..::Football IV::..

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I'll show Mourinho I'm ready, says Man United's Pereira


Manchester United midfielder Andreas Pereira is determined to win a place in Jose Mourinho's first-team plans after an "important" loan spell with Valencia.

The 22-year-old moved to Mestalla during the transfer window a year ago and made 23 appearances in La Liga last season.Mourinho criticised Pereira for the move at the time and there was some doubt as to whether he would give the Belgium youth international a chance to impress on his return.

However, the player himself insists his time in Spain was positive and is now focused on earning a spot in the United set-up before the Premier League season begins next month.

"It was a very important year for me at Valencia and I learned a lot," Pereira told United's official website. "I had a lot of experiences out there and I am very happy to be back. I am ready to play.

"This pre-season is very important for the team. We have to prepare very well for what is coming up next and I am doing my best to get minutes, and to show that I am ready."

Pereira suggested he expects to play as a central midfielder for United after speaking with Mourinho about his preferred position.He is now doing his best to learn from assistant coach Michael Carrick, who retired at the end of last season after 12 years as a player at Old Trafford.

"The manager asked me what position I will play and I said I will play any position he would like," Pereira said. "Now, I am in this position as a number six. I will try to do my best and of course everyone is helping me a lot, including the manager, by telling me what to do."Carrick is also helping me in every training session and it is very important. It is not only them, but all of the other coaches as well. They're helping me a lot and I am learning new things every day.

"Michael was one of the best [central midfielders] in the world and one of the best that Manchester United ever had. He gives me tips, he tells me in training what to do and it is very easy when he tells you. You pick it up straight away and it is very easy to learn from him."

 

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'Do you think I want to suffer tackles? It hurts!' - Neymar defends much-maligned theatrics


Neymar has refuted accusations of going to ground too easily, with the Paris Saint-Germain and Brazil forward suggesting that his dribbling ability makes him a target for rough treatment.The 26-year-old saw his club campaign in 2017-18 ended by a broken metatarsal picked up while challenging for the ball and faced a race against time to rebuild his fitness for World Cup duty.

He was able to lead Brazil at Russia 2018, but faced criticism throughout the tournament for supposed theatrics which saw him spend as much time on the turf as he did on his feet.

Neymar has learned to shrug off the haters – going as far as to mock himself with his own version of the ‘Neymar Challenge’ on social media where fans film themselves mimicking his antics – but he also believes that many onlookers do not appreciate what he has to put up with.Speaking at a charity auction for his foundation, the Neymar Institute, the PSG superstar said: “I saw [the jokes] but I took them with humour.“Even yesterday I posted on Instagram a joke with the children about it.

“My football is to dribble, to face the opponent. I can’t stand in front of the opponent and say, ‘My dear, excuse me, I want to score a goal’.“I can’t do that, I have to dribble past him, I have to try to do something and he will not allow me to go past and he will try to foul me.

“A lot of times I’m faster and lighter than other players and they tackle me, and the referee is there for that.“Do you think I want to suffer tackles all the time? No, it’s painful, it hurts. After the games I stay back four or five hours putting on ice.“It’s complicated but if you haven’t experienced that you will never understand.”

Neymar has received support from a number of team-mates and former Brazil stars since enduring a difficult World Cup campaign, with PSG colleague Dani Alves among the latest to have hit back at the detractors.

He said: “Everything Neymar does turns into news. If he gets emotional, they criticise. If he colours his hair, they criticise.“I want to see these people in Neymar’s place.“Criticising is a weapon of the weak.“I believe that we football players always try to do the best for the group and for our teammates.

“There are many people who are ready to judge us, but it isn’t our focus. If you know Neymar, you know how much quality he has and how special he is.“I believe we have to take care of players like that because they illuminate football.It’s players like him that make football great.“Criticising Neymar and players of that level is easy, what’s difficult to do is what they do.”

 

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Herrera hints at new Man Utd contract with ‘best team in the UK’


Manchester United midfielder Ander Herrera believes he is at “the best team in the UK” and is eager to agree a contract extension.

The 28-year-old has entered the final 12 months of his current deal at Old Trafford.He is about to take in a fifth season with the Red Devils, with the club’s 2016-17 Player of the Year having made 161 appearances to date.

Herrera hopes there will be many more to come, despite intense competition for places in Jose Mourinho’s squad, and has hinted that he is ready to commit to fresh terms.

He told reporters ahead of a pre-season friendly clash with MLS side the San Jose Earthquakes: “I’m happy in the club and I love the fans.“I’m playing for the best team in the UK, so my first intention is to stay because I love what I do and I love where I am.”Herrera has helped United to FA Cup, League Cup and Europa League honours during his time in England.

The Red Devils will be back on the trophy trail in 2018-19, with the club eager to establish the consistency which will allow them to close the gap on arch-rivals Manchester City in the race for the Premier League title.Herrera added on that challenge: “We have to be at least as good as we were last season in the league, but try to make less mistakes.

“I mean games like Huddersfield away, West Brom at home – I have respect for those teams, but we should have won.“Some league games, they’re fights and they’re wars. We have to be ready for it.We were for most of the games, but we made a couple of mistakes that we need to fix.“After the game with Huddersfield I said they were more ready and more aggressive than us, so the only thing we can do for these games is be ready, because it’s going to be a fight.







“The only thing that we can blame ourselves about last season was the Champions League, because we should have beaten Sevilla.“But in the other competitions we were in the FA Cup final against Chelsea and deserved to win, and we had an amount of points in the league that normally you’re fighting for the title.”

United have International Champions Cup competition to come this summer – against AC Milan, Liverpool and Real Madrid – before opening the new Premier League season at home to Leicester on August 10.

 

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AC Milan name Scaroni new chairman as Elliott take control


AC Milan have announced the appointment of Paolo Scaroni as chairman as the club heralded the "dawn of a new era" under new owners Elliott Management.

The American investment company completed a takeover of the club after former owner Li Yonghong failed to repay a €32 million (£28m/$38m) debt.And the transition was completed on Saturday when a new board was elected at a shareholders' meeting in Milan.




Marco Fassone has left his role as CEO, with Scaroni taking over as chairman and interim chief executive, while Marco Patuano, Franck Tuil, Giorgio Furlani, Stefano Cocirio, Salvatore Cerchione, Alfredo Craca and Gianluca D'Avanzo also join the board.

Milan were suspended from the Europa League for this season after failing to comply with UEFA Financial Fair Play rules, but were reinstated after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) overturned the decision.The change in ownership played a decisive role in CAS's decision as Elliott promised to invest €50m into the Serie A side and have targeted a return to the Champions League.And the new chairman promised the Rossoneri would see progress.

"I am humbled by the opportunity to lead AC Milan's board of directors, and grateful for the trust and support of my fellow board members," Scaroni, a former CEO of Italian energy company Eni and glass manufacturer Pilkington in London, said.

"This is a critical moment in the club's storied history, and we're all grateful to have a new owner committed to returning AC Milan to its former glory. At the board level, we will do everything possible to put the coach and the players in a position to succeed. There is considerable hard work ahead, and we are eager to build upon today's momentum."Before the change, ousted president Li Yonghong hit back at the new owners after the hedge fund repossessed the holding company he used to buy Milan in 2017.

"First of all, I would like to clarify the following. My purchase of Milan was neither a rash decision or one dictated by a passing infatuation," he wrote in a letter addressed to fans published in Il Sole 24 ."It stemmed from my passion for the team and belief in the economic potential of an investment in one of the noblest football teams in the world."Until June 30, 2018, I had paid almost €880m for AC Milan, of which only €280m was funded through Elliott, while I personally provided the remaining part.

"I was convinced that Elliott was a trustworthy investor and, above all, a partner to share the duties and honours of a stimulating adventure like the ownership of a team who, throughout their glorious history, have won, among other trophies, seven Champions Leagues and 18 Serie A titles."I made a mistake and only discovered it to my great detriment during my tenure.

Elliott showed itself from the start to not be the partner I imagined but rather a lender totally disinterested in the complex management of a club of Milan’s standing, despite its control of the team’s board."All this happened despite repeated declarations from the fund regarding its alleged support for the club.

"During my time as president, I would like to remind all of you that I have never failed in my commitments and for this, I have proof of over €200m invested by me in the team under my ownership."I am ready to fight and I will do it to safeguard my rights and give assurances to the AC Milan shareholders, whom my beloved club deserve.

"Any deliberate and intentional manoeuvres to reduce the value of AC Milan will be prosecuted by law. Thank you for your hospitality and attention."

 

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Golovin sees Chelsea switch 'confirmed' by former CSKA team-mate


Aleksandr Golovin looks to be on his way to Chelsea, if a social media post from former CSKA Moscow team-mate Sergey Chepchugov is anything to go by.Russia international Golovin has been linked with a move to a major European side after impressing for his country in their surprise run to the World Cup quarter-finals.

The 22-year-old has been widely tipped to join Maurizio Sarri's Chelsea - with Goal revealing in late June that a deal was close - with the Blues having already moved to strengthen their midfield options with the signing of Jorginho from Napoli.

CSKA president Evgeniy Giner had attempted to play down the rumours, claiming that no agreement had been reached.He said: "In order not to ruin [Golovin] we must let him go. But we have no solution for today."Chelsea? There is no closed arrangement with them. But the question of his transition to another club will be decided, I think, in the next couple of days."

It does, however, appear that a switch to Stamford Bridge for Golovin is now on the cards, with Chepchugov having wished his former team-mate good luck at his next club in an Instagram post.The goalkeeper congratulated Golovin on joining Chelsea and wished him a "great career".

Chepchugov wrote: "When you first broke into the CSKA first team I told you straight away, if you keep training this well then you'll end up at a European club in two years. You're getting lots of advice and attention today. I hope you fall in love with Chelsea. Good luck and have a great career!"

Time will tell if Chepchugov's post proves accurate, with Golovin also said to be interested in joining Cristiano Ronaldo at Juventus, according to Italian newspaper Tuttosport, while Monaco is another potential destination.Golovin is a product of CSKA's academy system and has made 113 senior appearances for the club to date.

 

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Salah is fully recovered and full of joy – Klopp


Mohamed Salah has fully recovered from the shoulder injury he suffered against Real Madrid in the Champions League final and is "full of joy" ahead of the new season, according to Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.

Salah dislocated his shoulder in a tangle with Sergio Ramos back in May when Liverpool were beaten 3-1 by Real Madrid, who were crowned European champions for a third year in a row.The injury meant Salah's World Cup was disrupted, preventing him from featuring in Egypt's opener – a 1-0 defeat to Uruguay.

Salah was able to play – and score – against Russia and Saudi Arabia, but Egypt left the tournament without even registering a point.Nevertheless, the former Roma star is back to 100 per cent and has joined up with Liverpool in the United States ahead of Sunday's International Champions Cup meeting with Borussia Dortmund."[He's] fully recovered, he was fine," Klopp told reporters on Saturday. "We were in close contact [with Egypt].

"He is a very serious person and he knows it's his career. If you can't [play], you can't. He looks full of joy, he's happy to be back.

"It was nice to see him and Sadio [Mane]. They had an intense year but they're really looking forward to the season. "They did the work they had to do, they can start quicker and from another basis. The season starts August 12, so that's good."

 

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Manchester United 0 San Jose Earthquakes 0: Sanchez returns in uninspiring draw

Alexis Sanchez made a timely return as Manchester United failed to impress in their goalless pre-season draw against San Jose Earthquakes on Sunday.Sanchez was unable to travel to the United States with his team-mates after his visa application was initially blocked, forcing the Chile star to miss the club's opening pre-season fixture.

Jose Mourinho was desperate for Sanchez to play, despite his delayed arrival, with so many of his first-team regulars absent ahead of United's Premier League opener against Leicester City on August 10 following the World Cup in Russia.


And Sanchez gave his boss a boost as he took to the field in sunny Santa Clara on the weekend, having only touched down from Manchester on Friday.

Sanchez looked lively and refreshed after Chile failed to qualify for the World Cup, but it was a largely disjointed performance void of creativity from the Red Devils in their second friendly at Levi's Stadium.Anthony Martial, Ander Herrera, Eric Bailly, Antonio Valencia, Chris Smalling and Luke Shaw joined Sanchez in the starting XI, while exciting prospect Tatith Chong was also named in the line-up following his impressive cameo against America.

Sanchez was in the thick of the action early, earning a free-kick and delivering a teasing cross that bounced across the six-yard box and found an unmarked Bailly in the fourth minute, but the United defender's diving header hit the woodwork with the goal at his mercy.

Captain Valencia was then forced from the field three minutes later with an apparent calf injury and replaced by out-of-favour full-back Matteo Darmian.The warm conditions slowed down the tempo, though Sanchez almost made the breakthrough with a free-kick which sailed just wide of the post before half-time.

San Jose – who have collected the least amount of points in MLS this season as they sit adrift in the Western Conference – caused United some nervy moments, none more so than in the second half.Valeri Qazaishvili found the ball at his feet inside the penalty area approaching the hour-mark but a certain goal was denied by the sliding Timothy Fosu-Mensah, who made a terrific clearance off the line.

Fellow substitute Tommy Thompson was the next to go close for the Earthquakes, the American midfielder forcing a fine save from Lee Grant with 20 minutes remaining, while the woodwork denied San Jose during the closing stages.

 

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Pre-season nisa kamak naha ath ithin must win matches meh draw karaganne​

 

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Karius slams critics despite error in Dortmund defeat


Loris Karius has taken to social media to hit back at his critics after another error in Liverpool's 3-1 defeat to Borussia Dortmund in the International Champions Cup.Liverpool goalkeeper Karius fumbled Christian Pulisic's shot as Jacob Bruun Larsen scored Dortmund's third goal in stoppage time after an earlier unpunished lapse when he sliced a clearance straight to Maximillian Philipp on Sunday.

Karius has been a subject of ridicule from many fans after two glaring errors against Real Madrid in Liverpool's 3-1 Champions League final defeat.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has backed the former Mainz stopper to learn from his mistakes, though the Reds have since signed Alisson in a world-record deal for a keeper.

Karius used Instagram to respond to his detractors amid the ongoing scrutiny.
"To those who take joy in seeing other people fail or suffer, I feel for you," the 25-year-old said in a messaged posed on Sunday.

"Whatever it is that is happening in your life to hold this much anger and hate, I pray that it passes and good things come to you." Klopp is not the only one who is tired of Karius' critics, as former Madrid and Spain captain Iker Casillas also came to the defence of his fellow stopper."This attack on Loris Karius, will it ever end? I’m talking about him like so many other goalkeepers," the 2010 World Cup winner said via Twitter.

"There are many more serious problems in the world… f***!
"Leave the kid alone. He is also a person. As we all are!"

 

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'You don't get always in life what you want' - Mourinho responds to Martial exit talk


Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho warned Anthony Martial that "you cannot do whatever you want in life" as the disgruntled Frenchman eyes a departure from Old Trafford.

Martial has been linked with a move away after his agent last month revealed the 22-year-old was ready to leave in search of more opportunities.The France forward grew frustrated toward the end of the 2017-18 campaign after finding his chances limited following the arrival of Alexis Sanchez in January.




Martial started Thursday's 1-1 draw with America and the former Monaco youngster was in the line-up again on Sunday as United played out a scoreless stalemate against San Jose Earthquakes in Santa Clara, California.Asked about Martial – who struggled at Levi's Stadium – and the comments made by his agent, Mourinho told reporters: "I would like to be in Los Angeles now and I am in San Jose.

"You cannot do whatever you want in life, I would love to arrive in Los Angeles, to train in Los Angeles and play all my five matches in Los Angeles, and then don't travel, don't change hotel and then go back to Manchester. "I would like to play against Leicester on Sunday but I have to play on Friday, so you don't get always in life what you want."

Mourinho was speaking after the Red Devils played out their second successive draw in the United States.Undermanned following the World Cup, United were disjointed and void of creativity as they fired a blank against the MLS strugglers.

Sanchez made his return after visa issues delayed his entry into the country and he was able to inspire United, who hit the crossbar via Eric Bailly in the first half but struggled afterwards.

"For me is a very strange pre-season," Mourinho said. "Pre-season, you try to be motivated and motivate the people around you but is not easy. I did some pre-season with some players but to have 10 players away is very strange."So the motivation is to try to train the best we can, to give the players minutes, to give young players an opportunity to develop and that's it."

 

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Liverpool 1 Borussia Dortmund 3: Pulisic inspires comeback to deny Klopp win against old club

Christian Pulisic scored a brace as Borussia Dortmund came from a goal down to beat Liverpool 3-1 in the International Champions Cup on Sunday.

Jurgen Klopp's side were on track for victory against the German's old club but Pulisic's second-half double helped Dortmund collect another three ICC points after their 1-0 win against Manchester City.Liverpool dominated the first half and Virgil van Dijk headed Klopp's men into a deserved lead, the defender taking full advantage of an excellent cross from Andrew Robertson.




But although Sheyi Ojo hit the crossbar and Liverpool created plenty of chances to kill the game, Dortmund launched their comeback by equalising with a penalty midway through the second half.Pulisic was felled by James Milner and Ragnar Klavan at the end of a bamboozling run and the teenager stepped up to convert the spot-kick himself.

And when a Dortmund break opened Liverpool up in the 89th minute, Pulisic rifled the Bundesliga side ahead, before Jacob Larsen added a third in stoppage time.


With new signing Alisson yet to join up with his Liverpool team-mates, Loris Karius was in goal at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.And the goalkeeper almost produced another costly error, racing from his line to misplace a pass to Maximilian Philipp, who screwed a 40-yard effort wide of an open net.Philipp wasted another early opening by firing a tame strike straight at Karius before Liverpool were forced into an early change, with defender Joel Matip taken off with a suspected thigh injury.

Matip's defensive partner Van Dijk opened the scoring in the 25th minute, though.
Rafael Camacho took a short corner to Robertson and he delivered a perfect left-wing cross, allowing Van Dijk to rise unmarked and thump home a powerful header from eight yards out.

Marius Wolf drilled at Karius after a strong Mahmoud Dahoud run created an opening on the right side of the Liverpool box.The impressive Curtis Jones was among eight Liverpool withdrawals at the break, with Naby Keita introduced, while Dortmund also made wholesale changes for the second half.

Milner almost doubled the lead in the 56th minute but the midfielder's 25-yard curler narrowly cleared the crossbar.Milner's cross was then headed wide by Dominic Solanke as Liverpool, who had been unbeaten in pre-season, continued to push for a decisive second goal.

Ojo should have scored when the lively Daniel Sturridge sent him clear but goalkeeper Marwin Hitz got enough on the shot to turn it on to the woodwork.Dortmund then sparked their comeback as they equalised with a penalty in the 66th minute.

Pulisic's dart into the Liverpool box was halted illegally by a combination of Milner and Klavan and the United States international got up to fire the resulting spot-kick down the middle.Joe Gomez headed straight at Hitz and Liverpool rued that wasted opportunity as Dortmund hit a late double to snatch all three points.

Marcel Schmelzer's low cross was emphatically finished by Pulisic to put Dortmund ahead and Lucien Favre's side completed a stunning comeback through Larsen's 93rd-minute goal, the teenager tucking in a rebound after Karius parried Pulisic's shot back into the danger zone.

 

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Ozil announces international retirement due to 'racism and disrespect'

Mesut Ozil has confirmed that he is retiring from international football with immediate effect following the "treatment he received from the DFB."The Arsenal attacker claims that the way he has been treated by the German football association makes him "no longer want to wear the German national team shirt."

Ozil announced the decision in the third part of a lengthy statement released on his Twitter account, with the first part explaining the reasoning behind his controversial photograph with Turkey president Recep Erdogan and the second update criticising how the media and sponsors reacted to the incident.

DFB president Reinhard Grindel was the focus of the third and final part of the statement, as Ozil hit out at the official, claiming: "I will no longer stand for being a scapegoat for his incompetence and inability to do his job properly."

Following Germany's disastrous World Cup performance, where they failed to get out of their groups and lost to both Mexico and South Korea, Ozil was heavily criticised by the media and by the DFB, with Grindel even urging the midfielder to make a public statement on his meeting with Erdogan, also questioning his credentials as an international player following the incident.

Ozil detailed how Grindel attempted to benefit from the fall-out of the player's meeting with Erdogan, aiming to use it as a means to express his own political views and undermine Ozil in the process. He also accused the DFB president of racism, stating that "I am German when we win, but I am an immigrant when we lose." As well as Grindel, the 29-year-old highlighted the actions of politician Bernd Holzhauer who called Ozil a "goat-f***er" and Chief of German Theatre Werner Steer who wished for the footballer to "p*** back to Anatolia."

The way Ozil has been treated by German media, politicians and especially the DFB has caused him to make the "difficult decision" to announce his international retirement, saying that: "I now feel unwanted and think that what I have achieved since my international debut in 2009 has been forgotten."

In those nine years, Ozil has played 92 times for his country, scoring 23 goals along the way. He was part of the side that lifted the 2014 World Cup and also helped Germany to the semi-finals of the 2012 and 2016 European Championships.Ozil also went with Germany to the 2010 and 2018 World Cups and was named national team player of the year five times.

 

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'He's been sh*t for years!' - Bayern chief welcomes Ozil's international retirement


Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness is happy that Mesut Ozil has retired from the Germany squad, claiming the attacking midfielder has been "sh*t for years".The 29-year-old announced he was quitting the national team with immediate effect because of the criticism he has faced for appearing in a photo with Turkey president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, alongside team-mate Ilkay Gundogan, ahead of the World Cup.

The 2014 World Cup winner was called out by the German press for getting his picture taken with the controversial figure so close to the tournament, and his performances in their doomed campaign in Russia saw the backlash intensify.

The president of the German Football Association (DFB), Reinhard Grindel, said Ozil owed fans an explanation for the incident , while team manager Oliver Bierhoff felt Joachim Low could have left him out of the team over the picture.Ozil fired back on Sunday when he released three statements on social media - one explaining the photo with Erdogan and another slamming his critics and former sponsors before revealing his decision.

The Arsenal star says he had been made a "scapegoat" and had his commitment to Germany called into question because of his Turkish heritage.But Hoeness says the Arsenal star's departure should be welcomed as he has been getting away with sub-par performances for some time."I am glad that this scare is now over. He had been playing sh*t for years," he told Sport Bild .

"He last won a tackle before the 2014 World Cup. And now he and his sh*tty performance hide beyond this picture."Whenever [Bayern] played against Arsenal, we played over him because we knew that was their weak point.

"His 35 million follower boys - that don't exist in real world - are convinced he has played sublimely when he completes a cross pass."The development in our country is a catastrophe. You have to go back to what it is: sport. And from a sporting point of view, Ozil has no place in the national team for years."

Ozil made his Germany debut under Low in February 2009 and went on to win 92 caps, scoring 23 goals.

 

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Chelsea 1-0 Perth Glory : Jorginho provides glimpse of what's to come as Sarri's Chelsea reign gets off to positive start

A wet and windy night in Australia has seen Maurizio Sarri's reign as Chelsea manager begin in promising fashion.

Donning his trademark tracksuit, Sarri encouraged his side to play an attacking brand of football as they defeated Perth Glory 1-0 thanks to Pedro's first-half strike.Chelsea lined up in a 4-3-3 formation and looked sharp from the kick-off, penning their opponents into their own half as they took control of proceedings.




And it took just five minutes for the Blues to grab their first goal of the Sarri era, with former Barcelona winger Pedro finishing first time after some impressive play from Callum Hudson-Odoi.

The 17-year-old turned Perth's defence inside out before laying on the perfect ball for his Spanish team-mate and he was one who often caught the eye in his 45-minute cameo.

For a team only a week into their preparations under new manager Sarri, Chelsea certainly didn't appear confused by their new attacking approach.

Ross Barkley, a largely anonymous figure under Antonio Conte, looked sharp and dangerous spearheading a central midfield trio - even if he did spurn one or two good chances.Behind him, captain Fabregas and debutant Jorginho formed a solid pairing in the first half, linking up with ease.

Though Chelsea only went into the break with a 1-0 lead, their first-half approach didn't lack attacking intent with the Blues rarely taking a backwards step in possession.New signing Jorginho was integral to that and though replaced at half-time, he showed why he'll be key to Sarri's tactical approach in the season ahead.

The former Napoli midfielder's absence was felt in the second half with Tiemoue Bakayoko struggling to replicate his performance as Glory sat even deeper in their own half.

Sarri cut an animated figure on the touchline throughout the match, rarely taking his seat and regularly wandering beyond the technical area - at times even encroaching onto the pitch.Against a five-man Perth defence, Sarri's attacking ambition was given a stern early test with an ineffective Alvaro Morata withdrawn on the hour mark by Tammy Abraham.

The 20-year-old Chelsea product looked more menacing than his Spanish counterpart but couldn't find his side a second goal.That left the Blues holding onto a 1-0 lead heading into the dying stages and while at times looking vulnerable to a counter-attack, Chelsea managed to hang on to claim the win and a clean sheet.

That will come as small consolation for Sarri though, whose hunger for goals was not satisfied during an otherwise promising performance."I think with one or two adjustments, we can try to play my football," Sarri vowed at his Chelsea unveiling.And if this performance is anything to go by, the Blues do appear to be on the right track as 'Sarri-ball' starts rolling.

 

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Chelsea to make improved £45m bid for Juventus defender Rugani


Chelsea are preparing to make an offer for Daniele Rugani worth over £45 million ($59m) after Juventus rejected their initial bid.

The Blues made a first approach for the centre-back this month when representative Fali Ramadani met with the Bianconeri's sporting director, Fabio Paratici , in Milan.The Serie A champions knocked back that initial £36 million ($47m) offer, expecting around £10m more for the 23-year-old.

And the London club are willing to match that price in their next offer to close in on one of their top targets for the summer.Chelsea are willing to offer Rugani a contract worth around £4m per season to reunite him with Maurizio Sarri.

The new coach worked with Rugani for two years at Empoli when the defender was sent on loan from Juve.Rugani played a pivotal role in the defence as Sarri's side gained promotion from Serie B. He then started every game in the top flight the following season.

The seven-time Italy international made a big impression on the coach, who made him a top priority to bring to Stamford Bridge after luring Jorginho from former side Napoli.And the admiration is mutual, as Rugani recently said of Sarri: "He is a person whom I respect a lot, who gave me a lot and who taught me many things."

Since his return to Juventus, Rugani, who has three years left on his contract in Turin, has been unable to nail down a spot in Massimiliano Allegri's first XI, but started 22 matches in the league last season.

Although a move to the Premier League looks to be on the cards, the player travelled with his current team-mates to the United States on Monday as they begin their pre-season tour, in which they will face Bayern Munich, Benfica and Real Madrid.As well as Rugani, Chelsea are confident of landing Aleksandr Golovin from CSKA Moscow, whose former team-mate seemed to confirm a move had been completed over the weekend.

They are, however, apparently in danger of losing star attacker Eden Hazard , who seems to want to move to Real Madrid, and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who wishes to follow him .

 

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Roma win Malcom race as Brazilian snubs Premier League for €38m Serie A switch


Roma have wrapped up a €38 million (£34m/$44m) deal for Brazilian forward Malcom, with both the Italians and Bordeaux confirming that the former Arsenal, Tottenham and Everton target is heading for Italy.

Interest from England in the 21-year-old built steadily during the January transfer window, with Premier League sides seemingly leading the hunt for a much sought-after talent.Arsenal and north London rivals Spurs were, however, made aware that no deal would be done over the winter as Bordeaux sought to retain a prized asset through to the end of 2017-18.

They were prepared to admit that a summer deal could be done, and Malcom is now on the move.Roma have invested a sizeable fee in the youngster, with the agreement they have reached including a number of bonuses which require certain criteria to be met.

They will be happy to pay out if Malom stars in Serie A, with those in the Italian capital having already bolstered their creativity ranks with the signing of Javier Pastore.There is money to spend at Stadio Olimpico, with Roma having recently sanctioned the £65m (£85m) sale of goalkeeper Alisson to Liverpool.Another Brazilian has now been brought onto their books after seeing one depart, with Malcom set to sign a five-year contract.

Roma posted in a statement on their official social media channels: “AS Roma confirms that it has reached an agreement with Bordeaux for the transfer of the player Malcom.

“The operation will be ratified following the successful completion of a medical.”Goal understands that Everton also tabled an offer once a scramble for Malcom’s signature was sparked, but he has opted to further his development in Italy.

 

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'Liverpool need a world-class striker' - Klopp urged to spend again by Kewell


Liverpool “need another world-class striker”, says Harry Kewell, with Jurgen Klopp being urged to continue an elaborate summer recruitment drive.

The Reds have already invested heavily during the current window, with midfield duo Naby Keita and Fabinho brought on board.Alisson has also joined in a £65 million ($85m) deal, making the Brazilian the most expensive goalkeeper in history.

Liverpool are considered to be building towards a bright future, with the likes of Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk also drafted in over the last 12 months, but Kewell feels a proven frontman is still required in order to challenge for the Premier League title.

The former Reds forward told the Daily Express: “Last season for Liverpool was excellent. That was a performance to definitely win something.“But obviously with [Manchester] City having that exceptional season every other team has been overshadowed. But they’re definitely heading in the right direction.

“Their front three are phenomenal but I believe they need someone else as well. Just in case something happens to one of them.“So they do need another world-class striker.”While calling for further additions to be made at Anfield, Kewell concedes that Klopp has pieced together a squad which boasts plenty of promise.He added: “It’s a big season for Liverpool.

“That had a fantastic season [in 2017-18] and have some quality players like Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson.“[Sadio] Mane, Salah and [Roberto] Firmino are excellent, while Jordan Henderson is turning into the player that we all hoped for. He’s getting better and better with age.”

Liverpool are currently in America on International Champions Cup duty, but are due to open the new Premier League season at home to West Ham on August 12.

 

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Origi & Mignolet close to exit as Liverpool plan £70m clearout


Divock Origi and Simon Mignolet could be high-profile casualties as Liverpool look to trim their squad significantly before next month’s transfer deadline.

The Reds could recoup as much as £70 million ($78m) from player sales over the next fortnight, with as many as seven first-teamers facing uncertain futures.Origi is one of those, with Valencia among a number of clubs keen on signing the Belgian striker, who has failed to impress Jurgen Klopp with his performances during Liverpool’s pre-season friendly campaign.

The 23-year-old returned to Anfield this month following a disappointing loan spell with Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga. Origi managed just six goals in 34 appearances in Germany, missing out on Belgium’s World Cup squad as a result. He is yet to find the net in five outings so far this summer.

Despite that, Liverpool value him at around £27m ($35m) and have received concrete interest from Valencia, who are keen to recruit a new centre-forward this summer. Whether the Spaniards would be willing to meet the Reds’ asking price, however, is another matter. Liverpool are ready to hold onto the player if not.

Another Belgian, Mignolet, looks almost certain to leave before the August 9 deadline. The goalkeeper was second choice behind Loris Karius during the second half of last season, and with Alisson Becker signed for a world record fee this summer, the 30-year-old believes it is time to move on. Liverpool will hope to get in excess of £10m ($13m) for the former Sunderland shot-stopper.Mignolet will have options from clubs across Europe, with Premier League new-boys Fulham among those interested. Besiktas, Napoli and Barcelona have also been linked.

Danny Ings is another player set to leave in the coming weeks. The striker was left behind as Klopp and his squad flew to the USA on Saturday for their three-game tour, having suffered a couple of minor injury issues in the past fortnight. Liverpool believe it would be more beneficial for Ings, who turned 26 this week, to train at Melwood rather than being involved in their International Champions Cup games, but they are also aware that there may be developments in terms of a move away from the club.

Their valuation of the player is £20m ($26m) plus add-ons, and there is firm interest from Leicester, Southampton, Crystal Palace and Newcastle for the once-capped England man. Ings is keen to leave in search of regular football, having seen the last three years of his career decimated by injuries. Liverpool would ideally like to keep him, but Klopp believes the club owe him the opportunity to move on should he find the right club and the right offer.

Klopp would also like to keep Marko Grujic, who joined up with the squad on Friday after his World Cup exploits with Serbia. The midfielder has agreed in principle to join Cardiff City on a season-long loan deal, and would sign a new Reds contract if he did so.

However, Serie A side Lazio have expressed an interest in signing him on a permanent deal, though Liverpool are unlikely to sell for anything less than £20m ($26m). Klopp still believes the 22-year-old could become a viable first-team option for the Reds in the future, and would like to see him remain in England on loan ideally.He is willing to sell both Lazar Markovic and Pedro Chirivella though. Markovic, rated by the club at £6m ($8m), has interest from Anderlecht, Getafe and Leganes and should leave before August 9. Chirivella, meanwhile, is wanted by both Swansea and Nottingham Forest.

Sheyi Ojo is another who could leave, though Liverpool would be prepared to sanction another season-long loan deal if they were unable to get £15m ($20m) for the talented winger.

The Reds have shown in recent years that they are able to command decent fees for fringe players, a fact evidence last week by Danny Ward’s £12.5m ($16.5m) switch to Leicester. The likes of Brad Smith, Jordon Ibe, Christian Benteke, Mamadou Sakho, Kevin Stewart, Sergi Canos and Tiago Ilori were all sold for surprisingly high amounts during the past two years, and sporting director Michael Edwards is confident that they can do similar this summer.

Liverpool have also sent Joel Matip home from their pre-season tour due to his thigh injury. The defender underwent a scan at the team’s base in Charlotte on Monday having been forced off early in their defeat to Borussia Dortmund on Sunday evening and the club believe he will be out of action for a couple of weeks, though should be fit for the start of the Premier League season. Matip missed the last two months of last season with a thigh problem, and his absence would leave Liverpool thin on defensive cover with Dejan Lovren not returning to training until August 6 following the World Cup.

Liverpool will fly to New Jersey for the second leg of their US tour on Tuesday morning, where they will be met by new £13m ($17m) signing Xherdan Shaqiri. They face Manchester City in East Rutherford on Wednesday, before travelling to Michigan to face Manchester United on Saturday.

 

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Maguire offers hope to Man Utd as he airs desire to play at the 'highest level'


Leicester defender Harry Maguire is eager to “play at the highest level” as talk of a big-money transfer to Manchester United builds.The 25-year-old only joined the Foxes in the summer of 2017, but his profile has risen rapidly since then.A number of assured Premier League performances earned Maguire senior international recognition with England, leading to him making World Cup 2018.

The commanding centre-half shone for the Three Lions in Russia and is now being linked with a possible £65 million move to Old Trafford.Maguire is aware of the speculation and admits that he harbours ambitions of playing at the very top of the game, telling The Sun: “Every player wants to play at the highest level.

“I've just come back from playing at a World Cup, where I really enjoyed the high pressure of the games. It was something that I really thrived off.“Leicester have been unbelievable to me and I'm really happy there but I'm also an ambitious player and everyone wants to play at the top.”

Those at the King Power Stadium are hoping that they can convince a player they acquired for £12m a year ago to stay put.Leicester boss Claude Puel wants to see the club match the ambition of prized assets, with Riyad Mahrez having already left for reigning Premier League champions Manchester City this summer.

He said of the Maguire rumours: “It is important [for him] to continue for Leicester.“It is a good feeling. If our players are interesting a lot of clubs it is because we made good recruitment and work in our training sessions.“It is important to continue this work. Of course, when we welcome them [Maguire and Jamie Vardy] back I hope we can to give them the opportunity to continue their ambition and perform in the Premier League.”

 

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'Chiellini would be the dream' - Arsenal urged by Parlour to land another centre-half

Arsenal “badly need to improve their defence”, says Ray Parlour, with Juventus stalwart Giorgio Chiellini considered to be “the dream” answer to the Gunners’ dilemma.

Unai Emery has already moved to bolster the ranks he inherited from Arsene Wenger, with deals done for Stephan Lichtsteiner and Sokratis Papastathopoulos.They will add vital experience to the Emirates Stadium ranks, while Bernd Leno has been acquired to provide a reliable last line of defence between the posts.

There is, however, a feeling that even more is required, with Parlour calling for another proven performer at the very highest level to be drafted in.The former Gunners midfielder told bwin: “Arsenal badly needed to improve their defence following last season and Emery has clearly made that a priority this summer.“I think Sokratis is a good signing and he will be a no-nonsense, traditional defender in the mould of Tony Adams rather than someone who wants to play out from the back.

“Sokratis is very experienced and he’s a big game player with great leadership qualities. The fact he knows [Pierre-Emerick] Aubameyang and [Henrikh] Mkhitaryan so well is a bonus too.“I think Arsenal still need to improve their defence, though, even after signing Sokratis and Lichtsteiner.“They left themselves open far too often last season and it was their away form that cost them.

“The club needs an old school leader who will put their body on the line and demand the best from his team-mates. Chiellini would be the dream defender, though he’s getting on a bit.”While Arsenal are unlikely to land Chiellini, they have brought in a player who has spent the last seven years playing alongside the legendary Italian in Turin.

Lichtsteiner is now 34 years of age, but the Switzerland international is expected to prove a useful addition, particularly as a right-back mentor to Hector Bellerin.“Bellerin will learn a lot from Lichtsteiner, especially the vital art of defending,” added Parlour.

“Bellerin is great going forwards but he lacks discipline and can often forget his defensive responsibilities. That won’t be allowed to happen with Lichtsteiner in the dressing room barking in his ear.“Lichtsteiner will demand a lot of respect following his successes at Juventus and his experience as captain of Switzerland. He’s also a leader on and off the pitch which Arsenal have badly needed the last few years.“Bellerin has never really had competition or someone like Lichtsteiner by his side.”