..::Football III::..

[Wolverine GTR]

'I'm in contact with Bayern & PSG' - De Bruyne agent

The agent of Wolfsburg midfielder Kevin De Bruyne has revealed that he has been in contact with Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain .

The 24-year-old Belgium interantional was one of the stars of the Bundesliga last season and has been linked with a variety of clubs around Europe.

Patrick de Koster says that no decision has been made by the former Chelsea man concerning his future but says that he is keeping his options open.He told Canal+: "We will wait for Kevin to return from his vacation and then take time to make the best choice for his career.

"Everyone would like to have Kevin in their team but what the press are saying is wrong."I keep in contact with PSG as well as Bayern and of course Wolfsburg, but there is no significant progress for now."

De Bruyne scored 10 Bundesliga goals last season and topped the assist charts with 20 - eight more than second-placed Zlatko Junuzovic, while he also created more assists than any other player in the German top flight.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Official: Stoke complete Given deal

Stoke City have signed Shay Given in a two-year deal following his release from Aston Villa.

The Republic of Ireland international passed a medical at the Britannia Stadium on Friday and has now put pen to paper on his deal at the Potters.

Given's move to the club means it is the second time he has worked with Mark Hughes, having played under the former Manchester United striker at Manchester City, and the 51-year-old has expressed his delight at securing the stopper.

"I know Shay particularly well from our time together at Manchester City and I'm really looking forward to working with him again," he told Stoke's official website.

"He will not only be a great asset on the pitch as an outstanding goalkeeper but he's also a fantastic character to have in the dressing room and around the Club – a true professional."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Diego Forlan returns to Penarol

Diego Forlan is set to return to Uruguay, having signed for Penarol, the club he started his youth career with.

Forlan, whose father Pablo also played for Penarol, spent one season in the club's youth system as an 11-year-old and went on to start his professional career with Independiente in Argentina, before later establishing himself in Europe.

The attacker won the Premier League and FA Cup during his two year spell with Manchester United, before enjoying prolific spells with Spanish sides Villarreal and Atletico Madrid, helping the latter win the Europa League in 2010.Forlan was a key player for the national team as they won the Copa America in 2011 and reached the semi-finals of the 2010 World Cup.

A switch to Inter in 2011 did not work out, though, and he joined Internacional in Brazil before spending the last 18 months with Cerezo Osaka in Japan.Now, Forlan - who scored 36 goals in 112 matches for Uruguay - will return to where it all began with Penarol.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Official: Van Ginkel loaned to Stoke

Chelsea have loaned Marco van Ginkel to Stoke City for the forthcoming season.

The Dutch midfielder, who spent the 2014-15 campaign at AC Milan, becomes the latest Blues player to leave Stamford Bridge on loan, and is set to continue his career at the Britannia Stadium.

Van Ginkel, who joined the club from Vitesse Arnhem in 2013, has made just four appearances for the Blues since sealing his switch, with injury seriously limiting his game time in west London.

Reports have suggested that Van Ginkel's move to Stoke could precede Asmir Begovic's move to Stamford Bridge, with the Potters goalkeeper having been identified as a potential replacement for Petr Cech.

No confirmation has been forthcoming on the latter deal, but Van Ginkel will link up with Stoke in the coming days as they continue their pre-season preparations.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Official: Chelsea loan Christensen to Borussia Monchengladbach

Chelsea have loaned Andreas Christensen to Bundesliga side Borussia Monchengladbach for the 2015-16 season.

Christensen made his Chelsea debut and played the full 90 minutes in the hard-fought League Cup victory over Shrewsbury in October.

The 19-year-old was also part of the Chelsea side which suffered a shock defeat to Bradford City in the FA Cup in January, but made his first appearance in the Premier League as a substitute in the 3-1 win over Sunderland on the final day of the season.

The defender has also represented Denmark at senior level and was heavily involved in the Under-21 side's run to the semi-finals of the European Championships this summer.

Gladbach finished third in the Bundesliga last season and will play in the Champions League during the 2015-16 campaign.

"Andreas Christensen is a promising talent and a versatile defender who can play several positions," Gladbach sporting director Max Eberl told the club's official website. "We are happy that we were able to loan him from Chelsea."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Van Gaal: Darmian undergoing Manchester United medical

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has confirmed that Matteo Darmian is having a medical with the club.

Asked whether Torino defender was headed to United, Van Gaal said: "I've read that in the papers and it's true."

Van Gaal also moved to slow down talk of Robin van Persie's immediate exit, adding: "When we feel he is gone, you will hear from Manchester United. We don't have that feeling yet."

Another player heavily linked with a move away from Old Trafford is David De Gea, who is expected to join Real Madrid once Iker Casillas finalises his impending move to Porto.

However, Van Gaal says he has been delighted with the Spaniard's attitude, adding: "He's a very professional player and he has shown a fantastic attitude until now.

"That goes for all players, not just De Gea. It is also good that Memphis does that, not just these kinds of players. I have to say I cannot complain about the professional attitude of our players."

United have so far signed Memphis Depay from PSV and moved on the likes of Nani, Tom Cleverley and Angelo Henriquez and Van Gaal feels there is plenty more business to be done before the deadline.

Asked whether the club were on track this window, he told reporters: "You cannot answer that because buying and selling is a process and we are not at the end of the process.

"That is the 31 of [August]. We cannot say anything about our transfers, our strategy, but you can write everything and that's the difference. It is a logical question, but I can't answer it."

"Manchester United will not buy just to buy. When you buy it has to be better than what you have."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Depay: Don't compare me to Ronaldo but I will excite Manchester United fans

New Manchester United signing Memphis Depay has rejected comparisons to Cristiano Ronaldo, but is planning to excite fans of the club.

United boss Louis van Gaal previously compared Depay to Lionel Messi due to his ability to score goals from the wing.

"He's a goalscoring winger and there aren't so many of them in the world," Van Gaal told MUTV in May. "[Lionel] Messi is one of those."

But Depay has acknowledged he still has plenty of work to do before he is considered among football's elite.

"I don't want to say I can be like somebody as that, but I think I can excite the fans," he said at his official unveiling.

However, Van Gaal believes Depay has the confidence to shine at Old Trafford.

"I think he's one of the few highly-talented boys of his age," Van Gaal said. "He's full of confidence, as you can hear, but he also knows there's a difference between the Premier League and the Dutch league.

"He's full of confidence, he'll say what he's thinking."

Depay was officially unveiled as a United player on Friday, having completed his £25 million move from PSV Eindhoven, and is set to join the club on their pre-season tour of the United States.

The Netherlands international scored 28 goals in 40 appearances in all competitions last season.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Congratulations & Good Luck Depay!

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Memphis Depay unveiled as a Manchester United Player​

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Rodriguez targets England return after injury nightmare

Jay Rodriguez is targeting an international recall with England this season after making a goalscoring return during pre-season with Southampton.

The forward has spent almost 15 months on the sidelines due to rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament in April 2014 that saw him miss out on a spot in England's World Cup squad after earning his debut in November 2013.

The injury put his England career on hold but, after scoring twice in his first appearance under Ronald Koeman in a friendly this week, the 25-year-old aims to put himself back into contention for the national team.

"As a player, you always want to play at international level, so obviously for myself I want to try and become the player I was and obviously try and push my way back into the team," he told the Daily Echo.

"It's just a case of, first thing, playing well and feeling good in myself in the games and then hopefully something will happen.

"I have my own personal goals that I want to achieve. I always set myself a goal at the start of the season and I will just obviously stick to that, but, like I said, my main aim is to always keep improving.

"I’m very excited. I just want to keep improving as a player and keep trying to replicate what I did a couple of years ago, and hopefully I can."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Official: Aston Villa sign Gueye from Lille

Aston Villa have completed the signing of Idrissa Gueye from Lille.

The 25-year-old midfielder, who has been capped 24 times by Senegal, has signed a four-year contract with Tim Sherwood’s side.

Gueye is a defensive midfielder and is a direct replacement for Fabian Delph, who is closing in on an £8 million (€11m) move to Manchester City.

"I'm really pleased to have brought Idrissa on board,” Sherwood told the club’s official website.

"He's been one of the best young midfielders in France for the last few seasons and there were a lot of teams trying to sign him this summer.

"I believe we are signing a player who is hungry to succeed, is entering what should be his best years and is perfectly suited to the Premier League."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Roma in no rush to complete Dzeko signing - Garcia

Rudi Garcia insists Roma are in no hurry to complete the signing of Edin Dzeko from Manchester City when asked about links with the striker on Friday.

The Italian club's sporting director, Walter Sabatini, confirmed last week that the club are attempting to buy the Bosnia-Herzegovina international.

The striker told Goal in June that he will not look to force a move away from the Etihad Stadium despite Roma's interest and Garcia was tight-lipped when quizzed on the prospective deal by reporters.

"I will not talk about the market now," he said. "What is certain is that we have always worked in harmony with James Pallotta and Sabatini.

"Obviously, new players will come but we do not have to rush. We try to sign three players for roles that are clearly defined but we must take the right players."

Dzeko completed 90 minutes just twice in the Premier League in 2014-15 but made 22 appearances in total, scoring four goals.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Man City book Delph medical for weekend

Manchester City have booked a medical for imminent £8 million (€11m) signing Fabian Delph this weekend, Goal understands.

The England international midfielder is set to sign a contract worth £100,000 (€139,000) per week at the Etihad Stadium but the deal has taken extra time to complete as his wife is due to give birth.

As a result, Delph's capture from Aston Villa has not been concluded sufficiently quickly to include him in the City squad touring Australia.

The 25-year-old is aware that he will be a squad player under Manuel Pellegrini but has been told that he will get a similar number of opportunities to that enjoyed by James Milner over his spell at the club. Milner signed for Liverpool on a free transfer earlier this summer.

Delph is part of City's drive to recruit more home-grown players, with Milner and loanee Frank Lampard the only Englishmen to start more than 10 games across all competitions for them last season.

Villa, meanwhile, have already moved to replace their captain, confirming on Friday the capture from Lille of defensive midfielder Idrissa Gueye.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Messi will feel better if I'm president - Laporta

Joan Laporta has insisted that, if he is elected as Barcelona's new president, he will make Lionel Messi feel more comfortable at Camp Nou.

The Argentine rose to prominence during Laporta's stint at the helm of the club between 2003 and 2010 and he is looking to take charge again in the election on July 18.

The 27-year-old was linked to a move away from Barca last season and had a fall-out with coach Luis Enrique, but he turned his form around to fire them to a European and domestic treble.

Laporta, 53, has always maintained that Messi's happiness is crucial to the success of the first team and has again stated that voting for him will help keep the four-time Ballon d'Or winner happy.

"Last season there was talk of selling Leo, but with me in charge he will feel far more comfortable," Laporta said on a debate on TV3.The Catalan politician then criticised his opponent Josep Maria Bartomeu, who is looking to be re-elected after leading the club from January 2014 until the board was dissolved ahead of the election.

"Bartomeu and his successor Sandro Rosell are the type of people who impede the country from moving forward," Laporta said, before urging the other two candidates Toni Freixa and Agusti Benedito to withdraw from the race and pledge their support to himself or Bartomeu.

"The polls show that the intention to vote for Benedito and Freixa is low. It’s impossible for them to win. If I was them I’d channel support to either the Bartomeu/Rosell campaign or my own."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Matic: Hazard can always bail Chelsea out of trouble

Chelsea midfielder Nemanja Matic says that Eden Hazard is the man his side turns to when they "don't know what to do with the ball".

The Belgian forward was named the Premier League's Player of the Year last season as he inspired Jose Mourinho's men to the title with 19 goals and 11 assists across all competitions.

Evaluating the Chelsea squad for the Daily Mail on behalf of Top Eleven, Matic agreed with the honours awarded to his team-mate and believes that there is more still to come from the ex-Lille man.

"He was the best player in the league last season, he won the trophy for being the best and he deserved that," the Serbian enthused. "He's still so young! He can still improve.

"Usually it's a player from the champions that wins the best player and he was so good for us – scoring important goals and assisting others.

"Whenever I don’t know what to do with the ball I just give it to Eden! He usually finds a way to create an opportunity."

Matic also paid tribute to club captain John Terry, arguing that the veteran is peerless among Premier League centre-backs over the last two decades.

He declared: "John is our legend. I’m not saying this because I play with him – he is the best defender in England in the last 20 years. He is our captain, he's been captain of teams that have won the league several times, and I have no idea how many cups he’s won!

"If you have a leader like this and good players, results will come. If he sees something wrong on the pitch, he always makes it right, but in a positive way, and the young players like that.

"He doesn't actually speak that much in the dressing room, he only speaks when he needs to - and everybody listens."

The midfielder also spoke of his confidence that Radamel Falcao, who has moved on loan to Stamford Bridge after a testing spell at Manchester United last season, can get back to his best under Mourinho's guidance.

"He's a great player," Matic added. "I know he can come back to his quality from before, he just needs to believe in it. I'm sure he will be very important for us."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Argentina turned its back on Messi - Biglia

Lucas Biglia says Argentina's stars would support Lionel Messi if he decided to take a break from playing for the national team after his country "turned its back" on him.

The Argentina captain has been criticised once again in the wake of his side's Copa America final defeat to Chile, despite some bright performances throughout the tournament.

Messi has never received the same adoration from Argentina fans as he gets from Barcelona supporters, and Biglia has thanked the four-time Ballon d'Or winner for playing for the Albiceleste despite what he perceives as a lack of respect.

"We have to thank Leo for choosing to play for a country that turned its back on him," Biglia told Estudio Futbol."If he needs a break from the national team, Messi knows that the players will support him."

Messi has won four Champions League titles and seven league titles at Barcelona, but is yet to lead the Argentina first-team to glory since winning a gold medal at the 2008 Olympics.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Lampard's New York debut delayed by injury again

Frank Lampard's highly-anticipated New York City FC debut has been delayed yet again.

Since deciding to remain on loan with Manchester City for the remainder of the 2014-15 Premier League campaign and consequently missing the start of the Major League Soccer season, fans have been anxiously awaiting the Chelsea and England legend's first game in New York.

But they will have to wait just a bit longer to see Lampard make his MLS bow after he suffered a calf strain to rule him out of City's hosting of Toronto FC at Yankee Stadium.

"I'm hugely disappointed to be missing out on Sunday's game, which I have been really looking forward to," Lampard told the club's official website.

"I've been feeling great in training and have loved working with the squad. Unfortunately I sustained a small strain to my calf during a session.

"Whilst I've been taking it day by day since then and have been involved in light training, I've just been advised by the medical team that it needs a few days' rest for it to heal fully.

"As I say, it's personally very disappointing for me but these things happen in football.

"The good news is that I should be back in full training next week.

"While I was desperate to play a role on Sunday, I have to take the advice of our medical team to let it heal and not risk further injury so I can get back on the pitch and play a full role as soon as possible."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

England to face Germany in March friendly

England will take on world champions Germany in a friendly in Berlin on March 26.

Joachim Low's side, who triumphed in Brazil last year, last faced the Three Lions in November 2013, when Per Mertesacker scored the only goal in a 1-0 win.

Italy will provide the competition for Germany in Munich three days afterwards, with the two nations' last encounter also having come in November 2013, a 1-1 draw.

Germany are keen on testing themselves against "large and powerful football nations" ahead of Euro 2016 in France, sitting second in Group D of qualifying after six matches.

"These are exactly the games that everyone wants," said Low's assistant coach, Oliver Bierhoff.

"It was important that we measure ourselves in the few dates that we can use for friendly matches, with large and powerful football nations."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Gerrard: I'm not as good looking or influential as Beckham

Steven Gerrard has warned LA Galaxy fans not to compare him to David Beckham, insisting that he will not match his former England team-mate in terms of looks or influence on MLS.

Beckham joined Galaxy from Real Madrid in 2007 and spent five years in Los Angeles, winning the Western Conference regular season and playoffs three times each as well as two MLS Cups before leaving to end his career at Paris Saint-Germain.

The Manchester United icon was a fan favourite in MLS and paved the way for more European stars to cross the Atlantic and further enhance the reputation of the sport in the United States.

Gerrard is one of the latest European players to move to America, following Frank Lampard, who joined New York City FC from Chelsea via a loan at Manchester City.

However, the Liverpool legend insists fans must not expect him to be the same as Beckham, suggesting he will struggle to be as influential on the nation's game as his predecessor.

"I think the important thing for me and for people to understand is that I'm not David Beckham," Gerrard told ESPN. "I'm not as good looking as him and I don't have the influence that maybe David has, but I'd like to think I'm on the same level when it comes down to performing on the football pitch.

"I've been studying MLS since I had the idea I was going to come here. I watched the Galaxy's games and I've been following stuff on YouTube, the individual players, to see their movements."

The 35-year-old ended a 28-year spell at Liverpool, the only other club he has played for, to join Galaxy and he admits it was a challenge to leave Anfield for Los Angeles.

"The easy thing for me would have been to sign a year extension and stay in my comfort zone at Liverpool and become a squad player and use my name to just filter into the background, or retire and call it a day," he added.

"But I like to challenge myself, and I think this is a fantastic opportunity and a big challenge for me at this age, and I can't wait to get stuck in."Despite the massive change in scenery, though, he is confident he will settle into life at Galaxy.

"Without being big-headed, I feel I can contribute in many areas," he continued. "I like to be an all-round midfielder, I like to help the team defensively and I also like to help the team going forward.

"I'll work as hard as I can, I'll fight for the team with and without the ball and I'm looking to contribute in the final third."I'm coming into the champions, I'm coming into a fantastic team who are ready to win and if I can just add a little bit to that I'm sure the future can be successful."

Gerrard's wage is said to be higher than the majority of his team-mates', but he maintains that money was not a deciding factor for him."The only thing I can do is go out the pitch and walk the walk and prove to them in my performances that I'm not done, that I'm not retired," he said.

"Money's never been a motivation for me. I respect money. I'm secure, I've been secure for a very long time. I could have retired last year and sat on the beach for the rest of my life. That's not me. I'm a footballer, I'm a winner and I want to win for as long as I can."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Di Maria costs too much - Lahm

Philipp Lahm doubts Bayern Munich will sign Manchester United winger Angel Di Maria because of the money it would cost to bring him to Germany.

Di Maria joined United in a €75 million deal from Real Madrid last summer, but the Argentina winger endured a disappointing first campaign at Old Trafford.
He has since emerged as a serious transfer target for Paris Saint-Germain, while Bayern are reportedly interested in the Argentina international.Bayern captain Lahm, however, believes finances may prove to be a stumbling block.

"I don't know if he is a candidate. I don't know where he will go to or if he will stay," Lahm told Goal."He costs a huge amount of money. There are so many factors like salary and whatever.

"There are many other people in our club who know more about that topic than me."Pep Guardiola has already spent €35 million to sign Douglas Costa from Shakhtar Donetsk, while Sven Ulreich and Joshua Kimmich have both arrived from Stuttgart.

And when asked what Bayern need to be successful again, Lahm added: "Nothing. The team has shown that it can compete well in all competitions."Last year we had a lot of problems with injuries. If all would have been fit our chances would have been better in every competition.

"Nevertheless - like I said five years ago - Bayern always has to have an eye on the market, how can we bring the team forward? But the team we have is completely competitive. We have shown that during the recent years."