More corruption claims dogged FIFA on Tuesday, only two days before it picks the 2018 and 2022 World Cup hosts, as Olympics chiefs vowed to probe one of their own officials caught up in the allegations.
As prime ministers and royalty headed for the Swiss city of Zurich ahead of Thursday s two announcements, fresh media allegations even prompted a call for football s world governing body to postpone the decision.
And Russia, one of the frontrunners to stage the 2018 tournament, railed against the move to award two tournaments in one go, saying it encouraged collusion.
The final decision will be made in a ballot among the 22 members of FIFA s executive committee on Thursday, the first time the hosts of two tournaments had been chosen at the same time.
A re…
Chelsea representatives have travelled to Santiago to hold talks with Universidad de Chile over the proposed sale of Eduardo Vargas.
The Londoners are said to be leading the way for the exciting prospect according to reports from Chilean newspaper La Tercera who has helped his side reach the final of the Copa Sudamericana, scoring eight goals in the process to become the competition s leading goalscorer.
A number of Europe s elite teams have been linked with moves for the 22-year-old, including Milan, Inter, Arsenal and Liverpool, but Chelsea appear to be in the driving seat.
A director from the English club landed in Santiago on Friday to continue negotiations with the Chile international, with Universidad determined to get the best possible price for their yo…
Gianfranco Zola believes midfielder Jorginho would be a deserving winner of the Ballon d Or despite Lionel Messi s claims on the award.
Jorginho finished the 2020-21 campaign as Chelsea s leading Premier League scorer with seven goals, albeit each of those came from the penalty spot.
He carried that form into Euro 2020, playing every game for Italy in their successful campaign that ended with a penalty shoot-out win over England at Wembley.
Jorginho actually missed from the spot in the final, but he otherwise enjoyed an impeccable tournament for the Azzurri.
The Brazilian-born player led the way in terms of interceptions at Euro 2020 with 25, substantially more than Chelsea team-mate N Golo Kante (14), who was next best.
Meanwhile, Jorginho s 484 …
LA Galaxy general manager Dennis te Kloese says the decision to buy out Giovani dos Santos contract was for the benefit of all parties concerned.
The club have taken up their off-season option in order to reduce their number of designated players to three ahead of the MLS season, which starts on Saturday.
Dos Santos thanked Galaxy and their fans in a Twitter post after the end of his four-year spell with the club was confirmed.
Te Kloese admits it was a difficult decision but believes it was the right call for all involved.
Gracias
Thank you
— Giovani Dos Santos (@OficialGio)
He s a player with great talent and a history at the club, he told reporters. As I ve discussed over numerous occasions, we were looking for the best situatio…
Leon Goretzka rejected interest from the Premier League, LaLiga and Serie A in order to join Bayern Munich, head coach Jupp Heynckes has said.
The Bundesliga champions announced on Friday that a deal has been reached to sign the midfielder when his Schalke contract expires after the end of the season.
Goretzka had been linked with the likes of Liverpool, Barcelona and Juventus before agreeing to a four-year deal at the Allianz Arena.
Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge described the move as good news for the Bundesliga and Heynckes is also delighted to see a young Germany international stay on home turf.
I talked to [assistant coach] Peter Hermann, who worked with Leon Goretzka at Schalke, about him, he told a news conference. He said Leon has a ver…
Former Liverpool and Bayern Munich midfielder Xabi Alonso has been acquitted of tax fraud by a court in Madrid.
Alonso was accused of defrauding the Spanish tax office of almost €2million between 2010 and 2012, when he was at Real Madrid.
The Prosecutor s Office had called for a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence, but at a ruling on Tuesday, Alonso – who had always denied any wrongdoing – was found not guilty.
Two advisors to Alonso, Ivan Zaldua and Ignasi Maestre, were also acquitted.
Several high-profile names have been the subject of separate tax cases in Spain.
In June 2018, former Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo – now with Juventus – accepted a suspended two-year jail term and total fine of €18.8million to end a dispute with …
Robin van Persie scored a brace in Manchester United s 4-0 in at Wigan
The Premier League games on New Year’s Day produced a host of goals as usual.
Manchester United remained seven points clear at the top of the Premier League table, after winning 4-0 at Wigan. Javier Hernandez fired the visitors in front in the 35th minute from inside the penalty box, after Ali Al Habsi had saved Patrice Evra’s low effort.
United doubled their lead in the 43rd minute, Robin Van Persie turning Ivan Ramis before curling the ball into the top corner.
Javier Hernandez scored his brace in the 63rd minute, pouncing on a Robin Van Persie free-kick to fire home inside the penalty area.
Van Persie made it four in the 88th minute, when he was left completely unmarked…
Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes said he was never asked to play for England at Euro 2012.
The 37-year-old retired from international football after Euro 2004 to focus on his club career, and then hung up his boots entirely at the end of the 2010-11 season before making a comeback in January.
Scholes has suggested before that he regretted turning down the chance to play at the 2010 World Cup and has now hinted that he may have considered accepting a call-up if asked by Roy Hodgson ahead of the tournament in Poland and Ukraine.
I wasn t offered the chance, Scholes told reporters on United s pre-season tour when questioned about his potential involvement.
It has been reported that Hodgson expected Scholes to want to focus on his club career and d…
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Aston Villa will reportedly lodge a lowball offer for Joao Felix, as Atletico Madrid are struggling to find a suitor, but the Villans will need to ship Jhon Duran out first.
Villa have come on leaps and bounds since Unai Emery took over at the club. He joined with Villa battling relegation part way through his first season, and guided them to seventh.
In his second campaign, they came fourth, and have clearly recruited for the upcoming Champions League campaign, with Ian Maatsen and Amadou Onana among the big-name signings.
A huge name, Felix, has become the main objective of Emery in recent times he has returned to Atletico Madrid after a loan at Barcelona, but reports suggest he very much does not want to be there.
But with Atletico not finding many su…