..::Football IV::..

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Emery to be named next Arsenal manager after club decides against Arteta


Unai Emery is set to be named new Arsenal manager after the Gunners made a last-minute decision not to offer Mikel Arteta the vacant job at the Emirates Stadium, Goal understands.

Arteta seemed ready to replace Arsene Wenger as the man in charge after positive talks last week, with chief executive Ivan Gazidis in particular a keen admirer of the 36-year-old.Gazidis felt a younger coach would slot better into a modern European football structure, complemented by head of recruitment Sven Mislintat and new head of football relations Raul Sanllehi.

Arteta had even agreed in principle to return to the club he represented between 2011 and 2016, but a late U-turn saw the club turn to Emery instead as Gazidis proved unable to gather unanimous support for the former midfielder.Emery, 46, became available after leaving Paris-Saint Germain at the end of the 2017-18 campaign, having won the Ligue 1 title, two Coupes de France, two Coupes de la Ligue and two French Supercups during his two seasons in charge there.

Arsenal insist that they ran a 'thorough process to find their successor to Arsene Wenger which included 'many hours of research analysis and interviews with prime candidates'.

Former PSG boss Emery travelled to London on Monday to discuss terms – having previously met with West Ham representatives – and is expected to sign a two-year deal with an option for one additional season.The Spaniard, who previously worked at Sevilla, where he won three consecutive Europa League titles, and Valencia, carved out a reputation for fluid, attacking football with the Spanish side.

He is expected to come to north London with his own technical staff, including a new assistant manager, physiotherapist and video production specialist.

 

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Nigeria 2 Atletico Madrid 3: Los Rojiblancos fight back to defeat impressive Eagles


Atletico Madrid defeated Nigeria 3-2 in an entertaining friendly encounter played at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium on Tuesday evening.

Goals from Angel Correa, Fernando Torres and Borja Garces denied the Super Eagles B side a victory, despite scoring two top quality goals through Kelechi Nwakali and second-half substitute Usman Mohammed - whose effort evoked memories of country legend Austin 'Jay Jay' Okocha.

Club legend Torres started from the bench with Kevin Gameiro and match MVP Correa leading the line for Atletico while Salisu Yusuf had Lobi Stars' Kadiri Samad supported by Emem Eduok - from the right flank - in his attack.The first chance of encounter fell to Nigeria after captain Musa Muhammed released Kadiri who raced clear of the defence but could only shot straight at Jan Oblak.

In the eighth minute and against the run of play, Atletico had their first sight of goal but Kevin Gameiro’s firm shot met the side-netting.Yusuf’s men dictated the tempo of the game but were unlucky not to go in front with Eduok’s curler and Chinedu Ajana’s miscued header - off the former’s free-kick - missing the target.

However, in the 32nd minute, Nwakali produced a moment to relish for a long period as the youngster beat an Atletico player before unleashing a long-range curler past Oblak to hand his side a deserved lead.The Super Eagles B lead would, however, be shortlived after Emem Eduok conceded possession - in his half - to Thomas Partey who fed Correa. The Argentina forward toe-poked past an onrushing Olufemi Thomas.

Before the interval, Destiny Ashadi - on as an early substitute for Austria Wien's Alhassan Ibrahim - fluffed Nigeria’s chance to go into the break with a lead after his side-footed effort from an Eduok cutback missed the target.Torres came on before the restart much to the delight of the fans, and the former Liverpool marksman made his presence felt almost immediately, but Thomas was equal to his long-range effort.

The Enugu Rangers shot-stopper, again, produced a smart save from Gameiro’s effort before Torres struck the rebound wide, with the post unguarded.But three minutes after the hour mark, Thomas was powerless to stop Torres at his third time asking, as the Spain international, unmarked, connected a header to a perfectly-weighted corner kick from Correa to give the visitors the lead for the first time in the tie.



Nigeria drew level with Mohammed scoring a goal Jay Jay Okocha would be proud of.The former Taraba United midfielder fed off fellow substitute Tosin Omoyele's pass, skillfully - and severally turned an Atletico defender in and out, before converting to draw Nigeria level.

But Garces ensured Simeone's men ended the winner of the maiden GOtv Max Cup after he sliced an effort past Thomas with only five minutes to go.

 

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Icardi's agent reveals 'big clubs' willing to trigger €110m release clause


Mauro Icardi has a €110 million release clause at Inter but “big clubs” are willing to pay that price, claims the Argentine’s agent and wife Wanda Nara.The 25-year-old striker has enjoyed another productive season in Italy, netting 29 times in Serie A to claim a share of the Capocannoniere award with Lazio’s Ciro Immobile.

His efforts have sparked talk of interest from afar, with the likes of Real Madrid, Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich reported to be keen.

All three European superpowers boast the financial muscle required to get a deal done, even when taking into account a sizeable release clause which will only be active for a few weeks in June.

Nara told Radio Metro on the chances of a big-money deal being done: “There are some big clubs ready to pay the release clause, which is very high, but considering the figures that are circulating in football right now and the kind of player Mauro is, it’s not even that remarkable.

“There are many clubs putting pressure on, but his priority is Inter. There will be a meeting with their director of sport and the priority as of today is to stay here.”
Icardi has previously admitted that he would be willing to move on if Inter opened themselves up to offers.That is not the case at present, with a side that secured Champions League qualification with a fourth-place finish in 2017-18 hoping to put a contract extension in place with their prized asset.

Nara added: “It irritates me when people underestimate Mauro, as he is wanted by the three best teams in the world.“We’ll see what he does with Inter, the situation is he’ll either sign a renewal or leave, but the priority is to remain here and resolve the issue before we can go on vacation.”

Ensuring Icardi stays at Inter is considered to be crucial to the Nerazzurri’s future plans by a former attacking favourite, with Brazilian superstar Ronaldo hoping to see Italy’s deadliest frontman remain at San Siro.

He told Gazzetta dello Sport: “Icardi? He focuses on scoring goals and that's what he does. I think he knows that there's always room for improvement.However, I'll never understand people that criticise a striker who has scored 29 goals.

“His future? Inter need to keep their best players to make a team for the Champions League.“Reaching the Champions League means a lot, but it's not everything. Reaching the fourth place has never been and will never be the main goal for Inter. Winning the Scudetto is not easy, but they must be at least in the race to win it next year.”

Icardi will have a free summer in which to discuss his future with current and potential future employers after being left out of Argentina’s squad for World Cup 2018.

 

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Ronaldo: I'd rather Real were facing Man Utd


Cristiano Ronaldo is preparing to lead Real Madrid in a Champions League final clash with Liverpool but would have preferred to be facing Manchester United.

The Portuguese superstar has helped to fire the Blancos near a third successive European crown, with Zinedine Zidane’s side having dominated continental competition in recent years.Ronaldo has remained a talismanic presence throughout a period of unprecedented success in the modern era, with the 33-year-old once again leading the scoring charts this term with 15 efforts.

He will be hoping to add to that tally against Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool side, but had been hoping to line up against his former employers at Old Trafford after reaching another showpiece event.

Ronaldo told reporters at Madrid’s open media day: “Finals are always special occasions: I would have preferred it to be Manchester United.“But Liverpool deserve respect. We’re not going to have it easy. They deserve to be in the final.

“They remind me of Madrid three or four years ago. Their three front players, they’re very quick… they are powerful in attack and I respect them. But Madrid are better. We have to play to our level, but we also have to respect the opposition.”

Ronaldo is looking to taste Champions League glory for the fifth time in his career – having opened his account with United before adding three crowns with Madrid – and he maintains that collective glory means more to him than individual landmarks.

He added: “It would be an historic moment. We are excited as a team. You can see it around the training ground: we’re not conscious of how historic it would be because everybody is completely focused on the game.“But, afterwards, if everything goes well, we will enter into the history books.

“You always have to be motivated. You can’t relax at this club, particularly in this competition.“The Champions League has been synonymous with Real Madrid since Gento and Di Stefano. We sense it as players and the fans do as well.

“I want to [do] well on Saturday, to help the team, play well and hopefully score goals. But the most important thing is to win and go down in history.”Ronaldo had seen his participation in the 2018 Champions League final called into question after picking up an ankle injury during a Clasico clash with Barcelona on May 6, but he was back in action and back among the goals against Villarreal on Saturday and is raring to go.

He added: “I’m confident, I’m feeling fit and I can see my teammates are all geared up. If I win a fifth it would be amazing.”

 

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Matic sees Man Utd under 'more pressure' after trophy failure


Nemanja Matic concedes that Manchester United have put themselves under “more pressure” by failing to land a trophy in 2017-18.

The Red Devils finished as runners-up in the Premier League title race and FA Cup final, but major silverware proved elusive.Jose Mourinho had overseen three successes in his debut campaign – in the Community Shield, EFL Cup and Europa League – but ended his second at Old Trafford empty-handed.

More will now be expected from the Portuguese and his troops in 2018-19, as United seek to return to the winners’ enclosure, with Matic aware of the need to deliver for a demanding fan base.

The Serbia international midfielder told the club’s official website: “When you don’t win one year, the next year there is always more pressure. This is football. When you play for Manchester United, it is a normal thing and we have to accept that and deal with that.

“When you win the trophy it’s different and you feel better but the most important thing is that we can look in the mirror and know we gave our best. The team was sad after the game [FA Cup final]. We know we deserved more but this is football. This is a final – everything can happen – so as I said we have to be focused on the next challenge.“I think that we have improved this year. As you know, United last year were sixth. The year before that, fifth. So we improve, we are second. The only team who is better than us this year is Man City.

“Obviously, they play amazing football. But we are second and we are in the Champions League next year, which is the most important thing.”Inconsistency ultimately cost United dear in their efforts to secure silverware, with Matic conceding that more 90-minute performances will be required next term.

He added on the back of a 1-0 Wembley defeat to former club Chelsea which saw the Red Devils pay the price for some sloppy defending and toothless attacking: “We played 90 minutes’ good football at Wembley.

“I don’t know how it looked from the outside but I felt in the first half we also played football. Obviously it was better in the second half but in the first half we controlled the game, though we conceded a goal from one mistake.“Some games we played much better in the second half. We have to try to play 90 minutes in the same way.”

 

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Bailly plays down Man Utd exit rumours


Eric Bailly has seemingly ruled out any chance of leaving Manchester United this summer by declaring a desire to “come back even stronger” after a season of “ups and downs”.

The 2017-18 campaign proved to be a particularly frustrating one for the Ivory Coast international.He helped to get United off to a bright start, but an untimely injury picked in November kept him sidelined for three months.

Once he did return, Jose Mourinho began to tinker with his approach as he sought to manage a hectic schedule and offer more minutes to those heading to World Cup 2018.Bailly, as a result, often found himself out of favour, with just one start and two outings taken in following a thrilling 3-2 derby victory over Manchester City on April 7.

A lack of action sparked talk that the 24-year-old could be moved on this summer, potentially as part of a deal to land Tottenham centre-half Toby Alderweireld. Bailly has, however, curbed the transfer rumours with a social media post which suggests that he will remain on the Red Devils’ books for 2018-19.

He wrote on Instagram: “We would have liked to have finished the season by winning the FA Cup. Unfortunately, it was not to be.“Nevertheless, we’ve wrapped up a season in which there were ups and downs. Now it's time to stop, to learn from this season, to rest, and to enjoy our families and friends so we can come back next season even stronger.

“We’re eager to set new goals and to see lots of smiles in the stands at Old Trafford next year.“Thanks for the support you have given the entire team throughout the season. And especially, thank you very much for the love you have always shown me. Let’s go United!“And good luck to my teammates who are playing in the World Cup!”

Bailly, who was an unused substitute in United’s FA Cup final defeat to Chelsea, ended the season with just 18 appearances to his name.He was, however, able to record his first goal for the club, with his account opened in a 4-0 Premier League victory over Swansea in August.

 

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Borussia Dortmund appoint Favre as new manager

Borussia Dortmund have confirmed the appointment of Lucien Favre as the club's new manager.Favre left Ligue 1 outfit Nice earlier this week, and it has now been confirmed that he has signed a two-year contract at Signal Iduna Park.

The 60-year-old led Nice to a fantastic third-placed finish in 2016-17, though they failed to qualify for the Europa League this time around, with a 3-2 defeat to Lyon at the weekend confirming an eighth-placed finish.

Dortmund, meanwhile, ended the season in fourth, subsequently sneaking into the Champions League qualification spots.However, manager Peter Stoger announced his departure from the club following their 3-1 defeat at Hoffenheim on the final day of the Bundesliga season, and ex-Borussia Monchengladbach boss Favre has quickly been installed as his successor.

Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc hopes his experience in the Bundesliga will serve the club well next season. "Signing Lucien Favre as coach is an important part of our fresh sporting start this summer," he said.

"He is highly valued by us for his professional qualities, which he has impressively shown several times in the Bundesliga with Hertha and Monchengladbach, just like at Nice."Peter Bosz was relieved of his own duties in December, with Dortmund enduring something of a turbulent season.

Indeed, the club finished the season a mammoth 29 points behind champions Bayern Munich, and eight behind second-placed local rivals Schalke. They finished fourth by virtue of goal difference, having ended the campaign level on points with both third-placed Hoffenheim and fifth-placed Bayer Leverkusen.

 

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Kane to captain England at World Cup


Harry Kane will captain England at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, the Football Association has confirmed.The Tottenham striker has won 23 caps and scored 12 goals for his country, and has captained the Three Lions four times under Gareth Southgate, in a friendly against France and World Cup qualifiers against Lithuania, Slovenia and Scotland.

Kane has been in excellent form for Spurs this season, netting a total of 41 goals in all competitions as the club finished third in the Premier League and reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup.

Speaking early on Tuesday, Kane said: "It's an amazing honour. You always dream of playing for England growing up."I can't wait for the World Cup. Leading the lads out is going to be special."The 24-year-old has been hailed as an example to follow by manager Southgate, who selected Kane as skipper over the likes of Liverpool's Jordan Henderson and the forward's Spurs team-mate Eric Dier.

“Harry has some outstanding personal qualities. He is a meticulous professional and one of the most important things for a captain is that they set the standard every day," Southgate said.“He has belief and high standards and it is a great message for the team to have a captain who has shown that it is possible to be one of the best in the world over a consistent period of time and that has been his drive.

“My feeling is that over the last 18 months in the camps that he's been with us he has shown that he has got the desire to take that into a team environment and he recognises the importance of bringing others with him.

“Of course, Harry will need the support of the other good leaders that we have got around him. You don't become a top team by just having a good captain with good values because that has got to spread right throughout the group but I think he is the one who is ready to take that challenge on.”England have been drawn in Group G in Russia, and will face Belgium, Panama and Tunisia in the opening round.

 

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Pellegrini appointed West Ham manager to replace Moyes

Manuel Pellegrini has been appointed West Ham manager on a three-year contract at the London Stadium.

The Chilean is understood to have become one of the highest-paid managers in the Premier League upon his appointment, earning roughly £10 million ($13m) per season.Goal reported last week that Pellegrini had been identified as the club's top target to replace David Moyes, who left the club at the end of the 2017-18 season. He was chosen ahead of the likes of Newcastle manager Rafael Benitez and Arsenal manager-in-waiting Unai Emery.

The Hammers had been keen to appoint a manager with Premier League experience, and sources have confirmed that Pellegrini is set to be given the chance to bring in his own head of recruitment as co-chairman David Sullivan throws his full weight behind the former Manchester City boss.Sullivan said: “I am delighted to welcome Manuel Pellegrini to West Ham United. He is one of the world’s most respected football coaches and we look forward to working with him.

“It was important that we appointed someone with knowledge and experience of the Premier League, who already has an understanding – not only of the teams and players we face – but of West Ham United and our ambitions. “Manuel brings a reputation for attacking football and getting the best out of his players. We believe he will attract new talent to the London Stadium as well as improving the current squad.

“Above all, he is a winner, who knows what it takes to succeed at the highest level and is driven to continue that success. Manuel is the first West Ham United manager to have a Premier League title on his CV, and we believe that his experience, quality and proven record of taking teams forward quickly will ensure that he is successful here.

“We have listened to fans who asked us to be ambitious. We hope they agree it is an exciting appointment.“Manuel will shortly announce the names of the new staff he will bring in and he will then get down to shaping the squad he wants. We all wish him the very best of luck.”

Pellegrini has enjoyed a varied managerial career but has a history of winning trophies, most recently collecting the Premier League and two League Cups during a three-year spell at City. His last post was in China, with Hebei China Fortune.

 

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Arsenal Unveil New Puma Home Kit For The 2018-19 Season

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Argentina announce Man Utd goalkeeper Sergio Romero will miss World Cup through injury


Argentina have announced goalkeeper Sergio Romero will not be able to play in the World Cup due to a knee injury.

Romero was expected to be Argentina's number one goalkeeper for the World Cup, but will be unable to take the gloves in Russia following his latest injury setback.The goalkeeper was expected to start in goal for Manchester United in the FA Cup, but manager Jose Mourinho selected David de Gea due to Romero's lack of fitness.

And the 31-year-old, who started the World Cup final as Germany edged a 1-0 win over Argentina in 2014, will now miss the chance to represent his country in Russia.Argentina's final 23-man squad was named on Tuesday, with Inter captain Mauro Icardi cut from the initial selection confirmed by coach Jorge Sampaoli.

As well as Romero, the other two goalkeepers on the initial squad were Willy Caballero of Chelsea and River Plate's Franco Armani.
Argentina, who confirmed Romero requires surgery on his right knee, have now confirmed that Nahuel Guzman, of Liga MX side Tigres, will replace Romero in the team. .

 

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Get well soon Romero!​

 

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Klopp: Real Madrid have no weaknesses


Jurgen Klopp does not believe Real Madrid have any weaknesses that could be exploited by Liverpool.

The teams meet on Saturday in the Champions League final, Madrid seeking to defend the title for the second year in a row.Liverpool are the top-scoring team in the competition with 40 goals, while the six clean sheets recorded by Klopp's men is level with Barcelona as the joint-most this term.

But Madrid are considered by many to be favourites for the Kiev showpiece, with Klopp indicating his tactics will be more complicated than targeting left-back Marcelo with Mohamed Salah.

"You saw it, everybody saw it, seems obvious: 'Marcelo, what an offensive player, but... he can't defend'," Klopp said to The Mirror. "They won the Champions League twice, they are again in the final! Bayern Munich thought they were the better team in the two games, but what is better at the end?

"Real need four chances to score twice. Bayern needed eight to score one. They are experienced from head to toe. There is no weakness."Football is not so easy that you can say, 'If Marcelo makes that run, and we leave Mo Salah there in that space, Salah gets in against Ramos'."

Klopp suggested Liverpool will have to show a killer instinct if they are to triumph against Madrid in the final."There are opportunities for us, we know that - and they know it as well," Klopp said.

"All the teams said it: against Juve, Real were lucky, against Bayern, they were lucky, but they are the third time in a row in the final, the fourth time in five years, so what does that say?

"Their experience prepares them for difficult situations, so we will cause them problems and they will cause us problems."And, in the end, we have to be there in the decisive moments, we have to score when we have the chances."

 

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'Madrid are linked to 50 players' – Ronaldo laughs off Neymar rumours


Cristiano Ronaldo laughed off reports linking Neymar to Real Madrid , saying the La Liga giants were always at the centre of transfer speculation.

Neymar is linked with a switch to Madrid from Paris Saint-Germain in the close-season despite only joining the Ligue 1 club in a world-record move last year.
But Madrid are reportedly interested in numerous players and that has not gone unnoticed by Ronaldo.

The Portugal international said his team ended up making few signings after all the speculation."At Madrid there is continually talk of signings," Ronaldo told El Chiringuito de Jugones .

"I have been here eight years and they are always talking about 50 players that are going to come and in the end none come.

"In September a lot of players are going to come and then in the end those who reach the finals are always the same."Madrid are aiming to win a fourth Champions League in five seasons when they face Liverpool in the final Saturday.

 

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Arsenal confirm Emery appointment as Wenger successor

Arsenal have confirmed the appointment of Unai Emery as the club's new head coach.The Spaniard - who left Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the season despite winning a domestic treble - has signed a two-year deal at the Emirates Stadium.

He becomes just the Gunners' second manager since 1996 after Arsene Wenger's 22-year reign was brought to an end in the wake of Arsenal's sixth-placed finish in the Premier League.

“Unai has an outstanding track record of success throughout his career, has developed some of the best young talent in Europe and plays an exciting, progressive style of football that fits Arsenal perfectly," said Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis following the appointment.

"His hard-working and passionate approach and his sense of values on and off the pitch make him the ideal person to take us forward."Emery's appointment comes following talks with the Arsenal hierarchy on Monday, with the north London outfit hopeful he can lead them back to the top of the English game following a series of underwhelming campaigns.

“I am thrilled to be joining one of the great clubs in the game," said Emery. "Arsenal is known and loved throughout the world for its style of play, its commitment to young players, the fantastic stadium, the way the club is run.

"I’m very excited to be given the responsibility to start this important new chapter in Arsenal’s history. I have met Stan and Josh Kroenke and it’s clear they have great ambitions for the club and are committed to bringing future success."I’m excited about what we can do together and I look forward to giving everyone who loves Arsenal some special moments and memories."

Emery - who won the Europa League on three occasions with Sevilla - arrives in north London following a tumultuous selection process for Wenger's successor.
The Gunners had hoped they could tempt Massimiliano Allegri away from Juventus before he committed his future to the Serie A champions while an agreement had been reached with Manchester City coach Mikel Arteta.

Emery, however, has emerged as the chosen one following a U-turn on Arteta's suitability and despite having been turned down following an interview for the previously vacant West Ham job.It is understood his lack of English formed part of the reasoning behind the Irons instead opting for Manuel Pellegrini, though those same concerns are not shared by the Arsenal board.

Emery's language abilities will be on show on Wednesday afternoon as he and Gazidis hold a press conference as part of his official unveiling.

 

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Congratulations & Good Luck Emery!​

 

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Martial has Man Utd quality but must earn his place, says Saha


Louis Saha has told Anthony Martial to stay at Manchester United and work for his place, insisting competition for places is "part of the process" at Old Trafford.

Martial starred for Louis van Gaal's side following his move from Monaco in 2015, scoring 11 Premier League goals in his debut season, but he has found minutes harder to come by under Jose Mourinho, making only 18 top-flight starts in each of the last two campaigns.However, amid reports Martial could look for an exit in the off-season, having missed out on a place in the France squad, compatriot and former United star Saha wants the forward to stay put.

"[Not being in the team] is part of the process at a big club - the competition is there," Saha told Omnisport."We all want to be in the starting line-up at our club in order to play for the national team. It's difficult, it's not easy.

"Sometimes we need to challenge ourselves by saying, 'If I'm not in the line-up, if something is off, then I need to work on it'. Other players can do it, like [Lionel] Messi or [Cristiano] Ronaldo. They don't have bad patches because they clearly can adjust and challenge themselves. We cannot see much of their weaknesses."The goal is clear. He has the quality to be in the starting line-up of any club at any time. If that is not the case, it's because something is still missing and he needs to keep working."

Saha continued: "Obviously, I would tell him to stay - you don't need to ask that question.

"He's a great player. His pace makes me crazy. That's just great. I want him at United in the best condition. Mourinho needs to maybe understand how to give him confidence."It's a challenge that Martial has to overcome because I think he's able to."

 

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Napoli chief confirms departure of Chelsea managerial target Sarri


Maurizio Sarri has taken a step towards being appointed as Chelsea manager, with Napoli's president confirming his departure from the club by issuing a farewell message.

Aurelio De Laurentiis was frustrated with his coach's refusal to sign a new deal with the club this summer amid speculation he might leave for England and has now confirmed Sarri is set to depart.He tweeted: "I'd like to thank Maurizio Sarri for his valuable contribution to the Napoli cause.

"He brought joy and prestige to Naples and Napoli fans all over the world with an entertaining brand of football that drew praise from all quarters. Well done, Maurizio. Aurelio De Laurentiis."Meanwhile, Antonio Conte is set to depart Stamford Bridge after Chelsea offered only a limp defence of their Premier League title and failed to finish in the top four.

Although he won the FA Cup, beating Manchester United 1-0 in the final, he has a strained relationship with both the board and the squad.His departure is set to open the door for Sarri to take charge. The Blues, however, face competition over the 59-year-old Italian, who has also caught the eye of Zenit St Petersburg, who were willing to match the manager's release clause in order to lure him to Russia.

Sarri, who was named Italy's coach of the year in the 2015-16 season, saw his stock rise at the beginning of the campaign as his Napoli side raced to top spot in Italy's top flight.However, they ultimately faded, and though they posted a club-record tally of 91 points this season, finished second in the standings behind Juventus, who won the title for the seventh successive season.

There had been a suggestion that he might have been willing to stay with the Italian side, but contract talks broke down and he will leave Napoli after three years in charge. He had previously spent time at eight different Italian sides, including Perugia, Hellas Verona and Empoli.

Carlo Ancelotti, who left Bayern Munich in the autumn, will replace Sarri having signed a three-year to deal to take over the club on Wednesday.Meanwhile, Napoli stars Faouzi Ghoulam, Jorginho, Elseid Hysaj and Kalidou Koulibaly have all been linked with summer moves to the Premier League.

 

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Ancelotti appointed Napoli boss following Sarri exit

Napoli have appointed Carlo Ancelotti as their new head coach on a three-year contract, replacing Maurizio Sarri in the post.Sarri's departure was confirmed after president Aurelio De Laurentiis said time had run out for the coach to commit his future to the Partenopei, amid links to Chelsea.Napoli collected a club-record 91 points but missed out on the Serie A title to Juventus, who won a seventh successive Scudetti.




Ancelotti will be charged with ending Juve's dominance in Italy, Massimiliano Allegri having led the Bianconeri to four consecutive domestic doubles.The former Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain coach has been out of work since being sacked by Bayern Munich in September.

The 58-year-old began his coaching career at Reggiana before moving on to Parma, Juventus and AC Milan. His first job outside Italy was at Chelsea, but thereafter he moved to Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid and Bayern before returning to his homeland.

He is one of an elite group of men to have won the Champions League both as a player and a manager, doing so on two occasions in each role with Milan, plus once with Real Madrid as a coach.Ancelotti has enjoyed success in Italy, most notably with the San Siro club, where he won Serie A in 2003-04 - his sole Scudetto as a coach to date.

Sarri, meanwhile, has been strongly linked with a move to another of Ancelotti's former clubs, Chelsea, where he would succeed fellow Italian Antonio Conte, who looks set to leave Stamford Bridge despite delivering the FA Cup.

 

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Morata fuels Chelsea exit rumours after meeting Juventus director


Chelsea striker Alvaro Morata met with Juventus sporting director Fabio Paratici in Milan on Wednesday, Goal can confirm.The meeting, which was also attended by Morata's agent Juanma Lopez, is likely to further fuel speculation the Spanish forward could leave Chelsea after just one season.

Morata joined the Blues from Real Madrid last summer for a club-record £60 million (€68m/$80m) fee, and scored 15 goals in 47 appearances in all competitions in 2017-18.

Though he got off to a strong start, the 25-year-old faded as the season wore on and ultimately missed out on Spain's World Cup squad as a result.Morata's struggles have led to speculation he could re-join Juve, with whom he had a successful two-year loan spell between 2014 and 2016.During his two seasons in Turin, Morata scored 27 goals in 93 official appearances with the Bianconeri and won five trophies.

In addition to Juventus, Milan have also been mooted as a potential destination for Morata.On Tuesday, Morata's Italian agent Beppe Bozzo met with Milan's hierarchy about a potential move, but unlike Wednesday's meeting with Juventus, Morata himself did not attend. Though there is interest in Morata from abroad, a transfer would have several hurdles to overcome before becoming a reality.

Goal understands that Chelsea still believe the Spaniard can come good at Stamford Bridge, and that his downturn in form over the second half of the season was largely due to a back injury.Additionally, the Blues are unlikely to sell Morata unless they can make a profit from their massive outlay on the striker last summer.It remains to be seen if any club in Europe would be willing to go that high with a bid.