..::Football III::..

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Gerrard: LA Galaxy move a match made in heaven

Steven Gerrard believes he has found the perfect club to join after agreeing a deal to move to LA Galaxy when his contract at Liverpool expires in the summer.

The former England captain last week announced his decision to leave Liverpool upon the expiration of his current contract, before later revealing that he would be moving to America.

Gerrard was in advanced talks to move to the MLS side on Tuesday evening, with Galaxy boss Bruce Arena confirming the deal on Wednesday, and the 34-year-old is convinced he can add to his silverware collection with his new side.

"I think it's a match made in heaven really," he told the LA Times. "One of the reasons I chose LA Galaxy was because of the success they've had recently.

"I want to finish my career very strong. I want to add some medals and trophies to my collection."

Gerrard follows in the footsteps of fellow ex-England skipper David Beckham, who blazed a trail for the American game when he joined LA Galaxy from Real Madrid in 2007.

Galaxy are one of the most successful clubs in the United States, having topped the Western Conference regular season standings eight times, won the conference play-offs on nine occasions and the MLS Cup five times.

They will be the defending MLS Cup champions when the 2015 season starts later this year.

 

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Gerrard tips Henderson for Liverpool captaincy

Steven Gerrard has earmarked Jordan Henderson as the ideal candidate to replace him as Liverpool captain.

Gerrard announced last week that he will be ending his 26-year association with the club at the end of the season, with the former England skipper set to join MLS club LA Galaxy.

The 34-year-old's exit means manager Brendan Rodgers will have to select a new skipper and Gerrard feels Henderson - the club's vice-captain - possesses the necessary traits to take ownership of the armband.

"I certainly believe Jordan has everything you need to be a great captain," Gerrard told the Liverpool Echo.

"He's a fantastic professional who tries to lead by example in every training session and in every game.

"He has really grown as a player and is improving all the time with experience. He can become a great captain for this club. He's a fantastic player for me to hand the armband over to.

"I've got great respect for Jordan Henderson and I know everyone else at the club feels the same."

Gerrard's confidence in his team-mate is all the more remarkable given that Henderson endured a difficult spell at the club after signing from Sunderland in 2011, and the 34-year-old has been impressed by his team-mate's desire to succeed.

"Initially, it was very difficult for Jordan," he added. "He was a Sunderland boy and moving to Liverpool was his first time out of the area. It was a big move at a young age.

"Playing for Liverpool, with all the pressure and expectation, is tough. It's a very demanding club.

"Jordan stayed and toughed it out. It's in difficult situations like that you learn a lot about the type of player and the type of character someone is.

"He knuckled down and worked even harder. He's a true professional and a very strong character.

"Every day he's in the gym doing extra work. He doesn't drink and he looks after himself. He has made a lot of sacrifices to play well for this club."

 

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Official: LA Galaxy confirm Gerrard signing

Los Angeles Galaxy have confirmed the signing of Steven Gerrard, with the Liverpool captain set to move to the MLS in July.

The Reds revealed on January 2 that Gerrard was set to end his 17-year association with the Merseyside outfit, though he later admitted that he would have signed a new deal if the club had made a move in the summer.

The 34-year-old was immediately linked with a move to the MLS and club coach Bruce Arena confirmed a deal was agreed earlier on Wednesday.

Gerrard told the Galaxy's official website: “I’m very excited to begin the next chapter of my career in the United States with LA Galaxy.

"The Galaxy are the most successful club in Major League Soccer history and I am looking forward to competing for more championships in the years to come.

"My discussions with Bruce Arena and Chris Klein were extremely positive and the future of the team is very bright. I am committed to helping the LA Galaxy compete for trophies and to having an impact in Los Angeles and I will give my all for the club.

"In the meantime, I will continue to give everything for Liverpool for the remainder of this season before joining up with the Galaxy.”

Gerrard scored twice in Liverpool's 2-1 FA Cup third round win over AFC Wimbledon and has spoken of his desire to finish his final season with a trophy.

Galaxy head coach and general manager Bruce Arena added: “We’re very pleased to acquire a player of Steven’s caliber, experience and character.

“He is one of the most decorated players in the world and will join our team with a wealth of success playing at the highest level of the sport.

"Steven will be an excellent example to our young players and we’re excited to add him and his leadership to an already talented roster.”

Galaxy president Chris Klein added: "We just started thinking in the universe of players that are out there, we want to make a decision on what signifies a Galaxy-designated player.

"When we look at that, Steven Gerrard is the perfect fit with what he brings to us on the field and the character that he has off it."

 

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Guardiola doesn't trust Shaqiri, says Hitzfeld

Former Switzerland coach Ottmar Hitzfeld has urged Xherdan Shaqiri to leave Bayern Munich in the January transfer window as he feels Pep Guardiola's lack of trust is holding the winger back.

The 23-year-old has been struggling to secure regular first-team action under the former Barcelona coach and has mainly been warming the bench this campaign.

Inter and Liverpool are closely monitoring Shaqiri's situation at the Allianz Arena side, with the former believed to be sitting in pole position to lure him away from Bayern, and Hitzfeld believes the time is right for the attacker to move on.

"The time has come where it is best for Xherdan to leave the club. He needs a new challenge. It is important for him now to make the next step in his development and be a starter on a regular basis," Hitzfeld was quoted as saying by Blick.

"We saw in the past six months or so that Guardiola did not trust him for the full 100 per cent, even when Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben were injured. It was not easy for him that he still did not feature from the start then.

"Xherdan has also benefited from Guardiola's arrival, but it was clear that the coach never really fully supported him."

Shaqiri has made nine Bundesliga appearances so far this term, scoring once in the process.

 

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Bony closes in on Manchester City deal

Wilfried Bony is close to agreeing a €96,000-a-week deal to join Manchester City.

The Premier League champions began negotiations with Swansea, who value the player at €38 million, on Tuesday and are confident of beating off competition from both Liverpool and Tottenham for the striker's services.

Under the terms of their Financial Fair Play restrictions City have agreed with Uefa not to increase their wage bill this season and are therefore only able to offer Bony the same salary as the outgoing Matija Nastasic, who has been in advanced talks with Schalke.

Both Swansea and Bony, who has been included in Cote d'Ivoire's Africa Cup of Nations squad, will earn significant bonuses based on City's future success.

Manuel Pellegrini has turned his attentions to the 26-year-old in light of the injury problems that have plagued his frontline forwards this season.

Sergio Aguero's electric start to the campaign has been curtailed by a knee injury suffered against Everton last month, while Edin Dzeko and Stevan Jovetic have started just 14 Premier League games between them this term.

Pellegrini was even forced to play James Milner as a makeshift striker during the recent 3-1 win over West Brom.

Bony, who joined Swansea from Vitesse for a club-record €15.3m in 2013, has scored 35 goals in 70 appearances in all competitions for the Welsh side and will be available for the remainder of City's Champions League campaign.

 

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Manchester United set to announce Victor Valdes signing on 18-month deal

Manchester United are set to announce the signing of former Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes on an 18-month deal.

Valdes has been training with Louis van Gaal's side as he returns to full fitness following a serious knee injury.

And the Old Trafford club have decided to offer the Spain international a contract which will expire in 2016.

Valdes initially arrived at Carrington in October in a bid to recover from an ongoing knee problem, with Van Gaal declaring he had maintained a 'special' relationship with the goalkeeper.

Van Gaal would not be drawn on a move for the former Barca shot stopper when questioned by the media throughout the last two months.

Liverpool had been tipped to land Valdes in the summer, but the Old Trafford club have snapped up the 32-year-old, who will offer competition to No.1 David De Gea.

 

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Atletico Madrid 2-0 Real Madrid: Gimenez header puts Blancos on the brink

Atletico Madrid took charge of their Copa del Rey last-16 meeting with arch-rivals Real Madrid with a 2-0 victory in the first leg at Vicente Calderon.

Fans' favourite Torres was the centre of attention at Vicente Calderon after rejoining the Spanish champions from Milan last week, having agreed a loan deal until the end of next season. However, it was Raul Garcia from the penalty spot and Jose Gimenez who made sure of this first-leg triumph.

Raul Garcia's 58th-minute opener came after he had been hauled to the floor by Real captain Sergio Ramos in the area, before Gimenez headed home the second 14 minutes from time.The returning Torres scored 91 goals in 244 games for Atleti after making his debut at the age of 17, prior to moving to Liverpool back in 2007.

The 30-year-old struggled for form after leaving the Merseyside club to join Chelsea, but he was greeted by more than 45,000 fans when he was unveiled at the Calderon on Sunday.Torres was given a hero's reception again here, although he failed to have too much of an impact during his hour on the pitch.Nevertheless, he will no doubt be satisfied with a victory over fierce local rivals Real in his first game back.

Torres' inclusion gave Atleti a welcome boost, and it was soon followed by another when Carlo Ancelotti opted to leave Cristiano Ronaldo on the bench as the visitors' fringe players such as Keylor Navas, Raphael Varane and Sami Khedira were given a chance to shine.

Ramos threatened to spoil international colleague Torres' homecoming with less than a minute on the clock, but a powerful fisted save from Jan Oblak kept out the defender's header from a corner.Torres was caught offside at the other end as he searched for a memorable goal, before Gareth Bale looked to have put Real in front with a header in the 13th minute, only for the assistant referee to correctly flag for offside.

Atleti went on the counter-attack after Bale's effort had been ruled out, but Antoine Griezmann had a strike tipped wide by Navas, before drawing an excellent last-ditch tackle from Varane.A clash between Raul Garcia and Khedira went unnoticed by the officials – the German hitting the deck after an apparent push in the face – before the Atleti man saw an effort blocked in the box by Marcelo.

Karim Benzema forced Oblak into a routine save from 20 yards six minutes from the interval, but clear-cut chances were few and far between, despite the fast pace of the opening period.

As they had done in the first half, los Blancos started the second on the front foot, and Bale guided the ball just wide of the left-hand upright after receiving a superb pass over the top from Marcelo.

Ramos then hauled Raul Garcia to the ground in the 58th minute to give the hosts the chance to break the deadlock from the penalty spot, although there was some suggestion of shirt pulling from the Atleti man.The midfielder, who arguably should not have been on the pitch following his clash with Khedira, stepped up to take the spot-kick himself, and expertly dispatched the ball into the bottom-right corner.

Torres left the field to be replaced by Koke after Atleti had taken the lead, while Ancelotti threw on Ronaldo in a bid to restore parity.The Portuguese's introduction had little impact, though, and Gimenez headed in Atleti's second from a corner in the 76th minute.

That was enough to send the hosts into the second leg with a comfortable two-goal advantage, as Real fell to their second consecutive defeat just a few days after seeing their record-breaking winning streak ended by Valencia.

 

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Torres hails Atletico return as 'a day to celebrate'

Fernando Torres expressed his elation at marking his return to Atletico Madrid with a victory over neighbours Real Madrid.

The striker, who began his professional career at Vicente Calderon as a 17-year-old, signed for AC Milan in January and was immediately loaned to Atleti until the end of the next campaign in exchange for Alessio Cerci.

He was handed a start by Diego Simeone in his first match since returning to the Spanish capital, and he relished the 2-0 first-leg victory in the Copa del Rey last-16 clash.

"We are happy for a lot of things, because of the work, the result, the atmosphere... It's a day to celebrate," Torres told Canal+ after the game.

"It [victory] tastes good, as always when you win against one of the best teams in the world."

The 30-year-old, who was replaced by Arda Turan in the 59th minute, admitted that there is still plenty of work to be done in the second leg if they are to reach the quarter-finals.

"The 2-0 lead is not definitive," Torres added. "We have done a great job, we controlled the match and Real Madrid didn't have too many chances.

"But 90 minutes are very long at Santiago Bernabeu. We trust in this team.

"We knew that possesion was very important. Our team wanted to be compact and look for a fast break. We had a penalty and after we were better."

Torres' contribution was praised by Simeone, though the coach admitted it will take time for the ex-Liverpool forward to fully integrate into the squad, which has been expanded with the signing of Cani from Villarreal.

"Torres brought us energy. He's strong and quick but still needs time to fit in and understand his team-mates. With more minutes he'll feel better," the coach said.

"The arrival of Torres, and now of Cani, shows that the club is competing at the best level it can. And today was a fantastic game."

The Argentine made a total of seven changes for the visit of the defending Copa del Rey champions, and he insisted that the rotation is necessary if his side are to contend for multiple honours.

"We always want to compete. If you want to compete against the rest, firstly you have to compete inside," Simeone noted.

"If we want to compete in all the competitions, we need a strong group. With just 12 players we can't do it. With 20 or 21, and with the signing of Cani, we are going to contend.

"The match was always hard. Madrid started better and we needed 15 minutes to settle in the match.

"I am happy for the good performance of Lucas Hernandez, [Jesus] Gamez and Mario Suarez. Saul [Niguez] and Raul [Garcia] worked extremely hard."

 

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Ancelotti: I did not want to risk tired Ronaldo

Carlo Ancelotti has revealed that he started Cristiano Ronaldo on the bench for Real Madrid's Copa del Rey meeting with Atletico Madrid as he was "a little bit tired".

The Portuguese superstar did not figure as part of los Blancos' starting line-up at Vicente Calderon, where they were defeated 2-0 by their neighbours in a last-16 first-leg encounter.

Ronaldo entered the game in the 63rd minute with his side already behind, and he was unable to have a great impact as Jose Gimenez headed in a second to give Atleti a healthy advantage.

Ancelotti admitted after the game that the Ballon d'Or nominee was slightly fatigued, which is why he did not start.

"Cristiano was a little bit tired and he might have suffered during the match," the Italian coach said in his post-match press conference.

Gareth Bale had been singled out by some sections of the media for a disappointing display, but the Italian rejected such claims.

"We lacked depth in our attack, not only on the left wing but in the team as a whole.

"I didn't see any problem with Bale. It was a problem with the team.

"Gareth tried several things, but it was difficult.

"We controlled the game until the penalty. It is difficult to play against Atletico because they play always as a compact team, always together."

The Bernabeu outfit have lost consecutive matches following their record-breaking 22-game winning streak, and while the 55-year-old admitted it will be difficult to progress to the quarter-finals, he refuted the suggestion his team were in a crisis.

"I think to say crisis is a bit exaggerated, but we have not been happy with the last two matches. We have to win again quickly," Ancelotti added.

"There is still 90 minutes to play in the tie. We do not have much chance of progressing, but we will try with all our strength."

 

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Burnley agree deal for Manchester United youngster Keane

Burnley have agreed a deal with Manchester United to sign defender Michael Keane, Goal understands.

The 21-year-old is currently on loan with the Premier League strugglers and has been one of the standout performers for Sean Dyche's side following their promotion to England's top flight.

Keane, who made his league debut for United earlier this season before joining the Clarets in September, will now finalise personal terms before he is announced as a permanent signing at Turf Moor.

The England Under-21 defender has been allowed to leave Old Trafford with the centre-back behind the likes of Phil Jones, Chris Smalling, Jonny Evans, Marcos Rojo and Tyler Blackett in the pecking order.

Keane spent time on loan with Championship sides Derby County and Blackburn Rovers last season although it is with Dyche's Burnley he has made the biggest impact, starting the club's last nine matches in all competitions.

Goal understands the young defender, who was handed his first-team debut by Sir Alex Ferguson in a League Cup tie back in 2011, was being lined up by other Premier League clubs but is now all set to complete a permanent move to Turf Moor.

 

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Cerci: My fault I failed at Atletico Madrid

New AC Milan loan signing Alessio Cerci has taken full responsibility for his inability to make an impact at Atletico Madrid.

The 27-year-old signed a three-year deal with the defending Liga champions in August but failed to establish himself at the Vicente Calderon.

After making just six substitute appearances in the league, a deal was agreed that saw the Rossoneri's Fernando Torres go in the opposite direction in loan deals that will last until the end of the next campaign.

However, Cerci refused to blame Atleti coach Diego Simeone for his ill-fated time in the Spanish capital, instead shouldering the responsibility himself.

"When things go wrong, it's never the coach's fault,” Cerci said in a press conference.

"It's the player's fault. I always made myself available, but I arrived on the last day of the transfer window and I wasn't in top condition.

"I tried to get back to top form as soon as possible, but when you’re at a club where things are going so well it's difficult to displace players.

"I blame myself. I tried to change the coach’s mind, but I didn’t succeed."

Cerci made his Rossoneri debut in the 2-1 defeat at home to Sassuolo on Tuesday and he hopes for a good welcome during their next Serie A outing at his former club, Torino, on Saturday.

"I hope for a good reception, I think I gave my heart and soul to that club," he added.

"That's what I expect, but if that's not what happens there won't be a problem because I have a clear conscience.

"I have a tattoo dedicated to Torino so I could never celebrate against them; the club and team will always remain in my heart."

For now, though, the Italy international is solely focused on regaining his fitness so that he can replicate the form he showed last season.

"I'm at full strength, I feel like a better player after what happened at Atletico. I feel good, I always trained in Madrid, even if I'm missing match sharpness.

"I have to do what I know I can, the things for which I was brought here. Everyone knows I prefer to play on the right, so the way the team plays is perfect for me.

"The important thing is to get back to full fitness, then things will come naturally. I want to stay here for as long as possible. At the moment it’s important to get back to match sharpness, but I want to be here for years to come.

"I have a coach [Filippo Inzaghi] who is crazy about me and that just doesn’t happen in football today. I’m in the best position I could possibly be to express myself to the fullest.

"I thank the coach for his kind words, now I have to perform."

 

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Gerrard impressed by 'aggressive' LA Galaxy pursuit

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard says he was impressed by LA Galaxy's "aggressive" pursuit of his signature after confirming his end-of-season move.

The midfielder will head to MLS at the end of the current Premier League campaign after announcing last Friday that he would end his 26-year association with the Anfield club.

The move will see Gerrard play his football away from Liverpool for the first time in his career and revealed the MLS outfit were extremely persuasive in their attempts to attract him to the StubHub Center.

"Their pursuing me was very aggressive," he told the club's official website. "The talks I've had with them have been very positive.

"They basically told me what I wanted to hear, told me about the winning mentality at the club, told me what their aims and goals are for the future and it basically suited me at this stage in my career.

"I'll be going over there to hopefully win more medals and to finish my career over there.

"It's really exciting both on and off the pitch, but the most important thing is that I go there and it's a success on the pitch."

Gerrard has been at Liverpool all of his playing career, joining his boyhood club at the age of eight, and has admitted he expects to find the early days of his new chapter to be a struggle.

"The biggest challenge will be settling in," he added. "I've lived in Liverpool all my life. I'm a Scouser through and through, I love my city and I'm proud of my roots.

"But you only get one life and it's important to try different things, new experiences.

"It's also a big thing for my children as well, to take them out of their comfort zone and give them a life experience that will hopefully help them develop as humans.

"It's perfect timing for this new challenge and I'm really excited and looking forward to it."

 

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Barcelona 5-0 Elche: Messi, Neymar and Suarez all on target in Blaugrana romp

Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez all found the back of the net as Barcelona destroyed Elche 5-0 in the first-leg of their last-16 Copa del Rey tie.

The breakthrough came on 34 minutes when Neymar side-footed home from close range and they turned on the style as Suarez and a Messi penalty made it 3-0 at half-time.

Jordi Alba made it four early in the second half before Neymar added his second in the 59th minute to complete the scoring.

The victory eases the pressure on coach Luis Enrique, who came in for criticism after dropping Messi to the bench as the Catalans were beaten 1-0 by Real Sociedad in La Liga on Sunday.

Barca started brightly on Tuesday night as the Argentine, swiftly restored to the starting XI, jinked through the Elche defence and fired straight at Przemyslaw Tyton after 10 minutes.

Dani Alves then went close with a long-range effort after Titon elected to punch Messi's inswinging free-kick, while Neymar dinked his team-mate's lofted pass wide of the visiting goal before the half-hour mark.The Brazilian wasn't do be denied, though and finished off a neat passing move by passing the ball into the back of the net from a matter of yards out.Suarez was the man to assist - squaring for the Brazilian to break the deadlock and open his Copa account for the season.

The Uruguayan was involved again five minutes later, when he cleverly dummied a ball from Alves to bamboozle his marker before firing past Titon. And things got worse for Elche prior to half-time as Enzo Roco brought down Neymar in the area - allowing Messi to tuck home a third.

It then took the hosts just 10 minutes of the second half to extend their lead, as Alba applied the finish following Messi's pass out wide, and Neymar then scored arguably the goal of the game with a long-range strike that took a slight deflection on its way in.

The victory all but confirms Barcelona's passage into the quarter-finals of the competition with the second leg still to play.

 

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Messi and Ronaldo like caviar and truffles, jokes Figo

Luis Figo has joked it is difficult picking between the "truffles and caviar" of the football world in Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, but backed the Real Madrid star to win the 2014 Fifa Ballon d'Or.

The 42-year-old should know a potential winner when he sees one, having lifted the trophy himself back in 2000, and envisages a tight vote for this year's prize.

Ronaldo and Messi also face competition from Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer for the individual accolade, handed to the world's best player over the last 12 months, but Figo has given his backing to his countryman.

He said: "It's hard to choose between truffles and caviar, but for me it has to be Cristiano. He’s had a fantastic year all the way through for Real.

Regarding Neuer's case, he added: "I know Germany won the World Cup and I understand there are those who think Neuer, who is such a great keeper and was a big part of their success, should win it."

Messi and Ronaldo have dominated the Ballon d'Or for the last six years, with the Argentine claiming the prize three times in succession before the Portuguese took it off him last year. The winner will be announced at a ceremony on January 12.

Figo was speaking at the launch of 'Network 90', a global private members' networking site of his creation for football professionals from local club players right up to the biggest stars in the world.

 

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Manchester City have 'no agreement' with New York City FC over Lampard, say Premier League

Manchester City have "no agreement" with New York City FC over the registration of Frank Lampard, according to the Premier League.

The midfielder joined the new MLS outfit following the expiry of his Chelsea contract and was due to move to America in January after completing a short-term loan with the Premier League champions.

However, Lampard opted to stay at the Etihad Stadium prompting questions over who owns his contract, with City Football Group - owned by Sheikh Mansour - having a controlling stake in the MLS franchise.

Lampard's deal with City was referred to as a "loan" in the summer but the club spoke of his "contract" being extended on December 31 and has another year left to run on any contract with City Football Group.

"Frank Lampard is registered as a Manchester City player until the end of the 2014-15 season," a statement from the Premier League read.

"The Premier League has sought and received assurances from Manchester City that there is no agreement in place between the club or City Football Group with New York City FC relating to the player."

 

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Pearson hints at further Leicester signings

Leicester City manager Nigel Pearson has refused to rule out the prospect of more arrivals at the King Power Stadium this month.

Pearson has been quick to strengthen his squad early in the transfer window with the signings of Mark Schwarzer and Andrej Kramaric - the latter dependent on a work permit.

"[Kramaric] is an important signing, however you want to view that. He's keen to play a very positive part for us," Pearson told reporters. "I'm not going to rule anything out, we're still in the first week of January.

"There is a long way to go and it was always our intention to do some business early on to give a better impact for players coming in. I don't rule anything out."

Leicester have been linked with Shaun Maloney of Wigan in recent days but Pearson refused to comment on specific reports, adding: " comment on players where a statement has been issued by the club.

"I don't intend to get into discussions about other clubs' players and I don't see much mileage in changing that stance. If there's nothing to report, I'm not going to make comments."

Riyadh Mahrez is on Africa Cup of Nations duty with Algeria while Ghana's Jeffrey Schlupp will not feature due to a knee injury and Esteban Cambiasso will miss the clash with Aston Villa due to a thigh problem.

 

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I'll make Bayern mark - Kimmich

Joshua Kimmich says playing for a club such as Bayern Munich requires a special sort of self-confidence - the type he possesses in abundance.

The 19-year-old has agreed to join the Bavarians for a reported €7 million from VFB Stuttgart at the end of the season.

A midfielder by trade, Kimmich is yet to feature for his current club's first team and is spending the present campaign on loan at German second division side RB Leipzig.

But he clearly possesses levels of self confidence that bely his tender years and experience, with his eyes already firmly set on securing a starting birth at the Allianz Arena.

"You've got to have self-confidence that you're going to make it at Bayern and I have that self-confidence," Kimmich said at Leipzig's training restart after the winter break on Wednesday. "It's a great honour for me to be able to play for the record champions from the summer and I'm really looking forward to the challenge.

"Until then, though, there are six months and I'm going to give everything in this time to help Leipzig reach the objectives we've set."

Bayern already have an abundance of midfielders at their disposal, but the long term injuries sustained by Thiago Alcantara and Javi Martinez prompted coach Pep Guardiola to sign Xabi Alonso from Real Madrid in August.

Kimmich, who has represented Germany at every age group from Under-17 to Under 21 level, will hope to become the long-term successor to the Spaniard.

 

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Krul in line to make Newcastle comeback against Chelsea

Tim Krul is in line to make his comeback from an ankle injury in Newcastle United's Premier League clash with Chelsea on Saturday.

The goalkeeper has been absent since November after twisting his ankle in training and with understudy Rob Elliot out with a shoulder injury, third-choice Jak Alnwick has been deputising at St James' Park.

But caretaker manager John Carver confirmed Krul could feature at Stamford Bridge after featuring for Newcastle's Under-21 side in a behind-closed-doors friendly with Celtic on Thursday.

Carver continues to prepare the team as Newcastle's search for a new head coach continues after Alan Pardew's departure to Crystal Palace and admits he finds himself continually under pressure to impress.

"You are on interview all the time," he said. "It's a bit unfortunate because normally a new manager is given time to put his ways across. But in this instance I am the caretaker and having a working interview.

"I love it. I am sitting here and all right it hasn't been a great few days, but I am enjoying it, it's something I love and want to do. I know the pitfalls and what comes with it.

"The fact I put my hat in the ring – some people will say I was crazy. But no, I want to do it. I am really focused. I still want to do it and have the drive and enthusiasm to want to do it."

 

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Ronaldo inspired me to join Inter - Podolski

Lukas Podolski has revealed the words of former Inter star Ronaldo convinced him to join the club after he was paraded before the media on Thursday.

The Germany international made his debut as a second-half substitute in the team's 1-1 draw against Juventus on Tuesday after agreeing to move to San Siro from Arsenal until the end of the season.

Podolski had been linked with several other sides across Europe but the Brazil legend's high praise of the club over the years was one of the factors that swayed his decision.

He said: "Everyone knows Ronaldo. He's an idol of mine, one of the best players ever. He spoke very highly of Inter."

The Milan giants endured a miserable first half of the season, which prompted the sacking of Walter Mazzarri and appointment of Robert Mancini as coach, and currently sit 11th in Serie A.

Despite that, Podolski is adamant the club remain one of the best in the world and is determined to achieve their ultimate target for the season.

"Inter are one of the top 10 clubs in the world," he added. "They've achieved amazing success over the years. "Now I can concentrate on my football. If we do that we can achieve our goal: Champions League qualification."

His arrival has been swiftly followed by the signing of Xherdan Shaqiri from Bayern Munich, with Podolski delighted to see the Switzerland winger arrive, despite bringing with him instant competition for places.

"Shaqiri is a great player and I'm sure he'll do very well here. He's going to help us no end."

One topic the former Cologne man was keen not to expand on was the on-field spat between Pablo Osvaldo and Mauro Icardi on Tuesday with Podolski merely stating that "these things happen in football".

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Dortmund will never fire Klopp, says Watzke

Borussia Dortmund will never fire Jurgen Klopp, club chief Hans-Joachim Watzke has proclaimed, despite the club's relegation woes.

Last season's Bundesliga runners-up have endured a torrid 2014-15 on the domestic front, having picked up just four wins from their first 17 games of the season.

This has left Klopp's men, who for the past few seasons have been battling at the peak of the German top flight, second-from-bottom and there have been suggestions that the coach and club might part ways.

However, Watzke has insisted there will never be an acrimonious split with the coach who helped to turn around their flagging fortunes and brought silverware back to Signal Iduna Park.

"We will never sack Jurgen Klopp," Watzke told Sport Bild. "He has incredible service to the BVB. It will never come to a confrontational situation with him."

The club CEO also refused to allow the sale of star striker Robert Lewandowski to Bayern Munich to excuse the plummet from second in the Bundesliga to the relegation zone, despite the positive impact he had on the team.

"The departure of Robert Lewandowski of course had an impact," he added. "But even with that you cannot say that was the reason that you fall from second to 17th.

"I believe that we would have had similar problems even with Lewandowski this season. He alone could not change everything, even if it is one of the best strikers in the world."

The one redeeming part of the season for Dortmund has been their Champions League form, although they face a tough test in the last 16 in February in the form of Scudetto holders Juventus.