Rome (AFP) – Italy international defender Leonardo Bonucci is on the verge of a shock transfer to AC Milan from Italian champions Juventus after he arrived in Milan on Friday. Bonucci has won six successive Serie A titles with Juve but is close to finalising a move to Milan that Italian sports daily Gazzetta dello […]

The Hague (AFP) – Stricken Ajax midfielder Abdelhak Nouri who suffered serious brain damage after collapsing last weekend has been transferred from Austria to an Amsterdam hospital, his club said Friday. "We can confirm he is in Amsterdam. His condition remains unchange," Ajax spokesman Miel Brinkhuis told AFP. Tributes continued pouring in in support of […]

London (AFP) – The funeral of Bradley Lowery, one of the iconic faces of last season's Premier League season as the devoted Sunderland fan battled a rare form of cancer, drew thousands of mourners onto the streets on Friday. Lowery died last Friday aged just six of neuroblastoma, and his parents wore football shirts to […]

Paris (AFP) – Mario Balotelli's Nice drew four-time European champions Ajax on Friday in the standout fixture of the Champions League third qualifying round. Ajax lost last season's Europa League final 2-0 to Manchester United and will face a tricky challenge against Lucien Favre's Nice who finished third in France last term. Celtic, who face […]

Madrid (AFP) – Spain Under-21 midfielder Dani Ceballos has joined Real Madrid on a six-year deal from Real Betis, the European champions said on Friday. The 20-year-old was voted player of the tournament at last month's European Under-21 Championship as Spain finished runners-up to Germany. Spanish media reported Real paid 16.5 million euros ($18.8 million) […]

Berlin (AFP) – Japan international midfielder Shinji Kagawa has extended his contract with Borussia Dortmund until 2020, the German club said on Friday. "We're very pleased that Shinji will play for us for another three seasons," Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc said as the club arrived in Tokyo on Friday on its pre-season tour. "Shinji […]

London (AFP) – England Under-21 international Nathaniel Chalobah has signed for Premier League side Watford from champions Chelsea for an undisclosed fee, the buying club announced. The 22-year-old impressed as England reached the semi-finals of the recent European Under-21 Championship and has signed a five-year contract with the Hornets. Chalobah spent the 2012/13 campaign on […]

London (AFP) – Kyle Walker is set to become the world's most expensive defender on Friday with Manchester City prepared to spend up to £54 million ($70mn, 61mn euros) for the out of favour Tottenham player. The 27-year-old England international, who joined Spurs alongside Kyle Naughton in 2009 for £9mn from Sheffield United, will cost […]

Tokyo (AFP) – Japan international Keisuke Honda has signed for Mexico's Pachuca, the former AC Milan player announced on social media Friday, ending months of speculation about his future. The 31-year-old left the Serie A side at the end of last season after a frustrating three-year spell in Italy. A video post on Honda's official […]

Sydney (AFP) – Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says teenager Reiss Nelson is "very close" to more first-team action after his dazzling performance in the Gunners' 2-0 pre-season friendly win in Australia. The 17-year-old looked a star in the making as he ripped apart the Sydney FC defence with his pace and on-the-ball skills in Sydney […]

Los Angeles (AFP) – Defending champions Mexico couldn't make their dominance pay dividends on Thursday as they were held to a frustrating scoreless draw by Jamaica in the CONCACAF Gold Cup. In a rematch of the 2015 final won by Mexico, El Tri dominated possession but couldn't get the ball into the net of Jamaican […]

Bangkok (AFP) – A Thai anti-corruption official on Friday said he is suing King Power, the duty free giant that owns Leicester City Football Club, for hundreds of millions of dollars over the alleged underpayment of taxes. Charnchai Issarasenarak, head of a junta-appointed anti-graft panel, accuses King Power of under-declaring revenue to avoid paying a […]

Los Angeles (AFP) – Quick goals from Gerson Mayen and Rodolfo Zelaya lifted El Salvador to a 2-0 victory over Curacao in the CONCACAF Gold Cup in Denver. The victory boosted El Salvador's hopes of advancing from Group C, in which reigning champions Mexico and Jamaica faced off later in a rematch of the 2015 […]

Dar es Salaam (AFP) – Wayne Rooney marked his first game back in an Everton jersey with a goal in a friendly against Kenya's Gor Mahia in Tanzania on Thursday. England's record goalscorer was making his first appearance since he rejoined his boyhood club from Manchester United last week on a free transfer after 13 […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – World football body FIFA said Thursday it had lifted a ban imposed on Sudan last week for government interference in the sport. The move follows the reinstatement of Mutasim Gaafar Sir Elkhatim as president of the Sudan Football Association. He had been forcibly removed from the association offices by police with […]