Manchester United youngster Jesse Lingard has described the "aura" around manager Jose Mourinho, and says the Portuguese has surprised him with his joking nature. The 23-year-old Lingard scored in Manchester United's 2-1 Community Shield defeat of Premier League champions Leicester City last Sunday, and has impressed in the preseason thus far despite stiff competition from Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Juan Mata and others for a spot in the first team. Mourinho, known for his sometimes prickly disposition, took over the club this summer following the sacking of former boss Louis van Gaal. Speaking to gathered media on Thursday, Lingard, while acknowledging the demanding nature of the ex-Chelsea manager's training sessions, spoke of a more light-hearted Mourinho … [Read more...]
Arsenal have not agreed personal terms with Mustafi – reports
Arsenal remain in talks with Shkodran Mustafi, but the defender’s agent has denied claims than agreement has been reached. The Gunners face an injury crisis just days before the start of the Premier League season, with Per Mertesacker and Gabriel unavailable, while Laurent Koscielny is not match fit. Calum Chambers and Rob Holding could be used as the central-defensive pairing to face Liverpool on Sunday, but Arsene Wenger remains keen to add a defender this summer. Valencia centre-half Mustafi has emerged as his main target, and the Gunners reportedly had a £15m bid rejected recently. But it was reported earlier on Thursday that Arsenal had reached a breakthrough with regards to the deal, and hope to confirm the signing of the German international … [Read more...]
Fenerbahce interested in Man United midfielder
Fenerbahce have not given up hope of signing Manchester United man Juan Mata, despite his reported £20m price tag. The Spaniard's future at Old Trafford is uncertain following the arrival of Jose Mourinho as manager and he has reportedly handed in a transfer request at the club. Everton have been linked with a move for the former Chelsea playmaker but they are not expected to face an easy run at him. Now, according to Turkish newspaper Milliyet, Fenerbahce are still working out an approach for Mata as they bid to replace Nani in their attack. And it has been claimed that the Super Lig side will not be put off by his high asking price this summer - and may make a move in the coming days. The 28-year-old has played 86 times for Manchester United in … [Read more...]
Odion Ighalo signs new Watford contract
Odion Ighalo has ended speculation of a move away from Watford by signing a new five-year deal at Vicarage Road. The Nigeria international, who scored 17 goals in 42 appearances last season, had been linked with a move away this summer with West Brom reportedly keen on signing him. But the club have announced that Ighalo, 27, has followed Hornets captain and strike partner Troy Deeney in committing his future to the club until 2021. Ighalo initially joined Watford on a season-long loan deal from Udinese in July 2014, but the transfer was made permanent the following October. He rose to prominence with four second-half goals as the Hornets came from 2-0 down to beat Blackpool 7-2 in January 2015. Ighalo finished last season with 20 goals in 38 … [Read more...]
Manchester United now have different values-Lindegaard
Anders Lindegaard has told 888 Sport that Manchester United are now "a different club" after the world-record signing of Paul Pogba. Anders Lindegaard Lindegaard, 32, joined Sir Alex Ferguson's United in 2010 as a potential successor to goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar but, after failing to make the breakthrough, Louis van Gaal allowed the Dane to join West Bromwich Albion on a free transfer last year. United have since replaced Van Gaal with Jose Mourinho and have made significant reinforcements to the squad this summer, most notably when they broke the transfer record to re-sign Pogba from Juventus. Lindegaard, now with Preston North End, feels it marks a "new chapter" at Old Trafford and said: "United are a different club to when I was there. "It's … [Read more...]
Westbrom to battle Palace for Liverpool misfit
West Brom have joined Crystal Palace in the race to sign Christian Benteke from Liverpool. The Baggies need to rebuild their strike-force with Saido Berahino expected to leave, and Benteke is under consideration, Press Association Sport understands. The forward will be allowed to leave Anfield, although Liverpool are keen on recouping as much of the £32.5million they paid Aston Villa last year meaning any deal will break Albion’s transfer record. Crystal Palace are also interested in the 25-year-old, who scored nine goals in 14 league starts last season but has fallen down the pecking order under Jurgen Klopp. Albion pulled the plug on a record £15million deal for West Ham’s Diafra Sakho last week after it became clear he would not be fit enough until … [Read more...]
Liverpool appoint former England international as scout
Former Real Madrid, Tottenham and Newcastle defender Jonathan Woodgate will take up a scouting role with Liverpool according to sources. Woodgate, 36, retired at the end of last season after helping hometown club Middlesbrough achieve promotion to the Premier League. The former England international will scout for the Reds in Spain and Portugal, countries that have been utilised with varying success in recent seasons. Alberto Moreno, Javier Manquillo, Iago Aspas, Luis Alberto and Aly Cissokho have arrived from Spain while Joao Carlos Teixeira, Tiago Ilori and Lazar Markovic have been signed from Portuguese clubs. The former leeds defender signed for Real Madrid from Newcastle in 2004 for £13.4 million, joining David Beckham and Michael Owen at the … [Read more...]
Karanka admits help from Mourinho might dry up
Middlesbrough manager Aitor Karanka would not be surprised if the help he has received from old friend Jose Mourinho dried up now they are Premier League rivals. The 42-year-old Spaniard will take charge of his first English top-flight game on Saturday when he sends his promoted side into battle with Stoke at the Riverside Stadium. A day later, Manchester United counterpart Mourinho, who he worked under during their time together at Real Madrid, will be in the dugout at Bournemouth on his return to the Premier League. The Portuguese has been a regular source of advice and affirmation since Karanka launched his coaching career on Teesside two and a half years ago, but while they remain close, the Boro boss is not expecting many tips this time … [Read more...]
Sunderland sign Manchester United’s Paddy McNair and Donald Love
Paddy McNair and Donald Love have left Manchester United for Sunderland in a £5.5million double deal, the club have confirmed. Sunderland have completed the signings of Paddy McNair and Donald Love from Manchester United for a combined fee of £5.5million. The defensive duo have signed four-year contracts at the Stadium of Light to reunite with former United boss David Moyes, who succeeded Sam Allardyce as manager in July. "Sunderland AFC have completed the double signing of Paddy McNair and Donald Love from Manchester United for a fee of £5.5 million," the club confirmed in a statement. "The versatile 21-year-olds have both put pen-to-paper on four-year deals and become David Moyes’ second and third signings as Sunderland manager." DOUBLE SWOOP: … [Read more...]
Ozil instrumental in Sane Manchester City move
Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil has said he advised new Manchester City signing Leroy Sane to move to the Premier League. Sane, 20, joined City from Schalke on a five-year deal for a reported £37 million after talking through the move while on a break with Germany international colleagues Ozil and Liverpool's Emre Can. Ozil told Spox: "Naturally, the Premier League was a topic we discussed several times. I told Leroy that I regard it as the best league in the world and that young players can develop well there. "That is why I was happy for him when the transfer materialised. He will improve a lot under Pep Guardiola." Great night out with my bros @ec2323 and @leroysane19 A photo posted by Mesut Özil (@m10_official) on Jul 24, 2016 at 1:23pm … [Read more...]
Arsene Wenger Talks Up Premier League Challenge
The Premier League title has eluded Arsenal for over a decade and there's hardly non of the EPL-Trophy drought seasons that passed without Arsene Wenger making up excuses for the team's failure to conquer the title. Time was when, we were told that there was inadequate funds to buy players as a result of the Emirates Stadium project. Thankfully, the Stadium was opened in 2006 and our transfer activities is unimpressive hitherto. Since we open the Emirates Stadium, we have seen more notable player's left than were signed. Nasri, Van Persie, Fabregas, Sagna, Clichy, and Henry have all left the club as they thought they could not win the title with Arsenal and rightly, their departures have been justified. Although, we have seen quality players signed for … [Read more...]
Chelsea youngster joins Ajax on loan
Bertrand Traore has become the latest young player to leave Chelsea on loan, with Ajax securing his services for the entire season. The 20-year-old striker from Burkina Faso broke into the Blues first team under Guus Hiddink last season and has scored two goals in 10 Premier League appearances for the club. However, he has now been given the tough task of replacing Polish star Arek Milik, who joined Napoli earlier this month following Gonzalo Higuain’s big-money move to Juventus. He will be reunited with coach Peter Bosz, who he played under during a loan spell at Vitesse Arnhem between 2013-15 and could be thrown straight into their Champions League play-off squad against Rostov. … [Read more...]
Disappointment for Chelsea as Witsel set for Zenit stay
Axel Witsel has informed Zenit St Petersburg he will be staying for at least another season, ending rumours of a summer move to the Premier League. The Belgian had originally asked to leave the Russian outfit , with his current boss Mircea Lucescu saying the midifielder had held talks with two Premier League teams. However, it appears Witsel has now had a change of heart and has not even ruled out the opportunity of extending his current deal. “I want to stay at Zenit for another year and I’m focused exclusively on the mseason that’s just started,” he told R-Sport . “If I have to leave Russia one day, I have no preference between the Premier League or Serie A. Both championships are incredible.” “I don’t know, but I never say never,” he said. … [Read more...]
Joe Allen happy to make Liverpool
Stoke City midfielder Joe Allen has insisted that leaving Liverpool left him with “no regrets” and is looking forward to his time with the Potters. The midfielder, who starred at Euro 2016 for Wales, joined Stoke for a fee of £13million not long after arriving back from international duty. Allen spent four years with the Reds but says he didn’t struggle to make a decision over whether to move or not. “It wasn’t a difficult decision to move and I’m not looking back with any regrets,” he told Sky Sports’ Soccer Saturday. “I’m excited about the future in my career. At 26, the best years are still in front of me and naturally I’m looking forward to them. “I look back and I’ve got fond memories, it was a huge privilege to play for a club like Liverpool but … [Read more...]
‘Upset’ and ‘Humiliated’ Januzaj set for Manchester United exit
Adnan Januzaj has been left ‘humiliated’ and ‘upset’ by Manchester United as he edges towards a move to Sunderland. Belgian winger Januzaj, who spent much of last season on loan at Borussia Dortmund, has been told by manager Jose Mourinho that he is not part of his 26-man squad this campaign. United manager Mourinho, who was appointed this summer, prefers working with a smaller squad than usual, and the 21-year-old did not make the cut. The club remain reluctant to sell him however, and would prefer for him to gain experience by leaving on loan for first-team opportunities. Januzaj is ‘furious‘ at what he perceives is poor treatment from the club and, now that he no longer trains with the first team, he refuses to even change with the … [Read more...]
Juve include Zaza in a bid to land Matic
Juventus have reportedly returned to the table with a fresh bid for Chelsea midfielder Nemanja Matic – and have thrown a striker into the mix. According to the Daily Star , the Italian giants are eager to re-strengthen following the departure of Paul Pogba to Manchester United and are ready to tempt their former boss by offering the chance of a reunion with one of his Euro 2016 stars Simone Zaza. Zaza has attracted interest from likes of Tottenham and West Ham in the past, and is said to be intrigued about the prospect of playing for Conte again despite having no real urge to leave Italy this summer. Matic is, however, looking to leave after his representatives held talks with Chelsea officials earlier this week. Conte looks set to favour a midfield … [Read more...]
De Bruyne happy to help new City teammate
Kevin de Bruyne is looking forward to providing goals for new summer signing Leroy Sane and has given his Premier League title predictions. Sane is one of eight fresh faces brought in by manager Pep Guardiola over the course of pre-season, and the £37m capture from Schalke is the man that the Belgian is looking forward to playing with the most. “Leroy Sane is a class player. I want him to shine with my assists,” De Bruyne told Sport Bild. “My aim is the title. To reach this it’s important we have new players like Sane or Gundogan.” De Bruyne also expects the Premier League heavyweights to be back fighting at the top of the Premier League table again following Leicester City’s shock runaway success in the last campaign. “Manchester United is strong again … [Read more...]
Claudio Ranieri signs new four-year contract
Claudio Ranieri has signed a new contract with Leicester City until 2020. Ranieri, who signed a three-year deal when he replaced Nigel Pearson as manager last summer, led Leicester to the Premier League title in his first season in charge. The former Chelsea, Juventus and Monaco boss told the club's official website on Wednesday: "From the moment I talked to the owners about their vision for Leicester City, I knew it was something I wanted to be part of for a long time. "The energy that exists at this club -- from the owners and the staff, to the players and supporters -- is something very special. I am very happy and proud that I will be part of it for years to come. "Last season, that spirit and our hard work helped us to achieve something magical. … [Read more...]
Arsenal keen on Mustafi as replacement for injured Gabriel
Arsenal will step up their pursuit for Valencia defender Shkodran Mustafi after Gabriel Paulista was ruled out for up to two months. Arsene Wenger’s defensive options are threadbare for the opening stages of the season, with Per Mertesacker set to miss around five months and Laurent Koscielny given an extended break after reaching the final of Euro 2016 with France. Brazil international Gabriel was in line to start as the senior centre-back in the season opener against Liverpool, alongside either Calum Chambers or new signing Rob Holding. However, the defender injured his ankle in the friendly victory over Manchester City last week and is expected to be out for between six to eight weeks. The blow is understood to have forced Wenger to try push … [Read more...]
Arsenal defender Gabriel out for up to two months
Arsenal have been given the news that central defender Gabriel Paulista has been ruled out for up to two months with a sprained ankle. The defender was injured in the final minutes of Arsenal’s pre-season victory over Manchester City on Sunday. Initial reports suggested that the Brazilian could be our for an extended period, but the BBC’s David Ornstein (the oracle) reports that Gabriel will miss between six and eight weeks. David Ornstein ✔ @bbcsport_david Arsenal CB Gabriel out 6/8wks - ankle sprain. Not quite as bad as he 1st feared but #AFC stepping up pursuit of Valencia's Shkodran Mustafi. That leaves Arsenal requiring a centre-back as a matter of urgency. Reports have linked them with both Shkodran Mustafi and Jonny Evans. Arsene … [Read more...]
Pogba discusses United return, eyes Individual and team glory
Paul Pogba wants to “become one of the best” after completing his much-anticipated world record transfer to Manchester United. Months of speculation, negotiations and deliberation bore fruit in the early hours of Tuesday morning as the open secret of the 23-year-old’s United return was made official. Four years on from departing Old Trafford without making a first-team start, Pogba signed a five-year contract with the option of a sixth season after United agreed to pay an eye-watering 105million euros (£89million). Juventus revealed the deal could increase by a further five million euros (£4.25million) depending on targets being met – something that looks likely given by the Frenchman’s comments in his first interview since the deal’s completion. “The … [Read more...]
Manchester City sign Everton defender John Stones
Manchester City have confirmed that they have signed Everton defender John Stones on a six-year deal. City announced the transfer had been completed shortly after UEFA revealed the club had included Stones in their Champions League squad for the playoff with Steaua Bucharest, with the first leg taking place on Wednesday. City have reportedly paid around £47.5m for the England defender, who will wear the No. 24 shirt, and Everton said they had received a club-record amount. CONFIRMED: John Stones has today joined Manchester City for a record transfer fee. #EFC - Everton (@Everton) August 9, 2016 Stones could make his City debut in the Premier League opener against Sunderland on Saturday, which will be Pep Guardiola's first official game in charge, … [Read more...]
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