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News Extra: Solskjaer defends staff, Luiz's trophy "ambition", Martial under spotlight

The latest news snippets from across the footballing world, including Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's staunch defence of his backroom team, David Luiz's desire for silverware at Arsenal and Jermaine Jenas's criticism of Anthony Martial.

Here, Sports Mole rounds up the latest news snippets from across the footballing world, including Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's staunch defence of his backroom team, David Luiz's desire for silverware at Arsenal and Jermaine Jenas's criticism of Anthony Martial. Scroll down for more!


Solskjaer defends "exceptional" staff

Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer pictured on August 24, 2019© Reuters

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has launched a defence of his backroom team after the club's disappointing start to the season. Since taking over the reins at Old Trafford, the Norwegian has appointed Mike Phelan as his assistant and Mark Dempsey as a first-team coach, working alongside Kieran McKenna and Michael Carrick at the Carrington training base.

Solskjaer is quoted as saying by the Manchester Evening News: "The coaching here and the teaching has been exceptional, incredible. The coaches have opened my eyes since the last time I was here. We had great coaches with Steve McClaren, Carlos Queiroz, Brian Kidd, Jimmy Ryan, but Kieran and Michael, Mick and Mark, they've been excellent. We're just waiting for that to flourish. You can see the defensive part which is giving us a platform, that last bit is going to come, I'm sure it's going to come, we've got players with the flair that will come out in the end."


Newcastle want Longstaff double deal

Sean Longstaff in action for Newcastle United on August 31, 2019© Reuters

Newcastle United are hoping to tie brothers Matty Longstaff and Sean Longstaff down to new deals after their impressive showings in recent months, according to The Guardian. Sean was heavily courted by Manchester United over the summer but ended up staying with the Magpies, while Matty put a winning goal past the Red Devils on his Premier League debut earlier this month.


Griezmann: 'Partnership will take time'

Antoine Griezmann in action for Barcelona on September 14, 2019© Reuters

Barcelona forward Antoine Griezmann has admitted that it will take time for his partnership with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez to flourish following his summer arrival at Camp Nou. The Frenchman scored the first then set up Messi and Suarez for the next two as Barca eased past Eibar 3-0 at the weekend.

"Statistically it was probably my best game but in terms of work rate I'm still at the same level I was before. I work so that my teammates can enjoy themselves," Griezmann told reporters afterwards. "There will better days, and others that are not so good because I've only just started here. We need to understand each other more but that will come with time."


David Luiz targets trophies with Arsenal

David Luiz celebrates scoring for Arsenal on October 6, 2019© Reuters

David Luiz has revealed that he swapped Chelsea for Arsenal over the summer because he thinks the Gunners have the "potential" to fight for titles in the near future. The Brazilian won the Premier League, the Champions League, two Europa Leagues and two FA Cups across two stints with the Blues and is now looking to add to his trophy cabinet at Unai Emery's side.

"Arsenal was always a big club," Luiz told The Telegraph. "The club is always going to be big. Of course, in the last few years, because the club is so big everybody expects more titles. This is natural. I came here because I see they have the potential to do that, to fight for that. This is my mentality, this is my ambition, this is what I want in this club.

"We have the potential. We have talented players, experienced players, a team with quality, a club where they give us all the conditions to fight. We have amazing support. What more do we need?"


Jenas suggests Martial sale

Manchester United's Anthony Martial celebrates scoring their first goal against Wolves on August 19, 2019© Reuters

Jermaine Jenas has suggested that Manchester United should have considered moving on Anthony Martial instead of Romelu Lukaku over the summer. "Since Martial has been at Manchester United, I would say he has a month and a half, two months a season then he goes absolutely missing," the former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder explained to BBC Radio 5 Live.

"You've got poor Marcus Rashford, who puts himself out there every single week and gives his all. We all know he's not a goalscoring machine or that goal-scoring comes naturally to him. He's got other attributes to his game that are phenomenal that we see him produce for England on a regular basis.

"He gets all this criticism thrown at him yet you've got players like Martial who just goes missing. You talk injuries but it happens every single season at United. Why get rid of Lukaku when you've got someone like Martial who is doing that every week? Just because he's a younger player, or he's more valuable? I'm questioning so many decisions that are being made."


Wolves take out £50m loan

General view inside Molineux, home to Wolverhampton Wanderers, ahead of their Europa League game with Torino on August 29, 2019© Reuters

Wolverhampton Wanderers have taken out a £50m loan with an Australian financial services company to cover operational costs this season, the Express & Star reports. The Midlands side - owned by wealthy Chinese firm Fosun - are due around £130m from the Premier League over the course of this season following a seventh-place finish last term and the loan will help cover staffing and transfer payments in the meantime. Wolves are expected to repay the loan, which has an interest rate of 4%, in rapid order.


Milan keen on Kean?

Moise Kean in action for Everton on September 15, 2019© Reuters

AC Milan are considering a loan swoop for Everton forward Moise Kean in January, just five months after he joined the Toffees from Juventus in a £25m deal, according to Calciomercato. The 19-year-old has had an underwhelming start to life in England, featuring in all nine of Everton's Premier League games this season but with just two starts, no goals and one assist to his name to date.


PL stars 'attending sex parties'

Married Premier League players are reportedly paying for the services of a company that hosts secret sex parties at private mansions and yachts around the world, according to the Daily Star. 'Cinderella Escorts' allegedly has Premier League clients who pay an annual membership fee of £30,000 to attend the orgies, where escorts are paid as much as £2,000 an hour to entertain the men.

One of the escorts told the newspaper: "I had a famous football player who likes to spoil my feet and likes to be financially exploited. He let me fly in on a private jet, paid for my shopping, massaged my feet after a long day... that was it. Maybe it made him feel good that women adore him and I played an arrogant diva. I feel sorry for them sometimes, it's almost like they live in a golden cage. Most customers are very cautious because they are afraid people will talk."

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3Chelsea115422113819
4Arsenal115421812619
5Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest115421510519
6Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton115421915419
7Fulham115331613318
8Newcastle UnitedNewcastle115331311218
9Aston Villa115331717018
10Tottenham HotspurSpurs1151523131016
11Brentford115152222016
12Bournemouth114341515015
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd114341212015
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham113351319-612
15Leicester CityLeicester112451421-710
16Everton112451017-710
17Ipswich TownIpswich111551222-108
18Crystal Palace11146815-77
19Wolverhampton WanderersWolves111371627-116
20Southampton11119721-144


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