London (AFP) – Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez has agreed to personal terms on a contract that will make him Manchester United's highest-paid player on yearly wages of £14 million ($19 million) after tax, according to reports on Wednesday. Sanchez is reportedly on the verge of joining United after Jose Mourinho's side made a blockbuster offer that […]

Paris (AFP) – Neymar scored four times while Edinson Cavani equalled Zlatan Ibrahimovic's Paris Saint-Germain all-time goalscoring record as the runaway Ligue 1 leaders thrashed Dijon 8-0 on Wednesday. Angel Di Maria struck twice inside the opening quarter-hour at the Parc des Princes before the Argentine provided the cross for Cavani to net his 156th […]

Madrid (AFP) – Lionel Messi missed a penalty as Espanyol struck in the dying moments to consign Barcelona to their first defeat of the season, 1-0 in the first leg of the Copa del Rey quarter-finals on Wednesday. Oscar Melendo slotted home a neat finish with two minutes remaining of a temperamental derby cup tie, […]

Madrid (AFP) – Diego Costa's third goal in four matches wasn't enough for Atletico Madrid as Sevilla twice scored late to stun their hosts 2-1 in the first leg of the Copa del Rey quarter-finals on Wednesday, while Valencia also came from a goal down to beat lowly Alaves. Costa struck for dominant Atletico on […]

London (AFP) – Former Wales manager Gary Speed was one of four players from Barry Bennell's youth teams to commit suicide later in life, a jury was told on Wednesday. Speed, who played for Leeds, Newcastle and Everton, hanged himself in 2011 at the age of 42. Giving evidence at Liverpool Crown Court on Wednesday, […]

Rio de Janeiro (AFP) – The man who once lobbed England's David Seaman from 40 yards, Ronaldinho has officially hung up his boots following a career of backheels, nutmegs, no-look passes, and Parisian party nights. Tricks, flicks and stepovers, to watch Ronaldinho play in his prime was to savour a festival of the "jogo bonito" […]

Milan (AFP) – Serie A strugglers Benevento on Wednesday completed the signing of teenage midfielder Christian Cannavaro, son of Italian football great Fabio Cannavaro. Benevento president Oreste Vigorito confirmed the arrival of the 18-year-old, the eldest of the former Italy captain and 2006 World Cup winner's three children. Cannavaro Snr — the 2006 Ballon d'Or […]

London (AFP) – Everton signed England winger Theo Walcott from Arsenal in a deal worth a reported £25 million ($34 million, 28.3 million euros) on Wednesday. Walcott had been out of favour with Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger for much of this season and has opted to move to Goodison Park in a bid to kick-start […]

Berlin (AFP) – Borussia Dortmund want-away star striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is reportedly close to signing for Premier League side Arsenal — with the German club in turn hoping to recruit Michy Batshuayi from Chelsea. German daily Bild says Dortmund want 70 million euros ($85.6m) for Aubameyang, the top scorer in the Bundesliga last season with […]

Madrid (AFP) – Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane on Wednesday dismissed media speculation linking superstar Cristiano Ronaldo with a move away from the Bernabeu. "I can't imagine a Madrid without Cristiano," said the Frenchman, a World Cup winner as a player. "He's in his club. Everyone, the club, the fans, want him. "We know what […]

Bordeaux (AFP) – Bordeaux striker Malcom, reportedly a target for Premier League club Arsenal, was Wednesday ordered to appear before a club disciplinary committee over a video showing him joking after a defeat. The 20-year-old Brazilian made a social media video laughing and exchanging jokes with teammates Jonathan Cafu and Otavio and friends outside Bordeaux's […]

Sao Paulo (AFP) – Brazilian World Cup winner Ronaldinho has formally confirmed his retirement from football, more than two years since his last appearance as a professional, reports in Brazil said Tuesday. The 37-year-old former Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona star, a key member of the Brazil side which won the World Cup in 2002, last […]

Buenos Aires (AFP) – Football legend Diego Maradona has some larger than life family drama on his plate: bad blood between a ready-to-wed daughter and his current wife. Dalma Maradona is due to marry Andres Caldarelli in April and apparently failed to invite her stepmother. Argentine media are buzzing over whether the soccer star, who […]

Paris (AFP) – Radamel Falcao scored an injury-time equaliser to snatch Monaco a 2-2 draw with a Mario Balotelli-inspired Nice on Tuesday, but Marseille leapfrogged the Ligue 1 champions into second place by beating Strasbourg. Monaco took a first-half lead at the Stade Louis II through Adama Diakhaby, but Balotelli turned in an equaliser less […]

London (AFP) – Leicester made history as English football's first beneficiaries of the Video Assistant Referee system after the replay technology was used to award their second goal in a 2-0 FA Cup win over Fleetwood on Tuesday. When Leicester striker Kelechi Iheanacho ran onto a Riyad Mahrez pass to slot home in the 77th […]