London (AFP) – West Brom confirmed the appointment of Darren Moore as their new manager on Friday, with the relegated club targeting an immediate return to the Premier League. The 44-year-old's temporary reign over the final six games of the 2017/18 Premier League campaign saw a dramatic improvement in the team’s form and results but […]

London (AFP) – Stoke City announced on Friday that manager Paul Lambert had left his position by "mutual consent" following the club's relegation to the Championship. He is the fourth Premier League boss to lose his job over the last three days after also-relegated Swansea revealed earlier on Friday they would not be renewing Portuguese […]

Berlin (AFP) – Germany head coach Joachim Loew on Friday fired back at criticism from Sandro Wagner, who retired from international duty in mid-week after being left out of the extended World Cup squad. "I took it as a criticism of his fellow players and he portrays some, who have played for us for an […]

Paris (AFP) – Disgraced Michel Platini has sensationally admitted to a "little skulduggery" in rigging the draw to ensure Brazil and France could not meet until the final of the 1998 World Cup, where he was organising committee president. "We organised the schedule so, if we finished first in our group and Brazil first in […]

London (AFP) – Chelsea manager Antonio Conte insisted the bad blood between he and Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho is a thing of the past as they prepare to square off in the FA Cup final on Saturday. Conte and Mourinho's feud had bubbled since the Italian's arrival at Mourinho's former club just under two […]

London (AFP) – Carlos Carvalhal became the third Premier League manager to lose his job this week when newly-relegated Swansea City announced they would not be extending his contract. The 52-year-old Portuguese joins Sam Allardyce and David Moyes, let go by Everton and West Ham respectively on Wednesday despite both retaining their Premier League status, […]

Watford (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Jose Mourinho insists he won't regard Manchester United's season as a failure even if they lose against Chelsea in Saturday's FA Cup final. Mourinho's side have one last chance to finish the campaign with silverware when they face their manager's former club in a heavyweight Wembley showdown. United finished second […]

Berlin (AFP) – Manuel Neuer's World Cup hopes were boosted on Friday when he made Bayern Munich's squad for the German Cup final, after eight months on the sidelines, and his club coach Jupp Heynckes is convinced the goalkeeper will be fit for Russia 2018. The 32-year-old Germany captain and goalkeeper has not played since […]

Watford (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Jose Mourinho will wait until the last minute before deciding whether Manchester United striker Romelu Lukaku is fit to feature in Saturday's FA Cup final against Chelsea. Lukaku has missed United's last three matches after suffering an ankle injury against Arsenal in April. The Belgium striker is in a race […]

Glasgow (AFP) – Rangers on Friday confirmed the capture of Brighton winger Jamie Murphy on a permanent deal, with the Scottish international becoming the second signing of Steve Gerrard's brief managerial reign. Murphy, 28, who impressed during a loan spell at Ibrox during the 2017/18 season, follows Canada midfielder Scott Arfield to the Scottish Premiership […]

Rome (AFP) – Massimiliano Allegri on Friday said that it was "highly likely" that he would remain with Juventus next season after leading the club to the Serie A and Italian Cup double for the fourth straight year. "The likelihood that I'll stay at Juve? Very high," the 50-year-old said amid speculation linking him to […]

Madrid (AFP) – Sergio Aguero says he will probably never play alongside close friend Lionel Messi at club level as he is staying at Manchester City and his compatriot will never leave Barcelona. Argentine Aguero also explained that he has suffered from a knee injury since 2013 but that surgery has left him "feeling like […]

Lima (AFP) – Peru's World Cup hopes do not rest on the participation of captain Paolo Guerrero — suspended over doping — midfielder Renato Tapia said. Flamengo striker Guerrero is set to miss Russia 2018 after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) earlier this week extended his ban from six to 14 months. "Our […]

London (AFP) – Former England first choice goalkeeper Joe Hart admitted he is finding it hard to accept being omitted from the England World Cup squad by Gareth Southgate. The 31-year-old — England's number one goalkeeper at both the 2010 and 2014 World Cup finals — has suffered a dramatic fall from grace since Pep […]

Brussels (AFP) – Coach Roberto Martinez, whose contract was due to finish at the end of the World Cup, has been handed a two-year extension, the Belgian football federation announced on Friday. The news comes two days before Martinez reveals his 23-man squad for the World Cup in Russia. "Since his appointment in August 2016, […]