..::Football IV::..

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Netherlands appoint Koeman as new head coach

Netherlands have appointed former Everton boss Ronald Koeman as their new manager.

The Dutch have been without a head coach since Dick Advocaat stepped down in November after they failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup finals.Koeman, who received 78 Netherlands caps in his playing career, had been out of work since he was dismissed by Premier League side Everton back in October.

He has been appointed on a contract that will run until the 2022 World Cup finals in Qatar, which begin in November of that year.

The 54-year-old is Netherlands' fourth head coach since Louis van Gaal left to take over at Manchester United after leading Oranje to third place at the 2014 World Cup.Guus Hiddink and Danny Blind held the position respectively before Advocaat during a difficult period in which the nation failed to qualify for Euro 2016 or this year's World Cup in Russia.

Koeman's last job at Everton got off to a fine start, as he led the Toffees to a seventh-place Premier League finish and the Europa League group stage.However, he was unable to repeat that success in the early going of 2017-18 and was sacked in October following a start to the season that saw Everton hovering near the relegation zone.

Previously, Koeman had managed Southampton to a pair of successful seasons after succeeding Mauricio Pochettino, with finishes of seventh and sixth place in the Premier League table.

The former Barcelona ace has also managed Vitesse, Ajax, Benfica, PSV, Valencia, AZ Alkmaar and Feyenoord in his career. Koeman was also previously an assistant with the Netherlands national team setup from 1997-98.

 

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Arsenal interested in Juventus defender Rugani, agent confirms


Arsenal have shown an interest in signing Juventus defender Daniele Rugani, according to the player's agent.

Despite the arrivals of Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang during the January transfer window, the Gunners were criticised for not addressing a perceived weakness in defence.

Centre-back Rugani has previously been linked with the Emirates Stadium outfit having struggled to break into the first team in Turin.The 23-year-old has made just 10 starts in Serie A this season despite the sale of Leonardo Bonucci in the summer.

And the representative of the Italy international, Davide Torchia, has confirmed Arsenal would be keen on signing Rugani, though no bid was made during the winter window."Daniele’s doing well, I’m happy for him," he told Radio Sportiva.

"Arsenal? They didn’t launch any attempts for him."They expressed a liking for him but we have respect for Juventus."Rugani's current contract runs until 2021 having signed a four-and-a-half year deal in December 2016.

 

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Tributes paid to Munich victims at Old Trafford memorial service

Manchester United paid tribute to the victims of the Munich air crash on Tuesday, with a memorial service held at Old Trafford to mark the 60th anniversary of the disaster which claimed 23 lives.

Eight of the legendary 'Busby Babes' team built by manager Sir Matt Busby were among those who died as the United team plane ran into trouble on the runway at Munich-Riem Airport on February 6, 1958 after making a refuelling stop on the return journey from their European Cup quarter-final second leg against Red Star Belgrade the previous day.And on Tuesday the club opened up its stadium to supporters for a gathering in memory of those who died 60 years ago. Just over 4,500 fans joined a congregation of club players and staff in the East Stand for the 40-minute service.

The afternoon began with words from the club chaplain Reverend John Boyers, and there were also readings by United director Michael Edelson, legendary former manager Sir Alex Ferguson and executive vice-chair Ed Woodward.

A roll of honour was delivered, paying tribute to the 23 victims, who included Geoff Bent, Roger Byrne, Eddie Colman, Duncan Edwards, Mark Jones, David Pegg, Tommy Taylor and Liam Whelan.

Following a moment of silence at 15:04GMT, the exact time of the crash in 1958, there was a moving rendition of the song The Flowers of Manchester by Pete Martin.

United captain Michael Carrick and manager Jose Mourinho then stepped up to lay wreaths on the specially-erected stage at the side of the Old Trafford pitch before those assembled sang the traditional football hymn Abide With Me.

Sir Bobby Charlton and Harry Gregg, the two remaining players from the 1958 side were also present, with Gregg having earlier been present at United's Carrington training ground to meet current players and staff.Guests at the event include FIFA president Gianni Infantino, UEFA vice-president Fernando Gomez, PFA chief-executive Gordon Taylor, Manchester City legend Mike Summerbee and former Liverpool player and manager Kenny Dalglish.

There were also representatives of the Manchester FA, Bishop Auckland - the club which loaned a number of players to United in the aftermath of the crash - and Sheffield Wednesday, United's first opponents following Munich.Ceremonies also took place in Munich and Belgrade on Tuesday as part of the remembrance proceedings.

 

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Brazil legend Ronaldo urges Madrid to go after Neymar


Real Madrid need the best players and should sign Paris Saint-Germain star Neymar, according to Brazil great Ronaldo.

Neymar made a world-record €222million move from Barcelona to PSG last year, signing a deal until 2022 with the Ligue 1 giants.Despite that contract, the 26-year-old continues to be linked with a shock switch to the Santiago Bernabeu.

Ronaldo, who spent more than four seasons at Madrid, said his former club were always looking to sign the best, and that included Neymar.

"Neymar is a superb player, maybe he will be the best in the world in a few years, and Real Madrid need the best," he said on Wednesday, via Marca .Despite the speculation, Ronaldo played down how close a potential Madrid move was for Neymar.

The two-time World Cup winner believes Madrid, who are fourth in La Liga and 19 points behind Barcelona, feels his former side could perhaps win a third straight Champions League despite their struggles this campaign.

"I haven't heard any official representative of Real Madrid say anything about Neymar," Ronaldo said."They should think about what they have and this year it's difficult for Madrid, they have to keep going and end well.

"The Champions League is a competition that they do well in and we will see how it ends, because everything changes very quickly in football."To win the Champions League, however, Los Blancos will have to get through Neymar and his PSG side in the round of 16. The first leg of that tie is set for the Santiago Bernabeu on Feb. 14.

 

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I have always wanted to play for Liverpool, says Mohamed Salah


Mohamed Salah has revealed that he had always wanted to play for Liverpool claiming he loved the club since he was a teenager.

The 25-year-old joined Chelsea in January 2014 in his first season in England but failed to flourish scoring just twice in 19 competitive games.And in the summer of 2017, the former Roma goal poacher teamed up with the Anfield giants and has gone to make a remarkable impact at the Anfield Stadium.

The forward who has scored 28 goals in all competitions this term including his two goals against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday has declared that he has always fancy playing for the Reds.

“I have loved the club since I was young and knew this was a team I wanted to play for,” Salah told FourFourTwo.“I knew the history this club has and, as soon as I got the chance, I had to make it happen.”

The Africa Player of the Year also revealed his feeling watching the Champions League as a teenager.“My earliest football memory was watching the Champions League matches. I always loved watching Zidane, (his future Roma team-mate) Totti and the Brazilian Ronaldo.“It’s an amazing feeling when you hear that music now before kick-off.”

 

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Tottenham 2 Newport County 0: Lamela strike helps Spurs to fifth round

Tottenham eased into the fifth round of the FA Cup with a 2-0 win over Newport County in Wednesday's replay at Wembley.

The League Two side shocked Spurs by holding them to a 1-1 draw in the initial fourth-round tie but they could not spring another surprise, as an own goal from Dan Butler and an Erik Lamela strike sealed the home side's progress.

Mauricio Pochettino, in his 200th game in charge, left the likes of Harry Kane and Dele Alli out of the starting line-up but handed defender Toby Alderweireld his first start since November 1.


Newport boss Michael Flynn, who was rewarded with a new contract in the hours before kick-off, watched his side produce a bold early performance in London until Butler's unfortunate own goal sapped their confidence.Lamela's first goal in 504 days made the result safe before half-time, allowing Spurs to cruise through the second period and secure an away fifth-round clash with Rochdale of League One.


Newport started in much the same way as they did in Wales, with their high pressing leading to half-chances through a Robbie Willmott free-kick and a header from Padraig Amond, who scored in the first meeting.

Danny Rose sent a volley into the side-netting as Spurs began to increase the pressure, and they got the breakthrough in fortuitous circumstances 26 minutes in, as Butler turned Moussa Sissoko's low cross into his own net.

Joe Day was helpless as the ball escaped his outstretched leg but he made a superb double save to keep the score at 1-0 just past the half-hour mark, beating away Lamela's volley before blocking Son Heung-min's effort on the rebound.But Lamela had better luck three minutes later as he scored his first goal in 17 months, slotting a clever finish past Day from 12 yards after Son had burst towards the box and played him in.

The second half proved to be something of a procession, with Spurs bossing the ball but showing little urgency in attack, although Fernando Llorente was close to turning Lamela's cross goalwards and the Argentine winger was denied by another good save from Day.

Frank Nouble had proved a troublesome figure for the home defence on Newport's rare forays forward but he was unable to fashion any clear chances on Michel Vorm's goal, and substitute Christian Eriksen came close to a third for Spurs when he drilled Rose's cross wide.Llorente made a mess of Lamela's delightful chipped throughball and volleyed another chance wide, meaning his wait for just a third Spurs goal goes on, while Alli clattered the crossbar after being played clean through by Eriksen.

Pochettino's side almost conceded late on but Vorm denied Amond from close range, as Spurs ensured a trip to Rochdale on February 18, with Saturday's north London derby against Arsenal now the focus of their attention.

 

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Evra completes West Ham move


West Ham have completed the signing of former Manchester United full-back Patrice Evra.

The France international joins the Irons on a free transfer having been released by Marseille in November after he attacked a supporter ahead of his side's Europa League match with Vitoria.Evra has signed a deal that will keep him at the London Stadium until the end of the current campaign as David Moyes's side look to fend off the threat of relegation.

The 36-year-old will wear the No.27 shirt and becomes Moyes' third signing since taking over from Slaven Bilic after the arrivals of Joao Mario and Jordan Hugill in the January window.

"I’m really happy to be a Hammer, to be back in the Premier League and I love this game!" Evra, who has won seven league titles and the Champions League during a career that has also seen him represent Monaco and Juventus, told the club's official website."It’s amazing to be back and I am thankful to West Ham for giving me the opportunity to do my job. "When I wake up I know I am going to work hard, to have fun with my team-mates and give my best on the pitch.

"I’m just happy to be here, it’s really simple. You don’t realise how lucky you are and just to wake up this morning and know I am going to train with my new team-mates made me smile!"Evrawas also linked with joining Everton, but opted to reunite with Moyes after he played under the Scot during his short tenure at Old Trafford.

"It happened really fast. My agent called me and told me I needed to come back [from Dubai] to London as quick as I could and I had a nice meeting with the manager, who I know from Manchester United, of course, and I met the chairman, so it was really easy.

"When you have to make a deal and money is not the issue, the deal could be done in five minutes. The main thing was for me to join West Ham and to help my team-mates to win as many games as we can."It was the fastest thing I have done in my life, because both parties wanted to work together, so it was very easy to make an agreement."

Evra could make his debut against Watford on Saturday, with fellow left-back Arthur Masuaku suspended for a further four matches after being sent-off for spitting against Wigan Athletic in the fourth round of the FA Cup.

 

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AC Milan still hopeful of landing Belotti despite failed attempt


AC Milan are still interested in buying Andrea Belotti from Torino after recent attempts to land the striker proved unsuccessful, sporting director Massimiliano Mirabelli says.

Belotti has been linked to the Rossoneri as well as several Premier League sides in recent transfer windows, but Torino insisted they would not let their captain go for less than €100 million.

The two sides held talks in the summer transfer window, but Milan's attempts to use M'Baye Niang in a part-exchange deal for Belotti only angered Torino.The 24-year-old Italy international finished last season with 26 goals and seven assists in Serie A, but has scored just four times this term having been restricted to 15 starts due to injury.

And Mirabelli still holds hope of bringing Belotti to San Siro in the future, reiterating that the player is a Milan fan."He is well known," the director told reporters. "We tried to take him to Milan, but it was quite difficult for several reasons."Still, he is a strong player and a Milan fan, so who knows, maybe one day he can wear the shirt he dreamed of as a child."

After failing to land the Torino star, Milan signed Andre Silva and Nikola Kalinic to boost their attack before the current campaign. While the latter has netted four times this season, the Portuguese forward is yet to score in the league for a side that have struggled for goals.Gennaro Gattuso's men are currently eighth in the Italian top flight, just two points ahead of Torino.

 

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Alexis Sanchez given 16-month prison sentence for tax fraud


Alexis Sanchez has accepted a 16-month prison sentence for committing tax fraud during his time at Barcelona, although he will not spend time in jail.The Manchester United forward was accused of defrauding the treasury of €1 million between 2012 and 2013, relating to income from his image rights.

Sanchez has, however, reached an agreement with the prosecutor to pay the money he owes with interest.Despite the verdict, the Chilean will not spend time in prison as he is a first offender and the sentence is less than two years - which crucially, in Spanish law, prohibits jail time.

The ex-Arsenal star is the latest football figure to be punished by Spanish prosecutors for an apparent dodging of taxes.Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Jose Mourinho and Ricardo Carvalho have all been pursued by the authorities recently.

Barcelona star Messi was handed a 21-month jail term in 2016, but managed to exchange it for a €250,000 fine last year, while Mourinho paid to settle his and Carvalho was given a fine and a seven-month sentence.

Real Madrid forward Ronaldo, meanwhile, was accused of owing €14.7m but has protested his innocence in an ongoing case.Alexis joined Barcelona from Udinese in 2011 and spent three years with the Catalan side, winning a Liga title as well as the Club World Cup under the guidance of Pep Guardiola.

He left to join Arsenal in 2014 and starred for Arsene Wenger's team until making the shock move to Old Trafford in January in a swap deal for Henrikh Mkhitaryan, despite it having appeared he would be joining Manchester City.

The 29-year-old has made three appearances for Mourinho's side so far, scoring his first goal for his new club in Saturday's 2-0 win over Huddersfield Town.The Red Devils are currently 13 points behind leaders City after 26 matches and return to action on Sunday when they visit Newcastle United.

 

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Leipzig boss slates Keita for poor form ahead of Liverpool move


RB Leipzig manager Ralph Hasenhuttl says prospective Liverpool signing Naby Keita has lost some of the consistency that made him a Bundesliga star last season.

Keita proved to be a sensation in 2016-17 as the Red Bull Arena outfit finished second in their debut German top-flight campaign, scoring eight goals and providing seven assists in 31 appearances.

The 22-year-old's remarkable displays attracted immense interest from Liverpool, and he will head to Anfield in the summer after the English side triggered his £48 million release clause in August .

Keita remains a pivotal player for Leipzig as they look to replicate their runners-up finish this time around, scoring three times and setting up a further two in the league so far.However, his coach has noticed a difference in his performances this term and hopes to see him back to his best in the coming weeks, but he insisted he will not be too harsh on the Guinea international.

"Naby is not as consistent this year as last year," Hasenhuttl told Sport Bild . "It's important that he brings his expectations back to normal levels.

"I'm not one who wants to motivate with fear. I don't immediately get the whip out in the classic sense and I don't kick the players non-stop."Leipzig are also hoping to see another star return to action in the shape of Emil Forsberg.

The Swedish winger was a key creative outlet last term, notching 19 assists in the league last term. However, injury has kept the 26-year-old out of action since early-December, but he is back in training and Hasenhuttl hopes to have him available again soon."I see light at the end of the tunnel," he added.

"We mustn't forget that he has not trained for nine weeks. It will take some time, and we have to be careful not to overburden him again."Leipzig currently sit third in the Bundesliga, level on points with Bayer Leverkusen but 18 behind leaders Bayern Munich.Hasenhuttl's side host seventh placed Augsburg in their next game on Friday.

 

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Valencia 0 Barcelona 2 (0-3 agg): Coutinho off the mark to send holders to final

Philippe Coutinho scored his first goal for Barcelona as they secured a 2-0 win over Valencia on Thursday and a 3-0 aggregate victory in their Copa del Rey semi-final.

The Brazil international, a €160million signing from Liverpool last month, came off the bench to break the deadlock before Ivan Rakitic sealed the win and kept the Catalans' hopes of a treble alive.

Coutinho was perhaps surprisingly left out of the starting line-up in favour of Andre Gomes at Mestalla as head coach Ernesto Valverde named a strong side that included Gerard Pique, who recovered in time from a knee problem.


Valencia had lost their last three matches in a row but looked the more dangerous in the first half, with Rodrigo Moreno powering their best chance off the underside of the crossbar.

Coutinho's half-time introduction changed the course of the game, though, the midfielder sweeping home a cross from fellow former Liverpool man Luis Suarez, who also set up his first goal for the Premier League club back in February 2013.

Rakitic finished in style after more good work from Suarez, meaning Barca will meet Sevilla in the final in a repeat of the 2016 showdown, after Vincenzo Montella's side beat Leganes 3-1 over two legs.


Both goalkeepers were tested in the opening 10 minutes, with Jasper Cillessen claiming a Francis Coquelin shot before Lionel Messi's free-kick was beaten acrobatically away by Jaume Domenech.

The end-to-end nature of the game continued as Rodrigo rattled the crossbar with a fine header from Jose Gaya's cross, and Suarez failed to control a pinpoint pass from Andres Iniesta two minutes later.

Valencia looked sharp on the counter-attack and seemed the more likely to break the deadlock, with Cillessen again called into action to deny Rodrigo.

Coutinho replaced Gomes at the break to give Barca more of a threat going forward and the decision paid off four minutes into the second half. Suarez drove into the penalty area down the left and crossed towards the far post, where Coutinho stretched to turn the ball back across goal and into the left-hand corner.

The goal seemed to sap the belief from the Mestalla crowd and the Valencia players and Suarez nearly curled home a second Barca goal after a sustained period of possession for the visitors.Messi saw a shot saved by Domenech and Martin Montoya blocked Jordi Alba's rebound wide, although the former Barca man was lucky not to concede a penalty, with the ball clearly striking his arm.

Simone Zaza fired a good chance over the bar as Valencia pushed forward for a lifeline, with Rakitic twice shooting wide on the break as the home side began to look exposed at the back.Gaya thought he had halved the deficit with quarter of an hour left but Cillessen produced one of the saves of the season to block his effort from point-blank range and turn the ball past the post.

The stop proved pivotal as, with eight minutes left, Suarez stole back possession and fed Rakitic, who fired home from just inside the box to safeguard the win.The only concern for Barca will be the sight of Pique in obvious discomfort after going off late on to be replaced by €11.8m man Yerry Mina, who made his debut.

 

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Wenger 'positive' over new deals for midfield duo Wilshere and Ramsey


Arsene Wenger has turned his attention to getting new contracts for Jack Wilshere and Aaron Ramsey after locking Mesut Ozil into a new long-term contract earlier this month.

The Germany international's deal was set to expire at the end of the season and there had been interest from Manchester United and PSG, as well as big money offers from clubs in the Chinese Super League.

But the former Real Madrid star decided to commit his future to the Gunners, and Wenger now seems hopeful that he can tie down two more of his stars in the near future.

Wenger made it clear last month that contract talks with Wilshere were ongoing, and now says he will "do the maximum" in his power to make sure the England man is happy.

"I'm positive, because I want him to stay. I do the maximum I can to make him happy," Wenger told reporters. "We try to make progress and I told you that many times for Ozil. You never believed me."Wilshere's current deal expires this summer, putting the pressure on the Gunners to get a deal done.Ramsey's case is less time sensitive, with his current deal running through 2019, but the Arsenal boss is still hoping they can come to terms soon."He is a little bit different, with less time constraints than with Jack," Wenger added on Ramsey.

"With Jack it is now. With Aaron, do we lose two weeks or three weeks, it doesn't matter much. I want him to stay as well. Especially if he starts to score hat tricks."Ramsey turned in a star showing with three goals against Everton in a 5-1 win last week, and Wenger is clearly hoping for more of the same in this weekend's north London derby clash with Tottenham.

 

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Riyad Mahrez must return 'to enjoy his football' - Leicester City's Puel


Claude Puel has appealed to Riyad Mahrez to 'come back and enjoy his football' at Leicester City.The winger has been absent from the club since his failed move to league leaders and Saturday's opponent, Manchester City in the January transfer window.And the Foxes coach has called on the Algeria international who is set to miss out on the trip to the Etihad Stadium - his third consecutive game - to return to the club.

“I think Riyad is not available for Saturday’s game,” Puel said in his pre-match briefing on Thursday.“I hope Riyad can get his head right and come back with us and work hard. The best way is for him to come back and enjoy his football.

“He is a magnificent player and he enjoys his football. He loves his team-mates, and that’s important. He loves to touch the football but he needs to come back right. I hope he can come back with a good attitude and prepared to work, but he will need time, and time to be match-fit.

“It’s important this remains inside the club and private, not in the public. The most important thing for me is to keep Riyad and the club and the fans united and in a good way about this. It is important to keep a good feeling together through these difficulties.”
Mahrez played a pivotal role in the resurgence of Leicester City after a disastrous start that culminated in the sack of erstwhile gaffer Craig Shakespeare.The former African Player of the Year has contributed eight goals and seven assists in 24 league appearances for the eight-placed Foxes this season.

 

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Stoichkov can't see Neymar at Real Madrid


Former Barcelona star Hristo Stoichkov would be surprised to see Neymar leave Paris Saint-Germain to join Real Madrid.The Brazil international has been linked with a shock return to Spain at the end of the season, despite having only moved to PSG last August for a world-record fee of €222 million.

Speculation the 26-year-old is unsettled in France has prompted persistent talk of a move to Madrid, who are said to be considering huge investment in the playing squad before next season after a dreadful defence of their league title.

But Stoichkov, a five-time La Liga winner across two glittering spells at Camp Nou, cannot see Neymar moving to the Santiago Bernabeu."I don't see him at Real Madrid," he told Radio Marca. "I wish him all the best for what he's doing, but I don't believe he's going to win everything he won with Barca."

Madrid's poor domestic form, which has left them 19 points behind unbeaten leaders Barca and saw them exit the Copa del Rey to Leganes, has increased the pressure on head coach Zinedine Zidane.

The former France star's future could come under further scrutiny if they are unable to beat PSG in the last 16 of the Champions League, the first leg of which takes place on Wednesday.Stoichkov, however, thinks sacking Zidane would be a mistake."Sometimes, in football, the greats suffer," he said. "Real Madrid will need time to rebuild everything.

"Nobody doubts Zidane is a great coach but he has to have patience. Nobody can take away the titles he's won."Barca's own charge towards another treble has been inspired by the form of Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez, and Stoichkov has been amazed by them both."I've never seen anything like Leo. Every day, he surprises me with something new," he said.

"I knew him when he was little and he was a humble boy, a fighter and a hard worker."He added of Suarez: "I've always admired him. He's come through difficult moments, like the World Cup ban, which was really unfair. "He's one of the players with whom you most identify the Barcelona shirt. He's a star."

 

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Mohamed Salah has been phenomenal, says Robbie Fowler


Liverpool legend, Robbie Fowler has described Mohamed Salah as ‘phenomenal’ following his impressive showings for the club.

Since the Algeria international joined the Reds in the summer of 2017, he has put up eye-catching performances.The former Roma player boasts of 28 goals and seven assists in 34 appearances this season and only Harry Kane has more goals in the English Premier League than his 21.

And the former England international is optimistic that the forward will score even more.“He’s been phenomenal,” Fowler told Daily Star.

“He’s really hit the ground running. He looks like he’s got goals in him every game.“I hope it continues. We, as ex-players who are still big Liverpool fans, want him to keep going.“We want him to break all the records going because if he’s scoring goals, it means we’re doing the right things.”

 

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Ronaldo uncertain if Icardi wants Real Madrid move


Former Real Madrid and Inter star Ronaldo is uncertain if Mauro Icardi would be interested in joining the Spanish champions.

A dip in form of forwards Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema this season has led to speculation Madrid will seek to spend heavily on attacking reinforcements before 2018-19.Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski continues to be linked with a move but Inter captain Icardi is also reported to be a prime target.

Argentina head coach Jorge Sampaoli last month claimed the striker had his head turned by Madrid's interest, with the 24-year-old having scored only once in his last five Serie A appearances.But Brazil great Ronaldo believes Icardi is happy at San Siro and is not sure if he would agree to a move.

"I'm convinced Icardi is happy at Inter, just as I was, even if I suffered from a lot of injuries and my departure didn't go as I had hoped," Ronaldo told Sky Sport Italia. "But even though we don't know much about the transfer market, I think a lot of clubs are lining up for Icardi.

"Going to Madrid is every player's dream, but I don't know if it's his."Ronaldo, who won the UEFA Cup during a five-year spell with Inter before joining Madrid in 2002, believes the Nerazzurri should stick with head coach Luciano Spalletti for the rest of the season.

Inter are winless in eight Serie A games, drawing all of their last five, and have fallen 15 points behind leaders Napoli."It seemed like it was going to be our year," said Ronaldo. "You can't go on questioning everybody, from the players to the coach, every year.

"You've got to believe in a project and give it the time it needs to work. What Inter did in the first two months of the season can't have been a fluke.

"Everybody was saying how Spalletti was their best signing. I tend to agree more with what 'my' president [Massimo] Moratti says: if he is as good as he definitely is, then now is the time for him to find the key to get certain players – I'm not naming names – back to playing at certain levels, even if it means he has to change something."

 

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Alexis sets Manchester United shirt-sales record


Manchester United enjoyed record shirt sales in January thanks to the arrival of Alexis Sanchez, after suffering a £21.1 million half-year loss at the end of 2017.

The club's latest financial results, which were released on Thursday, show a four per cent revenue increase to £163.9m, giving them an adjusted projected revenue of £585m for 2018.

The loss in the latter part of last year was down to changes in corporate tax rates in the United States, which were passed by Donald Trump's administration."As a result, the current quarter expense includes a non-cash tax accounting write off of £48.8million," United said in their official release.

Executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward said: "Our solid business model has allowed us to invest in the future of the club with the extension of Jose Mourinho's contract as manager and the acquisition of Alexis Sanchez."We look forward to the remainder of the season with confidence."

Sanchez's January arrival, which took place too late to be recorded in the figures, saw United set records for shirt sales and social media interactions, according to Woodward."Alexis Sanchez has set a new January signing record in terms of shirt sales, three times the previous record," Woodward told a conference call with investors.

He said the Sanchez deal, which saw Henrikh Mkhitaryan move to Arsenal, "generated some interesting social media stats"."It was the biggest United post on Instagram with two million likes and comments, the most shared United Facebook post ever, the most retweeted United post ever, and the hashtag #Alexis7 was the number one trending topic on Twitter worldwide," he explained.

"To put that into context, the announcement posts generated 75 per cent more interactions than the announcement of the sale of the world's most-expensive player last summer when Neymar moved from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain."

 

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Hazard: Chelsea changes to blame for form failure


Eden Hazard admits changes at Chelsea in the summer of 2017 made things “different” for the defending Premier League champions.Despite having restored domestic dominance in some style during Antonio Conte’s first season at the helm, the decision was taken to tinker with a star-studded squad.

Diego Costa, Nemanja Matic and Nathan Ake were among the proven performers to be ushered through the exits, with English top-flight novices such as Tiemoue Bakayoko, Alvaro Morata, Antonio Rudiger and Davide Zappacosta drafted in.

That refresh has not gone entirely to plan, with Conte falling under ever-increasing pressure after seeing his side hit a serious slump which has uncomfortable questions being asked of the playing and coaching staff.

Too much tweaking has been blamed for the reversal in fortune, with Belgian forward Hazard telling ESPN FC on the evolution at Stamford Bridge: "We changed a couple of things, we lost players, we brought some new ones and every year is different."That's why we love football - if there is only one team that wins it would be boring. That's why football is special. You never know what's going to happen, especially in England."

Keeping things interesting can often be considered a good thing, but many Chelsea fans would probably take “boring” over another period of instability and confusion.
Their season is not lost, though, and can still be salvaged if everybody starts to pull in the same direction.

The Blues remain inside the Premier League’s four, through to the fifth round of the FA Cup and the last 16 of the Champions League, giving them plenty to play for.Managing that schedule could, however, prove tricky, with Hazard conceding that Chelsea found the going easier last season as they were free of European commitments.

He added: "I think the Premier League is difficult."It's hard to win every year. Last year we didn't have the Champions League. This year we have less time to be ready for the games. Every week there are three games."

Chelsea’s next three games will see them face West Brom, Hull City and Barcelona across three different competitions, with things not getting any easier after that as they take in back-to-back fixtures against Manchester giants United and City.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Man Utd fan Pulisic not ruling out Premier League move


Christian Pulisic has admitted to being a Manchester United fan and declined to rule out a move from Borussia Dortmund to the Premier League.The 19-year-old midfielder has emerged as one of the top young talents in world football, with admiring glances being shot in his direction from across Europe.

Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona are among those said to be monitoring his development, while United and Liverpool have been mentioned as possible landing spots in England.

A move to Old Trafford could certainly appeal to the U.S. international, with Pulisic welcoming talk of interest from the Red Devils.Quizzed by ESPN on whether he was a United supporter growing up, the talented teenager said: “Yeah, I was. I was definitely a big fan.“Of course, right now I am under contract with Dortmund and I’m not looking around or doing anything like that so I’m very focused there. But, yeah, it’s cool to hear all this stuff!”

Pressed further on whether the opportunity to test himself in the Premier League is a challenge he would like to take on at some stage, Pulisic added: "Of course, the Premier League is an unbelievable league.“You never know in football what can happen, so right now, I'm focused with Dortmund, and yeah, that's that."

Pulisic saw former team-mate Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang depart Dortmund for England during the recent winter transfer window, with the Gabonese striker joining Arsenal for £55m.

He added on that deal: “He brought me along so much as a player and helped me and guided me, and he's been such a great guy.“Obviously, we're sad to lose him, but I'm excited to see what he does."

Pulisic generated plenty of speculation himself before the January deadline passed, with being the centre of attention a new experience for the youngster."Every day, you hear something different in the media or whatever, something like that, but now that it's over, our team has been having kind of a rough go of things lately. So many different coaches in the last few months, but yeah, right now, we've just got to turn that around and focus on ourselves."

With the window closed, Pulisic can focus solely on matters at Dortmund for now, but interest in his services can expect to be rekindled as the summer draws ever closer.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Inter set to win €27m race for Racing Club striker Lautaro Martinez


Highly rated Racing Club striker Lautaro Martinez is closing in on a move to Inter which could cost in excess of €27 million, the Argentinian club's president has revealed.

The 20-year-old had long been tipped to join Atletico Madrid, with Diego Simeone - a former player and coach of Racing - said to be a big admirer.

But negotiations failed to progress with the Spanish side after Atletico angered Racing by allegedly putting Martinez through an unauthorised medical, meaning he remained in Argentina following the transfer deadline in La Liga.

Martinez has been in good form in the 2017-18 Superliga season, scoring seven goals - including a hat-trick against Huracan on Monday - in eight games.And Inter appear to have won the race for the coveted attacker, with Racing's president Victor Blanco discussing the deal in detail.

"When we close the transfer we will give the figure, probably over $33million [€27m]," Blanco told Fox Sports Argentina."We are negotiating a future percentage [in addition], instead of increasing the value.

"It would be convenient for Racing to keep a percentage value, since they [Inter] will put a release clause of at least €110m [in his contract], which could generate very important money for Racing in future."