Madrid (AFP) – Quique Setien began his first session as Barcelona coach on Tuesday morning just as the sacked Ernesto Valverde drove out of the training ground for the last time. Valverde had said goodbye to the players, collected his things and left, closing the page on a brutal few days that had finally seen […]

London (AFP) – Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says Manchester United retain the power to compete at the top end of the transfer market despite warnings their status as the Premier League's richest club is "at risk". According to Deloitte's Football Money League, United's revenue of £627.1 million ($814 million) in 2018-19 put them third overall behind […]

London (AFP) – Chelsea's first black captain Paul Elliott, who now works for the Football Association, on Tuesday called for government help to combat racism in football. The 55-year-old former central defender told the BBC the FA had a zero-tolerance attitude to racism and ministers should adopt the same policy. Reported incidents of racist abuse […]

Madrid (AFP) – Spanish champions Barcelona have sacked their coach Ernesto Valverde and appointed Quique Setien as his replacement, the club announced on Monday. The decision to remove Valverde was confirmed following a board meeting that lasted more than four hours at Camp Nou on Monday afternoon. Barca are top of La Liga but have […]

Madrid (AFP) – Barcelona are set to sack their coach Ernesto Valverde and appoint Quique Setien as his replacement, according to a club source. The decision to remove Valverde was taken during a board meeting that lasted more than four hours at Camp Nou on Monday afternoon. An official statement was expected on Monday night, […]

Milan (AFP) – AC Milan have signed Bournemouth goalkeeper Asmir Begovic to replace Spaniard Pepe Reina who completed a six-month loan deal to Premier League club Aston Villa on Monday. The 32-year-old Bosnian international has just returned to the Premier League after spending the first half of the season on a temporary deal in Azerbaijan […]

Milan (AFP) – Rising star Nicolo Zaniolo has undergone successful surgery on a cruciate ligament injury which could rule the Italy international out of Euro 2020, his club Roma announced on Monday. "Zaniolo underwent reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, along with repairs to the external meniscus," Roma said in a […]

London (AFP) – Aston Villa announced on Monday they had signed former Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina on loan from AC Milan for the rest of the season. Villa boss Dean Smith moved for Reina after the struggling Premier League club's first-choice keeper Tom Heaton was ruled out for the rest of the campaign. Heaton suffered […]

Paris (AFP) – Paris Saint-Germain centre-back Marquinhos has extended his contract with the French champions until June 2024, the club announced on Monday. The 25-year-old Brazilian, who joined the capital side from Roma in 2013, has played 271 games for PSG and won 14 major trophies including five Ligue 1 titles. Marquinhos told AFP last […]

Los Angeles (AFP) – United States general manager Brian McBride said Monday he hopes to help restore "pride" in playing for the team as he settled into his new role in charge of the national squad. The 47-year-old former Fulham striker has been appointed to help revive the fortunes of the US men's team, which […]

Madrid (AFP) – Barcelona are set to sack their coach Ernesto Valverde, according to reports in the Spanish press. Valverde took training on Monday morning but his future looks bleak, with the club expected to announce his departure following a board meeting in the afternoon at Camp Nou. Valverde arrived more than two hours early […]

London (AFP) – Norwich signed Hoffenheim midfielder Lukas Rupp on Monday for an undisclosed fee reported to be 500,000 euros ($557,000). German Rupp has agreed a two-and-a-half year contract with the Premier League strugglers as manager Daniel Farke returned to the Bundesliga for his side's second signing of the January transfer window. The 29-year-old has […]

London (AFP) – Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho has dropped an unexpected hint that England captain Harry Kane is not certain to be fit in time for Euro 2020. Kane needed surgery on his left hamstring after suffering a ruptured tendon against Southampton on New Year's Day. Tottenham have said they expect Kane to be back […]

London (AFP) – Jose Mourinho said Monday that Christian Eriksen will play in Tottenham's FA Cup replay against Middlesbrough despite admitting that the Denmark star has been affected by talk of a move to Inter Milan. Eriksen, whose Tottenham contract expires at the end of the season, has been well below his best for much […]

Milan (AFP) – AC Milan will be counting on the Zlatan Ibrahimovic-effect to rescue their season in the Italian Cup starting this week. Five-time winners Milan begin their quest for a first Cup trophy since 2003 at home with a last 16 tie against SPAL. Ibrahimovic, 38, scored on his first start back with Milan […]