Ludovic Blas, it’s time to speed up his career. Mohamed Salah in the sights of PSG. Angel Di Maria, a future still to be decided. Here are some of the big stories over the last few days of the transfer market from TribalFootball’s transfer expert Rudy Galetti.
LUDOVIC BLAS NOW READY FOR A BIG CLUB
Last week, in the Europa League playoff, Nantes faced one of the biggest international clubs in the world, Juventus. After the excellent result in the first leg (1-1), the French team failed to replicate the great performance at home, being eliminated by the Italians.
However, the 180 minutes of the match have been useful for a real talent like Ludovic Blas to show all his virtues, even scoring a goal. The player, born in 1997, has been followed by many European teams for some time and in June he could leave Nantes to make the big leap to a top destination. Some French clubs, thanks to his excellent performances in Ligue 1 (to date, enriched with 6 goals and 1 assist) have set their sights on him, but the former Guingamp attacking midfielder is also highly appreciated abroad.
From Serie A to the Premier League via the Spanish Liga (with Betis very interested), there is certainly no shortage of suitors: and to raise the rumours about his possible farewell in the summer is his contract, expiring in June 2024 and still never discussed with the Nantes management for a possible renewal.
MESSI, THE WEEK OF TRUTH IS COMING
We told you about it 2 weeks ago: Al Hilal are still very interested in Lionel Messi and are preparing a monster offer ($400/450m per season) to convince the Argentinian player to embrace the Saudi project. Now the internal evaluations have been made and in the next few days a summit has been scheduled in Paris where the management of Al Hilal will meet the entourage of the World Champion to explain the offer in detail.
As mentioned, to facilitate the Saudi transfer, the Ministry of Sports of Saudi Arabia will support every club concretely interested in Messi: this is why also Al-Ittihad have taken the first steps towards Leo. The club coached by Portuguese Nuno Espirito Santo, currently runner-up in the Saudi Professional League, would like to give a boost to the squad with the former Barcelona player.
However, the offer sent to the player’s agent is much lower than that of Al Hilal, which – to date – remains in pole position if the 7-time Ballon d’Or decides to leave European football permanently. Nothing has been decided yet, but the meeting to be held in France in the next few days could begin to clarify many things about the future of the 35-year-old.
PSG, SALAH ON THEIR LIST SHOULD MESSI GO
If on one hand – as we have just seen – Leo Messi’s future is still to be decided, on the other, PSG are already looking around and working in advance, in case the paths of the French club and the Argentine player should part ways.
The names on Luis Campos’ list as replacements are more than one: among these, the profile of Momo Salah undoubtedly stands out. The Egyptian player – who scored twice in the incredible 7-0 against Manchester United – has extended his contract until 2025, but already this summer could decide to try a different experience after a year so far not particularly exciting with Liverpool.
That’s why PSG have contacted Salah’s entourage, with whom there has already been an exchange of information. Nothing has obviously been decided, at the moment only a first contact: in the coming weeks, in the event of Messi’s farewell, there could be a speed up between the French club and Salah, who remains – at least for now – fully committed to Liverpool’s new project.
NEWCASTLE HAVE THEIR TOP SUMMER TARGET – KHVICHA KVARATSKHELIA
Newcastle want to strengthen the midfield and the attack as well in the summer transfer market and, for this reason, they are still evaluating many options. Especially, in attack, the Magpies have put in their sights the real top target: Khvicha Kvaratskheila.
The Napoli player is undoubtedly the number 1 goal of Newcastle, which are trying in every way to qualify for the next Champions League to become even more attractive and increasingly appealing in negotiations with the Georgian winger. However, the toughest obstacle seems to be Napoli, which a few weeks ago already refused an offer from an English team. In fact, the Italian club is asking for at least 100 million euros to start thinking about a possible sale. A too high amount for the club coached by Eddie Howe, always very careful to spend money meticulously on the transfer market.
Not only Newcastle are in the race: the competition for Kvaratskheila is very rich. Manchester City, which is looking for a winger, not only follow Rafa Leao but also the Georgian player, who is liked by PSG and Real Madrid as well. However, only with a concrete offer of at least 100 million euros, the President Aurelio De Laurentiis could begin to be open to a possible transfer of his gem, who arrived last summer from Dinamo Batumi for just 11 million euros.
DI MARIA, BETWEEN RENEWAL AND FAREWELL TO SERIE A
Angel Di Maria’s future is still on the edge. El Fideo, who was crowned World Champion in Qatar a few months ago, returned to Juventus with a great physical condition and, after a difficult start to the season, is now dragging the Old Lady both in Serie A (where the Bianconeri are trying to recover -15 penalty points) and in Europa League.
That’s why, Juventus have decided to discuss with the player the possibility of a 1-year renewal. To date, however, nothing has been agreed and the negotiation will also continue in the coming weeks. In the meantime, foreign teams are also moving for the Argentine player, especially from Saudi Arabia: there is, in fact, a still unknown club in the Saudi Professional League which officially made a free agent bid to the entourage of Di Maria to convince him to land in Saudi Arabia at least for the next 2 seasons.
As with Leo Messi, also in this case the SAFF and the Ministry of Sports will boost the deal if the Arab club will reach at least an agreement in principle with the player. Anyway, El Fideo has offers also from “his” Argentina, with many clubs interested in bringing him back to his homeland, and from MLS: only in the coming weeks, the future of the former PSG will certainly be clearer.
