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One of Liverpool&#8217;s glue guys of a remarkable run in their storied history has, indeed, really left Anfield.
Georginio Wijnaldum was unable to get the contract he wanted from the Reds and instead has signed for Barcelona PSG . Wait, what? Yep. He&#8217;s signed for Paris Saint-Germain, joining Mauricio Pochettino in a move that will surprise plenty of fans.
[ MORE: <a href="https://www.flyingeze.com/news/usmnt-player-ratings-versus-costa-rica" target="_blank">USMNT player ratings v Costa Rica</a> ]
Wijnaldum turns 31 in November and joins Les Parisiens on a deal through the 2023-24 season and he leaves Liverpool after a remarkable run of accolades and memorable moments, with Jurgen Klopp heaping emotional praise on the midfielder.
Before I go any further in analysis, this video below the jump&#8230; wow. I am not a Liverpool fans and still can&#8217;t help but have the tear ducts making threats after watching this video. Granted as a dad, I&#8217;ll pretty much cry at a well-done commercial these days, but I digress.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
A key part of so many of our magical moments, <a href="https://twitter.com/GWijnaldum?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank">@GWijnaldum</a> ❤️ <a href="https://t.co/mXJmglmDFf" target="_blank">pic.twitter.com/mXJmglmDFf</a>
&mdash; Liverpool FC (@LFC) <a href="https://twitter.com/LFC/status/1402981839837437958?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank">June 10, 2021</a></blockquote>

Wijnaldum joined the Premier League when Newcastle signed him from PSV Eindhoven on the heels of three 14-goal seasons in four seasons.
He scored 11 goals with five assists in the Magpies&#8217; relegation season of 2015-16 including four against Norwich City (yes, in one game) Iand two versus Spurs.
He continued the playmaking in Liverpool in 2016-17 (and with the Netherlands pretty much to this day), with six goals and nine assists but Jurgen Klopp found a way to get Wijnaldum accept a more handcuffed offensive role in order to facilitate success.
Wijnaldum may yet see his goals and assists take a leap at PSG, but his traditional career stats will never tell the story of his success at Liverpool. One of the attacking focal points of the Dutch national team, Wijnaldum is a legit threat when given freedom and creativity.
But the sacrifices he made for Klopp and the Reds leading to the end of European Cup and Premier League Trophy droughts, should not be forgotten any time soon.
<img loading="lazy" class=" wp-image-590587" src="https://soccer.nbcsports.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2021/06/Screen-Shot-2021-06-10-at-3.01.01-PM.png" alt="Wijnaldum" width="417" srcset="https://soccer.nbcsports.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2021/06/Screen-Shot-2021-06-10-at-3.01.01-PM.png 990w, https://soccer.nbcsports.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2021/06/Screen-Shot-2021-06-10-at-3.01.01-PM.png?resize=206,272 206w, https://soccer.nbcsports.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2021/06/Screen-Shot-2021-06-10-at-3.01.01-PM.png?resize=768,1016 768w, https://soccer.nbcsports.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2021/06/Screen-Shot-2021-06-10-at-3.01.01-PM.png?resize=774,1024 774w, https://soccer.nbcsports.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2021/06/Screen-Shot-2021-06-10-at-3.01.01-PM.png?resize=178,235 178w, https://soccer.nbcsports.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2021/06/Screen-Shot-2021-06-10-at-3.01.01-PM.png?resize=816,1080 816w" sizes="(max-width: 417px) 100vw, 417px" />fbref.com
Klopp, clearly, knows the quality of the man heading to Paris.
Here&#8217;s part of a longer statement from Klopp <a href="https://www.liverpoolfc.com/news/first-team/436313-jurgen-klopp-farewell-wijnaldum-liverpool-legend-forever" target="_blank">from Liverpool&#8217;s web site</a>:
“I will miss the player he is like crazy – highest-quality ability, one of the smartest players I have ever had the privilege to coach. His contribution was off the scale, a manager’s dream.
“But as a person he’ll leave just as big a hole. A more giving individual you could not wish to meet. Gini is very strong and opinionated, but his motivation is only to help the team – always. His teammates adored him and respected him in equal measure. His smile lit up our workplace. He was a huge part of our beating heart.&#8221;
Will Pochettino use Wijnaldum as a precision-shooting, final-third dissecting midfielder or use him a bit more like Klopp?
Either way, he&#8217;s getting a gem.
At 30, it&#8217;s understandable that Klopp and Liverpool don&#8217;t want to hand a big contract to Wijnaldum but there may be short-term pains for long-term gains because players of the Dutchman&#8217;s showstopping talent rarely accept such limited roles in order to benefit a team.
Wijnaldum was a ball mover and/or shuttler, completing an absurd 92.5 percent of his passes. That ranks in the 99th percentile of mdifielders from Europe&#8217;s top competitions, according to the FBRef.com screen grab at right.
He&#8217;s not about to get stuck into tackles but he is capable of firing home from distance and navigating the 18-yard-box. If you want to get a feel for how a player like Wijnaldum could function with more attacking freedom and need to look beyond his production with the Netherlands, look to reported Liverpool target Youri Tielemans of Leicester City.
Or&#8230; perhaps Klopp is finally ready to hand the keys to a man rumored to go to Leicester in a swap deal: <a href="https://fbref.com/en/players/f25c8e3a/Naby-Keita" target="_blank">Naby Keita, whose advanced stats say</a> he might already be the player we thought was arriving from RB Leipzig.
<a href="https://twitter.com/NicholasMendola" target="_blank">Follow @NicholasMendola</a>

“His smile lit up our workplace,” said Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp of the departing Wijnaldum. “He was a huge part of our beating heart.”

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Liverpool’s Klopp salutes Wijnaldum ahead of PSG move

Flying Eze

Nantes will play in Ligue 1 next season after squeezing past Toulouse on away goals in the relegation play-off on Sunday, a positive end to what has been a chaotic season.
Antoine Kombouare&#8217;s team lost 1-0 on the night to Toulouse thanks to Vakoun Bayo&#8217;s 62nd-minute strike, but keep their top-flight status thanks to their 2-1 win in the south west of France on Thursday.
It brings to an end a turbulent season for Nantes in which they had three coaches, including a disastrous and short-lived spell under reviled former France coach Raymond Domenech.
Fans greeted Domenech&#8217;s arrival at his first training session in late December with clown music in one of the most memorable moments of the season, and things did not improve much before his sacking in mid-February without a single win under his belt.
A run of four wins from their final five league games enabled Kombouare to keep Nantes out of the automatic relegation places and then beat Toulouse, who stay in Ligue 2.
There was little appetite to celebrate among fans however, who largely shunned a chance to congratulate the players in sign of protest against deeply unpopular club president Waldemar Kita.
AFP

Nantes will play in Ligue 1 next season after squeezing past Toulouse on away goals in the relegation play-off on Sunday, a positive end to what has been a chaotic season. Antoine Kombouare’s team lost 1-0 on the night to Toulouse thanks to Vakoun Bayo’s 62nd-minute strike, but keep their top-flight status thanks to their…

Nantes win relegation playoff to maintain Ligue 1 status

MONACO (AP) Lille upset the odds to win its first French championship in 10 years, edging defending champion Paris Saint-Germain by one point as an enthralling title race ended on Sunday.
PSG had to better Lille&#8217;s result, but Lille won 2-1 at Angers and PSG won 2-0 at Brest in one of the most exciting French seasons for many years.
Victory gave Lille a fourth French crown and stopped PSG from sealing a record-equaling 10th to join Marseille and Saint-Etienne.
Neymar missed a penalty before Kylian Mbappe netted his league-leading 27th goal in vain on the night he was voted the league&#8217;s best player and Lille&#8217;s Christophe Galtier was named best coach for the third time.
Canada forward Jonathan David opened the scoring early for Lille and then won a penalty converted by Turkey veteran Burak Yilmaz just before the break.
Angers grabbed an injury-time consolation to cause some late nerves, but Lille had just a few seconds to wait after restarting the game before celebrating a remarkable achievement.
Lille lost only three games compared to eight for PSG, and Lille also conceded the fewest goals while keeping the most clean sheets.
Elsewhere, Monaco drew 0-0 at Lens to secure third and a place in the Champions League qualifying rounds, with Lyon two points back in fourth.
Lyon fluffed its chances by losing 3-2 at home to Nice and enters the Europa League along with fifth-place Marseille.
Brest stayed up by one point from eight-time champion Nantes, which lost 2-1 at home to Montpellier to finish in 18th and the promotion-relegation playoff spot with second-tier Toulouse.

Lille upset the odds to win its first French championship in 10 years, edging defending champ PSG by one point as an enthralling title race ended on Sunday.

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USMNT’s Weah and Lille hold on to win Ligue 1 by one point over PSG

Lille won the Ligue 1 title on Sunday thanks to a 2-1 victory over Angers which ensured they were crowned French champions for the first time since 2011.
An early Jonathan David strike and Burak Yilmaz&#8217;s penalty in first-half stoppage time ensured that Christophe Galtier&#8217;s Lille finished one point ahead of second-placed Paris Saint-Germain, who won 2-0 at Brest.
Angelo Fulgini pulled one back in added time at the end of the match, but the hosts couldn&#8217;t stop Lille becoming champions for the fourth time in their history.
The title triumph came after another away success for Lille, who finish the season unbeaten on the road since November, and ends a three-year league winning streak for PSG.
Mauricio Pochettino&#8217;s PSG will have to content themselves with the French Cup in a disappointing season for the Qatari-owned club.
Monaco won the race for the final Champions League position despite only managing a goalless draw at Lens, as Lyon lost 3-2 at home to mid-table outfit Nice and allowed the Principality club to claim third spot.
Lyon will take part in the Europa League alongside fifth-placed Marseille, who lost 1-0 at Metz.
								
									
										
										
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AFP

Lille won the Ligue 1 title on Sunday thanks to a 2-1 victory over Angers which ensured they were crowned French champions for the first time since 2011. An early Jonathan David strike and Burak Yilmaz’s penalty in first-half stoppage time ensured that Christophe Galtier’s Lille finished one point ahead of second-placed Paris Saint-Germain, who…

Sports

Lille win French Ligue 1 for fourth time

Several soccer superstars have been listed among the highest-paid athletes in the world in 2020 with Messi, Ronaldo and Neymar starring.
[ MORE: <a href="https://www.flyingeze.com/news/nbc-sports-premier-league-schedule" target="_blank">How to watch PL in the USA</a> ]   
<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/brettknight/2021/05/12/the-worlds-10-highest-paid-athletes-conor-mcgregor-leads-a-group-of-sports-stars-unfazed-by-the-pandemic/?sh=61bb26d126f4" target="_blank" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Forbes</a> have put together a list of the top 10 highest-paid athletes in the world over the last 12 months, and three soccer superstars are in the top six.
Connor McGregor leads the way at number one after making $180 million in 2020, with $22 million in the ring and $158 million from commercial deals, but then come two legendary stars.
Lionel Messi is second out of all athletes and top among soccer players, as the Barcelona and Argentine star raked in $130 million in 2020.
$97 million of Messi&#8217;s earnings came from his wages at Barca, with the rest coming from commercial deals.
With his current contract at Barcelona up this summer, Messi could make even more if he heads elsewhere, but it is also likely he stays at Barca and take a bit of a pay cut.
We&#8217;re sure Leo will can do a few more sponsorship shoots to make up his losses&#8230;
Next up is Cristiano Ronaldo, who is second in the soccer world and third across all athletes with earnings of $120 million.
The Juventus and Portugal star, now 36 years of age, shows no signs of slowing down and has been linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid, among others, as Juve aim to get his wages off the books this summer. $70 million of Ronaldo&#8217;s earnings come from his Juve wages, with $50 million from endorsements.
Just below the two superstars was Neymar, who came in sixth overall at $95 million, as the Brazil and Paris Saint-Germain star just signed a huge new contract with Les Parisiens. His deal at PSG brought him $76 million of his earnings.
NBA and NFL stars all featured heavily on the list, and below are the top 10 highest-earning athletes from 2020.

1 &#8211; Connor McGregor: $180 million 
2 &#8211; Lionel Messi: $130 million 
3 &#8211; Cristiano Ronaldo: $120 million 
4 &#8211; Dak Prescott: $107.5 million 
5 &#8211; LeBron James: $96.5 million 
6 &#8211; Neymar: $95 million 
7 &#8211; Roger Federer: $90 million 
8 &#8211; Lewis Hamilton: $82 million 
9 &#8211; Tom Brady: $76 million 
10 &#8211; Kevin Durant: $75 million
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Several soccer superstars have been listed among the highest-paid athletes in the world with Messi, Ronaldo and Neymar starring.

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Highest-paid athletes: Messi, Ronaldo, Neymar among top 10

The latest transfer news has an intriguing update on Jadon Sancho to Manchester United, plus Eduardo Camavinga to Arsenal has been reported.
[ MORE: <a href="https://www.flyingeze.com/news/nbc-sports-premier-league-schedule" target="_blank">How to watch PL in the USA</a> ]   
We all know that this summer is going to be very busy when it comes to the transfer market, as clubs are waiting to see how the coronavirus pandemic has impacted the transfer fees long-term.
That should mean the summer window is even busier than usual as clubs have held off on spending in recent windows.
Let&#8217;s take a look at two of the top young talents in Europe being linked with moves to the Premier League.
<h4>Update on Sancho to Manchester United</h4>
The <a href="https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/man-united-news-cavani-greenwood-20561681" target="_blank" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Manchester Evening News</a> have an update on Jadon Sancho, 21, to Manchester United, and it seems like the Red Devils, well, aren&#8217;t too bothered about signing the England international.
Sancho was linked with a move to United throughout last summer but Dortmund dug their heels in and kept hold of the talented winger.
He&#8217;s had a decent season for Dortmund in a tumultuous 2020-21 campaign (10 goals and 12 assists in the Bundesliga and Champions League compared to 19 and 18 respectively for last season) but you get the sense the Bundesliga giants will be happy to cash in on him this summer.
Per the report, United aren&#8217;t too keen on splashing over $113 million on Sancho because of one man: Mason Greenwood.
The talented wide forward is back to his best after a slow start to 2020-21 and Greenwood could even push Sancho out of the England squad for the European Championships this summer.
With Edinson Cavani also signing a new one-year contract extension, plus Marcus Rashford, Paul Pogba, Bruno Fernandes and Anthony Martial around too, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is set for forwards.
If United don&#8217;t make a move for Sancho it is likely that Chelsea will make a move, as a report in Bild in Germany suggests that Sancho wants to head back to England and play in the Premier League.
But would it be best for the winger to stick around at Dortmund for at least another season?
With Erling Haaland set to leave either this summer or in the summer of 2022, plus Jude Bellingham getting plenty of attention, Sancho may well be Dortmund&#8217;s main man next season.
Dortmund have had a tough season but Sancho and their young squad have rallied in recent weeks to get them back into the top four. For his development it may be better to stay at Dortmund, at least for one more season, and then see what the situation is at United with Cavani et al. in the summer of 2022.
<h4>Arsenal linked with French starlet</h4>
Eduardo Camavinga is one of those players that will be linked with a move each and every window until he leaves Rennes.
The French teenager, 18, is a full international and has been superb in Ligue 1 over the last few seasons after bursting onto the scene.
Camavinga is reportedly a top target for Arsenal according to <a href="https://le10sport.com/football/mercato/exclu-mercato-psg-arsenal-a-fond-sur-camavinga-rennes-549223" target="_blank" rel="noopener" target="_blank">LeSport 10</a>, and Rennes value the teenager at $60 million.
Quite how Arsenal are going to afford to buy Camavinga is a head-scratcher given the likelihood they will not play in Europe next season, but he would slot in well with the young squad Mikel Arteta is putting together.
The Arsenal boss has said his team will be built around youngsters Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe, Kieran Tierney and the likes of Folarin Balogun coming through, and Camavinga would be a creative attacking midfielder at the center of the rebuild.
<a href="https://www.flyingeze.com/news/aouar-arsenal-transfer-news-lyon" target="_blank" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Arsenal have been linked with Houssem Aouar</a>, 22, and with both Dani Ceballos and Martin Odegaard expected to head back to Real Madrid from their loan spells this summer, they need extra creativity in midfield.
In truth, that has been one of their main problems all season long. Camavinga would help with that but he won&#8217;t come cheap.
With his contract running out in the summer of 2022, now is the time for Rennes to cash in given that they are unlikely to qualify for Europe next season and the financial problems in Ligue 1.
Arsenal will be one of a number of clubs chasing the talented youngster.
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The latest transfer news has an intriguing update on Jadon Sancho to Manchester United, plus Eduardo Camavinga to Arsenal has been reported.

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Transfer news: Sancho to Man United latest; Camavinga to Arsenal

Neymar was on target the day after signing his contract extension but Paris Saint-Germain were held to a 1-1 draw at Rennes on Sunday that leaves Lille a step closer to a remarkable Ligue 1 title triumph.
PSG led at half-time after Neymar converted a controversial penalty award, but they were pegged back in the second half as Serhou Guirassy headed in the equaliser.
Presnel Kimpembe was later sent off for Mauricio Pochettino&#8217;s side, who could not get back to winning ways on their return to domestic action following their Champions League semi-final exit against Manchester City.
PSG are now three points adrift of Ligue 1 leaders Lille, who know they will be champions for the first time since 2011 by taking four points from their remaining two matches of the season.
The Parisians have won the French title in seven of the last eight years but they have regularly wobbled this season and the decision to replace coach Thomas Tuchel with Pochettino during the winter break looks like it will not have the desired impact.
&#8220;We will keep believing until the end, we won&#8217;t lose faith, but at Paris Saint-Germain we need to do much better,&#8221; captain Marquinhos told broadcaster Canal Plus.
&#8220;Lille are a really good side and are winning every match. We have two games left and we need to believe, focus on ourselves and perform better.&#8221;
								
									
										
										
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Lille had opened up a provisional four-point lead by winning 3-0 at Lens on Friday, with Burak Yilmaz scoring twice.
It appeared PSG might respond in kind, despite being without the suspended Kylian Mbappe or the injured Marco Verratti in Brittany.
They were given the chance to take the lead in first-half stoppage time when referee Ruddy Buquet surprisingly awarded a penalty after reviewing footage of Rennes defender Nayef Aguerd attempting to block a Layvin Kurzawa shot.
Neymar marked Saturday&#8217;s announcement that he had extended his contract until 2025 by stroking home from the spot.
However, Rennes are chasing European qualification and they went looking for the equaliser, getting their reward 20 minutes from time when Guirassy headed in Benjamin Bourigeaud&#8217;s corner.
PSG were then reduced to 10 men three minutes from time when Kimpembe&#8217;s lunge on Jeremy Doku earned the defender a straight red card.
PSG&#8217;s last two games are at home to Reims and away at relegation-threatened Brest, while Lille finish at home to Saint-Etienne and away at Angers.
						
							
								
								
									
									
								
								
								
							
						
					
&#8211; Monaco eye Champions League &#8211; 
Earlier, a first senior goal for Belgian youngster Eliot Matazo gave Monaco a 1-0 win at Reims that kept the principality club on course for a top-three finish and a return to the Champions League.
Teenager Matazo, signed from Anderlecht aged 16 in 2018, struck in the 20th minute and Monaco then saw out the victory to get back on track after losing at home to rivals Lyon last weekend.
The principality side were beaten 3-2 in that game and were then leapfrogged by Lyon after they defeated Lorient 4-1 on Saturday.
However, Sunday&#8217;s victory took Niko Kovac&#8217;s side back up to third on 74 points, one point better off than Lyon.
&#8220;The pressure is not on us but on Lyon because they were not in the Champions League this season and they need to be there,&#8221; said Kovac.
&#8220;Before the match I told the players to enjoy themselves because they were fourth and they have had a great season.&#8221;
Champions and Champions League semi-finalists in 2017, Monaco are also five points adrift of Lille and two points behind PSG.
				
					
						
						
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Only the top three in France qualify for the Champions League, with the top two going straight into the group stage of Europe&#8217;s elite club competition and third entering in the third qualifying round. 
Fourth will have to settle for the Europa League with fifth set to go into the new Europa Conference League.
Marseille remain fifth, above Lens on goal difference, despite losing 1-0 at Saint-Etienne. Rennes are a point behind them in seventh.
AFP

Neymar was on target the day after signing his contract extension but Paris Saint-Germain were held to a 1-1 draw at Rennes on Sunday that leaves Lille a step closer to a remarkable Ligue 1 title triumph. PSG led at half-time after Neymar converted a controversial penalty award, but they were pegged back in the…

Lille closer to Ligue 1 triumph after PSG, Rennes draw

Paris Saint-Germain are out of the Champions League and there is a danger that for once they will miss out on the French title too as they head into the weekend still trailing leaders Lille.
With three games remaining PSG are a point behind Lille, the possibility that Mauricio Pochettino could fail to deliver any major silverware in his first half-season in charge a real one.
That would not reflect well on Pochettino, especially as the man he replaced, Thomas Tuchel, has taken Chelsea to the Champions League final and the FA Cup final in little over three months at the London club.
Pochettino forged a reputation as one of the most talented coaches in football despite not winning any trophies at Espanyol, Southampton or Tottenham Hotspur.
When he lifted the Champions Trophy, the French equivalent of a Super Cup, in his third game with PSG in January, he credited Tuchel for the victory.
Yet if PSG fail to win Ligue 1 it will be seen as his responsibility, and as PSG again getting it wrong by deciding to sack a coach mid-season &#8212; the last time, in 2011/12, they were top when Antoine Kombouare was sacked in December and replaced by Carlo Ancelotti, only to finish second to Montpellier.
Nevertheless, PSG could also still end the campaign with a domestic double.
								
									
										
										
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They visit Montpellier in the French Cup semi-finals next Wednesday and before that travel to Rennes on Sunday, by which time they will know the outcome of Lille&#8217;s game at Lens on Friday.
Pochettino will also hope they have got their Champions League semi-final defeat by Manchester City out of their system when they take to the field at Roazhon Park.
&#8220;Unlucky, disappointed, sad, but we have two competitions left to play. It&#8217;s difficult now to be positive but we must be positive and strong mentally,&#8221; Pochettino said in midweek.
PSG were without Kylian Mbappe due to injury against City and he will again be absent in Rennes as he serves a suspension.
This is the toughest remaining league game for the Parisians as they chase an eighth French title in nine seasons.
After Rennes they face Reims and Brest, hoping to take advantage of any slip-up by Lille.
&#8220;I think Paris will win their last three league games, so we will need to do the same if we want to stay top,&#8221; warned Lille coach Christophe Galtier.  
						
							
								
								
									
									
								
								
								
							
						
					
Player to watch: Jeremy DokuStill just 18, Doku was seen as one of the most exciting young attackers in Europe when he joined Rennes for a reported 26 million euros ($31.3m) from Anderlecht last summer. Already a full Belgian international, Doku did not have the easiest of starts but recently scored his first two Ligue 1 goals and is beginning to show why he is so highly rated.
According to Opta he has completed more dribbles than any other player in France this season, including Neymar, and he could hold the key to Rennes beating PSG on Sunday. 
Key stats19 &#8211; Lille goalkeeper Mike Maignan has kept the most clean sheets in Europe&#8217;s five leading leagues this season. He is reportedly on his way to AC Milan in the summer.
30 &#8211; The percentage of games Lyon have won without star man Memphis Depay in their starting line-up since the beginning of last season, according to Opta. He is suspended against Lorient on Saturday.
14 &#8211; Nantes have gone a club record 14 home games without winning. Failure to beat Bordeaux would all but condemn the eight-time champions to a bottom-three finish.
Fixtures (GMT) 
Friday
Lens v Lille (1900)
				
					
						
						
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Saturday
Nantes v Bordeaux (1100), Lyon v Lorient (1500)
Sunday
Saint-Etienne v Marseille (1100), Angers v Dijon, Metz v Nimes, Nice v Brest, Strasbourg v Montpellier (all 1300), Reims v Monaco (1505), Rennes v Paris Saint-Germain (1900)
AFP

Paris Saint-Germain are out of the Champions League and there is a danger that for once they will miss out on the French title too as they head into the weekend still trailing leaders Lille. With three games remaining PSG are a point behind Lille, the possibility that Mauricio Pochettino could fail to deliver any…

PSG chase Lille Ligue 1 title after Champions League exit

Declan Rice to Manchester City and Mohamed Salah to PSG are two of the latest transfer reports featured, as the transfer news is ramping up.
[ MORE: <a href="https://www.flyingeze.com/news/nbc-sports-premier-league-schedule" target="_blank">How to watch PL in the USA</a> ]  
With so many teams not spending big last summer and the financial situation improving, slightly, it feels like this summer will be a big one for transfers.
Add in plenty of star players running down their contracts to become free agents this summer and there will be a lot of transfer chat and signings to keep us all very, very busy.
Let&#8217;s focus on the two latest juicy reports.
<h4>Declan Rice to Manchester City</h4>
West Ham United will do well to keep hold of Declan Rice this summer, as the England international is being chased by top clubs across the Premier League.
Rice, 22, is among the top holding midfielders in the PL and has been chased by Chelsea for many years and Manchester United are also said to be interested.
However, <a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/manchester-city-consider-bid-for-west-hams-declan-rice-after-fernandinho-delays-new-deal-sqrbmp20r" target="_blank" rel="noopener" target="_blank">The Times</a> are reporting that Manchester City are preparing a bid for Rice.
Per the report, City are waiting to find out of Fernandinho, 36, will sign a new contract or leave this summer. If their legendary holding midfielder decides to move on, then Rice would be an excellent replacement.
Rodri is also a superb holding midfielder, so City may not need to move for Rice, but he would add an extra steel to their midfield and is also capable of slotting in at center back if needed.
Rice is likely to cost well over $100 million and City don&#8217;t usually pay that much on transfer fees. However, as we&#8217;ve seen with their purchase of Ruben Dias last summer, if they spend big on top quality then it makes a huge difference.
There&#8217;s no doubt Rice will fall into that category and it seems like the only way he will stay at West Ham beyond next season is if they qualify for the UEFA Champions League. He is a guaranteed starter for England and is destined for the top.
<h4>Salah continues to be linked with a move away</h4>
These Mohamed Salah transfer reports just won&#8217;t go away, will they?
Salah, 28, spoke to Sky Sports last week and said there have been no talks between himself and Liverpool about a new contract or his future.
Previously the Egyptian star stated he could potentially head to La Liga to play for Real Madrid or Barcelona in the future.
What about PSG, Mo?
According to a report in <a href="https://www.leparisien.fr/sports/football/psg/mercato-mohamed-salah-le-reve-du-psg-05-05-2021-7H5XCPPPXVAHVGOVUUXNZ5MGVY.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Le Parisien</a>, Salah is wanted by the French giants and they could make their move this summer as they fear Kylian Mbappe will head to Real Madrid.
Mbappe has just one year left on his current contract at PSG, while Salah has two years left on his deal at Liverpool so this is the summer where the Reds could cash in. If they want to.
Salah has been sensational over the last four seasons for Liverpool, scoring 123 goals in 198 games in all competitions. But it does seem like he is coming towards the end of his time at Anfield and his relationship with Jurgen Klopp isn&#8217;t the best.
Salah at PSG alongside Neymar would be something else, and it slots in with PSG&#8217;s philosophy of buying established stars to keep them pushing on towards the next level which is Champions League glory.
Having gone so close over the last two seasons, you get the sense PSG&#8217;s owners will make big moves this summer to try and get Mauricio Pochettino whoever he wants to win the Champions League. Salah will guarantee 20-25 goals per season and PSG lacked firepower whenever Mbappe has been out injured.
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Declan Rice to Manchester City and Mohamed Salah to PSG are two of the latest transfer reports featured, as the transfer news is ramping up.

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Mohamed Salah

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Real Madrid

Transfer news: Rice to Manchester City; Salah to PSG

Two of the best players in the world could get rare measures of proper acclaim from difficult situations on Tuesday when Manchester City faces Paris Saint-Germain in a UEFA Champions League semifinal second leg at the Etihad Stadium.
For Kevin De Bruyne and Man City, his position as a maestro in Pep Guardiola&#8217;s orchestra often has him talked about less than his manager, and City&#8217;s expensive list of imports often sees praise drawn to shiny new objects like Phil Foden and Ruben Dias.
[ MORE: <a href="https://soccer.nbcsports.com/2021/05/04/breaking-jose-mourinho-taking-over-as-roma/" target="_blank">Mourinho taking over Roma</a> ]
But his last few seasons have seen him as a Man of the Match caliber performer in nearly every game, and leading Man City to a final by beating a star-studded previous finalist would force attention on the Belgian midfielder.
Then there&#8217;s Neymar, who would produce a second-straight final with attack partner Kylian Mbappe hampered or perhaps even out of the second leg. Beating Man City&#8217;s defense in that scenario would be incredibly impressive and further detail his exceptional status in the game.
Think we&#8217;re making too much about them? Consider the following&#8230;
<h4>Neymar only rivaled by Messi in critical attack stats</h4>
Neymar says he&#8217;ll give his life to get Paris Saint-Germain past Man City and back into the Champions League final.
The PSG star, 29, is chasing his second European Cup, one that would give Les Parisiens their first. He&#8217;s also got the task of overcoming a 2-1 deficit to Man City that will require two goals and terrific defense in Manchester on Tuesday, all with Kylian Mbappe either out or not at 100% health.
Neymar&#8217;s club no longer controls its Ligue 1 destiny, behind Lille with three matches left. but the UCL is the apple of PSG&#8217;s eye.
<blockquote>&#8220;We have a very difficult game against Manchester City, but we have to believe, without thinking what the statistics say about our chances of winning,&#8221; Neymar said. &#8220;Every Parisian has to believe in us and I&#8217;m the first. I&#8217;m on the frontline. I&#8217;m the first warrior in this battle. I&#8217;ll do my best and do everything possible to get through to the final, even if it means dying on the pitch.&#8221;</blockquote>
Skeptics will note that they&#8217;ve seen Neymar &#8220;dying on the pitch&#8221; several times a game, the oft-fouled Brazilian&#8217;s screams even more notable without crowds in the stadia of Europe.
But the fact is that Neymar has been underappreciated for most of his career. Leaving Barcelona allowed him freedom from Lionel Messi&#8217;s shadow but brought on criticism for joining an underappreciated Ligue 1 as well as the eventual spotlight share with Kylian Mbappe.
Perhaps his injuries and suspensions have led critics to overlook his contributions, as Neymar has not played more than 20 Ligue 1 matches in each of his four seasons at PSG and has averaged less than 2500 minutes across all competitions per season.
Still, he has 85 goals and 51 assists in 134 matches for PSG, and he&#8217;s been influential in the decisive UCL moments.
<ul>
<li>Had two assists in the first leg shock of Bayern in Munich</li>
<li>Scored six goals in wins over Leipzig, Man Utd, and Basaksehir after PSG started the group stage with a win and two losses.</li>
<li>Has 20 goals and 12 assists in 28 UCL appearances for PSG, a better return per game than his Ligue 1 numbers</li>
<li>And his injuries really hurt him in the knockout rounds, pun intended, as he missed a decisive exit to Real Madrid in 2017-18 with a broken foot and both legs of the 2018-19 loss to Manchester United.</li>
</ul>
And forget advanced stats. There are only one or two players in the world who can claim to be at or above Neymar&#8217;s influence.
When compared to forwards in Europe&#8217;s top five leagues <a href="https://fbref.com/en/players/69384e5d/Neymar" target="_blank">by Football Reference,</a> Neymar ranks in the 99th percentile in shot-creating actions, progressive passes, progressive carries, and dribbles completed.
<h4>KDB is a killer</h4>
One of the most lethal aspects of the Lionel Messi-Cristiano Ronaldo era of football is that there has usually one and only occasionally two spots in the top three for Ballon d&#8217;Or voting.
That means Kevin De Bruyne has never been on the podium, so to speak, an honor reserved for just eight players since 2010 (Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta, Franck Ribery, Manuel Neuer, Neymar, Antoine Griezmann, Luka Modric, and Virgil van Dijk).
That should&#8217;ve changed had the award been dealt out last season but may not even happen this season and almost certainly will not if Man City fails to make the UCL final given the seasons of Mbappe, Messi, and perhaps even Romelu Lukaku with the looming EURO.
What&#8217;s wild is that three of those names &#8212; Xavi, Iniesta, and Ribery &#8212; made their Ballon d&#8217;Or credentials in Pep Guardiola&#8217;s system and that De Bruyne is combining parts of all of their individual roles in his last few seasons.
Maybe some of this is the evolution of Guardiola&#8217;s system and perhaps more the free reign given De Bruyne as creator at Man City, but there&#8217;s no denying the output.
De Bruyne&#8217;s per-90 numbers are different from last year&#8217;s interstellar campaign, his xG up and his xA down, but consider this:
<ul>
<li>He still leads qualified PL leaders (min. 1000 minutes) in xG+xA/90 (0.93).</li>
<li>KDB&#8217;s assists-per-90 over the last two seasons is better than Xavi&#8217;s record-setting 2008-09 under Guardiola at Barcelona.</li>
<li>De Bruyne has more shots-per-game, key passes per game, and assists this season than Ribery in 2013-14 at Bayern (Pep&#8217;s first season there).</li>
<li>Far from comparables in defensive responsibility, KDB is within 0.1 of Iniesta&#8217;s 2009-10 tackles per game at Barcelona and is completing (and attempting) more passes than the legendary Spaniard.</li>
</ul>
He&#8217;s also the Premier League leader in assists-per-90 and is 0.93 off of Bruno Fernandes&#8217; xA lead despite playing 900 fewer minutes. Only Harry Kane has more assists (13) than his KDB&#8217;s 11, and the Spurs striker has played seven more matches.

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Absences are the only thing stopping Neymar’s from dizzying stats, while KDB is doing things that put Ribery, Iniesta, and Xavi in the Ballon d’Or final 3.

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