London (AFP) – Premier League club Swansea will not let Icelandic international Gylfi Sigurdsson leave for less than £50million ($64m, 56.4m euros) the BBC reported on Monday. The 27-year-old playmaker — who was pivotal to the 'Swans' staying up last season scoring nine goals and creating 13 others — was subject of a £40m bid […]

London (AFP) – Diego Costa has been permitted by Premier League champions Chelsea to miss the start of pre-season training on Monday, fuelling speculation he is set to rejoin Atletico Madrid. The 28-year-old Brazil-born Spanish international is still keen on a return to Atletico despite them not being allowed to field new players until January […]

London (AFP) – Romelu Lukaku bid a fond farewell to Everton as he contemplated life with Manchester United following his move for a reported £75 million ($97m, 85.5m euros) transfer record deal between British clubs. "I want to say a big thank you to all the people involved at Everton," the 24-year-old Belgian international striker […]

Shanghai (AFP) – Carlos Tevez's Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua say they are taking legal action over suggestions of match-fixing after they grabbed a last-gasp 2-2 draw at Fabio Capello's Jiangsu Suning. The weekend stalemate means Capello's wait for a first Chinese Super League (CSL) victory goes on and Shenhua said that online speculation about the result […]

San Diego (AFP) – Mexico launched their CONCACAF Gold Cup title defense with a comfortable 3-1 victory over El Salvador in their Group C opener on Sunday. A young Mexico side aiming to capture an eighth Gold Cup crown took the first step with goals from Hedgardo Marin, Elias Hernandez and Orbelin Pineda. Mexico are […]

San Diego (AFP) – Jamaica came alive in the second half on Sunday to score two goals that gave them a 2-0 win over Curacao in the Group C opener in the CONCACAF Gold Cup. Romario Williams in the 58th minute and Darren Mattocks in the 73rd, gave the Reggae Boyz the first three points […]

Johannesburg (AFP) – USM Alger of Algeria and Al Ahly Tripoli of Libya reached the CAF Champions League quarter-finals Sunday as 2016 runners-up Zamalek of Egypt bowed out with 10 men. A 4-1 home victory over CAPS United of Zimbabwe in Algiers ensured USM of top place in Group B with 11 points from […]

Phokeng (South Africa) (AFP) – Zimbabwe confirmed their superiority over Zambia in COSAFA Cup southern Africa championship finals by winning 3-1 in Phokeng Sunday to lift the trophy a record fifth time. This was the fourth time the neighbouring nations have met in the final of the annual regional competition and Zimbabwe have won three. […]

London (AFP) – German international defender Antonio Rudiger joined Chelsea from Italian club Roma for a reported fee of £29 million ($37.3m, 32.7m euros), the buying club announced on Sunday. The 24-year-old — whose fee with add-ons could rise to £33.3m — signed a five-year contract a week after helping his country win the Confederations […]

Haarlem (Netherlands) (AFP) – Dressed in a T-shirt and jeans or tracksuit and trainers, it is easy to mistake Mino Raiola for just another chubby beer-loving football fan rather than the razor-sharp mind who dominates the world transfer market. Raiola, whose Italian roots and love of pasta is highlighted by his family's pizza restaurant, is […]

London (AFP) – England and Manchester United's record goalscorer Wayne Rooney declared himself "ecstatic" after completing a move back to Everton, the club where he first starred as a teenager, on Sunday. The 31-year-old — who became a peripheral figure under Jose Mourinho last season — signed a two-year contract on a free transfer, according […]

London (AFP) – England and Manchester United's record goalscorer Wayne Rooney declared himself 'ecstatic' after completing a move back to Everton, the club where he first starred as a teenager on Sunday. The 31-year-old — who had become a peripheral figure under Jose Mourinho last season — signed a two-year contract on a free transfer […]

London (AFP) – England and Manchester United's record goalscorer Wayne Rooney completed a move back to his first club Everton on Sunday. The 31-year-old — who had become a peripheral figure under Jose Mourinho last season — signed a two-year contract for an undisclosed fee, bringing the curtain down on 13 trophy-laden years at Old […]

Madrid (AFP) – Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos says he is "very calm" about rumours linking Cristiano Ronaldo with a move away from the Spanish capital. "In that sense I am very calm," Ramos told Spanish newspaper Marca on Sunday when queried about the Portuguese superstar's future. Ronaldo has dominated headlines over the close season […]

London (AFP) – Romelu Lukaku says his move from Everton to Manchester United for a reported £75million ($97m, 85.5m euros) is the opportunity he dreamed of as a child. The 24-year-old Belgian international striker told ESPN he hadn't hesitated over the move even though his former club Chelsea offered a similar fee but apparently baulked […]