May 2019 – Football Flame    
Latest Football News

Month: May 2019

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SERIE A

Icardi Aiming to Stay Another Year at Inter Milan

Inter striker Mauro Icardi wants to remain at the club for "at least another year", according to his wife and agent Wanda Nara.The Serie A club confirmed that former Chelsea and Juventus boss Antonio Conte had been appointed as Luciano Spalletti's successor on Friday morning and it remains to be seen what the future holds for Icardi.Press reports in Argentina and Italy had claimed that the Italian had specifically requested that he doesn't want Icardi as part of his squad when he was in negotiations to take over at San Siro.But TyC Sports claims that Wanda Nara has refuted those suggestions and insisted that the 26-year-old wants to remain at Inter for at least another season.She said: "He has one-and-a-half years left on his contract and his intention is to continue at Inter for at least ...
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PREMIER LEAGUE

Rooney Hoping for Man Utd or Everton Return

Wayne Rooney is planning to return to Manchester United or Everton, but only in a coaching capacity as he intends to see out his playing career in MLS with D.C. United.At 33 years of age, the former England international is in no rush to hang up his boots.He has enjoyed a welcome renaissance in his career since moving to America, with a role as club talisman quickly taken on in Washington.He told Eddie Hearn’s No Passion, No Point: “I'm good, I've got two years after this year and then depending how I feel at the end of it will determine if I keep playing or not.“I'll finish my career here and then see what offers come up.“When I finish playing my aim is to go straight into coaching, at whatever level. We'll see what opportunities come up.”He added: “There's Everton and Manchester United, ...
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UCL

Klopp : Firmino Fully Fit for CL Final

Roberto Firmino is fit and ready to start the Champions League final, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp confirmed on Friday, though declined to say whether the Brazilian will be in the XI.Firmino once again formed a dynamic partnership with Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane in the Liverpool attack this term, scoring 16 goals and adding seven assists between the Premier League and Champions League.However, a groin injury plagued Firmino in Liverpool's final matches of the season, with his last involvement an 11-minute cameo in the 3-0 first leg loss to Barcelona at Camp Nou on May 1."Yes, he's ready," Klopp said at a news conference when asked about Firmino's availability. "He's fit and he has trained. He should be fine."Yet despite the Brazil forward being fit, Klopp would not guarantee Firmino a ...
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LALIGA

Ramos : Hazard is a Really Top Player

Real Madrid skipper Sergio Ramos has labelled Eden Hazard a “top” player ahead of the Belgian’s rumoured relocation to Spain – but insists he’d never get involved in suggesting transfer targets.The 33-year-old was speaking at a hastily arranged press conference at the club’s Valdebebas training complex on Thursday, where he announced his intention to stay with Los Blancos.Hazard has been the subject of much speculation in recent months, and appeared to confirm he had made his last appearance in a Chelsea shirt on Wednesday, following their Europa League final triumph over London rivals Arsenal.While Chelsea wait for a definitive offer from Real Madrid for the 28-year-old playmaker, Ramos was quick to point out that although he holds Hazard in high regard, he draws the line at getting invol...
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PREMIER LEAGUE

Reports : Man City Turn Down Bayern Bid for Sane

Manchester City have turned down an offer of €80m (£70.7m) for their winger Leroy Sane from Bayern Munich. The German champions are keen to sign the 23-year-old with two wide players, Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery, leaving this summer and will now consider whether they are to make a new, improved bid.The Germany international did not command a regular starting place in the City team last season but the manager, Pep Guardiola, is keen to keep him. The Spaniard said after the FA Cup final, which City won 6-0 against Watford to complete a domestic treble: “We offered to extend his contract. We want him to stay. What proof is more than for six, seven months we want to extend his contract? If we don’t want him, we don’t extend his contract.”“Some movements we have to do for next season, becaus...
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NEWS

Norway's Haland Breaks U20 World Cup Record with 9 Goal

It’s perhaps not a surprise that Norway’s Erling Braut Haland is excelling at the Under-20 World Cup. He has the genetics – his father is former Man City and Leeds player Alf-Inge Haland – and the size – at 6ft 3in he towers over many of the other players at the tournament.But few would have predicted he would score nine goals in a single match, as he did against Honduras on Thursday.Norway’s 12-0 win was the largest in Under-20 World Cup history and his nine goals were the most ever in a single match by one player in the tournament. Only once in the history of the U-20 World Cup has a player scored more than nine in an entire tournament. Honduras played some of the match with nine players after two red cards.Manchester United, Juventus and Borussia Dortmund have all been linked with Halan...
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PREMIER LEAGUE

Liverpool Keen to Offer New Deal for Klopp

Liverpool chairman Tom Werner has hinted the club are ready to offer Jurgen Klopp a new contract and is in no doubt that the German is fully committed to the club.Klopp has been widely praised for the work he has done at Anfield since succeeding Brendan Rodgers in October 2015.“It's been a period of constant progress and it's been a real pleasure to watch the continual improvement of the team,” Werner told the Liverpool Echo.Klopp’s current contract expires in 2022, the German having signed a six-year extension to his original deal in July 2016.Werner is reluctant to discuss contracts ahead of Saturday’s final, but did hint that the club are ready to tie Klopp down for the foreseeable future.“We don't really want to discuss his situation publicly, especially so close to the final,” he adde...
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SERIE A

OFFICIAL : Inter Milan Name Conte as New Coach

Antonio Conte was this morning announced as the new head coach of Internazionale, replacing Luciano Spaletti, who was officially dismissed yesterday.This marks the return of Conte to management, following his sacking by Chelsea last July as well as the protracted and quite unseemly 10-month legal battle that followed over severance payments. But that nonsense is now over, with Chelsea reportedly agreeing in arbitration to pay in full the £9m compensation that was due, and all involved could move on with their lives.Conte will certainly have his work cut out for him at Inter, who are far from the dominant force in Italian football that they once were. It is however a rather typical Conte assignment: another reclamation project at a fallen giant. After his successes at Juventus and Chelsea, ...
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SERIE A

Luciano Spalletti Sacked as Inter Milan Manager

Luciano Spalletti has been sacked as Inter Milan boss, with the Italian club expected to replace him with former Chelsea manager Antonio Conte.Spalletti, who had a contract until 2021, led Inter into the Champions League for the first time in six years in the first of his two seasons.This year his side finished fourth in Serie A and were knocked out of the Champions League at the group stage.Conte has been out of the game since being dismissed by Chelsea last July.Inter secured a Champions League spot on the last day of the season by beating 2-1 on Sunday to finish level on points with third-placed Atalanta.
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PREMIER LEAGUE

Emery Asks for Patience Ahead of Arsenal Rebuilding

Unai Emery has asked Arsenal’s supporters to trust him as he embarks on a long-term rebuilding process in North London.The ex-PSG boss’s first season in charge ended in a chastening 4-1 defeat to Chelsea in the Europa League final in Baku on Wednesday night.The game represented their last chance to qualify for next season’s Champions League, after a fifth-place finish in the Premier League.Emery acknowledged that a place in Europe’s premier club competition was an ambition he hadn’t achieved, but said that the Gunners had progressed in his first season.“We knew it would be difficult, and we are in our process. I want to say to all the supporters we are in this process,” he told a press conference.“Really the first target has not been achieved this year, but I think we are closer, firstly i...
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PREMIER LEAGUE

Sarri Wants to Stay at Chelsea

Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri has responded to links with Juventus by expressing his desire to stay at Stamford Bridge.The Italian lifted his first trophy with the Blues in a 4-1 demolition of Arsenal in Wednesday's Europa League final.It has not all been plain sailing for Sarri in his first season in English football, which has included plenty of barracking from the stands and rumours of his dismissal at the end of the current campaign.But Sarri insists that he is keen to continue in the Premier League, pointing out that his Chelsea deal still has plenty of time left on it."I still have two years of contract," he remarked to RMC following the final whistle in Azerbaijan."After that we'll see, what we can improve and if the conditions are there to continue. I want to stay yes, because the...
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PREMIER LEAGUE

Hazard Brace Blows Arsenal Away; Chelsea Win Europa League

Eden Hazard's brace helped Maurizio Sarri claim his first major trophy as Chelsea crushed Arsenal 4-1 in the Europa League final in Baku on Wednesday.In perhaps his final appearance before a mooted move to Real Madrid, star man Hazard struck two second half goals to confirm Chelsea's second triumph in six seasons in this competition.Olivier Giroud sparked the landslide against his former employers in the 49th minute before Pedro put a second past retiring Gunners goalkeeper Petr Cech.Alex Iwobi pulled one back in between Hazard's double but Arsenal faded horribly after half-time and, having finished fifth in the Premier League, are now consigned to another season outside the Champions League.
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BUNDESLIGA

Sane Deal Financially 'Difficult', Accepts Bayern President

A deal to bring Leroy Sane to Bayern Munich from Manchester City is looking increasingly difficult from a financial perspective, according to the Bundesliga champions' president Uli Hoeness.Bayern are embarking on a rebuild over the coming months as they look set to move on several ageing players, with Rafinha, Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery already departed.As such, Bayern are being heavily linked with a number of younger wingers and Sane has emerged as a primary target, with the club doing little to hide their desire to sign him.The Germany international joined City from Schalke in 2016 and, after a promising first season, he exploded in 2017-18, scoring 10 Premier League goals and setting up another 15 as he was named the Professional Footballers' Association's Young Player of the Year....
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TRANSFERS

Tottenham Bids £53m for Giovani Lo Celso

Tottenham have made a bid of about 60m euros (£53m) for Real Betis midfielder Giovani Lo Celso.But Lo Celso has a 100m euro (£88m) release clause and it is understood Betis want to sell him for a fee closer to that amount.Spurs will face competition for the 23-year-old Argentine with other Premier League clubs interested.The Londoners have not signed a player since January 2018 when they paid Paris St-Germain £23m for winger Lucas Moura.Tottenham's record signing is Davinson Sanchez - they spent £42m on Ajax's Colombia centre-back in August 2017.Lo Celso initially joined Betis on a season-long loan in August 2018 from PSG but the La Liga club triggered their option to buy the player in April for 22m euros.He scored 16 goals and registered six assists in 45 games for Betis last season and h...
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SERIE A

Gazidis Wants Maldini as Milan Technical Director

Paolo MaldiniAC Milan chief executive Ivan Gazidis wants to appoint Paolo Maldini as technical director following Leonardo's departure.Leonardo stepped down as sporting director on Tuesday, the same day head coach Gennaro Gattuso resigned from the Serie A club.Gattuso himself had confirmed his departure earlier on Tuesday, saying he is walking away despite having two years remaining on his contract, while Leonardo had only been in his job for one season.Milan are set for a busy off-season after missing out on Champions League qualification by just one point and CEO Gazidis is eyeing a new role for club great Maldini, who is the team's sporting strategy and development director.Gazidis, who offered thanks to both Leonardo and Gattuso as the two left the club , hopes to "bring Milan back to ...
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PREMIER LEAGUE

Sarri Feels Hazard Gets Bored During Training

Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri has admitted that Eden Hazard is so good that he can become bored by training sessions.Hazard is set to complete another stellar campaign on Wednesday, with Chelsea facing off against Arsenal in the Europa League final in Baku.The Belgian has scored 19 goals in all competitions, further underlining his status as his club's star performer.Sarri, who is hoping Hazard will stay but has said he will respect whatever decision he makes, has again hailed the 28-year-old as one of the world's best."He's one of the most important players in Europe, in the world, at the moment," Sarri said at a news conference on Tuesday."I think he can improve. He has to try to become the best in Europe because, for characteristics, he can become the best player in Europe, in the worl...
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NEWS

Neymar Limps Out of Brazil Training

Neymar limped out of Brazil training on Tuesday, with the 27-year-old appearing to have suffered an injury to his left knee.While attempting a shot Neymar came off favouring his knee and, after trying to continue training, he eventually was forced to limp off the field alongside team doctor Rodrigo Lasmar.According to the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF), Neymar has already begun treatment for the injury and will remain under evaluation.The injury will be a major concern for the Selecao as they get ready to host the Copa America, with their opening match set to take place against Bolivia in Sao Paulo on June 14.Before then Brazil will face Qatar on June 5 and Honduras four days later in a pair of friendlies, before taking on the Bolivians, Venezuela and Peru in Copa America group pla...
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NEWS

Marseille Unveil Andres Villas-Boas as New Manager

Former Chelsea and Tottenham boss Andre Villas-Boas has returned to management at Marseille on a two-year contract.The Portuguese has spent 18 months away from the dugout.His last role came in China with Shanghai SIPG, but he walked away from that post in November 2017.Marseille owner Frank McCourt told the club’s official website of Villas-Boas’ arrival: “We are delighted to hire a coach whose success is recognised at the highest level in Europe and worldwide.“Andre Villas-Boas' philosophy and approach to the game aligns with what we want for OM and will help revitalise our project after a disappointing campaign.“Our expectations are still great and we are making the changes necessary to achieve our goals.”
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LALIGA

Sergio Ramos Wants to Move to China

Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos has asked to leave on a free transfer, says club president Florentino Perez.The Spain centre-back is contracted until summer 2021 but wants to take his career to the Chinese Super League.Perez says he was told by Ramos, 33, and his agent they had received a "very good offer" from an unnamed club but that they could not pay a fee."I told Ramos that it was impossible for Real Madrid to let their captain go for free," he said.Perez added: "They came to see me at the office and they told me that they had a very good offer from China but that the rules there do not allow them to pay the transfer."
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TRANSFERS

Atletico Madrid Complete Transfer of Felipe from Porto

Portuguese club Porto have confirmed the sale of Brazilian defender Felipe to Atletico Madrid.The 30-year-old centre-back will join Atletico in a €20million deal.Felipe made 93 Primeira Liga appearances in three years – is set to replace outgoing captain Diego Godin.A league winner with Porto in 2017-18, Felipe confirmed his exit from Estadio do Dragao earlier on Monday.
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