"Stay strong" Messi send message to Neymar for the support

Lionel Messi has sent a message of support to Neymar, and vowed that Barcelona would complete their Champions League group campaign with a win over Bayer Leverkusen. The Brazilian came down with a groin injury during Tuesday's training session which, while not believed to be serious, will keep him out of contention as the Blaugrana look to end on a high note ahead of the last-16. Luis Enrique is expected to use...

Read More

Ronaldo for PSG : I'm so happy in Madrid

Record-breaking Cristiano Ronaldo has repeated that he is happy at Real Madrid, while insisting he is not obsessed with the Ballon d'Or.The striker rediscovered his best form in front of goal with four strikes in an 8-0 demolition of Malmo on Tuesday, with Karim Benzema also grabbing a hat-trick. Ronaldo also broke the record for the most goals in a Champions League group stage, reaching 11 this year. "It is just speculation,...

Read More

Neymar suffers groin injury

Barcelona have suffered an injury set-back after Brazilian forward Neymar picked up a groin problem in training on Tuesday.The 23-year-old is now seemingly ruled out of Barca's Champions League clash with Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday, with the former Santos star having been taking part in his side's pre-match training session.The Liga club released a statement on Tuesday confirming the 23-year-old has a "slight groin strain", although...

Read More

Latest Lewandowski rumours for his move to Real Madrid by coach Rafa Benitez

Rafa Benitez has refused to comment on speculation linking Real Madrid with a move for Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski.The Poland international has been in sensational form for Bayern this season and plundered 14 Bundesliga goals in as many games for the champions.But, rumours have gathered pace that Madrid are planning to launch a bid for Lewandowski after the player's agent reportedly watched...

Read More

Stewart Downing expects more signings to join him at Middlesbrough

Stewart Downing expects more eye-catching signings to follow him to Middlesbrough and help his hometown club push for promotion. The 31-year-old has returned to the Riverside after stints at Aston Villa, Liverpool and West Ham United and is hoping to be back in the Premier League sooner rather than later. Downing will be expected to spearhead that challenge of going one better than last season’s play-off...

Read More

Crystal Palace sign Alex McCarthy from Queens Park Rangers on four-year deal

Crystal Palace have completed the signing of the goalkeeper Alex McCarthy from Queens Park Rangers on a four-year deal. The 25-year-old, who moved to QPR from Reading in August last year and made three appearances in the top flight, joins for an undisclosed fee. “When I first heard about Palace’s interest I was excited because I really wanted to be back in the Premier League,” the former England Under-21 international told his new club’s...

Read More

Liverpool complete £32.5m signing of Aston Villa’s Christian Benteke

Brendan Rodgers has finally captured his No1 summer transfer target afterChristian Benteke completed his £32.5m transfer to Liverpool from Aston Villa. The Belgium international becomes the seventh new arrival at Anfield since the end of last season. Benteke is understood to have signed a five-year contract, with Liverpool paying £16m up front and the remainder of the fee payable over the course of his contract. Rodgers’ pursuit...

Read More

Gabon denies paying Barcelona’s Lionel Messi £2.5m for Ali Bongo visit

The Gabonese government have denied claims that Barcelona’s Lionel Messi was paid €3.5m (£2.5m) to visit the country to take part in a ceremony at one of the venues for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations. Messi, who has yet to link up with his Barcelona team-mates on their US tour, was pictured at the weekend in the country’s second largest city, Port-Gentil, where he helped to lay one of the first stones for the planned 40,000-capacity...

Read More

PSG sign Benjamin Stambouli from Tottenham on five-year contract

Paris Saint-Germain have announced the signing of the midfielder Benjamin Stambouli from Tottenham on a five-year contract. Stambouli, 24, joined the London club from Montpellier, but has opted to move on after just one season at White Hart Lane. Stambouli, who made 25 appearances for Spurs in all competitions, said: “I am delighted and very proud to become a member of the Paris Saint-Germain family. “I wasn’t necessarily planning...

Read More

Newcastle confirm signing of Aleksandar Mitrovic from Anderlecht

Newcastle United have signed the striker Aleksandar Mitrovic on a five-year deal from Anderlecht. The 20-year-old arrives subject to receiving the appropriate visa in a deal the club claims is the fourth biggest in their history. The Serbia international said: “There will be pressure here, for sure, but I like pressure. I also know about the famous players who have played for Newcastle United, like Alan Shearer who is a hero of mine....

Read More

British comedian throws fake money at Blatter

The man behind the popular TV character 'Jason Bent' pulled off another audacious publicity stunt at the expense of the under-fire Fifa president A British comedian interrupted a Fifa press conference on Monday and threw fake bank notes at outgoing president Sepp Blatter. The man has been identified as television broadcaster Simon Brodkin, who is renowned for his publicity stunts, having most recently crashed rapper Kanye West's set at the...

Read More

Fifa election set for February 26

Sepp Blatter was re-elected as president last month but then decided to stand down at the earliest opportunity amid a corruption scandal A new Fifa president will be elected at an Extraordinary Congress on February 26. The date was confirmed on Monday following an Extraordinary General Meeting of the governing body in Zurich. Outgoing president Sepp Blatter laid down his mandate back in June, just four days after he won a fifth consecutive...

Read More

Stambouli joining PSG, confirms Blanc

The Tottenham midfielder moved from Montpellier last summer, making just 12 Premier League appearances and is now poised to complete his transfer back to France Benjamin Stambouli will finalise his transfer to Paris Saint-Germain from Tottenham on Monday, according to Laurent Blanc.The 24-year-old joined Spurs from Montpellier last summer for a fee believed to be £4.7 million (€6m) but made just 12 Premier League...

Read More

Aston Villa sign France Under-21 defender Jordan Amavi from Nice

Aston Villa have reached an agreement to sign the left-back Jordan Amavi from Nice, the Ligue 1 club have announced. The 21-year-old, who has represented France at Under-21 level, finalised his deal with the Barclays Premier League side on Saturday. Nice said in a statement on their official website: “An agreement was reached on Saturday for the transfer of Jordan Amavi to Aston Villa. “Jordan Amavi has not participated in the trip...

Read More

Sunderland sign Tottenham’s Younès Kaboul for undisclosed fee

The Tottenham defender Younès Kaboul has completed his move to Sunderlandafter signing a four-year deal. The 29-year-old has joined the club for an undisclosed fee after travelling to Wearside for a medical on Thursday. Kaboul said: “I’m delighted to be a Sunderland player and it’s an honour to join this club. I would like to thank [the sporting director] Lee Congerton and the head coach [Dick Advocaat] for making this move possible,...

Read More

Real Madrid agree Casilla deal with Espanyol

The Blancos have secured their replacement for Iker Casillas, potentially spelling the end of their interest in Manchester United's David de Gea Real Madrid have agreed a deal to sign Espanyol goalkeeper Kiko Casilla on a five-year contract, both clubs have confirmed. The Spain international - a Blancos youth product - left the Santiago Bernabeu side in 2008, but the departure of Iker Casillas to Porto triggered a pursuit from...

Read More

Arsenal's Sanogo joins Ajax on loan

Gunners manager Arsene Wenger says that the young French striker "needs to play" as he heads to the Eredivisie to spend the full 2015-16 season with Frank de Boer's side Arsenal striker Yaya Sanogo has joined Ajax on a season-long loan deal. The France Under-21s international spent the second half of last season on loan at Crystal Palace but will now spend the entire 2015-16 campaign at the Amsterdam ArenA. Sanogo has struggled for opportunities...

Read More

Delph completes Manchester City move

The England international midfielder signs a five-year contract at the Etihad Stadium, having made a second U-turn on his leaving Aston Villa through his £8 million release clause Manchester City have completed the signing of Aston Villa midfielder Fabian Delph less than a week after he vowed to stay at Villa Park this summer. The Villa captain made a second U-turn on his future earlier on Friday after receiving...

Read More

Atletico Madrid sign Jackson Martinez

The Spanish side have confirmed that the Colombia international will join on a four year deal from Porto after they paid his €35 million release clause Atletico Madrid have confirmed the signing of Jackson Martinez from Porto. The Portuguese side had already confirmed that the player would depart to join Diego Simeone's team, but it has now been confirmed that he will sign a four-year contract in the Spanish capital. After...

Read More

Stoke sign Barcelona youngster Moha El Ouriachi

Mark Hughes confirmed interest in the 19-year-old, who rejected a new Camp Nou contract, in April and now makes the forward his seventh summer signing Stoke City have completed the signing of teenage forward Moha El Ouriachi from Barcelona.The 19-year-old, who has represented Spain at youth level and is also eligable for Morroco, moves to the Britannia Stadium after opting to reject a new contract from the Spanish and European...

Read More

Watford set to sign £3.5m Holland winger Steven Berghuis from AZ

Watford are set to continue their squad strengthening for their return to the Premier League with the purchase of the Holland winger Steven Berghuis from AZ Alkmaar. The 23-year-old, who has graduated through junior levels into the senior Holland set-up and had been heavily linked with PSV Eindhoven, can play on either flank or as a No10, and scored 11 times for AZ last season. Berghuis had trials with Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur as a...

Read More

Sunderland’s £5m deal to sign defender Nicolas Lombaerts collapses

Sunderland’s £5m deal to sign the Zenit St Petersburg defender Nicolas Lombaerts has collapsed – but the player has denied that he failed a medical. The 30-year-old Belgium international was a target for Dick Advocaat and rumours that he had failed a medical began to circulate on Tuesday evening. Lombaerts, who suffered a serious knee injury in 2008 but has played more than 200 times for Zenit since then, is understood to have had a medical on...

Read More

Sunderland sign Lens from Dynamo Kyiv

The 27-year-old, who can play up front or on either flank, has signed a four-year contract at the Stadium of Light to reunite with former PSV boss Dick Advocaat Sunderland have completed the signing of Jeremain Lens from Dynamo Kyiv.Last month revealed that the Black Cats were in talks to sign Lens, and on Tuesday confirmed that he was on the way to England to undergo a medical and finalise personal terms.And...

Read More

Southampton sign Clasie from Feyenoord

The 24-year-old has signed a five-year contract at St Mary's Stadium and is expected to fill the midfield void left by Morgan Schneiderlin's departure to Manchester United Southampton have completed the signing of Jordy Clasie from Feyenoord.The 24-year-old has signed a five-year contract with Ronald Koeman's side after a fee reported to be in the region of £8.4 million was agreed with the Dutch giants.Clasie is widely expected...

Read More

Schneiderlin joins Manchester United

The one-time Arsenal and Tottenham target becomes Louis van Gaal's third summer arrival in as many days after the club met Southampton's £25 million asking price Manchester United have confirmed the signing Morgan Schneiderlin from Southampton, with the midfielder signing a four-year deal.A fee was agreed over the weekend, with the Frenchman undergoing a medical at Carrington on Sunday, and Schneiderlin now becomes Louis...

Read More

Manchester City sign Sterling for £49m

After two previous bids were rejected, the winger finally leaves Liverpool for the Etihad Stadium to become the most expensive English footballer of all time Manchester City have confirmed the signing of Raheem Sterling from Liverpool for a deal worth up to £49 million. The news brings to an end a long-running and highly public transfer saga, with the England international even threatening to go on strike before...

Read More