Madrid cool De Gea interest, City chase Otamendi - Transfer Window LIVE

Keep up to date with all the summer transfer window action with Goal's live blog - and join the debate @sportmast on Twitter.@olusesansportmast Hosted by Olusesan Destiny

 KRYCHOWIAK A NO-GO? 

10:30 WAT

8/14/15

 BALOTELLI SET FOR LIVERPOOL STAY 

According to the Daily Mirror, Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli will reject the chance to join Lazio or Sampdoria on loan.

The Italy international is due a hefty loyalty bonus if he is still at Anfield at the end of the transfer window, which makes him keen to stay put for now.

10:20 WAT

8/14/15

 FIVE-YEAR DEAL FOR N’JIE 

Clinton N’Jie will sign a five-year contract worth £1.49m per season at Tottenham, according to L’Equipe.

Lyon will receive £9.9m for the striker.

10:10 WAT

8/14/15

 DONE DEAL: VILLA SIGN ADAMA 

10:00 WAT

8/14/15

 WENGER ON CHELSEA ROW 

09:50 WAT

8/14/15

 SOLDADO ON WAY OUT 

According to the London Evening Standard, Roberto Soldado has passed his medical at Villarreal ahead of a move from Tottenham.

The transfer could be announced today.

09:40 WAT

8/14/15

 BIG SAM HITS OUT AT FORMER BOSSES 

09:30 WAT

8/14/15

 RAMOS SAGA OVER 

The Sergio Ramos transfer saga is almost at an end, write the Guardian.

The Manchester United target will sign a new contract at Real Madrid in the next few days.

09:20 WAT

8/14/15

 GET INVOLVED 

09:10 WAT

8/14/15

 INJURIES AND SUSPENSIONS UPDATE 

09:00 WAT

8/14/15

 KOULIBALY TO SOUTHAMPTON? 

Southampton have made an enquiry for Napoli central defender Kalidou Koulibaly, according to the the Daily Mail.

The Frenchman made 27 appearances for Napoli in Serie A last term.

08:50 WAT

8/14/15

 GAME OF THE WEEKEND 

08:40 WAT

8/14/15

 LUCAS TO MILAN? 
Liverpool midfielder Lucas Leiva could be heading to Serie A to join Milan, report the Daily Mail.

The Brazilian has been at Anfield since 2007, but has been heavily linked with a move away in recent days.

08:30 WAT

8/14/15

 GET INVOLVED 
This transfer blog is NOTHING without you guys, so be sure to share your innermost (transfer-related) thoughts with us on the platforms above. 

08:20 WAT

8/14/15

 MAN CITY WANT OTAMENDI 
The Daily Mail report that Manchester City have joined the race for Valencia defender Nicolas Otamendi.

The Argentina international has been linked with Manchester United all summer, but City are hopeful of striking a deal for the £35m-rated centre-back.

08:10 WAT

8/14/15

 MADRID COOL DE GEA INTEREST 
According to Marca, Real Madrid have taken a step back in their pursuit of Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea.

The Spanish paper reports that Los Blancos will not "do anything crazy" to sign the 24-year-old this summer.

08:00 WAT

8/14/15

 TRANSFER BLOG = OPEN 
We are back ladies and gentlemen, ready to bring you the latest news from the big, bad world of football transfers. Buckle up.

18:00 WAT

8/13/15

 FULL-TIME 
The final whistle has sounded, bringing another day of Transfer Window LIVE to an end.

Check back here at 08:00 BST on Friday for more transfer chat!

17:50 WAT

8/13/15

 NEGREDO BACK TO THE PREM? 
According to the Brentwood Gazette, West Ham are set to make a move for Valencia striker Alvaro Negredo.

The former Manchester City man scored nine goals in 21 Premier League starts for Manuel Pellegrini's side in 2013-14.

17:40 WAT

8/13/15

 VARDY LATEST 

17:30 WAT

8/13/15

 DONE DEAL: JIMENEZ TO BENFICA 

17:20 WAT

8/13/15

 ENRIQUE WANTS LIVERPOOL STAY 

According to Marca, Jose Enrique wants to stay at Liverpool this season.

The former Newcastle left-back made just two Premier League starts last term.

17:10 WAT

8/13/15

 GET INVOLVED 

17:00 WAT

8/13/15

KENEDY CLOSE TO CHELSEA

According to the Daily Mail, Chelsea have secured a work permit for Brazilian youngster Kenedy.

The Blues are expected to wrap up a deal in the next few days.

16:50 WAT

8/13/15

 WHAT DOES HE MEAN?! 

Rumours

16:40 WAT

8/13/15

 MORENO WANTS ANFIELD STAY 
Alberto Moreno is keen to remain at Liverpool this transfer window, report the Liverpool Echo.

Joe Gomez started ahead of the Spaniard at left back in Sunday's win over Stoke, fuelling further speculation that Moreno could be on his way out of the club.

16:30 WAT

8/13/15

 BERAHINO TO SPURS LATEST 

Tottenham are reportedly unwilling to meet West Brom’s £25m asking price for striker Saido Berahino.

The Daily Mail write that Spurs are still confident of landing the 22-year-old, however.

16:10 WAT

8/13/15

 SUNDERLAND TARGET BORINI 

Sunderland have joined the race to sign Liverpool striker Fabio Borini on loan, according to Sky Sports.

Borini enjoyed a successful spell at the Stadium Of Light in the 2013-14 campaign.

16:00 WAT

8/13/15

 GET INVOLVED 

15:50 WAT

8/13/15

 BEWARE, PALACE... 

15:40 WAT

8/13/15

 BAGGIES STRIKERS TO LEAVE 

West Brom boss Tony Pulis has put strikers Victor Anichebe and Brown Ideye up for sale, according to the Express & Star.

The arrival of Salomon Rondon has pushed the pair further down the pecking order at The Hawthorns.

15:20 WAT

8/13/15

 WATFORD CLOSE IN ON DIAMANTI 

Watford are close to sealing a season-long loan move for Italian playmaker Alessandro Diamanti, report Sky Sports.

15:10 WAT

8/13/15

 GET INVOLVED 

15:00 WAT

8/13/15

 VILLA EYE FONTE 

According to Sky Sports, Aston Villa are in talks with Southampton about the potential signing of Jose Fonte.

Saints would not let the former Crystal Palace defender leave unless they signed a replacement first.

14:50 WAT

8/13/15

 GAYLE TO REJECT MOVE? 
According to the Sun, Crystal Palace striker Dwight Gayle is set to turn down a £6m transfer to Bristol City.

14:40 WAT

8/13/15

 MULLER STAYING PUT? 

14:30 WAT

8/13/15

 HALILOVIC TO HAMBURG 

14:20 WAT

8/13/15

 BUSQUETS ON PEDRO 

14:10 WAT

8/13/15

 MULLER TO MAN UTD STILL ON? 

According to Kicker, Manchester United remain interested in bringing Thomas Muller to Old Trafford.

United failed with bids for the Bayern Munich man earlier this summer, but are still keen to sign him.

14:00 WAT

8/13/15

 NEW DEAL FOR RAMOS 

13:50 WAT

8/13/15

 KRYCHOWIAK TO ARSENAL? 

Arsenal are preparing to launch a £22m bid for Sevilla midfielder Grzegorz Krychowiak after watching him in the Super Cup, according to the Daily Telegraph.

Would the Poland international be a good signing, Arsenal fans?

13:30 WAT

8/13/15

 GET INVOLVED 

13:20 WAT

8/13/15

 DONE DEAL: ARANGUIZ TO LEVERKUSEN 

13:10 WAT

8/13/15

 REAM TO QPR 
Queens Park Rangers are close to signing Bolton Wanderers defender Tim Ream for around £1.4m, according to Sky Sports.

13:00 WAT

8/13/15

JANUZAJ TO SUNDERLAND? MAYBE NOT

Rumours

12:55 WAT

8/13/15

WENGER NOT KEEN ON KRYCHOWIAK
Arsene Wenger will not pursue interest in Grzegorz Krychowiak. Reports suggested Arsenal were closing in on a £22 million move for the Sevilla man but Wenger prefers to keep faith with Francis Coquelin, according to Metro.

12:50 WAT

8/13/15

UNITED REKINDLE MULLER INTEREST

Kicker are reporting that Manchester United are still keen on Bayern Munich forward Thomas Muller. Louis van Gaal is a huge fan of the Germany World Cup winner, who he previously managed at the Bavarian club.

12:40 WAT

8/13/15

BENITEZ WANTS LLORENTE

Real Madrid coach Rafa Benitez feels Fernando Llorente would be a perfect back-up for Karim Benzema, though Florentino Perez reportedly feels that Borja Mayoral and Jese Rodriguez are adequate replacements.

12:30 WAT

8/13/15

PEDRO FUTURE IN HIS OWN HANDS

As speculation mounts over Pedro's future, Luis Enrique has had his say: "We've heard his opinions, it's a difficult decision that he has to make but we'll wait and see what he decides," the Barca coach said at a press conference. "He wants to leave because he's not getting minutes but we want to give him minutes so it's a difficult situation. I certainly want him to stay.

12:00 WAT

8/13/15

UNITED FUTURE FOR CHICHARITO
Manchester United have ruled out the departure of Javier Hernandez this summer, according to the Daily Mail. United’s lack of strikers is fast becoming a concern for manager Louis van Gaal and he is set to keep faith with his current front man than bring in a new name.

11:45 WAT

8/13/15

DONE DEAL

11:40 WAT

8/13/15

UNITED GO COLD ON OTAMENDI
Contrary to earlier reports, ESPN are now saying that Manchester United are not pursing a move for Valencia centre-back Nicolas Otamendi. Neighbours City have reportedly joined the race to secure the Argentine.

11:30 WAT

8/13/15

DZEKO TRAINS AT NEW CLUB

11:30 WAT

8/13/15

N'JIE SET FOR SPURS

11:20 WAT

8/13/15

AMALFITANO NEARS WEST HAM EXIT
West Ham midfielder Morgan Amalfitano is being targeted by Saint-Etienne, according to the Daily Mirror. The Frenchman is said to have fallen out of favour under Slaven Bilic.

11:15 WAT

8/13/15

RAMOS SAGA NEARS END
Sergio Ramos will sign his new contract on Monday, according to the front page of today’s Marca. The Spain defender has agreed an extension to his current deal that will see him earn €10million a year until its expiry in 2020. He had been continually linked with a move to Man United this summer.

11:10 WAT

8/13/15

CLUBS ON RED ALERT FOR OTAMENDI
Elsewhere in transfer land, Nicolas Otamendi is attracting a lot of interest from the Manchester club. The Daily Mirror are reporting that both United and City are in for the Argentine centre-back, with the latter hoping to seal a deal after they complete the signature of Wolfsburg's Kevin De Bruyne.

11:00 WAT

8/13/15

SOLDADO NEARS SPURS EXIT
Erik Lamela caused controversy this morning, tweeting a picture of himself and team-mate Roberto Soldado wishing him well at his new club. The tweet has subsequently been deleted but the Mirror are reporting that the Spanish striker is on the verge of a return home, with Villarreal his likely destination.

10:50 WAT

8/13/15

PALERMO MOVE FOR ARSENAL FORWARD

The Daily Mail is reporting that Palermo have made a new move for Arsenal forward Joel Campbell.

10:40 WAT

8/13/15

SUNDERLAND POISED TO BID FOR DEMBELE
Dick Advocaat's Sunderland are planning a move for Tottenham's £15 million-rated midfielder Mousa Dembele, according to the Daily Mirror.

10:00 WAT

8/13/15

UNITED JOIN STONES RACE
Reports from ESPN suggest that Manchester United are weighing up a move for Everton centre-back John Stones. Chelsea have been linked with the England international throughout the summer.

09:49 WAT

8/13/15

MAN CITY EYE PEDRO
The Manchester clubs are dominating the transfer speculation roulette today. City are keeping tabs on Pedro’s situation at Barcelona and are preparing to rival Manchester United for the 28-year-old, according to the Daily Mail. The Spaniard appeared to play his final game for the club during Tuesday night's Super Cup clash with Sevilla.

09:25 WAT

8/13/15

SUNDERLAND TO LAND CHAMPIONSHIP STRIKER
Sunderland have joined Middlesbrough in the race for Blackburn Rovers striker Jordan Rhodes, the Daily Mail reports.

09:10 WAT

8/13/15

LEICESTER STEP UP INLER INTEREST
Leicester City boss Claudio Ranieri has stepped up his interest in Napoli midfielder Gokhan Inler, according to the Daily Star, as he seeks a replacement for Esteban Cambiasso.

09:02 WAT

8/13/15

EVERTON CLOSE IN ON DEFENDER
Barnsley centre-back Mason Holgate took part in a medical on Wednesday ahead of his £1 million move to Everton, The Daily Telegraph is reporting.

09:00 WAT

8/13/15

JUVE EYE CHELSEA PAIR The Daily Mail are reporting that Juventus are lining up a double move for Chelsea duo Juan Cuadrado and Ramires. The Colombian is out of favour as the new season begins whilst Ramires can not be guaranteed playing time.

08:05 WAT

8/13/15

GOOD MORNING
Welcome one and all to today's LIVE transfer blog. It's the middle of August already - how did that happen? - and we've only a few weeks left. Let's get into it.

17:59 WAT

8/12/15

THAT'S A WRAP

Time at the bar, ladies & gents - that's it for another day of Transfer Talk. Fear not, however, we will be back here bright and early at 8am tomorrow with all the latest from the summer window.

For now, cheerio!

17:47 WAT

8/12/15

SCHWEINSTEIGER NEARING FULL FITNESS

New signing set to "be like a new signing"...

17:37 WAT

8/12/15

OXFORD INTERESTING MAN UTD

Well not quite but the Manchester Evening News report Manchester United contemplated making a bid for West Ham's Reece Oxford last summer but opted against it.

As we all know, 12 months on the 16-year-old was making quite the name for himself at the Emirates Stadium.

17:27 WAT

8/12/15

LYON ACCEPT SPURS N'JIE BID

Tottenham's move for Lyon starlet Clinton N'Jie continues to move ever closer, with the Ligue 1 outfit's president Jean-Michel Aulas admitting a deal is close to bein agreed upon.

"We are close to an agreement but there's no urgency for us," he told RMC.

"We want to complete our own signings first ... but I thank Daniel Levy to have made an offer that we now regard as consistent."

17:17 WAT

8/12/15

REACTION - DZEKO JOINS ROMA

Speaking to Roma TV, the striker said: "I came here to win titles with Roma . I hope we will win many trophies but first we have to work hard on the field and in the end, we can get where we want .

"I can only promise you one thing: I will give my best to this team in every game."

17:02 WAT

8/12/15

DONE DEAL - DZEKO JOINS ROMA

17:00 WAT

8/12/15

GET INVOLVED - FELLAINI INTEREST FROM TURKEY

Think this is the first message saying Manchester United should sell - anyone agree?

16:51 WAT

8/12/15

TOTTENHAM TO STEP UP YARMOLENKO INTEREST

Tottenham have been slightly subdued in the transfer window thus far, but that could be about to end if reports from ESPN are to be believed.

They say Spurs are ready to step up their pursuit of Dynamo Kiev's Andriy Yarmolenko as they look to bolster their attacking options.

16:41 WAT

8/12/15

HOLGATE HAVING EVERTON MEDICAL

Sky Sports report teenage Barnsley defender Mason Holgate is having a medical at Everton ahead of a move to Goodison Park.

The last teenager to swap Oakwell for the Toffees? Let's just say Chelsea recently bid £30 million for his services...

16:29 WAT

8/12/15

SANOGO SLAMMED AT AJAX

Meanwhile, one man who has already completed his move this summer doesn't seem to be going down too well at his new club...

16:21 WAT

8/12/15

ZLATAN TO GALATASARAY?

No, it seems not.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic had been linked with a move to Galatasaray, but his agent Mino Raiola has hit out at those reports, brading them lies.

"Never spoke to any Turkish journalist about Zlatan in my life, going around are lies. I don't talk, but they invent," he wrote on Twitter.

16:11 WAT

8/12/15

GET INVOLVED - FELLAINI INTERESTS TURKISH SIDES

16:05 WAT

8/12/15

NOLITO: BARCELONA OR NOWHERE!

Nolito has been the subject of speculation regarding a move from Celta Vigo to Barcelona, and the winger has made it clear he only has eyes for Camp Nou if he does leave his current club this summer.

I go there or I stay at Celta, no matter what team comes in," he told a press conference. "I've had a lot of offers, financially to earn much more money, but I'm happy here.

"I repeat: I go to Barcelona or I stay at Celta."

15:55 WAT

8/12/15

FOOTBALL LEAGUE DONE DEAL - BRIGHTON SIGN HUNEMEIER

15:46 WAT

8/12/15

OTAMENDI ON VERGE OF MAN UTD DEAL

You thought this one had gone away, didn't you? Well, it seems Manchester United's move for Nicolas Otamendi may still be on.

SillasGol report the Red Devils are very close to bringing the Valencia centre-back to Old Trafford.

Thoughts, United fans?

15:32 WAT

8/12/15

UEFA BEST PLAYER IN EUROPE AWARD

Away from transfer news, who is your choice?

15:23 WAT

8/12/15

ROSICKY RULED OUT FOR TWO MONTHS

Does this hasten Arsene Wenger's pursuit of midfielders? We doubt it...

15:16 WAT

8/12/15

MAN CITY TO OFFER DE BRUYNE £230K DEAL

Kevin De Bruyne's move to Manchester City seems increasingly likely the longer the window goes on, and the rumours regarding the Belgian playmaker continue to surface.

Het Nieuwsblad report the Citizens are set to offer the Wolfsburg man a deal worth £230,000 per week in a bid to lure him to the Etihad Stadium.

14:54 WAT

8/12/15

GET INVOLVED - WAS RONALDO MAN UTD'S GREATEST SIGNING?

14:44 WAT

8/12/15

REAL MADRID EYE LLORENTE

Speaking of Los Blancos, AS report Real Madrid have shown an interest in Juventus striker Fernando Llorente after he fell further down the pecking order at the Serie A champions.

Sevilla are also tracking the possible availability of the Spain international.

14:34 WAT

8/12/15

RAMOS TO SIGN NEW REAL CONTRACT

One of the summer's biggest stories looks as if it will reach its conclusion in the very near future, with Marca reporting Sergio Ramos will sign his new Real Madrid contract in a ceremony on Monday.

The deal will run through till 2020. Happy with that Real fans?

14:21 WAT

8/12/15

ON THIS TRANSFER DAY

A certain Cristiano Ronaldo joined Manchester United 12 years ago today. Is he the Red Devils' greatest ever signing?

14:13 WAT

8/12/15

DONE DEAL  - WESTWOOD SIGNS NEW DEAL

The rate Villa are going this summer, a batch of new club pens may well be the next addition...

14:10 WAT

8/12/15

ROMEU SET FOR SOUTHAMPTON MOVE

Southampton are looking to bolster their midfield following Morgan Schneiderlin's exit and an injury to Jordy Clasie, and various outlets are reporting Chelsea's Oriol Romeu is set to move to St.Mary's today.

13:58 WAT

8/12/15

DONE DEAL - SWANSEA SIGN VICKERS

The goalkeeper came through Arsenal's youth system before leaving this summer...

13:51 WAT

8/12/15

ENRIQUE HINTS AT LIVERPOOL EXIT

13:43 WAT

8/12/15

GET INVOLVED - FELLAINI SET FOR TURKEY MOVE

13:36 WAT

8/12/15

FOOTBALL LEAGUE DONE DEAL - KIRKLAND JOINS PRESTON

13:33 WAT

8/12/15

RAFAEL EXPLAINS MAN UTD EXIT

13:25 WAT

8/12/15

FELLAINI SET FOR TURKEY MOVE

Marouane Fellaini has fallen down the pecking order at Manchester United this season, and talkSport report the former Everton man has been attracting interest in Turkey.

Both Galatasaray and Fenerbahce have already looked into making a move for the Belgium international.

13:10 WAT

8/12/15

SPURS WANT £15M FOR DEMBELE

According to the Sunderland Echo, Tottenham have told Sunderland they must pay £15 million if they want to buy midfielder Mousa Dembele.

The Belgium international has been on the fringes under Mauricio Pochettino, though he did start against Manchester United on Saturday.

13:00 WAT

8/12/15

 BATTLE FOR VAN DIJK 

Southampton and Sunderland are both confident of landing Celtic defender Virgin van Dijk, according to the Daily Mirror.

12:50 WAT

8/12/15

 SCHNEIDERLIN ON MAN UTD MOVE

12:40 WAT

8/12/15

 HERNANDEZ TO STAY? 

According to the Daily Telegraph, Manchester United will not allow Javier Hernandez to join Tottenham unless Spurs ease their stance on Harry Kane.

United are hoping to include Hernandez in a deal that would see Kane move to Old Trafford.

12:30 WAT

8/12/15

 SERIE A CLUBS WANT BORINI 

Fiorentina, Lazio and Inter are all interested in bringing Liverpool striker Fabio Borini back to Italy, report the Daily Mirror.

Borini is expected to leave Anfield before the end of the transfer window.

12:20 WAT

8/12/15

 GET INVOLVED 

12:10 WAT

8/12/15

 VILLA EYE TOWNSEND 

Former Tottenham boss Tim Sherwood wants to bring Spurs winger Andros Townsend to Aston Villa, write the Daily Mirror.

The England international may be open to a move, with Erik Lamela and Nacer Chadli ahead of him in the pecking order at White Hart Lane.

12:00 WAT

8/12/15

 JUVE CONSIDER MONACO RAID 

Juventus are weighing up moves for Monaco defenders Layvin Kurzawa and Aymen Abdennour, according to Tuttosport.

The Serie A champions have reportedly opened talks with the French side.

11:50 WAT

8/12/15

 SAKHO ARRESTED 

11:40 WAT

8/12/15

 RAMIRES TO JUVE? 
According to Corriere dello Sport, Chelsea midfielder Ramires is on the verge of moving to Juventus.

The Italian champions are also close to sealing a deal for Schalke's Julian Draxler.

11:40 WAT

8/12/15

 RAMIRES TO JUVE? 
According to Corriere dello Sport, Chelsea midfielder Ramires is on the verge of moving to Juventus.

The Italian champions are also close to sealing a deal for Schalke's Julian Draxler.

11:30 WAT

8/12/15

 PEPE CONTRACT RENEWAL 
According to AS, Pepe will extend his Real Madrid contract until 2017.

The Portugal international has just one year remaining on his current deal.

11:20 WAT

8/12/15

 LAZAAR TO WATFORD? 

Palermo defender Achraf Lazaar is the latest player to emerge as a Watford target, report the Daily Star.

The Premier League new boys are keen to bolster their squad further despite numerous additions already this summer.

11:10 WAT

8/12/15

 JANUZAJ TO SUNDERLAND? 

Sunderland will step up their bid to sign Manchester United winger Adnan Januzaj on loan, report the Sunderland Echo.

Dick Advocaat is keen to further strengthen his squad after watching them fall to a 4-2 defeat at Leicester on Saturday.

11:00 WAT

8/12/15

 CARTOON OF THE DAY 

10:50 WAT

8/12/15

 WEST HAM REJECT BARTON 

West Ham United have pulled out of signing Joey Barton after their fans reacted badly to the move, reveal the Guardian.

10:30 WAT

8/12/15

 GET INVOLVED 

10:20 WAT

8/12/15

 PEDRO TO MAN UTD 

10:10 WAT

8/12/15

 TORINO ENTER HERNANDEZ RACE 

Serie A side Torino are the latest club to express an interest in Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez, according to the Daily Mirror.

West Ham and Tottenham are also thought to be keen on the Mexico international.

LOGIN TO YOUR NETWORK AND JOIN THE DISCUSSION

Everyone

Adesiyan Aderemi Olanrewaju Arsene Wenger has been given the green light to break the club’s transfer record to sign Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema. FINE Aug 11 at 14:20

Adesiyan Aderemi Olanrewaju WONT WENGER AND ARSENAL BOARD AKE US HAPPY BY SIGNING A WORLD STRIKER? Aug 11 at 13:57

Okezie Chukwuemeka Stones bid is a good one for the blues. Aug 5 at 10:34

OyeNasirJuwon During #SAF era, Man U wouldn't buy players above 29years or buy players with no resale value! Now, Man U are bidding $120millio­n for Bale. Aug 4 at 10:14

james_olamide We need De Gea @Madrid Aug 1 at 14:56

Adesiyan Aderemi Olanrewaju God help wenger to give us good striker Jul 24 at 14:13

Sanni State i guess we prefer exchange for lewerdoski or thomas muller, instead of PSG deal Jul 23 at 9:30

Ndudi Eze Lewandoski would not be a bad idea for MANU. Jul 18 at 10:36

Yakubu Usman instead of letting Di maria joining PSG & Cavani moving the other way, allow him to join bayern & either of lewandowsk­i or T. muller. Jul 16 at 10:22

gentlemoney23 who will become Sterling Replacemen­t Jul 15 at 12:00

gentlemoney23 who will be Liverpool next Signing Jul 15 at 11:59

gentlemoney23 why must Sterling move to Man city Jul 15 at 11:58

Abasikpongke Ebong @Ed pls sign us Otamendi and a good/regul­ar goal scorers...­Sir Ed. Jul 14 at 18:16

Anonymous nice signings for Mfc Jul 14 at 16:57

Sure Boss All we need again is Cavani. Off Di Maria we don't need you Jul 14 at 9:36

Sure Boss Welcome to Man United Schweni and Damian Jul 12 at 9:54

Stifler Senior Damian will be a great signin for #ManU Jul 9 at 16:41

Abasikpongke Ebong @ #Talking to Damian, its Man Utd not Man City....Ma­n Utd should pls sign Morgan, Otamendi/R­amos and should not sell Di Maria Jul 9 at 13:25

Chinedu Westside liverpool shuld lacazete or benteke Jul 8 at 1:31

Austin Ogbonnaya what is chelsea fc waiting for in the transfer market. buy Lacazet 4 us. Jul 7 at 13:49

Evergreen Lee liverpool should sign bacca pls Jun 26 at 14:29

Anslem Zoranx www.goalin­box.com May 11 at 23:55

Godwin Ugbede Do you want to find the cheapest Air Tickets Fares to travel, visit http://bit­.ly/1byAf4­e to book your tickets. YOU WILL AMAZED. Apr 23 at 15:33

Godwin Ugbede http://bit­.ly/1byAf4­e Apr 23 at 15:33

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Schwanitz moves closer to Diamond Race title with win in Stockholm – IAAF Diamond League

Christina Schwanitz effectively secured her first Diamond Race title as she won the shot put with a best effort of 20.13m, throwing in persistent and occasionally heavy rain in Stockholm’s Kungstradgarden square on Wednesday (29) on the eve of the main IAAF Diamond League meeting in the Swedish capital.
Germany’s 2014 European champion – who has 18 points and a nine-point lead over the USA’s Michelle Carter after four successive Diamond League wins this season – needs only to turn up to compete in the IAAF Diamond League final in Zurich on 3 September to end the sequence of four overall victories for the world and Olympic champion Valerie Adams, who is still finding her way back to fitness after returning to competition this month following operations last year to her elbow and shoulder.
Despite the testing conditions in Stockholm, Schwanitz was a model of consistency, fouling only one of her six efforts, four of which exceeded the distances achieved by any of her opponents, and the last of which, 19.24, replicated the best effort of the second-placed Carter.
Schwanitz has now gone over 20 metres in her last six competitions.
Adams’s demeanour became as gloomy as the prevailing weather as she produced fouls on her last four efforts, having to settle for fourth place with a best of 18.69m.
A fifth round effort of 18.74m took Hungary’s Anita Marton ahead of the frustrated New Zealander, who has yet to win in her three IAAF Diamond League outings this year.

Adams faces title defence decision

Now the 30-year-old IAAF Athlete of the Year will ponder on whether to defend her title at next month’s IAAF World Championships.
Not part of the Diamond League itself, Canadda’s Tim Nedow won the men’s shot by more than a metre with 20.78m while teenage prodigy Wictor Petersson took the boy’s shot with the 5kg implement when he reached 21.51m, just five centimetres short of his recent best which he achieved to win the bronze medal at the IAAF World Youth Championships in Colombia two weeks ago.
Stockholm’s meeting organisers were one of the first to take big time athletics out of the stadium in 2007, a lead which several other meetings have followed, and this year they revived a tradition last observed here in 2011.
For the first time, this meeting has involved a week of athletics activities in the city, which started in Kungstradgarden on Monday with two days of children’s athletics, at which athletes including the 2013 world 110m hurdles champion David Oliver and Fabiana Murer, the 2011 world pole vault champion, as well as world indoor 800m champion Ayanleh Souleiman made appearances and signed autographs.
On Friday, after the main meeting, the general public will have the opportunity to race over 1000m in a fun run at the historic 1912 Olympic stadium and the arena will then host a weekend of international youth competitions.

National 100m records for Schippers and Asher-Smith in London – IAAF Diamond League

Dafne Schippers brought day two of the IAAF Diamond League meeting in London to a record-breaking conclusion at the Olympic Stadium when she sliced 0.02 from her Dutch record to win the women’s 100m in 10.92 at the Sainsbury’s Anniversary Games on Saturday (25).
Schippers had already clocked 10.99 in her heat when she beat Nigeria’s Blessing Okagbare-Ighoteguonor by 0.01.
In a previous heat, Dina Asher-Smith ran the same time but had also made history by becoming the first British woman ever to break 11 seconds. 
The 19-year-old, a kit carrier in the same stadium at the London 2012 Olympic Games, received a massive roar from the crowd before blasting past Murielle Ahoure to clock 10.99.
Asher-Smith described her heat run as “messy in places” but also admitted she was so “over the moon” that she struggled to regain her focus in time for the final where she finished fourth in 11.06.
By contrast, Schippers timed her effort perfectly and emerged between the fast-starting Ahoure and Okagbare-Ighoteguonor to take victory over the Nigerian, who clocked 10.98. Ahoure was third in 11.01.
Schippers lowered her national 100m record to 10.94 in Hengelo at the end of May, and the world heptathlon bronze medallist’s performance here again justified her decision to target the sprints at the IAAF World Championships in Beijing next month.
“It was a difficult decision but I think I am a sprinter now and it feels good,” she said.
“I am more relaxed every race and I think it's better for me to do only one thing. I can focus on my start and that was difficult to do when I was in the heptathlon.
“It is good that people from Europe can beat girls from America and Jamaica. It's nice that we have both run a national record here. I think I can run faster than today.”

Perfectly paced race for van Niekerk

Another athlete with his sights set firmly on Beijing is Wayde van Niekerk, who had another morale-boosting victory in the men’s 400m.
Just three weeks after beating Olympic champion Kirani James in Paris, the South African overtook Isaac Makwala to win the men’s 400m.
Van Niekerk became the first African to break 44 seconds when he beat James earlier this month, but he saw that record evaporate 24 hours later when the Botswanan ran 43.72, making this something of a grudge match.
Van Niekerk responded superbly to the challenge, coming from behind again to take victory in 44.63. Makwala stormed away at the start but faded to fourth in the home straight, clocking 45.29 as US champion David Verburg came through for second in 45.01 with Chris Brown taking third in 45.33.
Van Niekerk is now just two points behind James in the Diamond Race, but his mind is already in China.
“The season has certainly been a blessing to me so far,” said the South African.
“The Diamond Race points are a bonus to me, whatever happens, happens. This was my last Diamond League race before the World Championships so I just wanted to finish it with a good time and feel confident for the race.”
Asbel Kiprop retained the Emsley Carr Mile title when he emerged from a huge pack to outsprint USA’s Matthew Centrowitz in the home straight. The world 1500m champion clocked 3:54.87 after drifting from the front to a seemingly impossible boxed position with a lap to go.
As the final stages of the race unfolded, he stepped out of the huddle and clawed his way past Centrowitz and Ayanleh Souleiman, who were second and third respectively.
Kenyans were in winning form in the women’s distance events too, as Eunice Sum underlined her status as favourite for the world 800m title with her fourth IAAF Diamond League victory.
Sum overpowered Dutch runner Sifan Hasan to clock 1:58.44 and move 10 points clear of USA’s Ajee Wilson in the Diamond Race. Hassan was rewarded for her bold move down the back straight with a personal best of 1:59.46 in second place.

No mercy for Cherono's rivals

Mercy Cherono made up a 50-metre gap on Molly Huddle to take maximum points in the women’s 5000m and move to third in the standings.
Cherono came home in 14:54.81 after being 30 metres adrift with 800m to go.
She finally caught Huddle at the bell but the US runner, who had led for the whole race, challenged again on the last lap before succumbing and finishing second in 14:57.42.
Kenyans dominated the men’s steeplechase too, but it was not Diamond Race leader Jairus Birech who took maximum points this time.
Birech was beaten for the second time this season when world silver medallist Conseslus Kipruto outkicked him in the home straight to win in 8:09.47.
Birech was second in 8:09.81 with Ezekiel Kemboi, who had beaten Birech in Oslo, third in 8:12.13.
There were no Diamond Race points available in the men’s 800m, but plenty of pride at stake as David Rudisha returned to the scene of his world-record-breaking Olympic triumph.
Nijel Amos chased him home on that day but it was the Botswanan who was too good this afternoon, outkicking the Kenyan in the home straight to win in 1:44.57.
Rudisha still looks a shadow of his 2012 best, but he held on to take second from the fast-finishing Pole Adam Kszczot in 1:44.67.
There was a meeting record in the women’s 200m, another non-Diamond Race event, when Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson ran a meeting record of 22.10 to beat Tori Bowie.
Thompson took 0.27 from her personal best and moved to fourth on the 2015 world list.
Bowie was second in 22.32 while behind her Sanya Richards-Ross ran 22.87 in seventh and Olympic heptathlon champion Jessica Ennis-Hill produced her third season’s best of the meeting, running 23.49 in eighth.

Ronaldinho set for Fluminense debut

 Former Brazil international Ronaldinho could make Fluminense debut against old club Gremio this weekend.

The 35-year-old former World Player of the Year trained with his new team-mates for the third time on Wednesday and coach Enderson Moreira has confirmed the World Cup-winner is in contention for Saturday's Brasileirao showdown at the Maracana on Saturday.

Ronaldinho sealed his return to Brazil earlier this month after a year with Mexican club Queretaro but was given two weeks' holiday before reporting for training.


He has thus far impressed on the practice field, scoring three times in his first session with the Rio-based club, and was in the starting line-up at Wednesday's session.

A World Cup and Copa America winner, who has also lifted both the Uefa Champions League and the Copa Libertadores, Ronaldinho is now hoping to resume his career against Gremio, where he began his playing days in 1998 and whom he helped to a state title in 1999 before joining Paris Saint-Germain two years later.

Fluminense sit seventh in Brazil's top flight after 16 matches and are in search of their first national title since 2012 – one of the few competitions in which Ronaldinho has competed but never won.



"What motivated me is a title that I don't have, Brazilian championship. It motivates me a lot. It is a great club with great players, we have everything to be champions," he said earlier this month.

"It's good to return for a big club. I'm very happy and motivated.

"I wanted to play after seeing the stadium (Maracana) and the fans with all their support. My legs are trembling with desire to play."

Ronaldinho scored 33 goals in 97 appearances for Brazil.

Buchel looking to boost Swiss athletics with Beijing success

You could be almost be forgiven for not knowing who Selina Buchel was this time last year when she failed to make the final of her home European Championships in Zurich, but this year is a different story.
After her stunning Swiss 800m record of 1:57.95 at the IAAF Diamond League meeting in Paris which hoisted her to fourth on this year’s world list, Buchel is suddenly a serious candidate for a medal at the IAAF World Championships in Beijing next month.
Starting conservatively in the Stade de France, the she finished fastest of the top three that evening to slice almost one second off one of the most durable Swiss records on the books. The time also shattered her personal best by more than two seconds.
Unbeaten this year in low-key races until that evening, Buchel was looking to break through the two-minute barrier for the first time in her career, but not even she was prepared for the time that came up against her name.
“When I saw the time I thought that can’t be right,” the elated 23-year-old told her local press.
“The first 100m was relatively fast and I noticed that the leaders were already a long way ahead. We went through 400 in 57.4. I had never been that fast but I felt good.”

Defeated but not disappointed

Although she approached the final 200 metres conservatively, she let herself off the leash with 100m to go and was closing fast on Kenya’s world champion Eunice Sum and second-placed Rose Marie Almanza of Cuba before she ran out of track.
It may have been her first defeat of the season, but the time more than made up for that. Buchel had definitively arrived on the world stage.
She had already come to note at the 2015 European Indoor Championships in Prague in March, when she slightly surprisingly snatched gold from more fancied rivals, despite her fourth place 12 months before at the IAAF World Indoor Championships.
Since her storming run in Paris she has also collected wins on home soil in Lausanne and Lucerne, the latter also ending with her running faster than two minutes.
An outing in Bellinzona added another sub-2:00 time to her account but at the IAAF Diamond League meeting in London on Saturday she appeared to suffer the effects of five races in three weeks and could only finish eighth.
“There was nothing there,” she explained after that performance. “I had been noticing it for days. I ran out of steam. I was tactically weak and I did not manage to focus.”

Adjusted focus

It is precisely this focus that she identifies as one of the big changes she has made for 2015.
“This season I set myself the goal, and not only in the big championships, to crank up the nervous tension. Somehow, I have been too relaxed before. The fact that I can now create this tension in each race is a big step for me.”
The small town of Butschwil, with a population of 3300, 70 kilometres east of Zurich, is where Buchel does most of her training throughout the year.
There is no 400m track in the town so if she wants to run on a full-sized track, she has to travel to nearby Wil or simply makes do with the local roads.
Some might raise an eyebrow at such basic facilities at her immediate disposal but Buchel commented that this is what has brought her success so “why change it?”
She did in fact make an exception last winter by attending a training camp in Potchefstroom, South Africa, but discovered to her surprise that, despite the ideal conditions, the group she was with did not do anything they could have done at home.
It’s not a trip she’s likely to make again in the near future. “It makes no sense to go such a long way to do something you can do at home,” she joked.
Buchel is coached by a husband-and-wife team of Urs and Marlis Goldi who have nothing but praise for their charge. “We can always be sure that she carries out what is on the training plan,” said Urs.
For work, Buchel holds down a 30 per cent contract as an urban planner but, once the summer season starts, work takes a back seat.
A crucial crossroads in Buchel’s development was reached with last summer’s disappointment in Zurich.
“I realised I just wasn’t good enough,” she confessed. As a result of that revelation, she set about a radical restructuring of training with more speed work and more strength training. “My running style is now more controlled and more economic,” she explained. “I’m also faster over 400m.”
A carefully constructed competitive plan has helped her make significant strides.

Not stuck for speed

Having boosted her confidence with a series of low-key races this summer, Paris was the leap in quality that was needed to move to the next level.
Whereas in Paris she held back, in Lucerne last Tuesday she was ready to follow the fast pace – 56.70 at the bell – and kick off that with 200 metres to go and hold off all the attacks that came down the straight.
“I have never run that fast in my life,” she said of that first 400m. “But I managed to get stuck in and keep my advantage to the line.”
All of which will make it interesting to see how she fares in her biggest challenge to date in Beijing.
Switzerland has not had an athlete on the IAAF World Championships podium since Viktor Rothlin won a bronze in the marathon in 2007. At the last edition in Moscow, no Swiss athlete finished in the top eight in their event.
But with the fourth-fastest time in the world this season, she needs fear no one. “Yes, that is definitely the case,” she affirmed. “Now I know I can go with any pace. I am looking forward to it.”

'I have to fight the mafia' - Maradona vows to challenge Fifa

The Argentina icon claims he has the support of a number of players should he launch a campaign to become Sepp Blatter's successor

Diego Maradona has vowed to fight the "mafia" which remains within Fifa as talk grows of his potential bid to become the next president.
The iconic former Argentina forward claims he has the support of a number of players should he choose to challenge to succeed Sepp Blatter.
"There are players who support me. I have to fight with people who have long been stealing from Fifa," he told Canal America.
"I'm going for Fifa. Really. I have to fight the mafia. I have to fight the mafia that is still within Fifa.
"I say to all Argentines that I'm strong, that I will not fail, that I am very tough and have plenty of backbone."
Uefa president Michel Platini and South Korea's Chung Mong-joon have already announced their candidacies to take charge of Fifa.

Organisers' pollution challenge in Guanabara Bay

Cleaning up the polluted bay where sailing and windsurfing competitions will be held at Rio 2016 remains a serious challenge, the International Olympic Committee president has said.

Sailors in Guanabara Bay have reported seeing pollution including furniture and floating animal carcasses.
Nearly 70% of sewage in the Brazilian city is spilled raw into its waters.
Thomas Bach said Games preparations were on track but challenges remained, "first of all the cleaning of the bay".
The Rio state government has already said it will miss its target of reducing pollution in the Guanabara bay by 80% ahead of the Olympics, which begin on 5 August 2016.
Bach said some measures to clean the waters had already started, while others "will be applied to the bay just before the Olympics to make sure there is the safety and the health of the athletes".
The German also said demands on completing the international broadcast centre in Rio were "really pressing" but added there had been "great progress" in the Olympic village and other sports facilities.
"We are very confident we will have a great Games in one year. Acknowledging challenges is the first and most important step to overcoming them."

Rio state government has already said it will miss its target of reducing pollution in Guanabara bay by 80%

Manchester United 0-2 PSG: Ibrahimovic strikes as Van Gaal's men flounder

 d a goal ruled out for offside.

Shaw and Jones were unable to deal with Matuidi, who showed tremendous strength before poking the ball past De Gea, who left himself stranded, with relative ease.

United were carved up again nine minutes later, this time Ibrahimovic the beneficiary. Maxwell picked out an unmarked Ibrahimovic between Jones and Shaw on the edge of the six-yard box and the striker made no mistake from close range.

Depay came close to reducing the deficit three minutes later after Kevin Trapp parried the Dutchman's free-kick into danger, though PSG somehow managed to clear their lines.

As expected, both teams made substitutions at the break, with David Luiz, Edinson Cavani, Marquinhos, Morgan Schneiderlin and Andreas Pereira introduced, while De Gea was withdrawn.

The half-time changes stemmed the flow for United, but they still struggled to create any dangerous opportunities, as their attack remained disorganized with Rooney isolated up front.

And while opportunities were at a premium in the second half, substitute Youssouf Sabaly came close to extending PSG's advantage with a powerful strike that flashed just wide of the post with 13 minutes remaining.

Real Madrid 0-0 AC Milan (10-9 pens): Donnaruma misses decisive spot-kick

Kiko Casilla scored and then saved the young goalkeeper's effort to secure the International Champions Cup for the Liga giants

Real Madrid have won the International Champions Cup after defeating AC Milan 10-9 on penalties following a 0-0 draw in Shanghai on Wednesday.

Madrid thrashed Manchester City 4-1 to win the International Champions Cup Australia last week and lifted the China version of the tournament on Thursday to end their pre-season tour unbeaten.

There was no separating the two sides in 90 minutes, with the impressive Kiko Casilla twice denying Milan new boy Carlos Bacca - who came on at half-time - in the second half with fine saves.

It was left to spot-kicks to decide the winner of the trophy and it was Real who came out on top, with Bacca and 16-year-old Antonio Donnarumma failing to hold their nerve.

Donnarumma had denied Toni Kroos to extend the shootout, but he went from hero to villain and both sides will now head to Munich to take part in the Audi Cup next week.

Rafael Benitez included Luka Modric and Karim Benzema in his starting line-up after the duo missed Monday's 3-0 victory over Inter due to niggles, while Sergio Ramos - reportedly set to sign a new contract - dropped to the bench.

But Real lacked the attacking threat they posed in impressive wins against City and Inter and they were almost caught out by the pace of Milan striker M'Baye Niang five minutes before half-time.

The young French striker opted to go it alone when he lacked support and burst past two defenders before clattering into Keylor Navas after taking a heavy touch, which cost him the chance to get a shot away.

Benitez and Sinisa Mihajlovic made several changes at half-time, with Bacca and Luiz Adriano among the Milan players to enter the fray, while Ramos and Kroos were also brought on.

Kroos had a chance to open the scoring soon after, but his shot from the edge of the area deflected wide after good work from fellow substitute Jese Rodriguez.

Madrid looked far more dangerous after a poor first-half display and Diego Lopez - facing his former club - kept out Cristiano Ronaldo's downward header after some lovely trickery and a precise cross from Isco.

Bacca almost opened his Milan account in spectacular fashion with a thunderous strike that was destined for the back of the net until Casilla denied him with an outstanding reflex save on the hour-mark.

Casilla thwarted the Colombia striker again when he surged into the penalty area and unleashed a well struck shot 10 minutes from time.

Bacca failed to find the back of the net once again in a shootout, but Kroos missed the chance to secure victory when Donnarumma kept out his spot-kick.

The young keeper was unable to find the back of the net himself, though, as Casilla's save ensured Madrid lifted another trophy.

'Arsenal have £200m & Wenger can buy any player he wants

Arsenal director Lord Harris says Arsene Wenger can "buy any player in the world", with the club boasting a £200m-plus (€280m) transfer fund.

The Gunners boss admitted on Wednesday that the club were in an "impossible" race for the Premier League title in recent years, but is confident his squad are now capable of challenging at the top.

Wenger had to contend with the financial impact of moving from Highbury to the Emirates Stadium, which meant losing key players such as Robin van Persie, Samir Nasri and Cesc Fabregas year on year.

Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City all spent big, but improved finances saw Mesut Ozil arrive for £42 million (€60m) in 2013 and Alexis Sanchez for £35m (€50m) last summer, and Harris has hinted at similar deals.

"Money was tight when we moved to the Emirates but it’s a lot freer now," he told the Daily Mail. "We could go into the market and probably buy any player in the world, apart from half a dozen who are un-buyable.

"In the accounts, there's over £200 million in the bank. There are no plans to sign anyone, unless he finds a real superstar like Ozil or Sanchez. He's looking for one of those but there aren't many available."

Goal understands Arsene Wenger was happy to wait until later in the summer window to launch a bid for key summer target Karim Benzema, though the striker's agent says his client will not be leaving Real Madrid.

Wenger refused to rule out a bid last week, adding that he will attempt to sign an "exceptional player" if one becomes available, and Harris insists the manager has the full financial backing required.

He added: "We get a list of the players that Wenger wants. On the list is a centre forward, but I'm not going to tell you who he is. You've got to get the other team to sell him, but I think he wants to come.

"It basically comes down to whether the other team can find a superstar to replace him, because they don’t have to sell. We would back him to break the club's transfer record.

"If he wanted the man, he could have him. Apart from [Lionel] Messi and [Cristiano] Ronaldo, he could have any player. We will probably have to break the club record to get the man he wants."

Heartland, Dolphins crash out of Federation Cup

BJ Foundation and Tornadoes Feeders were unmatched by their illustrious Premier League foes as they zoomed to the competition's next round

Giant killers BJ Foundation and Niger Tornadoes Feeders created the biggest upsets of the 2015 Federation Cup Round of 16 played on Wednesday they dumped Heartland and Dolphins out of the competition in Makurdi and Ado Ekiti respectively.
Heartland won the competition back to back in 2011 and 2012 and after two disappointing years in competition, they were hoping to bounce back in impressive fashion in 2015 edition but were shown the exit door by ambitious B J Foundation at the Aper Aku Stadium, Makurdi.
The Naze Millionaires got their goals through John Ibeh and Ebere Odiche in the 30th and 55th minutes but that didn't deter the giant killers who went ahead to score three goals.
In Ado Ekiti Dolphins frittered away many scoring chances that would have made them to win the game easily against Niger Tornadoes Feeders at the Oluyemi Kayode Stadium, Ado Ekiti and were made to rue the missed chances during the penalty shoot-outs.

Omoh Johnson netted for the Premier League side but the giant killers from Minna found their way back into  game when they got the  equalizer and  eventually triumphed on penalties.

Courtois: Cech is a Chelsea legend, but don't compare us

Thibaut Courtois says Petr Cech's departure marks a "new era" at Chelsea and does not want to be compared to his former team-mate.

The 33-year-old ended an 11-year spell at Stamford Bridge with a £14 million (€20m) move to Arsenal earlier in July, having fallen down the pecking order following Thibaut Courtois's promotion to first-choice keeper.
Courtois acknowledges the "legend" status Cech has had bestowed on him by the fans after winning 15 trophies since his 2004 arrival, but is confident of the team's achievements going forward.

"Petr was a Chelsea legend and he has more support from the fans, maybe," he told reporters.

"But I will always do my best for the team. Last season went well, winning the League Cup and Premier League, and hopefully we can win more trophies and defend the title."

Courtois, though, is wary of being compared to Cech, and is keen to avoid this happening as Mourinho builds a younger new guard to build on the Premier League and League Cup double won last season.
He added: "What Petr did with Chelsea was exceptional. I hope to get as many trophies as he did, but I am not staring at his tally.

"Of course I hope to win as many trophies as I can, but I will not look to what Petr did. What he did with Chelsea was something great, alongside Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard and John Terry.
"Now it's the new era. I don't want to be compared with Petr. I am a new player, another keeper and I'm going a different way."

Mourinho: New stadium is the next step for Chelsea

The Blues manager says that upping their capacity is a must to continue growth and backs supporters to make whatever temporary ground they occupy feel like home

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho says that a new stadium is "the next step" for the club.

The Blues' current home at Stamford Bridge can seat 41,798 fans, making it only the eighth largest ground in the Premier League, disproportionate to the team's success in the Roman Abramovich era.

Earlier this summer, Chelsea invited supporters to look at an exhibition of plans for a new build and, though an upgrade would necessitate them playing at a different ground for up to three seasons, Mourinho says that it is an important decision for them to take.

"I've taken charge of 98 matches on my bench in Stamford Bridge and hope to have more," the Portuguese told reporters.

"I know the club needs to make the next step and that is a new Stamford Bridge, more seats.

"At a certain point of our lives as a club, we will have to leave, which is a bad thing but, if we need to play at another stadium, we will try to make it our new home while we wait."

Falcao 'was the best of the human players', says Crespo

The Colombian endured a difficult season at Manchester United but is now gearing up for the 2015-16 campaign with Chelsea and Crespo believes that it will not be easy for him

Hernan Crespo says that Radamel Falcao was "the best of the human players" before his knee injury, warning him that he could continue to struggle at Chelsea.

Falcao has moved to Stamford Bridge on a one-year loan deal from Monaco, after enduring a frustrating 2014-15 campaign with Manchester United that yielded just four goals and questions about his top-level ability.
The Colombia striker damaged the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in January 2014, which ruled him out of the World Cup, and he has since struggled to recapture the form which made him one of Europe's most feared forwards during his time with Porto and Atletico Madrid.
Crespo, who himself moved to the Blues in 2003 but was loaned out to both Milan clubs by Jose Mourinho during a difficult five-year spell in England, says that Falcao is now a different proposition.

"There is a big difference between Falcao before and after his injury," Crespo, now coach of Italian Serie B side Modena, told the BBC.
"Before the injury, he was the best of the 'human players' - all players apart from Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, who are on another level.

"After such an injury, you need time and it's not easy to recover. It won't be easy for him. Jose doesn't give presents away."
However, the former Argentina hitman insists that a little bit of belief would be enough for Falcao to convince his new manager, something which he was unable to do with Louis van Gaal at Old Trafford.

"All Falcao has to do is to believe in himself and be the great player he is," Crespo added. "That will be enough to convince Mourinho to give him a chance. He was probably not the kind of player Van Gaal was looking for.

"You have to take your chances if you want to play regularly. We will see what happens at Chelsea."

Moses and Solanke given Chelsea squad numbers

The Nigerian forward will wear the Blues' No.20 jersey last worn by former Portugal international Deco, while his compatriot retains his No.35 shirt

Returning Chelsea forward Victor Moses and Dominic Solanke have been assigned their squad numbers.
Moses, who returned to the Stamford Bridge after his loan move to Stoke City, will wear the No. 20 jersey. The jersey was so well associated with Deco during his spell with the Roman Army.

Academy players Dominic Solanke and Ola Aina  impressed in the youth team last season,  and as a result have been rewarded with the No.35 and No.34 while Ruben Loftus-Cheek retaining his No.36 shirt.
Both players are in line to feature in Saturday’s pre-season game against Paris Saint-Germain.

With 58 goals and 26 assists - Is this Messi's best ever season?

The transformation is total. After starting January on the Barcelona bench amid a fall-out with Luis Enrique and having been blighted by fitness issues as well as suffering World Cup disappointment in the previous year, 2015 began ominously for Lionel Messi.

But five months down the line, the Argentine attacker is back to the peak of his powers and on the brink of leading the Catalan club to an unprecedented second treble as the Blaugrana prepare to face Juventus in the Champions League final on Saturday.

With three goals in his first six games for Barca in 2014-15, it was something of a slow start for Messi this term. But the Argentine soon resumed his habitual scoring streak in November and December, hitting three hat-tricks in four games - against Sevilla, APOEL and Espanyol.

Not that it's all about goals with Leo, anyway. The current campaign has seen the birth of a more mature Messi, now not only a devastating delantero but a peerless playmaker, too. Even when he was not scoring so many earlier on in the season, he was hitting Hollywood passes to his team-mates, taking out defenders with astonishing angled balls only he could conjure up.

"Every year he surprises us," Diego Simeone told Goal in his latest Champions League column. "Now we expect him to do something different in every single game."

And more often than not, he does. Last Saturday's stunning strike in the Copa del Rey final against Athletic Club at Camp Nou was described as "from another galaxy" by Luis Enrique, while Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu called it "one of the best goals in the history of football". It sounds like an exaggeration, but it probably wasn't.



Luis Enrique must take credit for how he has handled this squad since the winter discontent in the Catalan capital, yet it was the players themselves who came up with the idea of Messi returning to the right flank and Suarez starting as an orthodox centre-forward.

"Honestly, I just ended up in the central position during a game by chance, and Leo said to me: 'Stay there'," the striker said in April. "Afterwards the coach saw that we had come up with a good solution by ourselves and we started trying it out. No one officially made the decision, but obviously from then on it was the coach who started playing me as No. 9."

Messi's pallid performances out on the right in the Tata Martino era must have dissuaded Luis Enrique from opting for that particular tactical tweak, yet it works wonderfully with the tireless contribution, commitment and competitiveness of Suarez in a central role, with Leo given license to drop deep and make the play as he sees fit.

"He sees things before anyone else," Simeone added. "That's why he is the best in the world."

In 2015, there is little doubt that last statement is true. And even though he will finish the campaign some way short of his incredible 73 goals in 60 games in 2011-12, this term has seen Messi receive greater help from his fellow forwards in front of goal than during Pep Guardiola's final campaign, while he has also evolved into much more of an all-rounder - a more complete version of an already astonishing player, a fantasy footballer who continues to raise the bar with his sparkling skills.

So forget the numbers. If, as expected, Leo leads Barca to their second treble in six seasons on Saturday, this term will surely have been his greatest of Messi's magical career at the Catalan club. And that's saying something.

James Milner: Liverpool agree deal for Manchester City midfielder

Liverpool have agreed a deal to sign England midfielder James Milner from Manchester City on a free transfer.

The Reds have agreed personal terms with the 29-year-old, who will join the club when his contract at the Etihad expires on 1 July - subject to a medical.
Milner won two Premier League titles, an FA Cup and the League Cup during his five years at City.
He has won 53 England caps and scored eight goals for City last season.
Milner joined City from Aston Villa in 2010 after being signed for £26m by then Blues manager Roberto Mancini.
He has gone on to make 125 appearances for City scoring 18 goals.
Last season he played 24 times, with seven assists as City finished second in the league.
The midfielder has also played for Newcastle United and his hometown club Leeds United, making his Premier League debut aged 16 in 2002.

Juventus or Barcelona – who will win the Champions League final?

Europe's greatest club prize is up for grabs as the kings of Spain and Italy meet in Saturday's Champions League final.

Barcelona have enjoyed a stunning first season under Luis Enrique, having wrestled the Liga title back from Atletico Madrid before downing Athletic Bilbao in the final of the Copa del Rey. They now have the chance to seal a first treble since Pep Guardiola's debut campaign in charge in 2009.

Juventus, meanwhile, are also on the brink of history. A fourth-successive Scudetto was followed by a Coppa Italia triumph over Lazio, meaning Massimiliano Allegri - also in his first term at the helm - could deliver the Old Lady's greatest ever season of silverware.

But which side will come out on top in Berlin? Two of Goal's writers go head-to-head on Europe's most anticipated showdown - and you can have your say in our poll below...

'Juve are Europe's most versatile side & Barca know it'

By Joe Wright

Plenty of comparisons have been drawn in recent days between this Juventus side and Jose Mourinho's Inter - the last Italian outfit to win the treble. One thing is for certain: just like Inter in 2010, Juve are better placed than any other team in the world to defeat Barcelona and win the Champions League.

Massimiliano Allegri has already warned that his side cannot afford to simply sit back and allow Barca to dictate and, while a repeat of Inter's heroic 10-man defensive display at Camp Nou is unlikely, the Serie A champions must be prepared for large spells without the ball. They can cope with that. In beating Borussia Dortmund, Monaco and Real Madrid in the knockouts, Juve have displayed more versatility than any other side, offering some devastating attacking play whilst remaining nigh-on impervious at the back.

The Bianconeri boast both a strong team ethic and match-winning individuals. Carlos Tevez and Paul Pogba can produce the magic they need in attack; Leonardo Bonucci and Gianluigi Buffon are a defensive spine intimidating enough to leave even the fabled MSN feeling a little anxious, even with Giorgio Chiellini now ruled out through injury. A midfield of Paul Pogba, Arturo Vidal and Claudio Marchisio is capable of dictating the tempo of games or simply snuffing out danger right across the middle, cutting the supply lines to any match-winning superstars further forward. Cristiano Ronaldo can attest to that.

A sense of fate surrounds the Italians as they head to Berlin - the site of their famous World Cup triumph in 2006 which came in the wake of the Calciopoli scandal. Juve's place in the final marks the completion of their recovery from that devastating episode and gives captain Buffon - who stuck with the team in those dark days in Serie B - his best chance in over a decade at winning the only major prize that eludes him.

Juve might not be favourites, but neither were Inter in that semi-final five years ago. And Barcelona remember that better than most.

'Barca are a behemoth with three deadly horns'

By Peter McVitie
It is true that Juventus have cruised to a fourth consecutive Serie A title and a first Coppa Italia crown for 20 years in what has been an exceptional season. It is also true that they are more than worthy of their place in the Champions League final and are arguably the most dominant Italian side we have seen since Marcello Lippi’s Bianconeri machine reached three European Cup finals in a row in the 1990s. However, the challenge that awaits them in Berlin this Saturday is too big for even Massimiliano Allegri’s exceptional team.
Barcelona’s display against Athletic Bilbao in last week’s Copa del Rey final in Camp Nou was an ominous message to Juventus that the Blaugrana cannot be stopped. Athletic may not be as strong as Juve, but Barca have been wiping out everyone they have faced since the turn of the year. They have lost two games in 2015, one of which - the second leg against Bayern Munich - was virtually a dead rubber.
It does not matter which defender or how many defenders you throw at Lionel Messi, when he hits his stride with the ball at his feet, he will find a way through. And it’s not just the four-time Ballon d’Or winner Juventus need to worry about, it’s all three of the Barcelona front line.
Messi is back to his best, Neymar is in wonderful form and Suarez, with 16 goals and 14 assists in 27 Liga games has had an astounding debut season. Not only are MSN lethal as individuals, they combine so remarkably well and are so happy to set each other up. Messi and Neymar have scored more goals between them in the Champions League than the entire Juve team.
Terrifyingly, the supporting cast has been just as impressive. Ivan Rakitic is now right at home in Luis Enrique's side and has added a physical edge to their passing game, and even Dani Alves has been excellent in the last few months. In addition, Andres Iniesta, Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets and Javier Mascherano have all contributed massively while Gerard Pique has returned to his previous levels in a mean defence guarded by Marc-Andre ter Stegen. Whatever comes their way, the Blaugrana can deal with it. Demolish it, even.
This is not a team. It's a big unstoppable behemoth with three deadly horns on its head. And on Saturday, it will claim another victim.

Sterling, Di Maria, Falcao, Advocaat, Young, Zouma

England winger Raheem Sterling is open to the possibility of leaving Liverpool for Manchester United, although the 20-year-old is concerned how the transfer would be received given the fierce rivalry between the clubs. (Guardian) 
Liverpool remain adamant they have no intention of doing business with their north-west rivals. (Liverpool Echo) 
Radamel Falcao, 29, wants to complete a move to Chelsea before Colombia start their Copa America campaign on 14 June. (Daily Telegraph) 

The Sun's back page on Friday

Dick Advocaat will be handed a £50m transfer fund to revitalise Sunderland after agreeing to remain as manager of the Black Cats. (Daily Mirror) 
Bayern Munich's Brazil defender Dante, 31, has rejected a move to Manchester United after declaring that he stands more chance of winning silverware with the German club. (Daily Star) 
Manchester United are ready to sell Nani this summer, but Inter Milan rather than Sporting Lisbon, where the 28-year-old winger spent last season on loan, are reportedly his most likely destination. (Independent) 
Serie A side Sampdoria are preparing to sign Chelsea's 20-year-old central defender Kurt Zouma, according to the Italian club's president. (Metro) 
Barcelona full-back Dani Alves, 32, has agreed a pre-contract agreement with Manchester United and will move to the Premier League club on 1 July. (Daily Star) 
Southampton midfielder Victor Wanyama, 23, says it 'would be nice' to join Arsenal. (Daily Mail) 
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has reportedly sacked first-team coach Mike Marsh, the former Reds midfielder who has been with the first team for three seasons and had previously worked with the youth side. (Sun - subscription required) 
QPR striker Charlie Austin - a £10m target for Tottenham, Newcastle, Aston Villa and Southampton - has hinted that he could be ready to leave the relegated west London club. (Daily Express) 

The Guardian sports supplement on Friday

Arsenal are preparing a £25m bid for Monaco midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia, 22, if they miss out on Southampton's Morgan Schneiderlin. (Independent) 
Liverpool have received a fillip in their hopes of signing 23-year-old Sporting Lisbon keeper Rui Patricio after the Portuguese club signed Slovenian keeper Azbe Jug. (Daily Express) 
Manchester United are lining up Galatasary goalkeeper Fernando Muslera, 28, as their replacement for Real Madrid-bound David De Gea. (Metro) 
Meanwhile, winger Ashley Young, 29, is expected to sign a new three-year contract at Old Trafford next month. (Daily Mirror) 
Paris St-Germain have made Manchester United winger Angel Di Maria, 27, their main target this summer. (Sportmasta) 
But the Argentina international says he will stay at Manchester United next season, despite struggling in his first year at the club. (Sun - subscription required) 
Belgium defender Jan Vertonghen, 28, plans to agree a new deal at Tottenham next season, despite being linked with a move to Napoli. (Times subscription required) 
Brighton are hoping to sign Iran World Cup winger Alireza Jahanbakhsh and are thought to have agreed a fee in excess of £1.4m with the 21-year-old's Dutch club NEC Nijmegen. (The Argus) 
Port Vale's out-of-contract striker Tom Pope, 29, is a target for Bury, recently promoted to League One. (Stoke Sentinel) 
Everton legends including Howard Kendall and Peter Reid paid tribute to the memory of Andy King at the former Toffees midfielder's funeral at St Luke's Church next to Goodison Park. The funeral cortege arrived to the Z-Cars theme and left to Elvis Presley's 'In The Ghetto'. (Liverpool Echo) 

Best of social media

Rooney and Michael Carrick are the only players from the 2008 final still in the United side

Premier League teams and players have been using the hashtag #TBT or Throw Back Thursday to recall happy times, Chelsea remembering  Eden Hazard signing three years ago.
Manchester United and England captain Wayne Rooney savours United's Champions League triumph in 2008 and asks for predictions for this year's final between Juventus and Barcelona on Saturday: "#TBT to one of the best nights of my career. Who does everybody think will win it this weekend?"

Jack Wilshere with novelty headgear and the FA Cup at Wembley

Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere puts the recent troubles over his FA Cup parade celebrations behind him by tweeting a picture  and writes: "TBT with my favourite Cup and my favourite hat."
Gary Lineker tweets  about his new five-year deal to remain as Match of the Day host, but is there a golf link... or just a word missing? "Delighted to announce that I have agreed a new five-year deal with @BBCSport to present their football. Thanks to you all for putting with me."

The official ball of the Champions League final

The ball that will be used in Saturday's Champions League final between Barcelona and Juventus in Berlin has been revealed on the official Champions League Twitter feed.  The ball is made by Adidas and features images associated with the German city, including the Brandenburg Gate.
Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany pays tribute to James Milner following the England international's move to Liverpool, tweeting a picture  of them at a boxing match, and writing: "You'll be missed at City brother, as a team-mate and a friend! Your drive and passion were inspirational. Good luck!"

And finally

Sunderland fans attempting to raise a £150 Flower Fund for manager Dick Advocaat's wife as a thank you for allowing her husband to stay on at the Stadium of Light, have accumulated more than £1,100. (GoFundMe) 
Norwich has been voted the second-worst away day experience in the Championship according to a survey of travelling fans, with only Blackpool faring worse in the division.

Flying Eagles back on track, but in danger of losing identity

Football is a game that is both affirmed and constrained by its humanity, a fact which enigmatic manager Marcelo Bielsa readily, but ruefully, acknowledges. “If players weren’t human, I would never lose,” he declares. Trouble is, they are. Consequently, there is no such thing as a homogenous system in football.
Which brings us to the subject of balance. In the absence of homogeneity, balance in a team is achieved in two ways: proper allocation of resources, or an intelligent tactical framework. Manu Garba utilized neither in the opening U20 World Cup loss to Brazil: his selection was top-heavy and bordered on conceit, while his set-up failed to make up for the problems created by the line-up.
This time, he went in quite the opposite direction, selecting a workmanlike midfield and reining in the wide players. While the result, a resounding 4-0 win, seems to justify his decision, he must now find a middle ground, a mean of performance and outcome which is the only way his uber-talented team can fulfil its destiny.
Electing to make four changes to the Brazil starting eleven – including the entire attacking midfield band – was a tacit admission of guilt on Garba’s part. There were varying degrees of success to these changes; but while Saviour Godwin proved the theory of nominative determinism by living up to his name after a tense first half, it was Akinjide Idowu who brought the control that was so sorely lacking against the Brazilians.
The other two were not so inspired. Bernard Bulbwa, he of the consciousness-pulverizing scorcher against Senegal at the Africa Youth Championship, showed twinkle-toes and a willing work-rate, but slowed the momentum of numerous attacks by inexplicably taking too many touches. Aside winning fouls from the over-eager Koreans, he contributed little to actual build-up, and appears to lack any kind of incisiveness with his final ball.
Kingsley Sokari was brought in, ostensibly because star player Kelechi Iheanacho had done a poor job in the opener of linking the midfield to the attack. The Manchester City man has often featured at club level in a central, attacking role, and was guilty of taking up unhelpfully high positions rather than actually acting as a conduit. Sokari did a better job in that regard, and played a lot deeper, but lacks the outright quality on the ball of Iheanacho.
Here he made it a point of duty to poorly weigh nearly every single attempted pass. Passes are a lot more than moving the ball on, they send a message to the receiver; Sokari’s seemed to scream, “PANIC!” regularly. In fairness, he took his goal very well, firing into the top corner after a poorly cleared free-kick broke to him on the edge of the box. It put gloss on the scoreline, as did substitute Success Isaac’s finish after a lovely one-two with Taiwo Awoniyi.
Godwin will undoubtedly grab the headlines (with a name like that, it would be criminal if he didn’t!) but Awoniyi was the most impressive performer on the day for the Flying Eagles. Success is undoubtedly quicker and technically superior, but Awoniyi is a striker’s striker: relentless, mobile and a handful physically. He has yet to get off the mark in New Zealand, but he was decisive here, assisting with an incisive through-ball for Godwin’s second, before linking up with Granada’s Success for the coup de grace.

In truth, Korea DPR never really looked like scoring, which meant that the other big personnel decision of the game escaped real scrutiny. Garba resisted calls to drop goalkeeper Joshua Enaholo following his horror 45 minutes against Brazil, a huge show of faith in the young goalkeeper. All things considered, it was the right thing to do; his manager’s confidence will do him good. Lest we forget, this is a very good goalkeeper, and as long as errors are the exception rather than the norm, he should be all right.
The scoreline was certainly emphatic, but the team did struggle to overcome a disciplined, but not particularly well-organized Korean defence, and only got going after half-time. It required a goalkeeping error, a flap at an arcing Musa Mohammed cross to allow Godwin head into an unguarded net, but once that went in, the Asian side visibly deflated. The incrementally improving quality of the goals, each better than the last, was perfectly illustrative of the game’s trajectory: the Flying Eagles simply grew in confidence as the clock ticked.
That said, coach Garba still has to decide how to achieve the right balance in the team. To lean so much toward defensive solidity dilutes the team's identity and takes away from what made them favourites in the first place: the zip, the attacking potential, the flair of 2013. This was the most functional selection possible, and ‘back-to-basics’ is the perfect safety net to cushion a fall, but with so much quality on the bench, surely it is best to address the problem rather than ignore it.

Midfielder Steven Ukoh excited by Super Eagles’ quality

The Swiss-based player expects to make an impact in Stephen Keshi’s new team as the squad prepares to face Chad on June 13

Steven Ukoh does not often speak to the media but when he does, he comes across as a confident young player who is looking to make a name in the game with Nigeria at the highest level.
The Biel-Bienne midfielder has been recalled to coach Stephen Keshi’s squad to face Chad in next week’s Africa Cup of Nations qualification game in Kaduna.
With the Super Eagles’ failure to qualify for the last Afcon, there is eager anticipation to see Keshi’s new look side.
And Ukoh sees his part in the team as a veritable opportunity to join in returning Nigerian football back to its hallowed heights.
“I see the Super Eagles as a very big team and I feel very honoured to be here in Abuja. I think it is a very good opportunity for me and the new team the Chief Coach is building to really progress,” Ukoh told Sportmasta.
“I followed a lot of the big European leagues and I see a lot of big [Nigerian] players. I also watched Odion Ighalo in Watford. So there are a lot of Nigerian players that I know very well.”
The 23-year-old, who switched to Nigeria after playing for the Swiss youth teams, anticipates a healthy challenge for playing time under Keshi’s new tenure. He made his senior Nigeria debut against Sudan and Cote d’Ivoire in January.
“It is going to be very tough fighting for the starting shirts in this team because of the quality of players.
“Personally speaking, I can tell you now that I am sure of a starting place in the team.
“My plan is to train very well and work very hard these coming days and to show the boss what I can do here with the rest of the team.
“I am really excited and I am over the moon to be here. I am working now with the rest of the team for us to deliver the goods in Kaduna.”
While a game against Chad is expected to be a walk-over for the Super Eagles, the midfielder expressed confidence in the ability of Keshi’s side to trounce their neighbours.
“With the quality of talented players that abound in this team, I am 100 percent sure that this team will qualify for the 2017 Afcon and I hope I can play my own part in beating Chad,” he concluded.