June 2019 – Page 4 – Football Flame    
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Month: June 2019

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NEWS

Reports : Man Utd Interested in West Ham's Diop

Manchester United are interested in signing Issa Diop and willing to pay £45m plus a player for the West Ham defender, as per reports. West Ham are adamant that Diop is not for sale and it is believed they would not even listen to offers of less than £60m. Diop played 38 times last season after the Hammers signed him from Toulouse a year ago for £22m. United's top priority is signing a centre-back this summer and they have been told by Napoli that Kalidou Koulibaly would cost about £100m while Leicester value Harry Maguire at £80m. Former United manager Jose Mourinho singled out Diop for praise when his side lost 3-1 at West Ham in September last year. As well as a centre-half, United are intent on bringing a new right-back to Old Trafford to replace departing club captain Antonio Valencia...
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Colombia Down Argentina in Copa America

A miserable opening 45 minutes gave way to a more exciting second half, and Roger Martinez came off the bench to win the day with a 71st minute stunner to give Colombia all three points in Bahia, supported by a late cherry on top from Duvan Zapata.The goal came just minutes after Lionel Messi missed a golden opportunity to give Argentina the lead during a spell of serious possessional domination midway through the second half. Once again, the Argentinian collection of star forwards came up empty, a drought that continues to plague the side in big matches.The first half, largely, was a physical mess with very few real chances on net. The possession was nearly even between the two sides, neither team registered a shot on target, and there were just five shots overall in the first half, inclu...
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BUNDESLIGA

Reports : Hummels Set for Shock Dortmund Return

Bayern Munich defender Mats Hummels is in advanced talks to make a return to Borussia Dortmund for €30m (£27m), according to Sky in Germany. World Cup winner Hummels began his career with Bayern before making a move to Dortmund in 2009, following a year on loan there. In 2016 he returned to the Allianz Arena, having played 309 times for the Schwarzgelben, winning two Bundesliga titles and a German Cup along the way. The 30-year-old central defender has won seven trophies in his last three seasons with Bayern - including three straight Bundesliga titles. But Hummels now looks set to leave Munich, with fellow 30-year-old centre-back Jerome Boateng also likely to depart.
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Women's World Cup: Netherlands Enter Knockout Stages

For a team that boasts, on paper at least, the best forward line at the World Cup – the Euro 2017 star Lieke Martens, Arsenal duo Vivianne Miedema and Danielle van de Donk and Lyon’s Shanice van de Sanden – the 3-1 win against Cameroon, who are ranked 46th in the world, should have been less of a labour. Two goals from Miedema, who became the Netherlands’ all-time top scorer with 60 goals at the age of 22, and one from Dominique Bloodworth, sandwiched a tidy finish from Cameroon’s best player of the tournament, Gabrielle Onguéné, to secure the three points and guarantee progression for the Dutch, but the worries that existed before this match remain. Though the talismanic forward will draw the plaudits, the Dutch will likely be most pleased with the performance of Groenen – now a Mancheste...
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TRANSFERS

Report : Juventus Sporting Director hold talks with Man Utd over Pogba Return

Juventus sporting director made the trip to the English capital to hold a number of different meetings, according to Sky Italian. The same article states that the two clubs are in the early stages of negotiations as Manchester United explore the possibility of potentially offloading Pogba this summer. According to the same story, Juventus right-back Joao Cancelo is also part of the negotiations after Manchester City cooled their interest in the Portuguese defender. Manchester United have already been linked with a host of right-backs in the summer transfer window, including Crystal Palace defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka and PSG’s Thomas Meunier. Sky Sports go on to add that Pogba’s agent Mino Raiola is now free to negotiate his client’s transfer after his ban imposed by the ...
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SERIE A

Higuian to See Out Juventus Contract – Agent

Gonzalo Higuain is determined to see out his contract at Juventus, despite speculation about him moving to Roma, his brother and agent Nicolas Higuain has said. The former Argentina international was loaned to Chelsea from Turin in January of last year, appearing in 14 Premier League games and bagging five goals in the process. He has now returned to the Bianconeri and intends to play two more seasons at the Allianz Stadium, with Juve being the only club he’d consider playing for in Italy, according to his representative. “Gonzalo wants to respect his contract and therefore stay with Juventus for another two years,” Nicolas Higuain said. “His performances at Juve have been good and playing for another team in Italy isn’t a workable solution. “I don’t want to disrespect anyone, but if Gonza...
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Women's World Cup : England Beat Argentina; Reach Last 16

England booked their place in the World Cup knockout stages after beating a resolute Argentina thanks to Jodie Taylor's first goal in 14 months. Phil Neville's side looked as though they would pay for Nikita Parris' missed first-half penalty, which was saved by the brilliant Vanina Correa after Alex Greenwood was tripped. The Argentine goalkeeper also denied Beth Mead, Parris and Taylor, but had no chance in stopping Euro 2017's golden boot winner, as she tapped in Mead's low cross after 61 minutes. The victory for England, who are ranked third in the world - 34 places above Argentina - means they qualify for the second round and can seal top spot in Group D with a point against Japan in their final game on Wednesday. In front of a crowd of 20,294 in the industrial city of Le Havre, it was...
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Brazil Blank Bolivia in Copa America Opener

A brace from Philippe Coutinho handed hosts Brazil a winning start to the Copa America on Friday in a 3-0 victory over Bolivia as the absence of superstar Neymar was quickly forgotten.Barcelona’s Coutinho scored from the penalty spot early in the second half and added a close-range header three minutes later.Substitute Everton netted a sensational third five minutes from time to clinch a Group A victory for coach Tite’s tournament favorites in Sao Paulo.The build-up to the competition had been dominated by Neymar’s woes, firstly when he was accused of rape by a Brazilian model, and then when he damaged ankle ligaments in a friendly last week, forcing him out of the Copa.If Brazil’s first half performance was anything to go by, the Paris Saint-Germain star was sorely missed, but Coutinho’s ...
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PREMIER LEAGUE

Lindelof Excited for New Season at Man Utd

Victor Lindelof sees cause for “excitement” at Manchester United despite the Red Devils taking in another summer rebuild. The 2018-19 campaign proved to be a forgettable one for all concerned at Old Trafford. Another managerial change was made, as the baton passed from Jose Mourinho to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, while a sixth-place finish means no Champions League football for 2019-20. Sweden international defender Lindelof has told MUTV of the mindset heading into pre-season: “Well there’s a lot of excitement of course, because we haven’t seen each other for a long time. “It’s always nice to see all the players and you know everyone is just excited to get started again, to work hard and get ready for the season.” United have been handed a tough opening to the new season, with their campaign se...
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SERIE A

AC Milan Bring in Maldini and Boban in Backroom Revamp

Paolo Maldini has been named AC Milan's new technical director, while Zvonimir Boban has been appointed to the newly created role of chief football officer. Milan icon Maldini replaces Leonardo in the post, with the Brazilian reported to be returning to a similar post at former club Paris Saint-Germain. Boban, who played for the club between 1991 and 2001, has left FIFA - where he was the body's deputy secretary general - to return to Milan. Maldini previously worked as Milan's sporting strategy and development director but Ivan Gazidis, the club's chief executive, feels he is the right man to succeed Leonardo. Boban and Maldini will work closely together, with the former team-mates reuniting on the Rossoneri's backroom staff.
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TRANSFERS

West Ham Sign Pablo Fornals from Villarreal

West Ham have announced the signing of Spain international attacking midfielder Pablo Fornals from Villarreal.West Ham are paying £24m (€27m) for the 23-year-old, making him the second-most expensive signing in the club's history behind Felipe Anderson, who cost £42m when he joined from Lazio last summer.Fornals, who has signed a five-year contract with an option of a further 12 months, will join up with Manuel Pellegrini's squad after representing his country at this summer's UEFA European U21 Championship finals."I'm very happy to be part of West Ham," Fornals told the club's official website. "I feel very good, very happy and very grateful for the opportunity that has been provided to me.Fornals, who was first targeted by Manuel Pellegrini in January, has been capped twice by Spain, and...
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SERIE A

Allegri to Take Sabbatical from Football

Massimiliano Allegri says he will take a year away from football after being sacked by Juventus due to neglecting aspects of his private life over the past 16 years. The Italian wants to spend more time with family and friends after his tenure in Turin ended following mounting pressure during the 2018-19 season. Juventus still won Serie A under Allegri's guidance but were knocked out of the Champions League in the quarter-final stages by Ajax, prompting widespread calls for the head coach's dismissal. And despite some talk he could do a job swap with Maurizio Sarri at Chelsea, with the former Napoli boss seemingly poised to replace him at Juve, Allegri has confirmed his intention to take time away from the sport. "I am going to take a year off to recharge the batteries and take my personal...
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PREMIER LEAGUE

Reports: Juve and Chelsea Reach Agreement Over Sarri

Juventus and Chelsea have reached an agreement in principle to allow Maurizio Sarri to return to Italy, although negotiations over a compensation fee for the manager’s departure could reach up to £5m. Sarri, who led Chelsea to third place in the Premier League and the Europa League trophy, is set to sign a three-year contract to succeed Massimiliano Allegri at Juventus after the Italian champions held talks with Chelsea this week. It is understood that the terms of the deal will see Juve pay around £2.5m to secure the 60-year-old’s services for the new season, with the remainder due in bonuses should he lead them to a ninth successive Scudetto or the Champions League. Meanwhile, Didier Drogba has endorsed Frank Lampard’s credentials to become Chelsea’s manager once Sarri joins Juventus, wi...
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PREMIER LEAGUE

Lukaku : My Future is Upto Man Utd

Romelu Lukaku called for Manchester United to decide his future after his double kept Belgium on course to qualify for Euro 2020. The United striker, 26, scored only 12 times in the Premier League last season but took his international record to 48 goals after scoring twice in Belgium's 3-0 win over Scotland, which kept them top of Group I in qualifying. Lukaku's representative, Federico Pastorello, told Sky Sports News in April his club future would be decided at the end of the 2018-19 season, with reports linking him to Inter Milan. Asked if he will still be a Manchester United player next season, Lukaku said: "It's up to the club. "The club have to come out with statements. I'm not here to entertain any rumours. "I just play my football and we'll take it from there." Lukaku joined Unite...
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Women's World Cup: Nigeria Defeat South Korea

A brilliant goal by former Liverpool forward Asisat Oshoala helped earn Nigeria a first win at the 2019 Women's World Cup - and all but end South Korea's hopes of reaching the last-16.Nigeria went ahead when defender Kim Do-yeon volleyed past her own keeper.Ex-Arsenal player Oshoala held off a defender before rounding the keeper to score Nigeria's second goal.South Korea, who face Norway in their third and final group match on Monday, have yet to score or earn a point.Having qualified for the World Cup after finishing fifth at the 2018 Asian Cup, South Korea are anchored at the bottom of Group A with a goal difference of minus six.They played well in spells against the champions of Africa but a lack of cutting edge in front of goal once again cost them.
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Women's World Cup: USA Fires a Record-Breaking 13 Goals Past Thailand

Prolific striker Alex Morgan netted five goals as United States began their Women's World Cup defence in style with a record-breaking 13-0 rout of Thailand in Reims on Tuesday.The reigning champions had to wait five days to start their campaign but produced an ominous performance that doubled as the biggest win in tournament history, surpassing Germany's 11-0 trouncing of Argentina in 2007.Morgan took her goal tally at the international level to 106 with her well-taken haul, while Samantha Mewis added a double and was involved in setting up another two goals.Jill Ellis' side had the three points in the bag with a 3-0 lead at half time but impressively, they did not let up after the break against a Thailand side who were well and truly out of their depth, the second half ending in truly emb...
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LALIGA

Messi Crowned World's Highest Paid Athlete

Lionel Messi has been named as the world’s highest paid athlete over the last 12 months, ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar, in the Forbes top 100 list.The Barcelona and Argentina star earned $127m in the last year – more than Juventus forward Ronaldo ($109m) in second place and Paris Saint-Germain’s Neymar ($105m) in third.It is the first time that a trio of footballers have ranked as the top three earners, while Messi becomes only the second footballer to top the rankings after Ronaldo.The next footballer on the list is Manchester United's Paul Pogba in 44th place, who is the highest earning Premier League player with $33m.Former Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta (46th), who now plays his football in Japan with Vissel Kobe, is the only other player to be found inside the top 50, wit...
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PREMIER LEAGUE

Report: Liverpool Rule Out the Signing of Werder Bremen Striker Max Kruse

Liverpool FC won’t be signing Werder Bremen captain Max Kruse on a free transfer this summer, according to a report in England.The Liverpool Echo is reporting that the Reds had been linked with a potential move to sign the 31-year-old as back-up for Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino.The same article states that Liverpool FC will have a reshuffle up front this summer given that their primary back-up striker Daniel Sturridge is set to leave the Merseyside club.According to the same story, the Reds board have decided to place their faith in Champions League hero Divock Origi and Liverpool FC youngster Rhian Brewster rather than sign a new striker.Origi scored twice in Liverpool FC’s 4-0 victory over FC Barcelona in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final at Anfield las...
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Euro 2020 Roundup : France, Germany , Italy win

France returned to the top of Euro 2020 qualifying Group H with a 4-0 win in Andorra.Kylian Mbappe put France, who had been beaten by Turkey in their last match, ahead in the 11th minute, with Wissam Ben Yedder adding a second on the half-hour mark.Florian Thauvin made it 3-0 just before half-time and Chelsea centre-back Kurt Zouma wrapped up a comfortable win on the hour.Elsewhere, Albania beat Moldova 2-0 while defender Ragnar Sigurdsson scored twice as Iceland beat Turkey 2-1 in Reykjavik.Sigurdsson headed the home side in front in the 21st minute following a free kick and then nodded in from close range 10 minutes later.Turkey pulled a goal back through Dorukhan Tokoz from a corner five minutes before half-time, but Iceland closed out victory to move level on nine points with the top t...
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SERIE A

AS Roma appoint Paulo Fonseca as New Head Coach

AS Roma have appointed Paulo Fonseca as their new coach with the former Shakhtar Donetsk boss signing a two-year contract, the Italian Serie A club said on Tuesday.Fonseca, who Ukrainian club Shakhtar to the league and cup double three years in a row between 2016 and 2019, replaces Claudio Ranieri, who was appointed in March on a temporary basis until the end of the season.“I am very pleased to be appointed the head coach of AS Roma,” Portuguese Fonseca said in a statement. “I want to thank the club’s management for the opportunity they have given me. I am excited and motivated by the task ahead of us.”The 46-year-old is a permanent replacement for Eusebio Di Francesco, who was sacked in March, and AS Roma said they had the option of extending his contract by a year until 2022.“Paulo is a ...
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