Madrid (AFP) – Spanish tax authorities are investigating whether payments from FC Barcelona to Lionel Messi's foundation were used to help the player evade taxes, Spanish daily El Mundo reported on Saturday. The newspaper, which has acquired Football Leaks documents, reported that the club gave the foundation "at least 12.7 million euros ($15.5 million) between […]

Istanbul (AFP) – Turkish league leaders Istanbul Basaksehir on Saturday announced they had reached an agreement to sign midfielder Arda Turan on loan from Barcelona. "Arda Turan is returning to his country wearing the orange kit (of Basaksehir). This is not just a transfer for Basaksehir, but a transfer for all of Turkey," club president […]

Rome (AFP) – Italian prosecutors have opened an investigation into whether the deal to sell AC Milan to Chinese investors last year was inflated for money-laundering purposes, La Stampa reported on Saturday. Milan prosecutors want to know if the 740 million euros ($786 million) paid to Silvio Berlusconi to buy out the seven-time European champions […]

London (AFP) – Michael O'Neill's impressive spell as Northern Ireland coach could be about to end as he is to hold talks over the vacancy as Scottish boss the BBC reported. The 48-year-old Northern Irishman — who guided Northern Ireland to the second round of Euro 2016 and to a controversial play-off defeat to Switzerland […]

London (AFP) – Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has conceded Alexis Sanchez could leave this month as long as he can bring in a replacement as he prepares for life after the Chile international. Manchester City and Manchester United both reportedly want to sign the forward, out of contract at the end of the campaign, and […]

Liverpool (AFP) – Pep Guardiola has urged Manchester City to underline their intention to make history this season when the runaway Premier League leaders travel to Liverpool on Sunday. Guardiola's side have turned the title race into a lengthy coronation party after powering 15 points clear of second placed Manchester United and 18 ahead of […]

Berlin (AFP) – Franck Ribery showed Bayern Munich why the Bundesliga leaders should extend his contract as the 34-year-old netted a superb goal in Friday's 3-1 win at Bayer Leverkusen. The away victory — Bayern's first at Leverkusen since 2013 — leaves them 14 points clear and on course for a sixth straight Bundesliga title […]

London (AFP) – Arsene Wenger admitted Friday that Alexis Sanchez's future is up in the air as Jose Mourinho and Pep Guardiola stayed tight-lipped over potential moves for the forward during the January transfer window. Guardiola's bid to buy Sanchez collapsed at the end of the summer transfer window and City were favourites to land […]

Berlin (AFP) – A coalition of Borussia Dortmund fan groups, who stand on the iconic south terrace, say they plan to boycott their club's first Bundesliga game held on a Monday. For the first time, the German Football League (DFL) is experimenting with five Monday night games this season in the Bundesliga. The first kicks-off […]

Miami (AFP) – The head of CONCACAF responded to Donald Trump's "shithole" slur on Friday, emphasising the region's embrace of diversity as it enters a key phase in its bid for the 2026 World Cup. Victor Montagliani, the president of the confederation for football in North America, Central America and the Caribbean (CONCACAF), took to […]

The Hague (AFP) – Dutch striker and record goalscorer Robin van Persie is heading home to rejoin his boyhood club Feyenoord, Dutch media reported Friday. "Not everything is completely sorted out yet, but it seems to be moving in the right direction," a club official told the ANP news agency. Van Persie is expected to […]

Berlin (AFP) – Bayern Munich head coach Jupp Heynckes pulled a surprise in his starting line-up at Bayer Leverkusen on Friday by leaving new signing Sandro Wagner on the bench. Bayern paid Hoffenheim around 13 million euros ($15.4m) last month for Wagner, who was signed as back-up for their top-scoring striker Robert Lewandowski. The Poland […]

Paris (AFP) – Lionel Messi, who recently penned a lucrative new contract with Barcelona, could comfortably earn more than 100 million euros every year, according to a report released by France-based Mediapart. Journalists from European Investigation Collaborations (EIC) claimed to have seen the details of the updated contract signed by Messi on November 25. According […]

Doha (AFP) – Dutch international Wesley Sneijder made a winning debut in Qatar when his new side Al Gharafa beat fellow mid-table team Al Ahli 2-1 on Friday. Sneijder, the former Real Madrid and Inter Milan star who is Holland's most capped player with 133 appearances, was making his first start for Al Gharafa just […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Jose Mourinho on Friday said he felt "contempt" for Chelsea manager Antonio Conte as their toxic public row continues to escalate. The Manchester United manager has traded insults with his Chelsea counterpart over the past two weeks, with their dispute becoming increasingly bitter. "I think when a person insults another […]