Berlin (AFP) – RB Leipzig announced Thursday the signing of Slovenia midfielder Kevin Kampl as a possible replacement for Guinea international Naby Keita who has agreed to join Liverpool for the 2018-19 season. The 27-year-old Kampl switches from Bayer Leverkusen for a reported fee of 20 million euros ($23.7 million). "The preconditions for further development […]

Saitama (Japan) (AFP) – Takuma Asano and Yosuke Ideguchi were on target as Japan beat Australia 2-0 at home Thursday to qualify for their sixth successive World Cup. Asano steered home a left-foot volley four minutes before half-time and Ideguchi sealed the victory with a stunning long-range strike after 82 minutes as Japan became the […]

London (AFP) – England international Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has joined Liverpool from Premier League rivals Arsenal, his new club announced on Thursday. Liverpool did not disclose the transfer fee, but they are believed to have paid £35 million ($45.1 million, 37.9 million euros) for the midfielder's services. Liverpool said the 24-year-old had signed a "long-term contract", […]

Lisbon (AFP) – US pop star Madonna has moved to Lisbon so her 11-year-old son David can join the youth academy at top football club Benfica, local media reported Thursday. "Madonna is no longer a tourist, she now lives in Lisbon," the weekly magazine Visao said, republishing several pictures taken from her Instagram account of […]

London (AFP) – Alexis Sanchez and Philippe Coutinho were among the superstar players linked with deadline-day moves on Thursday at the close of a record-breaking transfer window dramatically shaped by big-spending Paris Saint-Germain. Arsenal forward Sanchez is the subject of interest from Pep Guardiola's Manchester City, while Liverpool have repeatedly rebuffed Barcelona's attempts to lure […]

Shanghai (AFP) – Underperforming Carlos Tevez has returned to China following treatment in Argentina and is back training with Shanghai Shenhua, the club confirmed on Thursday, allaying doubts about his immediate future. The 33-year-old forward had returned home to Argentina for two weeks to seek treatment on a leg-muscle injury, triggering speculation that he may not […]

New York (AFP) – United States captain Michael Bradley has called on his team-mates to finish the job as they aim to take a giant stride towards the 2018 World Cup with victory over Costa Rica on Friday. The Americans have gradually hauled themselves back into the CONCACAF qualifying fray after a rocky start which […]

Berlin (AFP) – Joachim Loew's world champions Germany head to Prague for Friday's World Cup qualifier against the Czech Republic focused on preserving their 100 percent record. The match is Germany's first international of a season which finishes with the World Cup final. Having won all six qualifiers so far in Group C, victory at […]

London (AFP) – Memories of the chasing England were given by France's Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele remain fresh in Harry Kane's mind as he contemplates his side's path to the World Cup. England are on course to secure a ticket to Russia ahead of Friday's qualifier against Malta in Ta'Qali, but recent friendly games […]

London (AFP) – Harry Kane admits he is glad England's World Cup qualifier against Malta falls on September 1 after the Tottenham Hotspur star suffered another barren August. Kane has never scored a Premier League goal in August, a surprising statistic for a player who has won the Premier League's golden boot two years in […]

London (AFP) – Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane has defended club chairman Daniel Levy's famously patient approach to transfer dealings. Amid extravagant spending by their rivals, Spurs waited until last week to make their first signing, paying Ajax a club-record £42 million ($54.4 million, 45.2 million euros) for centre-back Davinson Sanchez. A deal for Paris […]

Dakar (AFP) – Stoke City striker Mame Biram Diouf will miss Senegal's 2018 World Cup qualifying double-header against Burkina Faso due to a knee injury, the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) said on Wednesday. The 29-year-old Diouf joins Rennes goalkeeper Abdoulaye Diallo on the sidelines for the September 2 match in Dakar, as well as the […]

Rome (AFP) – Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis said on Wednesday he had rebuffed an offer from Paris Saint-Germain for Spanish goalkeeper Pepe Reina. "Paris Saint-Germain offered me five million euros ($6 million) plus two million in add-ons. I said to them 'Thanks and goodbye'," De Laurentiis told Sky on the sidelines of the Venice […]

Rome (AFP) – Germany's World Cup winner Benedikt Hoewedes completed a hastily arranged transfer to Italian champions Juventus on Wednesday after being stripped of the captaincy at Schalke. "Juventus Football Club announces that Benedikt Hoewedes has signed on a season-long loan deal with an option to buy," the Italian giants announced on their website. Juve […]

London (AFP) – Southampton midfielder Jordy Clasie joined Belgian side Club Brugge on a season-long loan on Wednesday. Clasie moved to Southampton from Feyenoord in July 2015 but struggled to make an impact in the Premier League and has not made an appearance under new manager Mauricio Pellegrino this term. The signing of Mario Lemina […]