Villarreal are set to turn down the opportunity to sign former AC Milan and Chelsea forward Alexandre Pato, despite agreeing a fee with current club Corinthians. The Brazilian striker has returned to his homeland after a disappointing six month spell in the Premier League, in which he only made two appearances for Chelsea. Corinthians are keen to get the 26-year-old, who they purchased from Milan in 2013, off their books, particularly as he has less than six months remaining on his contract and would soon be eligible to leave for free. Spanish outfit Villarreal have agreed a €5 million deal with the Brazilian champions, although the move has now been cast into doubt due to concerns surrounding Pato’s physical condition, according to Fichajes.net. The … [Read more...]
Stoke completes £13m deal for Liverpool’s Allen
Stoke have completed the signing of midfielder Joe Allen from Liverpool on a five-year deal, the club has officially announced. The 26-year-old joins the Potters for a fee of £13million, and passed a medical on Monday in order to finalise his move. After impressing for Wales during Euro 2016 and making the Team of the Tournament, Allen was linked with a summer Anfield exit as his playing time would likely be limited. BREAKING | Stoke City are delighted to announce the signing of Joe Allen from @LFC on a 5-year deal #SCFC 8:00 PM - 25 Jul 2016 2,699 2,088 Stoke City FC @stokecity Follow Stoke’s bid met Liverpool’s valuation of a player with less than 12 months remaining on his contract and means they recouped most of the £15million they … [Read more...]
Celtic sign Ex Liverpool defender
Celtic have completed the signing of former Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool defender Kolo Toure. Toure, 35, has signed a one-year deal and reunites with former Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers at Celtic Park. The centre-back, who played in Liverpool's Europa League final defeat to Sevilla in May, was a free agent after the expiry of his contract at Anfield. Celtic delighted to sign Kolo Toure, https://t.co/V9KeK2nCDR (PV) pic.twitter.com/U9a7DZC0mR - Celtic Football Club (@celticfc) July 24, 2016 Rodgers told Celtic's official website: "I brought Kolo into Liverpool to add that bit of experience and help to the centre-halves there at the time. "You saw from his impact there and in particular last season, he was a very important player for … [Read more...]
Juventus considering move for Man United defender
With new Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho building a team to suit his tactics, Matteo Darmian may be set for a return to Italy, with Juventus contemplating a move. In his first season with the Red Devils, the 26-year-old defender played in 28 Premier League matches but he battled with inconsistent form and injuries, which has prompted Mourinho to place him on the transfer list. Daily Express reports that Darmian is one of a few Manchester United players who will be facing the exit along with fellow defender Marcos Rojo and midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger. After playing for four seasons at Torino, Darmian moved to Old Trafford for the 2015/16 season but he could be set to make a quick return to Turin, albeit with the Granata’s city rivals … [Read more...]
Ranieri: Leicester City are crying over Kante departure
Claudio Ranieri has admitted that defending Premier League champions Leicester City are “crying” over the loss of N’Golo Kante to Chelsea. Kante, who was one of the standout players on their way to winning the Premier League last season, moved to the Blues for a fee believed to be in the region of £30million last Saturday. Ranieri is convinced Leicester can cope without the French international but admits the club have lost a good player. “Last season we lost Esteban Cambiasso and everybody was crying,” he told reporters after the Foxes penalty shootout victory over Celtic in the International Champions Cup. “Now we are crying because we lost Kante. But don’t worry, football in Leicester will keep going.” … [Read more...]
Jose Mourinho: Derby match result not important
Jose Mourinho says there is nothing to be gained from Monday’s Manchester derby in Beijing except the health of his players. The Manchester United manager held a press conference at the Bird’s Nest Stadium – where the pitch is very, very shoddy – and suggested that the result of the clash is utterly unimportant. “The condition of my players is more important than the results in pre-season. I have only one goal from tomorrow’s match, take the players home safe,” said Mourinho. “We cannot just run away and disappear and not play, so we have to play and try to be lucky. “Normally when we say lucky we say lucky because we want a good result. The result I want tomorrow is to go home without injuries. “Manchester City have all of their players, we have … [Read more...]
Liverpool accept £6m Bournemouth bid for Brad Smith
Liverpool have accepted an offer from Bournemouth for defender Brad Smith, sources from both clubs revealed. Bournemouth have tabled a £6 million bid for Australia international Smith as they look to bolster their defensive options. Smith, who is currently away with Liverpool on their tour of America, is set to return to England to hold talks with the Cherries. The 22-year-old, a Liverpool academy graduate, almost left Anfield last summer when his contract expired before he finally agreed a new deal shortly after the arrival of Jurgen Klopp last September. He went on to play a backup role to Alberto Moreno last season, making 10 appearances in total, but Klopp is willing to let him move on as he is the market for a new left-back this summer. If … [Read more...]