..::Football IV::..

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Man Utd announce Kohler as first-ever sleeve sponsor


Manchester United have announced their first ever shirt sleeve sponsorship after signing a multi-million pound deal with US brand Kohler.

The Premier League changed its rules at the beginning of the 2017-18 season to allow clubs to adorn sponsors’ logos on their sleeves, but United were one of a number of outfits not to take up the opportunity during the campaign.

But on Thursday they announced that they have made an agreement with Kohler, a kitchen and bathroom specialists, with the partnership meaning the company’s name will be displayed on the strips of both the men’s and brand-new women’s teams.




Announcing the deal, United’s Group Managing Director, Richard Arnold, said: “It is a pleasure to welcome Kohler to the Manchester United family as a principal partner and our first shirt sleeve sponsor for both the men’s and women’s teams.Our shirt is much more than what we wear, it embodies the passion of our fans and their allegiance to the club.

“Kohler is known around the world not only for its cutting-edge design and luxury products but also a genuine commitment to stewardship and sustainability and is an exciting addition to our family of commercial partners.”

David Kohler, the President and CEO of Kohler Co., added: “Our partnership with Manchester United provides new opportunities to showcase the quality of Kohler products and services with passionate fans of the most far-reaching and revered sports team on the planet… Manchester United embodies sustained excellence in everything they do and our shared values are a perfect match as we expand our fast-growing international presence into new regions with purpose and a meaningful presence.”United have also announced that Kohler’s logo will be seen on their shirts for the first time when they play the first game of their US tour on Thursday, July 19.

The new home shirt, which is set to feature black shorts in a departure from their traditional white colour, is due to be unveiled next week in advance of being worn against Club America at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.

 

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Fulham beat Chelsea, Arsenal and Napoli to €30m Seri signing

Fulham have confirmed that they have won the race to sign Jean Michael Seri from Nice.

The midfielder had hoped to make a move to Napoli, but, instead, the London side have succeeded in capturing a player who had courted interest from both Arsenal and Chelsea previously.

While no figure for the deal has been officially released, it is thought that he will cost the Cottagers around €30 million (£26.5m/$35m).The 26-year-old had a release clause of €40 million (£35m/$47m) that expired on July 15 and it is thought West Ham were also seriously interested in him.

The Ivory Coast international has arrived on a four-year deal with the option of one more, subject to him receiving a work permit.After making 103 appearances in France's top flight, scoring 12 goals and creating 23 more, he is looking forward to the challenge of playing in England.

“It was a long day yesterday so it was great to get the move finalised," he told the club's official website.“Now, I’m ready to get started and looking forward to meeting the squad and getting to know them, the Head Coach and his staff better.

“I’m delighted to be here, it’s a new adventure that starts for me and I’m hoping it will all go well.”Club owner Tony Khan believes the arrival of Seri marks a watershed moment for the side, who won promotion into the Premier League last term.

“Jean Michael arrives with Premier League qualities as well as great promise for the future, which is why he has been at the very top of our target list for a long time," he said.

“So, this is a big day for everyone associated with Fulham and working at Motspur Park, and I trust all Fulham supporters are collectively as thrilled and ecstatic as we are that Jean Michael will be joining our squad as we return home to the Premier League!”

Seri's career started with ASEC Mimosas before he spent time on loan at Porto, where he turned out for the B team. After moving to Pacos de Ferreira, he caught the eye of Nice, where he blossomed under Claude Puel and then Lucien Favre, becoming one of the league's standout players.Nice club-mate Maxime Le Marchand, a versatile defender, is expected to join him at Craven Cottage in the days ahead.

 

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Liverpool sign £13m Xherdan Shaqiri from Stoke City

Liverpool have completed the £13million ($17m) signing of Xherdan Shaqiri from Stoke City.

The Swiss international winger is the Reds' third major purchase of the summer, and has penned a five-year deal at Anfield.

Shaqiri will link up with Jurgen Klopp's squad for their three-game tour of the United States, where they will play in the International Champions Cup against Borussia Dortmund, Manchester City and Manchester United.

The 26-year-old scored eight times in the Premier League for Stoke last season, but was unable to save the Potters from relegation. He helped Switzerland to the last 16 of the World Cup in Russia, where they were beaten by Sweden.He joins Naby Keita and Fabinho as Liverpool's summer arrivals so far.Shaqiri revealed his delight at moving to Anfield, claiming that he was eager to work with Klopp and play for such a big club.

“I’m very happy to be here," he told the club's official website. "It’s a huge club with big history, big players and a fantastic coach. So I’m really glad and happy to be here.“As a player you always want to be on the biggest stage in football. A few years ago I wanted to come too but it didn’t happen. I’m really happy that now I’m finally here. I want to improve myself too, I want to be with the best and I want to win titles. That’s what I’m here for.”

Klopp is excited to see what his new addition can add to the club, indicating that it was the right time for Shaqiri to transfer to a team in the Champions League and push himself to the next level.“I think the English phrase to explain the decision to sign Xherdan is a ‘no-brainer’. When someone like him becomes available in this way you have to react if you are smart – and we have,” Klopp said.

“He has speed and ability, has the right amount of arrogance on the football pitch, real bravery to want the ball and influence things. To play for us these are mandatory requirements.

“We are the perfect move for him in this moment as well I think, because he needs to push himself and challenge himself and our environment encourages that. We will want him to express himself but also learn and improve the areas of his game where he can still make progression.

“From our perspective, he is someone who makes a big difference to the squad and team, because he can fit in so many positions in our system. He gives us greater flexibility in how we can use our current players also. This is cool."

 

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Liverpool lagen thawath hoda signing ekak​

 

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Shaqiri happy to link up with Salah after completing Liverpool move


Xherdan Shaqiri is happy to join forces with Mohamed Salah after signing for Liverpool.

The Switzerland star knows Salah from his time at Basel, although they were not team-mates at the club.Salah arrived after Shaqiri had departed, but the Egypt international will be a familiar face for the 26-year-old, as well as a rival for a place in the team.

After completing a £13 million ($17m) move from Stoke City on Friday, Shaqiri said he is looking forward to teaming up with Salah."I don't know him so well but he came for training and a trial when I was at Basel," Shaqiri told Liverpool's website.

"He came to train two or three times, I trained with him. Then I went to Bayern Munich and he stayed in Basel. "I'm happy that I see him here. He had an amazing season last year and I hope he can do it this year too.

"I'm very happy for him that he had this beautiful season because he is a very nice guy, a good guy.“The most important thing is for the club to work and he had an amazing season. Players are always sad when they don't win trophies but hopefully we can do it this year."

Shaqiri won the Champions League during his time at Bayern, while he collected a trio of Swiss Super League crowns at Basel, and the midfielder is targeting more titles having switched to Anfield to play under Jurgen Klopp."I want to win titles - that's my ambition," Shaqiri added. "I already know how to win from Bayern Munich, we won the treble and it was an amazing feeling."I'm confident we can win a lot of titles. The fans deserve to win titles. Hopefully we have a good season and try to be hungry to win titles.

"As a player you always want to be on the biggest stage in football. A few years ago I wanted to come too but it didn't happen. I'm really happy that now I’m finally here. I want to improve myself too, I want to be with the best and I want to win titles. That's what I'm here for.

"I know the coach from Germany, when he was at Dortmund. We played against each other – me with Bayern Munich – and they were always big games. That was a big point for me to come here, because of the coach."I love his football, how he plays and how he manages a team. I was always an admirer of his so I'm happy to reunite with him."

 

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Rakitic: I'll get a forehead tattoo if Croatia win World Cup


Ivan Rakitic has joked he will get a tattoo on his forehead if Croatia win the World Cup.

Croatia take on France in their first ever World Cup final in Moscow on Sunday.
Rakitic has been one of the star players for Zlatko Dalic's side, along with midfield partner Luka Modric.

And Rakitic suggested he would mark Croatia's success in a special way if his team beat France.

"On my forehead!" Rakitic told reporters when asked if he was planning a tattoo if Croatia win."There's plenty of space there, as you can see! But first I'll have to ask my wife."Frankly, I have this feeling there will be hundreds of millions rooting for us. I've had messages from Argentina, Spain, Germany, all four corners of the world. It's fantastic.

"What really makes me happy is people said they could never imagine celebrating a goal scored as if it had been scored by their own national team.“It goes to show we're deserved finalists, we want to show the world we play as one and we'll leave everything on the pitch."

Croatia have gone to extra-time in all three of their knockout matches, triumphing on penalties against Denmark and hosts Russia before edging past England 2-1 in the semi-final.

But Rakitic rejected suggestions Croatia could suffer from tiredness against France, who have also had an extra day of rest since their last match."There will be excess energy, don't worry about that. This is an historic game, not just for us but for everybody who is Croatian," Rakitic said.

"There are 4.5 million players on the pitch. We will carry one another. We know this is the biggest game of our lives and we want to leave the pitch with our heads held high and say we did everything."You only need to look at the footage coming from Croatia. This joy felt by people there from day one, when we departed for Russia, was incredible. You can't put it into words. The unity, the pride, it's incredible. I think we all deserve this.

"It doesn't only concern the 23 players, our coach, the staff, the physios, doctors, journalists, but the 4.5 million people back home. It's incredible pride and joy. We were lucky to reach the final but we've shown this kind of commitment in each game. If there was a stadium big enough for 4.5 million people, it would be full."

 

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Real Betis complete Carvalho capture


Real Betis have completed the signing of William Carvalho on a five-year contract.Carvalho becomes the latest high-profile player to leave crisis club Sporting CP, who sacked coach Sinisa Mihajlovic after nine days in charge last month.

The Portugal midfielder, who started four games at the World Cup, helped his national side to become Euro 2016 champions.

Carvalho was reportedly close to joining West Ham last August, leading to a legal row between the Premier League side and Sporting.But despite the 26-year-old since being linked with clubs including Inter and Everton, Betis confirmed his arrival on Friday.

Betis have also signed Japan international Takashi Inui, Sergio Canales, Pau Lopez and Joel Robles in preparation for the new La Liga campaign.Since the end of the 2017-18 season, a number of players have left Sporting CP, including Portugal goalkeeper Rui Patricio who joined Wolves and Costa Rica international Bryan Ruiz who moved to Brazilian club Santos.

Defender Tobias Figueiredo traded the Portuguese top flight for Championship club Nottingham Forest, while winger Heldon is now playing in Saudi Arabia. Top scorer Bas Dost is currently without a club after cancelling his contract.

 

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Croatia's Luka Modric deserves Russia 2018 World Cup Golden Ball & Ballon d’Or, says Henry Abiodun


Luka Modric deserves the World Cup Golden Ball and the Ballon d’Or, says Henry Abiodun.The midfielder has seen his stock rise on his way to helping Croatia to their first ever final of the quadrennial showpiece - and potentially their first World Cup trophy.

The Fiery Ones skipper - who also played a crucial role as his club Real Madrid secured a third consecutive Uefa Champions League trophy last season - delivered a masterclass to help his country get the better of England in Wednesday's semi-final.

And, overall, he has been instrumental in their surreal run in Russia, chipping in with two goals and an assist.The Ballon d'Or has been dominated by Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, both of whom, despite having an incredible 2017-18 season with their respective clubs, failed to carry their countries past the Round of 16 of the World Cup.

And the Sunshine Stars gaffer believes the 32-year-old is deserving of the biggest individual award in the game."I don't know who is going to win in the final but I think he should be the tournament's MVP," Abiodun told Goal.

"Why [can't he win Ballon d'Or]? Why not?

"It's always about the guys that score goals. We know the primary aim of the game is to score. We cannot continue and lay emphasis on who's scoring. But sometimes we've to look at the players who are contributing and the people behind the scene making things to work."He's always been there, he's an engine, he's a machine. A player that determines when to defend, when to attack. He's always been a factor on the Real Madrid team too.

"[The World Cup] is just an opportunity for the world to witness his skills," he added.Having started their semi-final clash against England on the back foot, an extra-time goal from Mario Mandzukic helped Croatia secure a spot in the final.

And Abiodun highlights the former Tottenham Hotspur player’s importance to their game."He's a great leader, it's not easy to shoulder that responsibility with the world watching," he continued.

"When you look at his size you won't expect the kind of success he's bringing on the pitch. His charisma, his ball distribution skill."He's a player that combines the ability to win the ball with ball distribution and the game against England - as like every other game - Croatia's confidence came through him.

"The free kick that led to England's opener was conceded by him and if he wasn't matured enough, it would have hurt the team. But again, he rose to the occasion, he did not change his style, he did not change his pace. He has a way of calming down the game, trying to allow his team to dictate the pace.

"He's the one that determines if they want to go forward or not. Most times when you see him go wide with the ball, he wants the team to keep the pace and kill the game but the moment you see him accelerating forward with the ball, he wants his team to attack and you see everybody adjust, pushing up to support. He determines what happens in the team."

Zlatko Dalic’s men battle France in Sunday’s final at the Luzhniki Stadium, and to lift the most coveted trophy in football at their very first attempt, it is no doubt that Modric would have to be at his best.

 

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Bale was 'frustrated' before Champions League heroics


Gareth Bale has revealed how he shelved "frustration" over not starting the Champions League final to score the bicycle kick that made global headlines.

The Wales winger starred in European football's showpiece clash in May as his decisive brace gave Real Madrid a 3-1 victory over Liverpool in Kiev.His first came in staggering style, lashing home an athletic overhead kick from Marcelo's left-sided cross in a match-turning moment of brilliance.

Bale, who after the game confirmed he would weigh up his club future, spoke of being annoyed by his omission from Zinedine Zidane's starting XI, having netted four goals in his previous three appearances.

"I was frustrated, I've said before, not to start the game. But I knew I was capable of being involved in the game and I was," the 28-year-old said during a Q&A in Cardiff."It was great to get the goal, pure emotion. It's just kind of one of those things that you don't think about, you just react to it."I've always wanted to score a bicycle kick. To do it on such an occasion was the place to do it.

"I kind of just went on holiday afterwards and tried to disconnect, so I haven't watched it too many times. If you don't try these things, they never come off."Bale's chances of increasing his playing time with the European champions remain uncertain despite the surprise departure of Cristiano Ronaldo to Juventus.

His future is expected to become clearer when new boss Julen Lopetegui starts work at the Santiago Bernabeu next week.

 

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Southgate urges England to maintain World Cup standards and win medal


Gareth Southgate will resist making wholesale changes for the third-place play-off against Belgium as he aims to achieve England's most successful World Cup since 1966.

The entire 23-man squad trained on the eve of their last outing in Russia, including Kieran Trippier, who limped out of Wednesday's agonising semi-final defeat to Croatia with a "nerve problem" related to cramp.

Manager Southgate admitted the heartache of that result has made for a "really difficult" few days, despite guiding his nation to the last four for the first time in 28 years.

And while the tournament's penultimate match is often regarded as less a competitive contest and more an exhibition, the former Middlesbrough boss is determined not to treat the occasion lightly."We feel we owe it as much to ourselves as our public and our nation, I think, now. We want to finish the tournament well," he told reporters.

"We've set a standard in how we work, we've set a standard in the way we play.We want to aspire to that level every time we go out and every time we train."It's not going to be exactly the same starting XI but ideally we want to make as few changes as possible. With one or two injuries, one or two with illness, we'll just have to see.

"But we have high motivation to perform, we have the chance to win a medal at a World Cup, which only one other England team has ever done."So there's a lot of motivation for us, and of course Belgium have beaten us once already and we would like to address that as well."

Debate has raged over the magnitude of the chance England may have missed in falling short of the final without facing one of the tournament favourites.
Southgate was honest in assessing his young squad's stage of development.

"I suspect when the next rankings come out we'll be back in the top 10 and I think that's about where we are," he said."We're a bit outside the top four or five yet. I think we're competitive against all of those teams.

"We've raised expectation. I don't see a problem with that because we've also raised belief in the players, and we've raised their enjoyment of playing."

 

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River Plate demand €25m for Real Madrid & Tottenham target Quintero


Colombia World Cup star Juan Fernando Quintero will cost Europe's top sides €25 million (£22m/$29m) if they want to prize him away from River Plate, according to the Argentinian club's president Rodolfo D'Onofrio.The Porto midfielder signed a one-year loan deal with River in January with a buyout clause that D'Onofrio indicated he would exercise following Quintero's outstanding performances in Russia.

The 25-year-old lined up alongside James Rodriguez and Juan Cuadrado as Jose Pekerman's men reached the last 16 before being knocked out by England, and Quintero's performances earned him the admiration of European scouts, with Real Madrid rumoured to be interested in taking him to La Liga, while Tottenham are said to be tracking him.

Quintero was quoted as saying that he is working towards his dream of playing in the world most competitive leagues, but D'Onofrio played down the reports, claiming his words had been taken out of context.Nevertheless, the River chief warned suitors what it would cost to make him part with his playmaker, telling Fox Sports Radio: "I know of offers for Quintero. He is happy to be at River.

"If someone wants to take him, they will have to pay €25 million. "Let's not take it out of context; the boy says he's okay here."D'Onofrio claimed that it was Quintero's performances for River, where he has made 13 Superliga appearances since arriving at the club, that paved the way for his successful World Cup and the subsequent interest from other sides.

Expressing his admiration for the player, D'Onofrio compared Quintero with Argentina great Juan Roman Riquelme.

"Juanfer reminds me of Riquelme," he said. "He is one of those players with peripheral vision, he looks to the right and he knows what happens to his left."He has shown little by little that he is a superlative player."

 

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Griezmann: I don’t care about the Ballon d'Or, only the World Cup!


Antoine Griezmann has said that he is ready to set aside personal ambition as he aims to lead France to World Cup glory on Sunday.

The Atletico Madrid forward has scored three times for Les Bleus and set up two more as they have made their way to Sunday’s final in Moscow against Croatia.Knockout ties against Argentina, Uruguay and Belgium were successfully negotiated by Didier Deschamps’ side, who have not necessarily played enthralling football but who have shown themselves to be an effective tournament side.




As one of their stars, it is natural that Griezmann has been linked with major individual honours, such as the Ballon d’Or, but the forward would readily trade that in for victory on Sunday.

“It’s a chance to win the World Cup, not the Ballon d’Or,” he stressed. “I don’t care if I win the Ballon d’Or or not – I’d give everything to be a world champion.”Indeed, Griezmann has emphasised the team ethic that he has tried to employ this summer, even if it has had negative consequences on his goal tally.

“Maybe if I was the top scorer in the competition, we would have lost,” he said. “I thought that by scoring few goals, we could win.“I understand the game… We’re all better together, helping each other in our efforts to play as a team.”

France have not lost in five previous meetings against Croatia, including the semi-final of the 1998 World Cup, when they trailed 1-0 and were controversially reduced to 10 men during the game but still came through to claim a 2-1 success.

Zinedine Zidane scored twice in the final that year as France defeated Brazil 3-0, lifting himself to superstar status in the process, but Griezmann, who has been compared to the former Real Madrid and Juventus playmaker in the past, does not like such comparisons.

"I don't like being called Grizou," he admitted, "I prefer Grizi."

 

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Arsenal boss Emery open to one more 'big' signing


Arsenal are open to signing one more player if a "big opportunity" presents itself, according to manager Unai Emery.

The Gunners have already secured the signings of Lucas Torreira, Bernd Leno, Sokratis Papastathopoulos, Matteo Guendouzi and Stephan Lichtsteiner this summer, with Emery looking to reshape the squad in his own image.

Indeed, the likes of Jack Wilshere and Santi Cazorla have been moved on and Emery says that, while he is happy with the club's business, he would be willing to add another player to the squad.

“Normally in my career, the big clubs don’t close the [door] or the moment to sign a new player,” he told reporters.“Today, we are OK. Maybe we can bring in one if there’s a very good possibility for them to help us, but the club has done a great job of signing new players and I am happy.”Arsenal may still look to trim their squad, with young players potentially leaving the Emirates Stadium on loan deals.

And Emery believes that, while he would be happy to head into the Premier League season with his current group of players, they will be in a prime position to strike if a transfer "opportunity" comes up.“We signed the players who we needed and only if one player is a big opportunity for us will we sign them,” he added.

“Normally, we are thinking about the young players, the possibility of them staying with us or going to play on loan at another team. We are also thinking about the players who were with us last year and whether we need them to stay with us.

“At the moment, I think the squad is complete. We will only sign another player if there is an opportunity to bring in that one player, or two players. We will only sign a player in the next month if he’s a big opportunity.”

Arsenal face Boreham Wood in Emery's first match as Gunners boss this weekend. They will also face Atletico Madrid and PSG in Singapore in the International Champions Cup later this month.

 

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Infantino proclaims Russia 2018 'the best World Cup ever'


FIFA president Gianni Infantino has proclaimed Russia 2018 to be "the best World Cup ever".

The finals have largely been considered a major success by visitors and viewers across the world, particularly in light of concerns about Russia's suitability as hosts.
Organisers have been praised for an efficient running of the tournament across the 11 host cities, while there have been few recorded incidents of travelling fans being subjected to the sort of racial or homophobic harassment that was initially feared.

With the football itself largely engaging throughout the tournament, Infantino had no hesitation in describing 2018 as the World Cup's finest year."A couple of years ago, I said this would be the World Cup ever. Today, I can say that with new conviction. It is the best World Cup ever," he told a news conference in Moscow.

"We had 98 per cent stadium occupancy, more than one million fans travelling from abroad, more than three billion viewers on TV. In FIFA's digital channels, content has been viewed more than 11 billion times, there were seven million visitors to the fan fests, great, great success with VAR, and anti-doping has delivered unprecedented tests and so far, touch wood, zero positive results."We have been acting against discrimination with a new way of operating with FARE and others.

"But there is the football side, and we had only one game that ended 0-0, and we had some great games, all had a lot of emotions, and on the organisational side, the level of excellence in the infrastructure in the stadiums, airports, hotels, transportation, security, the level of operational excellence has been really, really unprecedented, and that's not only me saying it, it's others who have been at several World Cups and championships. And a great party, an extremely friendly atmosphere throughout, from beginning to end."One notable aspect of this tournament has been the use of VAR at a World Cup for the first time, which Infantino considers to have been a resounding success.

Indeed, the former UEFA general secretary believes the days of goals scored from an offside position or red cards for violent conduct could both be coming to an end due to the video assistant technology.

"The results are extremely clear and extremely positive," he said. "Over 440 checks so far, 19 reviews in the 62 matches, there were 16 decisions changed from a wrong decision to a right decision, so when you check vocabulary and the word 'progress', progress means to make things better compared to the past. This is progress, this is better than the past.

"VAR is cleaning football, helping referees to make the right decisions in a very difficult job. Of the checks we made, 95 per cent were already correct, and thanks to VAR we increased to 99.32 per cent. It's not 100 per cent, but it's 99.32 per cent, which is better than 95 per cent.

"The offside goal is finished in football, at least in football with VAR. Either you are or you're not offside. And this is over. How many times have you written in the past whether he was offside or not? It's finished.

"Look how many red cards there were for violent conduct in the last World Cups. In this World Cup, so far, zero. Why? Not only for VAR but everyone knows if you do this [elbow] in the face, someone will see it and then you will be sent off. It's difficult to think about the World Cup without VAR. We'll see what we can improve in future."

 

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Everton target big-money move for £50m Zaha


Everton are weighing up a big-money move for Crystal Palace star Wilfried Zaha this month – and will intensify their efforts to sign a new left-back before the end of the month.

New Blues boss Marco Silva is looking to add to his squad ahead of the new season having made a low-key start to life at Goodison Park.Silva replaced Sam Allardyce as manager last month, but is yet to make a first-team signing with new director of football Marcel Brands leading the recruitment drive.

Brands is aware of the need to trim the Blues’ squad, with as many as eight players likely to leave before the transfer window closes next month. Silva, though, is keen to add at least four new faces as he prepares for his first season in charge on Merseyside.

Zaha would be seen as a marquee signing, and one which would likely threaten Everton’s transfer record, the £45 million ($51m) capture of Gylfi Sigurdsson from Swansea last summer.

The Ivory Coast winger is understood to be open to the idea of leaving Palace, who would demand around £50m ($65m). Everton, though, believe they would face strong competition from the likes of Tottenham, Borussia Dortmund and even Liverpool if they were to open negotiations. Zaha scored nine times for the Eagles last season, equalling his best ever campaign as a professional.

The Blues are already in talks with Barcelona over Colombia defender Yerry Mina, with the hope that a £20m ($26m) deal can be completed. They would allow Barca a buy-back option for the 23-year-old.Goal can also reveal that Everton have no fewer than six names on their shortlist for the left-back position, which was a problem for the club throughout last season.

Celtic’s Kieran Tierney was their top target, but the Scottish champions are keen to keep their home-grown prospect and have slapped a £25m ($32m) valuation on the 21-year-old in a bid to ward off potential suitors.That has led Everton to weigh up alternatives, with Lazio’s Belgian international Jordan Lukaku, Hertha Berlin’s Marvin Plattenhardt and Inter Milan’s Dalbert Henrique all under consideration.

So too is another Barcelona defender, Lucas Digne, and Rennes’ Ramy Bensebaini. Brands has held talks with numerous clubs and agents as he looks to solve a problem position.As it stands, Leighton Baines remains Everton’s only senior left-back option, and the former England man turns 34 in December. Baines has also been linked with a move, with MLS side Portland Timbers understood to be interested in luring him to the United States.

Silva is also keen on recruiting a dominant central midfielder and at least one attacker. He would be interested in Watford duo Abdoulaye Doucoure and Richarlison, though those moves are complicated by the manner of his departure from the Hornets earlier this year.

Portugal international William Carvalho was considered, but now looks set to join Real Betis from crisis club Sporting CP. Andre Carrillo, whom Silva had on loan at Watford, has also been looked at.

In terms of outgoings, Everton have sold Wayne Rooney to DC United and Ramiro Funes Mori to Villarreal while allowing Joel Robles to leave on a free transfer. They have loaned Luke Garbutt to Oxford United and will consider offers for Kevin Mirallas, Ashley Williams, Davy Klaassen, Sandro Ramirez, Oumar Niasse and Morgan Schneiderlin. Yannick Bolasie and Cuco Martina could also be on their way out.

Everton play their first game of the Silva era on Saturday, taking on Austrian side ATV Irdning.

 

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Chelsea confirm Conte sacking but Italian wants £9m payoff

Chelsea have confirmed that they have sacked manager Antonio Conte, though they face the prospect of a prolonged legal battle with the former Juventus boss.

The Italian took charge of their first four days of pre-season but speculation had long suggested he would be fired by the Stamford Bridge outfit.This was finally confirmed on Friday via a statement released by the Blues, who wished Conte success in the future."Chelsea Football Club and Antonio Conte have parted company," the statement read.

"During Antonio’s time at the club, we won our sixth league title and eighth FA Cup. In the title-winning season, the club set a then-record 30 wins in a 38-game Premier League season, as well as a club-record 13 consecutive league victories.

"We wish Antonio every success in his future career." Goal confirmed on Thursday that the Italian was no longer in charge of the club, with a deal for former Napoli boss Maurizio Sarri nearing.The Blues, however, are braced for a legal battle with the ex-Italy head coach, who wants a £9 million ($12m) payoff.

Conte wants full payment of compensation for himself and all his staff. Chelsea don't feel like they have to pay him off and are ready to go through legal channels, which is a route that both parties are happy to take.Indeed, the coach may avoid work until June 2019 to strengthen his case for the full £9m sum.

His exit could mean that Chelsea's transfer window finally grinds into gear, with Sarri understood to have already instructed the Blues board to chase a number of players, including Jorginho, who is expected to follow him from Napoli for €58 million.

Meanwhile, Brazil and Roma goalkeeper Alisson is in talks with the club and could arrive should Thibaut Courtois leave for Real Madrid.Russia World Cup star Aleksandr Golovin is another close to arriving from CSKA Moscow, along with Juventus defender Daniele Rugani.

The Blues, however, face a fight to keep Eden Hazard and Willian, who have been linked with big-money moves to Real Madrid and Barcelona respectively. Conte spent two seasons in charge of the Premier League club, leading them to the title in his first year.

His second campaign, however, proved more problematic, with the Italian unhappy that the club failed to secure several of his top transfer targets. The results that followed were below par, and the Blues finished fifth in the Premier League and were eliminated from the Champions League by Barcelona at the last-16 stage, having suffered a 4-1 aggregate defeat.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Man Utd-linked Maguire ‘deserves’ a big club – Mahrez


Riyad Mahrez has backed England’s Harry Maguire to one day play for a top club, saying it would give the Leicester City defender the recognition that he “deserves”.

Maguire was one of the Three Lions’ stars as they unexpectedly reached the semi-finals of the World Cup, where they eventually came unstuck 2-1 against Croatia in extra-time .

Nevertheless, his performances have reportedly been enough to attract interest from Manchester United, and Mahrez, who was a club-mate of Maguire until he moved to Manchester City earlier this week , believes he would be able to shine at Old Trafford.

“He’s a very good player,” he told the media. “Since the day he came to Leicester, the season he had last season as well, it doesn’t surprise me to see him succeeding at the World Cup. Of course he deserves to play higher. But Leicester is a good club as well, so it’s him, he’ll have to decide and see.”

Maguire, 25, has enjoyed an impressive rise to prominence since starting his career with Sheffiled United, with whom he played over 130 times in the league.After three years with the Blades, he moved on to Hull City, where he spent another three years before switching to Leicester last summer for an initial fee of £12 million ($15.8m) that could increase to £17m ($22.3m).

With the Foxes, he enjoyed a fine debut campaign, winning the club’s Player of the Year award, having turned out in every Premier League match, scoring two goals in the process.

His fine form carried on with England at Russia 2018, where he was one of the outstanding centre-backs of the competition, netting a vital goal against Sweden in the quarter-finals .

United have now been linked with a £50m ($65.7m) approach for the defender, though with the transfer deadline brought forward to August 9 this summer, they face a race against time to push a deal over the line.

Leicester are unlikely to allow their star performer to leave easily as they seek to build towards European football again, having finished ninth in the league last term, and already spending big to sign James Maddison and Ricardo Pereira from Norwich and Porto respectively. Meanwhile, they have also added Jonny Evans from West Brom, a potential new partner in the defence for Maguire.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Man Utd-linked Maguire ‘deserves’ a big club – Mahrez

Maguire ganna puluwan unoth godak hodai​

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Real Madrid rule out Neymar transfer


Real Madrid have released a statement insisting they have "no plans" to make an approach for Paris Saint-Germain star Neymar.The European champions have been heavily linked with a move for the Brazil forward as a big-name replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo, who joined Juventus in a deal worth €100m (£88m/$117m) plus €12m (£10.5/$14m) in additional charges.

Neymar, who scored twice at the World Cup in Russia, was already believed to be in the club's sights prior to Ronaldo's shock decision to pursue a new opportunity.

Once again, the Spainish giants have moved to put an end to speculation by claiming they have not held discussions with the former Barcelona man over a potential return to La Liga.

"Given the constant information linking the PSG player Neymar with our club, Real Madrid CF wants to clarify that it has no plans to make any offers for the player," a club statement read."The relationship between the two clubs is extraordinary, so that, if at some point Real Madrid were considering signing a PSG player, the first thing it would do would be to go to his club."

It is the second statement Madrid have made to dismiss rumours of interest in Neymar in July, having already denied talk of a €310 million (£275m/$360m) transfer.

Neymar became the world's most expensive player when he swapped Barca for PSG in a staggering €222m (£195m/$260m) deal less than 12 months ago.Despite completing a domestic treble, he is rumoured to have already grown frustrated in Paris with a last-16 exit at the hands of Los Blancos prematurely ending the Ligue 1 club's hopes of winning the Champions League.

Madrid's decision to turn their attention away from Neymar could see them step up their reported interest in Chelsea's Eden Hazard, while Kylian Mbappe has also been described as a potential heir to the throne left vacant by Ronaldo, the club's all-time leading scorer.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Real Madrid la Mbappe or Eden Hazard ganna try karai​