Kingston upon Hull (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Everton's mercurial talent Ross Barkley's header secured them a 2-2 draw with struggling Hull in their Premier League clash on Friday. Barkley, who has lost his place in the England squad and been in and out of the Everton first team under manager Ronald Koeman, allowed the visitors […]

Madrid (AFP) – Barcelona's back-up goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen will be sidelined for around two weeks due to a leg injury, the La Liga giants announced Friday. The 27-year-old Dutchman had already missed three weeks in October due to a right ankle injury suffered on international duty. Cillessen moved to Barcelona last summer but has played […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Veteran Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic's recent flurry of goals has helped power Manchester United's resurgence but he says he is not content because he hasn't created many chances for his team-mates. The 35-year-old, who United manager Jose Mourinho claimed earlier this week is set to sign an extension to his […]

Madrid (AFP) – Former Italy boss Cesare Prandelli resigned as coach of Valencia on Friday, after a poor run that has seen the relegation-threatened team go through several managers in quick succession. "Cesare Prandelli has communicated to Valencia Club de Futbol his irrevocable decision to resign from his position as coach, as of Friday, December […]

London (AFP) – Antonio Conte is adamant Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois won't be allowed to leave despite reports of interest from Real Madrid. Courtois is said to be high on Real's list of potential signings in 2017, but with the transfer window due to reopen on January 1, Blues boss Conte was quick to rule […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has no qualms about unleashing Sergio Aguero against title rivals Liverpool after his suspension, while John Stones could be fit for the Anfield showdown. Aguero is poised to return to City's starting line-up after serving a four-match ban for a dangerous lunge on Chelsea's David Luiz […]

London (AFP) – Crystal Palace manager Sam Allardyce claims he rejected a lucrative offer from a Chinese club before taking charge of the Premier League strugglers. Chinese Super League teams have been spending big money in a bid to add prestige to their developing league. Former Manchester United striker Carlos Tevez is the latest high-profile […]

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Jose Mourinho insists none of Manchester United's exiled stars will be allowed to leave Old Trafford on loan next month. In the week that Anthony Martial's agent talked up the possibility of the United forward joining Sevilla on loan and Morgan Schneiderlin was linked with a £13 million ($16 million) […]

London (AFP) – The Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) has urged the English Football Association to ban children under 10 heading balls amid growing fears of brain injuries. A new study from the University of Stirling found heading a ball could cause memory problems for 24 hours and experts want to study the implications for younger […]

London (AFP) – Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp says the team that avoids making costly defensive mistakes will win Saturday's showdown with title rivals Manchester City. Klopp's second placed side have scored 45 goals in 18 Premier League matches, while third placed City have hit the back of the net 39 times. But both teams are […]

London (AFP) – Arsene Wenger has labelled Chelsea as 'super-favourites' for the Premier League title after watching the leaders close in on Arsenal's record for consecutive victories. Antonio Conte's side have opened up a six-point lead at the top of the table thanks to a superb run of 12 successive wins. Chelsea have been perfect […]

Buenos Aires (AFP) – From the violent streets of Buenos Aires' notorious Fort Apache, the son of an alcoholic mother and without money to even buy a pair of boots, Carlos Tevez is now football's biggest earner. The fiery Argentine striker, who will bank a mind-boggling 38 million euros a year with Chinese super club […]

London (AFP) – World player of the year Cristiano Ronaldo rejected a world record £257 million (300 mn euros, $317 mn) bid from China, his agent Jorge Mendes has claimed. Mendes told Sky Sports Italia on Thursday that the unnamed Chinese Super League side had offered the 31-year-old Portuguese superstar a record £85 mn a year […]

Glasgow (AFP) – Celtic captain Scott Brown admits it would not be a disaster if his side lost to Rangers in the Old Firm derby on Saturday. The Hoops have a massive 16-point lead over the Gers going into the New Year's Eve showdown at Ibrox and still have a game in hand over their […]

Leicester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Claudio Ranieri admits victory is a must for Leicester City against West Ham United on Saturday, and the Italian is ready to turn to his struggling big guns in his moment of need. Ranieri is set to recall Riyad Mahrez after dropping the Algerian star for the Boxing Day defeat […]