London (AFP) – Premier League clubs voted against continuing to allow five substitutes for the 2020/21 season on Thursday. Following the resumption of the 2019/20 campaign after the coronavirus shutdown, clubs were allowed to name nine substitutes and make five changes during matches to support player welfare. Some clubs wanted the new regulation carried over […]

London (AFP) – Manchester City defender Eric Garcia has turned down the offer of a contract extension at the Etihad Stadium, manager Pep Guardiola revealed on Thursday. The highly rated 19-year-old centre-back has been linked with a return to his boyhood club Barcelona. The Spaniard, who joined City from Barcelona in 2017, has made 19 […]

London (AFP) – Pep Guardiola says Manchester City want to impose their game when they meet Real Madrid in their postponed Champions League match on Friday, believing his side are ready to face the 13-time champions. City host Zinedine Zidane's team in the second leg of their last-16 tie, leading 2-1 after their win in […]

Berlin (AFP) – After scoring a career-best 34 times in the Bundesliga this season, treble-chasing Bayern Munich hope Robert Lewandowski can produce more goals to fuel their ambitions in the knock-out stages of the Champions League. Across Europe, only Ciro Immobile who hit 36 goals in Serie A for Lazio, has netted more league goals […]

London (AFP) – Tottenham have appointed former captain Ledley King to the position of first-team assistant in manager Jose Mourinho's coaching staff. King, 39, spent his entire 13-year playing career with Tottenham and has been a club ambassador since retiring in 2012. "Ledley will join as a member of our first-team staff, working alongside the […]

Milan (AFP) – Manchester United forward Alexis Sanchez on Thursday completed a permanent move to Inter Milan on a three-year contract, bringing an end to his unsuccessful time at Old Trafford. The 31-year-old Chilean, who had been on loan at Inter this season, signed a contract until June 30, 2023. Despite missing months through injury, […]

Berlin (AFP) – Borussia Dortmund boss Hans-Joachim Watzke says the Bundesliga runners-up have had "no contact" with Manchester United over England winger Jadon Sancho. According to UK media reports, Man Utd want to sign the 20-year-old who scored 17 goals and created the same number of assists last season as Dortmund finished second behind champions […]

Rome (AFP) – Roma on Thursday announced a change of ownership, with US billionaire Dan Friedkin buying the Serie A club for 591 million euros ($700 million). Friedkin, 54, takes over the Italian side from American businessman James Pallotta, 62. "AS Roma can confirm that an agreement has tonight been reached between AS Roma SPV, […]

Milan (AFP) – Manchester United's Chilean forward Alexis Sanchez has signed a three-year contract with Inter Milan, the Italian club announced on Thursday. "Alexis Sanchez has joined the Nerazzurri on a free transfer," the Serie A side said in a statement. The 31-year-old, who had been on loan at Inter this season, signed a contract […]

London (AFP) – The Premier League needs to overhaul its owners’ and directors’ test after the collapse of the proposed £300 million Saudi-backed takeover of Newcastle United, Amnesty International has said. The rights group said the test was "hopelessly unsuited" to the task of ensuring proper scrutiny of the human rights records of those trying […]

Madrid (AFP) – Real Madrid would love nothing more than for Eden Hazard to burst into life against Manchester City on Friday but their march to the La Liga title has shown they know very well how to win without him. Faced with the challenge of overturning a 2-1 first-leg defeat in February, a lesser […]

Milan (AFP) – On the verge of being sold to Manchester United last summer, Paulo Dybala is once again Juventus' talisman as the newly-crowned Italian champions race to get him ready for their Champions League showdown with Lyon. This time last year Dybala, 26, looked to be the counterweight in Romelu Lukaku's transfer to Turin […]

London (AFP) – David Silva will not get the send-off he deserves in his final home appearance for Manchester City against Real Madrid at an empty Etihad but a fairytale ending could still be in store for the "Magician". Silva has won 11 domestic trophies in his golden decade in Manchester and is widely regarded […]

London (AFP) – Manchester United coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said on Wednesday Alexis Sanchez's move to Inter Milan had been made permanent. Chile midfielder Sanchez, 31, who joined Inter last August after a season and a half at Old Trafford, has scored four goals in 31 appearances for the Italian side. "I can confirm that […]

Paris (AFP) – Manchester United coach Ole Gunner Solskjaer praised the performance of his second-string side in reaching the Europa League quarter-finals with a 2-1 win over LASK on Wednesday. United had a 5-0 lead from their first leg played in March and will face Copenhagen who enjoyed a 3-0 victory on the night over […]