..::Football IV::..

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'Neymar has decided to stay at PSG' - Fernandez also doubts Real Madrid move for Mbappe


Neymar has “decided to stay at Paris Saint-Germain”, according to Luis Fernandez, while Kylian Mbappe is also set to shun interest from Real Madrid.

Both men have been heavily linked with summer moves to Madrid, with the Blancos forced to deliver public denials of bids being tabled.PSG have maintained throughout that they have no intention of parting with any of their prized assets, with €222 million (£196m/$261m) invested in luring Neymar away from Barcelona in 2017.

He saw his debut campaign in France ended by injury, before struggling to produce his best at World Cup 2018, and those at Parc des Princes are convinced he will be back on their books determined to prove a point in the upcoming campaign.Fernandez, who is the sporting director at PSG’s training centre, told Radio Marca: "Neymar has decided to stay at Paris Saint-Germain."He wants to succeed, after not achieving much at the World Cup. I think he wants to win titles with PSG."

While Neymar did little to increase his value in Russia, club colleague Mbappe thrived in a global shop window.The 19-year-old striker helped France to claim a second World Cup crown, with his pace, neat footwork and eye for goal landing him the Best Young Player Award.

Talk of a move to Madrid has built on the back of those efforts, but PSG have taken up the €180m (£159m/$211m) option in his loan move from Monaco and are looking forward to being the ones to benefit from his ongoing development.
Fernandez added on Mbappe: "He will also stay.

"He has said it, 100 per cent. He wants to win the Champions League with PSG.
"[FFP] does not worry me. The important thing is that both Neymar and Mbappe want to stay at PSG."PSG are currently preparing to open their International Champions Cup campaign, where they will face Bayern Munich, Arsenal and Atletico Madrid, before starting the defence of their Ligue 1 title against Caen on August 12.

 

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Pickford urged to ignore Bayern talk and stick with Everton by Moyes


Jordan Pickford’s efforts for England at World Cup 2018 have sparked talk of interest from Bayern Munich, but David Moyes is looking for the highly-rated goalkeeper to remain at Everton.

At 24 years of age, a player who made history in Russia over the summer by becoming the youngest man to keep a clean sheet for the Three Lions on the grandest of sporting stages has seen his profile enhanced considerably.

He is already the most expensive British goalkeeper of all time, with Everton having snapped him up for £25 million ($33m) in the summer of 2017, but another big-money move could be on the cards at some stage.

Moyes, who made Pickford first choice at Sunderland during his time in charge at the Stadium of Light, hopes no switch will be made this year, with it important for an emerging talent to continue furthering his development in settled Premier League surroundings.The former Everton boss told The Sun amid reports of interest from Bundesliga giants Bayern: “I think Everton is the right club for Jordan.

“It’s a big club, he’s only just moved and I would say to him it would be stupid to even consider another move if there was to be an option for him. “I think it will help him being at Everton because he will get enough work and he’s got a chance to develop without every single thing he does being scrutinised.

“He is still young and he just needs to keep getting his games in. The last thing he needs to bother about is any speculation.“If you go to the World Cup and do as well as he has done, you’ve shown you can stand on any stage.

“But all he needs to do is go back to Everton, keep working and look to improve.Don’t let anything slip, don’t be complacent.“At the moment he is a young player who has played very well. But the key to being a top player is going back and performing just as well.”

Moyes has also backed Pickford to nail down the No. 1 jersey with England, with it possible that he could occupy that shirt for the next decade.He added: “Near enough everybody accepts him as England’s No. 1 now and, at the age he is, that shows how good he is.

“But there’s also a chance that if he does it right, there is longevity for him. He could easily be England’s No. 1 for the next 10 years."He was always going to reach the top level because he’s got the ability.

“It was always about him putting the hours in, making sure he eats well and lives well.“He looks much leaner now and he’s got himself in really good physical condition. But now it is up to him to maintain and improve on his standards.

“So many of the players now have their own chef and that might be one of the things Jordan could do if he’s looking to gain that one per cent extra.”

 

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No Chelsea agreement for Golovin, claims CSKA president

CSKA Moscow president Evgeniy Giner has confirmed Aleksandr Golovin is close to leaving the club but refuted claims a deal with Chelsea has been agreed.

Reports in the English media emerged on Tuesday suggesting Chelsea had won the race to sign 22-year-old Golovin, one of the stars of Russia's World Cup campaign.The midfielder has become a hot property in Europe with Arsenal and Juventus both heavily linked, while Ligue 1 side Monaco this week revealed they had submitted a bid.

Giner expects Golovin's new home to become clear in the coming days and acknowledged he will leave CSKA to fulfill his potential and become a "big star".

"In order not to ruin [Golovin] we must let him go. But we have no solution for today," Giner told Russian outlet Sport24."When we receive an offer, we always try to negotiate openly."Indeed, we were visited by the vice-president of Monaco [Vadim Vasilyev] and made a proposal for Golovin.

"Chelsea? There is no closed arrangement with them. But the question of his transition to another club will be decided, I think, in the next couple of days."Golovin appeared in all five of Russia's matches at the World Cup, scoring once in the tournament-opening 5-0 win over Saudi Arabia.

 

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Kaka backs Brazil boss Tite after 'excellent' World Cup


Tite remains the man to lead Brazil towards World Cup glory in 2022 despite suffering a quarter-final exit at Russia 2018, according to former Selecao great Kaka.

Brazil were favourites to collect an unprecedented sixth world title but ran aground against Belgium in a thrilling clash in Kazan, with a goal from substitute Renato Augusto unable to undo the damage caused by Fernandinho's first-half own goal and a superb strike by Kevin De Bruyne.

Kaka accepts expectations in his homeland are such that Tite and his squad are unlikely to be celebrated for their efforts but, following a dominant qualification campaign to reach Russia, the ex-AC Milan star believes things are on the right track.

"In Brazil it is always a failure not to reach the final," Kaka, speaking courtesy of Adidas, told Omnisport.

"But I like to look at the positive side and the good things that happened. I believe we made an excellent World Cup – specifically, the game against Belgium in the quarter-finals was a great match."The technical level was very high. A tactical lesson from both coaches. They understood the game [and] made changes in strategy.

"And then there are [unfortunate] things in the game. Thiago Silva's ball hits the bar and goes out, [Vincent] Kompany's ball hits Fernandinho and goes in."Brazil have some defects, some things to be corrected. If Tite continues as the coach, he will be able to make the adjustments until 2022. I believe that the Selecao did a good World Cup."

Brazil are next in action when they face United States in a friendly at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on September 7.

 

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Pjanic: Ronaldo 'a huge coup' for Juventus


Miralem Pjanic described Cristiano Ronaldo's signing as a "huge coup" but the Juventus midfielder refused to confirm his future with the Italian champions amid links with Chelsea.

Five-time Ballon d'Or winner Ronaldo swapped three-time reigning European champions Real Madrid for Juve in a sensational deal that will cost €100m (£88m/$117m) plus €12m (£10.5m/$14m) in additional charges.The 33-year-old – Madrid's all-time leading goalscorer – signed a four-year contract with the Serie A giants.

Asked about new team-mate Ronaldo, Pjanic told Sky Sport Italia: "He's a huge coup, a great player."However, Pjanic's future in Turin is far from certain, with new Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri reportedly looking to lure the Bosnia-Herzegovina international to Stamford Bridge.Goal understands that Chelsea are in talks over the signing of Juve's Daniele Rugani, while the Serie A club are looking to offload Gonzalo Higuain.

Pjanic – who arrived from Roma in 2016 – has now emerged as a possible target for Chelsea as Sarri seeks another central midfielder in London.As he left a restaurant on Wednesday, Pjanic was quizzed on his future with Juve and the 28-year-old replied, "have a good evening" before driving away in his car.

Juve have already signed Ronaldo, Joao Cancelo, Emre Can and Mattia Perin, while Manchester United star Paul Pogba has been linked with an unlikely return to the club as well.

 

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Mourinho tells Pogba to 'understand why he was so good' at World Cup


Jose Mourinho has pointedly urged Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba to "understand why" he was one of the stars of France's World Cup triumph.

Pogba superbly netted Les Bleus' third goal in Sunday's 4-2 final win over Croatia, capping an excellent individual campaign in Russia.The 25-year-old grew into the tournament and the spectacle of him shining on the biggest stage came in stark contrast to a fractious season under Mourinho at Old Trafford.




Pogba found himself left on the bench for both legs of the Champions League last-16 defeat to Sevilla and was withdrawn during losses to Tottenham and Newcastle United, as speculation mounted over a breakdown in relations with his manager.

Speaking at his first news conference of United's pre-season tour of the United States, Mourinho confirmed he passed on congratulations to Pogba and hailed his performances during the latter stages of the competition.The United boss now hopes the club's record signing has the awareness to bring this form into the Premier League."I hope that he understands why he was very good," Mourinho said.

"I think that's the point about his performance level and his contribution to a winning team – for him to understand why he was so good, especially in the second part of the competition.

"In the quarter-finals, semi-finals and final he was absolutely brilliant."Mourinho added: "To win the World Cup can only be a positive thing. It’s difficult to say that to win the World Cup is not good for a player's career. So many good players never have the change to be a world champion.

"It's a young [France] team, apart from [Olivier] Giroud, [Hugo] Lloris and a few others they are all young and have more years to play together.

"The future for [Pogba] in the French national team, among that fantastic group of players, can only be brilliant."
Pogba's prospective new midfield partner Fred will join up with United's squad in the USA next week, while fellow new recruit Diogo Dalot is out until September with a knee problem.Mourinho claimed he was unsure whether there would be further incomings to Old Trafford before the 2018-19 season gets underway in less than four weeks' time.

"I have no idea, I'm not going to lie to you," he said. "I'm not going to say something is coming. I'm not going to say nobody is coming. I really don't know."

 

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‘It’s time for a new adventure’ - Alisson confirms Roma departure


Alisson Becker has thanked Roma fans and declared it ‘time for a new adventure’ as the goalkeeper nears a move to Liverpool.

The Anfield outfit agreed a £67 million ($87m) deal with Roma to land the Brazil international after opening talks earlier in the week.Alisson was thought to be open to a move to the Premier League club, though personal terms and a medical still had to be finalised.

And while nothing formal has been announced yet, the goalkeeper himself has now delivered a clear signal of his intentions, thanking Roma fans while at Ciampino Airport in Rome, and declaring it the right moment to move on.

“I want say thanks to AS Roma fans,” Alisson said. “Now it's time for a new adventure."It is expected Alisson will arrive in Liverpool this evening. The 25-year-old goalkeeper broke through in 2017-18, having joined the club the previous season.

After failing to feature in Serie A with Roma in his debut season after his move from Brazilian first division side Internacional in 2016, Alisson went on to play in 37 league matches this campaign, drawing interest for his strong performances.

Roma finished third in Serie A and made a memorable run to the Champions League semi-finals, stunning Barcelona with a comeback in the quarter-finals before going out to Alisson’s new club, Liverpool, in the semis.

Alisson also was Brazil’s starter in goal for the World Cup, with the nation going out in the quarter-finals to Belgium despite being one of the pre-tournament favourites.

If the move is completed, it will be a record-fee for a goalkeeper.

 

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Chelsea meet Juventus over Rugani as deal grows closer


Chelsea representative Fali Ramadani met with Juventus sporting director Fabio Paratici on Wednesday to discuss a deal for centre-back Daniele Rugani, Goal understands.

The talks in Milan are understood to have gone well, with the 23-year-old defender nearing a move to Stamford Bridge.Chelsea are thought to be offering €40 million (£36m/$47m) for Rugani's services, while Juventus are holding out for €50m (£45m/$58m).

The two sides should be able to find a compromise over that €10m gap, especially if Chelesa were to offer add-ons to bolster their €40m offer. The Blues are set to offer Rugani a contract worth €4.5m per season.

Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri has prioritised the signing of Rugani, whom he managed during the defender's spell at Empoli between 2013 and 2015.Rugani has been capped seven times by Italy and is highly regarded, but has yet to establish himself as a regular starter with Juve.

Stuck behind veterans like Giorgio Chiellini, Medhi Benatia and Andrea Barzagli, Rugani made just 26 total appearances in 2017-18, six more than he made the previous season. Following the €100m purchase of Cristiano Ronaldo, the Old Lady are looking to balance their books by selling off multiple players.In addition to Rugani's likely exit, Juve are also looking to part ways with prolific striker Gonzalo Higuain.

 

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Welbeck & Monreal could leave as Emery targets two more Arsenal signings


Arsenal manager Unai Emery is keen to bring in two more players before the end of the transfer window, but the north London side will have to sell players first in order to raise funds.The Gunners have already secured the services of Bernd Leno, Lucas Torreira, Sokratis Papastathopoulos, Stephan Lichtsteiner and Matteo Guendouzi in recent weeks and Emery remains keen to add to his squad.

Arsenal had a £70 million ($91m) budget heading into the transfer window, however, and will have to sell before making any additional signings.

They are believed to be willing to listen to offers for the likes of Nacho Monreal, Shkodran Mustafi, Danny Welbeck, Petr Cech, David Ospina, Carl Jenkinson and Lucas Perez.

The arrival of Leno from Bayer Leverkusen means Cech will likely end up on the bench after three years at the Emirates, with Ospina another potential victim of the German goalkeeper's signing.

Mustafi faces extra competition for a starting berth in defence from Sokratis following his arrival from Borussia Dortmund , with the centre-back enduring a difficult 2017-18 campaign.

Welbeck, meanwhile, has been plagued by injury ever since joining Arsenal from Manchester United in 2014 and has failed to win over his critics over the past four seasons.

Monreal was an important first-team member under Arsenal Wenger last term, but is seemingly not part of Emery’s plans.Jenkinson and Perez each spent last season away from Arsenal on loan and could be on the move permanently before deadline day on August 9.

Emery has made the signing of a fast, direct winger his main priority in the upcoming weeks, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Alex Iwobi and Reiss Nelson currently making up Arsenal’s frontline options.

The former Paris Saint-Germain boss would also like to bring in a new left-back if Arsenal manage to offload Monreal, with the Spanish full-back having been linked with a move to Real Sociedad.

Arsenal are currently preparing for their season opener against Manchester City on August 12, with Emery’s intense training sessions having impressed the squad as they were out on the training pitch until 8pm last week following a double session.
Playmaker Mesut Ozil even decided to cut his holiday short and make an early return after speaking to his team-mates about Emery’s training sessions.

 

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Everton make €35m bid for Bordeaux star Malcom after Inter move stalls


Everton have filed a bid of €35 million (£31m/$41m) plus €5m in add-ons for Bordeaux's Brazilian star Malcom after interest from Inter cooled, Goal understands.Malcom has attracted huge attention across Europe thanks to his match-winning displays for the Ligue 1 club over the last 24 months.At 21 he has already made 86 appearances since moving from Corinthians in 2015, scoring a total of 19 goals.

Arsenal and Tottenham were among the teams linked to the winger in January, only to be met with a firm refusal from Bordeaux due to their unwillingness to sell during the season.

But now Everton are set to make a move for the youngster.The Toffees have offered €35m plus an extra €5m in add-ons to land Malcom this summer.The club are also preparing a bumper contract of £80,000 a week, which will net the player a total of £30m ($39m) over five years.

Negotiations, however, may prove to be arduous, with Bordeaux determined to get the best deal possible for their gem.Inter have already seen their own approach break down over the structure of their €41m (£37m/$48m) bid.

Bordeaux held out for an up-front payment of the entire fee, a requisite that the Serie A side was not prepared to meet.

 

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Malcom pattama talent ekakhoda investment ekak wei Everton lata​

 

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Chelsea Unveil Sarri

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Congratulations & Good Luck Sarri!
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'Mistakes do not define me' - Chelsea boss Sarri rejects racism & homophobia accusations


Maurizio Sarri insists "mistakes" in his past do not accurately represent his character and will not overshadow his tenure at Chelsea.The new Blues boss faced the media for the first time on Wednesday and answered questions over a number of controversies during his coaching career in Italy.Sarri, 59, was labelled a "racist" and accused of being a homophobe by then-Inter boss Roberto Mancini following a heated exchange in 2016.

Further criticism followed earlier this year when he insulted a female journalist, but the former Perugia and Empoli coach claims past comments are not indicative of his views."These were mistakes for sure. I think they do not very well define me, either as homophobic or racist," Sarri said.

"I am a very open person. I do not have these kinds of problems. I hope I will be able to show this when I am working here and living here. "These mistakes were made, yes, and when someone makes a mistake they must apologise. To have a professional and ethical attitude is very important."I hope you will get to know me better and forget about this."

Left "heartbroken" by an acrimonious departure from Napoli, Sarri has resolved to introduce a sense of fun at Stamford Bridge, where a tense atmosphere developed under Antonio Conte last term. The Italian hopes to do that by implementing a playing style he described as closer to Pep Guardiola's approach than that of Jose Mourinho.

"[Mourinho] was won many things repeatedly and in different clubs so I think his track record does not need any description. We are talking about a world level coach," Sarri said.

"I esteem Guardiola and also other managers. My playing style is closer to Guardiola but I really appreciate both in the same way."My goal is to have fun and if possible be competitive in all competitions until the very end."

 

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New Chelsea boss Sarri plays down Hazard to Real Madrid transfer links


Maurizio Sarri has attempted to play down speculation linking Eden Hazard with a move to Real Madrid, insisting that he is looking forward to having fun working with the Belgian and hopes to make him a better player.The Italian, who has replaced Antonio Conte as the Blues boss, was speaking at his official unveiling on Wednesday amid mounting speculation that Hazard could be on his way out.

The 27-year-old has been strongly linked with a switch to Real Madrid as a possible replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo, while Barcelona are also apparently interested.

And while Sarri could offer no guarantees he would definitely stay put, he was keen to talk up the prospect of working with one of the top players in Europe."Hazard is a high level player and I think he is one of the top two or three European players," he told reporters."I would like to have fun during the week with him, this would mean good results and being competitive at the end of the season. I hope I will manage to improve him, this is very difficult as he is at a high level."

When asked how Hazard compares with one of his former players at Napoli, Dries Mertens, Sarri added: "Dries has improved with me but he started at a lower level. I hope Hazard will improve with me but it will be difficult."Two top players, I hope I will improve Hazard too, but this will be very difficult."

Sarri, who conducted his first press conference as Chelsea manager in Italian, explained how he's looking to have "fun" in charge of the Premier League side and suggested it was irrelevant that he had not yet won a trophy during his managerial career."It is really a pleasure for me to be here in London, the Premier League and the best championship in the world. I am happy to be at Chelsea.

"I am sorry that my English is not the best, but I don’t want to say anything wrong. I hope to do it in a few weeks."My goal is to have fun and be competitive until the end. In life the biggest gift you may receive is to have fun while you do your job. I think it is better not to whinge, but to enjoy.

"It’s true I’ve not won anything but I’ve been in Serie A for five years and I think apart from Juventus, no one has won anything."

 

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Zola returns to Chelsea as Sarri's assistant


Chelsea great Gianfranco Zola has returned to the Premier League club as assistant to new head coach Maurizio Sarri.The former Italy forward spent seven years at Stamford Bridge between 1996 and 2003, making 312 appearances and scoring 80 goals.

That haul included the winner in the 1998 European Cup Winners' Cup final against Stuttgart in Stockholm – one of four major honours Zola lifted with the west Londoners.

"For me it is an amazing thing," he told Chelsea's official website. "I am very willing to work hard because it is going to be a difficult challenge, but I am pleased to be here, and to work hard with Maurizio to be successful.

"It would be great to be successful with Maurizio and for the club and I will give my best, as I did in the past as a player."I am very much looking forward to the challenge in general. I would love us to start well and we are all very excited to start this new adventure."Zola headed straight off with Sarri and his squad to Perth for Chelsea's opening pre-season match.

The travelling party mixes youth with experience as Chelsea await the return of their World Cup stars but David Luiz, Marcos Alonso, Davide Zappacosta, Cesc Fabregas, Danny Drinkwater, Ross Barkley, Tiemoue Bakayoko, Alvaro Morata and new signing Jorginho are all present.

"It is a long way to travel but we are very pleased to go there and entertain our supporters over there," added Zola, who has managed West Ham, Watford and Birmingham City in England, along with Cagliari back in his native Sardinia.
"I know they are big fans so it will be a pleasure."

 

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Neymar vows PSG stay amid Real Madrid speculation


Neymar has dismissed rumours of a Paris Saint-Germain exit as the star reaffirmed his commitment to the French champions in his quest for silverware.

Real Madrid – seeking a replacement for Juventus recruit Cristiano Ronaldo – have been strongly linked with Neymar, though the European champions ruled out an approach for the Brazil international.Former Barcelona forward Neymar's future dominated headlines toward the backend of the 2017-18 season as talk of a La Liga return intensified.

However, Neymar has no plans to leave the Ligue 1 holders following the World Cup in Russia, where Brazil lost in the quarter-finals.

"I'll stay. I have a contract with PSG and I've chosen to be there for the challenge, for new things and higher goals," Neymar told Fox Sports at his charitable "Instituto Neymar' auction gala."I won't change my head about it. I hope we can have a successful season, with new silverware, too.

"The press enjoys creating rumours, but everyone knows how much I care about PSG."PSG team-mate Kylian Mbappe – who was named best young player of the tournament after helping France win the World Cup – has also been linked with Madrid.

Neymar, though, is relishing the opportunity to reunite with the 19-year-old sensation under new PSG head coach Thomas Tuchel."He's a phenomenon, a great player. We knew that for a while, I am with him on a daily basis and know just how much quality he has. I'm very happy for him for the World Cup, for the title," Neymar added.

"I believe he can also fight [for the top] the next few years. It'll be nice to meet him again, we've been talking daily, even during the World Cup."There is a new face in the French capital following the arrival of former Juve captain and icon Gianluigi Buffon.

Asked about the veteran Italy goalkeeper, Neymar said: "It'll be an honour to share the dressing room with a goalkeeper as great as Buffon, for his history and for the person he is. He has a lot to offer us, lots of experience."

 

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Guardiola: It would've been a 'mistake' for Jorginho to join Man City


Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola believes it would have been a "mistake" for Jorginho to sign for the Premier League champions if he wanted to join Chelsea.

Jorginho was tipped to make the move to City, however, the Italy international midfielder opted to reunite with former Napoli boss Maurizio Sarri at Chelsea.City were reportedly angry with Napoli – the Manchester club feeling Jorginho was pushed to turn down the Etihad Stadium for Stamford Bridge.

However, Guardiola wished Jorginho well in England after missing out on his top midfield target."No, I'm not disappointed," Guardiola told reporters ahead of City's International Champions Cup clash with Borussia Dortmund on Friday."We tried, but at the end all my advice for the players is that they have to go where they want to go.

"For the guy, it would have been a mistake for him and for us if he had decided to come here when he wanted to go with Maurizio and Chelsea."So it is important that English football has received an exceptional player and at the end if they want to come, it's better they come.

"If he decides to go to Chelsea for the reasons he has explained or will explain, then all the best for him."A number of City's stars are absent for the pre-season fixture following the World Cup in Russia.But one player who will be involved against Dortmund is out-of-favour goalkeeper Joe Hart.

Hart spent last season on loan at West Ham, however, the former England number one is in the squad as he searches for a permanent move away.
"Joe is our player. His situation is that he is here. We will try and find solution for him. If not, he will stay here," Guardiola said."He's one of the most incredible professionals I've ever met. He is training like a young guy of 18 years old.

"I know it's not easy for him given what's happened in the last period. But he is with us and tomorrow he's going to play."

 

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Liverpool complete record £65m signing of Alisson from Roma

Liverpool have completed the £65million (€73m/$85m) signing of Alisson Becker from Roma.

The Brazilian has signed a six-year deal at Anfield and becomes the most expensive goalkeeper in history by doing so.He is the Reds' fourth signing of what is becoming an impressive summer for Jurgen Klopp's side, joining Naby Keita, Fabinho and Xherdan Shaqiri in moving to Merseyside.

Liverpool identified the 25-year-old as their preferred choice to be the club's No.1 last season, and worked hard this summer to thrash out a deal with Roma, who were reluctant to lose one of their star men to the Reds for the second year in a row. Indeed, the £36.9m deal which took Mohamed Salah to Anfield last summer was discussed during the clubs' negotiations for this deal.

The Italians' initial asking price of £90m, quoted to Liverpool back in January, was seen as excessive but it was made clear in the past month that the Serie A club would settle for a deal closer to £75m, and that the player was keen on a move to Merseyside.

Talks progressed quickly this week as Liverpool sought to head off competition from Chelsea, with a deal agreed as the Londoners waited to sell Thibaut Courtois to Real Madrid. Anfield sources have told Goal that Liverpool will pay £56m up front for Alisson, with £2.2m of that going to his former club, Internacional.A further £9m could be paid in add-ons, which are dependant on Champions League qualification as well as Premier League and European wins.

Upon signing with the Reds, Alisson told the club's official website: "I'm really happy, it's a dream come true to wear such a prestigious shirt for a club of this size that is used to always winning."In terms of my life and my career, it's a huge step for me being part of this club and this family."You can be certain that I'll give my all."

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was pleased with the signing, saying he needed to have a conversation with the club's owners but they were on board with the move.

“At one point in the last few weeks it came up, the opportunity to sign one of the world’s best goalkeepers - then it’s not a long thought, to be honest, it’s only that you need to have a little talk with the owners!" Klopp told the club's website. "They were quite excited, so we did it."However, Klopp dismissed concerns over Alisson's price, citing the realities of the market.

“I think it’s something we have to do," he added. "He has nothing to do with the price, we have nothing to do with the price, it’s the market, that’s how it is and we will not think a lot about it.

“It shows the value of goalkeepers, of course, in this moment. It will happen a lot in the next few weeks I guess and that’s it, so we are really happy to have him here now."Liverpool will this weekend fly to the United States where they will play three games in the International Champions Cup. Alisson is expected to join up with his new team-mates, including Brazilian colleague Roberto Firmino, upon their return.

Klopp's men will travel to France for a short training camp upon their return from America before friendlies against Napoli and Torino. They begin their Premier League campaign on August 12 at home to West Ham.

 

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Spain taxes chased Ronaldo away from Real Madrid, says Tebas


Spain's high tax rate was a contributing factor in Cristiano Ronaldo's decision to join Juventus, according to La Liga president Javier Tebas.

Ronaldo ended his nine-year association with Real Madrid when he agreed a switch to the Serie A champions worth €112 million (£100m/$130m), signing a four-year contract.The Portuguese forward released a statement via Madrid's website to explain his reason for requesting to leave, citing the need for a "new cycle" at this stage in his career.

However, Tebas believes the move was also partially motivated by money, noting that the player will able to earn more in Italy."He'll earn more money than here," Tebas told Marca TV."I think that fiscally it favours him to go to Italy. Here, in Spain, we have a problem with fiscal competition.

"Out of the biggest leagues, Spain is where the players have the worst tax situation.
"It's not that elsewhere the rate is so much lower, but when you're earning significant sums then these little differences in rates translate to a lot of money for the players."

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner and Madrid's all-time leading scorer's issues with the Spanish tax authority in recent years was said to be a factor in his desire to leave the capital, as he suggested last year that he wanted to return to England because of the charges.Ronaldo faced a minor prison sentence and a large fine if found guilty, but denied the allegations of fraud as he appeared in court last year to declare: "I always pay what I have to pay; I do things the right way and I will continue to do so."

After repeating his desire to leave Madrid after their recent Champions League final win, he agreed to pay a sum of €18.8 million (£16m/$22m) to bring an end to the case and later completed the switch to the Serie A champions.