International Football
Premier League clubs unite to fly South American stars back to UK
Several Premier League teams are joining forces to hire a private jet to ensure their South American stars are back for the weekend.
Manchester United, Liverpool and Manchester City are among those coming together to organise the transport that will cost a six figure sum.
Nine players will cross the Atlantic and head back to the UK immediately after Brazil’s World Cup qualifier with Uruguay, which kicks off at 1.30am on Friday, UK time.
Manchester United duo Edinson Cavani and Fred, City’s Ederson and Gabriel Jesus are among those heading straight back to the British Isles.
Leeds star Raphinha, Chelsea’s Thiago Silva, Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz and Liverpool duo Alisson and Fabinho will also be on their way back, reports the Daily Mail.
Clubs must deem whether their players are fit enough to play this weekend, with all of them facing a tight turnaround.
Changes to the UK red list means four of the affected teams won’t have to watch their players go into quarantine.
Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay are among the countries that have been removed from the red list which is now down to seven nations.
purs intend to fly their quartet – Argentina’s Giovani Lo Celso and Cristian Romero, Colomba’s Davinson Sanchez and Brazilian Emerson Royal – via a private jet.
Liverpool have the tightest timescale of any team, with 35 hours between Brazil’s qualifier and their Saturday lunchtime game at Watford.
City, United, Leeds and Aston Villa are all 3pm kick-offs later that day.
Chelsea meanwhile have 40 hours from Brazil’s clash until they host Brentford in a west London derby on Saturday evening.
Aston Villa’s Emi Martinez, Spurs’s Lo Celso and Romero, United’s Cavani and Newcastle’s Miguel Almiron will not have to undergo the 10 days in isolation following a recently agreed exemption.
Players who visit red list countries formerly had to spend 10 days in quarantine once they arrived back in England providing they are fully vaccinated.
Now, as per the agreement, they will be allowed out to train and play, but must quarantine otherwise. Those who have benefitted from the red-list changes won’t have any such restrictions placed on their movement and be free to stay at home.
Brazil’s nine Premier League players returning this weekend will have to quarantine however having played a qualifier in Colombia, which remains on the red list.
Spurs defender Sanchez and Everton’s Yerry Mina will also have to quarantine.
-Mirror
International Football
Former Chelsea manager, Pochettino takes over US men’s team
Former Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has been named new coach of the United States men’s team, U.S. Soccer announced on Tuesday.
Pochettino, who parted ways with Premier League side Chelsea in May after one season in charge, will take the reins of the national team ahead of the 2026 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by Mexico, Canada and the United States.
The Argentine, a former Paris St Germain and Tottenham Hotspur manager, said his decision to join U.S. soccer was not just about football, but about the journey the country was on and he could not pass up the opportunity.
“The energy, the passion, and the hunger to achieve something truly historic here – those are the things that inspired me,” he said in a statement.
“I see a group of players full of talent and potential, and together, we’re going to build something special that the whole nation can be proud of.”
U.S. Soccer Sporting Director Matt Crocker said Pochettino was a “serial winner with a deep passion for developing players”.
“His track record speaks for itself, and I am confident that he is the right choice to harness the immense potential within our talented squad. We are thrilled to have Mauricio on board as we embark on this exciting journey to achieve success on the global stage.”
The U.S. have been without a permanent coach since a humiliating early exit from the Copa America on home soil in July led to the sacking of Gregg Berhalter after his second stint as head coach.
The 51-year-old boss was first appointed in 2018 and led the Americans to the knockout stages of the 2022 World Cup, but just weeks later found himself embroiled in a bitter public row with one of the team’s brightest emerging talents, Gio Reyna.
U.S. Soccer’s search for a new coach when Berhalter’s contract expired at the end of 2022 included names such as Canada coach Jesse Marsch, but they ultimately rehired Berhalter in June last year with the full support of the players.
However, it proved unsuccessful as the U.S. failed to progress beyond the group stages of the Copa America after a shock 2-1 defeat to Panama and a crushing 1-0 loss to Uruguay.
Pochettino will take over after Mikey Varas, who has been appointed interim coach, oversaw friendlies against Canada last Saturday and New Zealand on Tuesday.
The U.S. drew 1-1 with New Zealand in Cincinnati after Christian Pulisic’s goal was cancelled out by Ben Waine’s late equaliser.
The U.S. will next play friendlies against Panama on Oct. 12 and Mexico three days later.
-Reuters
International Football
BREAKING – Video: Osimhen accepts to join Galatasaray
At last, Nigeria’s striker Victor Osimhen is out of the limbo. He has accepted to join Galatasaray on loan.
He is now asking for a release clause at Napoli to become €75m instead of €130m
He also wants a break clause for January in case top clubs approach him over move.
The final points are being discussed. He has been videoed celebrating with the Turkey club’s fans.
International Football
Uruguay striker Suarez to play last international match on Friday
Uruguay striker Luis Suarez announced his international retirement on Monday, ending a 17-year career with his national team as their top scorer with 69 goals.
The 37-year-old, who has 142 caps for his country, made his international debut in 2007 and was key in the squad that reached the semi-finals of the 2010 World Cup and won the Copa America a year later.
“Friday will be my last match with my country’s national team,” an emotional Suarez told a press conference.
“The fact that is my decision to retire and that I’m not retired because of injuries or that they stop calling me for one thing or another, that gives me a lot of comfort, it helps me individually.
“It’s difficult but it gives me peace of mind that until the last game I have given my all, and that flame has not been extinguished little by little,” the striker added.
Uruguay take on Paraguay at the Centenario stadium in Montevideo on Friday in the South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup before facing Venezuela four days later.
Suarez scored the stoppage-time goal against Canada that secured third place at the Copa America in July and the striker added that one of his aims was to show he could continue to contribute to the national team.
“My dream was for my children to see me win something important with the national team … that last goal was very nice for them and even though it wasn’t a trophy to take home, it was very nice for them,” he said.
“I wanted to show people again that I can continue to contribute to the national team and, well, I had the Copa America and yes, I could have done it (retired) perfectly after that, but having analysed the situation, I want to do it with my people, in my stadium.
“I want my children to live this experience. Saying goodbye with the people here is something that I don’t know if many have done.”
Suarez has already said Inter Miami will be his last club after joining the Major League Soccer side last year to reunite with former Barcelona teammates Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba.
-Reuters
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