Barcelona star Cesc Fabregas has expressed his surprise at Mesut Ozil s move to Arsenal and hailed it as a great deal for his former club.
Fabregas – who ended an eight-year stint at Arsenal in 2011 to link up with Barcelona – was shocked by Real Madrid s decision to sell Ozil on transfer deadline day.
Ozil signed a long-term contract at Arsenal after the two clubs agreed on a reported fee worth £42.5 million, as Real brought in Welsh star Gareth Bale for a world-record transfer fee a day earlier.
The Germany international was a key member of Real Madrid s squad though, and regularly linked well with Cristiano Ronaldo, and several members of Carlo Ancelotti s team have voiced their displeasure at Ozil s sale.
I was really surprised by Ozil s departure, Fabre…
Former Hull boss Phil Brown has officially left the Championship club after a statement released by the League Managers Association confirmed both parties have agreed an amicable departure .
Brown, who led the Tigers into the Premier League for the first time in their history in 2008, was placed on gardening leave in March as the club battled relegation last season.
Iain Dowie took over team affairs in Brown s absence but was not retained at the end of the season after failing to stop Hull crashing out of the English top-flight.
Although the manager s role at the KC Stadium is still vacant, Brown will not be returning to the club.
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Hull City are close to signing Porto attacking midfielder Evandro Goebel.
Head coach Marco Silva has confirmed The Tigers are pushing hard to ensure the deal for the 30-year-old – who he previously managed at Estoril gets over the line.
Reports suggest Hull, who sit bottom of the Premier League, have agreed a deal to loan Evandro for the rest of the season at a cost of £1million, with a permanent £500,000 deal activated if they avoid relegation.
We are doing everything we can to get him because he would add something to the team, said Silva.
The players in the Portuguese market are not cheap, but I know some very well and would like to count on them.
Evandro has been with Porto since 2014 when he joined them from Estoril, where he impressed…
Athletic Bilbao forward Inaki Williams says Ernesto Valverde would be a shrewd choice as the new Barcelona coach, but hopes he will stay at San Mames.
The 53-year-old is one of the favourites to replace Luis Enrique when he leaves Camp Nou at the end of the season, with Barca even mentioning him as a possible successor on their official website, along with current assistant coach Juan Carlos Unzue.
Valverde has achieved European qualification three times in a row during his second spell at Athletic, while he led them to their first major trophy in 31 years when they beat Barca 5-1 on aggregate in the 2015 Supercopa de Espana.
Williams believes there are few candidates better suited to LaLiga s champions but remains hopeful that he will reject any approach.
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Brazil have summoned eight Premier League players for October s World Cup qualifiers – and former Middlesbrough star Juninho is hopeful a deal will be struck to avoid more quarantine chaos.
Coach Tite called nine English-based stars for the last batch of internationals at the start of September, but none travelled, with top-flight English clubs refusing to release a number of players travelling to countries on the United Kingdom s travel red list.
Anyone returning from those countries would have been required to quarantine in a hotel for 10 days upon their return, regardless of vaccination status, which was an unacceptable situation for the clubs.
There are hopes that a deal can be struck to allow footballers to travel in bubble conditions, with Juninho poin…
Milan head coach Stefano Pioli lauded champion Zlatan Ibrahimovic after the Rossoneri star made more Serie A history in the 3-0 win over Cagliari.
Ibrahimovic – aged 38 years and 302 days – became the oldest player to score 10-plus goals in a Serie A season with his strike against Cagliari in Saturday s 2019-20 finale at San Siro.
After having a penalty saved, Ibrahimovic netted in the 55th minute to take his tally to 10 goals in just 18 top-flight appearances since re-joining Milan from MLS outfit LA Galaxy in January.
Pioli heaped praise on the evergreen veteran striker, telling MilanTV: Don t tell him he s the oldest to have scored 10 goals in Serie A.
38 302 Zlatan is the oldest player to score 10+ in a single Serie A campaign (38 years and 302 d…
(GSM) Wolfsburg have signed Hertha BSC midfielder Cicero on loan for the upcoming season, with a further option to buy the player next summer.
The 25-year-old, who had played the last two Bundesliga campaigns for the now relegated Hertha side, went through his first training session with the Wolves on Wednesday morning
And the No. 11 jersey bearer cannot wait to get started.
I am happy to be here in Wolfsburg and really want to help the team. I m joining up with a good team, which won the German championship not so long ago (in 2009), he told the club s official website.
The people and the stadium I know from playing here with Hertha. Now I am concentrating on training to get myself really fit.
Coach Steve McClaren was pleased to have boosted …
Reigning UEFA Europa League champions Atletico Madrid have completed the signing of defender Filipe Luis from debt ridden Deportivo La Coruna. The 24 year old Brazilian has moved from Estadio Riazor to Vicente Calderon for a reported €13 million euro fee.
Luis was widely linked with a transfer to Catalan giants Barcelona last summer. He was also tipped to make Brazil s 2010 World Cup squad, but an ankle injury in January put paid to his dreams.
Luis started his career with Figueirense and had a short loan stint with Ajax Amsterdam before signing for Rentistas. Loan moves to first Real Madrid and then Deportivo followed, and the latter exercised their option of buying his services on a permanent basis in 2008.
[Source:- Atletico Madrid]
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West Brom head coach Pepe Mel has admitted his interest in signing Arsenal forward Joel Campbell.
Campbell, who is currently on loan at Greek champions Olympiacos, played under Mel during a loan spell at Real Betis last season.
The 21-year-old Costa Rica international has yet to play in the Premier League, having joined Arsenal from Saprissa in August 2011.
However, he received a work permit to play in England last year and Mel is keen to give Campbell the chance to shine, providing West Brom retain his services as head coach.
Joel Campbell was a player with me at Betis, a very good player and it is possible for the future at West Brom, Mel said on Friday.
He could play here if I stay here. The most important thing now is the next three matches.
We ne…
Mozambique put a foot in the second round of Africa Cup of Nations qualifying with a 5-0 first-round first-leg thrashing of South Sudan.
South Sudan were competing in their first Cup of Nations match since the nation gained independence in 2011, but could not celebrate the occasion with a performance to match.
Josemar put the hosts ahead inside 13 minutes, with centre-back Mexer doubling the advantage just before the interval.
Sonito grabbed a quickfire double after half-time and Isac Carvalho put the gloss on the scoreline for the home side.
The fixture s second leg will be played in Sudanese capital Khartoum due to ongoing civil unrest in South Sudan.
Perhaps the biggest shock of the day saw Madagascar overcome 1978 finalists Uganda 2-1 in Mahajanga.
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