July 2019 – Page 4 – Football Flame

Month: July 2019

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PREMIER LEAGUE

Philippe Coutinho Approves Loan Move to Liverpool

Philippe Coutinho has given his approval to a sensational offer from Liverpool to take him on loan from Barcelona , according to reports.Coutinho has been linked with a move after struggling to nail down a place last season - with Manchester Unitedhaving been touted as a possible destination.Antoine Griezmann's arrival at Barcelona appears to have narrowed Coutinho's Barcelona chances further, although the fact that the Frenchman was given the number 17 shirt rather than the number seven was seen by many fans as a sign that the Brazilian midfielder would be staying at Camp Nou.However, speculation continues over a Coutinho exit, with the 27-year-old having been touted as a makeweight in a deal to lure Neymar back to Barcelona from Paris-Saint Germain.But now, European champions Liverpool a...
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LALIGA

Barcelona Officially Present Antoine Griezmann

France star Antoine Griezmann joined Barcelona on Friday after the Spanish club agreed to pay his €120 million release clause to rival club Atletico Madrid. On Sunday the club presented Griezmann with the number 17 shirt. Griezmann spoke on the opportunity with his new club saying, "It's a new challenge. I always try to better myself and break out of my comfort zone. I want to win LaLiga, the Copa del Rey and the Champions League -which is missing from my curriculum."The 28-year-old World Cup winner with France last year joins Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Philippe Coutinho, Ousmane Dembele and Malcom as an attacking option, adding to the already world-class forwards that Barcelona possesses. Griezmann had a contract with Atletico until 2023 with a buyout clause of €200 million...
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NEWS

Late Mahrez Free-kick Sends Algeria into AFCON Final

Riyad Mahrez scored a stunning free-kick with virtually the last kick of the game as Algeria beat Nigeria to reach the Africa Cup of Nations final.With the tie heading for extra time, Manchester City forward Mahrez whipped a fierce set-piece into the top corner.A William Troost-Ekong own goal had given Algeria the lead before Odion Ighalo's penalty levelled the scores.Algeria will face Senegal, who earlier beat Tunisia thanks to an extra-time own goal, in the final on Friday.
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PREMIER LEAGUE

Bayern target Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi

Bayern Munich remain determined to sign Callum Hudson-Odoi as the German club prepare to offer Chelsea £45million for the winger.The 18-year-old looked set to join Bayern Munich in January after submitting a transfer request, but the Blues rejected four separate bids from the Bundesliga side.With just one year remaining on his contract, Chelsea are desperate to tie Hudson-Odoi down to a new deal.But, according to the Mail, Bayern will test the club’s resolve with a new £45million bid.The England international is currently making steady progress in his comeback from a ruptured Achilles, suffered in Chelsea’s 2-2 draw with Burnley last April.While Hudson-Odoi played 24 times for Chelsea last season and earned his first England caps, he grew disillusioned with his lack of playing time under M...
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PREMIER LEAGUE

Tottenham confirm Eric Dier injury problem

Bad news for Tottenham and England international Eric Dier.Spurs have confirmed this weekend that Dier is now on the sidelines.That’s after the midfielder had an unspecified operation.Tottenham issued the following statement on Dier’s injury setback:"Eric Dier has undergone a medical procedure to correct an issue detected during medical assessments on the first day of pre-season training."Following the successful procedure Eric will now undertake a short period of rehabilitation. "He will therefore not travel on the Club’s pre-season tour to Singapore and Shanghai".
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TRANSFERS

Barcelona signs Japanese Forward Hiroki Abe

La Liga giants Barcelona have signed Japanese forward Hiroki Abe from Kashima Antlers.The 20-year-old forward has played for Kashima since 2017. Last year, he was chosen as the J.League ‘Rookie of the Year,’ and is considered one of the best young talents in the country.After representing Japan at youth levels for a number of years, he was first called up to the senior team by coach Hajime Moriyasu for the 2019 Copa America. He is also expected to be one of the key players for the Samurai Blues during the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo next summer.This move comes shortly after Abe’s countryman Takefusa Kubo completed a move to Barcelona’s arch-rivals, Real Madrid.Upon his arrival in Catalonia, Abe will be expected to join Barcelona B in the Spanish Second Division to gain experience.
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SERIE A

Ronaldo returns to training at Juventus

Cristiano Ronaldo has arrived back at Juventus for his first day of pre-season training.The 34-year-old Ronaldo was greeted by more than 100 fans Saturday on his arrival for standard medical tests.The fans shouted his name as well as chanting for him to win the Champions League for them as a smiling Ronaldo signed autographs and posed for selfies.Ronaldo will train for the first time under new Juventus coach Maurizio Sarri later Saturday.Ronaldo was signed from Real Madrid just over a year ago in the hope that the five-time World Player of the Year could lead Juventus to the Champions League trophy.However, Juventus was eliminated in the quarterfinals by Ajax.
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PREMIER LEAGUE

Bournemouth Striker Callum Wilson Pens New Deal

Bournemouth have announced star striker Callum Wilson has put pen to paper on a bumper new four-year deal running until the summer of 2023.Wilson had three years left to run on his previous contract but has established himself as an England international and one of the best strikers outside the Premier League’s top-six in the last 12 months.The 27-year-old has now put pen to paper on a new long-term deal worth a reported £100,000-a-week to ward off potential interest from Premier League rivals West Ham.“We’ve improved in all areas since I initially joined the club but there’s still a long way to go,” Wilson told the club’s official website.“While Bournemouth may be known as a smaller club, we’ve got some really big ambitions here. Everyone is pulling in the same direction towards those tar...
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PREMIER LEAGUE

Former Southampton striker Peter Crouch retires from football

Former Saints striker Peter Crouch has announced his retirement from football at the age of 38.Crouch joined Saints from Aston Villa for £2.5m in July 2004 and scored 16 goals in 33 appearances in his only season at the club.Despite his impressive tally he was unable to help keep the club in the Premier League as they were relegated at the end of the campaign.This led to Crouch being snapped up by Liverpool in a £7m deal on a four-year contract.Crouch made his English league debut in 2000 at QPR and went on to play for nine clubs, including Liverpool, Portsmouth, Tottenham and Stoke before spending the second half of last season at Burnley.He made his England debut against Colombia in May 2005 and went on to play 42 times for the Three Lions, scoring 22 goals.He confirmed his retirement on...
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NEWS

AFCON : Algeria Knock Ivory Coast Out

Algeria set up an Africa Cup of Nations semi-final against Nigeria with a 4-3 penalty shoot-out victory over Ivory Coast following a 1-1 draw in Suez.Sofiane Feghouli's goal against the run of play opened the scoring in the 20th minute, Rais M'bolhi having made a superb early save to keep Ivory Coast at bay.But Baghdad Bounedjah's penalty miss handed Ivory Coast a lifeline early in the second half, with Jonathan Kodjia's fine effort restoring parity.And after extra-time failed to serve up a winner, it was Algeria who came out on top in the shoot-out - Wilfried Bony and Serey Die missing their spot-kicks as their side crashed out.
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PREMIER LEAGUE

Liverpool Start Pre-Season in Style

Liverpool started pre-season in fine fashion as they beat Tranmere 6-0 at Prenton Park on Thursday night.Liverpool dominated the first half and were 3-0 up at half time thanks to Nathaniel Clyne's fine early strike (6), followed by a quick double by the impressive Rhian Brewster (38 and 45), his first senior goals for the club.Jurgen Klopp changed his entire side for the second half and continued to control the game as goals from Curtis Jones (53), Divock Origi (60) and Bobby Duncan (67) flattened Tranmere.Liverpool now go to Bradford on Sunday, before their US tour starts against Dortmund on July 19.
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TRANSFERS

Roma Sign Goalkeeper Lopez From Betis

Roma have announced the signing of Spanish goalkeeper Pau Lopez from Real Betis, for a fee of €23.5 million (£21m/$26m).The 24-year-old made 35 appearances for Betis last season after they had signed him on a free transfer from Espanyol. He played 78 times for the Catalan club, having joined them in 2014.The one-cap Spain international has signed a five-year deal with Giallorossi, and will compete with Sweden international Robin Olsen for the No. 1 jersey in the Italian capital.He was welcomed to Roma by the club’s Sporting Director Gianluca Petrarchi, who has been busy since taking over the role on July 1.Lopez is the fourth signing the club have made since then. The shot-stopper joins Amadou Diawara, Bryan Cristante and Leonardo Spinazzola as new members of Paulo Fonseca’s side.The fee f...
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SERIE A

Inter Milan Confirm Talks for Lukaku

Inter sporting director Piero Ausilio confirmed the Serie A club have made an "official approach" to Manchester United for Romelu Lukaku.United striker Lukaku has emerged as a transfer target for Inter, who sent officials to England to try to reach a deal for the Belgium international.The Manchester United striker has made it clear to the club's hierarchy that he is hopeful of leaving Old Trafford after being told he will not be Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s first-choice striker in 2019-20.Inter’s new boss Antonio Conte has made the Belgian his prime target in the summer market, having previously targeted the forward at prior clubs.Ausilio arrived back in Milan on Thursday and he told reporters: "We had a meeting with Manchester United for Lukaku."It was an official approach between two important...
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TRANSFERS

Atletico Sign Saponjic from Benfica

Atletico Madrid have signed Serbia Under-21 striker Ivan Saponjic from Benfica on a three-year contract, the club have announced.Neither club disclosed the fee paid for the 21-year-old but the deal is reported to be worth in the region of €8 million (£7.1m/$9m).A physically imposing forward, Saponjic will provide an extra attacking option for coach Diego Simeone alongside Diego Costa, Alvaro Morata and record signing Joao Felix, who also arrived from Benfica for €126m (£113m/$141m).But while the Portugal international starred in the club's Primeira Liga triumph in the 2018-19 season, Saponjic played for Benfica B after joining from Partizan Belgrade in January 2016 and spent the 2017-18 campaign on loan with Belgian club Zulte Waregem.He joins fellow new faces Marcos Llorente, Hector Herre...
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PREMIER LEAGUE

Juan Mata turned down huge offer to stay at Man Utd

Juan Mata turned down a £550,000-per-week offer from China to remain at Manchester United, say reports. The Spain international agreed fresh terms with the Old Trafford club in June as he neared the end of his previous contract. Before penning the extension, Mata was linked with the likes of Barcelona and Atletico Madrid. However, 90min reports that the attacking midfielder received a mammoth contract offer from Chinese Super League side Shanghai SIPG, which he rejected in order to remain in Manchester. The former Chelsea player is understood to have always favoured a stay, but he was originally unhappy with United’s offer of a one-year extension. The 31-year-old eventually convinced the club to hand him a longer deal, which was signed in mid-June with just a fortn...
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PREMIER LEAGUE

Lampard's Chelsea Reign Begins With Friendly Draw

Frank Lampard's tenure as Chelsea boss started with a friendly draw on Wednesday, with Michy Batshuayi scoring for the Blues before a late leveller from Irish side Bohemians saw the London club held to a 1-1 stalemate.Lampard picked a side headlined by Batshuayi and Pedro for the friendly which marked the start of his reign as Chelsea boss, and it was Belgium international Batshuayi who kicked things off by opening the scoring just eight minutes in.Left-back Kenedy - back from a loan spell at Newcastle - laid on the opener, driving in from the left side and firing a shot that was blocked into the path of Batshuayi. The 25-year-old did well to hold off a defender and fire home, giving Lampard's side an early lead.Lampard rung the changes at half-time, with the like of Danny Drinkwater, Cesa...
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NEWS

Nigeria beat South Africa to Reach AFCON Semi-final

Super Eagles of Nigeria booked a place in the semi final of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations on Wednesday night with a 2-1 defeat of South Africa’s Bafana Bafana at the Cairo International Stadium.Villarreal’s exciting forward, Samuel Chukwueze put Nigeria in the lead in the 27th minute after collecting a perfect cross from Arsenal man, Alex Iwobi from the left flank of the South African goal area.Chukwueze’s first attempt bounced off a Bafana defender before burying the rebound into the back of the net of Ronwell Williams in goal for South Africa.The Super Eagles were deserved winners and should have been ahead by more goals when Williams pushed Oghenekaro Etebo’s free-kick onto the bar.However, in the second half, South Africa equalised from a set piece that bounced off the back of Odion I...
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PREMIER LEAGUE

Arsenal Appoint Edu as Technical Director

Arsenal have confirmed that former player Edu is to return to the club as technical director.The 41-year-old, who won two Premier League titles and two FA Cups during a four-and-a-half-year spell with Arsenal, has been linked with a return to north London for some time.Edu, who played under current Arsenal boss Unai Emery during a spell at Valencia, has served as general co-ordinator of the Brazil national team since 2016, and leaves his post after his country won the Copa America for the first time in 12 years on Sunday.Arsenal confirmed that he will travel to the USA with the squad on Thursday as their pre-season tour gets underway.
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TRANSFERS

Luca Zidane Leaves Real Madrid on Loan

Luca Zidane has left Real Madrid for Racing Santander on loan for the 2019-20 season.Luca, son of Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane, made 30 appearances between the sticks for Real Madrid Castilla last term, keeping nine clean sheets.He also played from the start in a 3-2 win over SD Huesca for the senior side in La Liga in March.The 21-year-old goalkeeper joins newly-promoted Racing in the Segunda Division on a season-long loan as he continues his development away from Santiago Bernabeu.Real Madrid already boast a wealth of options in the goalkeeping department, with Belgium international and former Chelsea player Thibaut Courtois set to be first choice between the sticks, while Costa Rican Keylor Navas could be moved on permanently as he searches for more regular game-time.
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NEWS

Leonardo : I Can't Promise Mbappe Will Renew at PSG

Sporting director Leonardo has admitted that he can't guarantee that Kylian Mbappe will renew his contract at Paris Saint-Germain.Mbappe has been constantly linked with a move to Real Madrid since he admitted that he'd like to have more responsibility."It's not a question of knowing whether [his contract] is a priority or not," Leonardo told Le Parisien."Mbappe is here. He's very important for the club and there's no debate [over his importance]."He's returned to training with a super-positive attitude, with a smile. He's charismatic. People really like him and it's important to have a player like him in your team."Mbappe has three years left on his current deal and could run it down in order to force a move to the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu."I don't make promises," Leonardo said when he wa...
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