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Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo linked to Premier League moves again
Let’s take these rumors at face value for funsies.
David Ramos/Getty Images
The English press remains desperate to bring Cristiano Ronaldo home, and Marca remains desperate to troll Barcelona. There’s not really a better way to explain Wednesday’s rumors that Ronaldo and Lionel Messi could both bolt for the Premier League this summer.
Matt Law of the Telegraph says Ronaldo is going to quit Madrid this summer, with Manchester United and PSG the two teams that would duel it out to sign him. Meanwhile, if Pep Guardiola takes over at Manchester City, he might try to take Lionel Messi with him.
Goal of the day
Paulo Dybala’s free kick for Juventus. (r/soccer)
In the news
Some USMNT vets, including Clint Dempsey, are skipping winter camp. (SI)
Liverpool have signed young Serbian star Marko Grujic. (LFC)
Eva Carneiro has not settled with Chelsea and is taking them to court. (BBC)
Legendary manager Ottmar Hitzfeld says Zinedine Zidane’s appointment at Madrid is “demented.” (AS)
But apparently, they only did it because Jose Mourinho turned them down. (Mirror)
Prince Ali is using a tried and true political tactic: predicting chaos if he’s not elected. (Guardian)
After three Liverpool players got injured on Tuesday, Adam Lallana said it’s not due to Jürgen Klopp’s training methods. (ESPN FC)
Younes Belhanda has joined Schalke from Dynamo Kiev. (Bundesliga)
You should be reading
Dustin Ward on how Bayern and Dortmund are doing halfway through the Bundesliga season. (StatsBomb)
Tom Payne with a retro tactical analysis of the 1998 World Cup final. (Spielverlagerung)
Miguel Delaney on Guus Hiddink’s Chelsea turnaround job. (ESPN FC)
Fun with transfer rumors
Silly season has returned. Please don’t take anything in this section too seriously.
Newcastle are going hard for Alexandre Lacazette. (L’Equipe, translated by Get French Football News)
Sunderland are trying to sign Bayern defender Jan Kirchhoff. (Guardian)
Inter have proposed an Eder-Andrea Ranocchia swap meet with Sampdoria. (Football Italia)
Manchester City are interested in Betis defender Cristiano Piccini. (Gianluca Di Marzio)
What to watch on Wednesday (click for listings, all times ET)
Copa del Rey: 6 games (from 6 a.m.) -- Not sure why games were so early, but Barcelona plays at 2:30 p.m.
Serie A: 7 games (from 9 a.m.) -- Also weirdly early. Inter play at noon, Napoli at 2:45 p.m.
League Cup: Everton vs. Manchester City (3 p.m.) -- Hopefully more fun than Tuesday’s League Cup game.
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