..::Football III::..

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Atletico Madrid and Fiorentina agree Suarez deal

Atletico Madrid have confirmed that Mario Suarez is set to join Fiorentina, after the clubs reached an agreement.

The two clubs have already conducted business this summer, with Stefan Savic leaving the Serie A side to move to the Spanish capital and now Suarez will go the other way.

"Mario Suarez will play for Fiorentina," reads a statement on their official website. "The agreement between clubs is complete and the move will be made formal in the coming hours.

"The midfielder has traveled with permission of the club to join the Italian side."
Suarez came through Madrid's youth system and emerged in the first team before going out on loan to Valladolid and Celta and then joining Mallorca for two seasons.He then returned to the Rojiblancos in 2010 and went on to win the Europa League, La Liga and the Copa del Rey, reaching the Champions League final with Diego Simeone's men too.

Suarez is the latest high profile departure from the Vicente Calderon club, following Mario Mandzukic, Arda Turan, Miranda and Toby Alderweireld out the door, while Jackson Martinez, Luciano Vietto, Yannick Ferreira Carrasco and Savic have been brought in.

 

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I'm staying at Chelsea, insists Oscar

Chelsea midfielder Oscar has rejected talk of a move away from the Premier League champions, amid interest from Juventus.

The Brazil international was picked out by Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri as a potential signing last month as the Italian champions look to improve their squad after losing Andrea Pirlo earlier this summer.

However, the player's agent has already distanced him from a move, and Oscar has now reiterated his desire to stay at Stamford Bridge and build on his three trophies since arriving in 2012.

"I will be staying at Chelsea," he said. "The aim for this season is to win as many titles as possible."

Oscar lifted his first Premier League title last season, making 26 starts as Jose Mourinho's side finished eight points clear of Manchester City.

 

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Ronaldo's angry response to Benitez

Cristiano Ronaldo reacted angrily to Rafa Benitez's decision to rule out one of his goals during training on Wednesday.

The 30-year-old was caught gesticulating on camera by television station Cuatro and shouting 'Vai Caralho!' in the direction of the Real Madrid coach.The term is a Portuguese insult used to express disappointment and was followed by Ronaldo complaining that Benitez "gives everything against the Portuguese".

Later on he could also be seen displaying his frustration towards team-mate Alvaro Arbeloa as the team took part in a game where they were required to try and hit the crossbar.

Ronaldo said: "We're supposed to be putting the ball in there, the net, not this ****".

Benitez was recently asked who he thought was the best player in the world but resisted the opportunity to back the Portugal captain, leading to speculation about their relationship.

 

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Wolfsburg would consider De Bruyne sale amid reported €72m Man City bid

Wolfsburg would consider selling Manchester City target Kevin De Bruyne amid reports of a possible €72 million bid.

Goal understands De Bruyne's camp met with the German club on Wednesday to express the Belgian's desire to move to the Etihad, with the Premier League side confident of tying up a deal before the end of the month.

According to reports in Germany, City are planning to break their transfer window for the second time during the summer transfer window with a £50m (€72m) offer, trumping the £49m paid for Raheem Sterling earlier in July.

When questioned on City's rumoured offer, Wolfsburg sporting director Klaus Allofs told Sport1: "We are not playing games. What would happen if somebody comes with that amount of money? That hasn't happened so far, so we do not have to think about it.

"If something like that does arrive, we will deal with it seriously. We should not talk about it out of responsibility towards the player."

 

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OFFICIAL: Liverpool sign Benteke from Aston Villa

Christian Benteke has finalised his £32.5 million switch from Aston Villa to Liverpool on a five-year deal, becoming the club’s second most expensive signing.

The striker, who undertook a two-part medical in London on Monday and Tuesday with club doctor Andy Massey, was the priority target for Brendan Rodgers.

The Reds boss is determined to reverse last season’s shortage of goals and believes the 24-year-old is the key element in restoring bite up front as Daniel Sturridge continues his rehabilitation from hip surgery.

Liverpool had to activate Benteke’s hefty release clause as Villa were reluctant sellers, placing the Belgian just behind fellow forward Andy Carroll (£35m) on the list of the club’s biggest purchases.

While the outlay of cash is similar, the Reds are confident their new acquisition will contribute on a much larger scale than Carroll did as he is a different prospect - technically superior as well as more mobile and explosive.

Benteke netted 42 times in 82 league starts for the West Midlands side, with Liverpool finding out first hand just how devastating he can be - failing to thwart him on five occasions in six fixtures.

Upon completion of his move, the Belgium international told the club's official website: "I came here to win trophies. I came here to reach some great goals with the team.

"I think this is the right club for me because I had a good chat with the manager and I wanted to be part of his project."

Benteke is likely to make his debut in Finland against HJK Helsinki on August 1.

In the meantime, he will train with fellow big-money recruit Firmino at Melwood, as well as Philippe Coutinho and Emre Can. The trio were afforded an extended break after participation in national tournaments this summer.

Also at the club’s training complex is Jose Enrique, Mario Balotelli and Fabio Borini - players who were not invited on Liverpool’s pre-season tour and are welcome to depart should suitable offers surface.

 

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Neuer: Guardiola will stay at Bayern

Manuel Neuer says he is certain Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola will sign a new contract at the club.

Guardiola signed a three-year deal upon taking charge in 2013, with that contract set to expire in June 2016, meaning he could leave the Allianz Arena for another team at the end of next season.

There was speculation the former Barcelona boss could join Manchester City this summer, but the 44-year-old quickly dismissed suggestions he would move to England.

"If Pep's provisions are noted then he will extend his contract, I think," Neuer told Kicker.Neuer, 30, was also quick to praise Bayern's new signing Douglas Costa, who joined the club from Shakhtar Donetsk in a €30 million deal.

"He's a real rocket," the goalkeeper continued. "He can spring down the flanks very fast and play with both feet. He can dribble in off the flank and go left and right as well. He'll be a real weapon."

 

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Busquets: Pedro has his doubts

Sergio Busquets has revealed Pedro "has doubts" about his future at Barcelona.

The 27-year-old has been linked with a move to Manchester United and Chelsea after losing his first team place last season following the arrival of Luis Suarez.Barca boss Luis Enrique is unlikely to reinstate Pedro next season, either, after his front three of Suarez, Neymar and Lionel Messi fired the club to the treble. Indeed, the coach has even admitted that the forward can depart if his release clause is met.

Busquets refused to discuss specific details of his conversation with the winger, but empathised with his situation.He told AS: "Pedro? Yes, I've spoken to him but I can't reveal what he said. I understand why he has his doubts because he wants to play.

"He's a friend of mine and it will be his final decision. He wants to play more and get more minutes. That's what he wants."But we are in a team of great players and it's hard for him. At the end, it will be his decision, but I hope he stays."

The Spain international, whose current deal at Camp Nou runs until the summer of 2019, started just 15 of Barcelona's 38 league games in 2014-15.

 

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If I was worried about Ter Stegen, I'd leave - Bravo

Barcelona goalkeeper Claudio Bravo has dismissed the threat of Marc-Andre ter Stegen ahead of the new season.

Bravo was first choice for the club's league games last term, but Ter Stegen assumed duties between the posts for cup fixtures.

That created an unusual situation in which the German played in both the Copa del Rey and Champions League final, despite barely featuring in La Liga.However, while there have been suggestions Ter Stegen could become the undisputed No.1, Bravo insists he has no concerns over his place.

"If I was worried, I would take the plane, but I'm not. I know my qualities and I know what I have to do."He added: "The truth is, it's important to have a rest and a vacation. The season can be exhausting, so it's been good to have a rest."

Bravo was granted extra time off after playing for Chile at the Copa America, with the host nation going on to win the tournament.

 

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Young: I'm still waiting on new Manchester United contract

Ashley Young says he is still waiting over an extension to his Manchester United contract with less than 12 months left to run on his current terms.

The England international was one of Louis van Gaal's most improved performers last season, with his form keeping Angel Di Maria out of the team.

However, the summer arrival of Memphis Depay, along with United's reported interest in Barcelona forward Pedro, sees Young's fixture in the starting line-up under threat.

When asked if negotiations over a deal are imminent, Young said: "You will have to ask the club that.

"I'm at one of the biggest clubs in the world so I want to stay here as long as possible. That's exactly what I want to do. I think a lot of people thought I had it done [a new deal] but I haven't.

"It's in the club's hands now so I will have to see how it goes. I want to go out and play and at the moment I am on tour so I am trying to enjoy myself. I hope we can sort things out.

"There have been preliminary talks so I am just looking to go out on the pitch and leave my agent to take care of that."

Young made 26 league appearances last season, his most of any campaign since arriving from Aston Villa in a deal worth up to £20m in 2011, but was often deployed in an unfamiliar wing-back role.

"I was delighted with how things went last season but that was last season," he said. "This is a new season and I have to take the confidence that I had and build on it again.

"I hope it will go as well as last season. He picks 11 players and I hope I will be one of them. I'm getting to the back end of the scale [age] and I am beginning to feel it. But I still want to play every week."

 

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Wenger: It's been impossible for Arsenal to win the title... but now we can

Arsene Wenger claims it has been "impossible" for Arsenal to win the Premier League in the past because of financial constraints.

The Gunners, who suffered their worst ever start to a season under Wenger last term, have not won the title since 2004 and have seen Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City all triumph over the last 11 years.

Wenger has had to contend with the financial impact of moving from Highbury to the Emirates Stadium, as well as the sale of numerous key players.

"Of course," he told The Telegraph. "When you lose your best players and see opponents strengthen their squad – and they are already stronger than you – it is impossible."

Robin van Persie, Samir Nasri, Emmanuel Adebayor, Kolo Toure and Cesc Fabregas all departed as the Gunners struggled to keep up with their big-spending rivals both on and off the pitch, but Wenger says the club's mentality has now changed.

Mesut Ozil arrived for a club record €60 million in 2013 and he was joined by €50m man Alexis Sanchez last summer, while Petr Cech has been prized from Chelsea ahead of the 2015-16 campaign.

"We have reduced the gap and I believe we are ready to go further," Wenger added. "We now have the stability that gives us strength. Before I was more exposed to ‘Who will go?' and now the question I get more is ‘Who will come?'

"The transfer market is not over. We can still buy but I don't think we will sell. Our potential in the market has changed."

He added: "It's our target [to close the gap] and we have a chance in a very competitive league. We finished third and won the FA Cup so that shows we're not far away. We have a good cohesive group with the ability to do better.

"Will we win the title this season? You cannot guarantee that in the Premier League. I just say we want to. I promise we will fight to win. A manager has to take the best potential out of the team he has.

"For example, the year we lost it at Birmingham [a 2-2 draw when Eduardo broke his leg in February, 2008], we could have. Last year, no, because after six games we were 11 points behind Chelsea. We feel we have a chance this year, all going well."

 

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West Ham lodge £7.5m Mirallas bid as Everton stand firm

West Ham are attempting to sign Kevin Mirallas from Everton but are struggling to agree a fee with the Merseyside club, Goal understands.

The Hammers have tabled an improved £7.5 million bid for the Belgium international as they seek to bolster their attack, having had an initial £6m offer rejected over the weekend.

Everton are refusing to budge from their £10m valuation of the player, especially given that they were beaten to defender Angelo Ogbonna by the London club.

Sources have confirmed that the Toffees’ offer for the Italian defender bettered that from West Ham, though Ogbonna instead chose to move to Slaven Bilic’s side, much to Roberto Martinez’s chagrin.

West Ham launched a £9 million bid for Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez last week, which is understood to have been rejected, and are now pursuing other options even though Bilic remains hopeful a breakthrough will be made.

Mirallas’s versatility also appeals to the Croatian, who replaced Sam Allardyce as manager earlier this summer.

Mirallas, who has long been mooted as a potential Tottenham target, can play both out wide and through the middle and scored 11 goals for Everton from his position on the wing in 2014-15.

Bilic's side have embarked on a major recruitment drive this summer, signing Ogbonna, Pedro Obiang, Dimitri Payet, Darren Randolph and Manuel Lanzini so far.

 

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'Please don't go!' - Ferdinand in plea to De Gea

The David de Gea 'will he, won't he' transfer saga continues to rumble on with, Manchester United fans still in the dark over whether the Spain goalkeeper will still be their No.1 come the start of the new season.

Real Madrid continue to be linked with the Spaniard, with new boss Rafael Benitez having kept his cards close to his chest when quizzed about potentially signing the 24-year-old former Atletico star.

 

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New York Red Bulls 4-2 Chelsea: Begovic suffers nightmare debut as Blues slump to defeat

Asmir Begovic endured a difficult debut as Chelsea suffered a 4-2 loss to New York Red Bulls in the International Champions Cup.

Loic Remy opened the scoring with an emphatic strike in the first half and had the chance to double the lead, but failed to divert a cross into an open goal.

The Red Bulls were level shortly after the break when second half substitute Begovic was tackled by Franklin Castellanos, who finished into an empty net after a poor pass from John Terry.

Begovic was beaten again midway through the second half by a header from 16-year-old Tyler Adams, before Sean Davis slotted home from close range.

Eden Hazard pulled a goal back for Chelsea but Davis scored again as a disorganised Chelsea back line fell apart after the interval.

The Red Bulls were impressive from the outset on home soil, with Davis sending an early warning shot at Thibaut Courtois, who scrambled across his line following a miscued effort from long range.

Chelsea's physical presence at set-pieces proved troublesome and Branislav Ivanovic and Kurt Zouma almost combined for the opener approaching the midway point of the first half, but the latter was unable to steer his header inside the post.

However, Chelsea were not to be denied seven minutes later thanks to Remy, who adjusted his body, took an extra touch and fired the ball into the net, having been picked out by Oscar.

It should have been 2-0 four minutes later as Victor Moses scooped the ball over Red Bulls goalkeeper Kyle Reynish, but the winger's shot came back off the upright.

Remy then inexplicably missed from close range in the 40th minute, after somehow kneeing his shot over the crossbar from inside the six-yard box.

At the other end, Courtois was almost embarrassed, having been caught in possession, though he recovered to deny Marius Obekop.

It took five minutes of the second half for the youthful New York outfit to draw level.

After seeing his shot cleared off the line just second earlier, substitute Castellanos pounced on a poor back pass from Terry to round new Chelsea goalkeeper Begovic.

Chelsea continued to be wasteful in the attacking third, as Diego Costa hit the woodwork and skied his follow-up effort over the crossbar just after the hour mark.

That proved costly as the Red Bulls struck with two quick-fire goals.

New York's 16-year-old midfielder Adams found himself unmarked in the box as he glanced a header past Begovic with 20 minutes remaining, and Davis got in on the act three minutes later.

Hazard pulled a goal back for Chelsea almost instantly, but Davis restored his team's two-goal advantage shortly after.

The remaining minutes of the match saw Chelsea occupy their attacking third, though Oscar and Costa wasted golden opportunities.

 

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Benitez: No Ronaldo rift and Ramos is going nowhere

Real Madrid coach Rafael Benitez has responded to reports of a falling out with Cristiano Ronaldo by praising the star's competitive spirit and insists Sergio Ramos will not be leaving the club.

A training ground incident in which Ronaldo responded angrily to Benitez disallowing one of his goals has been seized upon by the Spanish press and cited as an example of tension between the new head coach and the club's most important player during their pre-season tour of Australia.

Speaking to a press conference prior to the International Champions Cup match against Manchester City, the former Liverpool and Napoli boss did not dismiss the subject out of hand, choosing instead to hail the Portugal captain's will to win.

"I have had the opportunity this week to spend quite a few days with him," he said.

"I can say that he is competitive, he likes to win and for that reason he is the best in the world, I would like all my players to have that desire to win and compete.

"You've all seen him train today and I think his performance will be up to scratch. I talk to all the players a lot. I have had the opportunity to talk to him too. We talked about football and yes, he is competitive."

"Seeing Ronaldo up close training, I can see that's he doing very well."

Madrid centre-back Sergio Ramos, meanwhile, who is captaining the team early in Benitez's tenure, continues to be linked with a move to Manchester United.

Pressed on whether or not the Spain international will start the new Liga season with the Blancos, the head coach said: "Yes, for me, 100 percent.
"Ramos is our player, he's a key player for us, he's the captain. I would like to see him [at the club] at the beginning of the season, because I think he will be crucial for us during the season.

"I insist that it is clear for both me and the club that Sergio will be here. Football is a curious world, but he will be playing for us next season."

As for the comments made by United coach Louis van Gaal in the United States, hinting that the transfer can yet go ahead, Benitez added: "I have a lot of respect for Van Gaal, but Sergio will be staying with us."

Midfielder Luka Modric, meanwhile, strongly expressed his desire to see Ramos remain with the 2013-14 Champions League winners.

"Well, I hope that he stays," the former Tottenham Hotspur man said.

"He's a very important part of the team. He's our captain and our leader, both on and off the pitch. He's happy where he is. He's our captain and our leader and he's staying where he is."

 

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Pirlo: I walked out of Juventus before they threw me out

Andrea Pirlo has explained that a desire to walk out of Serie A with his head held high was behind his summer move from Juventus to New York City.

The 36-year-old trained with his new team-mates – including David Villa – for the first time on Wednesday having signed a two-and-a-half-year deal on a free transfer earlier in July.

And the former AC Milan playmaker has revealed he did not want to be forced out of the Scudetto and Coppa Italia holders, which is why he chose an MLS move sooner rather than later.

"It was time to leave," Pirlo told La Gazzetta dello Sport. "The idea of not being the protagonist at Juventus affected my decision-making."I preferred to make the decision to walk out myself rather than wait for others to send me away.

"Even if we'd have won the Champions League final [which Juve lost 3-1 to Barcelona], I'd have left. I'd thought about it for a while. Certainly losing made me consider it more."New York City is a great challenge and I like new challenges. We're beginning from scratch here – this team didn't exist until around six months ago.

"It's a little like when I arrived at Juventus in 2011. We were essentially starting from scratch then, too. I had four fantastic seasons with a winning team that brought terrific results."

 

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Bayern confirm Vidal deal with Juventus

Bayern Munich have confirmed that midfielder Arturo Vidal will join the club from Juventus pending a contract signing and a medical.The Bundesliga champions agreed a fee of €40 million with the Scudetto holders last Thursday for the Chile international's services.

And, a week later, Bayern CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has explained that the transfer is set to be completed after all the clubs and player agreed on financial terms."I can confirm that, in principle, we have achieved an agreement with Juventus and Vidal," he told reporters in China.

"All that's missing in the medical and the actual signing of the contract. He will join up with Bayern in training next week, should everything go smoothly."

The central midfielder is seen by many as a direct replacement for Bastian Schweinsteiger, who left the Allianz Arena for Manchester United earlier this month.Vidal was pursued by the Bavarians in 2011 but chose to swap Bayer Leverkusen for Juventus instead.

He has won four successive Italian league titles in Turin and took part in last season's Champions League final, which they lost 3-1 to Barcelona.

 

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Wolfsburg: De Bruyne has not asked to leave

Wolfsburg sporting director Klaus Allofs insists that Kevin De Bruyne has not requested to leave the club as he continues to be linked with a summer departure.

Manchester City are thought to be readying a bid of £50 million (€72m) for the Belgian and Goal understands that he has expressed a desire to move to the Etihad Stadium.

But Wolfsburg are adamant that De Bruyne, who racked up an incredible 20 assists last season, has not asked for a transfer as the saga continues to rumble on.

"That is definitely made up," Allofs told reporters when asked about reports of a meeting between the 24-year-old and officials from the German club.

Allofs has previously admitted that Wolfsburg would consider selling De Bruyne should a significant bid be made, though such an offer is not yet on the table.

"We are not playing games," he told Sport1. "'What would happen if somebody comes with that amount of money' - that did not happen so far so we do not have to think about it.

"If something like that does arrive, we will deal with it seriously. We should not talk about it out of responsibility towards the player."

 

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Memphis: I want to be a Manchester United legend

Memphis Depay insists he is aiming to become a Manchester United "legend" and believes he is improving after every training session under Louis van Gaal.

The 21-year-old joined from PSV in a deal worth around £22.3 million in June and has already scored his first goal for the club during the 3-1 win over San Jose Earthquakes.

Memphis finished as the Eredivisie's top scorer with 22 goals last season but the Netherlands international is adamant that he needs to improve in order to fulfil his potential in the Premier League.

"I'm honest - of course I want to be a legend," the Dutchman told Sky Sports.

"I will put pressure on myself to play good every game. I'm still young, I have to improve, the Premier League is different so we will see.

"I have to do my job, so then yeah, maybe in time I can be a legend. But to have those positive sounds from the fans and the legends that talk about me, I'm grateful for that."

Van Gaal handed Memphis his senior debut with the Netherlands national side and the forward is delighted to have linked up with the 63-year-old once again.

"He's a great, great manager," he said.

"He can make players a lot better. I feel I will be a better player every time I train with him. I feel stronger, that's one of the things he can really do to you."

 

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Barcelona fined for Catalan flags in Champions League final

Barcelona have been fined by Uefa for their fans waving Catalan flags during their Champions League final win over Juventus.

A large section of the Barca support are heavily in favour of Catalunya becoming an independent nation, while the club confirmed ahead of last year's referendum that it too supports the movement.

While Catalan flags are ever present during the club's league games, they are not allowed by Uefa and the club have been landed with a €30,000 fine for fans waving them at the Olympiastadion on June 6.

Uefa found Barca to be in breach of Article 16 2 (e) of the disciplinary regulations, which forbids "the use of gestures, words, objects or any other means to transmit any message that is not fit for a sports event, particularly messages that are of a political, ideological, religious, offensive or provocative nature".

Ivan Rakitic, Luis Suarez and Neymar were on target for Luis Enrique's men in a 3-1 win that saw the Blaugrana beat Juventus to complete a European and domestic treble.

 

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Radamel Falcao trains with Chelsea team-mates for the first time

Radamel Falcao has trained with his Chelsea team-mates for the first time since joining on a season-long loan from Monaco.

The striker joined the squad in America as they continued preparations for the 2015-16 campaign, and watched on as Jose Mourinho's men suffered a shock 4-2 defeat to New York Red Bulls in New Jersey.

Having trained on the pitch before the clash, Falcao took to Instagram to share photos of the session:

Falcao will hope to make his debut when Chelsea take on Paris Saint-Germain, the team that knocked them out of last season's Champions League competition, on Saturday.

The Colombia international spent the 2014-15 season on loan at domestic rivals Manchester United, scoring four goals.