Brentford owner: We could have signed Eze, Marmoush, Mudryk and Olise!
Brentford owner Matthew Benham has given a glimpse into the club's recruitment over recent years, dropping names of some of the players the Bees targeted - and missed out on - in recent years.
Speaking at the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference in Boston, he said: "There's always going to be ones you regret.
"We could have signed [Eberechi] Eze for 4m, I think, in 2019. We could also have signed [Omar] Marmoush on a free about three years ago.
"The summer we got promoted to the Premier League, there was actually two players that scouted amazingly, amazingly well.
"One was [Mykhailo] Mudryk which was maybe a bit complicated if we signed, though we were quite close to signing him for a low fee, for about 20m.
"Then Michael Olise. His scouting was unbelievable, out of this world. But we had just got promoted and we weren't used to the crazy agent fees in the Premier League at the time.
"The agent fee for that one was so insanely high that we stepped away, even though there was part of us thinking 'Well, if you combine the agent fee and the transfer fee, it's kind of not too bad,' but the agent fee on its own was just so insane that we stepped away."
Wilson verbally agrees terms on new West Ham deal
Latest from Your Site News' Lyall Thomas and Chris Reidy:
Callum Wilson has verbally agreed terms on a new one-year contract at West Ham, Your Site News understands.
The striker was the subject of interest from Celtic and other clubs in January, with his current deal set to expire in June.
At one stage in January, he was expected to leave but he came off the bench to score a crucial winner at Tottenham and the club have wanted him to stay.
Discussions have continued over his future, and they are now believed to have reached an agreement, although it is not yet signed.
The Hammers are focusing fully on keeping themselves in the Premier League and not currently processing any new deals formally.
Wilson joined West Ham from Newcastle on a free transfer last summer.
He has made 26 appearances in all competitions this season, scoring five goals.
Brandt to leave Dortmund this summer
Borussia Dortmund have announced that Julian Brandt will be leaving the club on a free transfer at the end of the season.
Dortmund's managing director for sport Lars Ricken confirmed the news this weekend, with the 29-year-old closing in on 300 appearances for the club.
"After open talks, we agreed that the contract that is set to expire would not be renewed," Ricken told Sky Germany.
"[He has] played a few hundred games for Borussia Dortmund. I think we can only feel gratitude towards him. He spent seven years with us and was sometimes viewed critically.
"I always appreciated his numbers. Hell turn 30 in a few weeks, and we can look to move in a slightly new direction so it can also be an opportunity for both sides."
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Robertson remains committed to Liverpool until no longer needed
Andy Robertson insists he is committed to Liverpool until he is no longer needed, with his future still unresolved.
The Scotland captains contract expires in the summer and, having become second choice behind Milos Kerkez, Tottenham made a 5m bid to sign him in January after Atletico Madrid had expressed an interest six months previously.
Liverpool initially accepted the approach out of respect for the long-serving players desire to have clarity over his future ahead of the World Cup, but then withdrew after injuries began to impact the squad.
Robertson never pushed for a move although he has started only 14 of 27 matches with as many starts (five) in the Champions League as he has in the Premier League.
However, he showed in Fridays FA Cup win at Wolves, where he scored and assisted in the same game for the first time in over four years, he still has a lot to offer.
There was obviously interest there (from Tottenham) and there were discussions had with both sets of clubs, but the decision was that I wanted to stay, said the Scot, who turns 32 on Wednesday.
I was never not committed. Ive been committed to Liverpool for the last eight and a half or nine years now and Ill be committed until Im no longer needed. Thats always been my mindset.
This club has given me everything and Ive given this club everything. Its been a fantastic relationship so hopefully that continues. Obviously January happened but it is now gone.
Now we move forward and my focus never came off trying to help the lads on the pitch and in training.
Whatever was happening behind the scenes happened, and all I can say is that I kept focusing on football.
He added: "Ive got an amazing relationship with Richard Hughes (sporting director) and with Mike Gordon (president of owners Fenway Sports Group) and Michael Edwards (FSGs chief executive of football), he added.
These people (Gordon and Edwards) brought me to the football club, they have helped make me who I am.
Out of respect to them the conversations will be in-house. I dont think it will get played out in public.
My thought process is I want to win trophies at Liverpool, that has always been my focus.
Its not gone the way that we wanted in the league that is clear and were out of the Carabao Cup so we have got two chances.
If we have more performances like we did Friday then we have a chance. If we play like Tuesday (losing 2-1 in the league at Wolves) then we have no chance, so we need to try and find that consistency.
Griezmann staying at Atletico with MLS move off
Antoine Griezmann is not making an imminent move to Major League Soccer, according to the sporting director of Atletico Madrid.
The 34-year-old had been linked to a transfer to Orlando City.
But Atletico sporting director Mateu Alemany said on Saturday he has this season and two more years with us. I dont see any major news."
He is going to continue with us and nothing more," Alemany said before Griezmann got an assist to help beat Real Sociedad 3-2 in La Liga.
Griezmann, 34, is Atleticos all-time leading scorer. He helped France win the 2018 World Cup before retiring from international soccer in 2024.
He lost his starring role with Diego Simeones side this year with his coach managing his minutes, but even so he has scored 12 goals this campaign in all competitions.
Atletico will also play Real Sociedad in the Copa del Rey final on April 18 - and are also third in La Liga and will play Tottenham in the Champions League round of 16 next week.
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Gravenberch signs new Liverpool contract
Liverpool midfielder Ryan Gravenberch has signed a new contract at the club.
Your Site News understands his new deal is believed to be a six-year-deal which will run until the 2031/32 season.
I feel really, really good, Gravenberch told Liverpool's website. I was really proud to extend my contract at such a big club. So, Im really happy that I can stay for many more years.
I felt directly the trust from the club, also from the manager. The decision for me was easy to make. My family is also happy here. We are now here almost three years, so I know everything already. Im happy that Im here.
For the short term, [my aim is to] end the season as good as possible. And for the long term: win many more trophies with Liverpool.
I have a really nice relationship with [the fans]. Always when I do something good in the stadium I hear them singing my chant.
Im really grateful for the supporters because without them we would not be where we are now. In the future, we want to give them many more [trophies], so hopefully we can get that done.
What next for Spurs?
Your Site reporter Michael Bridge is at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to answer the big questions about Spurs and what happens now with the threat of relegation looming large.
Spanish paper rips into Trent's defensive display
Spanish newspaper Marca has ripped into Trent Alexander-Arnold's defensive display after he was at fault for Real Madrid conceding a goal against Celta Vigo.
Alexander-Arnold helped guide his team to a 2-1 win at Celta but was deemed at fault for Borja Iglesias' equaliser - as he easily allowed an attack down the left wing.
"Good grief, Trent, what a defensive display from the Englishman on that goal - if you can even call it defensive," Marca said.
"Slow, out of position, and then lost inside the box.
"This is Trent, the one who made it 1-1 [with his error], played very poorly at the back, and also the one who assisted Vinicius on the shot that hit the post.
"It's a completely different story when he has the ball, and when he doesn't."
