NEWCASTLE ON THE HUNT
Conceicao among those considered to succeed Benitez
NEWCASTLE have sounded out Porto manager Sergio Conceicao over their vacant manager’s job.
Newcastle are on the hunt for a successor for Rafa Benitez after they failed to agree a new contract with the Spaniard.
Conceicao has spoken to officials from St James’ Park and he would be open to moving from Portugal. The former Portugal international, 44, has been in charge of Porto since 2017.
He led them to their first title in five years in his debut season, but was pipped by Benfica last season.
He has a contract until 2021. Manchester City assistant Mikel Arteta and Burnley boss Sean Dyche are also being considered by Newcastle.
Dyche would cost around £ 10 million (RM52 million) — the cost of the remainder of his three-year deal at Turf Moor — to lure away from Burnley. MANCHESTER United will not entertain Inter Milan’s proposed £63 million deal for Romelu Lukaku.
Lukaku is open to a move away from Old Trafford and United would likely cash in should they recoup the £90 million they spent on landing the striker from Everton two years ago.
But Inter’s initial offer, a twoyear loan worth £9 million and an obligation to buy for a further £54 million, falls short of United’s valuation.
Inter are also pursuing Roma’s Edin Dzeko, but his potential switch to the San Siro would not
affect any transfer for Lukaku.
CRYSTAL Palace will have to pay £25 million if they want to sign young Nice winger Allan Saint-Maximin.
The France Under-21 star would provide competition for Wilfried Zaha. SaintMaximin, 22, cam through the ranks at St Etienne, making his Ligue 1 debut at 16. LIVERPOOL’S new signing, deSepp fender van den Berg, will join the firstteam squad for the pre-season build-up. The Holland Under-19 will complete his move from PEC Zwolle next month, subject to international clearance, in a deal which could be worth £4.4 million. MESUT Ozil is set to stay at Arsenal next season as the clubs plan to offload their p earner stalls.
The German is proving a huge financial burden for the Gunners due to his £350,000-per-week wage.
The north London club are open to offers for him ahead of the transfer deadline as they look to release some extra funds for manager Unai Emery to strengthen his squad. But the Gunners are yet to receive any formal approaches for their 30year-old World Cup winner. Arsenal are working on deals to sign Celtic left back Kieran Tierney, 22, and St Etienne defender William Saliba, 18.
But the club are working with a tight transfer budget of around £45 million this summer.
EVERTON forward Richarlison was left out of Brazil’s game with Paraguay yesterday amid concerns he has mumps. The 22year old will be isolated from the squad for up to five days and is likely to miss the rest of the Copa America. Brazil’s medical team plan to vaccinate the rest of the squad.
Former Brighton defender Bruno has returned to the club as senior player development coach.
The 38-year-old Spaniard retired from playing at the end of last season but will rejoin the Seagulls as part of the backroom staff under new head coach Graham Potter. CHELSEA have started to implement Frank Lampard’s blueprint as the club prepares for his return.
Chelsea will make their season-long loan for Mateo Kovacic permanent after agreeing a £40 million deal to land the midfielder.
Blues chiefs have lined up numerous meetings to shape Lampard’s squad.
Senior players including Kurt Zouma, Tiemoue Bakayoko and Michy Batshuayi are waiting to discover their futures. Gianfranco Zola, part of Maurizio Sarri’s backroom team, will leave the club ahead of next season.