Final call: Portugal!
PORTUGAL is favourite to host both the Champions League and Europa League Finals later this summer.
UEFA has settled on two cities to play out their major competitions.
The stage seems set for the Champions League to be finished in a 10-day block of fixtures with the final scheduled to be at the Estadio da Luz, home to Benfica, in Lisbon on August 23.
That will be of interest to Manchester City while
MANCHESTER UNITED will sacrifice Andreas Pereira to land Ajax midfield target Donny van de Beek.
The 23-year-old Dutch star, who is also being chased by Real Madrid, has been on United’s radar all season and, along with Bayer Leverkusen playmaker Kai Hevertz, is one of Europe’s hottest properties.
United scouted the pair before the pandemic shut down football.
But, with the transfer window set to open next month, the club have to make a decision on whether Van de Beek or Havertz are realistic targets in football’s new financial world.
United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is a big fan of both and believes they would slot seamlessly into his squad.
La Liga giants Madrid were in pole position to land the Dutch ace, but the health crisis and priorities in other areas of their squad means their interest has waned – and United are back in the hunt for Van de Beek.
Solskjaer has been told he’ll have to sell to make room for Van de Beek – and that’s put the future of Belgianborn Brazilian Pereira in the spotlight.
Pereira, 24, who signed a new £45,000-a-week, four-year deal last summer, figured in place of long-term absentee Paul Pogba and Scott Mctominay, but future opportunities may be limited.