Sports Burst – The Bernabeu Benchwarmer
Step back for Ceballos, Semedo soonish and big day for big Sam
By Tim Stannard
1) Deal confirmed for Dani Ceballos to Real Madrid
Spanish midfielder, Dani Ceballos, has swapped the glory or playing week-in, week-out for the wonderful Real Betis for the Bernabeu bench.
Although the footballer is undoubtedly a fine acquisition for Real Madrid’s bursting squad, the 20-year-old might well want to ponder how sensible a move is on a personal basis to a team where even Isco, James Rodriguez and Marco Asensio struggled to gain minutes.
Another young footballer talent who could be inching over to the trawler scoop of soccer promise is Kylian Mbappe.
After the footballer looked all happy and content to be back at training with Monaco this week, the forward has thrown a spoon of uncertainty into the mix by telling a ‘Marca’ journalist at the Ligue Un club’s training camp that – “I don’t know if I am going to stay.” PSG and Arsenal are also thought to be suiters for the rather tremendous prospect.
Tune into the XTRA at 7PM ET / 4PM PT for all the latest news from the Real Madrid and Barcelona camps
2) Barcelona close in on Nelson Semedo
Speaking of Barcelona, the La Liga runners-up are on the brink of signing a rightback at last. Benfica and Portugal’s Nelson Semedo is the chosen one for the role and is in the Catalan capital at time of writing taking a medical and penning a deal thought to be in the region of $34 million.
However, one spanner in the works could be Benfica themselves putting out a communication on Friday claiming that negotiations between the two clubs for the footballer were still to be concluded.
Another deal that seems to be days away is the whopper that has Leonardo Bonucci jumping ship to Milan, despite being a figurehead – but apparently a troublesome one – at Juventus. Click onto the beIN SPORTS USA Facebook site at 12:30PM ET / 9:30AM PT for all the latest Transfer Tracker news, views and made-up stuff.
3) Canada with job to do after Malouda mess
Time for a bit of North American soccer news and an apparent tug of war between the two MLS Los Angeles franchises looks on the cards for the signature of King Zlatan. The Swedish striker who is current a free agent but injured is thought to be wanted by both Galaxy and the new LAFC. Elsewhere, the final round of group games in the Gold Cup is under way.
Group A is being sorted out, a day after CONCACAF awarded Honduras a 3-0 victory over French Guyana as a forfeit for their opponents fielding an illegible player in Florent Malouda. This leaves the final placing of a group that includes Canada up for grabs. Mexico will also have it all to do on Sunday after they could only manage a goalless draw with Jamaica on Thursday night.
4) Sam Querrey battling for Wimbledon dream
There is an awful lot of pressure riding on Sam Querrey’s awfully big shoulders on Friday. The American player – fresh from defeating Andy Murray – is in action in the Wimbledon semifinals bidding to become the first American player to reach a final at the tournament since Andy Roddick in 2009. No American male has won it since Pete Sampras in 2000. At time of writing the clash against Croatia’s Marin Cilic looks like a titanic one.
Roger Federer is bidding to reach the Wimbledon final for the first time in five years and is facing off against Tomas Berdych.
WHAT IS SPORTS BURST?
The life philosophy of Sports Burst is that if you are not upsetting someone, then you are not trying hard enough. SB is a daily trawl and troll through the morning's sports news to bring you fact-nuggets to make you both smile and swear. Hopefully at the same time.