Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has revealed his intention to sign another central midfielder in the next transfer window but as a replacement for Michael Carrick not Paul Pogba. Mourinho spent the majority of his Friday press conference ahead of the club's FA Cup fifth-round tie with Huddersfield Town angrily […]

London (AFP) – Antonio Conte believes Chelsea are ready for a season-defining few weeks after Willian starred with two goals to blow away Hull City 4-0 to reach the FA Cup quarter-finals on Friday. Just four days before facing Barcelona in the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie, Conte named a much-changed […]

Monaco (AFP) – Defending champions Monaco eased to a 4-0 home win over Dijon in French Ligue 1 on Friday as 16-year-old Pietro Pellegri carved out a little piece of history for himself. Monaco were 1-0 up at the interval thanks to a Keita Balde goal after 13 minutes before Fabinho, with a 69th-minute penalty, […]

London (AFP) – Willian starred with two goals as Chelsea warmed up for a season-defining few weeks by easing into the FA Cup quarter-finals by thrashing Hull City 4-0 at Stamford Bridge on Friday. Just four days before facing Barcelona in the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie, Chelsea boss Antonio Conte […]

London (AFP) – Four senior West Brom players apologised on Friday after being questioned by police in Spain over the theft of a taxi, an embarrassment which manager Alan Pardew described as "not ideal". Jonny Evans, Gareth Barry, Jake Livermore and Boaz Myhill admitted they had broken a team curfew when they took a taxi […]

London (AFP) – Sheffield Wednesday defender Frederico Venancio has said he will no have extra motivation when he faces former manager Carlos Carvalhal in an FA Cup tie against Swansea on Saturday. Portuguese boss Carvalhal is making his first return to Hillsborough since leaving second-tier Wednesday by mutual consent on Christmas Eve after two unsuccessful […]

Paris (AFP) – In the end, the Chinese made Cedric Bakambu an offer that was too good to refuse. The Congolese striker's move to Chinese Super League club Beijing Guoan has been the subject of intense scrutiny since Bakambu paid the 40-million-euro ($49.75 million) buyout clause in his contract with Spanish side Villarreal. That move […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola expressed sympathy Friday for the victims of child-abuser and former youth coach Barry Bennell after some of those directly affected launched legal action against the Premier League leaders. Bennell was found guilty at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday of 43 counts of sexual abuse against […]

Madrid (AFP) – Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde is hopeful Andres Iniesta will stay at Barcelona following reports his captain has offers on the table to move to China at the end of the season. "I can't comment on every story in every newspaper. This has not happened, and we want Andres to stay, to keep […]

Paris (AFP) – Liverpool's record sale of Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona and acquisition of Virgil Van Dijk from Southampton pushed January transfer window spending to new heights, a FIFA report published on Friday revealed. La Liga giants Barca led the way with the 160 million euros ($192 million) signature of Brazilian attacking midfielder Coutinho as […]

Paris (AFP) – Paris Saint-Germain coach Unai Emery refused to "waste his energy" worrying about his job after the 3-1 first-leg last-16 defeat to Real Madrid when questioned on Friday. One of the sub plots of the "clash of the round" was which manager, Emery or Madrid handler Zinedine Zidane, would lose his job if […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has angrily insisted that rumours his relationship with Paul Pogba has broken down are "lies". According to French sports newspaper L'Equipe, midfielder Pogba is unhappy with the more defensive position in which he has been used by Mourinho. Pogba, who rejoined United from Juventus for £89.3 […]

Madrid (AFP) – Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos faces a spell on the sidelines after his club confirmed on Friday that he had picked up a knee injury. "Following tests carried out on Toni Kroos...he has been diagnosed with a sprain to the exterior lateral ligament in the left knee. His recovery will continue to be assessed," […]

London (AFP) – English second-tier strugglers Barnsley have appointed Jose Morais as their new head coach on an 18-month contract, the club announced Friday. Morais worked under Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho while his fellow Portuguese was in charge of Inter Milan, Real Madrid and Chelsea. The 52-year-old Morais succeeds Paul Heckingbottom, who controversially left […]

London (AFP) – Alex McLeish has been appointed as the new manager of Scotland, the Scottish Football Association said on Friday. McLeish's return for a second spell as Scotland boss ends the SFA's four-month search for a successor to Gordon Strachan, his former Aberdeen and Scotland team-mate. The 59-year-old McLeish won seven of 10 games […]