Liverpool striker Christian Benteke says he will have to consider his future if he does not fit into Jurgen Klopp’s plans for next season. The Belgium international scored 10 goals last season, the fourth best at the club, having slipped down the pecking order when the German replaced Brendan Rodgers – the man who signed Benteke for £32.5million last summer. From mid-October, when Klopp took over, Benteke started just 13 of 52 matches and was used sparingly as a substitute having fallen behind compatriot Divock Origi. The striker has often stressed his desire to remain at the club, saying at one point he will fight like a warrior to save his Anfield career , but accepts if that pattern is likely to continue next season then he may have think about options … [Read more...]
Manchester United sign Ivorian defender Eric Bailly from Villarreal
The defender, 22, is believed to have cost United £30m, and has signed a four-year contract with the option of another two years. Bailly becomes United manager Jose Mourinho's first signing at Old Trafford, with striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic tipped to join the club next month. "It is a dream come true to be joining Manchester United," he told mufc.com . "To play football at the highest level is all I have ever wanted to do. "I want to progress to be the best that I can be and I believe working with Jose Mourinho will help me develop in the right way and at the right club. "I am looking forward to meeting my new team-mates and to starting this new chapter of my life." Bailly joined Villarreal last summer after a season-long stint at La Liga side … [Read more...]
Arsenal to offer Hector Bellerin new contract
Arsenal are reportedly preparing to offer full-back Héctor Bellerín a lucrative new contract to counteract interest from Barcelona. The 21-year-old has been named in Vicente del Bosque’s final 23-man squad at the expense of injured Dani Carvajal ahead of the European Championship despite only making his debut for Spain during the 3-1 friendly victory against Bosnia and Herzegovina last month. Barcelona have aspirations to lure the talented defender back to the Camp Nou but their plans have been accelerated after learning of Dani Alves’s desire to join Juventus after he insisted upon a get-out clause in his contract last summer. Bellerín is a graduate of the La Masia academy but, according to reports, he is unlikely to re-join his former employers after … [Read more...]
Manchester City in advanced talks to sign Borussia Dortmund striker Pierre-EmerickAubameyang
Aubameyang is one of the hottest properties in Europe after scoring 25 goals in 29 Bundesliga appearances, and has been linked with a host of clubs including Real Madrid, Manchester United and Arsenal. But according to Sky Sports , City are set to beat their rivals to the signing of the 26-year-old, in what would be a huge statement of intent. Incoming manager Pep Guardiola has already landed midfielder Ilkay Gundogan from Dortmund, and the Spaniard is also understood to be interested in Athletic Bilbao defender Aymeric Laporte and Everton’s John Stones. Two players that are not on their way to the Etihad Stadium, however, are Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere and Real Madrid’s Toni Kroos. Guardiola is reportedly keen on the midfield duo but has opted to pursue … [Read more...]
Eric Bailly passes medical at Manchester United ahead of his £30m move
Manchester United faced tough competition from Manchester City , Barcelona and Paris St-Germain for the defender's signature - but it seems they have won the race. They add that the interest drove the transfer fee towards £30m. Bailly joined Villarreal in January 2015 and impressed for the La Liga side. The centre-back made 35 appearances for Villarreal last season, chipping in with one goal. Bailly started his footballing career at Espanyol and Manolo Marquez gave him his debut for the B team in 2013. And Marquez yesterday claimed his former player would be a good fit for new United boss Jose Mourinho. "I'm absolutely convinced that he'd be a success in England," he told ESPN . "He's similar to Sergio Ramos and while he's not as good … [Read more...]
Ibrahimovic keeps fans guessing as speculations over his future continues
The Swedish superstar continued to keep the Manchester United fans waiting after he appeared at a much anticipated advertising event in Paris. F ar from the big reveal that some thought it might be, Zlatan Ibrahimovic refused to give little more than a few hints on this future when he answered journalists’ questions in Paris on Tuesday. The striker was appearing at a launch event for A to Z sportswear in the French capital, and with the event being streamed live on Facebook, Ibrahimovic failed to deliver the desired answer with regard to the largest uncertainty; that of his next club. Instead, when brought onto the topic of Manchester United, with a reunion with Jose Mourinho seen as a possibility, the 34-year-old remained as coy as ever. “There is no … [Read more...]
Jose Mourinho keen to bring Nemanja Matic to Old Trafford
MANCHESTER UNITED are pursuing their interest in Chelsea midfielder Nemanja Matic, according to reports. Jose Mourinho is keen to bring in a host of fresh talent in the transfer window and Express Sport understands the Portuguese is being handed £200million to spend. The 53-year-old has been linked with trying to raid his former club Chelsea in recent months. And according to Italian publication GianlucaDiMarzio , Matic is at the forefront of his plans. Matic was a key part of Chelsea 's title-winning campaign in the 2014/15 season but struggled to maintain a regular starting spot under Guus Hiddink last season. The 27-year-old is currently under contract with the west London outfit until 2019 and the Blues are unlikely to want to part with him on the … [Read more...]