..::Football IV::..

[Wolverine GTR]

Totti confirms he will begin 'new adventure' as Roma director

Francesco Totti has revealed his eagerness to begin a "new adventure" as he confirmed he would stay at Roma as a director on Monday. The 40-year-old legend left the Giallorrossi at the end of the 2016-17 season after spending his entire playing career at the club.

Initially there was some uncertainty over which path he would take, with offers to continue on the field in Japan circulated alongside the chance to join the Roma backroom staff. Club loyalties won out eventually, however, as Totti expressed his delight at renewing his link with the Serie A side.

"The first part of my life as football player is finished, now a second part begins as director, and I am hoping to do well as on the pitch. Now begins a new phase and a new adventure." Totti told Roma TV.

"It will take time, step by step, to understand the role most suitable for me, and I will try to help all, from the youth team to the chairman. I don't know how long it will take."There are people who think about their new role outside the field while they play; until 28 May I thought only about the field.

"Now I have the opportunity to work with AS Roma, with the sports director Monchi, the president [James] Pallotta and the coach [Eusebio] Di Francesco. I am lucky to know this club so well, I just have to understand what I want to do, and find the right role.

"At the moment I want to be everything and anything, an important character for Roma. I think that my future will be beautiful, I will choose a perfect role for me. Di Francesco? I have a great relationship with him".

 

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Keita excited about RB Leipzig despite Liverpool talk, says Hasenhuttl

Naby Keita and Emil Forsberg remain "comfortable" at RB Leipzig despite continued speculation linking the duo with moves away, head coach Ralph Hasenhuttl says.Liverpool are considering making a club-record bid for Keita after seeing an initial offer of £57 million rejected.

The Bundesliga side are determined to hold onto the 22-year-old Guinea international, having informed the Reds that he is not available at any price.However, Goal reported last week that he will reiterate his desire to join Jurgen Klopp's team in his next talks with club officials.

Meanwhile winger Forsberg is a long-term target for AC Milan, who have added a host of players in the current transfer window.Hasenhuttl is bullish about the club's chances of retaining their star players, though, insisting Keita and Forsberg are eager to get the new season underway.

"You can see that they feel comfortable here and are looking forward to the new season," Hasenhuttl told Kicker. "They know very well what they have here."It's a huge compliment for us that we awoke such desires from other teams, but it's not the general idea of our path to allow players to leave with the first offer we receive.


"Our goal is to become a large and well-established club and that is what we have done this summer, a significant step."

 

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Man Utd on verge of £40m Perisic deal

Manchester United are on the verge of signing Inter winger Ivan Perisic for a fee of £40.4 million.

The Croatian has been the subject of a lengthy pursuit by Jose Mourinho’s side this summer, but the two clubs have been unable to come to an agreement regarding a transfer fee.

United had initially hoped to use Inter’s desperation to meet Financial Fair Play commitments in order to prise away the 28-year-old for a fee of around £26.4m, but after the Nerazzurri were able to raise the funds elsewhere the Reds lost their leverage.

But, as Goal reported in June, Perisic remains keen to leave San Siro for the Premier League and ordered his agent to do everything necessary to force through a deal with United.

The player himself has also made his disaffection known to his employers, with his decision to make himself unavailable for the recent friendly with Nuremberg because of toothache believed by many to have been an overt message to the Inter board.

And now United are ready to tie up a deal, with Mourinho keen to get his two remaining summer targets through the door sooner rather than later. However, the Portuguese said on Friday that he understands why things are tough for executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward when it comes to negotiations.

“I would not like to be in Ed Woodward’s position negotiating because everything is really difficult,” he told reporters ahead of United's first pre-season friendly against the LA Galaxy.“So maybe we don’t get two, we get one, but we need one more to give us more options.”

United have already signed defender Victor Lindelof from Benfica and Everton striker Romelu Lukaku, with Chelsea’s Nemanja Matic also a target.

 

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Giggs backs Perisic to make big impact at Man United

Manchester United great Ryan Giggs believes the arrival of Ivan Perisic will give the whole squad a boost as the Inter winger nears a move to Old Trafford.

After months of speculation, United have reportedly made a breakthrough in their pursuit of the 28-year-old Croatia international, with Jose Mourinho's men on the verge of a £40million deal.

Former United winger and assistant Giggs feels Perisic's imminent transfer will bring out the best in Marcus Rashford, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Anthony Martial."It can be a boost for all the players," Giggs told Sky Sports."It not only excites the fans but also the players, when a new player comes in.

"If he comes, then the likes of Marcus Rashford, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Anthony Martial have to step it up."United have already invested heavily in the transfer market, spending £75m to lure Romelu Lukaku to Manchester.

Lukaku, who scored 25 Premier League goals for Everton last season as he finished second behind Golden Boot winner Harry Kane, made his debut in United's 5-2 pre-season win over LA Galaxy.

While Lukaku scored 53 Premier League goals in total for Everton, Giggs warned the Belgium international striker that he must adapt to increased pressure at United."The pressure will be on you. So he needs to develop a thick skin, he needs to listen to the coaches, because that's all that counts really," Giggs said.

"And if he misses a chance, the next one that comes along he needs to put it away because, as a centre-forward at United, you're under scrutiny all the time. I think he will score goals, but you need goals from all over the park.

"I've seen a bit of [Alvaro] Morata. I've seen more of Lukaku. The pluses with Lukaku are obviously that he's played in the Premier League and Jose has worked with him before, and he's got friends. He's friends with Paul Pogba, and that makes the transition that bit easier."

 

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Real Salt Lake 1 Manchester United 2: Lukaku opens his account as Valencia sees red

Romelu Lukaku scored his first Manchester United goal as the Premier League giants made it two wins from two pre-season matches after overcoming Real Salt Lake 2-1.

A £75million signing from Everton, Lukaku debuted in the 5-2 victory against LA Galaxy last week, but the Belgium striker opened his account in Salt Lake on Monday.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan slotted the ball across to Lukaku, who saw off two defenders and rounded the goalkeeper before steadying himself and firing a 39th-minute strike into the net.

It was not all smooth sailing for United, who had substitute Antonio Valencia sent off with 22 minutes remaining after RSL put Jose Mourinho's men on the backfoot for much of the first half at Rio Tinto Stadium.

Phil Jones and United struggled to cope with RSL's pace as Luis Silva gave the hosts a surprise 23rd-minute lead, but Mkhitaryan restored parity six minutes later and the Armenian star turned provider for Lukaku before half-time.

Attention will now turn to Sunday's International Champions Cup clash against LaLiga and Champions League titleholders Real Madrid in Santa Clara.

United reverted to a back four for in Salt Lake, after deploying a 3-5-2 formation against the Galaxy. New signing Victor Lindelof came into the starting XI to partner Jones – who retained his position – as Timothy Fosu-Mensah and Daley Blind occupied the full-back positions. Joel Pereira replaced goalkeeper David de Gea, while Paul Pogba, Lukaku and Mkhitaryan were included in the line-up.

Aside from Scott McTominay's early attempt, which flashed just wide of the post, it was a difficult start for United. Led by Silva and Joao Plata, RSL's pace down the flanks caused problems, with young keeper Pereira kept busy.

If not for Jesse Lingard's goal-saving tackle, it would have been 1-0 RSL after the United attacker thwarted Plata just as he was about to slot the ball past Pereira in the 19th minute.

RSL – ninth in the 11-team Western Conference and four points adrift of the MLS play-off positions – did get the goal they deserved four minutes later, when a perfectly-weighted through ball found Silva, who outpaced Jones with ease and poked the ball beyond Pereira.

That sparked United into action as Mkhitaryan equalised just shy of the half-hour mark. Lukaku linked up with Lingard and the Englishman played a neat one-two before teeing up Mkhitaryan for the finish. Jones and his partners in defence were provided some relief when RSL replaced their entire XI after 30 minutes.

And United benefited from the wholesale changes six minutes before the break – Lukaku breaking the offside trap, beating two defenders, rounding Rimando and firing the ball into the net.

As expected, United fielded a completely different XI in the second half, with Sergio Romero, Matteo Darmian, Valencia, Chris Smalling, Eric Bailly, Andreas Pereira, Ander Herrera, Marouane Fellaini, Juan Mata, Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford introduced.The second 45 minutes was not as free-flowing and gave Mourinho headaches more than anything else.

First, Mata hobbled off the ground due to a leg injury after signalling to the bench before the hour-mark – replaced by Demetri Mitchel.Valencia was then bizarrely sent off for a late tackle from behind on Sebastian Saucedo. The referee initially awarded a foul and spoke to the United full-back before brandishing a red card.

Despite their numerical disadvantage, United should have sealed the win in the 78th minute, but Smalling headed over the crossbar with an empty net at his mercy.

 

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Congratulations Manchester United!

Congratulations Lukaku!

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Mourinho has 'no idea' if Perisic will join Manchester United

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho says he has "no idea" if Ivan Perisic will join the club from Inter.

The 28-year-old Croatia international has long been linked with a move to Old Trafford and Inter technical director Walter Sabatini confirmed last week that United were continuing to show strong interest.

Goal revealed on Monday that the Premier League club are close to finalising an agreement over a transfer, with Inter ready to accept a bid in the region of £40million.

However, speaking after his side's 2-1 friendly win over Real Salt Lake, Mourinho claimed he was in the dark over the deal.

Asked to provide an update, he said: "No idea. No idea my friend. No idea."Earlier, Inter sporting director Piero Ausilio denied that Perisic was close to joining United or forward Stevan Jovetic is nearing a permanent move to Sevilla."He's close to Inter," he said to reporters."Jovetic and Perisic are Inter players. There's nothing."

 

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AC Milan 1 Borussia Dortmund 3: Aubameyang double downs Rossoneri

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored twice as Borussia Dortmund put a dent in AC Milan's hopes of an rapid revitalisation on Tuesday, easing to a 3-1 victory in the International Champions Cup.

Milan have been one of the most active sides in the transfer window with 10 new faces through the door since they finished the 2016-17 Serie A campaign in sixth.
Ricardo Rodriguez, Franck Kessie and Fabio Borini all started the opening game of the friendly tournament, with Hakan Calhanoglu and Mateo Musacchio half-time entrants.

They all started last week's 4-0 exhibition win over Lugano but were unable to bring about a positive result this time, the Rossoneri comfortably beaten by Peter Bosz's side in China.

Nuri Sahin grabbed the opener for Dortmund with a crisp, low strike before Aubameyang doubled their lead from the penalty spot.

Carlos Bacca pulled one back for Milan but Aubameyang's second completed the victory for Dortmund, while Vincenzo Montella will be desperate to incorporate more of his new stars to try and turn their fortunes around.

Dortmund flew out of the blocks in extremely wet conditions in Guangzhou with Ousmane Dembele threatening the Milan goal twice in the early exchanges.

And it was not long before the Bundesliga side were ahead as Sahin opened the scoring with a low, 16th-minute strike that Marco Storari should have done better with, the ball squirming under his outstretched hand.Things went from bad to worse for Montella's side moments later when Gabriel Palletta was adjudged to have fouled Christian Pulisic in the penalty area, Aubameyang making no mistake from 12 yards.

Milan eventually posed an attacking threat midway through the half and Bacca reduced their deficit with a surprise outside-of-the-boot strike that caught Roman Weidenfeller cold, his effort skidding beyond the goalkeeper.

After a drinks break, Dortmund resumed their dominance and Gonzalo Castro should have re-established their two-goal cushion before the interval after excellent work from Aubameyang.

Montella introduced Musacchio and Calhanoglu at the break and although the Italians initially looked better they soon found themselves further behind.

Dortmund's third goal came after Calhanoglu wasted a free-kick and then a corner, the Bundesliga outfit launching a swift counter-attack through Castro.Having carried the ball the length of the pitch the midfielder found Pulisic, who rolled it into Aubameyang and the Gabon international had the simple task of tapping home.

Aubameyang departed minutes later as Bosz entirely changed his front three, Alexander Isak replacing the match winner, while Mario Gotze and Emre Mor also stepped off the bench.

Instead it was Milan who came closest to adding to the scoreline, but Patrick Cutrone was denied by the feet of substitute goalkeeper Dominik Reimann when one-on-one.

His wastefulness summed up Milan's disjointed performance, while Bosz will be pleased with how his Dortmund side are developing.

 

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Dortmund rule out Aubameyang sale: The deadline's over

Dortmund have ruled out Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang leaving the club in the summer, insisting that their transfer window is closed.The 28-year-old striker has been linked with the likes of AC Milan and Chelsea, while reports of a mega move to China have also surfaced.

Aubameyang was the top scorer in the Bundesliga in the 2016-17 campaign, scoring an incredible 31 goals in 32 games to see off competition from Robert Lewandowski.

And it appears the Gabon international is going to be staying put, with the club's sporting director Michael Zorc revealing that time has run out for any interested parties.He told Goal on Tuesday: "It's quite simple. We opened this window for a certain time frame to realise if the transfer [could be done].

"But we have to put a time limit on the transfer because if he has to leave, we have to replace him. Then it gets difficult the longer the transfer window goes on. That's more or less the reason to finish it now.

When asked if the club would consider a sale if a crazy offer came in, Zorc added: "The deadline is over. No [the club wouldn't consider a mega offer], we are going to plan with him for the new season and our intentions are the same."

Aubameyang scored twice as he featured from the start in Dortmund's 3-1 International Champions Cup victory over Milan.Head coach Peter Bosz also discussed the forward's future following the win over the Serie A side, insisting that he is remaining cautious until the transfer window has officially closed.He told reporters: "I am really glad he's in my squad. And while he's here I will use him and everyone can see why today.


"I am really happy that he's here. But in modern football, only at the end of August can we be sure [that he will stay]. He's a fantastic guy and a fantastic player."

 

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Mane ready to re-join Liverpool first-team fold following recovery from knee surgery

Sadio Mane will join up with the Liverpool squad for their pre-season training camp in Germany, manager Jurgen Klopp has confirmed.

The Senegal international stayed on Merseyside to continue his recovery from knee surgery as the rest of the squad journeyed to Hong Kong for the Premier League Asia Trophy.

Klopp says the forward is on track in his recovery and expects him to be available for the trip for a friendly against Hertha Berlin and the Audi Cup, which starts on August 1."Sadio is on the way back. The plan is he will come with us to Germany," Klopp told Liverpool's official website.

"The plan is he trains completely normally with us when we are back in England.
"We have been waiting long enough for him now! He is around [Melwood] all of the time and is in pretty good shape.

"Unfortunately he was not ready to train, but he looked good, it [the injury] looks good and so now he should be fine when we get back."Mane scored 13 goals in all competitions for Liverpool before suffering meniscus damage in the 3-1 win over Everton on April 1.

 

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Unstoppable Aubameyang shows AC Milan what their summer revolution is missing

AC Milan’s first real test in the midst of their summer spending spree ended in disappointment as they were thoroughly outplayed by Borussia Dortmund in Guangzhou.

The Rossoneri, whose long, protracted takeover by Yonghong Lee’s Chinese-led consortium Rossoneri Sport Investment Lux was completed in April, have been the talk of the transfer window.

They have been the biggest spenders in Europe, splashing out over €200 million on 10 players, including the shock capture of Leonardo Bonucci from rivals Juventus last week for €42m.

Immediately, fans began dreaming of winning the Scudetto this coming season but Tuesday’s 3-1 defeat to Dortmund at Guangzhou’s University Town Sports Stadium showed that it will take time for the revolution to bear fruit.

Although only three of the new arrivals started the game - Fabio Borini, Ricardo Rodriguez and Franck Kessie – and two more came on as half-time substitutes in Hakan Calhanoglu and Matteo Musacchio, Milan need to be given time to gel as a team.

The awakened Italian giants had a sloppy opening to the game, giving the ball away far too easily. Dortmund were comfortably the better of the two teams as, every time they moved forward in attack, they were able to carve open the Milan back-line. Not only were the full-backs exposed by the pace of Ousmane Dembele and Christian Pulisic, but the centre-backs struggled as well, with Gabriel Paletta conceding a spot-kick.

Before the game, Montella had said, “Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is a very excellent forward player. He has a vast array of shots. He also has a very good technique and speed. He will threaten our back-line today. But our defence will be prepared for him.”

However, the former Milan youth product harried the centre-backs at will and was allowed far too much space to manoeuvre. The Rossoneri looked to play from the back unwisely and time and again committed errors, with the team in yellow pressing high up the field. The 28-year-old made sure Milan were punished by scoring from the spot and then added another with a fantastic right-footed finish just after the hour mark.

Milan CEO Marco Fassone confirmed a few days ago that the Gabon international was one of the three shortlisted strikers on their radar, alongside Alvaro Morata and Andrea Belotti. Going by this performance, it certainly looked like Aubameyang is exactly what Milan’s revolution is missing, although Dortmund insisted after this game that they now consider their transfer market closed.

Milan laboured in attack and they couldn’t hold the ball for extended periods. Chances were at a premium and even the goal scored by Carlos Bacca, who otherwise was anonymous, was due to individual brilliance more than anything else.
Why it all went wrong for Szczesny at Arsenal

Borini failed to make any impact whatsoever and his only moment of note was a stamp on Marc Bartra. The former Liverpool striker ran up and down the field but without making any contribution. The one chance which came his way saw a poor left-footed shot from inside the box which went wide.Kessie, who played in Atalanta’s 3-5-2 system last season, will need to improve his passing at Milan as he gave the ball away too often in Montella’s 4-3-3.

After the break, the introduction of Calhanoglu and Musacchio improved Milan, but Aubameyang’s second goal ended any chances of a comeback. Dembele made a mockery of the Italian rearguard as he took on as many as four players and still managed to keep the ball.

Milan defensive legends Franco Baresi and Filippo Galli, watching the game from the stands, will be hoping that Bonucci is the man to stabilise a shaky defence. It must be noted, though, that only Rodriguez will be expected to be a regular from the defenders who played against Dortmund.

Before the end of the first half, the Chinese fans who had travelled a long way to get to the stadium located on the outskirts of the city, made their disappointment evident by chanting: “Yonghong Li, please continue to sign new players!"

The future looks bright for Milan once again under their new rich Chinese owners, but one thing we can’t expect is instant success… even if convincing Dortmund to sell Aubameyang would certainly speed up the process.

 

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Neymar ready for €222m transfer to PSG as Barcelona frustration grows

Neymar is ready to leave Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain in a deal worth €222 million after growing frustrated at Camp Nou.

The Brazil international only signed a new deal until 2021 back in October of last year and Barcelona stressed earlier on Tuesday that Neymar would "200 per cent" certain stay this summer .

Neymar is no longer happy at Barcelona, though, as he believes the presence of Lionel Messi will effectively prevent him from having a shot at winning the Ballon d'Or.He also feels isolated in the dressing room due to the absence of any close friends in the squad.

Messi recently signed a contract renewal that will keep him at Barca until 2021, meaning Neymar will have to settle for a place in the Argentina international's shadow for the foreseeable future.

The 25-year-old was also hopeful Barcelona would bring in Lucas Lima from Santos to provide him with a close companion at the club, but they eventually pulled out of a deal for the 27-year-old.

This further frustrated Neymar as well his father, who would have earned a commission from the transfer and has a meeting scheduled with PSG in Paris later this week.

The attacker already held talks with PSG in 2016 over a potential transfer, but decided to sign a new deal with Barcelona instead in the end.He is ready to go ahead and move to the French capital this time around, however, and PSG are willing to meet his €222m release clause.

The Ligue 1 giants already secured the services of Dani Alves earlier this transfer window to please Neymar, with the right-back enjoying a close relationship with his compatriot during their time together at Barcelona.

Neymar would also team up with fellow Brazilians Marquinhos, Thiago Silva and Lucas Moura in Paris.

 

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Hart joins West Ham on loan from Man City

West Ham have completed the loan of Joe Hart from Manchester City with an option to buy.

Goal revealed on Friday that the England international was on the verge of making the switch to the London side after City agreed to pay part of his £100,000-per-week wages.Hart had his medical on Monday to secure a switch to the Irons, making his fifth loan since he joined in 2006 from Shrewsbury Town and likely his last.

The 30-year-old has two years left on his deal at the Etihad Stadium, but will be able to join the Hammers on a permanent deal at the end of 2017-18 for around £15 million, having been told by Pep Guardiola to find a new club.However, Hart hold no hard feeling toward his parent club, despite leaving on loan for the second straight season.

“I've obviously left Manchester City on loan this season, but the club as a whole, especially the supporters, have always been fantastic to me,” Hart told West Ham TV."I'd never change how I feel about that club, as it'll always be a very special club to me."

After six seasons as City's first-choice goalkeeper, Hart was sent to Torino last term following Guardiola's arrival, making 36 appearances in Serie A.But now the England international is excited to return to the Premier League."It was a fun year and I did enjoy being part of Serie A and part of Torino, but I'm ready to come back and looking forward to being part of this fantastic league again,” Hart said.

Hart's arrival could lead to the departures of West Ham goalkeepers Adrian and Darren Randolph, as the former has been linked with Crystal Palace, while Newcastle United and Middlesbrough have expressed interest in Randolph.Upon his arrival in London, Hart will link up with former City team-mate Pablo Zabaleta after the Hammers signed the right-back on a free transfer earlier this summer.

"It's important for me to play football and to get the opportunity to come here and play is absolutely awesome,” Hart said. “To be playing in the Premier League for a big club like West Ham, I'm really looking forward to the season.

"I've always loved the club. I think you'll struggle to find anyone, apart from the direct opposing fans around London, who doesn't love the club. It's got something about it, it's got a lot history and I've always loved playing against West Ham."
Hart made a total of 348 appearances for City, and has won 71 England caps.

 

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Wenger: Arsenal will not sell Alexis Sanchez

Alexis Sanchez will not be sold this summer, according to Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger, who insists the Chilean's declaration that he wants to play Champions League football next season was mistranslated.

In an interview with Canal 13 in Chile this week, Sanchez was quoted as saying: "I want to play Champions League. The decision does not depend on me, I have to wait for Arsenal."

His apparent desire to leave the Gunners came after they missed out on qualification for Europe's elite club competition for the first time in 20 years last season - Arsenal finishing fifth despite Sanchez's career-best 24 league goals.

However, Wenger has insisted despite interest from elsewhere, Sanchez will not be departing."The decision has been made and we will stick to that," Wenger said at a media conference in Shanghai on Tuesday. "The decision is not to sell."Wenger went on to downplay the Chile international's comments, saying they were lost in translation, and has challenged Sanchez to fire Arsenal back into the top four next term.

"I do not give too much importance to things that are translated," Wenger said. "What I got, he didn't really mean that."We have played for 20 years in the Champions League. That's 17 years before Sanchez arrived and three years with him. So he can get us back in there.

"When you play in the Champions League, everyone says: 'Is that all you do?' Suddenly when you don't play in there it becomes a major problem."At the end of the season, only one team can win the Champions League."For us the main focus is the Premier League, and the Premier League for me these days is more important than the Champions League.

"We have rested sometimes players in the group stage of the Champions League for the Premier League so it has become most important for us."

Manchester City have been strongly linked with a move for the Chile international, with Bayern Munich - who Arsenal play in the International Champions Cup on Wednesday - and Paris Saint-Germain also reportedly among his admirers.

 

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Herrera hails 'massive' benefits Lukaku brings to Man Utd

Ander Herrera is expecting £75 million striker Romelu Lukaku to make a “massive” impact at Manchester United.

Jose Mourinho has spent big once again this summer bringing further quality into the Old Trafford ranks.A proven frontman was always going to be required, with the decision taken not to extend Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s 12-month contract.

Lukaku was quickly identified as United’s preferred choice and, with a deal done and the Belgian already on target, Herrera believes the 24-year-old will prove to be a shrewd addition as he offers much more than merely a goal threat.He told MUTV after seeing Lukaku open his account in a 2-1 friendly victory over MLS side Real Salt Lake: “It was a fantastic goal.

"He didn’t panic, he was very calm, so it was a fantastic goal.“He’s going to score a lot of goals for us, but I also want to speak about the work he does holding the ball for the team. He’s very strong and it’s very difficult to win the ball from him, so he’s going to be very important for us.“We have many players like Micki [Henrikh Mkhitaryan], Marcus [Rashford] and Anthony [Martial], who are very good in a one-against-one, but we need one like Romelu.

“He’s strong and can hold the ball for us. Sometimes, when you are defending, you can keep the ball and he can hold it for you, so the work he does for us is massive."While delighted to see Lukaku making his mark in the States, Herrera admits that United’s focus has already turned towards competitive action.

They have International Champions Cup dates to take in first against Manchester City, Barcelona and Real Madrid, but a UEFA Super Cup clash with the Blancos prior to the resumption of Premier league action on August 13 is catching the eye.

Herrera added after seeing United battle to victory on Monday with 10 men, following the dismissal of Antonio Valencia: “It’s always important to win but, today, it wasn’t the most important thing."We’re getting better, we’re getting minutes in our legs and that’s the most important thing.

“Always, when you play with 10 men, you have to run a little bit more! I think it was a good work-out as well, because the most important thing is to build fitness ahead of the start of the season.

“I think these games are exciting for all of us, but the result is not going to be important. The important thing is going to be 8 August – the Super Cup against Real Madrid.

“These are big teams but, to be honest, the most important thing is the European Super Cup. It’s already in our minds.”

 

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Lucas completes £5m Lazio move after 10 years at Liverpool

Lucas Leiva’s 10-year spell at Liverpool has ended with the Brazilian completing a reported £5 million switch to Lazio.

Signed by the Reds for the same amount from Gremio on May 11, 2007, he sat out Friday’s 1-1 friendly draw at Wigan Athletic to travel to Italy and finalise the move.

Both Liverpool and Lazio confirmed the deal Tuesday, for the midfielder, who also functioned at centre-back for Jurgen Klopp at times last season.

Having come close to departing Anfield several times over the past few transfer windows, Lucas has finally found a fresh challenge to accept.
He was recruited as a replacement for Lucas Biglia, who traded Lazio for AC Milan in a deal worth an initial £15m.

“Liverpool as a club and Liverpool as a city is a unique place. I think it’s different from everywhere,” he told Liverpool's official website. “The fans are a big part of the club, probably the most important part of the club, and without them Liverpool wouldn’t be the same club I would say.

“Thank you for all the support, especially in difficult times, that’s when it means a lot. We all know that Liverpool fans are really special and they were always here for me.

“I’ll always be watching and supporting Liverpool and for sure I’ll be back, in the city to visit friends and watch games in the future.”The 30-year-old made 346 appearances for the Merseysiders during his decade of service and was Liverpool’s longest-serving player at the time of his exit.

 

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Cristiano Ronaldo confirms ANOTHER baby on the way with Georgina Rodriguez

There may be only one thing growing faster than Cristiano Ronaldo’s trophy count these days: his family.

The star attacker, 32, appeared to confirm he and his girlfriend, model Georgina Rodriguez, are expecting a child in comments made to Spanish publication El Mundo.When asked if he was happy with having another child on the way, the star replied with: “Yes, very much.”

The child will be Ronaldo’s fourth. He recently confirmed the birth of twins, who were carried by a surrogate, following Portugal’s exit from the Confederations Cup. He also has a six-year-old son.

Rumours of Georgina’s pregnancy have swirled for weeks, and photos posted on Instagram recently have only fueled those whispers.

During the interview, Ronaldo said he was “delighted” with his new twins and that while he did not do very well at changing diapers yet, he still makes his best effort.Ronaldo also said he will miss Real Madrid’s tour of the United States while he remains with his family in Spain.

 

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Congratulations CR7!

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Liverpool won’t sell Coutinho or any other key player, confirms a 'relaxed' Klopp

Jurgen Klopp remains calm over Liverpool’s limited business in the transfer window so far and insisted the advancement of the current squad is equally as important as making new signings.

Mohamed Salah and Dominic Solanke have been the only recruits for the Reds this summer, with the club aiming to further strengthen at left-back, midfield and in the heart of defence.

Hull City’s Andy Robertson is on the agenda to provide competition for James Milner in a deal worth around £8 million, while an opening £57m bid for RB Leipzig’s Naby Keita was rejected, with the dynamo the priority target to elevate the quality in the centre of the park.

Liverpool were forced into making an apology to Southampton over Virgil van Dijk and publicly ended their interest in the defender on June 7.Despite the difficulties in getting their main business over the line, Klopp has refused to panic or become annoyed.

“I am not easy to frustrate. It's the transfer market,” he said.“Sometimes things work out, sometimes they don't. That's how it is. I'm still relaxed. Everything is open until August 31.”

Paris Saint-Germain have been heavily linked with Philippe Coutinho, but the Reds boss will not sanction an exit for the Brazil international or any other key player in the squad.The 50-year-old is expecting the current group to reach another level in the upcoming campaign given their shared experiences under his tenure.

“Not with only Phil, but it’s a good thing to talk about in the transfer window because the world thinks improving is only about bringing in new players,” Klopp noted.

“Nobody thinks that the players we already have will make the next step, which is also a nice idea. We use the transfer window, of course, because it gives us an opportunity, but the main thing I think about is how we can make the next step with the players we had last season.

“The good news is we didn’t lose - and we will not lose - a player we want to keep this summer. That’s the best news actually and then we’ll see who can bring into the squad. I expect a lot of progress from the players based on their experiences from the last years.”

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Antonio Conte signs new two-year contract at Chelsea

Antonio Conte has signed a new two-year contract at Chelsea, the Premier League champions have confirmed.

Former Juventus and Italy head coach Conte led Chelsea to glory in his first season in England's top flight, with the Blues finishing seven points clear of Tottenham at the summit.

The new contract is an improvement upon the terms of the three-year deal the 47-year-old agreed when he joined Chelsea, meaning he is still tied to the Stamford Bridge club until the end of 2018-19.

Conte told Chelsea's official website: "I am very happy to have signed a new contract with Chelsea. We worked extremely hard in our first year to achieve something amazing, which I am very proud of. Now we must work even harder to stay at the top."The Chelsea fans have given me so much support since I arrived here one year ago and it is important we continue to succeed together."

Conte has bolstered his squad with the arrival Germany defender Antonio Rudiger from Roma and midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko from Monaco, although his decision to freeze out striker Diego Costa and the failure to secure an attacking replacement means the close season has not run entirely smoothly to date.

Manchester United's capture of Romelu Lukaku reportedly angered Conte, who was reportedly a target for Inter Milan before they appointed Luciano Spalletti to succeed Stefano Pioli.Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia, though, believes the Italian remains the ideal man to lead the Blues to further success as they prepare for a return to the Champions League.

"Antonio achieved incredible success last season, adapting to English football very quickly and leading us to the Premier League title," she said.

"This new contract reflects our belief that he can continue to deliver results both domestically and as we return to European competition in the Champions League."
Conte has added compatriots Paolo Vanoli and Davide Mazzotta to his backroom staff for the new season.

Vanoli will serve as his assistant after Steve Holland took up a post under Gareth Southgate with the England national team, while Mazzotta will work on player analysis.