Eden Hazard is “waiting” for Spanish giants Real Madrid to make a move and sign him, however, an agreement is not already in place. That’s according to Belgian football journalist Kristof Terreur. Eden Hazard has been linked with a move to the Spanish capital since the summer. The Blues forward is reportedly keen on the move but has also stated his happiness in London, and that he wants to become a Chelsea legend. There’s just over a year remaining on Hazard’s contract, and it’s possible that Madrid rekindle their interest in the Belgian at the end of the season. “He…
Author: David Folami
Juan Mata has praised the skills of Real Madrid’s midfielder Isco, who has yet to start a LaLiga Santander game under Santiago Solari. Although the former Malaga player follows the majority of Los Blancos’ games from the bench, his compatriot has sent him a message of support. “I appreciate Isco, as I met him at Valencia and I saw all the talent he had,” Mata said in an interview with Radio MARCA.” The only thing you can do in situations like this is to continue working, to not lose confidence in yourself and to try to take advantage of opportunities…
Marcus Rashford can be the “main man” for Manchester United and England, says Alan Shearer, with the 21-year-old showing he has “every attribute in his locker to thrive as a striker”. An Old Trafford academy graduate has been denied the opportunity to showcase his talent in a central role since bursting onto the scene in that position under Louis van Gaal. He has been shifted out to the flanks for club and country, with Jose Mourinho struggling to bring the best out of an exciting talent. A new lease of life is being enjoyed, though, under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, with…
Harry Kane will be out for two months after scans confirmed ankle ligament damage, and the Tottenham striker looks set to miss both legs of the Champions League last-16 showdown with Borussia Dortmund. The 25-year-old was injured by a tackle from Phil Jones at the end of Sunday’s 1-0 home defeat to Manchester United and limped off gingerly. Kane had to wait until Tuesday for a scan as the swelling went down on his ankle, but Spurs’ fears have now been confirmed. A club statement read: “Following preliminary assessments, we can confirm that Harry Kane has damaged ligaments in his…
Sevilla have dropped out of the race to sign Chelsea forward Alvaro Morata, according to the Spanish club’s president Pepe Castro. The La Liga side had expressed an interest in acquiring the Spain international, who is also a reported target of Atletico Madrid and Barcelona. “Morata was enthusiastic about coming to Sevilla,” Castro told Onda Cero. “We spoke to him and his agent. “But it’s true that the situation became more difficult because there are many strong and powerful clubs that got involved and we saw that there was no longer that possibility. “There are many clubs, some in Spain,…
David De Gea is happy to commit his future to Manchester United but is pushing for a deal that would make him one of the club’s highest paid players, sources have said. United activated a clause in De Gea’s contract in November that will keep him at Old Trafford until at least 2020. Negotiations are ongoing over a fresh long term agreement but after talks opened last year, progress has been slow. De Gea is settled in Manchester and has been delighted with the support he has received from United fans after a rocky start to his career in England…
Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech has announced his retirement from football at the end of the season. Cech, 36, has lost his place in Unai Emery’s side to Bernd Leno and has said his 20th campaign as a professional will be his last. “This is my 20th season as a professional player and it has been 20 years since I signed my professional contract, so it feels like the right time to announce that I will retire at the end of the season,” Cech wrote on Twitter. “Having played in the Premier League and won every single trophy possible, I feel…
Massimiliano Allegri has distanced his club from a move for Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsey this winter, saying that he is happy enough with the squad he already has. Ramsey is available on a free transfer in the summer and is understood to have already agreed to join the Bianconeri in July. However, there has been talk of Juve bringing forward his arrival in Turin by making a move this month so he can help with their challenge for the Champions League title. Speaking on the eve of the Italian Supercoppa in the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah, Allegri did not want…
Manchester United are not going to sign free agent Guiseppe Rossi, according to caretaker manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, despite impressing Sir Alex Ferguson in training. The U.S.-born Italy international is searching for a new club after leaving Genoa and is training with United after being invited to Carrington by former United teammate Solskjaer. Rossi, 31, was watched by Ferguson on Saturday during United’s final preparation to face Spurs and Solskjaer believes the former Italy international will have plenty of offers. “We’re not gonna sign Giuseppe, I think, but he’s trained well with us,” Solskjaer said. “He has looked sharp. He’s…
Antoine Griezmann proved to be Atletico Madrid’s decisive figure yet again as the Frenchman struck the only goal in a 1-0 win at home to Levante on Sunday which kept Diego Simeone’s side in touch with La Liga leaders Barcelona. Griezmann smashed home from the penalty spot in the 57th minute to score for the fifth consecutive game in all competitions after Levante midfielder Nikola Vukcevic was penalised for handball in the area. Levante, who were perhaps feeling the effects of beating Barcelona 2-1 on Thursday the Copa del Rey, produced a scrappy display but had one chance to level…
Pep Guardiola believes it’s difficult for Manchester City to beat Real Madrid or Barcelona in the transfer market. City are among a host of top European clubs interested in signing Ajax midfielder Frenkie De Jong but face competition from Barcelona as well as Paris Saint-Germain. Guardiola refused to be drawn on the chances of signing the 21-year-old Netherlands international, who could cost around £70 million, but admitted it’s difficult to take on the La Liga giants. “If you are the only one who want players it’s easy. But if you want one and many, many clubs want him it’s more…
Marko Arnautovic should be sold by West Ham because he could be a “problem” if he is denied a move to China, says ex-Hammers striker Ian Wright. The club have received a £35m bid for the Austrian forward, 29, from an unnamed Chinese side. West Ham say he is not for sale but Arnautovic’s brother and agent says he wants to move. “I think he’ll be a problem and I think that’s what’s happened at Stoke,” Wright said. “I think he’s been a problem most of the places he’s been. “He wants to go – I’d let him go.” Arnautovic…
Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba said he is enjoying more “freedom” under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer than he had under Jose Mourinho. Pogba’s form has improved markedly since Solskjaer was made caretaker boss and he said it is because he has been given license to attack. “I play a bit further forward and I’ve got the security behind me,” Pogba told reporters at Wembley after helping United to a 1-0 win over Tottenham on Sunday. “He’s giving me the freedom of going forward, to shoot and to be forward with the three forwards.” Pogba was left on the bench for Mourinho’s…
Gabriel Jesus took his tally to seven goals in three games with a double as Manchester City beat 10-man Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-0 to cut Premier League leaders Liverpool’s advantage to four points on Monday. The Brazilian tapped in after 10 minutes and struck again from the penalty spot before the break after Wolves had been reduced to 10 men as Willy Boly was shown a straight red card. After back-to-back league defeats during the Christmas fixtures, City have now won five matches in a row in all competitions, racking up 24 goals in the process, and look primed to give…
La Liga president Javier Tebas has said he would welcome the return of Jose Mourinho to Spain’s top flight amid reports that the Portuguese coach could take over at Real Madrid for a second time. Mourinho, who was sacked by Manchester United on Dec. 18, recently said it would be a “tremendous honour” to guide his former club again. “He is a great coach and I don’t think it would be bad for La Liga,” Tebas told Catalan radio station Rac 1. “From a spectacle standpoint, it would be good, although I don’t know which club he would go to.”…
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s shooting secrets are turning Marcus Rashford into a lethal finisher, according to Jesse Lingard. Lingard watched Manchester United’s caretaker boss work with Rashford during the warm weather training camp in Dubai and the extra training reaped immediate rewards as the 21-year-old striker scored the winner against Tottenham at Wembley. “Throughout the training sessions in Dubai he’s been practicing his finishing with the manager,” Lingard said. “It’s prepared him for big games and moments like that.” Solskjaer scored 126 goals during 11 years as a United player and his goalscoring tips have helped Rashford score in three consecutive…
Pep Guardiola has told his Manchester City players to forget about looking at Liverpool’s matches and focus on winning. City moved back to within four points of the Premier League leaders after a comfortable 3-0 victory over 10-man Wolverhampton Wanderers on Monday night. The pressure was on his team after Liverpool returned to winning ways on Saturday but Guardiola says his players must forget about looking at where Jurgen Klopp’s side may slip up. “I don’t have a magic ball to discover when they are going to lose points,” he told a news conference. “I said to [the players] don’t…
La Liga champions Barcelona became the first football team to spend over half a billion euros in wages after their staff costs shot up by 42 percent over the past year, according to a study by KPMG. KPMG’s Football Benchmark study analysed the squads and finances of the respective champions of Europe’s top eight leagues. The Catalans, who signed Brazil playmaker Philippe Coutinho from Liverpool in January 2018 for a club record €160 million ($183 million), have staff costs of €562 million a year. Paris Saint-Germain have the second highest wage bill on the KPMG list at €332 million, an…
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Council in Kogi State has described as fictitious, unfounded and tendentious, reports that the party has left the spokesman of the council and senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District, Dino Melaye, to his fate during in his hour of need. After playing hide and seen for a while, Dino Melaye finally gave himself up to the police. Days after, an ailing Melaye was taken away from the police hospital in Abuja, where he had been receiving treatment by masked security operatives on Friday. Chief Clarence Olafemi recently spoke to The Guardian, describing the…
The Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, has halted the remittance of check-off dues for its lecturers who are members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). The university Spokesman, Mr Ademola Adekoya, revealed this recently. Adekoya said that remittance of the dues into the Union Bank accounts would remain suspended, until when the management and operation of the account(s) would be properly looked at. He said, “In the circumstance, the vice-chancellor, in the exercise of his supervisory and general responsibility to council to maintain good order in the university, has directed the immediate suspension of remittance of check-off dues…