Blog – Page 435 – Football Flame

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Mourinho Rejects Huge Offer from China

Jose Mourinho has turned down the chance to manage Guangzhou Evergrande for family reasons despite a lucrative offer from the Chinese Super League club.The Portuguese has been out of work since being sacked by Manchester United in mid-December. At Old Trafford he earned around £15m a year and his proposed salary at Guangzhou would have been far greater.Following talks with representatives of the club, whose majority owners are the Evergrande Real Estate Group, Mourinho rejected the job because it is understood he did not wish to cause upheaval to his family by moving to China.Mourinho is also not interested in international management, preferring a return to the club game when the right opportunity arises.
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AFCON : Mane Sends Senegal to the Quarter-finals

Sadio Mane fired Senegal through to the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals as they saw off Uganda 1-0 in Cairo.The Liverpool striker is targeting more silverware after helping his club side land Champions League glory, and Mane's first-half strike carried his nation past awkward opposition.Mane missed a second-half penalty after he had been clattered, but his earlier clinical finish proved enough.Senegal, for whom this was an eighth win in their last nine games, will next face Benin who earned a shock 4-1 penalties win against Morocco following a 1-1 draw earlier on Friday.
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LALIGA

Frenkie de Jong Wants De Ligt at Barcelona

New Barcelona recruit Frenkie de Jong says he would like to see his ex-teammate from Ajax Matthijs de Ligt join him at Camp Nou, but that he cannot make up the defender’s mind for him.Ajax skipper De Ligt has been the subject of intense transfer speculation since he led the Dutch champions to an unlikely semi-final appearance in the Champions League, where only a stoppage-time comeback from Tottenham prevented them from reaching the final.Barca had been favourite to land the 19-year-old’s signature earlier in the summer, but it now looks like Juventus will win the race to sign Europe’s most sought-after defender after the Serie A champions reportedly agreed a fee with Ajax.And De Jong, who was finally unveiled on Friday as a Barcelona player having agreed to join the club six months previo...
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Juventus sign Demiral from Sassuolo for €18m

Juventus completed the signing of Turkey defender Merih Demiral for €18million from Sassuolo on Friday.Demiral, 21, joined Sassuolo from Alanyaspor in January – initially on loan with an obligation to buy – before making 14 Serie A appearances.The centre-back, a four-time Turkey international, has now joined the Serie A champions, signing a five-year deal."Juventus Football Club S.p.A. announces that the agreement with U.S. Sassuolo Calcio S.r.l. for the definitive acquisition of the registration rights of the player Merih Demiral has been finalised for a consideration of €18million payable in four financial years," a Juve statement read."Juventus and the player have signed a five-year contract of employment until 30 June 2024."Demiral also scored two Serie A goals in his 14 matches as Sas...
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PREMIER LEAGUE

West Ham Set to Sell Arnautovic to China

West Ham have decided to cut their losses on Marko Arnautovic and sell him for €25m (£22.4m) to a Chinese Super League club, believed to be Shanghai SIPG, after Manuel Pellegrini told the board to let the Austrian forward leave.Arnautovic informed West Ham this week that he wanted to be allowed to move to China and, although the club initially told him to honour the contract extension he signed in January, they have since come to the conclusion that keeping him would have a negative effect on squad morale. Pellegrini is furious with the 30-year-old and the player’s teammates believe it would be better if he were sold as soon as possible.West Ham rejected a bid in the region of £19m for Arnautovic on Tuesday, deeming that figure insulting, and initially hoped to take a hard line with a...
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PREMIER LEAGUE

Arsenal's Ospina Seals Permanent Napoli Switch

Arsenal and Colombia goalkeeper David Ospina has completed a permanent move to Serie A with Napoli, the English club confirmed on Thursday.Ospina, 30, joined Napoli on a loan deal at the start of the 2018-19 season after finding his first-team opportunities with the Gunners further limited by the arrival of Bernd Leno.And after making 24 appearances for the Italians in his first campaign Ospina, who represented his nation in this summer's Copa America before being eliminated by Chile in the quarter-finals, will remain at San Paolo in a transfer reportedly worth £5 million ($6.3m).Ospina played the role of understudy to Petr Cech for most of his time at the Emirates Stadium, and was restricted to fewer than 10 Premier League appearances for each of his final three seasons before swapping no...
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PREMIER LEAGUE

Man Utd Offer Contract Extension to De Gea

Manchester United have made an improved contract offer to David de Gea which would make him the highest paid goalkeeper in the world.Marcus Rashford this week committed his long-term future at Old Trafford and the club are attempting to persuade the Spain goalkeeper to do similar.Negotiations with De Gea dragged along all last season, with demands around the deal holding things up despite the goalkeeper's apparent desire to remain at a club he joined from Atletico Madrid in 2011.The situation is becoming more pressing as the 28-year-old is out of contract next summer.De Gea has been strongly linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus, while links to Real Madrid are never far from the surface after going so close to moving to the Bernabeu in 2015.
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PREMIER LEAGUE

CONFIRMED: Former Everton Captain goes back home

After a dozen years with Everton, captain Phil Jagielka left the club this summer and will be returning to where it all started for him, for one more year.The soon-to-be 37-year-old has signed a one-year deal with his boyhood club Sheffield United as they make their return to the Premier League. While the central defender has lost a step or three over the years, he will provide valuable veteran savvy, leadership and experience to a side that will be fighting against the odds to remain in the top flight after having clawed their way back.Jagielka made 385 appearances for the Toffees, scoring 19 times and picking up 11 assists as well. Of the twelve years at Everton, he served as captain for half of those. The veteran was linked with a move back to the Blades back in the summer of ...
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Rodri completes Manchester City move from Atletico Madrid

Manchester City have signed midfielder Rodri from Atletico Madrid in a club-record deal after paying his £62.5m ($112m) release clause.The La Liga side confirmed on Wednesday that City’s representatives had paid the fee for Rodri at La Liga’s headquarters, despite interest from Bayern Munich.Rodri - who has signed a five-year deal with City - informed Atletico last month of his desire to leave the club this summer.After completing his move, Rodri told City’s official website: “What City have achieved in the last two years has been amazing and I’m looking forward to being part of such a talented squad.“It’s not just the titles they have won, but the way they have managed it, playing attacking football at all times. It’s a style that excites me, as do the club’s ambitions.“I can’t wait to st...
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SERIE A

Italy Legend Buffon Returns to Juventus

Ex-Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has returned to Juventus on a one-year contract after a season spent at Paris Saint-Germain, AFP reports.The 41-year-old, who will be number two to Polish ‘keeper Wojciech Szczesny, previously spent 17 season with the Turin club, winning nine Serie A titles and playing three Champions League finals.“Welcome home, Gigi!” Juve said in a statement.“It was 19 May 2018. That was the day when there were tears in everyone’s eyes: when Gigi said goodbye to Juventus, its fans and vice-versa. It was the bidding of a farewell to someone who was more than just a captain, but a legend and a symbol of the club.“Probably each of us hoped, and in the end, knew that the yarn that united us for so many years was not destined to break. And that was the case.”The veteran g...
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PREMIER LEAGUE

Chelsea appoint Lampard as Head Coach

Frank Lampard was appointed Chelsea head coach on Thursday, confirming a dramatic return for one of the club's greatest ever players.Lampard has signed a three-year contract with Chelsea, where he spent 13 years and became the team's all-time leading scorer with 211 goals.The former England midfielder succeeds Maurizio Sarri after just one season in management, having led Derby County to the Championship play-off final in May, when they were beaten by Aston Villa."I am immensely proud to be returning to Chelsea as head coach," Lampard said in a club statement."Everyone knows my love for this club and the history we have shared, however, my sole focus is on the job in hand and preparing for the season ahead."I am here to work hard, bring further success to the club and I cannot wait to get ...
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Man City Re-sign defender Angelino from PSV

Manchester City confirmed on Wednesday night the return of PSV Eindhoven left-back Angelino in a £5.3m deal.Angelino has put pen to paper on a four-year contract with the Premier League champions just 12 months after completing a permanent move to PSV.City head coach Pep Guardiola has moved to re-sign the 22-year-old in order to provide competition with Benjamin Mendy at left-back.Guardiola was pondering a big money addition to compete with Mendy but has instead taken advantage of City’s buy-back clause in Angelino.“I am thrilled to have rejoined City, a side playing incredible football under Pep Guardiola,” he told the club’s official website.“Watching them while playing in Holland has been a pleasure. City’s performances over the last two seasons have been incredible and I am very excite...
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Brazil winger Willian ruled out of Copa Final

Brazil winger Willian has been ruled out of Sunday's Copa America final against Peru due to a muscle injury, his side said in a statement on Thursday.Willian, who will remain with the team at their training base ahead of the final, scored Brazil's final goal in their 5-0 drubbing of Peru in the group stage and scored in their penalty shootout victory over Paraguay in the quarterfinals.He was brought on for winger Everton at half-time in the Selecao's2-0 win over Argentina in the last four but tests on Wednesday revealed he had sustained a muscle injury.Willian was a late replacement in the squad for Neymar, who was forced to miss the tournament in his home country after sustaining an ankle injury in a friendly against Qatar in June.Willian is Brazil's only absentee for the final at the Mar...
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Peru upsets Chile and will face Brazil in Copa Final

Peru advanced to the final of the Copa America and a date with hosts Brazil after beating double defending champions Chile 3-0.Chile were outclassed by a quick and eager Peru side, who looked a different outfit from the one that scored just three goals in four games on their way to the semi-finals and lost 5-0 to Brazil earlier in the tournament.Peru took the lead 20 minutes into the match when a corner from the right was nodded on to Edison Flores, who volleyed home at the back post.They made it 2-0 17 minutes later after a huge mistake from Chile goalkeeper Gabriel Arias, who charged out of his area to intercept a long pass but Andre Carillo got there ahead of him. Carillo’s cross found Yoshimar Yotun, who controlled the ball on his chest before volleying home into the unguarded net.Chil...
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LALIGA

Everton Striker Sandro Ramirez Join Real Valladolid on Loan

Everton striker Sandro Ramirez has joined LaLiga side Real Valladolid on a season-long loan.The 23-year-old forward spent last season on loan at Spanish top-flight outfit Real Sociedad.He joined Everton in July 2017, signing a four-year contract after the Toffees triggered a £5.3million release clause in his contract with Malaga.Sandro, who has yet to find the target in eight appearances for Everton, had previously had a goalless loan stint with Sevilla in 2018-19.He featured only once for the Toffees last season, playing 86 minutes of the 3-1 Carabao Cup second-round defeat of Rotherham in August.Everton confirmed the news in a statement which read: "Sandro Ramirez has joined La Liga side Real Valladolid on a season-long loan for the 2019-20 campaign."
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Brazil beat Argentina and Advances to Copa Final

Brazil advanced to the final of the Copa America with a 2-0 win over old rivals Argentina in Belo Horizonte on Tuesday thanks to a goal in each half from Gabriel Jesus and Roberto Firmino.Jesus gave Brazil the lead in 19 minutes when Firmino sent in a low cross for the unmarked striker to side-foot home from close range.The two combined again on the counterattack after 71 minutes to make it 2-0 after great work from Jesus left Firmino with the simplest of tap-ins.“We knew that it would be difficult because of the players they have,” said Brazil’s Casemiro.“It’s about details. We knew it would be scrappy and that there would be wind-ups and time wasting. But we have to congratulate our strikers who did a great job. When they got chances, they scored.”Argentina have not beaten Brazil in a ma...
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Roma Reportedly eyeing Move for Tottenham defender Toby Alderweireld

Roma are interested in signing Tottenham defender Toby Alderweireld this summer, claims The Guardian.Alderweireld has entered the final year of his current Tottenham deal and has a £25m release clause active for the remainder of the month.Manchester City and Manchester United have previously been linked with a move for Alderweireld but both Premier League clubs are pursuing Harry Maguire.While the loser in the race for Maguire could yet rekindle their interest in Alderweireld, they face the prospect of missing out on the Tottenham ace altogether with Roma now monitoring his future.Roma are on the market for a new centre-back after agreeing to sell Kostas Manolas to Serie A rivals Napoli and the arrival of Alderweireld, who is regarded as one of the best defenders in the Premier League, wou...
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Real Madrid's Hernandez Undergoes AC Milan Medical

Theo Hernandez has arrived to undergo a medical at AC Milan before completing a transfer from Real Madrid this week.The left-back arrived in Milan to have the first part of his physical exam at La Madonnina private hospital on Monday evening and is scheduled for the second part on Tuesday.The Rossoneri will reportedly pay €20 million (£18m/$23m) to land the France Under 20 international, who had been linked with a move to Bayer Leverkusen and Napoli.Hernandez, 21, rose through the Atletico Madrid youth system before leaving for Real in 2017, signing a six-year contract.He appeared in 23 games for the Santiago Bernabeu outfit before he was sent to Real Sociedad on loan last season, where he made 28 appearances in all competitions.Hernandez was targeted by Paolo Maldini, who was promoted to ...
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SERIE A

Adrien Rabiot completes move to Juventus from PSG

Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Adrien Rabiot has completed his move to Juventus with the Italian champions announcing the signing of his contract on Monday.The Turin club said the 24-year-old would be presented at Juventus stadium on Tuesday.Although no details were provided by his new employers, Rabiot is reported to have agreed a four-year contract worth seven million euros ($7.9 million) a year plus another 10 million euro ($11.3m) bonus on signing.Rabiot had fallen out of favour with PSG and not played since December as he refused to renew his contract. It expired on Sunday.Rabiot was also suspended by the French champions in March after partying in a nightclub hours following PSG’s Champions League exit to Manchester United.
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Chile eager to make Copa history against Peru, says Vidal

Chile midfielder Arturo Vidal says the reigning Copa America champions are focused on making history ahead of their semi-final against Peru.The 2015 and 2016 champions are aiming for a third continental title in a row, a feat only achieved once before by Argentina in successive years from 1945-47."We want to leave our legacy as triple champions, that's our dream," said the Barcelona midfielder, an integral part of Chile's only two previous Copa successes."That's why we want to play our best match of the Copa against Peru. It would be something historic for us to get to the final and that's our aim."Chile faced Peru in the 2015 semi-finals on home soil when they won 2-1 before beating Argentina on penalties in the final for their first ever continental success."We need to play the perfect m...
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