Sports Burst – Juve’s Freaky Thursday
A Serie A swap, and Madrid’s sinking ship
Bonucci faces awkward return as Higuain moves to Milan
Well, this is going to be a little bit awkward.
Just a year after storming out of Juventus, joining the club’s fierce rivals in Milan, making taunting gestures whilst scoring for that particular team against Juve, Leonardo Bonucci has returned for another stint with the Old Lady. At time of writing, the Italian stopper has just completed his medical with the Turin outfit.
But in what is turning more into a spy swap in 1960s Berlin, there is going to be some movement in the other direction with a couple more footballers having medicals – but this time with Milan, having left Juventus. Those players are striker, Gonzalo Higuain, and defender, Mattia Caldera, who are expected to pen deals with the Serie A side totaling $70 million.
“Higuain gave everything in his two years with us and we thank him for that,” announced Max Allegri after Juve’s clash with the MLS All-Stars-Without-Zlatan on Wednesday night.
This means that Higuain is not going to have a Real Madrid reunion with Cristiano Ronaldo. And that’s not surprising really, considering that the Argentinean big-chance blower was probably responsible for CR7 not winning as much swag as he might have during their shared spell at the Santiago Bernabeu. Lionel Mess knows how that feels. See, the two footballers really do have something to bond over one day!
Head to our beIN SPORTS USA Facebook page at 12PM ET / 9AM PT for our TRANSFER TRACKER hotter-than-buffalo-wings take on what this all means to the world.
The Re-Ney-ssance begins at PSG
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Is it a footballer desperately trying to repay his $250 million transfer fee on the pitch and rebuild a tattered reputation that was ripped apart on social media for the past month?
Yes, it is! Neymar is back, back, back for PSG and underwent his first training session in the Brazilian’s post-World Cup world just a couple of days ahead of the team’s Trophee de Champions clash with Monaco on Saturday. However, this being the wacky world of modern football, Neymar has joined up with his team in Schenzhen, China where the French match-up will be taking place.
It remains to be seen if this Re-Ney-ssance (copyright, copyright, copyright) will continue out on the pitch this weekend but the clash will certainly offer up another good chance for US rising star, Timothy Weah to shine.
Catch PSG against Monaco on Saturday live on beIN SPORTS CONNECT at 8AM ET / 5AM PT.
Modric – money or a genuine move?
At first the Luka Modric to Inter Milan story smelt fishier than a Florida quayside in the baking sun.
But the rumor is gathering some momentum with reports of the Croatian’s agents negotiating terms with the Serie A side in a move that could end up with Real Madrid losing another huge part of their success over the past few years. Sinking ship anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Or maybe a push for a nice pay rise considering Modric is now hot Ballon d’Or property.
Still, at least there will be another Croatian midfielder in the side’s ranks to cover the loss – unless Matteo Kovacic moves to Manchester United that is.
Over in the Barcelona world and the cules are set to swooooop for the young Senegal rightback, Moussa Wague, who has been capped 13 time for his country including three appearances in the World Cup.
The XTRA is your place to be for all the latest news from the Barcelona and Real Madrid camps as the two La Liga giants continue their USA summer tours.
No Martial law at Bayern Munich
Elsewhere in the transfer rumor mill we have Anthony Martial moving to Bayern Munich after relations appeared to have collapsed completely with Jose Mourinho. That sounds plausible so far. Until the second part of the story – Robert Lewandowski being the makeweight and heading to Old Trafford.
Sticking with Manchester United and Yerry Mina might be the defensive reinforcement that the Special One is looking for, with the Barca stopper being another one of the Camp Nou’s club’s in-out transfer deals from the past 12 months.
And contrary to the story that Thierry Henry was going to take over Egypt, the Pharaohs announced the former Mexico coach, Javier Aguirre instead. Meanwhile, the outgoing Egypt coach, Hector Cuper, is taking over Uzbekistan.
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The life philosophy of Sports Burst is that if you are not upsetting someone, then you are not trying hard enough. Sports Burst 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.