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Man City Forced Into Backroom Reshuffle As Director Of Football Quits

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Full Breakdown of Man City's 115 Financial Rule-break Charges As Trial Set To Begin On Monday

In seismic news for the defending Premier League champions, Manchester City’s, director of football, Txiki Begiristain, has announced that he will be leaving the club at the end of the current season.

In his 12 years with the Citizens, Manchester’s other team has dominated English football winning seven Premier League including the famed treble in the 2022/23 season.

Begiristain (pictured), a former, highly accomplished player with Real Sociedad and Barcelona amongst others has been attached to the hip with, City boss, Pep Guardiola almost his entire career, and was instrumental in Guardiola joining the City project in 2016.

The timing of his departure has certainly raised eyebrows. With City facing 115 charges related to the breaching of financial rules which may include possible unprecedented financial penalties, a massive points deduction and even expulsion from the Premier League, Begiristain’s move could look like he’s jumping ship.

An added headache for City is that the clock is ticking on Guardiola’s contract. He has praised Begiristain many times saying, “we work together incredibly well. When we win, we try to analyze why. When we lose, we try to analyze why. We don’t judge the other one. We both work for the best of the club.”

With Guardiola potentially leaving the club at the end of the season, City are facing the loss of the two most important cogs in their off-field operations.

Not wanting to be caught unprepared, they have made a move by hiring Hugo Viana who is the current director of football with Portuguese giants, Sporting Lisbon. He will shadow, Begiristain, over the coming months to ensure a smooth transition to taking over full-time in June.

Viana has had great success in this role and has developed a reputation as someone who can recognize talent and has made the club a lot of money in the transfer market. The Academy programme at Sporting is widely lauded as one of the best in world football.

Perhaps, more importantly, Viana also has Premier League experience having played with Newcastle United becoming the most expensive teenage signing when he joined the club from Sporting for £8.5 million in 2002.

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Premier League

Arsenal Injury List In Full As Mikel Arteta Deals With Seven Concerns Ahead Of Liverpool Clash

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Arteta urges Arsenal to banish painful history with Bayern

Liverpool could be facing an Arsenal side later this month suffering with several injury concerns. The Reds are due to meet the Gunners in the Premier League clash at Anfield on October 27 in what will be their third match after the international break.

Arne Slot has not been forced to deal with many injuries within his squad so far this season. Harvey Elliott and Federico Chiesa were sidelined before the international break, with Alisson Becker added to the treatment room for the next few weeks.

Before facing Arsenal, Liverpool will take on Chelsea in the Premier League this weekend in the first fixture after the international break. After that, the Reds will travel to Germany to face RB Leipzig in their third Champions League match of the campaign.

With Slot dealing with some injury concerns for Liverpool, Mikel Arteta is being forced to manage several players on the sidelines for Arsenal. The ECHO takes a look at Arsenal’s current injury list ahead of the Premier League clash against the Reds on October 27.

Bukayo Saka
Bukayo Saka suffered a potential muscle injury during England’s defeat to Greece in the Nations League last Thursday.

The Arsenal star withdrew from the Three Lions squad due to the fitness concerns and is a doubt for the Gunners’ clash against Bournemouth this weekend, but there is hope that he could recover in time to face the Cherries before Liverpool.

Gabriel Martinelli
Gabriel Martinelli emerged as an injury concern for Arsenal while with the Brazil squad.

Brazil confirmed that Martinelli would have an MRI scan on a possible calf injury, and it remains to be seen how long the forward will be on the sidelines, if at all.

Martin Odegaard
Martin Odegaard has been sidelined with an ankle injury since the September international break.

The Arsenal captain is not expected to return until December, meaning he will not be involved in the clash against Liverpool later this month.

Jurrien Timber

Jurrien Timber missed Arsenal’s win over Southampton before the international break with a knock.

Arsenal will hope to have the defender back in the matchday squad to face Bournemouth this weekend, barring any setbacks in Timber’s recovery.

Ben White

Ben White has missed each of Arsenal’s last four matches with a knee injury.

Arteta is expected to provide an update on the defender’s fitness when he speaks to reporters this week, and whether or not White is fit to return against Bournemouth before facing Liverpool a week later.

Oleksandr Zinchenko
Oleksandr Zinchenko has missed Arsenal’s nine matches with a calf injury.

The Ukraine international could return after the international break, meaning he may be involved against Liverpool the following week.

Kieran Tierney
Kieran Tierney is yet to feature for Arsenal this season with a hamstring injury.

It remains to be seen when the left-back will be fit enough to return to the matchday squad.

Source: Liverpool Echoes

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Ten Haag Must Go! Man Utd Schedule Talks With Two Top Managers

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Man United  Set To Make Another Drastic Boardroom Decision

Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe has made it clear to his colleagues that he wants to see Erik ten Hag relieved of his managerial duties, according to TEAMtalk.

The Red Devils have had a dismal start to the season and currently sit 14th in the Premier League table and huge pressure is mounting on the Dutchman.

Many stories regarding Ten Hag’s future are doing the rounds and with the club’s executive committee meeting in London on Tuesday, TEAMtalk can give an exclusive insight into the thought process of the Manchester United hierarchy.

And we understand that Ratcliffe has made it clear that he wants change to happen and sources say that potential replacements for Ten Hag are already being assessed.

The British billionaire was ready to replace Ten Hag before the start of the season but ultimately handed him a one-year contract extension after they were unable to agree a deal with a suitable replacement.

Just like in the summer, Ratcliffe is willing to wait to find the right man to replace Ten Hag and has handed control of the situation over to Dan Ashworth, Jason Wilcox and Omar Berrada. They are looking at all options with two names coming up as the favourites so far.

Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter are the two candidates being closely looked at by Man Utd and talks with the duo are expected in the near future.

Tuchel spoke with Man Utd over the summer but didn’t feel the timing was right for him to take the job. However, the former Bayern Munich and Chelsea boss is open to another conversation and feels ready to return to management.

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe has also been discussed behind the scenes at Man Utd. However, the cost and difficult;y of getting him out of his contract at St James’ Park is seen as a stumbling block.

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Tension in Ten Haag Camp as Seven-Hour Meeting With Man Utd Owners End With No Update

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Man Utd confirm double injury blow ahead Chelsea clash

No indication over Ten Hag decision after seven-hour Man Utd meeting

Latest from Sky Sports News’ chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol:

As far as Erik ten Hag is concerned, no news is good news.

“Manchester United’s perspective on what happened today is that this was a routine meeting. The meeting was held at the headquarters of INEOS, who are now in charge of all football operations.

“Of course, there’s been a lot of media focus on the meeting today around Ten Hag’s future. 

“But all the information I’m getting from this meeting is that it was a routine meeting. Lots of things were discussed apart from Ten Hag, like the redevelopment of Old Trafford, commercial and sponsorship deals and accounts.

“The meeting went on for quite a long time. It started around 9.30am as Sir Jim Ratcliffe arrived with Sir Dave Brailsford. Also in attendance was Dan Ashworth, Omar Berrada, Jean-Claude Blanc. Joel Glazer and Jason Wilcox were also expected to attend.

“We didn’t see anyone leaving until around 4.45pm, when Blanc left by the front door.

“I think a decision was made that Sir Jim Ratcliffe should leave by the back exit because there were so many people here.

“The meeting went on for almost seven hours. I think if you want to be a conspiracy theorist, you may say, ‘Why did the meeting go on for so long?’

“But the sense I get is, at the moment, no news is good news for Ten Hag. 

“Of course, if a decision has been made that Ten Hag should be replaced, the media are not going to be the first people who are going to be told – that would be done in the right way. 

“I am getting no indication that that kind of decision was made today, and for the time being, I’m being told that it’s business as usual.”

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