Benfica are ready to turn to their young star as a replacement for Manchester United target Nelson Semedo. Jose Mourinho has been heavily linked with a move for right-back Semedo after he enjoyed a stellar campaign for the Portuguese side. And the United boss has been handed a welcome boost in his pursuit of Semedo after reports emerge that Pedro Pereira is set to make the step up to the first team following his move from Sampdoria. The 19-year-old spent his youth career with Benfica before leaving for the Italian giants in 2015. But he returned to the Portuguese champions…
Author: David Folami
It was one of the strangest moments of the oddest period in Chelsea’s modern history. Facing Southampton at Stamford Bridge in October 2015, and having conceded an equaliser just before the break, Jose Mourinho threw on Nemanja Matic for Ramires. After just 27 minutes of the second half, with Chelsea now down 3-1, Matic having been shredded by Sadio Mane, Mourinho hauled the Serbian back off and replaced him with Loic Remy. The crowd booed, Matic and Mourinho ignored one another, and Chelsea slumped to their fourth defeat of the season in just their eighth game. Afterwards Mourinho insisted that…
Manchester United are willing to spend £40million on Radja Nainggolan, according to reports. The midfielder has a contract with Roma until 2020, and the offer of an extension has been made. But according to Gazetta dello Sport, he is reluctant to sign due to interest from United. The report claims Jose Mourinho has contacted the player’s representatives to register his interest, and United are ready to offer between £35m and £40m for his services. Nainggolan posted a photograph on Instagram on Monday with the caption “Thinking about what to do.” Asked about United’s reported interest earlier this month, the Belgian…
Bundesliga runners-up RB Leipzig and Austrian champions Salzburg can both play in the Champions League next season after Uefa said it was satisfied that energy drinks manufacturer Red Bull does not have a controlling influence in both clubs. The club financial control board of European soccer’s governing body said in a statement on Tuesday that “no individual or legal entity” had a decisive influence over more than one of the two clubs. Uefa rules do not allow any two clubs competing in European competition to share the same owner. In cases where that happens, priority is given to a team…
AC Milan goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, who has rejected a new deal with the club, was pelted with fake cash and labelled “Dollarumma” by supporters during a match for Italy’s under-21 team on Sunday. The 18-year-old stunned the club by turning down a new contract last Thursday. AC Milan see him as one of the brightest talents to emerge at the club in years and hoped to keep him on a long-term basis. Play had to be briefly halted during the first half of the European under-21 championship match against Denmark, played in the Polish city of Krakow, after supporters behind…
Copa America champions Chile will try to curb Portugal’s superstar Cristiano Ronaldo in Wednesday’s Confederations Cup semifinal with the goal-ace in rich form despite the tax storm brewing in Spain. The 32-year-old converted a penalty in Saturday’s 4-0 thrashing of New Zealand to claim his 75th international goal. The Real Madrid forward has now scored 16 times in his last 10 games for club and country. Portugal’s captain will face tax evasion charges in a Madrid court next month, but has dazzled on the pitch in Russia, claiming man-of-the-match awards in all three games, netting two goals and providing an…
Serie A runners-up Roma have moved to shore up their defence ahead of next season with the imminent signing of Dutch international defender Rick Karsdorp. Feyenoord full-back Karsdorp, 22, arrived in Rome on Tuesday morning and “will have a medical in the Italian capital, ahead of a proposed move to the Giallorossi from current club Feyenoord,” Roma said in a statement. Roma, who have secured an automatic spot in next season’s Champions League, are hoping to strengthen for a fresh assault on the competition next season. However the capital club, who will be coached by former Sassuolo coach Eusebio Di…
Arsenal forward Takuma Asano will return to VfB Stuttgart for a second successive season on loan, the English Premier League club said on Thursday. The 22-year-old Japan international joined Arsenal in July last year and was loaned out to Stuttgart shortly after for the 2016-17 campaign, where he scored four goals in 26 league appearances as the club won promotion to the top tier. “Takuma Asano has re-joined Bundesliga side Stuttgart on loan for the 2017/18 season,” Arsenal said on their website (www.arsenal.com). “We’d like to wish him all the best for the upcoming campaign.”
Germany are the kings of the penalty shoot-out – but the world champions hope to see off Mexico in Thursday’s Confederations Cup semifinal without needing dreaded spot kicks. The Germans have won all five penalty shoot-outs they have faced since 1976 at either World Cup finals or European championships. Joachim Loew’s team face the Mexicans in Sochi for a place in Sunday’s Confed Cup final in St Petersburg against either Portugal or Chile, who meet later on Wednesday in Kazan’s other semifinal. Having won their Confed Cup group, Germany are on a 13-match unbeaten run, dating back just under a…
Liverpool are unlikely to face disciplinary proceedings from the Premier League after being accused by Southampton of making an illegal approach to sign their defender Virgil van Dijk. Liverpool ended their interest in the Dutch centre back and publicly apologised to Southampton earlier this month after British media reported that the south coast club had complained to the Premier League about their attempt to sign him. Both the Times and the Daily Telegraph reported on Tuesday that the league had conducted a preliminary investigation into the dispute and concluded there was not enough evidence to launch formal disciplinary proceedings. The…
Reports linking UCL winner Cristiano Ronaldo with a possible move to Bayern Munich if the Portuguese decided to leave Real Madrid were a hoax, the German champions said on Monday. Bayern President Uli Hoeness has pledged a big-name signing in the close season and Italian media had reported in recent days the German champions were interested in Ronaldo. “We are used to a lot of speculation about possible comings and goings during the transfer period,” said Rummenigge in a club statement with the headline “Hoax of the Day for the Ronaldo rumours”. “As a rule we do not comment on…
Tottenham Hotspur have absolutely no intention of selling Harry Kane this summer and have not quoted Manchester United a price for the striker, sources have said. Reports in the UK media claim United boss Jose Mourinho has told the club to sign Kane and figures of £100 million and £200m have been mentioned for the forward, who captained England this month. But sources close to Spurs are bemused by the speculation and insist that Kane does not have a price-tag because the club would not even consider discussions about selling their star player. The 23-year-old has won the Premier League…
Chelsea legend Frank Lampard says Romelu Lukaku would be the ideal man to replace Diego Costa if the Spain international leaves Stamford Bridge this summer. Costa, 28, said earlier this month that Chelsea boss Antonio Conte had told him he is not in his plans for next season and Lukaku, 24, has been strongly tipped for a return to his former club. Lampard said Lukaku, who scored 25 Premier League goals last season, has progressed significantly at Everton. “What he’s done in the last two or three years is that he’s really developed,” he told L’Equipe. “Chelsea bought him as…
Manchester United are set to sign Northern Ireland under-17 captain Ethan Galbraith. The midfielder, 16, has agreed a three-year contract and could seal his switch to Old Trafford as early as this weekend, according to the Northern Ireland FA. Galbraith will initially join up with Kieran McKenna’s U18 side, where he could play alongside Angel Gomes, who made his first-team debut in May. Jim Magilton, the Irish FA’s elite performance director, said: “We are all delighted that Ethan has signed for Manchester United. “He has been a part of our elite development programme from the beginning, and we have been…
Football agent Jorge Mendes has appeared in a Spanish court which is investigating a potential tax fraud by Monaco striker Radamel Falcao. Mendes gave evidence on Tuesday morning in front of judge Monica Gomez Ferrer, who is also overseeing the case which sees Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo, another Mendes client, due in the same court on July 31 to answer charges of an alleged €14.7 million tax fraud. The 51-year-old Gestifute founder arrived at the court buildings in suburban Madrid accompanied by lawyers from Baker & McKenzie, the same firm who are defending Ronaldo in his case, and told reporters…
In among the excitement — and if we are honest, anxiety — around who Manchester United will acquire during the transfer window, one of the most interesting additions to their squad may risk going under the radar. Andreas Pereira has returned from a loan spell at Granada, and the signs are he will be given a chance to win a role in Jose Mourinho’s plans for the coming season. Given United’s lack of depth in midfield, this is a welcome development. It is all the more welcome given Pereira’s success in Spain. Playing in a side relegated with a goal…
Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu is confident that the club will be significantly strengthened this summer but failed to comment on their reported interest in Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Marco Verratti. Verratti, 24, has been heavily linked with a move to Barca, but when speaking with beIN SPORTS, Bartomeu said that he “cannot talk about” certain figures of interest. “Verratti is a PSG player and has a contract with that club,” Bartomeu added. “I only trust the work that [sporting director] Robert [Fernandez] does but without discussing names. “They know what is more convenient for us, what we need for next…
The summer transfer market formally opens for business July 1 and the pieces are in place for a domino effect of moves that would alter the landscape of European football. The future of Monaco’s Kylian Mbappe appears to be the starting tile that will determine where and when the rest of the set will fall, but it may be time for Real Madrid to consider slamming one of their prized assets on the table. Rumours surrounding Gareth Bale’s Bernabeu career are a constant and several of Europe’s top clubs are regularly credited with an interest in the Wales international. However,…
Chile boss Juan Antonio Pizzi says Alexis Sanchez remains happy and focused at the Confederations Cup despite questions over his future. Arsenal forward Sanchez, 28, has one year remaining on his current contract and has been linked with a number of top clubs, including Bayern Munich, Manchester City and Chelsea. Pizzi said any top club would like to sign Sanchez, but the forward remains focused on Chile as they head into Wednesday’s Confederations Cup semifinal with Portugal. “We think he’s very happy,” Pizzi said. “He’s giving his best like everyone else. Everybody would like to be at the best clubs…
When Jose Mourinho and executive vice chairman Ed Woodward finalised Manchester United’s list of summer transfer targets, they agreed this window would be difficult. With £8.3 billion shared between the 20 Premier League clubs after the sale of their global television rights, plus a host of new owners at home and abroad, competition for players, they concluded, would be fierce. A month in, and they have been proved right. Look at their efforts to sign a new defensive midfielder. United hold an interest in Eric Dier but despite being able to pay over the odds and double the 23-year-old’s wages…