..::Football IV::..

[Wolverine GTR]

'I have made my choice' - Ibrahimovic addresses future amid Man Utd reports


Zlatan Ibrahimovic says he has already made a decision on his future but refused to comment on speculation linking him to a move to Manchester United.

The Sweden international, who is a free agent after his contract with Paris Saint-Germain, is reportedly close to a move to Old Trafford, with United ready to offer him a bumper deal which could see him earn £34 million.

Ibra said earlier this month that he knows his next club, but he refused to clarify as to where he will play next term.

"The future is already written," Ibra said at a press conference in Sweden. "I have made my choice.

"It's not important for me to have a deal done before the Euros. I enjoy reading what the media write. It's fun."

"There is interest from every country. England, Italy, other concretes. There are concrete offers, many alternatives.

"There is nothing happening right now, it's European Championships in force."

United seem the club leading the race to sign the 34-year-old and with the club expected to hire Jose Mourinho as coach for next season, the striker backed his former coach to succeed.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Come to Manchester United Ibra!

​

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Ibrahimovic backs Mourinho to bring success back to Man Utd


Zlatan Ibrahimovic has backed Jose Mourinho to bring success back to Manchester United amid reports that both are set for roles at Old Trafford.

The Sweden international has been heavily linked with United since the announcement of his exit from Paris Saint-Germain, though he does not want to discuss his future until after Euro 2016 despite having made a decision.

Mourinho is on the verge of confirming his appointment as Louis van Gaal's successor, the deal reportedly delayed by image-rights issues, and Ibrahimovic expects the Portuguese to add "action" to the club.

"It's a great move. You want action, you bring Mourinho," he told reporters.
"He's the man to bring them back to the top. Everywhere he goes, he brings success."

Van Gaal was removed from his post at Old Trafford despite lifting the FA Cup at the end of his second season, United having missed out on Champions League football while being criticised for an unexciting style of football.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Mourinho and Manchester United 'a good combination', says O'Shea


Jose Mourinho and Manchester United "should be a good combination", according to former United defender John O'Shea.

Former Chelsea manager Mourinho is expected to be confirmed as Louis van Gaal's successor at Old Trafford, despite delays arising from image rights issues, and O'Shea, who played for the Red Devils for over 10 years, believes it would be a strong appointment.

"I think he's got a fantastic record and he's going to a fantastic club," O'Shea told reporters in Dublin ahead of the Republic of Ireland's Euro 2016 warm-up friendly against the Netherlands.

The defender added: "It should be a good combination."O'Shea, 35, played for Man United between 1999 and 2011, winning 15 trophies, including five Premier League titles and a Champions League.

He joined Sunderland in July 2011 and has been a regular for the Black Cats during his time in the North-East of England.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Barcelona ready to sell Arda Turan & Aleix Vidal

Barcelona are ready to listen to offers for Arda Turan and Aleix Vidal.

The Turkey international joined Barcelona from Atletico Madrid last summer in a deal worth €34 million plus another €7m in add-ons.

Arda was unable to make his Barcelona debut until January due to the club’s transfer ban but has made 25 appearances in total - although only 13 of those have been starts.

In a bid to raise funds for this summer’s transfer market, Barcelona are ready to cash in on the 29-year-old but only if they receive a similar fee to what they paid Atletico.

Vidal has been used even more sparingly by the Spanish champions and the club would also accept bids of around €18 million - the fee they paid to sign him from Sevilla last June.

Barcelona’s focus this summer is to bolster their defence but a €60m transfer budget has been imposed.

An agreement to sign Denis Suarez from Villarreal has been reached, and while there is interest in Sevilla forward Kevin Gameiro and Sassuolo striker Domenico Berardi, both options are too expensive for Barcelona this summer.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Willian: Man Utd will be stronger with Mourinho

Willian expects Manchester United to be a fearsome outfit under Jose Mourinho, amid reports that he could reunite with his former Chelsea manager at Old Trafford.

Brazil international Willian enjoyed his finest individual campaign to date at Stamford Bridge this season, though his team-mates were unable to follow suit as the Blues' Premier League title defence ended in tatters, with Mourinho sacked in December.

Mourinho is poised to take charge at United following Louis van Gaal's dismissal and reportedly wants Willian to join him when he assumes control.

And Willian was keen to talk up his “great” relationship with 'The Special One' as he prepares for the Copa America Centenario with Brazil.

"Jose is one of the most successful coaches in the world and Manchester United will be stronger with him as manager," the winger, 27, is quoted by The Sun.

"I played some of my best football under Mourinho. He is a special coach and I have a great relationship with him."Winning the Premier League with him was one of the highlights of my career. I was sad things didn’t work out after that."

Willian scored 11 goals in all competitions for Chelsea in 2015-16 and won both the Club and Players' Player of the Year awards for his efforts.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Rashford set to start for England against Australia

Roy Hodgson has revealed that Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford is likely to start for England against Australia in Friday's pre-Euro 2016 friendly international.

The 18-year-old striker has shot to prominence in the 2015-16 campaign and ended the season with eight goals from 18 appearances having only made his first-team debut in February.And now Rashford looks certain to win his first cap for his country, with England manager Hodgson revealing that he is set to start as Daniel Sturridge struggles to shake off a calf injury.

Hodgson told reporters: "It's pretty obvious that Rashford is going to play a serious part in the game."I'm more than content that he will handle that situation. He's settled in very well. He's a great player with a lot of potential."

The Three Lions boss also confirmed that Wayne Rooney will not start the fixture at Sunderland's Stadium of Light, while Fraser Forster will play in goal against the Socceroos.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Congratulations Rash!

​

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Ferdinand welcomes Mourinho to Manchester United

Rio Ferdinand has welcomed Jose Mourinho to "the biggest club in the world" after a report suggested the Portuguese had signed a contract to become Manchester United manager.

Sky Sports News claim Mourinho completed the paperwork for his move to Old Trafford on Thursday and, while the club have not made any official comment, an announcement is reportedly expected on Friday.

And Ferdinand, who made over 400 appearances for United, winning six Premier League titles and one Champions League crown, is hopeful Mourinho can bring back a period of sustained success to the club after the disappointing reigns of David Moyes and Louis van Gaal.He wrote on Facebook: "Congratulations to Jose on being announced manager of the biggest club in the world!"This is Jose Mourinho's most exciting & most challenging job yet.

"The first thing he needs to do is install 'winning mentality' back into the club. Get this ingredient back into the players but also the people that work inside the club day to day. Give them back that belief so it is breathing throughout the club again, which is so important. But doing the above in the Manchester United way is equally as important.

"I have heard many say the 'Mourinho WAY' is not the Manchester United style of playing football. However, the Chelsea team that Jose put together first time round when he entered the Premier League played with wingers and hurt teams with quick attacking play. They had the likes of [Arjen] Robben and [Damien] Duff on the wings who were direct and quick."This is a sign he knows how to get a team playing in a way Manchester United fans can look forward to seeing."

Mourinho's detractors have questioned whether he will maintain the club's tradition of bringing young players into the first team; something he has not done regularly at the likes of Chelsea, Inter and Real Madrid.

Ferdinand chose not to address the issue, but insists that results will improve under the two-time Champions League winner.

He added: "Another doubt I keep hearing and being asked is, will he keep in with the tradition of the club which is bringing through the young players? For the moment, I can't answer this, only time will tell."One thing I can tell Manchester United fans is that they have got themselves a true winner in all aspects. His CV shows success!

"After his recent unsuccessful time at Chelsea in the final year, I can assure you this winner is now a wounded animal which makes him such a mouthwatering appointment. Jose went from winning the League cup &Premier League to losing a dressing room at Chelsea and I am certain he will want to restore all of that very quickly.

"He will be desperate to silence the media who have been writing and saying negative things about him (he will have stored it all being the competitor he is) and will be as focused as ever.

"Mourinho's huge personality is made for this great club, it's what he has been waiting for. Wishing him all the best!"

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Henry urges Mourinho to play Rashford at Man Utd: You can't ignore him

Thierry Henry has urged Jose Mourinho to select Marcus Rashford next season ahead of his unveiling as the new Manchester United manager, claiming the youngster's talent cannot be ignored.

Mourinho is expected to be officially presented to the media on Friday following the conclusion of lengthy negotiations with the United hierarchy after Louis van Gaal was sacked earlier this week.

Teenage striker Rashford shot to prominence in 2015-16 after netting a brace on his debut against Midtjylland in the Europa League in February, before going on to score a further six goals in all competitions.

Mourinho has a reputation for side-stepping blooding youngsters in the first team but Henry believes Rashford - who is set to make his senior England debut against Australia on Friday - is too good to be snubbed.

"He's going to have to make sure he can carry on with those guys," he told Sky Sports.

"Marcus Rashford with what he did this year, you can't just ignore that. [Timothy] Fosu-Mensah, I'm not going to name all the youngsters, I think he's going to go with that. And I think he's going to go with players that are going to fit the way he plays.

"I know people say his teams are boring and they don't score goals but when he went to Real Madrid a lot of the time he actually outscored Barcelona. And when he was at Chelsea they were scoring a lot of goals."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Henry backs Man Utd move for Ibrahimovic


Thierry Henry has voiced his support for Manchester United to make a move for Paris Saint-Germain striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic.The Sweden international will leave Parc des Princes on June 30 and Goal exclusively revealed on May 24 that United are ready to offer a deal worth up to £34 million to sign the striker.

Player-turned-pundit Henry, who lined up alongside the 34-year-old during his spell with Barcelona, believes the prolific attacker would make a significant impact in English football.

"For me it's a no-brainer if they can get Ibrahimovic," Henry told Sky Sports. "I've played with the man, he's a great guy, professional, funny."When he goes on the field he's an animal but out of it he's a class act. I cannot say anything bad about him and I think he can be a success for United and the Premier League."

Ibrahimovic enjoyed his most productive season in France during his final campaign, netting 50 goals in all competitions as PSG lifted the league title for the fourth time in a row.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Manchester United will be hard to beat with Mourinho - Courtois

Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has backed former manager Jose Mourinho to be a success at Manchester United.

The Portuguese boss is reported to have finalised terms with the Old Trafford club and is expected to succeed Louis van Gaal by leading United into the 2016-17 campaign.

Courtois was Mourinho's first-choice keeper as Chelsea won the Premier League in 2014-15 before the club embarked on a torrid run of form that resulted in his removal as manager at Stamford Bridge in December.

But the Belgium international, 24, believes Mourinho's presence will ensure facing United is a challenging prospect next season.

"He's a very good manager," Courtois told Sky Sports. "Obviously this season it was not our year but I'm confident he's a top manager and Manchester United will be difficult to beat next year.

And Courtois has also backed his own team to bounce back after following up their title win with a shock 10th-place finish."When a big team has a season like that, everybody learns from it," said the ex-Atletico Madrid shot stopper.

"Not only the players and manager but the directors, fans, everybody. We will be back stronger next year."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Liverpool join race for Mane after cooling Gotze interest

Liverpool have turned their attentions to Sadio Mane following Mario Gotze’s refusal to offer any commitments over a potential move, but Goal understands they face stiff competition from Manchester United and Tottenham to sign the player.

Jurgen Klopp has highlighted the Southampton attacker as an alternative to the World Cup winner, who was the club’s primary target but is yet to offer any assurances over his future at Bayern Munich.

The Senegal international could cost upwards of £25 million, with the Reds boss aware of the 24-year-old’s talents from his two-year spell at Red Bull Salzburg.

Ralf Rangnick, who was sporting director at the Austrian outfit when Mane was recruited, is a close friend of Klopp’s and the 48-year-old is hoping that that link can prove useful in negotiations.

Mane netted 15 goals in all competitions in 2015-16, providing nine assists, and the Liverpool manager is confident he has the pace as well as the dribbling ability to improve the club’s attack ahead of his first full season in charge.

The Saints forward netted four times against the Reds in three matches during the recently completed campaign, with United and Spurs also interested in securing his services.

Mane represents Liverpool’s ‘Plan B’ following the club’s decision to focus elsewhere given a lack of encouragement from Gotze. The 23-year-old has said he is looking forward to the new season at Bayern, but the Bundesliga giants have been unequivocal over the fact he is not central to their plans.

The door is not completely closed to Gotze, but Klopp will not remain static as he presses ahead with preparations for 2016-17.

Liverpool will also go all out as they try to land Borussia Mönchengladbach midfielder Mahmoud Dahoud. The 20-year-old has attracted interest from Dortmund and Spurs as well as a host of other European clubs, and it would be an impressive accomplishment if the Reds can pull a deal off.

Poland international Piotr Zielinski has also been linked in midfield, but with the club having only domestic commitments next season, it could most likely be a case of one or the other.

Meanwhile, Liverpool are trying to tie up the signing of Leicester left-back Ben Chilwell. The 19-year-old, who has been monitored by Arsenal, has made it clear Anfield is his destination of choice.

He remains the main target for the position with the Merseysiders denying an offer for Lorient’s Raphael Guerreiro.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

 

[sri D]

Mourinho apu nisa ronaldo wa apahu MU ekata genna gani wage...

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Mourinho apu nisa ronaldo wa apahu MU ekata genna gani wage...

Ahh naha broCR7 kiyala thiyanawa eya Real Madrid wala retire wenawa kiyala
​

 

[Alucard_SxE]

Ahh naha broCR7 kiyala thiyanawa eya Real Madrid wala retire wenawa kiyala
​

ronaldo nam aye kohewath yanne ne

 

[sri D]

Ahh naha broCR7 kiyala thiyanawa eya Real Madrid wala retire wenawa kiyala
​

ah ehemada ,ow itin man ta real madrid gedara wage ne.. wena kohe yannada !!!

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Ronaldo: Champions League worth more than Barcelona's double

Cristiano Ronaldo claims Real Madrid winning the Champions League would be a greater achievement than Barcelona's double this season.

Madrid will face city rivals Atletico at San Siro on Saturday hoping for a repeat performance of the sides' 2014 Champions League final meeting, which Real won 4-1 after extra time.

Barca recovered from a slump of form in April – a run that began with defeat in the Clasico - to win their final five games of the season and triumph in La Liga by a point from Madrid.

Luis Enrique's men went on to win the Copa del Rey with a 2-1 extra-time win over Sevilla last Sunday, but Ronaldo believes Real have weightier ambitions.He told La Sexta: "Winning the Champions is so much more than Barcelona's double.

"A Champions League win is a dream come true and I'm telling you that from the heart."Ronaldo refused to rise to the bait of Gerard Pique, who appeared to mock one of the Real Madrid star's goal celebrations as Barca celebrated their title win.

"Even when they win a title they have to remember Cristiano," he said. "It's incredible that I'm talked about in a good or bad light but I have no personal problem with Pique."Ronaldo was also in magnanimous mood when discussing Luis Suarez pipping him to the 'Pichichi Trophy' - La Liga's top goalscorer award.

The Portugal international added: "Obviously I was annoyed at not winning and was close to doing so. However, full credit must go to Luis Suarez who has had an excellent season."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Benitez: I'm ready for Championship challenge

Rafael Benitez insists he possesses the necessary experience to guide Newcastle United back up to the Premier League next season.

Benitez took over at St James' Park in March on an initial three-year deal, which included a clause allowing him to leave Newcastle should they drop down to the Championship.

However, despite seeing the side finish in 18th and subsequently being relegated from the Premier League, Benitez committed his future to Newcastle, putting pen to paper on a new three-year contract on Wednesday.

The Spaniard has spent several years managing big clubs in European top-flight leagues, with questions remaining over his ability to bring a team up from the second tier.

But Benitez ensured he will have enough help available to do well next season, including a few Championship-experienced players.

"I know that some people will say I lack experience there, but I started in the second division in Spain," the 56-year-old said."My teams have played teams in the FA Cup, the Capital One Cup, so we know the league. We have seen a lot of games and we have some players who have played in the Championship before.

"So we have information, but obviously we have to perform, and then you [pundits] will say, 'Hmm.... maybe.'"If we win the first game then you will say we have a good team, if we lose you will say it's because I have no experience in the Championship. But that is football.

"I think we have enough information, enough people with experience – we will talk with them, and maybe we will bring in players were experience in the Championship.

"The main thing is to do the right things and to work hard every single week."