Rakitic wants Enrique to stay

Barcelona and Croatia midfielder Ivan Rakitic has stated that he wants Luis Enrique to remain as the Barcelona coach for the long run.


This comes as a surprise as there were reports recently that the midfielder will leave the club if ever Luis Enrique continues as the Barcelona coach.

Indeed Ivan Rakitic has struggled to get playing time at Barcelona during recent weeks as he spends most of the time on the bench.

However, the Croatian midfielder believes that it will be easier for him for Enrique to remain as the Barcelona coach as it is him who brought him to the club. He said that Luis Enrique knows him better and it will be better for him that he remains as the Barcelona coach.

There was news that Manchester City might be interested in the midfielder and he might want to reconnect with a former Barcelona manager in Pep Guardiola. Continue reading “Rakitic wants Enrique to stay”

BELLERIN INJURY MIGHT AFFECT ARSENAL

Arsenal right back Hector Bellerin has reportedly been sidelined for about a month at a critical time this season.


This would be a big blow for the Gunners who are poised to meet Manchester United on Saturday, November 19, 2016. Arsenal would battle French champions Paris St. Germain for a chance to top the UEFA Champions League at the Emirate next week, and the all-important Bellerin would likely not be available.

Historically, the November curse for Arsenal is real. And after the 1-1 draw against Tottenham Hotspur and with the forthcoming games, the Arsenal set-up would have to sit tight to maintain their current form.

Bellerin has been a decent addition to the first team. He has successes in shaming critics since his time at Watford on loan. He managed to get past his debut against Borussia Dortmund, and he is gradually building a name for himself at the Emirates. One of his spectacular performances is the game against Bayern Munich last year. Continue reading “BELLERIN INJURY MIGHT AFFECT ARSENAL”

Barcelona going after Premier League defenders

Barcelona are in the market for a new defender, and it is reported that they might be making their choice among the Premier League defenders. Indeed, with Dani Alves likely going to Juventus in the summer, Barcelona might be looking for a capable replacement.

One commonly cited player is Hector Bellerin. The Spanish player was trained at the Barcelona academy and will be the most obvious choice for that post. However, they might find it difficult to convince Arsene Wenger to let one of this best players leave the team. The French manager has recently stated that Arsenal is not a selling club anymore and that they will hold on to their best players.

Barcelona still want to believe that they can convince Hector Bellerin to join them by promising him that he will be able to win trophies there. It will all depend on how Arsenal strengthen their team this season and whether they will be able to challenge for silverware next season.

If ever the deal for Bellerin does not work out; it is believed that Barcelona might make a move for Chelsea defender Cesar Azpilicueta. However, they might find competition from other clubs especially Manchester United. Indeed, it is reported that Jose Mourinho might be interested in bringing his former player at Old Trafford as he attempts to improve a defence that has been quite leaky during the past seasons. Bayern Munich are also reported to have made inquiries for the player, but they have yet to make any offer.

Cesar Azpilicueta is a versatile player that can play on both side of defence and in this aspect, he is much more useful that Bellerin. But Barcelona will believe that it will be easier to tempt an Arsenal player rather than a Chelsea player especially when they have successfully done it in the past.