Jose Mourinho once embarrassed Nemanja Matic by substituting him after 28 minutes... but that won't stop them reuniting at Manchester United
- Manchester United will have to pay up to £40million to sign Nemanja Matic
- Jose Mourinho wants to be reunited with Matic after bringing him to Chelsea
- The pair have had a mixed relationship since first linking up in January 2014
- Mourinho once substituted Matic after bringing him on for just 28 minutes
- Matic is weighing up his future as Chelsea close in on Tiemoue Bakayoko
Manchester United knocked back by Inter Milan in pursuit of Ivan Perisic as Luciano Spalletti takes Croatian star 'off the market'
- Manchester United have made Ivan Perisic a key target this summer
- Reports in Italy suggest that Inter Milan are blocking any potential move
- Italian giants are thought to be demanding £44m for the Croatian winger
Chelsea to complete £61m move for Alex Sandro making him the most expensive defender ever with Nathan Ake to join Bournemouth for £20m
- Brazil international Alex Sandro is set to join Chelsea from Juventus for £61m
- The fee would eclipse the £50m that Chelsea paid for Fernando Torres in 2011
- It breaks the record for a defender - PSG's £50m signing of David Luiz in 2014
- Nathan Ake was on loan at Bournemouth last season before being recalled
Manchester United's striker shake-up with Alvaro Morata the top target as Wayne Rooney, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Anthony Martial face anxious wait
- Manchester United's thoughts will be focused on how they will revamp attack
- United were significantly less potent than their Premier League rivals last season
- Chelsea and Spurs were both more than 30 goals better off last term
- Jose Mourinho is targeting the likes of Romelu Lukaku and Alvaro Morata
- However, the former Chelsea manager's plans remain up in the air
9ice Denies Promoting Fraud With Latest Single ”Living Things”
Falz in a recent interview advised Nigerian artists to stop glorifying fraud through their music given the negative impact it has on the young ones who look up to them.
A lot of Nigerian artists are guilty of this but 9ice might have felt the most affected. He responded to this in an interview where he denied promoting fraud with ”Living Things” stating that the song praises those who wake up everyday to earn a living instead.
He said: ”It’s not about promoting fraud so to speak, it’s about someone who wakes up everyday to earn a living….It’s not negative, it’s positive, you have to be in that realm to understand the song…”
This is however false as several lines of the song read:
awon temi cha che …won cha che…won chache loru moju…
A rough translation of this means ”my people are engaging in fraudulent activities online overnight”. This however contradicts his assertions.
He is not alone as proper scrutiny of Nigerian songs will show that a lot of the artists publicly associate with fraudsters and sing their praises in their songs.
Lionel Messi is scoring more from outside of the box for Barcelona than ever before… he turns 30 today but there are no signs of this showman turning into a penalty-box poacher
- Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi celebrates his 30th birthday on Saturday
- The Argentinian forward is scoring more from outside the box than ever
- While Cristiano Ronaldo is reinvented as a striker, Messi thrives from range
- Just 74.07 per cent of his 54 goals last season were from inside the area
Since he began to come and train with us
we knew we would go down this path. Someday I will explain that I was at
the birth of one of the footballing greats: Leo Messi.'
Chelsea put Thibaut Courtois contract talks on hold as the goalkeeper looks to DOUBLE his £90,000 a week wages
- Chelsea had hoped to extend the contract Thibaut Courtois, which runs to 2019
- The Belgian goalkeeper wants to be taken up to the £200,000 a week mark
- Officials are hoping to come to an agreement before the start of next season
Arsenal open talks with Lyon over a move for striker Alexandre Lacazette as Kylian Mbappe chase goes cold
- Arsenal transfer news: All the latest from the Emirates Stadium
- Arsenal have made Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette their No 1 target
- It is understood conversations between both clubs took place this week
Oscar to appeal eight-match ban incurred for role in mass brawl during Chinese Super League game
- Ex-Chelsea player Oscar sparked mass brawl in the Chinese Super League
- A melee broke out during Shanghai SIPG's clash with Guangzhou R&F
- Oscar kicked ball at two opponents and Guangzhou's players reacted angrily
- He was banned for eight matches but will appeal against the verdict
Arsenal in danger of breaching Premier League wage control rules if Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil commit to new contracts... and they could be forced to sell off players as a result
Liverpool broke their transfer record to bring Mohamed Salah to Anfield... so, how will the Reds line up with the mercurial winger next season?
Besiktas interested in Fernando Llorente but Swansea City will stand firm as they seek to wrap up Tammy Abraham deal
Besiktas interested in Fernando Llorente but Swansea City will stand firm as they seek to wrap up Tammy Abraham deal
Swansea say there has been no contact from the Turkish champions who are on the hunt for a new striker and are unlikely to welcome any interest as they look to create new partnership with Chelsea FC starlet
Fernando Llorente could be offered the chance of Champions League football in a bid to tempt him away from Swansea City.
But Swansea are still planning to start the new Premier League season with their World Cup winner still on board as they look to wrap up the loan deal to link him with Chelsea starlet Tammy Abraha.
Fernando Llorente celebrates scoring against West Brom
Turkish champions Besiktas are on the hunt for a new striker as they face up to losing Cameroon frontman Vincent Aboubakar, and have made Llorente a target with the hope they can entice him with the carrot of returning to the European stage.
Besiktas, who boast stars such as Gokhan Inler and Ricardo Quaresma while also attracting the likes of Demba Ba and Mario Gomez in recent years, have won the top division in Turkey for the past two seasons and will go straight into the Champions League group stage this September.
And various media in Turkey are claiming the Istanbul club have already made an initial €3m offer for the 32-year-old, who finished last season as Swansea’s top-scorer with 15 goals following his move from Sevilla.
Swansea maintain there has been no contact from the Super Lig side, and are unlikely to welcome any as they seek to stand firm in the wake of interest in the Spaniard.Instead, the Liberty club’s focus is on wrapping up the formalities on the deal to land England Under 21 striker Abraham on loan, giving boss Paul Clement the options he wanted in attack.
There had been hope Swansea could have already completed the deal to land Abraham – which will include them paying Chelsea a significant loan fee – but there is nothing sinister in the hold-up, with the 19-year-old all set for South Wales after the interest of Newcastle and Brighton was seen off.
The capture of a player who showcased his potential with 26 goals on loan at Bristol City last season represents a welcome step forward in Swansea’s summer aims, the need for a ‘second striker’, and alternate to Llorente, having been high on the agenda - hence why there is no mood to entertain interest in the towering attacker.
Transfer rumour: Aston Villa target departs Championship club
Transfer rumour: Aston Villa target departs Championship club
Josh Scowen has left Barnsley and will sign for another Championship club, Tykes boss Paul Heckingbottom has confirmed.
Aston Villa have been linked with the defensive midfielder, who is available on a free transfer.
Steve Bruce has already raided Barnsley twice since taking over at Villa Park with the captures of Conor Hourihane and James Bree.
And now Tykes head coach Heckingbottom - has revealed that Scowen will move on this summer.
In an interview with BBC Radio Sheffield the Tykes' boss was asked if he knew where the 24-year-old was headed.
"Possibly yeah," confirmed Heckingbottom, laughing at the same time.He was then asked if it is sad that the midfielder will be lining up against Barnsley next season in the Championship.
"It is [sad]. But Josh signed his contract and saw it through to the end and that's great and that's what you want from your players," said Heckingbottom.
Championship rivals QPR, Bristol City, Preston and Nottingham Forest are also thought to be keen.
Former Chelsea star Oscar fined £4,620 for mass brawl - but will earn nearly £3million during eight-match ban
Former Chelsea star Oscar fined £4,620 for mass brawl - but will earn nearly £3million during eight-match ban
Now you'd think that Oscar - the Brazilian midfielder who used to be seen flitting in and out of Chelsea matches - is most definitely "not that sort of player".
When he was at Stamford Bridge he never used to say boo to any geese, but it seems as though everything has changed for him every since he made the move the Chinese Super League side Shanghai SIPG in December.The CSL outfit, who are managed by ex-Chelsea and Spurs boss Andre Villas-Boas, have seemingly brought out the dark side in the 25-year-old, at least if the huge brawl which happened against Guangzhou R&F at the weekend is anything to go by.
And after inciting the huge fight by blasting the ball at an opponent, Oscar has been fined £4,620 and been banned for eight matches - ruling him out of action for Villas-Boas' side until August 13.
But thanks to his huge wages of £20.8m a year, the midfielder can sit back and watch the money roll in during his enforced time away from the game.
Because according to bet365, Oscar will earn a staggering £2,971,436 during his 52-day suspension, which amounts to being paid £57,143 a day and means that he can earn enough to pay that £4,620 fine in less than two hours.
Morgan Schneiderlin goes on safari as Everton star kicks off honeymoon in Tanzania
Everton may be set for a visit to Tanzania later this summer, but Morgan Schneiderlin got in there before his teammates, as he kicked off his honeymoon this week.
The France international midfielder married his partner of two years, Camille Sold, earlier this month, and the couple decided to take a trip to east Africa to celebrate the event.
The Blues visit the country next month as part of their pre-season preparations, but with the players not due to report back until next month, Schneiderlin was able to squeeze in his honeymoon, after tying the knot on June 12.
An off-duty Schneiderlin flew out to Tanzania this week, and set off on safari with his wife, before taking part in a kick-about with some of the football fans in the area.
Schneiderlin and Camille spent time with the local schoolchildren of Maasai Village on their journey, after taking part in a Karibu African Safari.
"A bit of fun today with the kids from a school in tanzania #lovefootball #thankyoutanzania" posted the midfielder on his Instagram account.
Camille added: "Meeting local people and children in a Maasaï village that kind of holidays who bring you back to earth..."
Everton's trip to Tanzania is in connection with new shirt sponsors SportPesa, and the visit will see them take part in the inaugural SportPesa Super Cup.
The competition features four teams from Kenya and as many from Tanzania's top flight, with Ronald Koeman's side playing the winners at the Dar-es-Salaam's National Stadium on 13 July.
The competition features four teams from Kenya and as many from Tanzania's top flight, with Ronald Koeman's side playing the winners at the Dar-es-Salaam's National Stadium on 13 July.
Schneiderlin has been a big hit at Goodison Park since his £24m switch from Manchester United in January.
The Frenchman has formed an impressive partnership with Idrissa Gueye at the heart of the Blues' midfield.
Balotelli wants Nice stay, says president
Nice president Jean-Pierre Rivere has confirmed Mario Balotelli wants to stay at the club and he is working on a new deal for the striker.
The one-year deal Balotelli signed last summer is due to expire at the end of the month and he still hasn’t agreed to a contract extension despite the fact he is expected to renew.
Balotelli was due to report back to pre-season training on Wednesday but was absent as the controversial striker waits to resolve his future first.
“I’ll only say two things about Mario,” Football Italia quote Rivere as saying at the presentation for Pierre Lees-Melou, Adrien Tameze and Jean-Victor Makengo.
“The first is that we have a player who wants to stay with Nice. The second is that he’s ready to make the financial effort and we’re continuing to work.”
Balotelli was deemed as huge gamble when he signed for Nice from Liverpool last summer but he was a relative success despite the fact he was sent off three times.
Just like Nice did with Hatem Ben Arfa the year before, Lucien Favre’s side have provided Balotelli with a platform where he can thrive and that is illustrated by the fact he scored 15 goals in a league campaign for the first time in his senior career.
Reports: De Boer offered Crystal Palace manager’s spot
Reports: De Boer offered Crystal Palace manager’s spot
Multiple reports claim Crystal Palace has offered its managerial position to Dutch boss Frank De Boer.
Palace has been without a manager since Sam Allardyce retired after the season. The Eagles finished 15th in the Premier League, five points behind eighth place Southampton and seven points clear of the drop zone.
An accomplished defender at Ajax and Barcelona, the 47-year-old De Boer led Ajax in his first managerial stint before spending less than three months at Inter Milan last season.
De Boer twice won the Rinus Michels Award as the top manager in Dutch football, and would become just the second Palace manager from outside the British Isles.
He would inherit a very good group of attackers with Wilfried Zaha, Christian Benteke, and Andros Townsend. Palace also has a talented midfielders Luka Milivojevic and Yohan Cabaye to go with marauding Dutch back Patrick Van Aanholt.
Barcelona Need Immediate Transfers
Barcelona Need Immediate Transfers
After a disappointing 2016-17 campaign, Barcelona must bring in new players immediately to avoid another frustrating season of football.
Rarely does a team consisting of talents the likes of Messi, Neymar and Suarez need to make signings desperately. The coming summer though is going to be one such rare occasion. For the past few years, Barcelona have managed to hide their shortcomings behind the incredible talents of their front three. But last season, Barcelona seemed incapable of competing with Europe’s elite clubs.
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Behind the sparkling attacking trio of the team lies a rotting midfield engine. Father Time has caught up with Iniesta while Busquets seems to be losing some of his mythical consistency. Management seem to have their doubts about Rakitic though he seems to be the pick of the current Barca midfield. Andre Gomes and Denis Suarez were brought in last year to provide depth but failed spectacularly.
The defence is leaky as it has ever been. Last season, Sergi Roberto had to fill in at right back due to lack of quality options. A new right back should be a priority for the team this season. Back up must also be provided to Messi and Neymar to keep them fresh for the big games.
Currently, the Board seems to have identified Marco Verratti, Ousmane Dembele and Hector Bellerin to fill the gaps that exist in the squad. All three are brilliant players and more than good enough to play for the club. The problem though lies with the contracts that they have with their current clubs. None of these players will be out of contract before 2021. As a result, their clubs are under no pressure to sell them immediately.
Hence, Barcelona will have to pay premium money to sign their targets. Money that they may not have. Messi’s contract runs out in a year and there is no way the club can let him leave. Rumours were that Barca would have to cut Turan and Mathieu just to facilitate Messi’s new contract. Both of these players are still with the club.
Logic suggests that Barca should give up on Bellerin and sign someone like Kyle Walker who will come cheaper and is probably a better player too. There is also no guarantee that PSG will let Verratti leave. All signs suggest that they probably won’t despite the Italian’s wishes. And Dembele seems to be a luxury that the club can’t afford right now.Sooner or later, Barcelona has to make a move in the transfer market. After the debacle of last season, the squad needs new faces desperately. The summer transfer window poses a tricky question for the Board, the answer to which they must figure out quickly.
Yes, There’s Great Interest – Agent of Arsenal Target Sander Berge Speaks
Yes, There’s Great Interest – Agent of Arsenal Target Sander Berge SpeaksSander Berge’s agent admits that his client’s performances at Genk have been noticed, amidst interest from Arsenal and Sevilla.
The 19-year-old defensive midfielder joined Genk from Valerenga in the winter transfer window and has been a key player in Albert Stuivenberg's squad over the last six months.
Kjolo told TV2 Sport: “Sander has done very well for Genk in the last six months and Genk is known for developing footballers in an incredibly positive way.“There is naturally great interest after Sander’s performance in the cup and the Europa League for the club and he has been noticed."Asked if his client will be at Genk beyond the summer window, he said: “It’s impossible to answer that question as he has contract with Genk and we have to deal with that accordingly.”
Berge’s agent refused to confirm whether Arsenal are interested in his client, which would add more fuel to the fire, but admits that there is interest in the midfielder.
Asked about Arsenal’s interest, Kjolo said: “I will not specifically answer that question as I will only create more speculation. We are trying to keep our tongue in our mouth.
“There is extremely great interest in him and Sander has done a fantastic job for club and country.
“And as I said he has been noticed.”
Berge has also been capped by Norway three times and has a contract until 2021 with Genk.
ANDY COUZENS: LEEDS SHOULD AXE 28-YEAR-OLD FIRST TEAMER THIS SUMMER
ANDY COUZENS: LEEDS SHOULD AXE 28-YEAR-OLD FIRST TEAMER THIS SUMMER
By Derek Smithson
Andy Couzens believes that Leeds should sell midfielder Liam Bridcutt in the summer and feels the team are better without him.
The 28-year-old arrived on a permanent deal last summer after spending the second half of the 2015/16 campaign on loan at Elland Road.
He was one of several signings made by former manager Garry Monk and made club captain under him.
Bridcutt made 25 appearances across all competitions last season due to injuries, but was an ever-present in the side when fit.
The defensive midfielder is set to be involved in the first-team action next season, but ex-Leeds midfielder Couzens has urged new manager Thomas Christiansen to axe him from his plans.
“For me Bridcutt can go, we play to deep when he plays and our best results last season was when he didn’t play,” Couzens wrote on his personal Twitter account.
@andycuz23 No pre-season is arranged. Taylor all but gone, Monk allegedly wants Bartley & is sniffing round Bridcutt, and who knows if Wood will stay?
@SteveCraven1 For me bridcutt can go we play to deep when he plays and are best results last season he didn't play!! a proven center half is a must.
Bridcutt is a highly experienced player in the Championship and has now racked up 150 appearances in England’s second tier.
The two-time capped Scotland international also has 30 appearances in the Premier League under his belt and is recognised for his combative approach in the centre of the park.
He is competing alongside he likes of Ronaldo Vieria, Eunan O’Kane and Kalvin Phillips for a position in the starting line-up at Leeds.
Bridcutt works mostly as a defensive midfielder shielding the backline, but teammate O’Kane can play a similar role.
In other Leeds transfer news, they have been installed the firm favourites to sign a 21-year-old Premier League striker.
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