Philippe can seal the deal
Manc rivals set to be Real losers in striker battle
PHILIPPE COUTINHO is set to complete his loan to Aston Villa this weekend with an option to make it permanent this summer for €40m.
That is £33m on today’s exchange rate, which is the same as Villa paid Norwich for record signing Emi Buendia in June.
Buendia occupies the No.10 shirt at Villa and Coutinho’s imminent arrival is hardly a ringing endorsement of the Argentine’s impact so far.
Villa boss Steven Gerrard has been pushing hard for the last two weeks to link up with his ex-Liverpool team-mate again.
They spent a successful two and a half years together at Anfield until Gerrard left in 2015 before Coutinho later quit for Barcelona for £142m in January 2018.
Gerrard described the Brazilian attacking ace, 29, as “world class” this week and a “serial winner”.
And with Gerrard on the phone and making
THOMAS TUCHEL maintains his European champions are not “arrogant” enough to assume victory over Chesterfield is a foregone conclusion.
The Chelsea boss lines up against the National League leaders in what many have described as a massive mismatch this evening.
But Tuchel said: “It would be hugely arrogant to say we cannot lose. We want to reach the next round, so we need to deliver if we are going to win.” Tuchel’s squad has been valued at £809m – the third highest across Europe’s top five leagues. Chesterfield are worth just a fraction of that amount but
MANCHESTER United have pulled out of the race to sign striker Erling Haaland because he wants to join Real Madrid.
And Haaland’s determination to go to Madrid this summer has also left the transfer plans of Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola (inset) in tatters. Haaland has become the most sought-after star in world football and will find himself at the centre of a huge transfer scrap close season.
But the Norway and Borussia Dortmund sensation has set his heart on joining the Madrid giants.
While United were keen on Haaland, it is understood the Old Trafford club have now accepted the 21-year-old goal machine will not be heading their way.
But Guardiola had identified Haaland as his longterm replacement for Sergio Aguero, who left the during the