The Spain stopper has been in sparkling form this season and there have been growing concerns at United that he could depart the club next summer with Real Madrid leading the chase for his signature. . But, according to The Sun, De Gea will spurn Madrid’s advances and has even indicated that he is ready to pen fresh terms at United. . With rumours over a move back to his native Spain refusing to go away, the 24-year-old has assured his United team-mates his intention is to stay at the Theatre of Dreams. . David De Gea is ready to…
Author: David F.
Barcelona midfielder Xavi says he would relish the chance to follow the example of Pep Guardiola and coach the club one day. . Xavi replaced Guardiola on the pitch as the midfield playmaker having been promoted to the first team by then coach Louis van Gaal and now with his playing days coming to an end he would jump at the opportunity to coach the Catalan club. . “Hopefully I can (follow Guardiola) and even more so in my home here,” Xavi told El Pais. . Bayern Munich coach Guardiola took over the reigns at Barcelona in 2008 and won…
Premier League leaders Chelsea beat second-tier Derby County 3-1 to reach the League Cup semifinals on Tuesday, but at the cost of injuries to Kurt Zouma and Didier Drogba. . Eden Hazard and Filipe Luis, with his first goal for the club, put Chelsea in control on a rain-soaked night at the iPro Stadium, before Craig Bryson replied for Derby in the 71st minute. . But the hosts’ hopes of a comeback were extinguished when centre-back Jake Buxton was sent off for impeding substitute Loic Remy and Andre Schuerrle made the game safe with eight minutes to play. . Remy…
In-form Arjen Robben scored his 100th goal for Bayern Munich as the runaway Bundesliga leaders cruised to a 2-0 victory over lowly Freiburg on Tuesday. . Robben headed the milestone goal in the 41st minute before Thomas Mueller made it 2-0 three minutes after the restart. . The Dutch winger Robben joined Munich in 2009 from Real Madrid and his 100th goal in all competitions came in his 184th match for the two-time reigning German champions. . “My goals are not the most important. I don’t head many goals, but what counts are the three points,” Robben told Sky TV.…
David Moyes has seen signs of progress at Real Sociedad since he took over last month but believes there is still a lot of room for improvement. . Moyes was denied victory in his first Basque derby on Sunday when Sociedad let slip an early lead and drew 1-1 at home to Athletic Bilbao in La Liga. . The Scot said he was pleased with his team’s first-half performance but was concerned by a drop in energy levels in the second period. . Bilbao were reduced to 10 men when Aymeric Laporte was sent off 10 minutes from time but…
Moroccan international Adel Taarabt has added to Mario Balotelli’s woes after dismissing suggestions the misfiring Liverpool striker was a world class player. . Queens Park Rangers striker Taarabt spent half a season on loan at AC Milan, where he played alongside Balotelli before the Italy international signed for Liverpool at the start of the season. . Taarabt also returned to England in time for the new season but has been training on his own recently amid a spat with QPR manager Harry Redknapp. . Taarabt confirmed recent reports in Italy when he admitted he was looking to return to Serie…
Manchester United midfielder Ander Herrera declared that his conscience was “totally clear” on Tuesday after he was one of 41 people named in a Spanish match-fixing probe. . Spanish prosecutors allege that Herrera was one of 18 Real Zaragoza players who gave hundreds of thousands of euros in cash to Levante players to let them win a May 2011 league game they needed to win to avoid relegation. . Herrera, 25, played in the match in question, which Zaragoza won 2-1. He moved to Athletic Bilbao later that year before joining United last June in a £28.8 million transfer. .…
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers rejected reports of dressing room unrest after his side’s poor start to the season, saying spirits are high for Wednesday’s League Cup quarterfinal at second-tier Bournemouth. . Rodgers led Liverpool to an unexpected runners-up finish in the Premier League last season but a failure to rediscover that form has seen the Reds slip to 11th in the table and suffer an early Champions League exit. . A mistake-laden 3-0 defeat at bitter rivals Manchester United on Sunday prompted media reports that the Liverpool manager had lost the confidence of his players. . “I hear one or…
Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew says there will be no fear factor when his side visit Tottenham Hotspur in the Capital One Cup on Wednesday having won their last two games at White Hart Lane. . Newcastle play Tottenham before a Premier League derby against bitter rivals Sunderland on Sunday and Pardew feels his team may have a psychological edge heading into the quarterfinal cup clash. . Pardew’s men won 2-1 in the league at the end of October and also triumphed 1-0 in the same fixture last season. . “There won’t be that kind of fear element that sometimes…
Japan coach Javier Aguirre, Manchester United midfielder Ander Herrera, Atletico Madrid captain Gabi and a host of others were named on Monday in an alleged case of matchfixing involving a La Liga match in the 2010-11 season. . Aguirre was coach of Real Zaragoza at the time of the suspect match, which was at Levante on the final day of the campaign, while Herrera and Gabi were both playing for Zaragoza. . Zaragoza won the match 2-1, avoiding relegation to the second division, and the Spanish prosecutor’s office filed charges with a Valencia court on Monday alleging the Levante players…