Stones near exit
NHS staff sing Kop anthem to ward colleagues
JOHN STONES is losing his battle to stay at Manchester City – with Leonardo Bonucci lined up to replace him. Stones (inset) has been told his days at the Etihad are numbered, with Pep Guardiola planning to strengthen his back four in the next transfer window. The City
JURGEN KLOPP has been reduced to tears by the country’s NHS heroes.
The Liverpool boss watched a video of hospital staff singing the Kop anthem ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ to their colleagues in an intensive care unit treating coronavirus sufferers.
And Klopp hailed the work of
boss has targeted Juventus ace Bonucci (inset).
And landing the Italian international, 32, would signal the end of Stones’ time with the Premier League champions.
Stones joined City from Everton in a £48m deal in 2016 and was expected to go on and establish himself as one of the best centre-backs in the world.
But he has endured a difficult relationship with Guardiola, who has become frustrated with the star’s lack of fitness and failure to hit the heights expected.
Earlier this season the City boss questioned Stones’ mental strength and made it clear to the England international that fulfilling his potential was down to no one but himself.
Despite losing centre-back Aymeric Laporte to injury for most of the campaign, Guardiola has prefered to pick midfielder Fernandinho in defence alongside Nicolas Otamendi. Stones, 25, was axed from the Three Lions squad at the start of this season and started just 10 Premier League games before the campaign was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Guardiola is a huge fan of Bonucci and reckons the Juve star would be the ideal defensive partner for Laporte next season.
But the Italian champions will be reluctant to sell their talismanic star.
WHAT’S UP? Klopp (above) has mimicked Alex Oxladechamberlain’s dance routines (left) in group chats with players
JURGEN KLOPP delivered his message loud and clear: follow the advice if you want football back as quickly as possible.
But it is not because the Liverpool boss can’t wait for the Reds to finally lift the Premier League title.
Klopp says it would be embarrassing to compare his problems – such as when football will return – with the global crisis.
He believes fans can play their part and help the heroes fighting the disease on the front line.
And in doing so it will also help the game they love to return a little sooner once the pandemic has been crushed.
“We’ve said it now often enough, and I think everybody knows, football is not the most important thing in the world,” said the German.
“But the only way to get football back as soon as possible, if that’s what the people want, is the more disciplined we are now, the earlier we will get our life back.
“We have to be disciplined by ourselves. We have to keep the distance to others. “The curve will flatten, that’s the most important thing. We have to give our people in the hospitals, our
doctors, the chance to treat the people with serious issues with full concentration.
“We have to give people time to build ventilators, we have to give people time to find solutions. There will be a moment when smart people find a vaccine for the virus.
“And then, at one point, we will play football again as well, 100 per cent.
“I couldn’t wish more for it because of a few really good reasons, you can imagine.
“I can’t wait actually but even I have to be disciplined and I try to be as much as I can.”
Liverpool are still training individually and on Monday they will start doing sessions together via video link, with their training base in Melwood closed.
Klopp is in constant dialogue with