Real Madrid 'keen' on Rodrygo exchange for another Liverpool player, with Slot to 'make the final decision.'

By Damerex -
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Reports indicate that Liverpool will allow Arne Slot to have the ‘final say’ as Real Madrid looks to exchange Rodrygo for Alexis Mac Allister this summer.  The Reds clinched the Premier League title on Sunday with four games remaining after defeating Tottenham 5-1 in a dominant performance at Anfield.  Liverpool lead their closest competitors, Arsenal, by 15 points – with the Gunners likely to end up as runners-up for the third consecutive season – and now the Reds can focus on their summer objectives.  Slot’s squad received a significant uplift recently when Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk inked new two-year deals after speculation they might depart on free transfers in the summer.  A player who is highly expected to depart is Trent Alexander-Arnold, with numerous reports suggesting he will move to Real Madrid when his contract ends in late June.  Reports from Spain suggest that Real Madrid may be poised to sign another Liverpool star, as Defensa Central stat...
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Pep Guardiola provides encouraging news on Erling Haaland's injury before the Tottenham match

By Damerex -

• Erling Haaland has been dealing with a knee injury. 

• Man City forward was absent for the team's previous two matches. 

• Pep Guardiola "optimistic" before the upcoming match against Tottenham. 

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola anticipated that Erling Haaland will return from his knee injury "soon" and remains optimistic that the club's key striker might play against Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday. 

Haaland has missed City's previous two matches. Having seen his fellow players overwhelmed by Real Madrid in the Champions League last week while being an unused substitute, Haaland was not included in the squad for City's disheartening 2-0 loss at home against Liverpool on Sunday. 

The robust Norwegian has been dealing with a knee injury he incurred during an unusual decisive win for his team when he fell awkwardly against Newcastle United on February 15. 

City's strong beginning against Liverpool quickly diminished as a dynamic attack led by Phil Foden operating as a false nine struggled to get past Alisson. Following a disappointing loss – the team's eighth league defeat of the season, equaling the total from the past two seasons combined – Guardiola was asked about the situation regarding his key forward. 

The Catalan coach indicated that the injury is "not serious", a comforting update for supporters. "All the tests indicate that it's okay, yet he didn't feel okay," Guardiola added. 

"I sense that [Haaland's return] will happen soon, as we trained yesterday and [he] exhibited some excellent movements." However, he stated that he wasn't prepared, and we must honor that. "Hopefully he can assist us in the upcoming matches." 

City travels to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Wednesday night, a troublesome venue where Guardiola has suffered defeats in six of his eight trips. When inquired about Haaland's availability for the upcoming trip, he responded: "Hopefully." 

"Clearly, we will feel his absence," Guardiola remarked. "Over the past nine years, we participated in numerous games without key players, and we managed to cope." "This season we've faced numerous injuries, yet we couldn't manage to cope." 

During his two and a half seasons at Manchester City, Haaland has missed just 26 games in all competitions. The majority of those matches have been against lower league teams in domestic cups, which clarifies why City has still won over 73% of the games that Haaland has not played. 

Nevertheless, they fought hard to make an impact against Madrid midweek, and as soon as Arne Slot directed Ryan Gravenberch to shadow the wandering Foden, City’s danger was effectively diminished once more. 

This season, Spurs have not been strong defensively, yet they are on the longest active winning streak in the league, having secured three straight Premier League wins before City's visit midweek. 


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