Tokyo (AFP) – Keisuke Honda is out to be a hero again for Japan against Australia in Thursday's crunch World Cup qualifier while South Korea will hope to secure a berth in Russia next year. Midfield stalwart Honda's 91st-minute penalty at Saitama four years ago secured a 1-1 draw against the Socceroos and with it […]

Lisbon (AFP) – Bruno Fernandes of Sporting Lisbon has been called up to the Portugal squad for upcoming World Cup qualifiers against the Faroe Islands and Hungary after the withdrawal of Pizzi, the Portuguese Football Federation announced Monday. Benfica midfielder Pizzi, 27, was there as the European champions gathered near the capital Lisbon on Monday […]

Madrid (AFP) – Real Madrid's Lucas Vazquez was called into the Spain squad for crucial World Cup qualifiers against Italy and Liechtenstein on Monday after Vitolo was forced to withdraw with a knee injury. Atletico Madrid winger Vitolo, who is on loan at Las Palmas until January, has been a key player for Spain since […]

London (AFP) – England midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain is set to join Premier League champions Chelsea from Arsenal, according to British media reports on Monday. The two clubs have, according to The Guardian, The Independent and ESPN, agreed a fee for the 24-year-old, who was substituted during the limp 4-0 thrashing by Liverpool on Sunday. The […]

Monaco (AFP) – Monaco have completed a deal to sign Montenegro striker Stevan Jovetic and are set to wrap up the transfer of Belgium midfielder Leander Dendoncker from Anderlecht, sources told AFP on Monday. The 27-year-old Montenegro captain Jovetic, who had a spell on loan at Sevilla last season from Inter Milan, is set to […]

Rennes (France) (AFP) – Czech international goalkeeper Tomas Koubek has joined Rennes from Sparta Prague, the Ligue 1 outfit announced on Monday. The 25-year-old was one of two players ordered to train with the Sparta women's team last year for saying "women belong at the stove" after a decision against him by a female assistant […]

Barcelona (AFP) – French wonderkid Ousmane Dembele shrugged off comparisons with Neymar and insisted he still has much to learn, despite becoming the second most expensive player in history as he was presented by Barcelona on Monday. The 20-year-old's 105 million-euro ($125 million) transfer from Borussia Dortmund could rise to 145 million with add-ons depending […]

London (AFP) – Liverpool have agreed to sign Guinean midfielder Naby Keita from RB Leipzig in a club-record deal next year, according to British media reports on Monday. Several news outlets, including the BBC and the Times, said Liverpool have agreed to pay a £48 million ($62 million, 51.9 million euros) release clause to sign […]

Berlin (AFP) – Borussia Dortmund wasted no time in signing Ukraine winger Andriy Yarmolenko on Monday – the same day Ousmane Dembele officially joined Barcelona. "Andriy is a player who we have been following for a long time and who has been playing at a high level for both his club and country," said Dortmund's […]

Barcelona (AFP) – French wonderkid Ousmane Dembele's presentation as Barcelona's newest star was overshadowed by the tense atmosphere surrounding the Catalan club as fans jeered and called for president Josep Maria Bartomeu to resign. The 20-year-old became the second most expensive player ever after completing a 105 million euro ($125 million) deal that could rise […]

Barcelona (AFP) – Nice midfielder Jean Michael Seri has blamed the French club's greed for the breakdown of his dream transfer to Barcelona in an explosive interview with Catalan sports daily Mundo Deportivo. Seri's move to the Catalan giants broke down after Nice's Champions League qualifying defeat to Napoli last week amid reports Nice had […]

Berlin (AFP) – Germany head coach Joachim Loew said he is not prepared to risk captain Manuel Neuer for their World Cup qualifiers despite grumblings from the goalkeeper, who is back after injury. Neuer was unhappy about being omitted when Loew named his squad for the Russia 2018 qualifiers against the Czech Republic in Prague […]

Paris (AFP) – Monaco's teen sensation Kylian Mbappe is expected to complete a stunning move to Paris Saint-Germain when he flies into the French capital on Monday, according to widespread French media reports. Radio stations France Info and RMC revealed on Sunday that PSG had agreed to pay 180 million euros ($215 million) including bonuses […]

Shanghai (AFP) – China's crackdown on overseas investments is expected to herald a slowdown in splurging on European clubs and impact teams where it hurts fans the most — on the pitch. It is unlikely that supporters in Italy, Spain and England were aware earlier this month when China's State Council, or cabinet, moved to […]

Shanghai (AFP) – Marcello Lippi says he is desperately short of options up front but China's veteran Italian coach has told his players not to give up hope of reaching next year's World Cup. China are bottom of their qualifying group with just one victory in eight games and must win both their remaining matches […]