe Clement is quickly learning how difficult it is to be a success at Ibrox, with the huge expectations that come along with the job.
The Belgian boss won a trophy early on in his career with Rangers, lifting the League Cup with a win over Aberdeen, but has failed to make his mark in the Scottish Premiership.
His Gers side finished three points adrift of Celtic at the end of the 2023/24 campaign and are currently five points behind their local rivals after just five matches.
Clement is not the first manager to fall short in the Premiership as winning the division is a feat that has not been achieved since Steven Gerrard moved on from Ibrox.
Former Rangers manager Steven Gerrard.
His replacement, Giovanni van Bronckhorst, did enjoy some success in the dugout, though, as the Dutchman won the SFA Cup and reached the final of the Europa League, only to lose on penalties to Eintracht Frankfurt.
Things could have been so different for the former Rangers player and manager if he had landed one of his reported transfer targets during his first season in charge at Ibrox – Xavi Simons.
Rangers' reported interest in Xavi Simons
It was reported ahead of the 2022 January transfer window that van Bronckhorst wanted to bring the attacking midfielder to Glasgow to bolster his midfield.
The young gem’s contract with French giants Paris Saint-Germain was due to expire at the end of the season and Rangers were ‘leading’ the race to secure his services in January.
He was free to sign a pre-contract deal with a foreign team at the turn of the year and it was claimed that the Gers head coach wanted to build his team around the PSG youngster.
Unfortunately, Rangers were unable to strike a deal for him during the January transfer window and the midfielder ran down his contract with the Ligue 1 side before signing for PSV on a free transfer in the summer of 2022.
The Dutch giants were seemingly able to convince the youngster that they were the best place for his future, rather than Ibrox, and landed his services.
This meant that van Bronckhorst and the sporting director at the time – Ross Wilson – had to dip back into the market to find an alternative to Simons ahead of the second half of the 2021/22 campaign.
Rangers were eventually able to land another attacking midfielder before the end of the January transfer window, as they snapped up Juventus flop Aaron Ramsey on loan.
Aaron Ramsey's Rangers struggles
The Scottish giants swooped to land the Wales international on loan until the end of the 2021/22 campaign and it was reported that they splashed out a fee of £2m to secure his services for just five months.
That was a sizeable fee to pay for a short-term loan but they were bringing in a player with over 400 appearances for Arsenal and Juventus combined.
Despite his vast experience at the top level in Europe, Ramsey endured a frustrating spell at Ibrox and only managed two goals and two assists in 13 appearances in his five months at the club.
Of the nine Europa League matches Rangers played during his time in Glasgow, the Welsh flop played 86 minutes across three outings and was an unused substitute in four games.
Ramsey did have a huge say in how the season ended for the Gers in that competition, however, as the midfielder came on with two minutes to go in the final against Frankfurt and was the only player to miss a penalty in the shoot-out, which lost the final for van Bronckhorst.
Appearances
7
Goals
2
Assists
1
Big chances created
0
Tackles + interceptions per game
0.8
As you can see in the table above, the experienced dud did not provide exceptional performances in the Premiership in his limited time on the pitch, with a decent but unspectacular return of two goals in seven games.
Former Scotland forward Frank McAvennie claimed, after the Europa League final, that Ramsey was the latest “big name” that “couldn’t hack it” at one of the Glasgow clubs, which is backed up by the midfielder’s struggles during his time at Ibrox.
Meanwhile, the player van Bronckhorst wanted to sign before Ramsey arrived – Simons – has gone from strength to strength since that season.
Xavi Simons' current market value
As per Transfermarkt, the attacking midfielder’s current market value stands at around €80m (£67m) and that is a significant jump from the €1.5m (£1.2m) he was valued at in December 2021, around the time of the link to Rangers.
Simons produced a staggering 22 goals and 12 assists in 48 matches during his only season with PSV in the Netherlands, before PSG activated a buy-back clause as part of the compensation for losing him on a free the previous summer.
The French giants have subsequently sent him out on loan to German outfit RB Leipzig in the last two seasons, and the 21-year-old magician has thrived in the Bundesliga.
Simons, who has been capped 22 times by the Netherlands, has racked up 11 goals and 16 assists in 47 appearances in all competitions for Leipzig to date.
Appearances
32
Goals
8
Big chances created
14
Assists
11
Key passes per game
2.5
As you can see in the table above, the Dutch starlet provided a huge threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals for Leipzig in the Bundesliga last season.
Meanwhile, no Rangers player managed more than ten assists and no midfielder in the squad provided more than 1.7 key passes per game in the Premiership last term, which highlights how impressive Simons’ return in a major European league was in the 2023/24 campaign.
Ramsey’s huge struggles during his expensive loan spell at Ibrox and the Dutch wizard’s incredible rise, in performance and value, since Rangers wanted him suggests that Wilson may look back on that window with regret, as van Bronckhorst’s Rangers story could have ended differently had he landed his main target.
The £300k Rangers signing who was sold for more than Bajrami is worth
The Light Blues played a blinder by developing and selling this midfield wizard.
Arsene Wenger is set to be the next Arsenal legend to get his own statue outside the Emirates Stadium, according to reports.
When was the Emirates Stadium built?
The club's iconic manager played a huge part in the move from Highbury to the club's current home, with plans beginning as early as the late 1990s.
Construction of the venue started in 2004 with a total project budget that amounted to £390 million. A few years on, the Emirates Stadium officially opened on the 23rd of July 2006.
Speaking on beIN Sports (via GIVEMESPORT), Wenger said explained his role in pushing for such a big change, noting he felt it was an important step to take even though it made things complicated in terms of on-pitch success.
He said: “I encouraged the club to do it. It cost £200 million more than we expected it to be.
“We were blocked, we could only spend 50% of the turnover on wages. For example, if the turnover was £500 million we could only dedicate £250 million to wages.
“So we always had to sell our best players because the best players want money.”
No doubt, the lack of resources to keep hold of the club's best players, and bring in new top talent, cost Wenger in the later stages of his time with Arsenal.
Even so, he still departed a legend in 2018 having won 17 trophies during his time with the Gunners, which included three Premier Leagues, seven FA Cups and seven Community Shields.
When will Arsene Wenger's Emirates statue be unveiled?
In an exciting new update about the stadium, Connor Humm – who works for Sky Sports – revealed on Twitter that Wenger will be the next Arsenal legend to get a statue, after Tony Adams, Dennis Bergkamp, Thierry Henry and Herbert Chapman.
In full, he explained: "I understand that Arsenal are set to give Arsène Wenger a statue outside the Emirates which will be unveiled on Thursday 3rd August.
"He joins Tony Adams, Dennis Bergkamp, Thierry Henry and Herbert Chapman with a statue outside the stadium."
After noting that this will happen as soon as August 3, in a follow-up Tweet, Humm also reported that the Frenchman is expected to be there at the Emirates for the unveiling in person.
It will be great to see the club legend honoured for all the success he had with the North London outfit between 1996 and 2018, especially as he has only returned to the stadium once since leaving.
Indeed, last season, in December, despite previously saying he had no plans to watch his old side in action, he was in the crowd to watch Arsenal’s Premier League win over West Ham United on Boxing Day.
At the time, current manager Mikel Arteta warmly welcomed Wenger back, saying (via The Athletic): “Hopefully we can bring him close because I think he would have a great time just seeing the environment that he can create around him when he’s around this place.
“That is because of the respect, admiration and love that everybody at the club has for what he’s done and for what he represents as a person in this club.”
Leeds United could have a vast rebuild on their hands this summer, but might be set to make one huge early stride forwards…
What's the latest on Emmanuel Dennis to Leeds United?
That's according to Nigerian outlet Mobile Punch (via NottinghamshireLive), who suggest that the 49ers will kickstart their new reign with a move for Nottingham Forest's Emmanuel Dennis.
Given the huge influx of players the Tricky Trees oversaw last campaign, some will simply have to be offloaded. With the 25-year-old having endured a stuttered season, he could seek to revitalise his career at Elland Road. Given he was signed for around £20m, the €12.3m (£11m) value that Football Transfers have attached to his name seems appropriate.
Complete Sports supplement the earlier report by suggesting that a bid is being prepared too.
His arrival would mark the perfect replacement for the expected exit of Rodrigo, replacing his goals with ease.
Would Emmanuel Dennis replace Rodrigo?
Although the Nigerian striker did not enjoy the most prolific term at the City Ground, his work with the relegation-threatened Watford should remain fresh enough in the memory to suggest he would still be an asset.
After all, just five goal contributions across all competitions came largely as a result of stuttered play time, to which he would surely be handed plenty more than just 715 league minutes at Elland Road.
rodrigo-leeds-united-2
It seems the speedster thrives when he is the focal point of an attacking unit, as the season prior he scored ten goals and assisted a further six whilst featuring all across the front three. Given this was his debut year in England too for a lacklustre Watford, it marked a successful start to life in a new country.
Journalist Josh Bunting sought to praise the new boy early on in that campaign, taking to Twitter: "Emmanuel Dennis has been one of the most underrated players outside of Watford fans this season, he’s been a very good addition. 4 goals and 5 assists in 11 Premier League games should be being spoken about much more. Today he was absolutely electric from the start to finish."
The Yorkshire outfit will be desperate to replace the goals of their Spanish scoring machine, as the 32-year-old found the net on 13 occasions last season in the Premier League. However, it could be argued that this was the only outstanding year he enjoyed since his club-record move in 2020, suggesting that Dennis would hardly have to set the world alight to replicate him.
With a vacancy in their dugout still, few managers would pass up the opportunity to build their team around Dennis, given his capability at a level far above the Championship.
He could join, spearhead their promotion charge, and still retain his usefulness once back in the top flight. Therefore, this deal should represent a no-brainer for the 49ers who would be without last year's top scorer.
Inter Milan CEO Beppe Marotta has confirmed that Manchester United are interested in signing their goalkeeper Andre Onana and expects them to make a bid in the next few days.
What's the latest on Man Utd and their goalkeepers?
As we are now in July, the Red Devils have technically lost their number one option between the sticks. Indeed, David de Gea has seen his contract officially expire.
However, the club have explained in a statement (via Reuters) that there is a chance the Spaniard still remains at Old Trafford beyond this summer.
They explained: "David De Gea's contract is due to run out but discussions remain open with the long-serving keeper."
Astonishingly, according to The Sun, Man Utd have asked him not to agree to join a new club just yet in case they can't find a suitable replacement in the market. As per the same report, it appears that they want to first see if they can sign Inter goalkeeper Onana for £40m.
Confirming that transfer interest, as quoted by Fabrizio Romano, Inter CEO Marotta explained the current situation between the two sides.
He said: "Manchester United should submit an official bid for Andre Onana in some days; then we will tell them our position and the player will do the same."
What did Inter's CEO say about Man Utd and Andre Onana?
As reported in the Daily Mail, Marotta elaborated more on the rumours at the Gran Gala, saying: "Manchester United expressed a particular interest, but that needs to blossom into making a proposal over the next few days.
"Once that happens, both Inter and the player will make a careful evaluation."
Marotta also confirmed that the club's director, Piero Ausilio "is working on [a deal]" but that "there is still no official bid from United at this stage."
With that being the case, it does appear that the Red Devils are genuinely interested in signing the 27-year-old Cameroonian international and appear to be prioritising him over securing De Gea to a new contract.
Manchester United's David de Gea
If Inter don't accept a bid, though, Man Utd may have to turn back to the Spaniard, which could potentially be rather awkward. After all, it remains to be seen just how he feels about his treatment at Old Trafford of late – although he did recently post a yawning emoji online, suggesting he's rather tired of it all.
It'll be interesting to see how this all plays out over the coming weeks, with that offer for Onana evidently in the works.
Tottenham Hotspur are plotting a move for another defender very soon, if reports are to be believed…
What's the latest on Edmond Tapsoba to Tottenham Hotspur?
The latest comes from transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano, who took to Twitter to offer a short summation on Ange Postecoglou's pursuit of Bayer Leverkusen ace Edmond Tapsoba.
Regarding the north London outfit, he simply wrote: "Edmond Tapsoba, top of the list as talks will take place in the next days."
Given other reports are suggesting the German outfit will command a fee of around £61m, this could prove a lucrative move for the Lilywhites to make. However, if Daniel Levy is to truly back his new manager, these are the kinds of deals he must push through to progress his club back into the big time.
How good is Edmond Tapsoba?
Many will likely be aware of this towering Burkina Faso international for his work in Germany since his 2020 move. It has not taken long to establish himself as one of the Bundesliga's top centre-backs, with journalist Raphael Honigstein even writing: "Bayer Leverkusen defender Edmond Tapsoba has been outstanding since arriving in late, late January. Meet Edmond Tapsoba, the Bundesliga’s new sensation."
The figures support the 6 foot 4 titan's prominence as a skilful modern-day defender, but he maintains the necessary defensive steel that could complement Cristian Romero well within a new-look system at Spurs.
In fact, when compared to others in his position across Europe, Tapsoba ranks in the top 5% for progressive passes and the top 4% for successful take-ons per 90, with his potential new teammate also noted on his 'similar players' list.
The comparisons between the two as creative stars will likely please Postecoglou, whose whole philosophy is embroiled in playing out from the back with confidence.
To further emphasise this quality in possession, the defender actually admitted to modelling his game around John Stones, who has arguably redefined what it means to be a ball-playing defender.
Tapsoba told The Athletic: "John Stones, at Everton. I really enjoyed watching him, he made a huge impression on me. His manner on the ball, and the way he played with the ball. I loved that. I still go back to Stones when it comes to playing in a certain style."
Cristian Romero and Son Heung-min celebrate the South Korean's goal for Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League.
Combining this fleet-footed philosophy with the steel of the World Cup winner could be a match made in heaven,
Whilst his 1.1 interceptions, 1.5 tackles and three clearances per game in the German league (via Sofascore) might not be the most exceptional, when accumulated alongside Romero's figures in these categories (1.6 tackles, 2.5 tackles, 3.6 clearances per game in the league), the two could blend well and cover each other's weaknesses.
It is therefore no surprise that Tapsoba remains so high on the list of the Spurs hierarchy, who would surely thrive with these two impressive, aggressive and technically proficient titans at the heart of their defence.
An unknown name has thrown his name into the mix for the managerial vacancy at Sheffield Wednesday, according to reports.
What's the latest Sheffield Wednesday news?
After the shock departure of Darren Moore earlier this week, Wednesday have been busy looking for a replacement as they prepare for their first season back in the Championship.
The news came as a surprise to fans after the 49-year-old had just steered the Owls back to the second tier of English football, with the club embarking on a historic playoff run that saw them overturn the biggest deficit in League One playoff history, coming back from 4-0 down to beat Peterborough before a last-minute Josh Windass goal against Barnsley sealed their return.
Sheffield Wednesday manager Darren Moore.
Out of seemingly nowhere, club chairman Dejphon Chansiri announced Moore's departure, with The Star reporting that the two parties came to a mutual agreement for the 49-year-old to leave due to their differing transfer policies.
In the aftermath, Wednesday have begun their search for his replacement, with former Owls boss Carlos Carvalhal sensationally linked with a return to the club, but The Star has now reported that former Chaves manager Vitor Campelos has now put his name forward to Chansiri to take charge at Hillsborough.
Will Vitor Campelos take charge at Sheffield Wednesday?
Campelos is far from the only name in the mix for the vacant managerial job at Wednesday, so it remains to be seen how likely it is that he'll be taking charge of the club ahead of next season.
Having spent the last two years at Chaves, the 48-year-old was a resounding success at the club, guiding them to promotion and a return to Portuguese's top flight in 2022, before leading them to a seventh-place finish in their first year back, one point short of their greatest ever league campaign.
After being linked to several Championship clubs, the Portuguese coach left Chaves earlier this month, but is keen to get straight back into management and has apparently identified the Wednesday job as one of great interest to him.
Campelos' preferred formation is a 4-4-1-1, a shape that Wednesday aren't too familiar with, so if he were to get the job, it's likely the club's tactical approach would change significantly, but as he has previously shown in Portugal, his ability to navigate a team to success after promotion to a higher division could bode well for his chances on securing the job.
Aston Villa are eyeing an audacious swoop for a Premier League ace, if latest reports are to be believed.
The Villans are expected to have a busy summer both on and off the pitch, with Sevilla sporting director Monchi set to join Unai Emery to bolster the business side of things at the club.
A host of talent has been linked with a move to Villa Park already, with the latest name being one of high potential.
What’s the latest on Jadon Sancho to Aston Villa?
As reported by FootballTransfers earlier this week, Aston Villa have emerged as a potential candidate to sign Manchester United forward Jadon Sancho.
The report claims that Villa are ‘keen’ on the Englishman, who is valued at £60m by his club.
It’s added that, at present, the Midlands club are ‘not willing’ to spend such a figure on the 23-year-old, who has struggled since arriving at Old Trafford.
What could Jadon Sancho offer to Aston Villa?
Despite not thriving as dangerously as he did at Borussia Dortmund, the former Manchester City academy starlet has built a huge reputation due to his thunderous form displayed in Germany.
The left-winger contributed to a monstrous 89 goals in 104 Bundesliga appearances for Dortmund, scoring 38 himself and assisting 51 in just under three and a half seasons, via Transfermarkt.
Once lauded as being an “insane talent” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the Londoner could be an emphatic name for Emery to introduce to Villa Park and integrate into his free-flowing attack.
This campaign has been tough for the Englishman, who took some time away from activity earlier in the season due to being not “physically or mentally” fit to be among his teammates, as revealed by Erik Ten Hag.
Ending the term with 26 appearances, the 23-year-old contributed six goals and three assists for the Red Devils, showing the gap he finds himself at to being close to his best.
The youngster could reach such levels once more if given the chance to thrive, something he could do by joining Villa, who have been presented with an exciting project thanks to the work of Emery.
Deployed on the left flank, the right-footed ace could be provided with a strong outlet in new arrival Youri Tielemans, who has been praised as a “phenomenon” for his play-making ability by former Anderlecht midfielder Par Zetterberg.
Man United's Jadon Sancho
The two could form a dangerous combination in Emery’s attack, as suggested by their statistics gathered, piecing them together as the perfect pair to partner at Villa Park this off-season.
As per Sofascore, the Belgian created 10 big chances, as well as averaging one key pass per game in what was a hugely underwhelming Leicester City side that was relegated from the Premier League.
Most notably, the 26-year-old dynamo averaged 6.95 progressive passes per 90 which when paired with Sancho’s average of 9.23 progressive passes received per 90, proves for exciting potential between the two.
The numbers show both the Englishman’s ability to be progressive in his play through movement and positioning to get into intricate areas in the final third, as well as Tielemans’ own ability to pick and execute a pass from a deeper role.
With a hefty price tag and a long way to go in the summer transfer window, only time will tell if Villa decide to flex their financial strengths to snatch the 23-year-old but given the evidence above, it could well be a risk worth taking for Monchi and co.
Sergio Aguero has revealed that he has already trolled Lionel Messi about Inter Miami’s lowly position in the league.
What position are Inter Miami in MLS?
It was revealed this week that the former Paris Saint-Germain star would be swapping Ligue 1 for MLS after two seasons in France.
There had been reports that he was wanted by both Barcelona as well as teams in Saudi Arabia, but – perhaps surprisingly – Messi will be going to America instead.
However, Inter Miami aren’t exactly in the best shape right now having just fired head coach Phill Neville amid an awful run of just two wins in their last 13 games.
As a result, Messi’s new team are dead last in the Eastern Conference and Aguero wasted no time in ribbing his close friend about this.
Indeed, speaking to ESPN Argentina (via Felipe Cardenas), the retired striker claimed that he chatted with the 35-year-old recently and sent him a screenshot of the Eastern Conference standings.
Aguero explained his conversation with Messi saying: “Your team is behind! You have to move up to 8th/9th.”
He then revealed the 35-year-old attacker’s response: “Messi cracked up. He said we have to make the playoffs.”
On top of this, as reported in a follow-up Tweet, Aguero was also asked if he’ll watch Messi’s games in Miami in person.
He replied: “They are no tickets! It’s sold out. But I think he arrives in mid-July.”
Who is Messi’s godson?
Messi and Aguero of course played together for Argentina and appear to be pretty close. After all, the new MLS star is actually godfather to Sergio’s son.
What’s more, Benjamin appears to be quite happy to defend the World Cup winner too. Indeed, he recently
trolled PSG when they announced Messi’s departure, saying: “He was too big for you.”
Well, if the 35-year-old was too big for the Ligue 1 champions, one can only imagine the sort of impact he’ll have in America. He’s already helping grow Inter Miami’s social media brand.
For instance, since his transfer was announced, the club’s Instagram account has gone from one million followers to over 6.5 million.