Barcelona reveal Memphis Depay & Sergio Aguero 2021/22 squad numbers

Barcelona have revealed Memphis Depay and Sergio Aguero’s squad numbers for the 2021/22 season.

Both players signed on free transfers recently after long being linked with a move to Camp Nou. Depay was supposed to join last summer, only to have his move from Lyon blocked by La Liga finance regulations. Meanwhile, Aguero penned terms after his Manchester City contract expired at the end of last season. 

Memphis DepayMemphis Depay

Depay netted in a pre-season win over Juventus recently / Eric Alonso/Getty Images

Depay has been handed the nine shirt for the upcoming campaign, the same number he wore during his initial loan spell with Lyon back in 2016/17. To facilitate this, Martin Braithwaite – Barcelona’s number nine last season – has been moved to 12.

As for Aguero, he will be displaying 19 on the back of his shirt. He has never worn the number before, previously donning number ten in all but four of his seasons as a professional. That number is available following the departure of Lionel Messi, although it is expected that Barça will leave it vacant as a show of respect.

The only issue with retiring it is that La Liga regulations require 25 senior players to be registered with numbers 1-25. If Barça were to leave ten free, they would be forced to decrease their squad size by one. Saying that, the club did only register a 24-man squad last term.

Aguero and Depay are not the only Barcelona players who have been handed new short numbers this season. Riqui Puig – who wore 12 last season –  has been handed number six, which had been vacant following the  departure of Carles Alena to Getafe. 

Ansu Fati has also been promoted from 22 to 17, courtesy of Francisco Trincao’s loan move to Wolves. Fati’s vacant number has been taken by full-back Emerson Royal. It is not yet clear what number new signing Eric Garcia will be wearing this season.

Bob Bradley ‘frustrated’ as LAFC’s winless streak extends to five games

LAFC head coach Bob Bradley was left ‘frustrated’ after his side’s winless streak was extended to five games against San Jose Earthquakes on Sunday night.

The Black and Gold were tipped by many as potential favourites to win the Supporters’ Shield and go deep into the playoffs ahead of the 2021 MLS season but after 18 games, they find themselves seventh – just two points ahead of Real Salt Lake but having played one game more.

Their latest setback came in the form of a 2-1 defeat at California rivals San Jose on Sunday, going 2-0 down inside 28 minutes before pulling a goal back shortly before half-time via a Jackson Yueill own goal.

LAFC have now lost three and drawn two of their last five matches, while they’re six without a clean sheet, conceding 13 goals during that time.

After Sunday’s match, Bradley lamented his side’s inabiltiy compete in difficult moments, too easily allowing the opposition to dictate games.

“There’s no doubt that we are frustrated as a group,” he told reporters. “Too many results where we do not find a way to not come out on top.

“They play off of things; for example, they’ll [Earthquakes] move the left-back up and just aim balls and jump and flick balls. They [Earthquakes] are good at the way they play. You have to compete with them in terms of moments when the game is on their terms and then when we get the chance to play, to go in transition, to make them pay for certain moments.

“On our terms, we have to be better. Early in the game, that is where they had the advantages and as we pushed back into the game, I saw improvement but we did not do enough to get to the second goal.”

LAFC midfielder Latif Blessing, who came off the bench in the 63rd minute, said there was a feeling of ‘sadness’ among the camp, but insisted their season is far from over with plenty of points still to play for.

“Everyone is sad right now,” he said. “It’s been tough for the moment. We need to tell ourselves that it is not over. We have more games to go. We need to set up ourselves to play good and win game by game. That is the mentality we need to have and keep going.”

Though Blessing’s sentiment is commendable, picking up results might be easier said than done.

LAFC’s next match on Sunday sees them stay on the road at Atlanta United, who are fresh from a 3-2 win over reigning MLS Cup champions Columbus Crew. After that, it’s another road game in Vancouver, before crunch ties against rivals LA Galaxy and Western Conference leaders Sporting Kansas City.

Gerard Pigue blames old Barcelona board for Lionel Messi exit

Barcelona centre-back Gerard Pique has suggested that the blame for Lionel Messi’s departure from the club resides with the old management at Camp Nou.

Current president Joan Laporta has admitted to being surprised at just how atrocious Barcelona’s finances were when he took over from previous chief Josep Maria Bartomeu, whose years of reckless spending had left the club in a dire position.

Josep Maria BartomeuJosep Maria Bartomeu

Bartomeu has been accused of crippling Barcelona’s finances / Quality Sport Images/Getty Images

It has been Laporta’s job to try and cut costs and get Barcelona under their salary cap, but despite their best efforts, the club were unable to clear enough space to re-sign Messi and are instead watching on as he inches closer to joining Paris Saint-Germain.

The club have repeatedly pointed the finger at La Liga for failing to help them out (as if it is their job to do so), but Pique was a little more switched-on as he attributed the blame to the Barcelona chiefs of years gone by.

“We’ve lost the best player of all time,” he said (via AS). “The team must adapt, and there is the talent to do so. The management of recent years has not been the best and that has penalised us. But history shows that we will bounce back.”

Pique continued (via Marca): “We know that without Leo, we have lost a very important piece. He is the best player in history. As far as talent goes, we will not be as talented, but the team has to grow in other areas.

“There are players who have to take charge and take responsibility. In the end, we are obliged to compete and try to win.

“When the best player in history leaves you, you have to be realistic and know that you’ve lost a very important part of the team, especially in attack. He brought so many goals and assists.”

Manager Ronald Koeman was eager to try and remain positive, acknowledging the severity of the situation but urging his players to re-focus their minds and work twice as hard to make up for Messi’s departure.

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Koeman hopes to see someone step up in Messi’s absence / David Ramos/Getty Images

“It is normal that it will be hard for everyone when a player like Messi leaves, but we have to turn the page because we cannot change this situation,” he said. “You have to play well and win, and work harder.

“Other players can take his position and play a leading role. But yes, we will no longer have Leo. We have to turn the page and be hopeful for the future.”

Southampton eyeing move for Liverpool’s Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain

Southampton are keen to bring Liverpool midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain back to the club where he started his career.

A product of the Saints’ academy, Oxlade-Chamberlain left St Mary’s Stadium in 2011 to join Arsenal, before heading over to Liverpool six years later. However, injuries have limited his minutes at Anfield in recent years.

Alex Oxlade-ChamberlainAlex Oxlade-Chamberlain

Oxlade-Chamberlain battled back from a knee injury last year / Pool/Getty Images

Oxlade-Chamberlain managed just two Premier League starts last season as he fought his way back from a nasty knee injury, and has not been considered a key player in Jurgen Klopp’s side since his debut campaign at Anfield in 2017/18 – in which he made 32 league appearances.

talkSPORT claim that Southampton are ready to give him the chance to play regular minutes at his boyhood side with a loan move for this season.

Klopp is a huge fan of Oxlade-Chamberlain and would ideally prefer to keep him around, but sources have confirmed to 90min that those in charge at Anfield have warned the boss that some of Liverpool’s fringe players will have to leave this summer.

One of those could be Oxlade-Chamberlain, who has just two years remaining on his contract and could be shipped out now before his value starts to tumble even further.

While Klopp may prefer to keep Oxlade-Chamberlain, he may end up deciding to offload him to make space in the squad for young Harvey Elliott, who has been shining in pre-season and has proven an ability to operate in a central role at times.

However, it is beyond unlikely that Oxlade-Chamberlain, who has also been linked with West Ham, would be allowed to depart without promise of a sizeable fee which could be reinvested in the squad.

Southampton have also enquired about another deal for forward Takumi Minamino, who spent the last six months on loan at St Mary’s.

Minamino’s return of two goals from ten appearances hardly set the world on fire, but with top scorer Danny Ings leaving to join Aston Villa, it seems as though Ralph Hasenhuttl wants all the reinforcements he can find.

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Minamino joined Southampton in January / Robin Jones/Getty Images

That has also seen Southampton turn to Chelsea youngster Armando Broja. The 19-year-old, who fired home ten goals with Vitesse last season, is close to agreeing his own season-long loan to the club.

Premier League rules mean teams can only register two loan players at any one time, and with Broja taking one of those spots, Southampton would have to sign at least one of Oxlade-Chamberlain and Minamino permanently if they want to sign both this summer.

Bayern Munich director confirms interest in signing Erling Haaland

Bayern Munich director Hasan Salihamidzic has confirmed they would be interested in signing Erling Haaland from rivals Borussia Dortmund.

Having seen Chelsea push ahead with a move for Romelu Lukaku, Haaland is expected to stay at Dortmund for at least another 12 months, when his release clause of a little over £60m will kick in and spark a Europe-wide scramble.

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Haaland is wanted by most of Europe’s elite / Alexander Scheuber/Getty Images

The likes of Manchester United and Real Madrid are expected to push hard for the Norwegian in 2022, but Salihamidzic confirmed to SPORT1 that Bayern will look to work their way into the race for his signature as well.

“This is a top player that the whole world probably wants,” he said of Haaland. “Of course we look there. Otherwise we would be full amateurs.”

Haaland’s availability could come at a time at which Bayern are on the hunt for a new frontman. Robert Lewandowski will turn 33 later this month and has two years remaining on his contract; Haaland would be an ideal replacement.

The Dortmund man fired home 27 Bundesliga goals last season – a mental return which is tarnished by the fact that Lewandowski scored 41. Bayern could pair Haaland up with Lewandowski, but there is a chance that the latter could end up leaving the club a year earlier than scheduled.

Lewandowski is understood to be considering his future at the Allianz Arena, having grown somewhat tired of monotonous success. He is keen to test himself in a different league and accepts he is running out of time to do that.

Robert LewandowskiRobert Lewandowski

Robert Lewandowski broke the Bundesliga record for goals scored in a season / Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images

Bayern stood firm this summer and rejected an exit for Lewandowski, but if they can bring in Haaland in 2022, they may well agree to let the legendary Pole head off on a new adventure.

If Bayern do win the Haaland scramble, that will likely spark a whole new frenzy for Lewandowski – who would likely be available for a reasonable price because of his age and expiring contract.