Month: June 2020

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Thiago wants liverpool move

According to reports, Bayern Munich midfielder Thiago Alcantara wants to join Liverpool after refusing to sign a new contract at the Allianz Arena.

The Bundesliga giants were hoping the Spain international will put pen to paper on a new deal last month, but he has changed his mind and they believe he wants to leave, with Liverpool said to be his preferred choice following talks with his teammates.

Reds boss Jurgen Klopp wants to add a few quality additions to his ranks ahead of next season’s title defence, and Thiago will definitely be a great signing for Liverpool.

With Naby Keita struggling for consistency, the Anfield outfit have been linked with Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Ruben Neves, but they will have to part with £50 million to have a chance of landing the Portuguese.

Thiago won’t cost as much as that from the look of things, and he brings more to the table given that he is an all-rounder midfielder.

The former Barcelona star is arguably the best in his position in the German top-flight, and landing such a player will no doubt improve Liverpool’s midfield.

The 29-year-old brings loads of creativity to the table and that will come handy in this Liverpool side.

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Rapinoe pulls out of tournament

United States winger Megan Rapinoe is one of three internationals to have withdrawn from the NWSL Challenge Cup amid coronavirus fears.

Forward Christen Press and midfielder Tobin Heath will not play because of “uncertainty” caused by the virus.

Orlando Pride are also not playing after six of their players tested positive for Covid-19.

“Megan let us know that she has decided not to play,” said Bill Predmore, chief executive of Rapinoe’s team OL Reign.

“Like all NWSL players, she was given the option to participate … but we understand and respect her decision.”

The tournament, being played in empty stadiums, starts on Saturday in Utah and will last for one month.

It will make the NWSL the first team-sport league to resume competition in the United States.

“It is deeply painful not to be able to play the game I love, and to watch the broader effects of the global pandemic on our league, sports and our world,” Press said in a statement.

“Regrettably, given the uncertainty created by COVID-19, I must elect not to participate in this tournament.”

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Sports News Transfer News

David Luiz signs contract extension with Arsenal

Arsenal defender David Luiz has agreed a new one-year contract with the club.

Defenders Pablo Mari and Cedric Soares will also join the Gunners permanently at the end of their loan deals, from Flamengo and Southampton respectively.

Meanwhile, midfielder Dani Ceballos has extended his loan deal from Real Madrid until the end of this season.

“I am really happy that we will have these players in our squad for the future,” said the Premier League club’s technical director Edu.

“They have been part of the long-term technical plan [manager] Mikel [Arteta] and I have developed. They bring the right balance to our squad.”

Brazil centre-back Luiz, 33, joined the club from Chelsea last year but was sent off during Arsenal’s return to Premier League action, a 3-0 defeat at Manchester City, last week.

“David is a really important player for us. He has played most of our matches this season and has been important for the team,” added Edu.

“His passing, his communication with the team on and off the pitch – he helps everyone.”

Spanish centre-back Mari, 26, and Portugal right-back Soares, 28, will complete their moves when the transfer window opens next month.

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Tottenham keep pressure on the top four

Tottenham picked up their first victory in eight games to leave West Ham with a battle to stay in the Premier League.

Czech midfielder Tomas Soucek inadvertently converted into his own net following Giovani lo Celso’s corner and Harry Kane broke clear to stroke in his 18th goal of the season.

With seven games remaining, the loss leaves the Hammers outside the relegation zone but only on goal difference with Bournemouth, Aston Villa and Norwich – who lie in the bottom three – all now having a game in hand over David Moyes’ side.

The hosts punished toothless West Ham, who threatened little but saw Jarrod Bowen strike a post as they pushed in vain for an equaliser before Kane struck.

Spurs boss Jose Mourinho will be delighted with a victory that takes them just six points off the Champions League places and with Kane’s goal, which was taken with his usual aplomb after he was put clear. It was also a sign of his increasing assurance in only his second match since a hamstring injury on 1 January.

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Barcelona go top of La liga

BARCELONA, SPAIN - JUNE 23: Ivan Rakitic of Barcelona celebrates after scoring his sides first goal with team mates during the Liga match between FC Barcelona and Athletic Club at Camp Nou on June 23, 2020 in Barcelona, Spain. Football Stadiums around Europe remain empty due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in all fixtures being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images)

Ivan Rakitic scored the only goal as Barcelona beat Athletic Bilbao to move back to the top of La Liga.

The substitute latched onto Lionel Messi’s pass before slotting home with 19 minutes to go.

It was a 15th La Liga assist of the season for Messi, who remains on 699 career goals despite going close himself on two separate occasions in the closing stages.

Real Madrid can go back to the top if they beat Mallorca on Wednesday.

Barcelona were far from their best but did enough to grind out this victory. With Real Madrid having a better head-to-head record, Barca need their rivals to slip up even if they win every remaining game.

Mid-table Athletic had beaten the Catalans twice this season – on the opening day of La Liga and in the Copa del Rey quarter-final – but failed to test goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen once.

Messi, who turns 33 on Wednesday, was hoping his 700th career goal would come – and he was close when he cut in and curled wide, before again missing the target from Ansu Fati’s pass.

But he still helped Barca win the game when he fed Rakitic, who scored his first goal of the season. Messi’s 15 assists in La Liga this season have helped Barca pick up 15 points.

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MORGAN SCHNEIDERLIN LEAVES EVERTON FOR NICE.

Everton announced on Tuesday that the France midfielder had completed a move to Ligue 1 side Nice.

No terms of the deal were announced.

Schneiderlin, 30, made 88 appearances across four seasons for the Toffees since a £20 million transfer from Manchester United in 2017.

Prior to joining United in 2015, Schneiderlin spent seven seasons at Southampton, playing with Saints in League One, the Championship and the Premier League.

The native of Obernai returns to Ligue 1 for the first time since 2008 when he was a member of Strasbourg.

Internationally, Schneiderlin has been capped 14 times by Les Bleus.

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WILLIAN AND PEDRO SIGN NEW CONTRACTS

Chelsea manager Frank Lampard will have two of his senior attackers available for the Premier League run-in after Willian and Pedro agreed to short-term extensions on their current deals until the end of the season.

Both players were due to leave the club on 30 June after the expiration of their previous deals, but have opted to stay at Stamford Bridge until the climax of the Premier League season, which has been extended into the summer.

Willian, 31, has been one of the key senior players for Chelsea this season, starting 22 league matches for Lampard, but had been unable to agree terms on an extended contract beyond this summer, with the Brazilian allegedly keen for a longer deal than was on the table.

World Cup winner Pedro has only started eight league matches, and had already negotiated a move to Roma when his contract with Chelsea expires. However, that transfer will happen after the domestic seasons in England and Italy finish.

Willian has been a mainstay in Chelsea’s squad since making a big money move from Anzhi in 2013, winning the Premier League twice, the FA Cup, and also the Europa League in 2019.

Pedro has won all those accolades also, but win just the one Premier League title.

Even before the summer transfer window opens, the Blues have been busy in the transfer market and have already completed the signings of Hakim Ziyech from Ajax and Timo Werner from RB Leipzig, as Lampard adds yet more talented youth to his squad.

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JUVENTUS AGREE HUGE FEE FOR BARCELONA MIDFIELDER

Juventus have agreed a huge £72.5million fee with Barcelona to sign midfielder Arthur when the summer transfer window opens, according to reports.

Arthur arrived at the Nou Camp from Gremio in his native Brazil for £28m, and has gone on to make 70 appearances for the club across two seasons.

Despite the mammoth fee being agreed between the two sides, as reported by Sky Sports, it is understood the 23-year-old is desperate to stay and fight for his place in the midfield at Barcelona.

The Spanish club, though, are cash-strapped and understood to be keen to take the fee offered by Juve in the summer.

It has been written that Juventus boss Maurizio Sarri wants to build his team around the Brazilian next season, while the Italians have also offered him a huge wage increase.

If he accepts the move to Turin, Arthur will be on £4.5m a year and will line up in the midfield behind the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo.

For now, it is understood that Arthur will line up for Barcelona on Tuesday night in their huge clash against Athletic Bilbao.

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Jose Mourinho backs Harry Kane

Tottenham forward Harry Kane has been labelled “Hero Kane” by boss Jose Mourinho after his return from injury.

The England captain made his first appearance since suffering a hamstring injury on 1 January in Friday’s 1-1 draw with Manchester United.

Mourinho, whose side face West Ham on Tuesday, also says Spurs have no intention of selling the 26-year-old.

“If he gives me the same he gave me against United, I will be more than happy,” said Mourinho.

Kane failed to score in Friday’s draw, had one shot on target and managed 36 touches of the ball – only goalkeeper Hugo Lloris had fewer among the players to have played the entire game.

It led to criticism from former Arsenal player Paul Merson, who said the forward would not manage a high goal return under Mourinho because of his style of play.

Kane had scored seven in 11 games under Mourinho before Tottenham’s return to Premier League action after the coronavirus pandemic.

“Harry Kane played one game after six months. I know that if he scores two goals, the talk stops,” added Mourinho.

“The only thing that I know is that Harry Kane had an incredible effort, he played 90 minutes, 94 or 95, he was training again (on Monday) and (on Sunday), he’s ready to play (on Tuesday), he’s an amazing professional, he’s super-committed with the team.

“If I have to wait patiently to score two goals or three goals in one game and then everybody starts saying that Harry Kane is back, I wait.

“But for me it’s not Harry Kane, it’s ‘Hero Kane’ because a guy that had a big surgery, has a lockdown that stopped the perfect rehabilitation, because it did, so with all the difficulties, then come to normal training only for a couple of weeks… for me, Hero Kane.”

Mourinho says the striker, who has four years left on his current Spurs contract, harbours the same ambitions as the club and chairman Daniel Levy.

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Aguero out for sometime

Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester City v Burnley - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - June 22, 2020 Manchester City's Sergio Aguero reacts after sustaining an injury, as play resumes behind closed doors following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Martin Rickett/Pool via REUTERS EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or "live" services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club/league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details.

The knee injury suffered by Sergio Aguero in Monday’s 5-0 win over Burnley “does not look good”, says Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola.

The striker was forced off just before half-time after a challenge from Ben Mee that resulted in the penalty from which City scored their second goal.

Guardiola revealed the Argentine had been suffering from a knee problem for the past month.

“We’ll see tomorrow in a better way what he has,” said the City boss.

“He felt something in his knee. He has struggled in the last month, some pain in his knee, so we will see.”

Asked if he was worried about the 32-year-old’s prospects for the rest of the season, Guardiola replied: “I’m not a doctor, but it doesn’t look good.”

Aguero was replaced by Gabriel Jesus in Monday’s game, which City won easily, with Phil Foden and Riyad Mahrez both scoring twice and David Silva netting the fifth.

They have now won both of their games since the restart of the Premier League, following last Wednesday’s 3-0 win over Arsenal.