Month: December 2024

Next Generation is a series focusing on the young players tipped to establish themselves as the elite in the 2020s.

When Ferran Torres scored the fourth and final goal of Valencia s 4-1 Champions League win over Lille in November, he further enhanced his burgeoning reputation and announced himself to another mass of admirers.

While the goal mattered little in the grand scheme of the match, and it wasn t a contest that was likely to draw in all of the indecisive neutrals on that night, it gave him his own slice of history, becoming the first player born in 2000 to net a Champions League goal for a Spanish club.

His cool top-corner finish after an incisive run into the box will have been met with nods of approval from those being alerted to Ferran, but his talen…

Arsenal started 2019 with a morale-boosting win following their hammering at the hands of Liverpool, recording a 4-1 triumph over struggling Fulham at Emirates Stadium.

A visit from the Premier League s 19th-placed side offered welcome respite for the Gunners after their 5-1 reverse at Anfield, though they did not have it all their own way before Granit Xhaka s 25th-minute opener.

The recalled Alexandre Lacazette doubled the lead early in the second half before Fulham hit back with a tap-in from substitute Aboubakar Kamara after 69 minutes.

However, it was another replacement who finished off Fulham s hopes of picking up a point, Aaron Ramsey converting a rebound after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had hit a post, though the latter did go on to score his 14t…

Arsenal have rejected and offer from Sampdoria for midfielder Jack Wilshere, according to the Express.

The England international is back at the Emirates Stadium after a season-long loan spell with Bournemouth and his future with Gunners remains a subject of much speculation.

He has entered the final year of his contract with the North London club, though they will hold out for a higher fee if they are to sell him on a permanent basis.

He played twenty-seven times for the Cherries last season with his final appearance the two hundredth of his professional career.

Prior to last season, he had played one hundred and fifty-nine times for Arsenal while he also had a loan spell with Bolton Wanderers in 2010.

Internationally, he has been capped th…

Juventus forward Paulo Dybala says it is a pleasure to play alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, suggesting he is happy at the Serie A champions amid rumours about his future.

The 25-year-old has been less prominent for the Bianconeri since the arrival of Ronaldo from Real Madrid last year, though he has missed just seven matches across Serie A and the Champions League this term.

Dybala is enduring his worst scoring season since joining from Palermo in 2015, netting just 10 times in all competitions, and has been linked with clubs like Madrid, Liverpool and Manchester United.

Juve legend Marco Tardelli suggested this week the presence of Ronaldo is causing Dybala to suffer , but the Argentina international expressed his contentment at playing in the same side as the five…

ESPN understand that Derby County do not have the option to sign Harry Wilson on a permanent deal from Liverpool once his loan spell is complete.

The twenty-one-year-old scored a stunning free-kick as the Rams knocked Manchester United out of the EFL Cup on penalties yesterday evening and went on to be named man of the match.

Wilson penned a new contract at Anfield in the summer with no fewer than twelve clubs inquiring about his availability.

He spent the second half of last season with Hull City, having spent time the previous campaign with Crewe Alexandra while he has made just one appearance for his parent club, coming on as a substitute of Philippe Coutinho in a 1-0 win over Plymouth Argyle in a FA Cup third round replay last January.

He has be…

Manchester United will be waiting on the other side for Gareth Bale if the Wales star is unwanted by Real Madrid, according to manager Jose Mourinho.

United face Madrid in Skopje in the UEFA Super Cup on Tuesday and the pre-match build-up has been played out against mounting speculation over Bale s future.

A report by Spanish publication Don Balon claimed the 28-year-old forward was ready to consider a move to Old Trafford in the event of Madrid attempting to move on a star name to facilitate the signing of Monaco sensation Kylian Mbappe.

Mourinho does not view this as a likely turn of events but told a pre-match news conference he will have a keen eye on the Madrid teamsheet in the Macedonian capital.

Well if he s playing tomorrow, no I wouldn t think …

Besiktas are interested in signing Cenk Tosun from Everton in the January transfer window, . It has been reported by the Turkish news outlet that Tosun is at the top of the list of players Turkish giants Besiktas want to sign in the January transfer window.

Tosun suffered an injury during his loan spell at Besiktas last season. The Turkey international striker has only just returned from the injury that saw him miss the last seven months. The striker was part of the Everton squad for the Premier League game against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Monday evening.

The striker has been on the books of Everton since 2018 and has failed to make an impact at Goodison Park. Tosun has been out on loan at Crystal Palace and Besiktas, and it would make sense for him to return to Besik…

Jurgen Klopp is banking on Liverpool s frugal approach paying off in the Premier League, admitting the Reds could not afford to match Chelsea s close-season transfer spree.

Huge investment at Chelsea has seen the five-time Premier League champions land the likes of Kai Havertz, Timo Werner, Ben Chilwell and Hakim Ziyech.

Liverpool s most notable signing has been Kostas Tsimikas from Olympiacos – a player who looks set to be understudy at left-back to Andy Robertson.

Yet Liverpool s title-winning side from last season remains largely intact, and amid the coronavirus crisis that has left many clubs strapped for cash, Klopp sees the need for caution.

While Chelsea have the backing of Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, and Manchester City have huge fin…

Denis Suarez scored twice as Barcelona eased into the Copa del Rey last 16 by seeing off minnows Cultural Leonesa 4-1 at Camp Nou.

Ernesto Valverde s side relied on a last-gasp goal from Clement Lenglet to win the first leg, but endured no such difficulties in overcoming their Segunda Division B opponents en route to a 5-1 aggregate triumph this time around.

Munir El Haddadi s sublime 18th-minute effort got Barca up and running, with Suarez swiftly making it two before Malcom put the holders out of sight before half-time thanks to a third assist from Ivan Rakitic.

Jasper Cillessen s error enabled Josep Sene to haul one back for Cultural, but there was no danger of a comeback, with Suarez s second capping a comfortable passage through to the last 16.

Cultu…

According to a recent report from Sky Sports, Roma are confident that they can complete the signing of defender Chris Smalling.

The club are holding positive discussions with Manchester United with Roma edging closer towards the valuation of the player that was initially put forward by the Red Devils. Smalling spent last season out on loan with Roma and has been training away from the rest of the United squad in recent weeks, all but confirming that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer doesn t see much of a place for him in their starting XI.

Roma have worked incredibly hard to try and push this deal through and we can t imagine that is going to change between now and the end of the transfer window. Smalling hasn t played for the England national team since back in 2017 and while that …