Ibrahimovic won four consecutive Ligue 1 titles with PSG, but never went beyond the Champions League quarter-finals and he suggested Neymar could be the man to change their fortunes in Europe. “It’s difficult to not follow the news when a transfer like that happens,” said Ibrahimovic, who rejoined Manchester United on a one-year contract earlier this week. “I follow my old teams and I’m happy for PSG that they made a transfer like that. Because he’s the only player you bring that could bring them to the next level. That’s what they did.”
Asked if he had any advice for Neymar, who has inherited his old number 10 shirt, Ibrahimovic told ESPN UK: “He doesn’t need advice. To go out and show his magic. And the rest will follow because he came to a fantastic team and he just needs to keep playing and make the fans enjoy (themselves).”
Pochettino targets three new signings
Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino hopes to add three more signings to his squad before the transfer window closes next week, he said yesterday. Spurs had not signed any new players when the Premier League season started, but this week they have completed moves for Colombian centre-back Davinson Sanchez and Argentinian goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga.
With many of their title rivals having extensively remodelled their playing squads, Spurs are playing catch-up, but Pochettino says several moves are in the pipeline. “Maybe three more,” he said when asked how many players he expects to bring in by August 31.
“I am confident. We are working hard to change the squad and bring more players in. From our chairman Daniel (Levy) and Steve (Hitchen), our chief scout, trying to find the right profile. We are working hard to strengthen our squad. I think it is so exciting now ahead of the Champions League and Premier League. We need to sign a few more players and a few players need to leave the club. They need to feel they can play more and they want to play more. That is a normal period in every club.”
Spurs are reported to have paid Ajax a club-record fee of £42mn to sign 21-year-old defender Sanchez. He could make his debut in tomorrow’s home game with Burnley, depending on how quickly Spurs can secure a work permit. Spurs lost 2-1 to Chelsea last weekend in their first Premier League home game at Wembley, which is their home for the season while White Hart Lane is rebuilt.
Arsenal face tough Europa League group
Arsenal face a tricky Europa League group stage with ties against Cologne and Red Star Belgrade as Arsene Wenger’s side play in Europe’s second-tier competition for the first time since 1997. The Gunners, who were also given a difficult assignment in Belarus against Bate Borisov in yesterday’s draw, are playing in the Europa League after they finished fifth in the Premier League last season. Another European giant, AC Milan, have an easier passage with ties against Austria Vienna, AEK Athens and Rijeka of Croatia.
Wayne Rooney’s Everton will have a stern test in a group containing French club Lyon, whose Groupama Stadium will host the final on May 16. Italian side Atalanta and Cypriot minnows Apollon Limassol round out Everton’s group.
Palace's De Boer wants another striker
Crystal Palace need to recruit another striker to share the goalscoring burden alongside Christian Benteke, manager Frank de Boer has said ahead of their “must-win” Premier League clash with Swansea today.
The South London side have made an underwhelming start to the season under their new Dutch manager, losing 3-0 to newly-promoted Huddersfield Town on the opening day before suffering a 1-0 defeat at Liverpool last weekend.
“We need some players. If players get injured it’s a bit narrow,” De Boer said. “We don’t have a competitive striker behind Benteke so we’re looking. If there can be some quality action we’ll not hesitate, if not we have enough experience to play (the) football I want to play.”
Palace collected a 2-1 victory over Ipswich Town in the League Cup second round on Tuesday, but De Boer believes there is more to come from his side in the league.
De Boer refused to put a timeframe on winger Wilfried Zaha’s injury layoff but said he will continue his rehabilitation during an upcoming international break. Midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek was also ruled out for the weekend’s visit of Swansea due to a groin injury.
Burke leaves RB Leipzig for West Brom
West Bromwich Albion have signed 20-year-old Scotland winger Oliver Burke from German club RB Leipzig on a five-year contract. West Brom did not disclose how much they have paid to sign him, but British media reports said the fee was in the region of £15mn.
A graduate of Nottingham Forest’s academy, Burke left Forest for Leipzig last August and helped the club achieve a surprise second-place finish in the Bundesliga, but featured only sparingly. Burke is West Brom’s fifth acquisition of the transfer window after Gareth Barry, Jay Rodriguez, Zhang Yuning and Ahmed Hegazi. He could make his debut in tomorrow’s home game with Stoke City.