Month: January 2025

Liverpool winger Lazar Markovic has emerged as a transfer target for West Ham United, the has learned.

The Serbian international is currently playing on loan at Hull City, but is not expected to return to Anfield at the end of season. Markovic joined Reds from Benfica in 2014 for a hefty fee of £21.25 million, but never quite managed to repay the investment.

Markovic has been farmed out to Fenerbahce, Sporting Lisbon and Hull City respectively and he looks set to be offloaded by Liverpool as Jurgen Klopp appears not to be counting on the 23-year-old.

West Ham could offer Markovic a valuable lifeline as the Serbian hopes to remain in the Premier League once his loan spell with relegation-threatened Tigers ends.

The Hammers are reportedly willing to spla…

Burnley are interested in signing Albert Sambi Lokonga from Arsenal in the summer transfer window, according to in Belgium. The report has claimed that Burnley manager Vincent Kompany wants to bring the midfielder to Turf Moor for next season and beyond.

Manchester City legend Vincent Kompany led Burnley to automatic promotion from the Championship to the Premier League for next season. The Clarets played wonderful football and were by far the best team in the second their of English football.

Lokonga spent the second half of this season on on loan at Crystal Palace from Arsenal. The Belgium international midfielder moved to the Eagles on loan in the January transfer window. The 23-year-old made six starts and three substitute appearances in the Premier League for Pala…

Christophe Galtier angrily articulated his frustration about the latest Kylian Mbappe transfer speculation as the Paris Saint-Germain boss questioned why his point of view is never believed.

In his first season with PSG, Galtier has had to cope with reports and rumours of unrest within his squad, and this week saw newspaper claims from Spain that Mbappe is once again thinking about a future away from Paris.

That seemed improbable when the France striker signed a new contract in May, having been urged to do so by no less an authority than France s president, Emmanuel Macron.

The 23-year-old turned his back on a possible free transfer to Real Madrid, but he has at times appeared unhappy this season, and now there are suggestions he would welcome a move away from PS…

Shakhtar Donetsk joined Arsenal in qualifying for the last 16 of the Champions League from Group H after both sides posted victories on Wednesday.

Despite leading the English Premier League heading into the fixture, Arsenal were somewhat sluggish and were nearly held to an embarrassing home draw before two strikes in the last 20 minutes to Theo Walcott and Samir Nasri wrapped up victory.

In a game Arsenal were expected to win easily, they received a gift on 30 minutes when a penalty was awarded to the Londoners.

Robin van Persie wearing the captain s armband- scored his first goal since May with the resultant spot-kick, firing into the right-hand corner and giving Andriy Pyatov little chance in goal.

But just after half-time, Arsenal were stunned as Braz…

The fact they are thousands of miles from home will not dim the rivalry as Brazil and Argentina, seven World Cup wins between them, go up against each other in a friendly test in Doha.

After both nations flattered to deceive at the World Cup Argentina thrashed by Germany in the quarter-finals and Brazil coming up short against Holland it falls to respective coaches Mano Menezes and Sergio Batista to usher in a new era of success after replacing Dunga and Diego Maradona.

They get an early opportunity to establish their credentials in one of international football s most mouth-watering fixtures with Wednesday s meeting having the added bonus of being far from fanatical home crowds.

Both men have six months to work on their squads before they target glory in July s…

Alexis Sanchez has developed into a special all-round forward while at Arsenal, according to boss Arsene Wenger.

Chile star Sanchez netted his 26th goal in all competitions this season in the 4-1 rout of Stoke City on Saturday, while his exquisite pass for Mesut Ozil to score established him as the only player to have double figures in the Premier League for goals and assists this term.

The 27-year-old s future beyond the end of the campaign remains in doubt, even though Wenger remains confident he will sign an extension to a deal that expires in 2018.

Sanchez has been linked with a move to Manchester City, among other clubs, and his manager believes one of the hottest properties in Europe is a more complete player than when he moved to Emirates Stadium from Barc…

Keisuke Honda has confirmed he is to leave AC Milan at the end of the season, having scored against Bologna on Sunday.

Milan sealed a sixth-place finish and a spot in next season s Europa League with a 3-0 home Serie A victory, the Japan international netting their second after coming off the substitutes bench.

But Honda has only made seven league appearances this season, starting once, and will move on after the last match of the club s season against Cagliari on May 28.

My dearest Milan supporters, thank you, he said in a message on Twitter.

It has been a challenging three and a half years but because of that I have been able to grow as a person.

I will be leaving Milan after this season, but I look forward to seeing you again soon. 

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Denmark s decision to resume their Euro 2020 clash with Finland following Christian Eriksen s cardiac arrest was the least bad one , according to forward Martin Braithwaite.

Inter midfielder Eriksen was given CPR by medics late on in the first half of Saturday s Group B match after collapsing with no other players around him.

The fixture was suspended while Eriksen received life-saving treatment on the field, but it resumed a little under two hours later after the midfielder was confirmed to be awake .

Tournament organisers UEFA said it agreed to restart the match following the request made by players of both teams .

However, Denmark boss Kasper Hjulmand said on Sunday that the game should never have resumed from the 41st minute, with his side going on t…

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Really breaking the bank this summer, Chelsea will open their Premier League campaign when they travel to an empty Amex on Monday night.

Brighton

Starting with the hosts, after managing to hold onto their Premier League status after returning from football s enforced break, Brighton are hoping for a more stable time of things this time around. Managing to squeeze in just a pair of pre-season draws against West Brom and Monday s guests in the build-up to the New Year, Head Coach Graham Potter will be desperate for his side to find some much-needed stability on home soil. While they might have managed to sign off the extended 2019/2020 campaign with a 2-1 win away at Burnley, the one-time Swansea boss saw his side win just a pair of the…

Independiente s bid to reach the Copa Libertadores quarter-finals has taken a blow after their 1-1 draw with 2008 winners LDU Quito.

The Argentine side took the lead in front of their home fans at the Estadio Libertadores de America in the 24th minute from the penalty spot throuhg striker Leonel Nunez.

But LDU Quito drew level in the 54th minute when an effort from their own Argentine striker Hernan Barcos was deflected by Julian Velazquez into his own net.

The result leaves Buenos Aires-based club Independiente bottom of Group 8, needing other results in the upcoming round of fixtures to fall in their favour to progress to the quarter-finals.

Ecuadorian side LDU Quito are in second place and will qualify for the next round should they avoid defeat in th…