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Barcelona want Lautaro Martinez, Arsenal and Manchester United prepare for a huge reduction in matchday income, and Rangers may keep Alfredo Morelos.
Setien praises Barca target Martinez
Barcelona boss Quique Setien has praised rumored target Lautaro Martinez. The Inter Milan striker has been linked with a move to Barca for most of 2020 and Setien said: “He’s a great footballer. And for many, being by [Lionel Messi]’s side is a great incentive. “All good players can attract the interest of Barcelona.” Spanish paper Marca believes Barca can’t pay the 111 million release clause in cash, so will need to offer players in exchange.
Transfers
Aguero gives update on Messi’s future at Barcelona – Euro Papers
Paper Round’s view: Given Martinez’s exceptional talent and his young age at 22, it is hard to see why it makes sense for Inter to take anything other than cold hard cash, especially as coronavirus has made everything so uncertain. Barcelona face a summer / post-season of upheaval, so Martinez may even do well to wait it out for a season.
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Premier League face huge costs from closed stadia
Manchester United and Arsenal are two clubs who could see their gate receipts fall by £ 100 million as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. The Daily Mail reports that many clubs are preparing to go the whole season without being able to play in front of fans, which will destroy matchday revenue.
Paper Round’s view: Arsenal and Manchester United are two off the more conservatively run clubs, despite what one might hear about the debt at United. Nevertheless, reducing that income stream for both clubs could wipe out their profits, which could see them at the mercy of richer clubs who can poach their best players – but can any club cope with losing their own ticket sales?
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Rangers hope to hold onto Morelos
Rangers ’director of football, Ross Wilson, spoke of the likelihood for Alfredo Morelos remaining at Ibrox for another season amid the uncertainty caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The Telegraph quoted him as saying: “When you don’t know what anything will look like, everything is on the table. Until this market opens and starts to move – whether you’re Rangers, Borussia Mönchengladbach or Crystal Palace – nobody’s going to know what the landscape is. ”
Paper Round’s view: Morelos is a prospect who at 23 has plenty of years to improve yet. He clearly has an eye for goal, and given Premier League clubs are looking for bargains then if Rangers get into financial trouble they may look to exploit that. However, those same financial worries mean that they might avoid a young striker who has yet to prove himself in top level European competition.
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Brady ready for football’s return
Writing in the Sun newspaper, West Ham executive Karren Brady has spoken of Premier League football gearing up for the return of live action. Individual training has begun, and soon that will progress to contact training. For now, communal areas are closed and the cafeteria is a no-go zone. Player and other staff will be tested twice a week.
Paper Round’s view: Brady works for a Premier League club, the Sun, and the Conservative government, so with all three parties aligned in their wish to see football return, there is little surprise that she is putting a positive spin on things. It is hard to see how players ’safety can be guaranteed, but out of clubs’ own self-interest they will have to make sure that is paramount.
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Football
Zlatan on Messi and Ronaldo level – Mancini
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