LIVE Transfer Talk: Bale agent's talk has Premier League clubs on alert

The transfer window for Europe's biggest clubs is closed, but click here for all the deals, and keep track of who has joined the big boys. Transfer Talk will continue to scour the world's media and set correspondents loose to see what's on the agenda for the summer.

TOP STORY: Bale agent has English clubs on red alert

Gareth Bale's agent Jonathan Barnett has English clubs salivating over the prospect of landing the Welshman after he told ESPN FC that Real Madrid fans are "a disgrace."

Bale was booed off at the Bernabeu on Saturday night as they lost to Barcelona for the second time in quick succession and Barnett's outburst, in which he said Real fans "should be ashamed of themselves," will only serve to enhance the already growing rumours about Bale's future.

Tottenham, Manchester United and Chelsea have all been linked with Bale in recent months. And with the Welshman seemingly taking the brunt of the flack from the Bernabeu faithful, a result of Los Blancos dropping to third place and 12 points behind rivals Barca, he may decide to start afresh where he's more appreciated.

However, the Sun disagree; they're suggesting Bale won't be returning to England, purely because they believe no club can afford his £650,000-a-week wages.

LIVE BLOG

10.55 GMT: Atletico Madrid have stepped up interest in Porto defender Alex Telles to replace Filipe Luis, whose contract expires at the end of the season. AS claim that Telles has a €40m release clause, so at least Atletico know how much they will need to spend.

10.31 GMT: AS reports that Juventus are leading the race for coveted youngster Joao Felix.

Felix, 19, was promoted to Benfica's first team at the start of the season and has been compared to Cristiano Ronaldo. Sources have told ESPN that Real Madrid and Manchester United are tracking the attacking midfielder but evidently Juve are keen to pair the 'new Ronaldo' with the actual Ronaldo for a season or two.

09.57 GMT: Who will become the first £100m English footballer? Well, the Daily Telegraph reckon that Manchester United are "ready to battle Paris St-Germain for Jadon Sancho in a tug-of-war."

Sancho seems to be the top target for both now, having joined Dortmund from Man City for around £8m in summer 2017. But if United land him, the paper claims "any move for the teenage England winger would raise fresh doubts over the future of Alexis Sanchez."

09.02 GMT: Giovani dos Santos' contract with the LA Galaxy was bought out last week but the former Barcelona and Tottenham forward won't be heading to Liga MX and sources close to the player have told ESPN he could make a move to China.

08.30 GMT: Italian outlet Calciomercato says that Arsenal have expressed a firm interest in Roma youngster Cengiz Under, with scouts ready to watch the forward for the second time later this month.

Under has a contract until 2022 with Roma pretty firm on their price for the 22-year-old Turkey international of €30m. Over you to Arsenal.

PAPER TALK (By Nick Judd) Rodgers will have to break record to land Tielemans

New Leicester City boss Brendan Rodgers will have to smash the club's transfer record if he's to land loan star Youri Tielemans on a permanent deal from Monaco, reports the Telegraph.

Tielemans joined the Foxes on deadline day in January in a deal that saw Adrien Silva move in the other direction. Twenty-one-year-old Tielemans has now played four times for Leicester, setting up goals from Demarai Gray and Jamie Vardy in the last two games.

Monaco are believed to have asked for £40 million for the Belgian, a fee that would shatter the Foxes' previous purchase, the £28m they spent on striker Islam Slimani.

Rodgers may feel he can get a better deal if he can tempt the French club into taking Silva on a permanent basis. Silva has played all five matches for Monaco, and has starred for Leonardo Jadim.

Juventus hold the Kai to signing Havertz?

Italian champions elect Juventus have joined Arsenal in the race to sign in-form attacking midfielder Kai Havertz from Bayer Leverkusen, reports Calciomercato.

Havertz has scored 12 goals and added seven assists this season, imperious form that has seen him attract the attention of Europe's biggest clubs. Arsenal have reportedly been watching the 19-year-old for some time with a view to him replacing Mesut Ozil. However, the Gunners now face competition from both Juventus and Bayern Munich.

Havertz is in his third season in the Leverkusen first team and is revelling since his move from the centre of midfield to a more attacking role. He is tall, quick and has an eye for goal.

Havertz was recently described by Germany coach Joachim Low as one of the "most talented players in Germany."

Tap-ins

- Calciomerato also state that Hannover 96 are interested in signing Arsenal attacker Takuma Asano. The 24-year-old joined the German club on a season-long loan in the summer and now the Bundesliga side are looking to make the move permanent, despite Asano failing to score in his 12 appearances so far.

- Tiemoue Bakayoko is keen to stay at AC Milan beyond the end of this season, he has told France Football. The 24-year-old told the French publication that he felt it was Chelsea's decision to let him go on loan, not Maurizio Sarri's, but says he's now happy at the San Siro and hoping to settle in Gennaro Gattuso's side.

- Tottenham are eyeing up a move for Notts County youngster Kion Etete after he scored twice in a trial match against West Ham United at the weekend, report the Daily Mail. Etete signed his first professional contract with the Magpies in November last year and was linked with a move to Nottingham Forest in January, but Spurs are said to be keen on the pacy 17-year-old.

Read More

Chelsea 'defy transfer ban' by asking fans about summer signings, Twitter laughs

Chelsea tweeted to ask fans who they should sign this summer and were hit with the inevitable backlash.. Twitter @ChelseaFC

Obviously gluttons for punishment, Chelsea invited a metaphorical avalanche of scorn their way with an ill-advised tweet published on Tuesday afternoon.

Mere days after the club was placed under a FIFA transfer ban until 2020, the Blues' social media team decided it would be a good time to quiz fans on who their dream transfer targets would be this coming summer.

Naturally, the tweet has now been deleted. But, as you might imagine, the reaction was nigh-on immediate, with the mockery coming thick and fast.

- Marcotti: What did they do wrong? Chelsea transfer ban explained

Read More

FIFA hands Chelsea a year-long transfer ban, but how much will it actually hurt the Blues?

FIFA hit Premier League titan Chelsea with a two-window transfer ban on Friday, the punishment handed down following a three-year investigation by global soccer's governing body that found Chelsea had broken rules related to the signing of youth players.

"The FIFA disciplinary committee has sanctioned the English club Chelsea FC and the Football Association for breaches relating to the international transfer and registration of players under the age of 18," FIFA said in a statement announcing the news.

The club intends to appeal the ruling, according to multiple reports. If upheld, the ban would forbid the Blues from adding new players during the next two transfer windows. That means that the earliest the London club would be able to lure new recruits would be the summer of 2020. (Chelsea's women's and futsal squads are exempt from the sanctions, FIFA said.) The Zurich-based organization also fined the Blues 600,000 Swiss francs, just over $600,000.

Chelsea's transfer ban could prevent manager Maurizio Sarri (left) from signing stars like Gonzalo Higuain outright. (Adam Davy/Getty)

MoreHow much will the ban hurt Chelsea?

Chelsea isn't the first all-world club to find itself in hot water over its transfer dealings. Spanish giants Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, and Real Madrid have all been banned in the recent past without much of a negative impact on their success on the field or off.

Even if Chelsea loses its appeal, the delay in the process could be enough to allow the club to stockpile signings before the transfer freeze goes into effect. That was Barca's strategy back in 2014, when it was able to bring in roster mainstays such as Luis Suarez before going dark for an extended period.

Still, there's no question that what's effectively a year-long suspension from the global player market will hurt the Blues' ability to compete against rivals both in the Prem and internationally, even in the short term.

Will the ban impact Christian Pulisic's move to the Blues?

After Chelsea announced last month that it had signed U.S. men's national team front man Christian Pulisic from Borussia Dortmund, it immediately loaned him bac k to the German Bundesliga leaders until the end of the current season.

Because the Pulisic deal was agreed to before Friday's ruling, it will not be affected by it. However, the ban could potentially prevent Chelsea from making the loans of Gonzalo Higuain (from Juventus) and Mateo Kovacic (from Real Madrid) permanent this summer, although an option to buy clause contained in the original arrangement with Juve might provide a loopho le in Higuain's case.

Christian Pulisic's move to Chelsea this summer will not be affected by the travel ban. (The Independent)

MoreCan Eden Hazard and others still leave the club?

Yes. The ban only prevents Chelsea from buying new players, not selling the ones it already has. There had already been a ton of speculation that Belgian playmaker Eden Hazard could leave London this summer if he continues to refuse a contract extension at Stamford Bridge. That could still happen.

In fact, the odds of Hazard sticking around long-term – and this also goes for the likes of youngster Callum Hudson-Odoi as well as veterans Willian and Pedro, all of whom will be free agents when their contracts expire in 2020 – are probably even slimmer now. 

The Chelsea brass knows this. The prudent thing to do from a business standpoint would be to sell those players this summer rather than risk losing them for nothing 12 months on. But would the Blues be able to remain competitive without the ability to replace several key difference-makers? If the decision-makers determine that the answer is no, Chelsea just might be forced to hang on to Hazard et. al. for one final season nonetheless.

Doug McIntyre covers soccer for Yahoo Sports. Follow him on Twitter @ByDougMcIntyre.

More from Yahoo Sports:• Wetzel: How Nike fiasco could be a boon for Zion• Warriors win, no shock; Curry slam, big surprise• Megatron's post-NFL career: Marijuana• Watch: NBA star's wife makes him stop gaming

Read More

Chelsea has just been slapped with a 2-window transfer ban, but it's just one of many massive problems at a once-great club going backwards

Chelsea FC has been slapped with a two-window transfer ban but it's just one of many massive problems at a once-great soccer club that is going backwards.

FIFA, the international governing body for soccer, confirmed on Friday that the Premier League club was found to have broken rules regarding "the international transfer and registration of players under the age of 18."

Sky Sports News reports that the sanctions "are a result of a three-year investigation" with one of the more contentious signings being the acquisition of Bertrand Traore in 2013, who was 18 at the time. The BBC said Chelsea failed to register Traore until January, 2014.

FIFA found breaches in 29 cases of youth player signings and has been fined $600,000 as a result. The greater punishment, though, is being handcuffed in the upcoming transfer markets and not being allowed to recruit any players until the 2020 summer transfer window.

The club has since published a statement on its official website, reading: "Chelsea categorically refutes the findings of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee and will therefore be appealing the decision."

It appealed a decision before. In 2009, Chelsea was adjudged to have illegally purchased the youth player Gael Kakuta two years prior. FIFA hit the London club with a two-year ban, but Chelsea appealed, successfully, and the ban was reduced.

Regardless of whether Chelsea is as successful in reducing its current ban, the club continues to be struck with one problem after another.

Chelsea was a once-great soccer club

Even before the Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich bought Chelsea in 2003, the club was still a reasonably successful cup team.

However, Abramovich's presence elevated the club's stature significantly. In the last 15 years, Chelsea has won five Premier League titles, five FA Cup trophies, three League Cups, and witnessed wild success in Europe having won the 2012 UEFA Champions League title and the 2013 UEFA Europa League.

Some of the best players in the club's entire history represented the Blues in that silver-laden era, with Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard, John Terry, Ashley Cole, and Claude Makelele wowing crowds up and down the country on a regular basis.

Didier Drogba, John Terry, and Frank Lampard.Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images

It is a far cry from what the club is going through now, as it got dumped out of the FA Cup fifth round by Manchester United earlier this month and is struggling in sixth place in the Premier League.

But results are not the only thing failing to go the club's way. This is because Chelsea has an ageing squad and so a transfer ban, regardless of whether that is for two windows or gets reduced, would have a massive impact.

Willian and Pedro are the wrong side of 30; the club's star player Eden Hazard continues to be linked with a big-money move to Real Madrid and could be free to leave as FIFA's ban only applies to signings, not sales; and the recent loan recruit Gonzalo Higuain will return to Juventus in the summer, which leaves a dearth of quality in the striking department.

Chelsea also has a coach in Maurizio Sarri who has so far proven unpopular with fans thanks to his insistence on attempting to utilize a style of soccer dubbed Sarri-ball. Though the system worked at the start of the season, with Chelsea unbeaten in its first dozen matches, things quickly went downhill and it has failed to yield the elite results that supporters of the team have been used to in seasons past.

Maurizio Sarri.Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images

In short, Sarri-ball attempts to use meticulous player positioning, triangle formations, and one-touch soccer which sees passes funnel through the team from the goalkeeper and defence, through to midfield and attack, with very few long balls used.

When it's done right, like when Sarri was at his former club Napoli, it can — and frequently did — look captivating. But it can go dreadfully wrong, like when Chelsea defenders lose the ball at the back and surrender possession to the opposition attack.

One of the most damning statistics that indicate Sarri's method is failing is that only 18.5% of the team's "10+ pass sequence" lead to a shot, or a touch, in the opposition box. This is bettered by nine other Premier League teams, including Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal, and Manchester City.

But when pressed on whether he will adapt Sarri-ball, or ditch it entirely, the 60-year-old Italian remained resolute. "I don't think so, personally," he recently said, according to Sky Sports. "I'd like to see this football played in the right way, and then we can change."

Chelsea also has an absent owner Roman Abramovich.Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images

Roman Abramovich often used to be seen in the stands of Chelsea matches, and has even been seen on video celebrating with players in the locker room.

But the billionaire's interest has waned significantly this season. In fact, Sarri has said he's hardly ever heard from him. "If the president calls, I'll be happy, seeing as I never hear from him," he said, according to Goal.com.

The Guardian also reports that "Abramovich has not attended a game this season, having withdrawn his application for a UK visa last year," and there is no indication that he intends on visiting Stamford Bridge any time soon.

With an absent owner, a coach stubbornly continuing with failing tactics, and an ageing squad, a two-window transfer ban presents Chelsea with one more problem it must attempt to solve. But judging from the club's recent history, things may well get worse before they can get better.

Read More

Premier League soccer team Chelsea hit with one-year transfer ban on signing players

Marc Atkins | Getty Images Sport | Getty Images

LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 21: Ross Barkley of Chelsea during the UEFA Europa League Round of 32 Second Leg match between Chelsea and Malmo FF at Stamford Bridge on February 21, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)

English Premier League soccer team Chelsea has been hit with transfer ban by the sport's governing body FIFA, preventing the club signing any new players for the next two windows.

The west London club, who were Premier League champions in 2017, was found in breach of rules relating to the registration of 29 players under the age of 18.

The ban applies to the men's teams and does not prevent the release of players, which is potentially more bad news with Belgian forward Eden Hazard continually linked with a move to Spanish side Real Madrid.

"Chelsea categorically refutes the findings of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee and will therefore be appealing the decision." Chelsea said in a statement on Friday.

"We welcome the fact that FIFA has accepted that there was no breach in relation to 63 of these players, but the club are extremely disappointed that FIFA has not accepted the club's submissions in relation to the remaining 29 players." it added.

It's understood that the ban will not affect the arrival of US international midfielder Christian Pulisic in the summer, as his $78 million transfer from Borussia Dortmund was confirmed before the FIFA sanction. Similarly, the deal that brought Gonzalo Higuain to Chelsea on an 18-month loan last month, will not change.

Additionally, the club has been fined $600,000 and given a period of 90 days to "regularize" the situation of the minor players concerned.

The English Football Association (FA) was also found to have breached the rules in connection with minors. It's been fined $ 510,000 and given a period of six months to address the situation concerning the international transfer and first registration of minors in football.

Last year Chelsea's owner Roman Abramovich decided to shelve plans for a new stadium on the existing Stamford Bridge site, after the Russian's UK visa renewal application was denied. He's since taken up an Israeli passport, but has seldom been seen at Chelsea matches this season.

Rules on signing players under 18

FIFA's rule on international transfers of players state it is only permitted if the player is over the age of 18, with only 3 exceptions.

a) The player's parents move to the country in which the new club is located for reasons not linked to football.

b) Both clubs concerned with the transfer are within the territory of the European Union (EU) or European Economic Area (EEA) and the player is aged between 16 and 18. However, even then the player should be provided with education and have their general living conditions taken care of.

c)The maximum distance between the player's home and the club they've signed for shall be no more than 100 kilometers (62 miles).

Read More

Rising US soccer star Zack Steffen in Charleston for Carolina Challenge Cup

Zack Steffen never doubted that this day would eventually come.

It’s hard to imagine three years ago that Steffen, the starting keeper for Major League Soccer's Columbus Crew, was playing in half-filled stadiums for the Pittsburgh Riverhounds in the USL â€" North America’s second-tier professional soccer league.

His meteoric rise â€" going from the USL to starting for the Columbus Crew to being named Major League Soccer’s top goalie last season and becoming an established player with the U.S. Men’s National Team â€" has been staggering to some observers, but a natural progression for the former University of Maryland star.

“Life is a process and that includes soccer, especially for a goalkeeper,” said Steffen, whose team plays the Charleston Battery on Wednesday at 5 p.m. in the Carolina Challenge Cup. “I can’t say that I saw this coming as quickly as it has, but I knew if I put the work in I was going to get to where I wanted to be eventually.”

In July, Steffen, 23, will take another step up the professional soccer ladder when he joins Manchester City, in the English Premier League. His reported transfer fee of between $7 million to $10 million is the highest paid for an MLS goalie.

Steffen's path from the college to the EPL wasn't always the most direct. After two seasons at Maryland, Steffen left the college ranks and signed with Germany’s SC Friedburg â€" a smaller club in the Bundesliga in 2014. He was eventually loaned to the team’s farm club and made 14 appearances over the next two years.

In 2016, he returned to the United States and signed with Columbus, knowing that playing time in the MLS was going to be limited. Steffen spent most of the summer in the USL playing for the Riverhounds. While playing in the USL wasn’t ideal for a player with Steffen’s ambition, he made the most of the opportunity.

“As a goalkeeper you need games, no matter the level and I was happy to get them in Pittsburgh,” Steffen said. “The USL is a good league. As a goalkeeper you’re put into so many different situations throughout the year in each game. The more games you play, the more situations you’ll see and the better you can adapt. To get games and get reps, especially when you’re young, is crucial.”

Steffen had a breakout season in 2017, starting all 34 regular-season and playoff matches for the Crew, recording nine shutouts. His stepped on the national scene when he recorded an eight-save shutout in a playoff win over Atlanta United, which included two saves in the shootout.

"He's calm. He's a calm guy," former Columbus coach Gregg Berhalter told Goal.com. “His ability to stay composed, and even if he makes mistakes â€" and he's had very few â€" he's able to stay calm and play through it."

The following season he was named the MLS goalie of the Year. Steffen conceded just 45 goals and was third in the league with 10 shutouts, while leading the Crew back to the postseason. He had a 64.1 save percentage and a 1.28 goals against average.

He played well enough to catch the eye of the U.S. Men’s National Team. He has made six appearances for the United States, making his debut as a substitute in a friendly match against Bosnia-Herzegovina in January of 2018.

He then started in a friendly against Paraguay in March and made seven saves against France last June in a friendly match. He has started in matches against Mexico, Brazil and Colombia, most recently, earning the confidence of the U.S. coaching staff.

“Obviously a proud moment for me when I put that jersey on,” Steffen said. “I’ve gotten some games, but I can’t assume anything. I’ve got to continue to work and improve and not be complacent about my spot. Nothing is guaranteed. I’ve got to go in and prove myself in every camp that I’m the man that they can count on.”

Steffen said getting back to the World Cup tournament is the team’s top priority. Berhalter was named the U.S. head coach this past December.

“I think we’re moving in the right direction,” Steffen said. “It starts with our coaching staff and I think we’ve made the right move there. We have a good depth of players that want to get back on that world stage again.”

Steffen got to meet Summerville native Jonathan Amon, who made his U.S. national team debut last November against Peru, during camp last year.

“Jonathan is a great guy, quiet,” Steffen said. “He’s an amazing guy off the field, a real sweetheart. He works really hard on the field. Very humble. Gives his all to the team. A very talented player, very technical. I think once he gets his shot he’s going to break out and be a fixture on the national team.”

Steffen said the next step in his career is to test himself against Europe’s elite players. That’s one of the main reasons he agreed to go to Manchester City, which already has an established keeper.

“Right now I think this is what I need to do in my career to get better and become the goalkeeper I want to be,” Steffen said. “I’m excited to start the journey in July, but right now I’m focused on helping the Crew win games.”

Reach Andrew Miller at 843-937-5599. Follow him on Twitter @APMILLER_PandC

Read More

Ex-Manchester United Winger Nani Joins Orlando City on 3-Year Contract

Gualter Fatia/Getty Images

Former Manchester United winger Nani has joined Orlando City on a three-year contract, the club confirmed Monday:

The 32-year-old joins from Sporting CP on a free transfer as a designated player after a third stint with the Portuguese side.

Nani is an experienced winger who won four Premier League titles and the UEFA Champions League during his eight years with Manchester United.

The winger will wear the No. 17 shirt at Orlando City:

The club's executive vice president of soccer operations, Luiz Muzzi, highlighted what his side are expecting from their new signing, per the club's official website.

"This is an exciting day for our organization," he said. "Nani brings tremendous experience to our roster. He's a dynamic winger with quality abilities to move and cross the ball, impact games and lead the offensive play."

Nani is an exciting winger with an eye for goal who rose to prominence at Manchester United after joining from Sporting in 2007. He went on to make over 200 appearances for the Red Devils, scoring 41 goals.

After leaving Old Trafford, Nani went on to play for Fenerbahce, Valencia and Lazio, and he possesses plenty of top-level experience.

La Liga showed off his acrobatic celebrations and offered a glimpse of what to expect from the winger:

Nani has also enjoyed a stellar international career with Portugal. He's won over 100 caps for the national team and played a key role in Portugal's victory at the 2016 UEFA European Championship:

The 32-year-old leaves Sporting after making 23 appearances for the club this season in all competitions and scoring eight times for Marcel Keizer's side.

Read More