“I have as much enthusiasm for leaving Madrid as I do for dying,” Keylor Navas said after his side’s friendly victory over Roma on Tuesday in response to the arrival of Thibaut Courtois at the Bernabeu. It was an uncharacteristic choice of words by Navas, and spoken by a devout Christian was as emphatic a phrase as the Costa Rica keeper has ever uttered in a Madrid shirt. Navas’ immediate existence might have hit a snag but his response to the challenge has been crystallising for several years. Its jagged edge made the inference perfectly clear: from here, the 31-year-old…
Author: David Folami
Jurgen Klopp has said Liverpool “have to be” Rocky Balboa in this season’s Premier League title race and compared Manchester City to Ivan Drago. Klopp used an analogy from the film ‘Rocky IV,’ where heavyweight boxer Balboa takes down the favourite Drago, to describe Liverpool’s task ahead in the upcoming campaign. “I know a lot of people because we were that active in the transfer window,” he said. “That’s all part of the business, but it doesn’t decide anything. “We want to — that’s clear for ages — be the champion of England or winning the league. “But how could…
Maurizio Sarri warned that it may take “a couple of months” to implement his style of football at Chelsea, adding that he is expecting his team to encounter problems in the first half of the season. Two of Chelsea’s summer signings — club-record purchase Kepa Arrizabalaga from Athletic Bilbao and Real Madrid loanee Mateo Kovacic — only arrived at Cobham on Wednesday, and Sarri admitted that he will need more time to get his new players up to speed with his ideas. “For sure in this moment, we are not at the top of our potential,” he said. “We did…
Son Heung-Min has said he is relishing the prospect of facing his South Korea captain Ki Sung-Yueng at Newcastle on Saturday. Ki joined Newcastle from Swansea on a free transfer after captaining South Korea in Russia. “He did very well at the World Cup,” Son said ahead of Spurs’ opening fixture at St James’ Park. “He was very excited to move to Newcastle, and I’m looking forward to playing against him. “He can bring a lot of things because he’s a very good player. He can change the side, shoot, make a good pass. He doesn’t lose a lot of…
Jose Mourinho has said last season’s second-place finish is one of his greatest achievements — and insists his team are “ready” for the new season despite failing to bolster his squad on transfer deadline day. He also included what appeared to be a dig at Jurgen Klopp, who is without a trophy in his three years at Liverpool, and Mauricio Pochettino, who is yet to win any silverware at Tottenham. “My view is that first of all is difficult for me to believe we finished second when I listen, when I read, not much but sometimes I do, it is…
Unai Emery has said the prospect of Stan Kroenke gaining total ownership of the club is “positive” after the billionaire gave him his full backing in May. Kroenke, who already owned two-thirds of the club, announced this week that minority shareholder Alisher Usmanov had agreed to sell his 30 percent stake to him. The development has angered some fans because it would mean Kroenke could force the remaining smaller shareholders to sell their combined three percent stake, taking Arsenal into private ownership. “I met the Kroenke family in Atlanta, and he gave us his commitment in this project with Arsenal,”…
Pep Guardiola has rejected stories linking him to the vacant job as Argentina coach following the country’s disappointing performance at the World Cup. Argentine FA president Claudio Tapia had claimed that Guardiola was approached, but the Manchester City manager insisted he was never contacted and was annoyed by suggestions that his wages made a deal impossible. “I’m a little bit disappointed because he cannot say, the president of Argentina, that I cannot contact Pep because his salary is amazing, to know that he has to know my salary,” Guardiola told a news conference. “The second one, he has to know…
Paul Pogba has revealed that Manchester United do not have a designated penalty-taker, following an on-pitch discussion with Alexis Sanchez in their Premier League-opening 2-1 win over Leicester City on Friday. Pogba explained his side of the incident after the game and said he would not always be taking penalties for United this season. “We don’t have a penalty-taker, it’s how we feel, and I decided to take it,” Pogba told Sky Sports. “Maybe on the next game I leave it to Alexis.” It was the first game back with United for Pogba after his World Cup-winning exploits, and he…
Unai Emery has made Laurent Koscielny captain of the club despite his long-term injury, and named Mesut Ozil among his four other co-captains. The other four captains are goalkeeper Petr Cech and midfield trio Aaron Ramsey, Ozil and Granit Xhaka, Emery revealed on Friday. “This morning, I give them [the squad] the official captain. First, he is injured but he is also captain of this group, is Koscielny,” Emery said ahead of Sunday’s Premier League opener against Manchester City. “In my career, I want leaders in the team. … It’s natural these five players are in the position to be…
Manchester City will aim to improve their performance rather than beat last season’s record-breaking Premier League tally of 100 points, manager Pep Guardiola has said. “People ask ‘can you improve on 100 points?’ and I say no because we are not here to do that. However, individually the players can improve,” Guardiola said during the Sky Sports Premier League launch. “Of course we can improve. If I felt we could not improve the team I would call my chairman and say: ‘I leave.’ But still, we believe we can do better and dominate more. Will it happen? I don’t know…
Paris Saint-Germain are pushing ahead with their move for Jerome Boateng and Watford have made a late bid for Goncalo Guedes, a source close to the club have confirmed. A source recently said an agreement has already been reached with Boateng over a move to PSG after talks began prior to the start of the World Cup. Sport Bild reported that Boateng will be represented by agent Christian Nerlinger in talks with PSG sporting director Antero Henrique on Thursday as a deal moves closer. And a source confirmed a report from Le Parisien that PSG and Bayern could agree a…
Tottenham have become the first Premier League club to go an entire summer without signing a single player since the transfer window was created in 2003. Thursday’s deadline passed without Spurs signing any new players, either permanently or on loan, so coach Mauricio Pochettino will open the club’s new stadium with the same squad that finished third in the Premier League in May. In addition to being the first Premier League team in 15 years to make a summer signing, Tottenham are also the only club in Europe’s top five leagues and England’s top four tiers without a new player…
Cristiano Ronaldo will not be missed by Real Madrid as a new-look side takes shape under Julen Lopetegui, Dani Ceballos has said. And speaking after the 2-1 win over Roma in New York, playmaker Ceballos said Madrid’s other attacking stars had stepped up in the Portugal captain’s absence. “We are playing in a different way, using the ball differently, taking up different positions on the pitch,” Ceballos said. “This Madrid scores goals. [Gareth] Bale is plugged in, Karim [Benzema], Marco [Asensio] … you will not notice Cristiano’s absence.” Ceballos, signed from Real Betis last summer, started all three ICC games…
Fulham have completed a triple loan move to land Manchester United defender Timothy Fosu-Mensah, Sevilla goalkeeper Sergio Rico and Atletico Madrid striker Luciano Vietto on transfer deadline day. Fosu-Mensah, 20, signed a season-long loan deal at Craven Cottage after spending the last campaign at Crystal Palace. Newly promoted Fulham beat competition from Bundesliga side Hertha Berlin for his services, sources have said. The Netherlands international, who has made 21 senior appearances for United since his debut under Louis van Gaal in 2016, played 24 games for Palace last season. “A good loan is a loan to play,” Mourinho told MUTV…
Sanchez has said he expects the Brazil midfielder to be a great addition to the squad, which finished second in the Premier League last season. “The truth is that [Fred] impressed me a lot in his first game,” Sanchez said. “It’s what the team lacked — someone who plays ‘jogo bonito,’ as they say in Brazil. And Andreas Pereira too. I think they are two players who have quality and they could help me a lot.” Sanchez signed for United in January, and has so far struggled to replicate the goals and attacking threat he consistently displayed during his three-and-a-half…
Jamie Vardy has signalled his intention to see out his career with the Foxes as he signed a new contract until June 2022. Vardy, 31, has scored 88 goals for Leicester since his arrival from Fleetwood Town in 2012 and netted 20 during the 2017-18 Premier League campaign before heading to the World Cup with England this summer. “Everybody knows how I feel about playing for this Football Club and it’s a great feeling to know that I can look forward to another four years as a Leicester City player,” he said. “The journey that me, the team and the…
Thibaut Courtois has said it would be “fantastic” if Eden Hazard could one day join him at Real Madrid during his unveiling at the Santiago Bernabeu on Thursday. “He is very happy that I am here because he knows how important it was for me to come to Real Madrid,” Courtois said. “He is a wonderful player. I’d love to play alongside him again and we’ll have to see what happens in the future. If he ends up here one day, that would be fantastic.” Courtois signed his six-year Madrid contract before addressing the media, and he voiced his delight…
Barcelona maintain that Ousmane Dembele is not for sale this summer despite reported interest from Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain on Thursday, sources have said. Journalist Kike Marin reported on Thursday that Arsenal had made an offer worth €100 million for the France international, hours before the transfer window closed in England. Earlier in the day, reports in France had suggested Dembele was also a target for PSG, who have until the end of the month to complete a deal. However, Barca have said throughout the transfer window that their plan is to keep hold of the forward and insist that…
Chelsea’s club-record signing, Kepa Arrizabalaga, insisted his £71.5 million price tag is not on his mind as he was unveiled at Stamford Bridge on Thursday. “In terms of the price, it’s something I don’t think about,” Kepa said via a translator. “I’m just going to be myself and try to give my best. “It’s not in my mind. Chelsea has made a great bet in taking me. I’m really happy to be here and I’ll put everything in to repay the trust in me. “I don’t think there will be additional pressure [from the price tag]. The only pressure I…
Wizkid has now put a date to the release of his next studio, project, ”Made in Lagos.” The 28-year-old popstar took to Twitter in the early hours of Tuesday, August 7 to announce the release date for his new project, Made In Lagos. “01.10.18” Wizkid tweeted, then he followed it up with another tweet of the album title, ”#MadeinLagos.” Made in Lagos will be the fourth body of work coming from Wizkid after the release of his debut album, Superstar in 2011, ”Ayo” in 2014 and the internationally distributed EP, Sounds From The Other Side in 2017.