Vidal passes Man Utd medical tests
The €60m-rated midfielder has passed medical tests
in Chile to check up on his injury status. Now just a
final agreement on the transfer fee between Juventus
and Man Utd stands in the way of a deal going
through.
Source: Metro
Thursday, July 31, 2014 23:10
Hummels to Man Utd depends on Ilori
Mats Hummels’ proposed move to Manchester United
depends on Borussia Dortmund’s approach for
Liverpool centre-back Tiago Ilori. If Dortmund can
secure a loan for the youngster, United will tie up a
£20m move for Hummels.
Source: Daily Mirror
Thursday, July 31, 2014 22:43
Cavani still wanted by Chelsea
Chelsea are still exploring the possibility of signing
another forward and Jose Mourinho is a huge admirer
of Paris Saint-Germain’s Edinson Cavani.
Source: Evening Standard
Thursday, July 31, 2014 12:25
Liverpool close in on Manquillo and Moreno
Liverpool are closing in on the double signing of
Spanish full-backs Alberto Moreno and Javier
Manquillo. The deal for Manquillo will involve a loan
with the option to buy from Atletico Madrid while
Moreno’s is valued at £20m from Sevilla.
Source: Liverpool Echo
Thursday, July 31, 2014 22:59
Newcastle revive Remy interest
Newcastle remain in the hunt for QPR and France
striker Loic Remy, despite his failed medical ahead of
a move to Liverpool. The Magpies are looking to
complete an £8.5 million deal for the 27-year-old.
Source: Daily Mail
Thursday, July 31, 2014 22:57
Cardiff tell Inter to pay €12.5m for Medel
Cardiff City have told Inter they will only sell defender
Gary Medel for €12.5m. The defender’s agent held
talks with the Bluebirds this week with the Welsh side
keen for a permanent deal rather than a loan move.
Source: Wales Online
Thursday, July 31, 2014 17:59
Schneiderlin returns to Southampton training
Morgan Schneiderlin has returned to Southampton
training despite handing in a transfer request.
Tottenham are keen to sign the France international
who wants to leave St Mary’s.
Source: Sky Sports
Thursday, July 31, 2014 17:36
Juventus to rival Liverpool for Lavezzi
Juventus are set to rival Liverpool for PSG forward
Ezequiel Lavezzi with the Serie A side now leading the
chase for his signature with the Argentine believed to
prefer a move to Italy.
Source: Daily Star
Thursday, July 31, 2014 17:05
Manchester United reserve No.7 shirt for Vidal
Manchester United have reserved the iconic No.7
shirt for Arturo Vidal. The Juventus midfielder has
asked for a move to Old Trafford and reportedly
undertaken a preliminary medical with Louis van
Gaal’s side.
Source: Metro
Thursday, July 31, 2014 16:25
Liverpool back in for Moreno
Liverpool have renewed their interest in Sevilla full-
back Alberto Moreno after missing out on Ryan
Bertrand, who has joined Southampton. Sevilla want
€25m for the defender but the Reds are only willing to
offer €18m.
Source: Daily Mail
Thursday, July 31, 2014 15:46
Monthly Archives: July 2014
Diego Lopez ready to leave Real Madrid
Diego Lopez is ready to
leave Real Madrid this
summer because of serious
concerns over a lack of
regular playing time.
The 32-year-old established himself as coach Carlo
Ancelotti’s preferred choice for Liga games last
season, only to then lose his place to Iker Casillas
during the closing stages of the campaign.
Madrid have had a deal in place to sign Costa Rica
international Keylor Navas for several weeks – a
move that will finally be ratified on Monday after
president Florentino Perez asked Levante to delay
confirmation until the squad have returned to Spain
from their pre-season base in the United States.
After weeks of uncertainty over the goalkeeping
situation with three top-level keepers set to be on the
books, Perez led discussions over the issue after
joining up with the group this week.
Following talks, club sources now say Lopez is likely
to be the man who slips down to third choice in the
race to start. Consequently, he is prepared to leave
the Santiago Bernabeu and will consider his options in
the days ahead.
Ancelotti has decided that Spain international Casillas
will begin the 2014-15 campaign as first choice –
despite his error in last season’s Champions League
final against Atletico Madrid and a calamitous
showing at the World Cup.
The Italian coach has also indicated that he does not
want to rotate his goalkeepers as much as he did
during the 2013-14 campaign, meaning Lopez’s
chances of nailing down a regular berth in the Blancos
line-up are even slimmer.
A departure for Lopez would leave new arrival Navas
clear to put pressure on Casillas, who is now set to
stay at the club having been linked with a move away
earlier in the summer.
Monaco and Napoli have been amongst the clubs
credited with an interest in Lopez, although Madrid are
expecting a number of other top sides to express an
interest after his successful 18-month spell at the
club.
The former Villarreal and Sevilla shot stopper still has
three years left on his Madrid contract.
Chelsea boss Mourinho hints at Cech exit
Jose Mourinho has hinted
that long-time first-choice
goalkeeper Petr Cech could
leave Chelsea this summer.
With Thibaut Courtois having
returned from his loan spell at Atletico Madrid,
speculation has been rife as to whether the Czech
Republic international will retain his No.1 spot at
Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea are ready to listen to offers
for Cech, with PSG credited with an interest, and
Mourinho has now hinted that he could be on the
move by referring to Mark Schwarzer as the club’s
“second goalkeeper”.
“Petr is ready to fight for his position but Thibaut is
the best young goalkeeper in the world, no doubts
about that,” the Portuguese coach is quoted as saying
by the Evening Standard .
“They will fight and for me it’s a good problem to have
to make a decision.
“We are a club that wants to be strong and wants to
have a real possibility of competing for trophies and
we want competition for places.
“But I know that Mark Schwarzer is a very good
keeper, very stable and a good man, completely ready
to be our second goalkeeper like he was last season
and to give positive performances if we need him to
play.”
Courtois has returned to the club following his World
Cup exploits with Belgium and insists he is keen to
make a name for himself in England, as he did in
Spain.
“I signed three years ago so now I am happy to
actually be here, to be a part of this club,” he told
Chelsea’s website.
“My new team-mates have been really great; they’ve
welcomed me and you really feel that you are a part
of this team. Obviously it helped me that I knew some
of the players before I arrived.
“When I signed here I had played for just one year in
the Belgian league. I wasn’t anybody. In the last three
years, I have been able to improve myself a lot and
make my name in the football world.
“Now it is up to me to keep working hard here at
Chelsea, keep improving myself and helping the team
to achieve the things we all want.”
Liverpool boss Rodgers wants more goals from Henderson
Liverpool boss Brendan
Rodgers wants more goals
from midfielder Jordan
Henderson this season.
The Reds got the better of
Manchester City in the International Champions Cup
on Wednesday, winning 3-1 on penalties, with the
England international netting in normal time.
It was a rare goal for Henderson, who had only
managed a total of five in all competitions last
season, but Rodgers has challenged the 24-year-old
to hit double figures in the new season.
“That’s the objective for Jordan [to get more goals],”
the Northern Irishman told reporters after the game.
“The finish he produced to get the equaliser, he does
that day in, day out in training.
“He’s a player that is so fit and strong, and he’s such
a team player – he does a lot of unselfish work. This
year we’re asking him to get more into the box.
“I thought he had more opportunities when he played
just around the corner [of the striker] in the last 20
minutes of the game – he was able to time his runs
better going forward and he got in a few times.
“That’s his strength – he can really penetrate the
defensive line. I would expect him to be getting up to
10 goals this season because he has the quality and
tactical awareness to arrive into the area to do that.
Romulo will be a Juventus player – Marotta
Verona star Romulo will be a
Juventus player by the close
of business on Friday,
according to Giuseppe
Marotta.
The Gialloblu only acquired outright ownership of the
versatile midfielder earlier this month but have now
agreed to sell the 27-year-old to the Serie A
champions.
“Romulo? Between today and tomorrow will be a
Juventus player,” Bianconeri director general Marotta
told reporters on Thursday.
“His agent will be here tomorrow in Turin to close the
deal.”
Indeed, the Italy international’s representative, Alex
Firminio, is not expecting any last-minute hitches.
“It is virtually a done deal with Juventus,” Romulo’s
agent told Calcio News. “We are delighted and want to
thank everyone at Verona for believing in him.
“[On Friday] I will arrive in Italy and we will sign [the
contract]. I’ve spoken to Romulo and he is really
happy to have been given an opportunity like this at
Juve.”
Official: Tottenham sign Eric Dier
Tottenham have agreed a
deal with Sporting Lisbon for
the transfer of centre-back
Eric Dier, subject to a
medical.
Goal revealed on Thursday that Spurs were on the
brink of completing a £4 million move for the
Englishman, which is believed to be a five-year deal.
And Spurs confirmed the deal on Thursday evening,
posting a message on their official Twitter account.
Dier has represented England at Under-19, Under-20
and Under-21 level and made 15 appearances for
Sporting last season.
Born in Cheltenham, Dier has spent his entire career
at Sporting, but enjoyed a short loan stay at Everton’s
academy in 2011.
He will compete with Michael Dawson, Younes
Kaboul, Jan Vertonghen and Zeki Fryers for a spot in
Mauricio Pochettino’s defence this season.
Pique: I’m no longer in world’s top three defenders
Barcelona ace Gerard Pique
has conceded that he can no
longer consider himself
among the top three
defenders in the world.
The Spain international endured a trying 2013-14
season for club and country, with the Blaugrana failing
to lift a major trophy and La Roja suffering a
humiliating first-round exit at this summer’s World
Cup.
Pique’s form was the subject of much debate
throughout and he has now admitted that he has fallen
below his usually high standard.
“Right now I’m not even in the top three [defenders] in
the world,” the centre-half said in a press conference
on Thursday.
“I can’t be for the season I had with Barca and the
World Cup with the national team. I know that to play
at Barca I have to be among the top three in the
world. I also know that I can regain form and I will do.
“But if I can’t live up to the highest standards, I’m the
first to raise my hand and say I can’t.
“I’m convinced that Luis Enrique will help me and I’ll
get my level up again.”
Indeed, Pique is confident that Luis Enrique is the man
to restore Barcelona to their former glory after a
dismal season under Gerardo Martino.
“It [last season] was a failure,” he confessed. “Barca
only won the Spanish Super Cup. We failed in the Copa
[del Rey] and the league ended up worse.
“But it’s clear that if we can improve we will be close
to the trophies, if done with humility and hard work.
Barca now have the ingredients to do something
great.”
Barca were eliminated from the Champions League at
the quarter-final stage by Atletico Madrid before
theing pipped to the Primera Division title on the final
day of the season by Diego Simeone’s side.
PSV: Bakkali yet to agree personal terms with Atletico Madrid
PSV director Marcel Brands
has revealed that Zakaria
Bakkali has yet to agree
personal terms with Atletico
Madrid ahead of the winger’s
proposed move to the
Vicente Calderon.
The Eredivise have accepted a bid from the Spanish
champions for the Belgium international but the deal
has been held up by the 18-year-old, and the
uncertainty surrounding exactly who is representing
him.
“We have an agreement with Atletico Madrid about
Zakaria Bakkali, but this only counts when the player
also reaches an agreement with that club,” Brands
told Fox Sports .
“I understand that he’s not represented by his agent
anymore and is doing business with a lawyer now.
“We made him an offer, but he refused. He gets the
time to think about his future and until then, he’s
training in our second squad.
“He started very well with us, but then had a setback.
He made some wrong decisions, but I hope he makes
the right one now.”
Bakkali announced himself as a rising star by
becoming the youngest player to score a hat-trick in
the Eredivisie when he netted three times in last
August’s 5-0 win over NEC at the age of 17.
Cazorla and Chicharito not on our agenda, claims Atletico president
Atletico Madrid president
Enrique Cerezo claims his
side are not currently
pursuing deals for Premier
League trio Santi Cazorla,
Javier ‘Chicharito’
Hernandez and Fernando Torres .
All three attacking players have been heavily linked
with the Spanish champions in recent weeks as they
look to reinvest the funds from the sales of Diego
Costa and Filipe Luis, with coach Diego Simeone
admitting Mexico international Chicharito was “a great
option”.
Cerezo, however, has poured cold water on any
imminent approaches for the England-based trio and
Napoli winger Jose Callejon.
“Many names have been said, but Cazorla, Torres,
Chicharito, Callejon – none of them are on our
agenda,” he told Radio Marca.
Atletico have already reached an agreement with Real
Sociedad for Antoine Griezmann, believed to be worth
€25 million, and Cerezo believes the France
international will be the best transfer this summer –
better, even, than James Rodriguez to Real Madrid.
“He is the signing of the summer. He is comparable to
players like Luis Suarez. James is not the same as
he does not yet have a defined path,” said Cerezo.
“It’s a great boost for the club, we made a great
effort to bring him in. Although he had many offers, he
decided on a club as serious and important as
Atletico.”
Reports have emerged to suggest Chelsea could be
plotting a move to take Miranda to Stamford Bridge
this summer, and while Cerezo has rubbished the
rumours, he admits players could be tempted to leave
the club should significant financial offers be
forthcoming.
“I have no idea about any offer, and if I’ve not heard
anything it’s because he is going to stay, I’m sure of
that,” he added. “Koke preferred to stay, that’s clear.
If a player wants to leave, it’s not becaue he is not
comfortable here, it’s due to financial reasons.”
Van Gaal was sorry to see me go, says Evra
Patrice Evra has revealed
personal reasons were
behind his decision to leave
Manchester United and
make the switch to Juventus
– though he says new
manager Louis van Gaal was eager to keep him.
The France left-back agreed a two-year contract with
the Serie A champions earlier this month after asking
to leave United towards the end of the previous
campaign.
His decision to move on ended an eight-and-a-half
year stay in England that saw the 33-year-old lift five
Premier League titles, three League Cups and the
Champions League.
Evra revealed on Thursday that although he had
signed a one-year extension at Old Trafford in May,
he had no hesitation in making the switch to Turin
once a €2.5 million deal had been agreed.
“It was really difficult to leave Manchester United, it
was for personal reasons,” he said at a media
conference in Turin.
“Three months before the end of the season I asked
to speak to other clubs and when I knew Juventus
were interested it was an easy decision, but the most
difficult thing was to leave Manchester United.
“Manchester had great confidence in me. I spoke to
Van Gaal, who was sorry to see me go, but I wanted
to come to Juventus.”
Juve have won the past three Serie A titles under
Antonio Conte but preparations for the new campaign
were thrown into doubt when the head coach left his
role with the club on July 16.
Massimiliano Allegri replaced Conte at the helm and
Evra, who does not have any concerns about the 45-
year-old’s departure, is ready for the challenges that
come with defending the league crown.
“The minute Juventus came calling, I knew it was the
right choice for me,” he added. “They have the same
winning mentality as me.
“Juve wants to win this year, I have never won the
championship four times in a row, but it won’t be
easy.
“I managed to do it three times with Manchester
United and know how difficult the challenge is.
“We hope to do well in the Champions League too. It’s
a great competition and we’ll look to go as far as we
can.”
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