London (AFP) – Belgian defender Ritchie de Laet has left Premier League champions Leicester City for a move across the Midlands to Championship side Aston Villa, it was announced on Tuesday. De Laet, 27, has arrived at Villa Park on a three-year contract for an undisclosed fee, having helped Leicester win the Premier League title […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Pep Guardiola insisted on Tuesday that he will continue working with Joe Hart at Manchester City, even as Barcelona goalkeeper Claudio Bravo flew in to replace the unwanted England international. Hart has been the most high-profile victim of Guardiola's new reign as manager of the Premier League club, with the […]

Berlin (AFP) – Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich have tightened security measures at their stadium, banning spectators from carrying big bags and bottles, ahead of Friday's home match — the first of the new German league season. Germany's league champions have stepped up measures for the 2016/17 season as they prepare to host Werder Bremen, with […]

London (AFP) – As Pep Guardiola's Manchester City advance upon the Champions League group phase, previously maligned winger Raheem Sterling appears to have been reborn. Sterling, 21, joined City from Liverpool in a fractious 44 million pounds ($57.8 million, 51.1 million euros) move last year, but flattered to deceive and ultimately lost his place in the […]

Burton-on-Trent (United Kingdom) (AFP) – New England manager Sam Allardyce will consider ending former captain John Terry's four-year international exile, he revealed on Monday. Terry, 35, retired from England duty in September 2012 after the Football Association charged him with racially abusing Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand. He was later fined and given a […]

Berlin (AFP) – Brazilian centre-back Dante will reunite with former coach Lucien Favre at Nice in Ligue 1 after completing his move from Wolfsburg, the two clubs announced on Monday. The 32-year-old returns to France a decade after spending two years at Lille early in his career and will rejoin Favre, whom he played under […]

Berlin (AFP) – Japan midfielder Shinji Kagawa scored twice as Borussia Dortmund eased into the second round of the German Cup with a 3-0 victory away to fourth-division Eintract Trier on Monday. Kagawa struck with just eight minutes gone before adding a second on the half hour, with close-season signing Andre Schuerrle netting his first […]

Madrid (AFP) – Victor Diaz scored the only goal as Leganes defeated Celta Vigo 1-0 on Monday in the club's first ever game in the Spanish top flight. Diaz steered in from a corner on 75 minutes to hand Leganes victory on their La Liga debut, having won promotion to the top tier by finishing […]

Rome (AFP) – Paris Saint-Germain striker Jean-Christophe Bahebeck has joined Pescara on a one-year loan deal, the Serie A club announced on Monday. Pescara achieved promotion to the top flight at the end of last season and the Italians do have an option to buy Bahebeck at the end of the loan. The 23-year-old Frenchman […]

Glasgow (AFP) – Two Palestinian charities have picked up an unexpected financial windfall with £45000 (52000 euros, $59000) raised by supporters of Scottish Champions Celtic it was revealed on Monday. One of the historic club's supporters groups Green Brigade launched the fundraising effort initially to match an anticipated £15000 fine from European governing body UEFA […]

London (AFP) – Dutch international forward Siem de Jong has joined PSV Eindhoven on a season-long loan from Newcastle United, the English second-tier club announced on Monday. De Jong, 27, joined Newcastle from Ajax two years ago, but injuries have prevented him from establishing himself at St James' Park. He has made just seven starts […]

Munich (Germany) (AFP) – Portugal midfielder Renato Sanches returned to training with Bayern Munich on Monday, but is unlikely to be fit to make his debut against Werder Bremen on Friday. The 19-year-old, who joined the Bavarian giants from Benfica for 35 million euros ($39.6m) in the close-season, suffered a thigh injury in training a […]

Burton-on-Trent (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Goalkeeper Joe Hart will retain his place in the England squad despite being dropped by Manchester City, national coach Sam Allardyce said on Monday. Hart, 29, is yet to play for City this season after his new manager Pep Guardiola decided to install Willy Caballero as his first-choice goalkeeper. Hart, […]

Here are the ten things we learned from Week 24 of the 2016 MLS season. Seattle’s Charge Continues The Seattle Sounders are back. The Rave Green won their third consecutive game on Sunday night at CenturyLink Field, and in doing so, got the one they really wanted: A 3-1 rout of the Portland Timbers that […]

Paris (AFP) – Victor Wanyama — the only Kenyan playing in a major European football league — scored his first goal for Tottenham Hotspur in a 1-0 weekend victory over Crystal Palace. The former Celtic midfielder struck eight minutes from time to give Spurs their first English Premier League win of the season after an […]