..::Football IV::..

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Arsenal close in on £60m Aubameyang signing from Dortmund


Arsenal are on the verge of signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Borussia Dortmund after the clubs agreed a £60 million fee in principle for the Gabon international, Goal understands.Aubameyang, 28, has been subject of negotiations between the Gunners and Dortmund for several weeks, with Arsenal refusing to meet the Bundesliga side's £70m asking price.

The striker, who scored 31 league goals last season, was left out of two consecutive games for Dortmund after missing a team meeting, with head coach Peter Stoger accusing the frontman of not being focused.

However, Aubameyang started in Dortmund's draw with Freiburg on Saturday amid claims from the Bundesliga side that a transfer would be sanctioned if Arsenal reached 'certain parameters'."We are ready to realise a transfer under certain parameters, but only if these are fully met," sporting director Michael Zorc told German TV.

"We have a clear position. Arsenal has started several attempts so far. We have up to now refused them all."Aubameyang would join up with former Dortmund team-mate Henrikh Mkhitaryan at Arsenal after the Armenian joined the club in a swap deal which saw Alexis Sanchez head to Manchester United. The duo combined for 62 goals in all competitions two seasons ago.

This season, Aubameyang has scored 21 goals in 24 matches in all competitions. He has found the net 141 times since joining BVB from Saint-Etienne for €13m in July 2013, and he also has 23 goals in 56 caps for Gabon.

He's on the verge of joining an Arsenal side sitting sixth in the Premier League table, five points out of the top four. The Gunners were eliminated in their opening FA Cup fixture against Nottingham Forest earlier this month but have advanced to next month's Carabao Cup final against Manchester City and will face Swedish side Ostersund in the Europa League last-32.As previously reported, West Brom defender Jonny Evans is also a target at the Emirates Stadium, although a hamstring injury sustained at the weekend could see a transfer put on hold until the summer.

Evans is open to a move, but Arsenal may face a late battle, with the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City keen to land the ex-Manchester United player depending on his fitness status.

 

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Arsenal & Liverpool warned Monaco star Lemar not for sale


Monaco star Thomas Lemar is certain to stay with the Ligue 1 club until the end of the season, vice-president Vadim Vasilyev said.

Lemar, 22, was the subject of a bid from Arsenal towards the end of the summer transfer period, agreeing a club-record £90 million deal on the final day, only for the midfielder to back out of it.Links to the Gunners and Liverpool have continued through to the January window, but Vasilyev said the France international was sure to remain with Monaco until the end of the campaign.

"He will stay at Monaco until the end of the season at 100 per cent," he told RMC.
Vasilyev said even if his club received huge offers for Lemar, there was no chance they would sell in January."If Liverpool or Arsenal come with a big offer before the end of the market? This is not relevant," he said.

"We will say no because the objectives are clear."Without important players like Lemar, we will not succeed."Lemar has provided five assists and scored two goals in the league this season. He is contracted to the club until June 2020.

 

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Chelsea still hopeful of Dzeko deal as Giroud & Llorente emerge as alternatives


Chelsea remain hopeful of landing a deal for Roma striker Edin Dzeko but are now looking at Arsenal’s Olivier Giroud and Tottenham’s Fernando Llorente as alternatives, Goal understands.The Blues have been after Dzeko for much of the winter window, but talks have stalled for now as all three parties have been unable to come to any agreements.

Dzeko was seen as likely to be added this January alongside team-mate Emerson Palmieri, but for now the striker remains in Italy despite being keen on a move to Stamford Bridge while Emerson will undergo a medical ahead of a £17.5 million move.

As the window winds down, the Blues are looking at alternatives to Dzeko, with a possible opportunity to land London rivals Arsenal’s Giroud arriving via an unlikely source.

Michy Batshuayi has been angling for a loan move away from Chelsea, but has not been allowed to leave until the Blues find a new striker to replace him in the rotation. But in an interesting twist, the Belgian being granted a loan may well help land his replacement in Giroud.The Gunners appear near to a deal to land Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Borussia Dortmund . However, the Bundesliga side look more interested in securing the services of Batshuayi as a replacement for the Gabon international, rather than Giroud.

That has opened the door for Giroud to join the Premier League champions, with the striker eager for a move while the Gunners remain reluctant.

Another option is Spurs striker Llorente, who Antonio Conte was interested in a reunion with prior to his move to Tottenham.Llorente would also welcome a change of scenery as he hopes to secure more playing time than he has seen with Maurico Pochettino’s side this season. He has appeared in 13 Premier League games this year for Spurs, though he has only started on one occasion, scoring a single goal.

While the Blues do look at alternatives, they have not yet given up the pursuit of Dzeko. Chelsea hope the pressure of the transfer deadline can help a deal get over the finish line, though it is likely it will go right down to the wire.

 

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Aubameyang is a 'top-class striker', says Huddersfield Town’s David Wagner


Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is a 'top-class striker', according to Huddersfield Town manager David Wagner.

The 28-year-old is close to a move to Arsenal from Borussia Dortmund after agreeing in principle with the Gunners.The forward has scored 13 top-flight goals this season for the German side and the former Dortmund assistant manager has no doubt regarding the striker's goalscoring ability.

"He will be top class. He is a top-class striker, goalscorer - he has everything," Wagner told Sky Sports. "The club who will sign him can be very happy for sure. I really like this player."Arsenal are sixth in the English top-flight log and will be hoping to add the striker to their rank in their quest to make a top-four finish at the end of the season.

 

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Lucas Moura travels to London to complete £25m Tottenham move


Paris Saint-Germain winger Lucas Moura has travelled to London to complete a £25 million move to Tottenham.

The Brazil international has consistently been linked with a move away from Parc des Princes during the January window, with Arsenal, Manchester United and Nantes among the sides linked with him.

United made contact with Lucas's advisors as they expressed an interest this month, but Goal understands Spurs have won the race for his signature, with the player having arrived from the French capital to undergo a medical with Mauricio Pochettino's side on Tuesday.

Lucas has had his eye on a move for some time, having been limited to just six cameo appearances in all competitions this season.The ex-Sao Paulo forward has not featured since coming on as a late substitute against Strasbourg in a Coupe de la Ligue tie in December, with his last Ligue 1 appearance coming in a 5-0 win over Angers in November.

The 25-year-old declared an end to his time in Paris earlier this month as he said he would be looking for a way out of the capital and showed an interest in a move to the Premier League, describing the English top flight as "the most hotly contested in the world".

Coach Unai Emery showed no concern over losing him either, as he revealed that he told the attacker to find a new club as he has no chance of regular game time.Lucas joined PSG from Sao Paulo in January 2013 for a reported £38m and went on to win four league titles and make 229 appearances in all competitions, scoring 46 times and setting up a further 43.

 

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No Man Utd exit thoughts in Mata's mind as he welcomes competition to 'special' club


Juan Mata faces added competition for places at Manchester United, which has sparked transfer talk, but he is delighted to be part of a “special” club.The World Cup-winning midfielder is among those to have seen their future at Old Trafford called into question in the wake of Alexis Sanchez arriving from Arsenal.

Mata, though, has found himself in similar situations before – most notably when Jose Mourinho, who offloaded him at Chelsea, took the managerial reins at United.

With there no exit thoughts in his head at present, the 29-year-old insists he is happy to have another top talent alongside him as proven recruits can only be of benefit to the collective cause.

Mata wrote in his personal blog on Sanchez’s signing: “His arrival is great news because a player of his level always raises the competition within the team and our competitiveness.“He’s a great player and I’m sure that he will help us a lot.”

Mata, who joined United from Chelsea back in January 2014, added on his own situation: “Precisely this week marked the fourth anniversary of my arrival at Old Trafford and my first game with the club.“When you become a Manchester United player, nothing will ever be the same.

“Being part of this club is something very special and I can assure you that I keep enjoying every single game like I did with my debut against Cardiff. I'll never stop thanking you for your support day after day. Thanks to you, being part of this club is really special.”

Mata has been linked with a return to former club Valencia during the winter transfer window.He is among those at Old Trafford set to be out of contract at the end of the season, although his deal does include a 12-month option which is expected to be triggered.Mata has made 172 appearances for United to date, netting 39 goals.

 

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Barcelona's Deulofeu joins Watford on loan through end of season

Barcelona attacker Gerard Deulofeu has completed a move to Watford on loan through the end of the season.

The 23-year-old returns to the Premier League just seven months after Barca triggered their buy-back clause to sign him from Everton. He previously played for the Toffees on loan during the 2013-14 season before making a permanent move to Goodison Park in 2015.

Deulofeu has struggled for minutes at Barca this season despite the summer sale of Neymar to Paris Saint-Germain, starting 10 of 17 appearances in all competitions.He has played just nine minutes since the end of November, and the recent addition of Philippe Coutinho from Liverpool figured to further limit his minutes.

The Spain international's loan runs through June 30, Barca announced on Monday, with Watford covering his salary and a potential add-on of €1 million.He joins a Watford side that recently hired Javi Gracia to replace Marco Silva as manager. The Hornets sit 10th in the Premier League but are just four points clear of the relegation zone.

Deulofeu, who also has had loan stints playing for Sevilla and AC Milan, scored five goals in 62 Premier League contests for Everton. He has one goal in four caps for Spain since debuting in 2014.

 

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Emerson set for Chelsea medical after agreeing £17.5m move


Chelsea's £17.5 million move for Roma's Emerson Palmieri has been agreed and the left back is set to fly into London on Tuesday to undergo a medical.

Goal understands Emerson has agreed a four-and-a-half year contract at Stamford Bridge, with around £8m of performance related add-ons set to be included within the deal.As previously reported, all parties had been in agreement on a move but the deal has been held up by the Blues' interest in Emerson's team-mate Edin Dzeko.

Chelsea remain open to bringing in Dzeko but are sounding out alternatives as the Serie A outfti have become harder to negotiate with amid fan pressure to keep their star striker..

Emerson is set to arrive after Chelsea's failed attempts to sign Juventus wing-back Alex Sandro, withAntonio Conte having targeted signing a full-back to challenge Marcos Alonso during the winter window.

The arrival of Emerson comes after fellow full-back Kenedy left for Newcastle on loan, while Chelsea are also sanctioning a temporary move for Baba Rahman to return to Schalke 04. The Roma defender has only recently recovered from an anterior cruciate ligament injury, but is expected to pass his medical after recently returning to the pitch to make two appearances this season.

The former Palermo man impressed at Roma last season but the Giallorossi need to sell in order to continue their compliance with Financial Fair Play.His arrival will mark Conte's second signing of the January window after Ross Barkley completed his £15m move from Everton earlier this month.

 

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Liverpool’s Sturridge completes loan move to West Brom

Daniel Sturridge has passed a medical and finalised his loan move from Liverpool to West Bromwich Albion until the end of the season.

Alan Pardew’s side, fresh from knocking the Reds out of the FA Cup over the weekend, will pay a fee of around £2 million as well as assume the entirety of the 28-year-old’s £120,000-a-week wages.The striker opted for the Baggies over Newcastle United, who had thought they were on the verge of signing him on Monday, and Inter.

The Serie A club were the first to reach an agreement with Liverpool for the England international, but he stalled on a switch as he waited for other offers to materialise.

Sturridge had hoped that Sevilla would follow up an enquiry for his services with a formal proposal, but that did not happen as West Ham and then Newcastle both monitored the situation.

The latter attempted to finalise a deal with the player having thrashed out terms with the Merseysiders, but he did not travel to Tyneside as expected with West Brom making a late move. Birmingham-born Sturridge preferred a return to the West Midlands and undertook his medical on Monday.

The forward’s opportunities were restricted under Jurgen Klopp, who prefers Roberto Firmino as his focal point. He started just five games in all competitions this season and managed just 11 in the previous campaign.

Sturridge joined Liverpool in January 2013 - the same window as Philippe Coutinho, who also exited the club this month to become Barcelona’s record signing.

The former Chelsea and Manchester City ace, out of contract in 2019, made 133 appearances which produced 63 goals for the Anfield side.

 

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Juventus talks with Liverpool midfielder Can 'well underway'


Talks between Juventus and Liverpool midfielder Emre Can are progressing well, according to the Serie A champions' chief executive Giuseppe Marotta.

The Germany international has long been linked with a move to Turin and is free to discuss terms with the club as he has entered the final six months of his contract at Anfield.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp admitted to DAZN on Saturday there was a good chance Can would allow his contract to run down rather than sign an extension, although he insisted the player would not leave during the January transfer window.

Marotta appears confident of striking a deal with the 24-year-old but says they are far from finalising an agreement."We are in optimum position to achieve all the objectives we have set out," he told RMC Sport.

"Talks are well underway with Emre Can, but the negotiations are not at all concluded." Speaking over the weekend, Klopp said: "He'll stay beyond the winter. Emre is still a young lad but he has developed into a great player and is very important for us.

"Sometimes a player just wants to sit out his contract. That's not cool for the club, but there are moments in which you have to accept it."And as long as the player behaves like Emre does, then I have absolutely nothing to complain about. He gives everything he has and identifies with the club."

Can has made 19 appearances in the Premier League this season, scoring once, while he was also involved in the 3-2 FA Cup defeat to West Brom at the weekend.

 

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Mourinho won't stand in Ibrahimovic's way if he wants to leave Man Utd


Jose Mourinho will not prevent Zlatan Ibrahimovic from leaving Manchester United if the Swedish striker expresses a desire to move on.

The 36-year-old frontman was brought back to Old Trafford on a short-term deal after working his way back from knee ligament surgery.He has, however, struggled to make the expected impact with the Red Devils after suffering further fitness issues.

United – who saw Ibrahimovic net 28 times across all competitions last season – have also moved to further bolster their attacking ranks with the addition of Alexis Sanchez.

Taking that into account, and with talk of a possible move to MLS side the LA Galaxy building, Mourinho has said of the exit talk surrounding an enigmatic talent: "He told me nothing about it [the Galaxy links]. The first time I read or heard something about that was from the media. He never mentioned that to me so I don't know.

"Zlatan is in the last year of his contract. If that is true and Zlatan wants a future in another club in another country we are here to help and to create conditions for that to happen, not to make his life difficult."

Ibrahimovic, who is tied to United until the end of the 2017-18 campaign, has made just seven appearances since returning to the fold in November, netting one goal.He has been out of action since Boxing Day, with the knee first damaged in a Europa League clash with Anderlecht last season still causing him problems.

Hard work is being put in behind the scenes to get back to full fitness, with Mourinho conceding that a lack of match sharpness is now the only issue holding him back.

The Portuguese added: "The last thing that Zlatan told me was that he wants to recover totally and feel ready to help the team."He is working hard to be fit. He is not injured, he is in a moment of trying to feel really ready for the demands of Premier League football."

Ibrahimovic helped the Red Devils to major honours during his first spell with the club, with match-winning goals recorded in the Community Shield and EFL Cup final and five efforts contributed to an ultimately successful Europa League campaign for Mourinho’s side.

 

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Man City paired with Wigan in FA Cup fifth round draw

Manchester City face an away trip to League One leaders Wigan Athletic in the fifth round of the FA Cup, while Chelsea host struggling Championship side Hull City.

Pep Guardiola's men beat Cardiff City 2-0 on Sunday to set up a tie with Paul Cook's side, who have a two-point lead at the top of English football's third tier and have already knocked two Premier League sides out of the competition this season.

The Premier League leaders will be hoping to avoid a similar outcome to the 2013 final against the same opposition, when Ben Watson headed Roberto Martinez's Wigan to a late victory against a City side coached by Roberto Mancini.

Meanwhile, Manchester United will travel to take on the winner of next Tuesday's fourth round replay between Birmingham City and Huddersfield Town.

 

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Good Luck Manchester United!​

 

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De Gea 'very happy' at Man Utd as Real Madrid rumours persist


David de Gea has declared himself to be “very happy” at Manchester United amid ongoing links to La Liga giants Real Madrid.

Following a slow start to his time at Old Trafford which saw early questions asked of his suitability to life in the Premier League, the Spain international has matured into one of the finest goalkeepers in world football.That standing continues to spark plenty of transfer talk, with a return to his roots in Madrid having been mooted for some time.

Real are reported to be plotting another approach for the summer of 2018 but De Gea claims to be enjoying his time in England as he closes in on seven years of service with the Red Devils.The 27-year-old told Premier League Productions while reflecting on his stint with United: “Yeah, time flies by doesn’t it?“When you think I’m in my seventh season now, I’m really, really happy with all my time here.

“A lot has happened, you know, mostly all really good. One or two things not quite so good, but I’m very happy.“I came here as a kid and I’m a man now both on and off the field.“From a football point of view and in my own life as well. Looking back, it’s been seven fantastic years.”

De Gea is just two appearances short of hitting 300 for United, so should reach that landmark this week.Jose Mourinho’s side face Tottenham in a crunch Premier League clash on Wednesday, before welcoming Huddersfield to Old Trafford on Saturday.

Those games can go a long way towards helping the Red Devils to cement a standing inside the top four, with the battle for Champions League qualification intensifying once again.De Gea will also be hoping to get his hands on more silverware in 2018 before a decision on his long-term future is made.

To date, the Spaniard has landed the Premier League title, FA Cup, League Cup, three Community Shields and the Europa League during his time with United.

 

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Rennes 2 Paris Saint-Germain 3: Mbappe sent off as holders survive to reach Coupe de la Ligue final

Kylian Mbappe was sent off as Paris Saint-Germain booked their place in the Coupe de la Ligue final with a 3-2 win over Rennes on Tuesday.The 19-year-old, who returned to the starting line-up after missing two games with a back injury, was shown a straight red card for a poor challenge on Ismalia Sarr in the second half at Roazhon Park.

The dismissal did not prove fatal to PSG's hopes of keeping alive their quadruple chase, though, with Thomas Meunier, Marquinhos and Giovani Lo Celso having put the game beyond Rennes' reach inside the hour, although they were forced to hold on in the dying minutes.



PSG came into the fixture having not lost a Coupe de la Ligue match since a penalty shootout defeat to Saint-Etienne in November 2012, but they struggled to find their feet until Meunier blasted in a volley 24 minutes in.Marquinhos made it 2-0 from close range eight minutes after the restart and Lo Celso's first goal for the club soon followed, the midfielder scoring just 13 minutes after coming on to replace Javier Pastore.

Mbappe earned his first red card of his club career with a crude lunge 63 minutes in, with referee Mikael Lesage showing a red card after a VAR referral, and Diafra Sakho's debut goal gave the home side some hope.Sanjin Prcic fired home a second in injury time but PSG survived to reach yet another domestic final.


There were no chances at all in the opening quarter, with PSG looking extremely flat in possession and Rennes regularly seeing promising counter-attacks break down with a poor final pass.

Meunier took responsibility to light up the semi-final in the 24th minute, though, bundling his way through challenges on the edge of the area and launching a sublime dipping volley that flew into the left-hand corner of the net.Rennes sought a quick response but the lively Sarr earned nothing but a place in the referee's notebook when he went to ground under no contact from Meunier in the penalty area, when he had a good chance to fire the ball across goal.

The home side thought they had equalised two minutes before the break, when Khazri forced his way into space in the area before prodding the ball past Kevin Trapp, but the goal was disallowed for a handball after a VAR review.

VAR was again called into action soon after the interval, with Mbappe's neat finish ruled out for offside, but PSG did not have long to wait to double their lead.Marco Verratti played a pinpoint pass to Neymar, the Brazilian teed up Angel Di Maria to strike it goalwards and, although Abdoulaye Diallo got down to his left to make the save, Marquinhos was on hand to tap in the rebound.

Five minutes later, PSG had their third. Di Maria did well to flick the ball into Lo Celso's path while on the floor, and the midfielder drove into the area before squeezing a shot beneath Diallo, who should really have done better at his near post.

The visitors were beginning to enjoy themselves but Mbappe spoiled their outing 63 minutes in, when he was given a straight red card following another VAR referral after raking his studs down the calf of Sarr, who had to be replaced.

Rennes snatched a lifeline with five minutes to play, with Sakho heading Ludovic Baal's cross expertly into the right-hand corner of the net, and Prcic blasted home from 25 yards out to give the hosts some hope of a remarkable comeback. PSG held on, however, to book a fifth final in a row, where they will face either Monaco or Montpellier.

 

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Huddersfield 0 Liverpool 3: Can, Firmino and Salah get Klopp's men back on track

Liverpool put back-to-back defeats behind them as Emre Can, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah secured a routine 3-0 win at Huddersfield Town.

The glow of the Reds' stunning 4-3 win over Premier League leaders Manchester City earlier this month quickly faded as a loss at lowly Swansea was followed by West Brom arriving at Anfield to ransack Jurgen Klopp's FA Cup bid at the weekend.

Klopp, who benched record signing Virgil van Dijk, initially looked like he would get few favours out of close friend David Wagner and Huddersfield until Can's deflected drive broke the deadlock after 26 minutes.



Firmino caught out Town goalkeeper Jonas Lossl in first-half stoppage time, leaving a mountain that the hosts seldom looked like scaling before Philip Billing clumsily fouled Can in the box and Salah dispatched his 26th goal of the season in all competitions.

It proved to be a profitable night with regards to Liverpool's Champions League ambitions as Arsenal went down 3-1 at Swansea City, while Klopp can look forward to the prospect of Manchester United and Tottenham taking points off one another on Wednesday.


Huddersfield adopted the deep-lying but energetic defensive approach that almost bore fruit against Manchester City in November and Liverpool were frustrated in their bid for clear chances during the opening 15 minutes.

It was the hosts who fashioned the first clear sight of goal when wing-back Chris Lowe galloped down the Liverpool right and crossed for Laurent Depoitre, who failed to catch his shot cleanly and Loris Karius saved well.

The heavily protected Lossl got down to keep out an awkwardly bouncing strike from Can but he had no chance when the same player's venomous drive clipped Billing and flew into the bottom right corner.

A raucous home crowd's backing for their team did not waver and Lowe almost raised the roof five minutes before half-time when his free-kick curled just wide after Sadio Mane brought down Town captain Jonathan Hogg.

But Wagner's men were forced to absorb a sucker punch on the stroke of the interval when Firmino made light of an acute angle to squeeze a clever finish between Lossl and his upright.

Huddersfield still showed little inclination to operate outside their own half for too long and Mane might have done better when he headed Can's searching cross at Lossl. The same combination almost succeeded in the 69th minute, with Can launching the ball over the top from midfield and Mane powering a diving header wide.

Wagner's side had hopeful penalty appeals waved away when Liverpool full-back Andrew Robertson tangled with substitute Colin Quaner.It was then Salah's turn to be wasteful in front of goal by prodding into the side-netting having scooted around Lossl.

That miss did not discourage the Egypt star when Kevin Friend pointed to the spot 12 minutes from time and Salah sent the Lossl the wrong way – also the direction in which Huddersfield's season is heading.Winless in seven, they are 14th and only a point above the relegation zone in an increasingly congested fight for survival.

 

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Atalanta 0 Juventus 1: Higuain cuts through the fog to hand Juve advantage

Juventus will take a slender advantage into their Coppa Italia semi-final second leg against Atalanta after securing a 1-0 win at a fog-laden Stadio Atleti Azzurri d’Italia.

Massimiliano Allegri's side did not quite show the form that had seen them win their previous eight games - a run that has seen them concede just one goal - but comfortably held their hosts at arm's length for much of the match.Gonzalo Higuain - clearly buoyed after ending his six-game goal drought against Chievo on Saturday - got them off to a blistering start with a fine goal after just three minutes.



The hosts rarely threatened their more illustrious opponents, but Alejandro Gomez wasted a golden opportunity to pull them level in the 24th minute when his penalty was thwarted by Gianluigi Buffon.Chances were at a premium in a desparately poor second half, with Juventus seemingly content to take a narrow lead into the second leg at the Allianz Stadium on February 28.


Buffon was making his first appearance since the 1-0 win over Napoli on December 1 and would have scarcely seen Higuain's superb early opener, given the thickness of the fog in Bergamo.And given the dense fog in Bergamo, it is unlikely that the legendary stopper would have seen much of Higuain's superb early opener.

The 30-year-old collected Miralem Pjanic’s pass just outside the penalty area, shimmied past two defenders and stroked a composed finish into the bottom left corner of Etrit Berisha's net for his 11th goal of the campaign.A clearly shell-shocked Atalanta struggled to find their footing in the game after that early blow but were handed the chance to level midway through the first half.

After reviewing video footage, referee Paolo Valeri deemed Medhi Benatia to have deliberately handled the ball inside the area. From the resulting spot-kick, Gomez could only conspire to deliver a belated present to Buffon, giving him ample time to get down and repel his tame effort.Gomez's wastefulness should have twice been punished before the interval, but Higuain and Blaise Matuidi both thrashed shots over the crossbar from promising positions.

Any thoughts of Juventus running away with the tie were soon dispelled by a tepid start to the second half, with Atalanta refusing to throw bodies forward in search of an equaliser.

When gaps did start to appear in the hosts’ backline, Mario Mandzukic bundled a header wide and Higuain dragged a low effort past the post.Atalanta almost found an unlikely leveller with two minutes remaining as the under-worked Buffon raced off his line to block Hans Hateboer’s shot and preserve Juve’s lead ahead of an intriguing second leg.

 

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Swansea City 3 Arsenal 1: Clucas at the double as Swans move off the bottom

Sam Clucas scored twice as Swansea City moved out of the Premier League relegation zone with a 3-1 victory over Arsenal at the Liberty Stadium on Tuesday.
Bottom of the table prior to kick-off - Carlos Carvalhal's Swans followed up their 1-0 triumph over Liverpool by beating another heavyweight on home soil, with the result lifting them up to 17th.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's potential arrival has dominated the conversation around the Gunners recently, but Arsene Wenger now has another on-pitch aberration to digest.



Arsenal even took the lead thanks to Nacho Monreal's fourth league goal of the season, only to concede an equaliser just a minute later when Clucas coolly converted a one-on-one opportunity.A shocking error from Petr Cech, who scuffed a clearance straight to scorer Jordan Ayew, gifted Swansea the chance to go ahead just after the hour mark.

Despite utilising both Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Olivier Giroud off the bench, the Frenchman perhaps playing for Arsenal for the last time as Chelsea reportedly plot a late bid, the visitors' fate was sealed when Clucas slammed home a loose ball in the 86th minute, meaning the travel-sick Gunners have now picked up just 13 points on the road this season.


After ringing the changes for Saturday's FA Cup draw away at Notts County, Carvalhal unsurprisingly reverted back to the same starting XI that had ended Liverpool's 18-game unbeaten run.

Alfie Mawson grabbed the winner against Jurgen Klopp's side and came close to finding the net again in the opening minutes, Aaron Ramsey diving in to make a crucial block at the back post just as the centre-back seemed certain to convert Nathan Dyer's low cross.

Instead, Arsenal grabbed the opening goal against the run of play.Given time and space on the right, Mesut Ozil picked out the run of Monreal with a floated cross to the back post that the latter converted on the half-volley.

However, the lead didn't last long. Ozil was involved in the game's second goal too, losing possession inside his own half to spring Swansea onto the attack.Mawson's pass allowed Clucas to run clear of the Arsenal defence before slotting low beyond the advancing Cech.

With the visitors struggling to create much in the early stages of the second half, Wenger sent on Mkhitaryan on the hour mark, but the Armenian hadn't touched the ball before his side fell behind in embarrassing fashion.Cech made a complete mess of clearing Shkodran Mustafi's square pass to present Ayew with a gift. The goalkeeper connected with nothing but air as he swung his left foot at the ball, resulting in it striking his standing leg and dribbling perfectly into the path of the Swansea forward.

Ayew wasted a glorious chance to put Swansea further ahead in the 71st minute, firing wide with his left foot, but the miss didn't prove costly in the final reckoning, as Clucas made sure with a firm finish from six yards out.

 

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Icardi's head turned by Real Madrid interest, says Argentina boss


Real Madrid are interested in signing Inter captain Mauro Icardi and the feeling is mutual, according to Argentina head coach Jorge Sampaoli.The striker has been linked with the La Liga champions for much of this season despite signing a new five-year contract with Inter back in October 2016.

Icardi fuelled speculation he could move to the Santiago Bernabeu when he followed a number of Madrid players on Instagram, including Luka Modric and Cristiano Ronaldo, and he posted a picture on Monday with the caption "to be able to say goodbye is to grow".

His boss at international level claims he has spoken to the 24-year-old and knows his head has been turned by Madrid's interest."It's a nice problem to have so many players in good form," he told reporters at Buenos Aires airport when asked about his attacking options for this year's World Cup finals."I spoke with Icardi and told him what I've told all of them: not to relax, that, if he's doing well, he'll be called up.

"I know that Real Madrid are following him closely. He is also a little tempted by Real Madrid."Icardi has scored 18 goals in 22 Serie A appearances this season, which is more than Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale have managed combined in La Liga.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Chelsea agree £18 million fee with Arsenal for Giroud


Chelsea have agreed an £18 million move for Arsenal forward Olivier Giroud, as the Gunners look to secure Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Borussia Dortmund for £55.4m.

The Blues switched their focus to Giroud and Tottenham's Fernando Llorente after failing in their attempts to sign Edin Dzeko from Roma. Giroud travelled with Arsenal for Tuesday night's match against Swansea City, but the 31-year-old will likely be left out ahead of the shock move to the rival club.

Chelsea have been able to convince Arsenal to sell Giroud to them with Dortmund needing a replacement before sanctioning the sale of Aubameyang. Dortmund have earmarked Michy Batshuayi, who will now be able to make a loan move to Germany to replace the Gabon international.

Goal understands Dortmund will pay a €1.5 million loan fee to secure Batshuayi's services until the end of the season.Batshuayi's influence has improved Chelsea's leverage in securing the France international striker, who won't arrive in time to face Bournemouth but could be available for Chelsea's trip to Watford next Monday night.
Giroud currently has 18 months remaining on his Arsenal contract and Chelsea are expected to break their club policy of only giving over-30 players one-year deals.
Chelsea will also bring in Emerson Palmieri on transfer deadline day from Roma in a deal worth £17.5m with a further £8m in add-ons.

Batshuayi's influence has improved Chelsea's leverage in securing the France international striker, who won't arrive in time to face Bournemouth but could be available for Chelsea's trip to Watford next Monday night.

Giroud currently has 18 months remaining on his Arsenal contract and Chelsea are expected to break their club policy of only giving over-30 players one-year deals.
Chelsea will also bring in Emerson Palmieri on transfer deadline day from Roma in a deal worth £17.5m with a further £8m in add-ons.