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If Ramos leaves, Madrid wants Alaba (AS)
Real Madrid and star defender Sergio Ramos are doing a contract negotiations dance that currently has Los Blancos looking at potential contingency plans. Not surprisingly, Real Madrid views Bayern Munich defender as a player that could slide into Ramos’ position should the center-back leave for Paris Saint-Germain or Manchester United.
AS referred to Alaba as “Plan B” if the club and Ramos can’t find a common ground and reiterated the previous rumors we heard about PSG’s alleged — and insane — three year, €60 million proposal to Ramos.
Finally, AS reached back into the archives to pull out a quote from Alaba’s father George:
“Everyone knows about Madrid’s interest in my son,” George Alaba said back in 2018. “That interest is reciprocal and, now, the right opportunity.”
Still. we already know that Real Madrid thinks Alaba’s asking price is absurd, so if the Austrian wants to move to Spain, he will likely have to concede on some of his financial demands.
Yet another report, however, is stating that Ramos and Madrid have already agreed on a two-year extension, which probably makes sense:
Pursued by PSG and Juventus, Spanish international center-back and Real Madrid longlasting captain Sergio Ramos (34), according to El Larguero, came to terms with Merengues management over a further long-term, pushing current deadline to June 2023. The new contract might be announced before New Year’s Eve.
What does this all mean? We are probably in for much more nonsense until this is all over.
Leno talks unfortunate spot behind “the best” (Abendzeitung)
Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno is an excellent player in his own right, but also one who is resigned to the fact he is stuck behind one of the best to ever do it with Germany: Bayern Munich’s Manuel Neuer.
“Of course it’s not easy. But I know exactly who I’m dealing with in this case,” Leno said. “I can assess that quite well. After all, I have the best goalkeeper in the world in front of me. I think Manuel (Neuer) is the best goalkeeper there has been in the world in the past 30 or 40 years. I don’t drive myself crazy and try to see it positively.”
Another award for Lewy (AS)
Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski and Chelsea’s Pernille Harder each racked up another award as they were recognized by the World Football Summit/AS with Player of the Year Awards for 2020.
Interestingly, Joshua Kimmich finished second to Lewandowski with FC Barcelona’s Lionel Messi finishing third. As for Harder, the former Wolfsburg star, she finished ahead of Olympique Lyon’s Wendie Renard and FC Barcelona’s Jenni Hermoso. The award voting was tallied in the following manner:
The votes of AS.com readers counted for 25% of the overall ballot, while the WFS/AS jury’s choices counted for 75%. The jury was made up of: AS editor-in-chief Vicente Jiménez; AS honorary president Alfredo Relaño; AS columnist Santiago Segurola; AS senior editor María Jesús Luengo; El País sports editor José Sámano; AS journalist Aritz Gabilondo; AS México editor Alejandro Gómez; AS columnist Axel Torres; AS microsites editor Carmen Colino; Dani Garrido, the presenter of Cadena SER radio programme Carrusel Deportivo; AS journalist Mayca Jiménez; Manu Carreño, the presenter of Cadena SER radio programme El Larguero; AS Colombia editor Sarah Castro; AS journalist Aimara Garteizgoxeascoa Gil; and AS Chile editor Mario Brisso.
Weigl unhappy in Lisbon (Sport Bild)
While Luca Waldschmidt is enjoying his time playing for Benfica in Portugal, former Borussia Dortmund midfielder Julian Weigl is not happy:
On the last day of last year, BVB announced the departure of Julian Weigl. The midfielder wanted to try his luck at Benfica in Portugal after four years in black and yellow. But for the Europa League participant, the 25-year-old can no longer get beyond the role of the supplementary player. In seven league games he was only on the field once from the start, and internationally it was only enough for the starting line-up in the 3:3 against Glasgow Rangers.
After less than a year, the initial euphoria about the 20 million entry in Lisbon seems to have vanished. As the Portuguese sports newspaper “Record” reports, Weigl is “very unhappy” with his reservist role. Both the club and the players should be ready to part ways again. Weigl’s contract runs until 2024.
The report then went on to list Juventus as potentially having interest in Weigl, but that does not seem to make any sense at this point for the Italian club.
Man City making another run at Messi? (Transfer Market Web)
Manchester City is allegedly going to take yet another run at bringing in FC Barcelona legend Lionel Messi:
According to The Sun, Manchester City management, after having tried to sign Argentinian international winger/forward Leo Messi (33), are having another go at the six-time Ballon d’Or raiser. Depending on how Barcelona FC season turns out, Messi is deciding whether or not to extend.