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Galatasary club president Dursun Ozbek has dropped a massive hint that the Turkish giants will make a sensational move for Argentina maestro Lionel Messi. Gala have dominated Turkish football in recent seasons, winning three consecutive titles and notably tallying a record-breaking 102 points back in 2023-24. And now Ozbek believes he can convince Messi to swap Inter Miami for the Turkish capital.

• Massive move for MLS star Messi on the cards?

  Galatasaray have a proven track record in recent seasons of signing high-profile players, which has driven forward their dominance of Turkish football. Forward Mauro Icardi joined on loan before making a permanent move, famously becoming the league's top scorer during the 2023-24 campaign. The club made a record-shattering £65 million ($85.5m) permanent signing of Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen earlier this year. Other major acquisitions included the free transfers Wilfried Zaha and Belgian playmaker Dries Mertens, alongside other key players like Lucas Torreira.

  But signing Messi would be a massive undertaking, the diminutive genius has transformed Inter Miami since his arrival in 2023, leading the club to its first trophy, the Leagues Cup. He was also instrumental in their 2024 Supporters' Shield win and in setting the league's record for most regular-season points. Messi's brilliance has elevated the entire team and significantly boosted the MLS's global profile. He continues to deliver decisive performances, as seen in the recent MLS Cup playoffs.

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  'You can easily ask the Messi question'

  But Messi's elite profile in the MLS is no deterrent to Gala president Ozbek, who was asked by Turkish reporters about rumours linking them with the little magician. "Did you say Messi? Galatasaray's most successful point is the transfers it has made," Ozbek is quoted as saying by . We didn't make too many transfers, but we made the transfers we needed, we kept the team. We kept the backbone of the team that became champion three years in a row, especially the whole team. I believe we built a successful team with transfers. We raised the bar very high. We made the highest transfer in the history of Turkish football. Galatasaray's economic level is suitable for these transfers."

  He added: "We have raised the level of success to a high level, so you can easily ask the Messi question. While doing all this, we have achieved a good financial situation and we are not doing anything that will disrupt this. All the work we do, all of it has to stay within our financial capacity. That's why we have built a good team and hopefully we have goals in Europe. We will do whatever it takes to reach these goals."

• Major hurdles to sign Messi

  There are a few stumbling blocks for Ozbek to overcome in his pursuit of Messi. The talismanic Argentina superstar has just signed a new deal to keep him in Miami until 2028, when he’ll be 41 and he has recently spoken of how much he's enjoying life on the Florida coast. 

  Messi recently said: "We were so happy living in Barcelona, the family and the kids, we had everything and we all grew up there. Imagine, I came when I was 13 years old… I built my entire life there. Here in Miami it was different because it was a family decision. Since arriving in Miami, the experience has been wonderful… Living in this amazing city first, then the affection of the people! Everything."

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  Slim chance of landing the GOAT

  There is a glimmer of hope for Galatasaray however, as Messi will not play in domestic competition between December and March during the MLS close-season. The Argentina star, who is hoping to lead his side out as they defend their crown at next year's World Cup in USA, Canada and Mexico earns an eye-watering £15 million ($19.7m), but Gala have shown they're happy to spend big to tempt big-name stars in recent seasons.

Juan Soto may have come off the board, but the New York Yankees and New York Mets are still battling with each other to improve their rosters.

On Monday night, The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon reported the two New York teams are among those battling to try and land Chicago White Sox ace Garrett Crochet. The 25-year-old lefty is coming off a breakout season and is under team control for two more seasons, so he should garner a huge trade return for Chicago.

According to the report, the Philadelphia Phillies and Boston Red Sox are also after Crochet, but the Mets and Yankees have been the most aggressive in their chase.

The Mets have the better collection of prospect depth to trade from. The White Sox are reportedly after young bats and players like Jett Williams, Luisangel Acuna and Brett Baty could be used as bait. Meanwhile, the Yankees have outfielders Jasson Dominguez, Spencer Jones and George Lombard Jr.

The White Sox made Crochet the No. 11 pick in the 2020 MLB draft, but he struggled with injuries, including Tommy John surgery in 2022. He returned to the mound late in 2023, then played his first full major league season as a starter in 2024. In 32 starts he went 6-12 with a 3.58 ERA, a 1.07 WHIP, and 209 strikeouts against 33 walks in 146 innings. He surpassed his highest professional innings total by more than 90.

Crochet has near unlimited upside but does come as a major injury risk. Still, the price will be incredibly high for a pitcher of his pedigree with two years of team control left.

After signing Soto to a 15-year, $765 million contract, the Mets are going all-in. Meanwhile, the Yankees need to counter after losing Soto. It's not shocking the two New York teams are back to battling over a top player once again.

It's no wonder Camilla Kuver can't stop smiling. After making her Champions League debut only a couple of weeks prior, the 22-year-old has just won her first and second caps for Germany, starting both games against France over the last international break to help her country qualify for the Nations League final. These would be milestones worth celebrating for any player, but they are particularly special for the Wolfsburg defender, given the incredible bad luck she has had with injuries over the past four years.

“I’m not even really sure how I handled it all,” Kuver admits. Coming into this season, Germany’s new centre-back had made just five first-team starts since tearing her ACL in November 2021, at the tender age of 18. In fact, she didn’t get onto the pitch once in the 2024-25 campaign, that her second season with Wolfsburg, the two-time European champions and the most successful club in the history of German women’s football.

But after enduring setback after setback, Kuver looks to finally be on the other side and back on track in a career that still has so much promise. After all, despite all of those injuries, her goals in football were never really gone. “They were just postponed,” she notes.

Now, as huge Champions League encounters with the likes of Chelsea, Real Madrid and, on Wednesday, Manchester United loom, Kuver has plenty of opportunity to show everyone just why she remains one of the most highly-rated young defenders in the game.

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  Injury hell

  As GOAL walks through Kuver’s injury history with her, it’s no wonder she admits there were times where there would be questions in the back of her mind asking, ‘Is it even worth it?’ After coming through the youth national teams as a talented and versatile full-back, and breaking into the Eintracht Frankfurt first team as a 17-year-old, an ACL tear during her second senior season would spark the beginning of an incredibly difficult few years.

  Kuver was back on the pitch at the start of the 2022-23 campaign, only to suffer another knee injury that would keep her out for eight more months. Then, after making just five appearances during her first season at Wolfsburg, having completed a move to the German giants during her rehabilitation process, she would miss the entire 2024-25 campaign in what she describes as “definitely the toughest” part of an extremely taxing time. Having overcome cartilage damage in her knee that sidelined her for half of the year, a dislocated shoulder and a ligament injury in her foot took care of the rest.

  “At some point I couldn't even take myself seriously, I feel like, because I came back from injury and then the next one came. Then I thought, 'Okay, now I'm really getting back', and then the next thing came,” Kuver tells GOAL. “Looking back on that time, I'm not even really sure how I handled it all. I just kind of did. I mean, I had to. I think that's what makes this time right now even more special.”

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  Fighting through

  A lot of people would’ve given up had they experienced the setbacks Kuver did. Yet, aside from what she describes as the occasional “tiny questions in the back of my head”, the 22-year-old never considered quitting. Why? “Just because I love playing football,” she responds. “It's always been the greatest joy in my life.

  “During rehab, I realised there's nothing that could compare and there's nothing that could give me the same kind of joy. That was something. I just wanted to be back on the field. Also, I had so many goals – for one, the national team goal. I still wanted to prove myself. I still wanted to show what I can do. That was always something, the mindset of, 'I'm not really done yet'. Even though there were all the injuries and stuff, my goals weren't gone. They were just postponed. That was definitely something that kept me going.”

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  Helpful factors

  Other factors helped, too. Kuver had several friends who were either enduring or had endured long-term setbacks like hers, meaning she could talk to people who knew exactly what she was going through.

  “I've always felt it was easier to talk to people who have gone through the same thing because, of course, people are trying to support you and be empathetic, and I'm sure they can imagine just how hard it is, but it's different when you've gone through it,” she explains. “That was definitely easier for me to talk to those people with. It was very, very important, actually.”

  School was a welcome distraction during her ACL recovery, while Wolfsburg’s decision to sign her when she was sidelined the following year provided a confidence boost. “It was definitely nice to hear that people saw my abilities and, despite my injuries, they thought it was worth it,” she says.

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  Savouring the 'special' moments

  The hope now is that all of that is well behind Kuver. She speaks to GOAL as a regular starter for the team placed second in the Frauen-Bundesliga table and as someone who, last month, experienced Champions League and senior international football for the first time. The player who ranked ninth in the 2022 NXGN list of the best teenage talents in the world is reminding everyone why she generated so much hype as she broke through. And while the injuries are something she would’ve gladly done without, they have made the recent months all the more sweet.

  Kuver describes playing for Germany as something she thought about during her rehab process, “because it’s not always easy to be motivated to go to rehab every single day”. “That was just one of the big goals and dreams that made it possible for me to even get through it,” she recalls. “It is a very, very special feeling. I think it's also important that I keep reminding myself that it is very special, given the journey that I've been on.”

Como manager and ex-Arsenal star Cesc Fàbregas has now heaped praise on Mikel Arteta following a key Gunners tactical tweak.

The Premier League frontrunners take on Sunderland at the Stadium of Light later today, pitting Arteta’s side against the surprise package of the season.

Arsenal arrive on Wearside in utterly imperious form. The north Londoners have won their last 10 matches across all competitions, with eight consecutive victories without conceding a single goal.

They’re aiming to win five successive Premier League games without conceding for the first time since 1987, while their run of eight clean sheets in all competitions matches a club record set way back in 1903.

It’s been nearly 13 hours of football since anyone has scored against them, which is quite simply unbelievable, and they of course boast the best defensive record in Europe’s top five leagues as a result.

That being said, Regis Le Bris’ side pose a tough challenge. Sunderland enter this game having defied all pre-season expectations spectacularly. They’ve accumulated 18 points from their opening 10 fixtures – the most any promoted side has managed at this stage since Hull City’s 20 points in 2008-09.

Their remarkable home form has been key, remaining unbeaten at the Stadium of Light this campaign.

Arsenal are still favourites to win this one, though, following their imperious start to the season — which is made all the more impressive by their mountain of attacking injuries.

Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli, Noni Madueke and captain Martin Odegaard are all unavailable with knee or muscular problems — even if Jesus returned to training this week — Meanwhile, striker Viktor Gyokeres has been ruled out with a potential hamstring injury until after the international break.

This leaves Arteta pretty short of forward options, with Mikel Merino likely to continue in an emergency striker role.

Merino’s second-half brace secured a 3-0 Champions League victory over Slavia Prague in midweek, adding to his very impressive tally of 11 goals in all competitions for Arsenal this calendar year.

The midfielder has been nothing short of inspirational when called upon to play an unfamiliar role by Arteta, and Fabregas is certainly impressed by the former Real Sociedad star.

Fabregas praises "great move" by Arteta to play Merino as Arsenal striker

Speaking in an interview with Calciomercato this week, Fabregas stated it was a “great move” by Arteta to play Merino as a striker once again in the absence of Gyokeres — claiming he’s done very well in the role.

Merino had never played striker before featuring there for the first time against Leicester City back in February, where he scored both goals in Arsenal’s 2-0 victory after replacing the injured Kai Havertz.

Since then, he’s excelled in the position.

The midfielder has netted an astonishing 19 goals for club and country combined in 2025, including his midweek brace against Slavia Prague that also took his Arsenal tally to three headed goals this season. His 6 foot 2 frame makes him a major aerial threat inside the area, while on the deck he’s incredibly strong, using his muscular frame to dominate physical 50-50s.

The 2025 MLB season is officially underway as the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs have begun their two-game series in Tokyo.

While the Dodgers are the defending champs and stacked for another title run, the start to their season was a bit of a weird one as right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto didn't get the first pitch off in time and was called for a pitch clock violation.

Fox's announcers, who are calling the game remotely, were first confused by what they were seeing but then A.J. Pierzynski had the perfect line to sum it up, saying: "I did not have on the first pitch of the Dodgers season after winning a World Series, a ball on a pitch clock violation."

Here's how that played out:

Yamamoto ended up walking Ian Happ in that at-bat but got out of the first inning without giving up a run.

The Dodgers currently lead the Cubs, 3-1.

What a win for Newcastle United on Saturday evening. They beat Manchester City 2-1 at St James’ Park to pick up a huge three points, propelling them up the Premier League table.

Remarkably, it is the first time they have beaten the Citizens in the top flight since 2018/19, a game which they also won 2-1.

There were chances for both sides in the first half, with Harvey Barnes having a couple of opportunities which he squandered. The Citizens also came close through England international Phil Foden, but his shot fizzed wide.

It was Barnes who ended up giving the Magpies the lead in the second half. It was a smart finish from the winger, playing a one-two with Bruno Guimaraes before firing first time past Gianluigi Donnarumma to put his side a goal ahead.

City equalised moments after, thanks to a deflected strike by Ruben Dias. However, a 70th-minute goal from Barnes gave Newcastle the lead from close range. St James’ Park waited with bated breath as VAR checked an offside, but it was given and Eddie Howe’s men held on for all three points.

There were standout performances across the pitch for the Magpies, but Guimaraes and midfield partner Sandro Tonali were two standouts once again.

How Guimaraes and Tonali performed vs. Man City

It was another commanding performance from the Newcastle midfield pairing of Guimaraes and Tonali. The Brazilian grabbed an assist for the first goal, linking up with match-winner Barnes in a slick move, to help give his side the lead.

Indeed, the former Lyon midfielder stood out to Lee Ryder, the chief Newcastle writer for the Chronicle. He gave Guimaraes an 8/10 for his efforts in the middle of the park, describing his second-half display as “superb.”

However, it was not just the Magpies’ number 39 who shone in midfield. Tonali, described as “one of the best midfielders in world football right now” by Ryder, was completely dominant, especially out of possession.

It was a wonderful performance without the ball from Newcastle’s midfield general Tonali. The Italian worked hard all night long, winning 100% of his tackles, making seven recoveries and winning six duels, as per Sofascore. He also managed 47 touches of the ball and created one chance.

It was a typically dominant midfield showing by the pair, but they were arguably not the best Newcastle duo on the pitch against City.

Newcastle's best duo vs. Man City

As well as Guimaraes and Tonali performed, Newcastle fans might have been left more impressed with Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento.

The Magpies’ first-choice full-back pairing were back in the starting lineup together, and were “the best players on the pitch” according to journalist Andy Sixsmith.

It was certainly not an easy day for either of them. Livramento was up against the tricky Jeremy Doku, but kept him quiet, winning two tackles and making eight recoveries.

As for his compatriot Hall, he ensured Rayan Cherki had his work cut out, winning six from seven duels and making three recoveries.

Their performances stood out to Ryder. He gave the pair of them 9/10s for their efforts, explaining the right-back gave the Magpies “a different dimension” and the left-back “made a monumental difference” to the side.

It is easy to see how this pair could be the new version of Guimaraes and Tonali for the Magpies. The England internationals, who are both likely to stake a claim as part of Thomas Tuchel’s squad in the summer, are already fan favourites at St James’ Park.

Their quality speaks for itself, as they showed against City. The manner in which they coped with the Citizens’ tricky wide men was impressive, and their on-ball quality was obvious against Pep Guardiola’s side, too.

Livramento is just 23 years of age, and Hall is 21. They’ve already demonstrated high levels of ability, and could certainly become even more important than Guimaraes and Tonali, the longer they build up this full-back partnership.

USMNT star Johnny Cardoso was hit by another injury blow, which forced him out of Atletico Madrid's clash with Barcelona after just 14 minutes on Tuesday. The midfielder was named in the starting XI for the huge clash at Camp Nou but came off early on in the game after picking up another injury issue in a collision with Barcelona star Dani Olmo, and was replaced by Koke.

• Cardoso's struggles continue at Atletico

  Cardoso was handed a big chance to impress against Barcelona after being named in Diego Simeone's starting XI for the match. The USMNT star has made only four starts for Atletico so far this season, having previously been sidelined with an ankle injury, and will have been aiming to impress against the Catalan giants. However, it proved to be another disappointing evening for the 24-year-old, who was forced off early and looks to now be facing more time out. Atletico confirmed that the midfielder had suffered a knee injury, posting on X: "Johnny was substituted during the first half due to a hard knock to the knee."

  Cardoso's injury wasn't the only disappointment for Atletico as they went on to lose the game 3-1 and end a run of seven straight wins in all competitions. An early goal from Alex Baena had put the visitors 1-0 up, but Barcelona hit back through strikes from Raphinha, Olmo and Ferran Torres to secure the win.

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  Atletico had 'high hopes' for Cardoso

  Atletico boss Simeone admitted he had been forced to adjust his tactics after the early departure of Cardoso. He told reporters: "Cardoso’s injury forced us to adjust. We had high hopes for Johnny, but he got injured and had to leave the game." Atletico must now wait and see the severity of Cardoso's injury and when he will be able to return to action for Los Colchoneros.

• Cardoso reveals injury frustrations

  Cardoso has spoken of his injury frustrations after making his long-awaited return last time out against Inter in the Champions League. He told ESPN Brasil: "Yes, now I feel very good, but as you said, it was a difficult moment. It was the ankle injury that kept me off the field the longest. I’d never been sidelined for that much time before. As I can say, it happened right at the start of my time here—a complicated situation to handle. But I had all the support from my teammates, the coaching staff, and obviously, my family was with me. It’s a moment where you have to keep a strong mentality, keep working, and recover well. It was a complicated injury that took time to heal. So I was eager to get back as quickly as possible, but I also knew I had to be smart about it so that when I returned, I could contribute and perform at my best on the field with the team."

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• Injuries to cost Cardoso World Cup spot?

  Cardoso's appearance for Atletico against Barcelona was his first in La Liga since starting the 1-1 draw with Alaves back in August. The midfielder's only other appearances this season have come against Elche and Espanyol in La Liga and Inter in the Champions League. Yet Atletico have demonstrated their faith in the USMNT star by handing him a new long-term contract back in October that keeps him tied to the club until 2030.

  While his future at Atletico looks secure despite his recent injury problems, his lack of game time means his place in the USMNT squad for World Cup 2026 is far from secure. Cardoso has only managed four appearances for the national team in 2025 and missed all six of the USMNT's fall friendlies due to injury.

Pete Crow-Armstrong has a knack for hitting home runs on pitches out of the zone. In fact, he leads MLB in the quirky statistic.

Well, if hitting out of the zone homers is an art form for Crow-Armstrong, then he created his magnum opus during the Chicago Cubs' 3-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Thursday. Facing Pirates southpaw Andrew Heaney with one on and one out in the bottom of the fourth inning, Crow-Armstrong worked the count even, then got a four-seam fastball up in the zone—and I mean way up—on the fifth pitch of the at-bat.

The Cubs budding star turned on the ball, crushing it 393 feet to right field at a blistering 103.9 MPH.

Not only did the home run give the Cubs the lead, but it was also absurd, given the location of the pitch Crow-Armstrong hit. Here's a closer look.

The offering was nearly four feet above the plate. Crow-Armstrong's manager Craig Counsell was just as surprised as all of us that the Cubs star managed to hit the ball out.

Crow-Armstrong is in the midst of a breakout campaign in his second full big-league season. He owns a .271/.305/.554 slash line with 18 home runs, 57 RBI, 51 runs scored and 21 stolen bases. Crow-Armstrong, currently on pace for at least 40 homers and 50 stolen bases, is a safe bet to be a National League All-Star for the first time in his career.

Winter is here, and Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank knows he is staring down the barrel of a gun as he looks to find form and consistency after a tough start to his tenure.

That may be an understatement. Spurs have lost three on the trot, and Saturday’s home defeat against Fulham in the Premier League means the 3-0 victory over Burnley in August remains an outlier in regard to three points down N17 this season.

The fans are frustrated, no doubt about that. And they have a right to be. Tottenham have lacked sparkle in their attacking play this season, though Frank will feel that injuries to Dominic Solanke, James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski have put him on the back foot.

Much has been made of the Londoners’ creativity (or lack thereof), but it’s also clear that the Lewis Family need to authorise the signing of a centre-forward.

Why Spurs need a striker

Harry Kane and Heung-min Son have both left the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in recent years, and the superstars have not really been replaced with elite options.

Mathys Tel is young and talented, but he is also raw. Solanke is a proven Premier League star, but his entire stint in north London has been blighted by setbacks. Richarlison is in fine form, but probably not the long-term solution at number nine.

What Frank and the fanbase need is an up-and-coming superstar to spearhead this next era at the club.

That’s why Samu Agwehowa has been earmarked. According to TEAMtalk, Tottenham have joined the race for the 21-year-old Porto striker after his convincing performances in Portugal.

The Spanish international has a €100m (about £88m) release clause in his contract, though Fabio Paratici and Johan Lange would be certain to lodge an offer far south of that daunting figure.

What Samu would bring to north London

Richarlison is a curious striker. He is capable of so much, and yet he performs to his full capacity with consistent inconsistency.

Injuries have not helped the Brazil international, but it’s clear that he is not Kane. That said, Richarlison has been in moderately good form this season, essential in providing an outlet as Solanke founders in the infirmary.

But in Samu, Frank would land a goalscorer who has the potential to be “one of the best strikers in Europe”, according to journalist Zach Lowy, so powerful and potent in the final third.

Joining Porto from Atletico Madrid in 2024, Samu has chalked up 37 goals and four assists across just 62 appearances, including ten from 17 outings in all competitions this season.

He ranks among the top 8% of forwards in the Primeira Liga for progressive carries and the top 3% for successful take-ons, emphasising not only his pace but his control and force when on the ball and driving forward.

His athleticism and natural poaching instinct earn him a certain likeness to Richarlison, but given his age and the consistency of goalscoring, Samu might actually prove an upgrade on the South American.

Take, for example, his Europa League performances this year, winning 57% of his duels and averaging a tackle per game, as per Sofascore.

Combativeness forms a key part of Richarlison’s toolbox, and if Spurs are to upgrade on the 28-year-old, who has actually been linked with a move away from the club of late, they will want to sign someone who can emulate him while building up a skillset that transcends what Spurs have hosted in recent years.

Samu is all that and more, and he would be a fantastic signing for a Tottenham team in need of a new talisman.

Spurs star who was one of "the best" in the country is now as bad as Porro

Some of Tottenham’s star players have let Thomas Frank down this season.

By
Angus Sinclair

Dec 2, 2025

Barcelona full back Jules Kounde has revealed that he chose to sign for Barcelona over Chelsea because he preferred then Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez’s approach compared with then-Blues boss Thomas Tuchel. The French defender, who was at Sevilla at the time, had been the subject of a transfer battle between the two clubs. Kounde explained that he enjoyed his discussions with Xavi and that time flew by, noting that he liked the legendary former midfielder's natural style of speaking.

• Barcelona vs Chelsea: The battle for Kounde

  Kounde joined Barcelona in 2022 after an impressive spell with Sevilla, where he notably won the 2019-20 Europa League. Known for his defensive solidity, tactical awareness, and ability to play out from the back, Kounde quickly became an integral part of Barcelona’s defence and has helped the club secure two La Liga titles. 

  Before joining Barcelona, Kounde was heavily pursued by Chelsea, sparking a transfer battle between the two clubs. Ultimately, Barcelona secured his signature as Xavi’s vision and project convinced Kounde more than Tuchel’s Chelsea. Since arriving, he has been an essential figure in stabilising the defence and contributing to Barcelona’s domestic and European ambitions.

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  Kounde explains transfer decision

  Kounde has revealed that Xavi’s approach impressed him more than Tuchel’s, highlighting the Spaniard’s natural way of speaking when discussing football. This played a key role in his decision to join Barcelona over Chelsea.

  “I enjoyed our conversation," he said. "Time flew by, and that's always a good sign when you're talking so naturally. We mainly talk about football, which is what I like talking about most, especially with the manager, Xavi, who was one of the best players ever.”

  He added: “I spoke to Tuchel and felt that he wanted me to go, but I simply preferred Xavi's approach.”

  Kounde also favoured Barcelona because they planned to use him as a centre-back, unlike Chelsea who wanted him as a full back, saying: “I chose Bara because I know that most of the time I will play in this position [centre-back].”

• City's interest in Kounde

  In July of this year, reports suggested that Manchester City were interested in Kounde as they looked to strengthen their defence. The French centre-back had been one of Barcelona’s standout performers the previous season, playing a key role in their league-winning campaign and even scoring the decisive Copa del Rey final goal against Real Madrid. Meanwhile, City endured their toughest season under Pep Guardiola since 2016–17, finishing without a major trophy and struggling defensively. Speculation ended, though, when Kounde signed a contract extension with Barcelona, keeping him at the club until 2030. 

  Barcelona sporting director Deco confirmed that City did check on Kounde’s availability in July, saying: "No, there was no offer. The only thing I do know is that City, and now there's [new director of football] Hugo Viana and before that there was Txiki [Begiristain], were looking for a full-back, and of course they asked us if Koundé was on the market. And we told them no. So, there was no offer or any negotiation."

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  Barcelona back to winning ways vs Bilbao

  With Kounde signing an extension until 2030, committing his future to Barcelona, his decision to join the Catalan club has paid off handsomely. He has won multiple titles with the club while competing at the highest levels in Europe. Barcelona returned to winning ways with a 4-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao in their first game at the Camp Nou since renovations. 

  Barcelona sit 11th in the Champions League with seven points from four matches, five worse off than leaders Bayern Munich and Arsenal. The Catalan club come up against Kounde's former suitors Chelsea on Tuesday aiming to prevent the German and English clubs, who will face each other on Wednesday, from moving further ahead. Then, on Saturday, they return to La Liga action with a game against Deportivo Alaves. Sitting just one point behind Real Madrid, who have drawn two in a row in the division, they are gunning for another league crown under coach Hansi Flick.