Daily Mail - 30.07.2019

76

QQQ Daily Mail, Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Football

fears that they face liquidation.

Late last night the EFL said

they had received further sub-

missions from the club and were

‘satisfied that they are sufficient

to meet the requirement of the

league subject to the comple-

tion of formal documentation’.

They added that the Wycombe

game would go ahead.

Sources say that prospective

new owners Football Ventures

approached players, many of

whom have not been paid for

five months, and proposed to

pay those who have remained

with Bolton in full, and those

who have left 20 per cent of their

outstanding wages when the

deal is completed.

That was met with a lukewarm

response and the PFA indicated

that they were prepared to lend

around £2m to ensure all foot-

ball staff are paid in full — thus

allowing the takeover to finally

be completed.

As their statement indicates,

the EFL are happy with the

situation and the takeover

should now be completed.

Bolton will start the campaign

with a 12-point deduction

because of their financial

difficulties.

Bury, who will also start the

League One season on minus-12

points, have had their opening

fixture at MK Dons called off.

The club, looking for a new

owner, were unable to provide

enough information to show the

EFL how they will be funded.

A decision over their fixture at

Accrington a week on Saturday

will be made at 12pm on Friday.

‘The EFL will continue to

offer its full assistance to

the ownership at Bury,’ said an

EFL spokesman.

Green light

for Bolton

takeover

By CALUM CROWE

and CRAIG HOPE

New recruit:

Pepe could

join Arsenal

before the

end of the

week AFP

ARSENAL GIVEN 5 YEARS

TO PAY FOR £72M PEPE

A

RSENAL will pay

an initial £20million

for Nicolas Pepe, as

the Lille attacker

moves closer to a

club-record £72m switch.

Despite working with a limited

transfer budget this summer,

Arsenal look on course to com-

plete what could be the most

expensive signing by any Premier

League club in this window.

It is understood Arsenal will

stay within budget by paying as

little £20m up front for the Ivory

Coast international, with the

remaining £52m paid in instal-

ments within five years.

Winger Pepe is expected to have

a medical by the end of the week

before completing his move to the

Emirates Stadium.

The signing will be an impres-

sive coup for the Gunners hierar-

chy given Paris Saint-Germain,

Manchester United and Napoli

have all been credited with an

interest.

The 24-year-old Pepe will

form part of what should

be an exciting forward

line next season.

Pierre-Emerick

Aubameyang and

Alexandre Lacazette

scored 50 goals between

them last season and

Pepe will add to

manager Unai Emery’s

firepower.

He was second only to

PSG’s Kylian Mbappe in

the Ligue 1 scoring charts last

season, registering 22 goals and

11 assists as Lille finished

second.

And Arsenal’s spending may not

stop there. The club still have a

keen interest in Celtic left back

Kieran Tierney and are after a

centre half.

Meanwhile, Lacazette expects

to be fit for the start of the

Premier League season at

Newcastle on Sunday week

despite suffering a sprained ankle

in Arsenal’s defeat against Lyon

last Sunday.

Lacazette was substituted after

12 minutes

of the 2-1 loss

and left the

Emirates wearing

a protective boot on his

left foot. But the France striker

was seen cycling and training in

the gym with his team-mates

yesterday — without the boot —

and neither club nor player are

concerned it is anything serious.

Arsenal will continue to assess

the Lacazette’s fitness over the

next few days and he is unlikely to

be risked in tomorrow’s friendly

against Angers.

Emery is then expected to

provide an update on his

fitness before Sunday’s clash with

Barcelona at the Nou Camp.

JURGEN KLOPP wants to add a

second trophy at the first

opportunity after waiting nearly

four years for his first one as

Liverpool boss.

The Reds have suffered a winless

pre-season and Klopp is keen to

beat Manchester City in the

Community Shield on Sunday.

‘It’s a final,’ he said. ‘This is the

first time I’ve realised nobody

sees it like that. To call it a

“curtain-raiser” is unbelievable.

For me, it has nothing to do with

the rest of the season. It’s a

game and, even if we only have

eight players available, I would

like to try to win it.’ Roberto

Firmino or Mo Salah will play at

Wembley, but not both.

Meanwhile, Reds forward Ben

Woodburn, 19, is joining League

One Oxford United on loan.

By SAMI MOKBEL

and DANIEL MATTHEWS

From Back Page

Klopp wants ‘final’ glory

nd Napoli

with an

will

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33

NICOLAS PEPE was

involved in 33 goals in 38

Ligue 1 games for Lille last

season, scoring 22 and

assisting a further 11. He

contributed directly to

a goal every 101

minutes