Reports are claiming Juventus will bring in Aaron Ramsey and Paul Pogba next summer, selling Sami Khedira and Miralem Pjanic. It is widely reported by multiple sources that Ramsey has agreed personal terms with Juve, as his contract with Arsenal is due to expire in June. He might not be the only reinforcement from the Premier League, as Tuttosport continue to maintain Pogba will return to Turin, even after rediscovering his Manchester United form in the wake of Jose Mourinho’s dismissal. It would be a return to Turin for Pogba, who wore the Bianconeri jersey from 2012 to 2016, when…
Author: David Folami
Fernandinho’s amazing display in Manchester City’s 2-1 win over Premier League title rivals Liverpool proved he is irreplaceable, according to manager Pep Guardiola. The Premier League champions closed to within four points of Jurgen Klopp’s leaders at the summit thanks to goals from Sergio Aguero and Leroy Sane either side of Roberto Firmino’s second-half equaliser. Fernandinho sat out City’s back-to-back defeats against Crystal Palace and Leicester City last month, with John Stones and Ilkay Gundogan providing uneasy alternatives at the base of Guardiola’s midfield as Liverpool were gifted the initiative. And, in a season when star man Kevin De Bruyne…
Unai Emery has not ruled out a January move for Barcelona winger Denis Suarez after revealing that he wants to sign a wide player and defender this month. Suarez, who spent time at Manchester City as a youngster, is available for a fee in the region of £18 million this month after being told by Barca that he can leave the Camp Nou. Emery is an admirer of the Spain international having worked with the 24-year-old during a loan spell at previous club Sevilla and, speaking after Saturday’s FA Cup third round victory at Blackpool, he confirmed that a winger…
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has said he is not expecting Manchester United to bring anyone in during the January transfer window, reports have said. United’s caretaker manager, who upon his arrival said he would have an say on transfers, revealed on Friday that he will meet with the club’s executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward this month to know how far. However, when asked if he anticipates any new additions in January, he said: “I don’t expect anyone to come in. “Obviously if the club have targeted and identified a few and I think they might fit here then I’ll give my thumbs…
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took responsibility for Manchester United’s lacklustre display against Reading after admitting his team selection had made the task more difficult. United won for the fifth game in a row under the Norwegian but United were not at their best during the 2-0 victory and Reading, second from bottom of the Championship, ended the game having had more possession and more shots. “It was always going be difficult with my team selection,” Solskjaer said, after making nine changes to his team. “I made it hard for the players to be fair on them because it’s a team that’s…
Christian Pulisic has said Chelsea’s style of football under Maurizio Sarri was a key factor in his £57 million move to the Premier League. Sarri has implemented his possession-based style at Stamford Bridge since arriving from Napoli last summer, with Chelsea completing more passes than any other Premier League side so far this season. “I’ve seen their style of play,” Pulisic told reporters at Borussia Dortmund’s warm weather training camp in Marbella, Spain on Saturday. “I’ve always appreciated how they’ve played football, and it’s really nice how they play now, with their new coach. It fits me very well.” Pulisic,…
Brahim Diaz has a clause in his contract that means Manchester City will receive more money if Real Madrid sell him to their rivals Manchester United, sources have said. The Spanish under-21 international is set to sign a six-and-a-half-year deal with the La Liga club ahead of completing a move worth £15.5 million, with the potential for a further £6.5m in add-ons. City will also receive 15 percent of any sell-on fee although the Premier League champions have inserted a clause that means it rises to 40 percent if the 19-year-old were to sign for United in the future. Brahim,…
Unai Emery is looking for players who are ready to step in and help when called on during the winter window. Unai Emery said he is in the market for players with “commitment” in January after watching his side beat Blackpool 3-0 to advance to the FA Cup fourth round. The Gunners swept past their League One hosts at Bloomfield Road on Saturday with two goals from teenager Joe Willock and one from Alex Iwobi. Arsenal fans greatly outnumbered their Blackpool counterparts, with over 5,000 supporters making the long trip north from London, as Tangerines fans stayed away in their…
Franck Ribery has mocked an angry attack on those who criticised a picture of him eating a gold-covered Tomahawk steak during the Bundesliga winter break. Ribery visited the Nusr-et restaurant in Dubai during some downtime with the Bundesliga on hold. The restaurant is owned by Nusret Gokce, known as “Salt Bae” for his extravagant persona and the way he seasons his meat. The steak, covered in gold, can cost in excess of £1,000. Ribery, 35, was criticised after the picture emerged but hit back on Instagram, saying: “For 2019, let’s dot the i’s and cross the t’s… Let’s start with…
Tottenham are increasingly resigned to losing Toby Alderweireld after taking up their option to extend his contract by a year until 2020, thereby activating a release clause making him available for £25 million, sources have said. While the release clause now puts a firm price on Alderweireld’s head, Spurs were facing the prospect of losing the Belgium centre-back for free this summer so have acted to protect his value. But Alderweireld is reluctant to discuss a new deal and with the player turning 30 in March, sources said the club feel £25m would be a good fee for a player…
Fernandinho has warned Liverpool that it is tough at the top, with a reinvigorated Manchester City ready to pounce on any slip-ups if the pressure becomes too much for them. City cut Liverpool’s advantage at the top of the Premier League to four points with a 2-1 victory over their rivals on Thursday night. The Brazil midfielder said it has reignited the title race, with the pressure set to increase on Jurgen Klopp’s side as they try to put an end to their 29-year wait for a league crown. “Four points is going to be interesting for the rest of…
Paul Pogba may not feature in Manchester United’s FA Cup tie with Reading on Saturday due to injury, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has confirmed. Pogba has been in sensational form for United since Solskjaer’s arrival at the club, scoring four goals in four games under the Norwegian. But he could miss Reading’s visit to Old Trafford, while fellow midfielder Marouane Fellaini is also battling to be fit for the game. Defenders Marcos Rojo and Chris Smalling, who are yet to feature under Solskjaer, will not play as they continue their recovery from injuries. “Rojo, Smalling they’re out,” Solskjaer said, when asked…
Leroy Sane is determined to crank up the pressure on Liverpool after his winning goal brought Manchester City to within four points of the Premier League leaders. The Germany winger’s 72nd-minute strike secured a 2-1 win over Liverpool on Thursday night and said Jurgen Klopp’s side will be feeling the threat from the champions as well as the added stress of trying to end a 29-year wait for a league title. “We have put more pressure on Liverpool,” Sane told reporters. “We’re just four points behind them, and they know it, too. “They have to keep up, but we also…
Dejan Lovren insists Liverpool have the mental strength to recover from their first Premier League defeat of the season and stave off the threat of Manchester City in the title race. Liverpool’s flawless start to the league campaign came to an end on Thursday when they were beaten 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium to see their lead at the top of the table cut to four points. Lovren, however, feels Liverpool have proved on plenty occasions in the past that they have the ability to recover from punishing blows. “This is Liverpool, we will always come back when it’s tough,”…
Gianfranco Zola said that Chelsea do not want to sell Callum Hudson-Odoi to Bayern Munich in January, and urged the 18-year-old to sign a new contract and show patience with his development. Bayern have reportedly made an offer in excess of £30 million for Hudson-Odoi, who has just 18 months left to run on his current deal at Stamford Bridge and has so far declined to commit to an extension without assurances over a bigger first-team role at Chelsea. Hudson-Odoi has made just six appearances in all competitions under Maurizio Sarri this season and Zola understands that the youngster would…
Argentina legend Diego Maradona has been released from hospital after being admitted with internal bleeding in his stomach, his daughter said. The 58-year-old was having a routine medical in his home country when doctors discovered the problem. However, his family said the diagnosis was not serious. “For those who were really worried about my dad I can tell you that he is well,” his daughter Dalma said. “He is going home soon.” Reuters news agency later reported Maradona had left the hospital. Maradona, who captained Argentina to World Cup victory in 1986, is coach of Mexican second division side Dorados…
Christian Pulisic’s arrival at Chelsea next summer is not a threat to Callum Hudson-Odoi’s chances of a first-team breakthrough if he stays at Stamford Bridge, said assistant coach Gianfranco Zola. Chelsea confirmed on Wednesday that they had agreed a €64 million deal with Borussia Dortmund to sign Pulisic, who will spend the rest of the season in the Bundesliga before joining his new club. The move has raised further questions about Chelsea’s desire to develop Hudson-Odoi, who has made just six appearances in all competitions this season and is holding off signing a contract extension amid serious interest from German…
Tim Howard has tabbed Christian Pulisic for success following the 20-year-old’s much-publicized €64 million ($73 million) transfer to Premier League giants Chelsea earlier this week. “It is a massive club, but he’s played for a massive club already,” said Howard when asked about Pulisic’s move during an exclusive interview. “Dortmund is no slouch, and he went there under Jurgen Klopp and he’s grown up there and learned a lot of his trade in the Bundesliga. He’s played a big part for the U.S. national team, so as much as the price tag is massive, which it is, he’s ready to…
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says he will prioritize playing style over results and trophies as he makes his case to become Manchester United’s next permanent manager. The Norwegian has made no secret of his desire to remain at Old Trafford beyond the end of the season after initially being handed a short-term deal to replace Jose Mourinho as caretaker manager. He has already cut the gap with the Premier League’s top four to six points after four successive wins and will kick off their FA Cup campaign against Championship strugglers Reading on Saturday. Solskjaer is hoping to convince executive vice-chairman Ed…
Taylor Swift’s personal app The Swift Life – which was launched 2 years ago in conjunction with her sixth studio LP Reputation – is set to be shut down in February. The online game allowed fans to interact with each other, receive updates from the Love Story hitmaker, accesses exclusive tickets, photos and videos and purchase special Taymoji stickers. The singer revealed to her fans in a statement that the platform would be permanently closed in February as her Reputation era was set to wrap up. She said: “Dear The Swift Life Community, Over a year ago we launched The…