..::Football III::..

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Casillas set for Real Madrid tribute

Real Madrid have announced they will say goodbye to Iker Casillas during a tribute at the Santiago Bernabeu on Monday.The Liga giants confirmed on Saturday that the 34-year-old will leave the club for Porto this summer and Casillas explained his decision to move on at an emotional press conference in the Spanish capital the following day.


The experienced goalkeeper was not accompanied by any Madrid representatives during the press conference, with club president Florentino Perez and director of institutional relations Emilio Butragueno both absent.
Perez's absence led to heavy criticism among Madrid fans and the club have now stated there will be a farewell ceremony for the Spain international at the Bernabeu on Monday.


"The Real Madrid president, Florentino Perez, will appear before the press today at 1pm CEST in the Santiago Bernabeu's presidential box. Iker Casillas will also be taking part in the event," a statement on the club's official website reads.Casillas has signed a two-year deal with Porto, with an option to extend his stay for an additional season.

 

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Schweinsteiger on par with Beckenbauer & Gerd Muller, says Heynckes

Former Bayern Munich coach Jupp Heynckes believes Bastian Schweinsteiger was as important to the Bavarians as Gerd Muller and Franz Beckenbauer.
The Germany international is set to complete a £12 milliion (€16.75m) transfer to Manchester United and Heynckes is adamant that the 30-year-old will be sorely missed at the Allianz Arena.


"Bastian was the heart and soul of the team at Bayern. He did everything in the team's best interest rather than think about himself," Heynckes told Kicker.
"He is a true icon for the Bayern fans, someone they can identify themselves with.


"Schweinsteiger is right up there with Franz Beckenbauer and Gerd Muller. The Bundesliga and German football will miss him."There will not be another player like him at Bayern."


Heynckes guided Bayern to a historic treble in 2012-13, with Schweinsteiger as a key member of his squad.Schweinsteiger will undergo a medical with United on Monday before completing his move to Old Trafford.

 

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Rodgers denies Sterling rift & confirms Manchester City move imminent

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has denied there is any rift with Raheem Sterling and has confirmed the England international is on the verge of a move to Manchester City.

Goal reported on Sunday that City were successful with their third offer for the winger, with a bid of £49 million (€68.3m) set to bring an end to a long-running transfer saga.

The England international had threatened to go on strike before twice calling in sick to training in a bid to force a move away from the club, with Sterling's agent, Aidy Ward, claiming there had been a "breakdown in trust" between player and manager.

"The situation is very simple," he told reporters at a press conference in Bangkok. "The club has agreed a deal with another club for Raheem subject to a medical that'll go through.

"Raheem and I have always remained very strong in our relationship and that remained the case when we left. There is no issue there."

 

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Van Persie passes Fenerbahce medical

Robin van Persie has passed his Fenerbahce medical as his Manchester United exit nears completion.

The 31-year-old striker arrived in Istanbul on Sunday to finalise his switch to the Turkish Super Lig side, with the Netherlands international subsequently undergoing a series of medical checks on Monday.

Van Persie has fallen out of favour at Old Trafford, with Louis van Gaal unconvinced that the former Arsenal striker is capable of leading the line for the Red Devils in the 2015-16 campaign.

The Dutchman has previously expressed his wish to secure regular first-team football in the upcoming season, with Fener having stepped up their efforts to sign the forward in the past seven days.

The Turkish side claimed on Saturday evening that a deal had been struck to sign the Netherlands international, with the club revealing on Monday, via an update on social media site Twitter, that the player had passed his medical examination.

Van Persie will become the second United player to leave for Fenerbahce in the summer window, following Nani's switch to join Vitor Pereira's side, and the former Feyenoord star has expressed his determination to excel for his new club.

He told Fenerbahce TV: "I feel so good. I'm very happy to be in Istanbul. I will be in front of fantastic fans. I can't wait to meet them. I hope to make them happy."

 

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Official: Chelsea sign Begovic from Stoke

Chelsea have confirmed they have completed the signing of Asmir Begovic from Stoke City with the goalkeeper signing a four-year deal at Stamford Bridge.

Goal revealed in June that the Blues were in talks to sign the 28-year-old as a replacement for Petr Cech as the club's back-up goalkeeper.

Begovic has now made the move to Stamford Bridge and will join up with his new team-mates on their pre-season tour on Wednesday.

"I am very happy to be joining Chelsea FC," he told the club's official website. "After speaking at length to the manager, I feel like I can develop here and be an important part of this team.

"I am looking forward to meeting up with the team on Wednesday for the pre-season tour."

The goalkeeper also expressed his gratitute to Stoke and revealed why he had taken the decision to leave after five years with the club.

"I would like to say thank you to everyone at Stoke football club, the chairman and Coates family, Mark Hughes and Tony Pulis, goalkeeper coach Andy Quy, all my team-mates and especially the fans who have made me and my family so welcome," he wrote on Twitter.

"I have loved my time at Stoke, but I feel I had to take this opportunity for me to continue to develop and challenge myself as a player.

"I am very proud of what we have acheieved during my time at Stoke and it has been a great team of players to work with. I wish you all the best for the season ahead."

 

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Cech can help Arsenal win the league, says Oxlade-Chamberlain

Arsenal midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is convinced that the signing of Petr Cech can help the Gunners win the Premier League title.

Cech joined Arsene Wenger's side from Chelsea on June 29 having played only seven Premier League games for the Blues last season after falling behind Thibaut Courtois as the club's undisputed No.1.

And Oxlade-Chamberlain believes the north Londoners have acquired one of the top goalkeepers in the world, insisting that he has the title-winning mentality to help push the Gunners towards a league triumph.

He told the club's official website: "He's been one of the best goalkeepers in the world since I've been watching football. I can't really remember two goalkeepers who have been better than him.

"To have someone like that sign for us is a great thing and brings a massive boost to the changing room to have that experience and quality coming into the side - it can only help us. The fans are all excited about it and the players feel exactly the same way.

"We've had a little bit of success in the last few seasons with the FA Cup but we want to go and replicate that in the league. To have someone who’s done that on numerous occasions in Petr, that winning mentality is massive.

"In terms of our approach at any point in the season, he knows what it takes to win the league. I'm sure he's going to be a voice who can talk to us and let us know where we need to go and what we need to do to achieve that.

"The group that we've got here, everyone’s a really good lad, and I'm sure that everyone's going to be very open to listening to someone like him, taking everything he says on board. It's a great signing for us and it's invaluable what he's going to bring."

 

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Pedro discusses Mourinho rumours

Barcelona winger Pedro has dismissed reports he has spoken to Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho about a summer switch to Stamford Bridge - but admitted he has received numerous offers.


The Spain international struggled for game time at Camp Nou last season, with new signing Luis Suarez having formed a formidable front three with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.The Blaugrana have since lowered his buy-out clause to €30 million in order to facilitate a summer sale and it has been claimed that Mourinho has been trying to convince Pedro to move to London.


"I did not talk to Mourinho," Pedro told reporters on Monday. "That would have been disrespectful to Barcelona.


"It is true that it was agreed to lower the buy-out clause and it is also true that there are offers."It is a difficult situation. You want more minutes, more options, to be at the forefront of things but things are getting more difficult for me.


"It's a dream playing for Barcelona. I have won many titles and this fills me with satisfaction and joy, but you have to have the ambition to keep improving and play regularly.


"I wish I could stay at Barca but it is a very demanding club. It's hard at the top level, so we'll see what happens."But obviously one is happier when one can play."


Pedro's international team-mate, Iker Casillas, bid an emotional farewell to Real Madrid on Sunday after 25 years with the capital club.


It has been reported that the goalkeeper was forced out of the Santiago Bernabeu and Pedro is dismayed by the manner in which he left for Porto.
"It's a shame that a player like Iker is dismissed in this way," the attacker added."We know his history, so I wish him well in his new club and I hope to talk to him soon."

 

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I'm not Arda Turan's replacement, says Carrasco

Atletico Madrid's latest signing Yannick Ferreira Carrasco has played down comparisons with Arda Turan.


The Belgium international made the move from Monaco to the Vicente Calderon last week, shortly after Atletico lost Turan to league rivals Barcelona.


Despite operating in similar positions, Carrasco does not see himself as a direct replacement for the Turkey star.


"I have not come to replace Arda Turan. I am a quick player who likes to play on the left wing," Carrasco told reporters.


"I will work hard to be a starter in the team. I love it here. Atletico are a very big team.


"I had played a lot in Monaco and wanted to take a step forward. Atletico are among the top three teams in the league and went a long way in the Champions League. We will try to stay in the top three and also see if we can win the league.


"It was an easy decision to come to a club like Atletico. Playing in Spain is a dream for me."


The 21-year-old also emphasised his eagerness to work with coach Diego Simeone as Atletico seek to once again challenge the dominance of Real Madrid and Barcelona.


"Simeone is someone I wanted to work with, he is one of the most important coaches in the world," Carrasco added.


"He told me he liked my ability to defend and also to attack in one-on-ones. I know he was a good player and as a coach he is one of the best. I wanted to be with him."

 

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Wenger: I never considered going for Sterling

Arsene Wenger insists Arsenal were never in the running to sign Raheem Sterling as the winger closes in on a record move to Manchester City.

The 20-year-old is primed to become the most expensive Englishman of all time as he nears a £49 million switch to the Etihad Stadium, though had been linked with a host of other clubs.

Real Madrid were rumoured to have been tracking the England international, while Chelsea and Arsenal were both thought to be monitoring the situation, with Sterling understood to prefer a return to London.

But Wenger says he never seriously considered entering the bidding for the Liverpool contract rebel because of his embarrassment of riches in wide areas.

“It looked a done deal for a while because Sterling was adamant he wanted the move,” said Wenger after touching down at Singapore's Changi Airport.

“It is a good buy for Man City. It is an expensive one but they can afford it.

“We never considered it because he plays in an area where we have plenty of players. We have [Theo] Walcott, [Alex] Oxlade-Chamberlain, [Alexis] Sanchez, [Jack] Wilshere who can play wide, [Serge] Gnabry, so we have plenty of players and he’s a wide player basically, or behind the striker.”

 

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Official: Schweinsteiger joins Manchester United

Bastian Schweinsteiger has completed his move to Manchester United from Bayern Munich, signing a three-year contract with the Red Devils.

The Germany international flew into Manchester over the weekend, underwent a medical on Sunday and has now penned personal terms to seal his £14 million move.

The transfer marks a reunion with former Bayern boss Louis van Gaal at Old Trafford, with the Dutchman having been the driving force behind a deal for a player he helped turn into one of the world's best central midfielders.

Van Gaal believes Schweinsteiger's experience will be invaluable to his squad, and will soon be able to partner the German alongside Morgan Schneiderlin after agreeing a deal with Southampton for the Frenchman.

The duo are likely to compete with Michael Carrick, Ander Herrera and Daley Blind for places in United's starting XI next season, while more arrivals - including a centre-back and striker - are expected.

he Red Devils are also yet to resolve David De Gea's future, though Real Madrid's move for Espanyol goalkeeper Kiko Casilla has given them renewed hope, while Angel Di Maria could be on the verge of a summer exit.

Schweinsteiger won eight Bundesliga titles and the Champions League with Bayern, also winning the World Cup last summer, and paid tribute to a club he has spent his entire career at.

"After 17 incredible years at FC Bayern, 15 national titles, winning the historical triple and uncountable other highlights that I was fortunate enough to experience with my incredible team, all you exceptional fans and the co-workers at Sabener Strasse and Allianz Arena, I have decided to take a new career step," he wrote on his Twitter page.

"This decision was very hard to make because you and FCB have, are and will always be an extremely important part of my life. Nevertheless, I would like to again gain experience at a new club. My destination is Manchester United. I hope you understand my decision. No one can take away the incredible journey we had together."

 

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Official: Schneiderlin joins Manchester United

Manchester United have confirmed the signing Morgan Schneiderlin from Southampton, with the midfielder signing a four-year deal.

A fee was agreed over the weekend, with the Frenchman undergoing a medical at Carrington on Sunday, and Schneiderlin now becomes Louis van Gaal's fourth summer signing after Memphis Depay, Bastian Schweisteigher and Matteo Darmian.

Saturday's agreement to sign Schweisteiger raised doubts over United's long-standing interest in Schneiderlin, with Goal revealing in June that Van Gaal had targeted the midfielder, but the Red Devils did eventually meet Saints' £25 million asking price.

Schneiderlin will now be included in United's squad for the upcoming pre-season tour of the United States.

The deal taking the France international to Old Trafford includes the option to a further year added to his contract, and he has revealed his delight at sealing a move to the Red Devils.

"Once I learned United were interested in me, it was a very easy decision to make," Schneiderlin told the club's official website.

Schweinsteiger and Schneiderlin will battle with the likes of Michael Carrick, Ander Herrera and Juan Mata as United look to improve on their fourth-place finish in the Premier League last season.

Schneiderlin played a key role in the Saints qualifying for the Europa League last term as he scored four goals from midfield in his 26 league appearances.

Southampton are reportedly keen to replace the outgoing midfielder with Jordy Clasie after Feyenoord revealed he would not be playing any pre-season matches due to "concrete interest" from another club.

 

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Congratulations & Good Luck for Schweinsteiger & Schneiderlin

Thawath pattama signs 2kak

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Pastore: I’m not the player Juventus are looking for

Javier Pastore has closed the door on a potential move to Juventus and insists that he is very happy at Paris Saint-Germain.

The Argentine has been regularly linked to the Bianconeri over the past couple of years and the Italian giants are in the market for an attacking midfielder this summer.

Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri has publicly declared his desire to sign a top-class trequartista, even recently naming Chelsea’s Oscar and Real Madrid’s Isco as two players he admires, but Pastore says that he is not the man to fill the void.

"Juventus are a great team with great players but I don’t know if I’m the right player,” the ex-Palermo star told Goal.

“Today I’m very happy in Paris. I’ve been playing well and I always play, which is a very important thing for me.”

Pastore spent two successful seasons in Serie A with Palermo before joining PSG for €40 million in 2011, and he does concede that he misses Italy.

"Yes I miss it a little bit,” he stated. “I miss the people and I spent two fantastic years in Palermo.

“The Italian league is very tactical. It’s a beautiful league and made me really happy.

“I don’t know [if I will return to Serie A in the future], a lot of things can happen in football and you never know.

“But, I’m doing very well in France. I’m very calm and have adapted well.”

Pastore enjoyed a fine 2014-15 campaign and was one of PSG’s leaders as they waltzed to a domestic treble. He registered five goals and eight assists in Ligue 1 and was rewarded with a new contract that expires in 2019.

He also impressed at this summer’s Copa America, helping Argentina all the way to the final and scoring in the semi-final victory over Paraguay.

 

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Schweinsteiger: Manchester United the only club I would leave Bayern for

Bastian Schweinsteiger admits Manchester United is the only club he could have left Bayern Munich for, having completed his move to Old Trafford.The Germany international has signed a three-year contract at United, thus calling time on his 17-year spell at the Allianz Arena.

Schweinsteiger is believed to have commanded a £12 million fee, and penned an open letter to Bayern’s supporters at the weekend, expressing his desire to pursue “one last dream”.

The 30-year-old’s move has now been rubber-stamped, and he has expressed his delight at completing his move, while admitting that he cannot wait to work with Louis van Gaal again, having previously played under the Dutchman at Bayern.

"I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Bayern Munich, it has been an incredible journey and I didn’t take the decision to leave lightly," he told the club's official website.

"Manchester United is the only club that I would have left Munich for. I feel ready for this new and exciting challenge in what I regard as the most competitive league in the world and I am looking forward to working with Louis van Gaal again."I will never forget my time at Bayern Munich and I would like to thank everyone at the club and the fans for the great memories."

Schweinsteiger won eight Bundesliga titles at Bayern, along with seven DFB-Pokals and a Champions League, and Van Gaal has hailed the midfielder as the "ultimate professional".

"Bastian is, of course, no stranger to me. I worked with him during my time at Bayern Munich and I am truly delighted he is joining Manchester United," he added.

"His record speaks for itself; he has won every honour at club level and was a major part of the successful Germany World Cup-winning team last summer.

"Bastian is the ultimate professional and there is no doubting his talent and his ability to control games. He brings a wealth of experience and is an excellent addition to our squad."

 

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Lahm: I will never forget World Cup final

Philipp Lahm says he will never forget the moment the final whistle blew at the end of Germany's 1-0 win over Argentina in the World Cup final last summer.

Joachim Low's men emerged victorious courtesy of a Mario Gotze strike in extra time and Lahm admits the post-match celebrations remain fresh in his memory.

"The biggest moment for me was the final whistle. I will remember this for the rest of my life. You're a goal up against Argentina in extra time and then you realise you're world champions. It was a very special moment," Lahm told Goal.

"The two hours after the final whistle were just incredible, with the celebrations with players, coach and staff. You go up to get your medal, raise the trophy and then meet the president. It was unbelievable. There are no words to describe it. It was a dream. You can only really understand it if you were part of it.

"I still feel very much similar to a year ago. It's a huge joy every time you think about it."Things go very fast in football and we've had a full season since. We have big goals at Bayern and always want to go as far as possible in each competition and win silverware.

 

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Ozil is going nowhere, promises Wenger

Arsene Wenger has rejected reports that Mesut Ozil could leave Arsenal this summer and insists the German will be a key player next season.

The 26-year-old has been heavily linked with a move to Juventus recently, with manager Max Allegri thought to be on the lookout for a new No.10 to replace Carlos Tevez.

But Wenger has rubbished the claims and is adamant the Gunners’ club-record signing will remain in north London, while he is predicted big things from a player who has not always lived up to his £42.5 million price tag.

“During this period, the newspapers are creative and have to be creative, but many times the stories are created by agents,” said the Arsenal boss, who is in Singapore for the club’s pre-season tour.

“Ozil is our player, he will remain our player and wants to remain our player.

“It's a big season for him because he had a difficult start last year and in the second part of the season he was very important [for us]. He's improved his defensive attitude, he works hard and offensively he's a top-class player.

“There are many offensive players who have an important season in front of them but I’m confident because I think they have the quality.”

Arsenal had long been linked with a move for Southampton enforcer Morgan Schneiderlin, who is now on the verge of a move to Manchester United, and Wenger admits the Red Devils have strenghtened hugely this summer.

“We knew Manchester United would not be happy to finish outside the top three and that they would respond,” Wenger continued.

“They've made interesting buys; they came out of the season thinking 'we have to rebuild our midfield' and they did it by buying two important players, [Bastian] Schweinsteiger and [Morgan] Schneiderlin.

“They're two top-class players, one who goes up now to the top level and one who has done it all. So it should be interesting to see how they mix with the other players in midfield.”

 

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Stoke City the right choice for me - Glen Johnson

Glen Johnson says Stoke City manager Mark Hughes played a big part in his decision to move to the Britannia Stadium.

The full-back has signed a two-year deal with Stoke after being released by Liverpool and has joined up with his new team-mates in Singapore as they prepare to take part in the Premier League Asia Trophy.

Johnson says he was keen to stay in England despite having held talks with overseas clubs and feels Stoke are improving as a club under the Welshman’s guidance.

“I met Mark Hughes a week ago and was impressed with what he had to say.Stoke City is a club moving in the right direction and I want to be a part of it," he told reporters.

“They once had a reputation for long ball and long throw-ins, but you can see what has happened since Mark has come in: they’ve progressed in to a real footballing team.

“I don’t like to kick it forward, I like to play football and from what Mark has said to me he wants to do the same, so it should suit us both.“Stoke City was the right choice for me. I wanted to stay in the Premier League, because it is the best league out there. This move has ticked a lot of boxes."

The Potters begin their new Premier League campaign against Liverpool, having beaten the Reds 6-1 on the final day of last season, and Johnson says he is out for another three points.“It’s funny how the fixture calendar works out like that sometimes. I owe Liverpool a lot,” he added.

“I had some good times there, played a lot of games throughout the years and I have a lot of friends there, so Liverpool will always stay close to my heart.“But hopefully Stoke City will get the three points on the opening day of the Premier League season.”

 

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Juventus reveal Tevez transfer details

Juventus have revealed the inclusion of several clauses in the deal that saw Carlos Tevez join Boca Juniors, which could see them sign four of the Argentine club's players.

Tevez returned to the team where he started his career in a €6.5 million deal last month, with Boca's Guido Nahuel Vadala moving the opposite way in a temporary move worth €3.5m until 2017.Juve can sign Vadala on a permanent basis for €9.4 million until April 20, 2017, while three other players could also move to Turin over the next few years.

The Bianconeri have paid a €3m to put options in place to purchase Rodrigo Bentancur Colman, Franco Sebastian Cristaldo and Adrian Andres Cubas from the 2017/18 season.

The clause states Colman's transfer fee is set at €9.4m, while Cristaldo can be bought for €8.2m and Cubas €6.9 million.

 

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Messi doesn't get a touch for Argentina - Maradona

Diego Maradona says Lionel Messi's performances for Argentina are nowhere near the standard he sets at Barcelona.

The 28-year-old scored just one goal in this summer's Copa America as the Albiceleste finished as runners-up in a major competition for the second time in 12 months.Maradona, who led his country to victory at the 1986 World Cup, feels Messi's displays for the national team are not good enough but also took a swipe at his critics.

"We have the best player in the world and he scores four goals against Real Sociedad but comes here and doesn't touch the ball," he said in Ole."You ask yourself: 'Are you Argentine or Swedish?' Criticising him is easy.

"Don't say any more that we have to pamper him. He should be treated just like any other player in the national team.

"[But] Messi hasn't killed or raped anyone - let's not make a big deal over this."