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Arsenal have made a "breakthrough" in talks to offload midfielder Albert Sambi Lokonga after reaching a full agreement with Burnley, according to reports.

Who is leaving Arsenal this summer?

The Belgian is one of a few players who look very likely to depart Arsenal before deadline day as manager Mikel Arteta and transfer chief Edu Gaspar attempt to balance the books.

So far, just Pablo Mari, Aaron Trusty, Granit Xhaka and Ainsley Maitland-Niles have officially made way for Arsenal's trio of marquee signings in winger Kai Havertz, midfielder Declan Rice and defender Jurrien Timber.

However, it is believed that the likes of Nicolas Pepe and Folarin Balogun could soon be heading towards the exit door, with the former attracting serious interest from Turkey.

Meanwhile, Balogun is up for sale and Arsenal will do a deal for the right price, though it is believed they value last season's star Reims forward at around £50 million.

Read the latest Arsenal transfer news HERE…

The north Londoners have also been in talks to offload Lokonga on loan with Vincent Kompany's Burnley side attempting to sign the player. Reports out of Belgium have even suggested that Arsenal could include a mandatory buy option on the deal.

A report by Football Insider has shared an update on the saga, and after a "breakthrough", it appears there is now a "full agreement" between Burnley and Arsenal over a loan deal.

The outlet wrote:

"Arsenal star Albert Sambi Lokonga is set to sign for Burnley on loan after a breakthrough in talks.

"The Clarets’ manager Vincent Kompany is key to the deal as Sambi Lokonga regards the Man City legend as his idol."

Expanding further, and backing previous claims, FI also write that there is a very good chance that the agreement could include clauses for a permanent transfer next summer.

Kompany, for his part, is a huge admirer of his fellow Belgian and is keen to reunite with the 23-year-old after working together at Anderlecht.

How good is Albert Sambi Lokonga?

The former Crystal Palace loanee has struggled to fight his way into Arteta's plans since signing for the club in the summer of 2021.

Lokonga spent the second half of last campaign on a temporary spell at Selhurst Park, managing nine appearances and averaged 1.4 tackles per match in the top flight (WhoScored).

The international hasn't been able to replicate his final season at Anderlecht in 2020/2021, where he started 33 Belgian top flight matches and racked up five goal contributions.

However, those numbers suggest there is a player of real quality there, as explained by Arteta upon his capture.

“Albert is a very intelligent player who has shown great maturity in his performances during his development. He has been coached well by Vincent Kompany and his team at Anderlecht,” Arteta told Arsenal’s official website (via The Standard).

“I know Vincent very well and he talks so highly about Albert and the positive impact he had to Anderlecht in recent seasons.

“We’re confident Albert’s ready for the next stage in his development and we’re looking forward to welcoming a new member to our squad with his quality and presence.”

Aston Villa have bolstered their playing squad with three new signings during the summer transfer window but one of their players is now being touted with an exit…

What's the latest Aston Villa transfer news?

According to the Daily Mail, Burnley have submitted an offer of £12m to sign Villans attacking midfielder Aaron Ramsey ahead of the 2023/24 Premier League campaign.

The report claims that the Clarets are in talks with the club over a deal to snap up the England youth international after they won promotion from the Championship last term.

Read the latest Aston Villa transfer news HERE…

Unai Emery has brought in Youri Tielemans, Moussa Diaby, and Pau Torres to strengthen his team and it remains to be seen whether or not he is willing to sanction an exit for Jacob Ramsey's brother.

How good is Aaron Ramsey?

The Villa head coach must avoid the first big transfer blunder of his time at the club by keeping hold of the English dynamo instead of selling him to Burnley this summer.

Ramsey is an exciting young talent who is coming off the back of an impressive second-tier campaign with Norwich and Middlesbrough on loan.

The Villans should not be quick to move on such a promising prospect as the potential is there for him to be a big player for the club in the future if he is able to develop and translate his Championship and academy form over to the Premier League.

Last season, Ramsey averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.97 across 29 league matches for Boro and the Canaries combined, which is a score that only three Villa players – John McGinn, Emi Martinez, and Douglas Luiz – bettered in the Premier League.

The magical technician produced an impressive eight goals and four assists from an attacking midfield position, which shows that the young gem is capable of making things happen at the top end of the pitch with regularity despite his age and inexperience.

Meanwhile, no Villa midfielder managed more than six top-flight goals during the 2022/23 campaign and only two players in that position provided more than four assists.

Ramsey, who was dubbed "selfless" by ex-boss Michael Carrick, caught the eye in the Championship after enjoying a terrific time at U21 level for the Villans. He racked up 15 goals and eight assists in 30 U21 matches for the club prior to his first-team breakthrough.

This shows that the 20-year-old magician has been able to make a big impact for Villa's youth team and at two different second-division clubs, which means that he has been able to adapt and remain consistent despite having to play in varying leagues and with various managers and teammates.

Therefore, Ramsey could be able to handle the step up to the Premier League with Villa and could be a player with the potential to burst onto the scene this season as a goal scoring and creating midfielder.

This is why Emery must not sanction a move toTurf Moor for the academy graduate as he could be a terrific option for the Spanish head coach and improve his midfield's goal output if given an opportunity over the months to come.

Newcastle United have so far failed to agree a fee with Southampton defender Tino Livramento over a summer move, according to a fresh update.

What is the latest Tino Livramento transfer news?

The 20-year-old is one of many highly rated English right-backs currently, in an area where the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Reece James, Kyle Walker and Kieran Trippier have all been such influential players for their respective clubs.

Livramento may have seen his progress hampered a little recently because of an anterior cruciate ligament injury, but a bright future is still expected for him, with the youngster making 34 appearances for Saints since arriving from Chelsea.

Indeed, former Southampton boss Ruben Selles previously labelled the defender "perfect" amid the club's relegation battle last term, citing his importance to the club and bemoaning the fact he didn't have more time to coach him due to his injury.

With Southampton suffering relegation from the Premier League to the Championship last season, they are going to find it hard to keep hold of some of their most prized assets, of which Livramento is arguably one.

Newcastle have been linked with a move for the £8,000-a-week defender numerous times recently, seeing him as a possible long-term replacement for Trippier, and someone who could end up being a mainstay of the team for many years to come.

A new update has now emerged regarding Livramento's future, however, and it suggests that a summer move to St James' Park is struggling to come to fruition.

Could Newcastle still sign Tino Livramento?

According to Football Insider, Newcastle are struggling to reach an agreement with Southampton over the signing of Livramento, despite clearly wanting to snap him up:

"Newcastle have been unable to agree a deal for Tino Livramento as Southampton’s asking price is too steep, sources have told Football Insider. The Magpies are interested in the Englishman, and have registered their interest in signing him before the end of the transfer window."

This is a blow for Newcastle considering what a fine prospect Livramento is, with Theo Walcott once claiming he possessed an "aura" about him despite his tender years, adding, "he's not as shy and timid around the place, he's got a bit more of a presence."

He is currently a five-cap England Under-21 international, and will no doubt hope to make it as a senior international eventually, and while his aforementioned knee injury could be a concern if he was older, his age means that he has every chance of reaching his potential as a top-level footballer.

Granted, it doesn't look as though the Magpies will be signing Livramento as things stand, but the situation could change quickly, and the fact that they are still pushing to sign him does suggest that there is still life in the saga.

The Southampton man could be such a shrewd signing in terms of being Trippier's natural successor at right-back, initially coming in as a squad option but eventually maturing into a trusted starter. The hope is that he pushes for a move and Saints eventually soften their stance, allowing him to move on and become a new hero on Tyneside.

Manchester City have shown "interest" in signing Celta Vigo midfielder Gabri Veiga, who could now be available for less than his €40m (£34m) release clause, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

Are Man City signing a midfielder?

Transfer insider Dean Jones believes Man City are weighing up another move for a midfielder, having already agreed a deal to sign Mateo Kovacic for an initial £25m, however, he does not believe it is a priority position for Pep Guardiola, saying:

"They obviously looked at Jude Bellingham and then pulled away from that. Looked at Declan Rice, pulled away from that. So we know there's a temptation there to go for another type of midfielder and an extra body in there.

"At the moment, I'm told it's not a priority. Yes, they've dipped their toes in the water on both of those, thought about going for it, and then not done it.

"But, it's still considered that an extra midfielder for this summer would be a luxury."

However, the Sky Blues are still regularly being linked with a number of potential targets, including Atlanta United attacking midfielder Thiago Almada, and Barcelona's Frenkie de Jong, although a move for the latter player is currently deemed unlikely.

In the same report, Jones details that Veiga is probably more of a likely acquisition for the Citizens, and Romano has now claimed he could be available for less than initially expected, saying City have shown an interest in the player alongside their attempts to sign RB Leipzig's Josko Gvardiol, with those at the Etihad set to hold fresh talks over a move for the defender.

“I’m told clubs feel they can make a deal work with bids below the player’s €40m release clause now. For now there doesn’t appear to be a clear preference from the player but really many clubs have looked into it including big names in the Premier League.

“Chelsea are one of them, and there’s also been interest from Man City (who are now focused on Josko Gvardiol), and also Liverpool showed an interest a few weeks ago but are now focused on different players.”

Who is Gabri Veiga?

Former Celta Vigo boss Carlos Carvalhal is responsible for turning the 21-year-old into a deep-lying midfielder, having previously played at number 10, and the Portuguese coach has lauded the way he has adapted to the role, telling Sky Sports: "He accepted that challenge very well. He was absolutely amazing."

The Spaniard scored 11 goals for Celta Vigo last season, the second-highest amount of any player, with Carvalhal praising his clinical nature, saying: "He finishes goals very easily because he was a striker."

Man City were unable to keep hold of Ilkay Gundogan this summer, despite submitting a proposal to keep the German, who scored 11 goals for Guardiola's side last season, playing a vital role en-route to a famous treble.

While Guardiola has since bolstered his midfield options by signing Kovacic from Chelsea, the manager could do with bringing in a goal-scoring midfielder, and Veiga has proven that he would be capable of taking on that responsibility.

As such, it would not be a surprise if City make a move for the Celta Vigo star at some point this summer, and it is good news that he could be available for less than his release clause.

Sri Lanka did not take the likelihood of rain into account when they chose the timing of their declaration, Upul Tharanga has said.Rain had washed out almost all of the third session on day three, and would wipe out 12 overs on day four as well, with more afternoon showers forecast on day five. Though Sri Lanka had batted aggressively to take their lead past 400, they let their innings continue after tea. This left Bangladesh with 27 scheduled overs to face in the day – though fading light permitted only 15.”Our planning is not based on weather predictions,” Tharanga said. “We can’t look too much into weather. It could rain tomorrow as well. Our plan was to give them 125 overs. If you take this wicket, this doesn’t have as much turn as other Galle wickets. We did lose about 12 overs to rain.”Tharanga was still confident, however, that the three spinners Sri Lanka had picked could take advantage of a day five Galle pitch. It hasn’t offered the same kind of help as it has been known to over the years, but things could already be changing.”We have 98 overs and the first hour is going to be crucial,” Tharanga said. “In that first hour if we can take two wickets, we can turn the game in our favour. There wasn’t that much for spinners, but we saw towards our latter part of the innings, that it did start to turn a little. Hopefully that will carry on tomorrow.”Sri Lanka set Bangladesh 457 to win – the highest successful chase in Galle is 99 for 3 – with Tharanga making a vital contribution. His 115 off 171 balls was his first century at home, the others coming in Bogra and Harare. The innings helped shore up his place in the team, and may also lead to his getting a longer run in the opening position, where Sri Lanka have recently had problems. Tharanga has also had success as Sri Lanka’s ODI opener in the last few months, after a brief stint in the lower middle order.”In the last two series I batted in the middle order, but here before the series, I was asked whether I liked to open and I didn’t have any issues in saying yes. Wherever I play I want to do a job for the team. It’s up to the management and selectors to decide where they want me. They have used me as an opener since the South Africa tour. If the management is happy, I’m happy as well.”

Everton are in desperate need of reinforcements following another hard-fought Premier League relegation scrap and now a new update has emerged on a potential transfer target.

What's the latest on Everton's interest in Wilfried Gnonto?

Everton are in ongoing talks with Leeds United to sign their winger Wilfried Gnonto according to one journalist.

As per a report, it's claimed that Everton are keen to sign the young talent this summer, however, there is a need to compromise on the price of the player with a €30m (£26m) fee touted elsewhere.

Who would Gnonto replace in the Everton team?

There is no doubt that Sean Dyche will be keen to strengthen his attacking threat at Goodison Park this summer after failing to compete comfortably in the top flight last season.

The Toffees finished 17th with just two points saving them from a drop into the Championship and only Wolverhampton Wanderers scored fewer goals than the Everton side over the 38-game campaign, demonstrating a real need to improve the performances in front of goal.

It was reported by Sky Sports last week that Fulham are keen to sign winger Demarai Gray this summer and with just 12 months remaining on his current contract, it could be a real opportunity for the Merseysiders to cash in and earn a profit on their £1.7m signing, especially if they can secure a deal for Gnonto.

Over 24 Premier League appearances last season, the 19-year-old talent scored two goals, registered four assists and created three big chances, as well as averaging one key pass, 1.2 tackles and four duels won per game.

Coincidentally, Gray has been named as one of the most comparable players to Gnonto over the last 12 months – as per FBref – with the pair boasting a number of similarities.

When comparing the attacking duo's output throughout 2022/23 in the top flight, there are several key attributes that they match up on including shot-creating actions per 90 (3.32 v 3.37), goal contributions (6 v 5), shots on target (33.3% v 38.6%) and pass completion (72.3% v 69.1%).

Despite Leeds' troubles, the teenage sensation has attracted a lot of attention in his breakout season, with former Hibernian striker Tam McManus lavishing praise on the Italy international:

"He just looks like a little pocket rocket. He looks like he has a real low centre of gravity and he looks absolutely tremendous."

With that being said, if Dyche is happy to sanction an exit for Gray this summer then the signing of Gnonto would be a major coup and if the Italian can continue to develop his skills with consistent football at Goodison Park next season, there is no reason why he can't have a huge impact on improving the performances in front of goal.

Everton are in the market for a new centre-forward this summer after another disappointing season in the Premier League and now a new update has emerged on the club's pursuit of a potential transfer target.

What's the latest on Everton's interest in Brandon Vazquez?

According to The Athletic, Cinnicinati FC are reluctant to part ways with their star striker this summer and any deal done would likely result in snapping up the services when the MLS season ends.

As per the report, Everton and Hoffenheim are named as potential suitors for Brandon Vazquez, but with another one of their strikers (Brenner) also touted for a move away from the MLS club, the Toffees may be forced to wait until January to bring the centre-forward to Goodison Park.

Would Vazquez be worth the wait for Everton?

It is no secret that Everton found it difficult in front of goal this season due to Richarlison and Anthony Gordon's departure and Dominic Calvert-Lewin continuing to struggle with fitness problems.

The lack of consistent and reliable performers in the final third resulted in the Merseysiders getting caught up in a tight relegation scrap at the bottom of the table and tallying up the second-fewest goals (34) in the entire Premier League.

As a result, the signing of Vazquez would be a massive boost for Sean Dyche as he endeavours to improve the performances, increase goal contributions and lead Everton into a position where they can more comfortably compete.

Over 107 appearances for his current club, the 24-year-old has proven himself to be a "ruthless goal-scoring machine" in the words of journalist Chris Smith.

Indeed, the £3m-rated forward has scored 32 goals and registered 14 assists, averaging a goal contribution every 134 minutes, an output that would be a huge asset to Everton next season and could see him become the perfect Calvert-Lewin heir.

The Toffees striker has been a talisman for the team in the past and been influential when it has mattered most to the club, notably scoring 16 league goals in the 2020/21 campaign. However, over the last 18 months, his constant injury issues have massively hindered his ability to get a run of form going, finding the net just nine times since.

Dyche will surely now be desperate for more consistency in the role to ensure mistakes are not repeated in relying on the striker's return, and their top-flight status won't be compromised again next season, so Vazquez could be the perfect player to succeed the 26-year-old.

Unlike the Premier League, the MLS runs by calendar year so currently Vazquez is playing an integral role in America whilst Europe breaks until August, so it is understandable why Cincinnati would be reluctant to part ways with such a huge asset mid-season.

Having said that, Everton are at a point where they have been riding their luck in the top flight for too long and after only being saved in the final 45 minutes of the season from dropping into the Championship, waiting another six months for a striker could be detrimental.

Arsenal remain interested in a number of key men, with a fresh update having been dropped on Tuesday…

What's the latest on Moises Caicedo to Arsenal?

Writing in The Telegraph, journalist Sam Dean sought to outline the summer transfer plans of Mikel Arteta and Edu in what could be a groundbreaking window to shorten the gap between them and the treble-winning Manchester City.

Whilst the main information in the report is regarding Nicolas Pepe's supposed exit, as well as the nearing completion of the Declan Rice deal, it does also suggest that once the West Ham United star is welcomed to north London, they will turn their attention towards prying Moises Caicedo from Brighton and Hove Albion, with an offer being prepared.

Their interest remains from those two failed bids in January, and despite the Ecuador international having signed a new deal since, the Seagulls will reportedly demand at least £70m.

To sign both of these Premier League midfield monsters would be a huge statement of intent from the Gunners.

How good would Moises Caicedo and Declan Rice be together?

With the notion that these two will join as a midfield partnership together, it is easy to see why Arteta sees them as complementary assets who would bring out the best in one another.

As Rice has grown in stature over the years, shining as captain of the Hammers and an instrumental cog in the England setup, his creative qualities have been emphasised this term too.

It is this offensive impetus that would offer a fine balance alongside Caicedo, who would offer a platform for such exploits.

The 24-year-old scored five goals and assisted four more in all competitions as the Irons comfortably avoided the drop and won the Europa Conference League. It seems like the fairytale ending for the England international, who can now depart the London Stadium having truly given his all to the club that first gave him a football career.

However, if he is to shine as the centrepiece of this new-look engine room, bursting forward towards the penalty area with aplomb, the 21-year-old alternative cannot be ignored for the work he will get through behind Rice.

A tireless yet classy presence in the heart of midfield, Caicedo's 7.08 average rating this term gives way to 2.7 tackles, 1.2 key passes, and 1.5 interceptions per game, via Sofascore, with such defensive aptitude potentially allowing Rice to go about his business in the final third.

Such relentless energy even led South American football expert Tim Vickery to brand him a "terrific athlete".

To place these two in midfield would be yet another Arteta masterstroke, pairing hard work and quality with both defensive and attacking boosts.

This is even without mentioning their youth, and the fact they could hold down their spots for the next decade of what could be a dominant period should they topple Pep Guardiola's history makers.

Manchester United are one of the teams currently in the running to sign Benjamin Pavard, according to Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg.

Who are Manchester United signing this summer?

The Red Devils have booked themselves a spot in the Champions League in Erik Ten Hag's first campaign at the helm and will want to recruit wisely during the summer transfer window to ensure they can compete on all fronts. The Dutchman dragged his side back into the top four, with 23 wins in the Premier League, and already has a solid win-rate of 68% at Old Trafford – which is the second-best of his career.

The boss has already identified the need for his team to bring in a new striker and some midfield depth but it appears that he may also be keen to bring in some defensive reinforcements too. Harry Maguire, Eric Bailly and Alex Telles could all be leaving the club when the window opens and Phil Jones and Axel Tuanzebe have both not extended their deals with the side and are set to leave on free transfers.

It means that there is room at the back for United – and that could lead to them bringing in Pavard. According to Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg, the versatile player is available for a deal and there are a whole host of clubs chasing his signature.

Bayern are prepared to accept bids of 30 to 40 million Euros (which is around £25 – £34m) and it means that he could be available in a modest deal too. The Red Devils are named as one of the sides that are "in" for the player but their rivals Man City are also reportedly in the hunt and so are Barcelona and Real Madrid: "Update Pavard: As reported and now confirmed: He will be allowed to leave Bayern immediately. Bayern demands a transfer fee of €30-40m.

"Real, Barcelona, ManCity, ManUtd and more clubs are in"

How good is Benjamin Pavard?

It is a surprise to see Pavard available on a deal this summer from Bayern considering how he has fared in the Bundesliga this campaign.

With a WhoScored rating of 7.17, the defender actually ranks as the sixth best player in the German giants' squad over the course of the season. That puts him above the talented – and highly regarded – Alphonso Davies, and also the likes of Leroy Sane and Serge Gnabry too.

What's more is that defensively he has excelled too. His rate of 2.3 tackles per game on average is the second-best rate in the squad and his 1.5 interceptions per fixture is actually better than any other player at Bayern. He is still ranking highly both in terms of his all-round game and his defensive capabilities then – meaning it is certainly a shock that the Germans are so eager to sell him.

Pavard is also full of confidence, having previously stated that whilst people feel Trent Alexander-Arnold and Achraf Hakimi are more "sexy," he is the best because is a better defender than them. He said: "A defender must first defend well. On paper, Pavard may be less sexy than Hakimi, Arnold, but I find that defensively I am more complete."

If United do sign him then, they'll be getting a player that is capable of producing the goods at the highest level, which would instantly strengthen their backline.

تحدث مدرب ليفربول يورجن كلوب عن مدى صعوبة المباراة أمام بيرنلي، وأوضح إصابة لاعبه ترينت ألكسندر أرنولد.

وتغلب ليفربول على بيرنلي بثلاثة أهداف مقابل هدف وحيد مساء السبت، في منافسات الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وقال كلوب في تصريحاته لـ”سكاي سبورتس”: “أستطيع حقًا أن أتخيل كيف يشعر فينسنت كومباني الآن لأنهم فعلوا الكثير من الأشياء الجيدة وجعلوا الأمر غير مريح حقًا بالنسبة لنا”.

وأردف: “إنها جودة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز وبيرنلي، أحب الكثير مما يفعلونه، وكيف يلعبون ومدى هدوء فينسنت كومباني في وقت مبكر جدًا من حياته المهنية”.

وأضاف: “ولكن بشكل عام، إلى جانب أول 15 دقيقة، عندما كنا في عجلة من أمرنا ولعبنا في وقت مبكر جدًا، كان لديهم هجمات مرتدة ومواقف وكانت تلك مشكلة، ثم قمنا بتهدئتها وسجلنا أهدافًا رائعة”.

وتابع: “كنا نعلم في الشوط الأول ما يتعين علينا القيام به، كنا مسيطرين ولكن بالطبع كان علينا تغيير ترينت ألكسندر أرنولد وكان لدينا نقص في المدافعين، قدم كورتيس جونز أداءً جيدًا بشكل لا يصدق، مثلما فعل هارفي إليوت عندما حل بديلاً”.

اقرأ أيضًا | إليوت: بيرنلي صعّب الأمور علينا.. ولا نستطيع النظر إلى الوراء في الدوري الإنجليزي

وواصل كلوب: “لقد كانت مباراة صعبة وظروف غريبة، كان الأمر مجرد أشياء حدثت مع خروج اللاعبين، وحارس المرمى، يعتقد الناس أننا نفوز دون أي جهد حقيقي، لكن ذلك لم يكن ممكنًا على الإطلاق”.

وأستطرد: “لم تكن لحظة رائعة لاستقبال الهدف ولكن الأشياء الجيدة كانت إلى جانب الدقائق الـ 15 الأولى، فقد سيطرنا على بعض المواقف الرائعة، لقد تسبب بيرنلي في مشاكل وكان علينا أن نسجل في اللحظات المناسبة”.

وعن إصابة ترينت ألكسندر أرنولد أفاد: “نفس المنطقة في الركبة، لا يوجد شيء سيء حقًا لكنه شعر بها مرة أخرى وعلينا أن نرى، سنقوم بتقييم الأمر”.

وأكمل: “لقد علمنا بذلك في المباراة لذا فكرنا ماذا يمكننا أن نفعل ثم قال ترينت لا، لا بأس، ولكن الأمر ليس كما يشعر به، لذا كان علينا توخي الحذر وإخراجه”.

وحول سباق لقب الدوري الإنجليزي، استطرد: “أعلم أن هذا يحدث كل أسبوع، أضف توتنهام الذي حقق فوزًا كبيرًا اليوم، سيلعب أستون فيلا غدًا، كلهم في المنافسة، وآرسنال بالتأكيد”.

وأشار: “قبل أسبوعين كان لدينا وضع الفريق المثالي، وبعد أسبوعين أصبح لدينا إصابات في كل مركز، كل شيء يمكن أن يحدث، نحتاج جميعًا إلى الحظ للتغلب على هذه المحنة، عندما لا يكون لديك ذلك، عليك أن تقاتل”.

وعن حالة الثنائي جو جوميز وأليسون، أفاد كلوب: “كنا نظن أن جو جوميز سيعود لكنه أصيب بارتفاع الحرارة أمس لذا اضطررنا إلى إعادته إلى المنزل، شعر أليسون بتوعك، ولم يتمكن من النوم أو تناول الطعام”.

وعن حصوله على البطاقة الصفراء، علّق: “لقد كان الأمر عاطفيًا بالتأكيد، تخيل أنه في هذه المباراة والحكم لديه بطاقة زرقاء متاحة؟ كان هناك الكثير من البطاقات الصفراء اليوم”.

واسترسل: “لم يكن لدي أدنى فكرة عن سبب حصول فينسنت كومباني عليها، اعطوني بطاقة صفراء في مثل هذا الموقف طالما أنني لم أحصل على بطاقة زرقاء وأضطر إلى الجلوس في مكان ما لمدة 10 دقائق!”.

وأكد كلوب: “الأمر لا يتعلق بالنقاط الثلاث فقط، لا يمكن ضمان الزخم طوال الوقت، قبل تسعة أيام لعبنا بشكل رائع ضد تشيلسي ثم خسرنا أمام آرسنال، إنه تحدٍ مختلف دائمًا”.

وأتم: “إذا لم يكن الأمر كذلك، فقاتل من أجل ذلك، كان الأمر صعبًا حقًا اليوم لكن اللاعبين قاتلوا وحصلوا على النقاط الثلاث”.