Romano Joins with the Latest Transfer News & FIFA’s Big Gamble
Liverpool are preparing a major move for Bradley Barcola, Mykhailo Mudryk is cleared to return, and FIFA is facing an unprecedented backlash over its World Cup plans. Kate Mason hosts a packed edition of Market Madness featuring breaking updates from GiveMeSport senior football correspondent Ben Jacobs. Ben reveals the latest on Liverpool’s expected €100 million Barcola bid, Arsenal’s pursuit of Bruno Guimarães, Mudryk’s Chelsea return, Manchester United’s interest in Lewis Hall, Vinícius Júnior and Curtis Jones. The Athletic’s Seb Stafford-Bloor also explains what Newcastle can expect from new head coach Matthias Jaissle, why Jürgen Klopp’s Germany appointment matters and the latest major moves involving Real Madrid, Barcelona and Tottenham. Plus, The Athletic’s Matt Slater breaks down FIFA’s controversial proposal to sell a minority stake in a new World Cup commercial company. With UEFA threatening a boycott, senior FIFA officials speaking out and Gianni Infantino facing mounting pressure, could the plan trigger the biggest power struggle in modern football? Chapters 00:00 Transfer News and FIFA’s World Cup Crisis 01:09 Yan Diomande to Real Madrid: Why the Deal Is Close 04:14 Karim Adeyemi to Barcelona: Why the Move Makes Sense 06:43 Jürgen Klopp Takes Germany: His First Major Warning 12:11 Newcastle’s New Boss: Inside Matthias Jaissle’s Rise 16:06 Tottenham’s “Bomber” Mystery and Midfield Overhaul 20:18 FIFA’s World Cup Sell-Off Sparks Global Backlash 28:55 UEFA Threatens to Boycott FIFA Competitions 33:14 Mudryk Returns as Arsenal Push for Bruno Guimarães 38:10 Liverpool’s Expected €100m Barcola Bid Explained You can get in touch with us too. Streaming on YouTube, Facebook, and X – or catch up anytime on your favourite podcast platform. You can watch the show live on… YouTube: / givemesport Facebook: / givemesport X: @Givemesport Listen back later on your podcast app of choice… Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1h6IrtpKRvgXiOc3N1FBQn Apple: …
Transcript
[music] [music] Hello everybody. Welcome to Market Madness, the podcast from Give Me Sports, where every day is like deadline day. I'm Kate Mason. Later on today, we're going to be joined by Give Me Sports senior football correspondent Ben Jacobs, bringing us the latest breaking transfer news. And we got many fantastic guests to come on the show today. Fitzio Romano is joining us later on with all of the transfer news as well. And we're going to hear from the Athletics Matt Slater on the latest FIFA controversy. But before all that, we're joined by German football correspondent for the Athletic and Spurs fan ser to chat many things including Yandandy Mande and Newcastle United's new boss. We have so much to get into. This is Market Madness from Give Me Sports. [music] Yes. Joining us live is Ste Stafford Blog. Great to see you, Seb. Sorry I keep following you around the internet to get your view on everything in the world of football. How are you doing? >> I'm doing good. The world of football seems to be collapsing in on itself as we speak. So that's that's different for a Friday. It's got nothing to do with Spurs, which is terrific. That's nice. Other than that, I'm I'm doing pretty good. >> Yeah, it's fine. The world of football may be about to collapse, but Dan Killeski is back in full training, so uh >> he's running, he's kicking footballs and everything, so I'm excited. life feels great. Um, you you have been you have been speaking a lot about the FIFA situation and we're going to come on to it later. Um, but it would be great to get your view on a few of the transfer stories that are are kicking around and that are focused on uh Germany. So, I guess the top bit to to go to, if it's all right, would be Yandandy Mande. Um, for a while I got excited that he was going to be in the Premier League, but that looks increasingly unlikely. Is that about right? That is about right sadly for the Premier League and for everybody there because what a terrific player. So the situation there is everybody I think fully expects him Real Madrid A Leipzig to to make the move between the two clubs. Now there's no formal agreement yet. What tends to happen here is uh clubs will have an idea of value and then you need to work out things like obviously what you're paying up front and then your payment schedule and bonuses and all those things. And it's still at that stage as it's what it's it's 4:00 on a Friday afternoon. I admittedly have not checked in for about 2 hours. So things may have changed. Things may have changed. But as of now there's no agreement yet. Even though I would be stunned if one doesn't arrive before much longer because also Kate Ebig are heading to to Austria South Feldon which is lovely this time of year for their training camp over the weekend and I think ideally everybody would like it done before then so that everybody has a has a resolution. That is such a nice place to go to. That's a that's a place I know well from my mountain bike presenting >> that's a that's a place to take your Instagram account. [laughter] >> Exactly. Right. Although actually speaking of which um this is a massive segue not that was not in the script but can you tell me a tiny bit about this Bayern Munich uh friendly that they play every year where they just absolutely batter this team that they go to train in the in the ground up. Is that right? >> Yeah. So they're not actually doing it this year because or like in the formal sense because of the congested schedule after the World Cup, but it's their dream game. So usually they play against like a a fan group um from a particular part of of the uh >> usually of of a very very beautiful part of Bavaria, like one of those places where you would happily spend a healthy four figures for a holiday. >> And yes, they do tend to but I mean they do tend to send out quite a competitive team for those games. So you tend to see the score but yeah not formally happening this year but back next year and it's it's a wonderful event if anybody ever gets a chance to to be near it. >> I'm glad to hear it because also if you're going to do that by Munich it it feels right that you should send out your proper team >> send out Harry Kane to score seven. Absolutely. >> Absolutely. >> Quite right. Um getting back into the Bundesliga La Liga moves. What is the story about the or why did I guess more simply Barcelona sign Dortmund's Karim Adeni? Yeah, this was kind of a I suppose it was a sort of a marriage of convenience for everybody. So Karum Adammy heading into this summer had indicated that he was not going to sign a new Brussy Dortmund contract and he only had a year left on a deal that was running until 2027. Admy um from Barcelona's perspective I guess pretty different to some of their other attacking players. Lightning quick, brilliant counterattacker, very fine, instinctive player. Uh not always uh the most consistent player in terms of his output. It tends to sort of to to perform in sort of 8week bursts and then go off the boil. At the same time, they managed to do a deal which all in if everything goes well and and every every clause is activated will only be worth just over 30 million euros. And he's going there to play for Hans Flick who Flick gave Admy his debut for the German national team. He included him in his 2022 World Cup squad. The didn't actually make make the pitch in Qatar. given how Germany performed that was probably better for him and better for his reputation. But then you look at it and you think okay so this is a team who play with a high defensive line's pressing it's pretty reliable at that suits a team with that kind of that kind of style with that depth of defensive line. So, it's a 50/50 one even though I suppose you could describe most transfers in those terms, but I think it's one where the fee isn't prohibitive. Kate and there's a good player if you can unlock the full potential of the player because if you if you remember a few years ago the way Admy was spoken of when he was when he was still playing in Austria, this was someone that was going to be a global star of the game. hasn't quite happened yet, but there are still times when you see the ability and uh if he's able to to adapt uh to to his new surroundings and to to a higher standard teammate, no reason why he can't reach a higher level. So, I I get it. It makes sense for everybody involved. >> Okay. So, it sounds like you're backing that one to work out basically if you had to come down one side of the other. >> Yeah, for sure. No, I I I it's one of those where if you look at what Barcelona have, you want you want variation in your attacking group, right? you want something that you don't have. And I suppose this summer they've already signed Anthony Gordon. Robert Leandowski's gone. You've added another player who does different things. There's a bit of variety. There's an existing relationship between the coach and the player. There's a lot of lot of boxes ticked. >> Love that. Now, the last time we spoke about this particular story, uh the management of the German national team, >> Jurgen Klopp was firing shots from the sidelines. This is during the World Cup, right? and now he is the boss. Does do those uh perhaps you'll have to talk our our viewers, our listeners through this in a bit more care, but do do we see that whole saga in slightly different light? Now, >> I don't know because I think from the moment Germany exited the World Cup and we first spoke about this, it was inevitable what was going to happen because Klopp had long been rumored to be a future German head coach. It was the one job that could potentially tempt him back to management from his his job as the the global head of soccer at Red Bull. And pretty swiftly after Germany were eliminated by Paraguay, the DFB and Jurgen Klopp were both very public in the fact that they wanted to find a solution. And they did they it was a little complicated because there needed to be um a resolution with Klopp and the DFB and a a proper accountancy of what his job description actually was because a lot of lot wrong there, right? And there's a lot of things that need to happen and this is not just someone coming in to pick a team and to choose a formation Kate and then there needed to be an agreement with Red Bull with Oliver Minslav um the managing director there because he needed to release him from the contract. In the end what happened was Klopp's been released. There's no um there was talk of him uh having a kind of ambassadorial role with with Red Bull. That that's not the case. He's been completely released and the DFB have made a million euro donation to uh one of the charitable causes um Wings for Life um that they're important to to Olive Mins. Um and then Klopps in and you talked about him firing shots from the sideline. Well, he was installed and he was firing shots from uh within the press conference. He said he I mean fair fair play to him. He understands his worth and he understands that um the DFB need him perhaps more than than he needs them. Um, and he said, "Listen, if you treat me like you treated Julian Nglesman, making reference to some of the negativity, but also some of the intrusions into Nglesman's private life, then I'm off. I'll quit." And ordinarily, like in a press conference, it's usually an exercise in trying to make friends and appeasement and platitudes and telling people things they want to hear. And he's just he was he was making threats from from from minute one, basically. And yeah, it was it was different. But then the appetite is there Kate. This is what the German public want. Klopp represents something more than just a football coach in this country and after three successive deeply deeply disappointing world cup world cups um they need a change in momentum and this is what hopefully they've got. So it's a poist appointment but it's also probably the right one. Uh so on we go with that. Let's see where we are. I mean the first game is against uh is against the Netherlands in September which is going to be an amazing night in Amsterdam. So, I I cannot wait for that. >> I want to figure out if there's a way I can get out of it. It sounds incredible. Um, that's it's so interesting the way he's handled it. I think exactly what you're saying about the the news conference and and presumably these are people he's going to know most of the the people in the room, right, with him in that press conference and and he's handled the media in in the UK for many years at Liverpool. And to set out his stall in that way, it it really sort of marks it sets a precedent, but it also kind of is trying to say to people what you've done previously is is unacceptable. And I I wonder if this is like quite a significant moment in football. >> I I I completely agree. Right. Like it's a you're taking a pretty broad position. You're also saying and he he actually said this. He was talking about the reporting that accompanied his appointment and how people had speculated about deals not being done, whether the deal had been done that, you know, people kind of guessing their way through it. And he said, uh, you know, from now on, I think what we should focus on is not necessarily reporting quickly, but reporting accurately. >> Wow. >> Okay. [laughter] Good for you, man. Good for you. because that that's that's a usually when when a when anybody from the sports world upgrades the media or tells the media how to do their job, there's one winner after that happens, right? Because people take it personally and it becomes a little bit of a vendetta. But I don't know. I mean, I don't know if it it's going to inspire a sort of sea change because I think the important thing here is is Klopp has a gravitas and a currency in this role that very few do. He has the reputation, right? He's won the Bundesliga. He's won the Premier League. He's won the Champions League. Uh he also is fabulously wealthy um on account of all his success but also his role. He he was very very well paid by Red Bull. >> And there is that element to him where if it doesn't work on his terms, so be it. That's your role because you you get to play that card. I suppose in a way that's kind of the reward for having his career, which is a pretty enviable position with an employer, right? [laughter] >> Whoa. What an amazing position to be in. That's what you That's That's what se That's what you're looking to get to, isn't it? You're just gonna one >> so many stories that you just tell people where to go when they [laughter] don't give you what they want. Amazing. >> Never never never never. >> Well, that's that's really intriguing to hear about and and it'll be fascinating to see what he can do for Germany because yeah, as you mentioned, they definitely need improvement. Um, speaking of which, I guess let's talk about Newcastle because, um, I know you've written a fair bit about Matias Y. Is that Am I going to pronounce that right? The, you >> Matias Yler. Um, brilliant. It's so good to get it straight away so that I can uh, tell everybody else and pretend I knew it right first. Uh so he's come in from for Eddie how um from Saudi Arabia which normally you might not think oh this is a place where the the best young coaches are being progressed but I from what I understand from what I've read of your excellent work he is someone with a lot of uh perception of having great heritage and and someone you sounded actually quite excited about. I'm certainly interested Kate. So for background go back to 23 and Matias Yisler is head coach of Red Bull Saltsburg in the Austrian Bundesliga and he'd won a double. He followed that up by winning the league again and becoming the first coach to progress the club out of the Champions League group stage into knockout rounds which is pretty significant achievement. And so three years ago he is among his generation one of the most coveted young coaches in Europe. And then he makes this decision to say, "I'm going to go and coach Al a in in the Saudi Arabian Pro League." And I I interviewed him a few months ago and asked him about why he did that. And he was pretty honest. He said that the contract offer was was too good to turn down really and it was something that he um yeah that that he was intrigued by. Also, you know, the challenge of it he got athlete at the time had a squad that consisted of Roberto Firmino. Uh I think Riyad Mahrez was just about to join. Frank Kessier, um Edwan Mendy, the former Chelsea goalkeeper. Ivan Tony is is there now. So he had the opportunity to to coach a level of player that he hadn't had before um and compete at the top of the league. In his three years, I mean he he won the the Asian Champions League um in 2025 and that was the first time that a had won a continental trophy which was a significant achievement and then last April he did it again. So back to back it it really is quite impressive. So yeah, let's see what happens. He is someone who grew up as a coach within the uh the Red Bull system. He he had a a playing career which was ended when he was at Hoffenheim by a knee injury. But then Ralph Ranik was was part of the the Hoffenheim structure back then and he got an internship at Abby Livig became a youth coach was Sebastian Hennes's assistant within for Livigs under 16s and has had this really interesting career but his influences are pretty clear and the type of football he plays are a direct result of of those. So, you know, very efficient with the ball, very attacking, a lot of uh high off the ball pressure. Um, so lots of interesting things to look for. And I it feels like I mean, you need a Newcastle fan to answer this, I guess, Kate, but it feels like time for time for a bit of a change and time for bit of new momentum. And I'm fascinated by by what he's able to do there. Yeah, it's going to be intriguing to watch and and we definit I'm sure we will. I'm sure we'll have a Newcastle specific uh person come on on later shows um and talk about that because obviously the Eddie How connection is a very strong one and everything he's done for the club, you know, it's hard for them to say goodbye for someone who people until they reach. >> He's done he's done a great job, right? He's done, you know, you know, just it it always ends badly for a coach in a way with you know, it's kind of an end of a cycle field. But what what a what a what a what a what a body of work he put together up there. >> Yeah, quite right. And and perhaps this this Y is not someone that people know a lot about. That's why they'll have to read your work on The Athletic and and listen to this and and figure out what they think and then uh and then get into the season, which by the way, as you well know, is not actually that far from from today, madly enough, because I have been we are allowed, says producer Nick, to talk a tiny bit about Tottenham, which is very generous. Um because, uh preseason has just been such an enjoyment. It's just been so enjoyable. But we've been watching them uh play in New Zealand, game against Chelsea to come over the weekend in Australia and then of course all of the big transfers that we've been saying come to pass. But um this is probably a bit unfair because I know that you nobody seems to know anything about it, but obviously Reverse Deservey had this interview. I know you do. Now [laughter] >> what I want to know is who do you think is the bomber? [laughter] I honestly I have no idea that that that's genuinely that's not me playing dumb. I promise you I I honestly have no idea. I um it's really interesting because all of the >> all of the people that you probably would have put into that category a few weeks ago. I would say for for one reason or another are no longer available. Whether it be um Gina Krooppy who's who's had terrible luck with his bad injury, you know, other guys. Um so I I I don't know. Roberto Deserby has tried to row back on this a little bit by kind of disputing the the the what what he meant by bombber. Um but it was like he was talking directly to a couple of my toten WhatsApp groups because they just got so excited and it's the conversation we're having now is just the one that goes on in those as well. Well, where's the bomber? Who is the bombber? When's the bombber happening? >> Of course. Yeah, >> I have no idea. I promise. I have no idea. >> I know. And you probably Yeah, you got to keep your contacts. need a better standard journalist on here if you want that kind of that kind of information. You know, Gay Dornstein se I am very glad to very glad to see you and very glad to speculate on this but I have obviously messaged a million people and have not managed to get very far with this. Um Fer Ferren Torres is someone that people would he >> would be exciting that would be exciting. I see what you're trying to do and you're trying to draw a response out of me and it's not going to happen. So I have no idea. >> Okay. Well, maybe you can just because we haven't discussed this on market madness much, maybe you can just talk about um the the midfield sightings that we have already secured for Tottenham and and how you think that's going to going to play out in the new season. >> It's almost like it doesn't feel real, right? Because it's it's a it's a show of ambition that I'm not in a good way not entirely comfortable with. Like it's it's it's a I don't really know how to respond to it. um Sandre Tanali, Matias Fernandez, uh these are two players from the absolute top shelf that Tottenham can reach and because that those two signings and such a huge amount of money is aimed at a problem that we've tolerated for such a long time, it feels like this wonderful injection of vitamin B as a Tottenham fan and particularly particularly because let's be honest, last season was not the happiest and and you know before it started I I I had a full head of hair And look what happened. Yeah,