Ancelotti cried when I left Real Madrid for Man Utd – Casemiro

Manchester United midfielder, Casemiro, has revealed that Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti cried when he left the club.

The Red Devils paid a reported €70.65 million in the summer of 2022 to lure Casemiro from Real.

The Brazilian has now opened up on what transpired when he met Ancelotti before leaving.

“When everything was done with Man United, I entered Ancelotti’s office… he started crying.

“He told me: ‘Case, I don’t know… I just want you to know that I love you! I didn’t want you to leave’.

“It was the only moment where I doubted leaving Real Madrid,” Casemiro told Chiringuito.

Postecoglou dismisses claims that Mathys Tel rejected Spurs

Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou has denied reports suggesting that 19-year-old forward Mathys Tel initially refused to join the club before his deadline-day transfer from Bayern Munich.

Reports emerged last week claiming that Tel had declined a move to Spurs despite meeting chairman Daniel Levy in Germany. However, the forward was later pictured en route to London and officially completed his move on transfer deadline day, joining on loan with a £47.5 million purchase option for the summer.

Addressing the speculation, Postecoglou clarified the situation: “I think people need to understand that you are talking about a 19-year-old who has to make a major decision for his career. It’s not that he rejected us or anyone else. He just wanted to be comfortable with his decision, and credit to him for that.”

Postecoglou also praised Tel’s diligence during the transfer process: “He took so much time and was very diligent about finding out everything. He had other options, which gives me even more confidence that we are getting the right mentality and player. He is ambitious and confident, and it’s great that he chose us.”

Tel may make his debut as Spurs travel to Anfield for the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final clash against Liverpool on Thursday.

New defensive signing Kevin Danso is also available for selection, but key defenders Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero remain sidelined. Spurs are defending a narrow 1-0 lead from the first leg.

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Galatasaray open talks with Wolves for midfielder Mario Lemina

Galatasaray has confirmed negotiations with Wolves over the transfer of Gabonese midfielder Mario Lemina.

Lemina, who joined Wolves from Nice in January 2023, has been sidelined since January 6 following a fallout with manager Vitor Pereira. The midfielder initially refused to make himself available for selection, only to reverse his stance later. Pereira, however, insisted Lemina would remain out until the transfer window closed.

On Wednesday, Galatasaray announced they had entered discussions with both Lemina and Wolves, with Turkey’s transfer window remaining open until February 11.

Lemina, 31, previously played for Galatasaray on loan during the 2019-20 season, making 28 appearances.

His time at Wolves saw challenges, including losing the captaincy to Nelson Semedo after a clash with West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen. Wolves, currently sitting 17th in the Premier League, are just two points above the relegation zone after a difficult season.

Galatasaray, on the other hand, lead the Turkish Super Lig and have advanced to the knockout play-off stage of the Europa League.

Lemina’s career began at Lorient, followed by stints at Marseille and Juventus. Southampton signed him for a then club-record £18.1 million in 2017, where he made 52 appearances.

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Tsimikas urges aggression as Liverpool aim to overcome Spurs in Carabao Cup Semi-Final

Liverpool fullback Kostas Tsimikas has called on his teammates to adopt an aggressive approach as they prepare to face Tottenham Hotspur in the second leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final at Anfield.

Trailing by a one-goal deficit from the first leg, Tsimikas expressed confidence in Liverpool’s ability to secure victory on home turf.

“Everybody is really ready for this game. It will be tough, but we are prepared for every challenge,” Tsimikas told the club’s website.

He emphasized the team’s determination to win every trophy this season, highlighting the importance of the Anfield crowd.

“The fans always give us extra power and confidence. With Anfield at our backs, we are stronger, and we have to show that again.”

Discussing the game plan, Tsimikas stressed the importance of an early goal to shift the game’s momentum.

“We need to score quickly. That will change the dynamic and force them to open up. We must capitalize on that and score goals to win.”

The Reds will be looking to harness their attacking prowess and fan support as they seek to overturn Tottenham’s advantage and progress to the final.