‘Brain’ has key ally at Arsenal
JESE RODRIGUEZ has been given compassionate leave until the end of the season by Stoke, effectively ending the Spaniard’s season-long loan from Paris Saint-Germain.
Stoke have confirmed the forward, right, who had been excluded from the first-team squad in recent weeks, will not play for them again. His last outing was as a substitute against Everton on March 17. personal reasons and would be back in due course. Indeed, the stories yesterday in Bosnia would have been given little credence had it not been the same paper that first broke news of Klopp and Buvac’s Anfield arrival in 2015.
Buvac, 56, has been described as ‘The Brain’ by Klopp but doubts remain over whether he has the leadership skills to revive Arsenal.
Mislintat’s presence at the Emirates gives Buvac an ally, having worked with him and Klopp at Borussia Dortmund. It could be that he is being considered as part of a newly assembled team, with the more experienced Max Allegri and Luis Enrique being touted as possible managerial candidates.
Either way, given the sensitivities of a rift with Klopp just before such a vital game, it would have been in Arsenal’s interests to distance themselves from any appearance they had tapped up Buvac. The claim may be wholly false, but the club’s silence was deafening. SCUNTHORPE booked their place in the League One play-offs last night as they beat fellow contenders Plymouth 2-0 with goals from Hakeeb Adelakun and Ivan Toney.
Plymouth could still sneak in but Charlton are in pole position. Walsall and AFC Wimbledon are safe after their respective draws at Bradford and Doncaster. NEW Sunderland owner Stewart Donald will sit among the fans at the Stadium of Light on Sunday for the relegated Black Cats’ last game of the season against Wolves to hear their gripes. ●LEICESTER winger Marc Albrighton has been charged with misconduct by the FA following his red card at Crystal Palace for his reaction to referee Mike Dean.