World Soccer Talk: August 2021

Tuesday 31 August 2021

Real have to wait for Mbappe as PSG decide they don’t need the money

Paris (AFP) – Paris Saint-Germain got Lionel Messi but that has somehow turned out not to be the most remarkable moment of the transfer window for them.

There can hardly be a bigger statement from the Qatar-owned club than turning their noses up at an offer understood to be worth 180 million euros ($212m) from Real Madrid for Kylian Mbappe with the France striker in the final year of his contract.

Real are understood to have made two bids for Mbappe last week — and there were reports on Tuesday they were prepared to go to 200 million euros — but PSG decided they would rather not sell, and risk losing the France forward for free at the end of the season.

“He is one of the best, one of the most important players in the world today and for him to be with us is a gift,” said PSG coach Mauricio Pochettino at the weekend.

Rejecting the money is an extraordinary decision from a club who are hardly immune to the economic impact of the pandemic, with losses of 124.9 million euros in the curtailed 2019/20 campaign likely to be dwarfed when the accounts for last season are filed.

Mbappe will be free to negotiate a pre-contract agreement with Real, or anyone else, in January, and PSG will not be entitled to any fee.

Yet the Qataris have already shown that money is no object with their past purchases of Mbappe and of Neymar, for a world-record 222 million euros, in 2017.

When Messi became available a month ago, they pounced without worrying about the impact his salary might have on their finances.

– ‘Dangerous’ –

Now they will keep Mbappe to complete a dream attacking line-up they hope will deliver a first Champions League for PSG and all the prestige that brings in the year Qatar hosts the World Cup.

The French giants also added Gianluigi Donnarumma, Sergio Ramos, Georginio Wijnaldum and Achraf Hakimi in a remarkable recruitment drive.

On Tuesday they added Portuguese international Nuno Mendes on loan from Sporting Lisbon.

Their rivals among Europe’s traditional elite cry foul but for now PSG cannot be stopped.

“State-owned clubs are as dangerous for football’s ecosystem as the Super League was,” tweeted La Liga president Javier Tebas.

“Covid losses of more than 300m, TV revenue in France down 40 percent, and yet more than 500m in salaries? Unsustainable.”

Financial Fair Play rules have been relaxed to help clubs absorb losses incurred during the pandemic. PSG president Nasser al-Khelaifi wields enormous influence with his seat on the UEFA Executive Committee and his role as president of the European Club Association.

“We always follow the FFP regulations from day one that we started,” Khelaifi said when asked about his club’s financial position on the day Messi was unveiled.

Whether Mbappe extends his contract or leaves for free remains to be seen, but judging by his demeanour in scoring twice against Reims last weekend, he seems happy in Paris for now.

Real, meanwhile, made their intentions clear. Their focus now must be on securing his signature for next season, by which time Karim Benzema will be 34, and Luka Modric will be nearly 37.

– Barcelona in dire straits –

In the meantime the arrival of Mbappe’s compatriot Eduardo Camavinga is an exciting one for Madrid fans.

Camavinga, like Mbappe, was in the final year of his contract at Rennes but Real paid a reported 31 million euros, plus nine million more in bonuses, for the 18-year-old midfielder.

Having signed a six-year deal, he must be given time to fulfil his enormous potential.

Real at least look in far better shape than their great rivals Barcelona, who were forced to let go of Messi as they drown in debts of over one billion euros.

Their only signings this summer have been free agents in Memphis Depay, Eric Garcia and Sergio Aguero.

On Tuesday they were holding a fire sale of young players –- Emerson Royal to Tottenham Hotspur, Ilaix Moriba to Barcelona — in a desperate attempt to raise funds.

And then it emerged they were prepared to allow Antoine Griezmann, who they needed to offload in order to keep Messi but couldn’t, to return to Atletico Madrid on loan.

In comparison, Real missing out on Mbappe, if just for a year, looks like no big deal.

But PSG have won this transfer window, and can now target the Champions League.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/3zATwNA

New boss Flick to ‘win back hearts’ as Germany reboot

Berlin (AFP) – New head coach Hansi Flick has been tasked with winning back disgruntled Germany fans as he makes his mark on the squad for their World Cup qualifiers.

Flick inherits a team which has plummmeted down the rankings to 16th since crashing out early at the 2018 World Cup and struggled with inconsistent results over the last three years.

After defeat to England in the last 16 of Euro 2020, Joachim Loew stepped down after 15 years in charge and Flick, his assistant coach when Germany won the 2014 World Cup, is now in charge.

Flick’s first three games are World Cup qualifiers away to minnows Liechtenstein on Thursday, then hosting Group J leaders Armenia in Stuttgart on Sunday, before playing Iceland away three days later.

He has been given clear instructions to win back supporters disgruntled by Loew’s failure to turn results around since the World Cup debacle, highlighted by a 6-0 trashing in Spain last November.

“We want to win hearts again, come across as likeable and play successful, dynamic, attractive football,” said Oliver Bierhoff, Germany’s team director.

“During the European Championship, criticism came up again that we seemed a bit passionless. We want to change that.”

Bierhoff said Flick is the right man for the job, because he “understands how to implement his goals, without scaring people away, but brings them along in a unifying way with a clear line”.

In training this week in Stuttgart, Flick has started implementing changes during two daily sessions.

A shock home defeat to North Macedonia last March means Germany are third in their qualifying group, two points behind leaders Armenia.

“We’re a little under pressure,” admitted Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan.

“We want to win all three games, that has to be our yardstick.

“We look forward to going into the games with a new approach.”

Flick’s philosophy involves pressing high up the field and quick counter attacks, like he prefered in two seasons at Bayern Munich, who he steered to a treble of titles in 2019/20.

“Hansi has started teaching us his playing philosophy. It will take a while, but the philosophy suits us,” said Borussia Dortmund midfielder Marco Reus, back in the squad after sitting out Euro 2020.

Flick is also expected to change Germany’s defence, reverting to a back four defence after the they struggled to get to grip with three central defenders.

Manuel Neuer is expected to captain the side on Thursday despite missing training on Monday and Tuesday to rest an ankle knock.

Flick has said he can “well imagine” using Chelsea forward Kai Havertz as a central striker, while Gundogan, 30, used in the defensive midfield at Euro 2020, can expect a more attacking role, like he has at City.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/3mNd6CT

Antoine Griezmann rejoins Atletico Madrid from Barcelona

Madrid (AFP) – France forward Antoine Griezmann has made a shock deadline-day return to Atletico Madrid, just two years after leaving to join Barcelona, the clubs announced on Wednesday.

The 30-year-old, who scored 133 goals in his first spell with Atletico, has rejoined on a one-year loan deal with an option to extend by another year, Atletico said.

“Welcome back, Griezmann!” the club wrote on its website.

Barcelona have been struggling financially and had to allow six-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi to leave for Paris Saint-Germain last month.

Griezmann was one of their highest earners since signing in 2019 for 120 million euros.

The Catalan club confirmed his departure, saying Atletico “will pay the player’s wages”, confirming that the deal includes a compulsory permanent transfer clause when his loan finishes.

Neither club disclosed the obligation-to-buy fee but it was reportedly set at 40 million euros ($47.2 million).

“FC Barcelona would like to thank Antoine Griezmann for his commitment and dedication and wishes him all the best for the future,” it said in a statement.

Griezmann joins Luis Suarez, who left Barca for Atletico 12 months ago, at the reigning La Liga champions.

Ronald Koeman’s Barcelona are reportedly set to sign Sevilla striker Luuk de Jong as Griezmann’s replacement.

Spain’s La Liga confirmed on Twitter that both transfers were “submitted on time” with no extensions given.

De Jong has scored just 10 league goals in two seasons in Spain.

Griezmann’s only major trophy with Atletico was the 2018 Europa League, having signed for Diego Simeone’s men from Real Sociedad shortly after their surprise 2014 league title triumph.

He won the Copa del Rey with Barca last term, scoring the opening goal in the final against Athletic Bilbao.

But Griezmann’s stay at the Camp Nou was largely underwhelming, with the 2018 World Cup winner netting just 22 times in 74 league matches for the Catalan giants.

– Barcelona clear-out –

Griezmann’s exit was not expected, though, after he had started Barcelona’s first three games of the new season.

The move is just the latest big-name transfer of the summer, after Messi’s switch and Cristiano Ronaldo’s return to Manchester United from Juventus.

But Kylian Mbappe’s widely expected dream move to Real Madrid from PSG failed to materialise on Tuesday.

Griezmann, who finalised his transfer while on international duty preparing for France’s upcoming World Cup qualifiers, was part of a clear-out by Barca on deadline day.

They also allowed defender Emerson Royal to leave for Tottenham and teenage midfielder Ilaix Moriba joined RB Leipzig.

Earlier this month, Barca president Joan Laporta revealed that Barcelona’s debts stand at 1.35 billion euros ($1.58 billion) and that their wage bill is at least 25 percent higher than their competitors at 617 million euros.

The five-time European champions have not won the Champions League since 2015, when they were inspired by a front three of Messi, Neymar and Suarez, and failed to get past the quarter-finals in either of Griezmann’s two campaigns.

Barca were thumped 8-2 in the last eight by Bayern Munich in 2020 before a 4-1 first-leg loss at home to PSG earlier this year as they went out 5-2 on aggregate in the last 16.

They had to settle for second in La Liga, five points behind champions Real Madrid, in Griezmann’s first season before stumbling to a third-placed finish last term.

Griezmann has scored 38 goals in 95 appearances for France, including once at Euro 2020 as the world champions were dumped out in the last 16 by Switzerland.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/3mMOTMP

Chelsea secure loan deal for Atletico’s Saul

London (AFP) – Chelsea secured the signing of Atletico Madrid midfielder Saul Niguez on a season-long loan deal on Tuesday to further strengthen Thomas Tuchel’s wealth of options.

The Spanish international has been a key player of Diego Simeone’s reign at Atletico, but fell down the pecking order last season as Los Rojiblancos won La Liga.

“We have completed the signing of Saul Niguez from Atletico Madrid on a season-long loan deal with an option for a permanent transfer at the end of the season,” Chelsea said in a statement.

The 26-year-old had been linked with a move to Barcelona earlier in the window as a makeweight in a deal to bring Antoine Griezmann back to Atletico.

But with Griezmann reportedly heading to the Wanda Metropolitano on loan, Saul has been allowed to leave for London to free up space on Atletico’s wage bill.

“I am very excited to start this new challenge with Chelsea,” said Saul. “Blues fans, I am one of you now and I can’t wait to wear the shirt, start training and see all of you.”

Saul has scored 43 goals in 340 Atletico appearances, including the one that beat Pep Guardiola’s Bayern Munich in the first leg of the Champions League semi-finals in 2016 as Simeone’s men reached the final for a second time in two years.

His goalscoring prowess adds an extra dimension to Chelsea’s midfield with goals from open play few and far between from the establised trio of Jorginho, Mateo Kovacic and N’Golo Kante.

“We welcome Saul to the Club and believe he completes our squad as we compete for honours in five different competitions this season,” said Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia.

“He is a proven winner, a player with huge experience and we know he will be very well-suited to the challenges that face us on all fronts in the coming year.”

The Blues won the Champions League just five months into Tuchel’s reign as coach last season and are expected to challenge to retain that title and win the Premier League this season.

Saul is Chelsea’s second signing of the summer after spending a club record £97.5 million ($134 million) to re-sign Romelu Lukaku from Inter Milan.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/3Boq9i2

PSG sign Portugal full-back Nuno Mendes from Sporting

Paris (AFP) – Paris Saint-Germain announced the signing of teenage Portugal defender Nuno Mendes from Sporting Lisbon on Tuesday, on a season-long loan with an option to buy.

The 19-year-old, who was part of Sporting’s Portuguese title-winning side last season, has won five international caps and was an unused member of Fernando Santos’ Euro 2020 squad.

Nuno Mendes completes a bumper transfer window for PSG, who will reportedly pay Sporting a loan fee of seven million euros ($8.3 million) with the option to make the deal permanent for 40 million euros.

“Paris Saint-Germain is delighted to announce the signing of Nuno Mendes,” PSG said, confirming the transfer minutes after Tuesday’s midnight local time (2200 GMT) deadline.

He had been linked with Premier League clubs including Manchester City earlier in the summer.

The full-back made 35 appearances in all competitions for Sporting in a breakthrough campaign last season.

PSG had already signed six-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi, Italian Euro 2020-winning goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, former Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum and veteran Spain centre-back Sergio Ramos on free transfers in the close-season.

The capital giants, still chasing a maiden Champions League title, also paid Inter Milan a reported 60 million euros for wing-back Achraf Hakimi.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/3gR7sMh

Arsenal sign Japan defender Tomiyasu from Bologna

London (AFP) – Arsenal signed Japan defender Takehiro Tomiyasu from Bologna for a fee worth a reported £19.8 million ($27.2 million) on Tuesday.

The Premier League club said Tomiyasu agreed a “long-term” contract, believed to be an initial four-year deal with the option of a further season’s extension.

The 22-year-old can play both centre-back and right-back, giving Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta another option after Hector Bellerin’s loan move to Real Betis.

Tomiyasu made 63 appearances for Serie A side Bologna over the last two seasons.

He has played 23 times for Japan and was a member of their recent Olympic squad, making three appearances at the Tokyo Games.

“Takehiro is a strong defender with good experience in Serie A and at international level,” Arteta said.

“He’s a versatile defender with great defensive qualities, high technical ability and composure on the ball.

“He will be an important member of our squad. We look forward to Takehiro joining up with us when he returns from international duty.”

Arsenal sit bottom of the Premier League after losing their first three games, conceding nine times in the process, and are yet to score a top-flight goal this term.

The Gunners reportedly moved for Tomiyasu after their north London rivals Tottenham signed Barcelona right-back Emerson Royal, who had been Arsenal’s preferred target.

Tomiyasu started his career with Japanese club Avispa Fukuoka before moving to Belgium’s Sint-Truiden and then on to Bologna in 2019.

Arsenal’s technical director Edu added: “We’re delighted to have signed Takehiro. We’ve been watching him for a while now and we’re pleased that we have reached an agreement with Bologna. He is an important addition to our squad.”

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/3gR8rvP

Africa World Cup Qualifiers to stream for free on YouTube

Africa World Cup Qualifiers

The African World Cup Qualifiers enter their second round during the September 2021 international break. And, in welcome news for soccer fans who are on a tight budget, all games will be available for free on YouTube.

Starting a year ago in September, 2019, FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) made a hefty investment. The groups’ investments in TV production now allows the Africa World Cup Qualifiers to air worldwide via YouTube.

Unlike many of the worldwide qualifiers, these games are available for free on YouTube through FIFA’s official channel.

Giving the FIFATV YouTube Channel a quick scan, one can see the 40 games scheduled for the first two matchdays.

READ MORE: The complete TV guide for all World Cup qualifiers.

Africa World Cup Qualifiers format

CAF uses a multi-stage format to send their teams to the World Cup. For Africa, five teams will qualify for the group stage in Qatar.

In September 2019, 28 teams played home-and-away ties to reach the second stage. These 28 teams are the bottom-half of the CAF ranking issued by FIFA in July 2019. After the two-leg tie, these 14 teams, along with the 24 teams receiving a bye to the second round, enter the group stage in round two.

The 40 teams go into 10 groups of four. Each team plays each team in their group twice. One game is at home, the other is on the road. After each team plays their six games, the group winners enter a random draw to play another group winner in a home-and-away tie in the third round.

At the end of the tournament, there are five teams remaining, and these teams travel to Qatar for the World Cup.

This format differs from the previous renditions of the tournament. For example, in 2018, the group stage of the competition came in the third round. Then, it was five groups of four, with the group winners reaching the World Cup in Russia.

Regardless of any changes, the Africa World Cup Qualifiers never seem to disappoint. Additionally, that holds true for the first round in this cycle.

Somalia, the second-to-last ranked team in Africa, went up against Zimbabwe, the best team in the first stage. Somalia won at home 1-0. Later, a dramatic second leg came down to a 90th-minute winner. Three goals in the last five minutes saw Zimbabwe punch their ticket to the second stage of the competition.

Expect the same drama in the second round of the tournament, with all games available for free on the FIFATV YouTube channel.

Africa World Cup Qualifiers schedule

Wednesday, September 1

09:00 am EDT

Central African Republic vs. Cape Verde

YouTube

12:00 pm EDT

Senegal vs. Togo

YouTube

12:00 pm EDT

Guinea-Bissau vs. Guinea

YouTube

03:00 pm EDT

Libya vs. Gabon

YouTube

03:00 pm EDT

Mali vs. Rwanda

YouTube

Thursday, September 2

09:00 am EDT

Kenya vs. Uganda

YouTube

09:00 am EDT

DR Congo vs. Tanzania

YouTube

12:00 pm EDT

Niger vs. Burkina Faso

YouTube

12:00 pm EDT

Namibia vs. Congo

YouTube

12:00 pm EDT

Madagascar vs. Benin

YouTube

03:00 pm EDT

Egypt vs. Angola

YouTube

03:00 pm EDT

Morocco vs. Sudan

YouTube

03:00 pm EDT

Algeria vs. Djibouti

YouTube

Friday, September 3

09:00 am EDT

Zimbabwe vs. South Africa

YouTube

09:00 am EDT

Mozambique vs. Ivory Coast

YouTube

12:00 pm EDT

Nigeria vs. Liberia

YouTube

12:00 pm EDT

Mauritania vs. Zambia

YouTube

03:00 pm EDT

Tunisia vs. Equatorial Guinea

YouTube

03:00 pm EDT

Ghana vs. Ethiopia

YouTube

03:00 pm EDT

Cameroon vs. Malawi

YouTube

Sunday, September 5

09:00 am EDT

Rwanda vs. Kenya

YouTube

12:00 pm EDT

Togo vs. Namibia

YouTube

03:00 pm EDT

Gabon vs. Egypt

YouTube

Monday, September 6

09:00 am EDT

Benin vs. DR Congo

YouTube

09:00 am EDT

Uganda vs. Mali

YouTube

09:00 am EDT

Djibouti vs. Niger

YouTube

12:00 pm EDT

South Africa vs. Ghana

YouTube

12:00 pm EDT

Liberia vs. Central African Republic

YouTube

12:00 pm EDT

Guinea vs. Morocco

YouTube

03:00 pm EDT

Ivory Coast vs. Cameroon

YouTube

Tuesday, September 7

09:00 am EDT

Zambia vs. Tunisia

YouTube

09:00 am EDT

Tanzania vs. Madagascar

YouTube

09:00 am EDT

Malawi vs. Mozambique

YouTube

12:00 pm EDT

Ethiopia vs. Zimbabwe

YouTube

12:00 pm EDT

Cape Verde vs. Nigeria

YouTube

12:00 pm EDT

Congo vs. Senegal

YouTube

12:00 pm EDT

Equatorial Guinea vs. Mauritania

YouTube

03:00 pm EDT

Sudan vs. Guinea-Bissau

YouTube

03:00 pm EDT

Burkina Faso vs. Algeria

YouTube

03:00 pm EDT

Angola vs. Libya

YouTube

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/3Byx2O1

Palace swoop for Celtic striker Edouard

London (AFP) – Crystal Palace completed the signing of French under-21 international Odsonne Edouard from Celtic for a reported initial fee of £15 million ($21 million)ahead of Tuesday’s transfer deadline.

The Eagles were eager to improve their attacking options after scoring just twice in new manager Patrick Vieira’s first three Premier League games.

Edouard had just one season left on his deal at Celtic and has signed a four-year deal with the Premier League club.

“Scoring goals in the Premier League may be the biggest challenge in my career,” Edouard told the Palace website. “But I’m confident in myself and my team-mates to be successful.”

Edouard progressed through the Paris Saint-Germain academy and spent time on loan at Toulouse before joining Celtic initially on loan in 2017.

The Frenchman hit double figures and scored in two notable victories over rivals Rangers to help the club seal the treble.

After Celtic made the move permanent for a club record £9 million, Edouard went on to play a key role in Celtic securing two more domestic trebles.

In total he scored 86 goals in 179 games for the Glasgow giants and was crowned Scottish footballer of the year in 2019/20.

However, his final full season at Celtic ended in disappointment as the Hoops failed to win a record 10th consecutive Scottish title.

“Odsonne is a player of proven quality. He was a player in high demand and I’m delighted he chose to join Crystal Palace as another fantastic addition to our squad,” said Palace chairman Steve Parish.

Edouard becomes Palace’s seventh new signing under Vieira’s new era for the Eagles.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/3BzkmXf

Arsenal’s Bellerin joins Real Betis on loan

London (AFP) – Arsenal defender Hector Bellerin joined La Liga side Real Betis on a season-long loan on Tuesday.

Bellerin was surplus to requirements at the Emirates Stadium after falling out of favour with Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta.

The Spanish right-back has made 239 appearances in all competitions for Arsenal since 2013.

He is a three-time FA Cup winner with the Gunners but had not featured in a single game so far this term.

Bellerin, 26, lost his place as Calum Chambers and Cedric Soares started instead of him, while new signing Nuno Tavares can play at both full-back positions.

“Everyone at Arsenal wishes Hector the best of luck with Real Betis this season,” the club said in a statement on their website.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/3t4tiR2

Youthful US ready to exorcise World Cup nightmare

Los Angeles (AFP) – A youthful United States squad will be looking to exorcise the ghost of the team’s ill-fated bid to reach the 2018 World Cup on Thursday as the CONCACAF region’s final qualifiers for Qatar 2022 get under way.

Four years ago, US soccer was plunged into the darkest moment of its modern history when Bruce Arena’s team suffered a humiliating 2-1 defeat to Trinidad and Tobago to miss out on a place at the finals in Russia.

That shattering loss marked the first time since the 1986 World Cup that the US had failed to qualify for the international showpiece, a startling fall from grace for a team that reached the last 16 of the 2014 tournament in Brazil.

The road to redemption — and a place at next year’s finals in Qatar — begins for the United States in San Salvador on Thursday, when US coach Gregg Berhalter’s team take on El Salvador in the opening round of final qualifying for teams from North America, Central America and the Caribbean (CONCACAF).

Berhalter’s side is chasing one of the three automatic qualifying places on offer for the eight teams competing in the CONCACAF “Octagonal” round robin league, which also includes Mexico, Canada, Honduras, Panama, Costa Rica and Jamaica. The team finishing fourth faces a playoff against a team from another region next year.

Berhalter, who was appointed in late 2018, has gradually overseen a renaissance in US fortunes after an uncertain start to his reign, developing a squad spearheaded by a new generation of talented Europe-based players while building greater depth.

– Embracing challenge –

The US head into Thursday’s opener against El Salvador brimming with confidence after a summer which included a memorable 3-2 victory over arch rivals Mexico in the final of the CONCACAF Nations League, which was followed by another defeat of Mexico in the final of the CONCACAF Gold Cup — a tournament victory achieved with most of the European contingent missing.

Berhalter reiterated however that the USA’s summer of success would count for little if the team botched its World Cup qualification campaign.

“It’s nice to win a trophy in the Nations League, it’s nice to win a Gold Cup trophy, it’s nice to be ranked 10th in the world,” Berhalter said on a recent video conference with reporters.

“But it doesn’t mean anything if you don’t qualify for the World Cup. Our mission is not even close to being completed. It would be a failure if we didn’t qualify for the World Cup, and all the work would be undone if we didn’t qualify.

“It’s really simple — our challenge is understanding that every single thing we’ve done until now is only a foundation. Now it’s about going out and competing in a World Cup qualifier, with the hope of eventually qualifying for the World Cup, and then making an impact at the World Cup.”

The 26-strong training group Berhalter has assembled in Nashville this week boasts an average age of 24 years and 43 days, including teenaged talent such as Borussia Dortmund’s Gio Reyna and FC Dallas’s Ricardo Pepi, both only 18.

– ‘Guys are ready’ –

It means one of the youngest US national team rosters in history will embark on a challenging CONCACAF qualifying campaign infamous for hostile environments, variable conditions and erratic officiating. Former US international Berhalter says he wants his young squad to embrace those challenges.

“We can’t wait for that,” Berhalter said. “That’s what this is all about. In my days you’d go to the stadium and stuff would be getting thrown at the bus. You walk on the pitch and they’re throwing stuff at you. They play loud music outside the hotel.

“This is why we play this game. We’ve been developing this group to be resilient, to face challenges head on, to embrace challenges and setbacks.

“When I think about the level of competition our team has been playing at — Champions League, national team, or club teams — the guys are ready.

“We know it’s going to be a road faced with unexpected twists and turns and we’re going to welcome that.”

In other opening fixtures on Thursday, Canada host Honduras, while Panama face Costa Rica.

Mexico, who have played at every World Cup since 1990, will face Jamaica at an empty Azteca Stadium in Mexico City. The game is being played behind closed doors after Mexico were sanctioned for their fans’ use of an anti-gay chant.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/3BqVkcE

Kane insists ‘conscience is clear’ over Man City flirtation

London (AFP) – Tottenham striker Harry Kane insists his “conscience is clear” after his failed attempt to force a move to Manchester City.

Kane returned late to pre-season training as he tried to convince Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy to let him join the Premier League champions.

The England captain believed he had a gentleman’s agreement with Levy which allowed him to be sold once Tottenham failed to win a trophy and missed out on a Champions League place last season.

Kane had grown increasingly frustrated with Tottenham’s 13-year trophy drought and went public with his desire to leave the north London club before Euro 2020.

However, City refused to meet Levy’s £150 million ($206 million) asking price for Kane and last week the 28-year-old posted on Twitter that he would stay at Tottenham “this summer”.

Tottenham fans chanted “Are you watching Harry Kane” when they beat City on the opening weekend of the Premier League season without the striker.

But Kane has been given a warm reception by supporters since committing to stay.

Asked if he was concerned his reputation could be tarnished, Kane told TalkSport: “No, I don’t think so. Anyone involved in the football industry knows the ins and outs and I was calm with the situation.

“It was between me and the club, when you know the truth and you know what it going on, your conscience is clear.

“I have had ups and downs and I know a lot of people who know I am a professional athlete and dedicate my life to this game.”

Tottenham have made a flying start to the new season despite the Kane controversy, with three successive wins taking Nuno Espirito Santo’s side to the top of the Premier League.

“My focus moving forward is to win silverware at Tottenham and this year is no different,” Kane said.

“We have started brilliantly in the Premier League with three wins and we have a new manager. This is my focus.

“We want to win as many games as possible and get that trophy I have wanted all my career.”

Over the summer, Kane led England to the Euro 2020 final, only to suffer a heartbreaking penalty shoot-out loss against Italy.

Kane, currently with the England squad ahead of their World Cup qualifiers, said he is now fully focused on achieving his ambitions at Tottenham.

“I am pretty good at getting away from everything. After the final I was in England for a few days and then went on holiday for a couple of weeks and I was rarely on my phone,” he said.

“I know there was a lot of noise around me but I was calm. I knew the situation between me and the club.

“Everyone had their opinions but I am fully focused with club and country and looking forward to a great year.”

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/3yyqiNW

Real Madrid move for Camavinga with Mbappe set to stay at PSG

Paris (AFP) – Real Madrid moved to sign one French international star on Europe’s transfer deadline day on Tuesday with Eduardo Camavinga arriving from Rennes, but their attempts to prise Kylian Mbappe from Paris Saint-Germain look unlikely to succeed for now.

Midfield prodigy Camavinga, who is just 18, penned a six-year deal at the Santiago Bernabeu with Real reportedly paying a fee of 31 million euros ($36.6m) plus nine million euros more in bonuses.

It is a considerable sum for the Angolan-born player who was into the final year of his contract at Rennes.

Camavinga, who was still 17 when he made his France debut, had been linked with a move to PSG earlier in the transfer window.

He will not team up with Mbappe in Paris and the chances of the pair uniting in Madrid this season looked slim on Tuesday evening.

Real have spent the last week trying to clinch a dizzying deal for the 22-year-old forward, making two bids, the last understood to be worth a total of 180 million euros.

That is an extraordinary amount for a player who is in the final year of his contract in Paris.

PSG’s Qatari owners do not need to sell and appear prepared to risk losing Mbappe for free at the end of the campaign in order to have the World Cup winner, Neymar and Lionel Messi together in attack for at least one campaign.

Real can come back in for Mbappe again in January, when they could sign him to a pre-contract agreement to move next summer without having to pay a transfer fee.

Whatever happens with Mbappe, it has been an extraordinary summer transfer window in Europe, with Messi departing Barcelona for Paris and Cristiano Ronaldo on Tuesday finalising his sensational return to Manchester United from Juventus.

While the moves for 34-year-old Messi and 36-year-old Ronaldo represented a shift in world football’s tectonic plates, the future of 22-year-old Mbappe is potentially more significant in the long term.

Already a World Cup winner, Mbappe’s goals could vastly improve the fortunes of Real, who were beaten to the Spanish title by Atletico Madrid last season.

PSG, though, have been fighting to keep their striker as they look to win the Champions League for the first time.

Apart from Messi, they have also signed Sergio Ramos from Real Madrid and one of the world’s top goalkeepers, Gianluigi Donnarumma, from AC Milan.

They also strengthened their midfield with Georginio Wijnaldum from Liverpool and signed flying Morocco right-back Achraf Hakimi, who shone for Inter Milan last season.

The latter cost some 60 million euros, with the rest all arriving as free agents.

Ronaldo is the latest big-money signing in the Premier League, where the biggest deals have seen Manchester City buy Jack Grealish from Aston Villa for £100 million ($138m) and Romelu Lukaku return to Chelsea from Inter for £97.5 million.

– Belts tightened –

In contrast, PSG apart, leading clubs on the continent have not been as willing to spend big money as they continue to suffer from the economic impact of the pandemic.

Before adding Camavinga, Real’s only signing of note was David Alaba on a free from Bayern Munich.

Barcelona, mired in huge debts, could not keep Messi and spent deadline day selling off some of their talented youngsters.

Their only new signings have been free agents, Eric Garcia and Sergio Aguero from Manchester City and Memphis Depay from Lyon.

In Italy, champions Inter replaced Lukaku and Hakimi with cheaper alternaitves in Edin Dzeko and Netherlands right-back Denzel Dumfries.

They also signed Argentina’s Joaquin Correa from Lazio on an initial one-year loan.

Juventus offloaded Ronaldo and signed two Italy internationals in striker Moise Kean and midfielder Manuel Locatelli.

Both arrived on loans that will become permanent after two years, a way for Juve to spread out the payments to Everton and Sassuolo respectively.

German clubs are usually more restrained in their spending and that has again been the case, although Bayern Munich splashed a total of 67.5 million euros signing France defender Dayot Upamecano and Austria’s Marcel Sabitzer from RB Leipzig.

Borussia Dortmund bought Dutch forward Donyell Malen from PSV Eindhoven and, crucially, have kept hold of Erling Haaland.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/3DC5vNc

Leipzig sign teen talent Moriba from Barcelona

Berlin (AFP) – RB Leipzig have signed Spanish teenager Ilaix Moriba from Barcelona on a five-year contract as a replacement for their Bayern Munich-bound captain Marcel Sabitzer, the Bundesliga club confirmed Tuesday.

According to Sky, Leipzig have paid 15 million euros ($17.7 million) plus bonus fees for the 18-year-old central midfielder, who made 18 appearances for Barcelona last season.

“I’m confident that Leipzig is the right place for me to take the next step in my career,” Moriba said in a statement.

“We have big goals this season and I can’t wait to take on this challenge at Leipzig.”

The German club reportedly beat Tottenham Hotspur to sign the Spain Under-19 midfielder.

“We were able to sign an exceptional talent. We are very proud that he chose RB Leipzig,” said Leipzig’s commercial director Florian Scholz.

Moriba has been signed to fill the midfield role of Sabizter, who joined Bayern on Monday.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/3jwszVN

Spurs sign Barcelona defender Emerson

London (AFP) – Tottenham signed Barcelona defender Emerson Royal in a deal worth a reported £25 million ($34 million) on Tuesday.

Brazil right-back Emerson agreed a five-year contract with the Premier League club after spending the last two seasons on loan at Real Betis.

The 22-year-old will provide competition at right-back, with Japhet Tanganga, Matt Doherty and Serge Aurier also battling for that spot in Nuno Espirito Santo’s team.

Emerson featured for Ponte Preta and Atletico Mineiro before his move to Europe in 2019.

A joint-deal with Barcelona and Real Betis saw the defender switch to La Liga, initially with the Seville-based side where he was a regular during the last two seasons.

Emerson, who featured for Brazil at this year’s Copa America, officially linked up Barca for the first time earlier in the close-season, but his time at the Camp Nou is already over.

He will not have to isolate on arrival from Spain and could make his Tottenham debut at Crystal Palace on September 11, subject to international clearance and a work permit being granted.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/3yxRCMn

Real Madrid sign France prodigy Camavinga from Rennes

Madrid (AFP) – Real Madrid have signed France midfield prodigy Eduardo Camavinga from Rennes just before the European transfer deadline on Tuesday, the two clubs confirmed.

While Real have been trying to sign Kylian Mbappe from Paris Saint-Germain, it is another exciting French talent who is heading to the Spanish capital.

Camavinga, who is 18 and has been capped three times by France, has signed a six-year deal at the Santiago Bernabeu.

“Real Madrid C.F. and Stade Rennais F.C. have reached an agreement over the transfer of Eduardo Camavinga, who joins the club on a six-year deal, until 30 June 2027,” said a statement on the Madrid website.

No fee has been published but according to media reports, Real have agreed to pay 31 million euros ($36.6m) plus nine million more in add-ons for a player who was in the final year of his contract in Brittany.

Camavinga, who was born in Angola, joined the Rennes academy in 2011, turning professional when he was 16.

Last September, aged 17, he made his France debut as a substitute in a 4–2 win against Croatia in the UEFA Nations League, becoming the youngest player in the national team since Maurice Gastiger in 1914.

A month later he made his first start for the national team and scored his first goal in a 7-1 win over Ukraine.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/2Y2EBhh

Former delivery man Messias signs for AC Milan

Milan (AFP) – Junior Messias completed his incredible rise from delivery man to the Champions League on Tuesday when he signed for AC Milan in a dream move for the former amateur footballer.

Milan are yet to announce the transfer but Messias’ move from Crotone, who were relegated from Serie A last season, has been published on the list of official sales on the Serie A website as a temporary deal.

Brazilian Messias has signed for Milan on a season-long loan from Crotone with an option to buy for a reported five million euros.

The move means the 29-year-old will have the chance to play at the highest levels of club football after beginning his career in Italy in the amateur game a decade ago.

Messias arrived in Italy in 2011 and slowly rose through the lower reaches of Italian football — at one point transporting fridges for a living — before being picked up by Crotone in January 2019.

He helped the southern club up to Serie A and last season scored nine times in 36 league appearances for a team which went straight back down after a year in the top flight.

This term he will have the opportunity to run out at the San Siro for one of the world’s most storied clubs and face fellow European greats Liverpool in the Champions League.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/3mPwBuG

Welsh winger James leaves Man Utd to join Leeds

London (AFP) – Leeds signed Wales winger Dan James from Manchester United in a deal worth a reported £25 million ($34 million) on Tuesday.

James agreed a five-year contract with Leeds after the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo at Old Trafford reduced his already limited first team opportunities.

The 23-year-old moves to Elland Road two years after Leeds’ bid to sign him from his former club Swansea collapsed at the last minute.

“I have to say a huge thank you to my team firstly — the football department have been monitoring Daniel for a number of years and every member of my team has worked hard to get this deal over the line,” Leeds director of football Victor Orta said.

“It is no secret that Daniel is a player we have been keen to acquire for a number of years and today we achieved our goal.

“As a player we feel Daniel is an excellent fit for a Marcelo Bielsa team, he is quick, direct and works hard — we look forward to him joining up with the squad, finally!”

James is Leeds’ third major summer signing after Jack Harrison’s extended loan deal from Manchester City was made permanent and the arrival of Barcelona left-back Junior Firpo.

After Leeds were unable to sign James in January 2019, he moved to United for £15 million the following summer.

He scored nine goals in 74 appearances for United in all competitions, starting in their win at Wolves on Sunday.

James started in all four of Wales’ Euro 2020 matches and will now join up with the squad in Finland for Wednesday’s friendly, ahead of World Cup qualifiers against Belarus and Estonia.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/3juLmk9

Difficult work begins for Jorginho as Euro kings Italy restart World Cup bid

Milan (AFP) – Jorginho said Tuesday that the difficult work for Italy begins now as the Azzurri prepare to take to the field at home for the first time since their triumph at Euro 2020.

Roberto Mancini’s side face Bulgaria at the Stadio Artemio Franchi on Thursday in the first of three 2022 World Cup qualifiers, with fans in Florence set to welcome their summer heroes back to action.

Italy top Group C with a perfect nine points after their first three matches, but with only one guaranteed World Cup spot per group and a trip to Switzerland — who dumped France out of the Euro — coming up on Sunday Chelsea midfielder Jorginho says they need to keep on their toes.

“Now it gets difficult, as Italy are no longer a surprise team,” he told reporters.

“We’ve returned to where we belong, and everyone who comes to play against us will come with a different attitude, so we’re happy with what we’ve achieved but we need to stay humble because the moment you let your guard down bad things start to happen.”

Italy won the Euro playing an expansive style of football which combined with the more traditional dogged, resolute characteristics of the national team guided them to glory by beating some of the tournament’s toughest opposition.

Mancini has managed to combine a pool of talented midfielders, including Jorginho, to dazzling effect, with his team now 34 games unbeaten heading into the Bulgaria match.

“The manager has changed the way that national team plays, I don’t think the message has just been sent to other countries but also to the Italian people, who I think enjoyed themselves watching us,” said Jorginho.

“There are lots of team with extremely good players, but the difference with us is the unity, the group we have is what made the difference and will continue to do so.”

Winning the Euro final against England, at Wembley no less, also gave Jorginho bragging rights on his return to the Chelsea training ground, where he met up with midfield partner Mason Mount and Three Lions full-backs Ben Chilwell and Reece James.

“I’ve enjoyed it loads, they didn’t enjoy it much! I have to say they welcomed me back, but thank goodness we won… I enjoyed that little period,” he said.

Jorginho was left “a bit open-mouthed” by Pele saying he was a fan of the 29-year-old after he capped a memorable three months by being named UEFA men’s player of the year last week.

It was the latest high-point of a fertile period for Brazil-born Jorginho in which as well as winning the Euro with Italy he also starred as the Blues claimed the Champions League.

He beat Chelsea teammate N’Golo Kante and Kevin De Bruyne to the prize after helping his team see off the Belgian’s team Manchester City in the final in Porto before then helping Italy to Euro glory.

Asked by one reporter if he was thinking about winning the Ballon d’Or in December, Jorginho laughed.

“There’s a few months for that decision,”he said. “I’m trying to think about now… we’ll what happens later on.”

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/3DIDLa2

Mbappe’s future dominates final hours of transfer window

Paris (AFP) – A dizzying transfer window that has seen Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo change clubs went into its final hours on Tuesday with the issue of whether Kylian Mbappe could make a blockbuster move from Paris Saint-Germain to Real Madrid still unresolved.

The future of Mbappe dominated the final day of a remarkable window in which Messi moved to PSG after spending his entire career at increasingly cash-strapped Barcelona and Ronaldo made a sensational return to former club Manchester United.

Already a World Cup winner, Mbappe’s goals could vastly improve the fortunes of Real, who were beaten to the Spanish title by local rivals Atletico Madrid last season

But having signed Messi to line up alongside Neymar and Mbappe in a formidable attacking trio, Qatari-owned PSG have been fighting to keep their striker in the face of a sustained offensive from Real.

A PSG insider denied reports the Spanish giants, having had bids of 160 million euros ($189 million) and 180 million euros rejected, had made a third bid of 200 million euros.

If Paris-born Mbappe stays, and with each passing hour that prospect looked more likely, then PSG will believe they have their strongest chance ever of winning an elusive Champions League.

Apart from the addition of Messi, they have also signed four-time Champions League winner Sergio Ramos from Real Madrid and one of the world’s top goalkeepers, Gianluigi Donnarumma, on a free transfer from AC Milan.

They also strengthened their midfield with Georginio Wijnaldum from Liverpool and Morocco right-back Achraf Hakimi, who shone for Inter Milan last season.

– Ronaldo back to adoring Old Trafford –

Ronaldo meanwhile sealed a return to an adoring public at Old Trafford, where he rose to world-class status in a first stint from 2003-2009.

“This is absolutely 100% the stuff that dreams are made of,” Ronaldo posted on Instagram on Tuesday when his move from Juventus was officially completed.

After also adding England winger Jadon Sancho for £73 million from Borussia Dortmund and French centre-back Raphael Varane from Real Madrid, United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has little excuse if he fails to land a trophy this season.

Champions League holders Chelsea spent a club record £97 million to bring Romelu Lukaku back to Stamford Bridge from Inter Milan and let Tammy Abraham move to Italy to join up with Jose Mourinho at AS Roma.

Inter brought in Denzel Dumfries, the Netherlands wing-back from PSV Eindhoven who starred at Euro 2020.

Premier League holders Manchester City, another club bidding to win a first Champions League title, signed Aston Villa playmaker Jack Grealish for 100 million pounds to further strengthen a squad that has lost Sergio Aguero to Barcelona.

But City’s pursuit of Harry Kane ended in frustration when the England captain decided to stay at Tottenham having tried unsuccessfully to force a move.

Liverpool reinforced their central defensive options by acquiring Ibrahima Konate from RB Leipzig, but have otherwise largely focused on signing established stars such as Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson to new contracts.

Of all the Premier League clubs, Arsenal looked most likely to make moves in the transfer market as the clock ticked down having made a disastrous pointless start to the season.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/3zwBxYE

Ronaldo return headlines busy final day of Premier League transfer deals

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Cristiano Ronaldo’s return to Manchester United was confirmed by the English giants on Tuesday as Premier League clubs scrambled to strengthen before the close of the transfer window.

United announced on Friday a deal had been struck with Juventus to bring the five-time Ballon d’Or winner back to Old Trafford for a fee that could rise to 23 million euros ($27 million, £20 million) for the 36-year-old.

The Portugal captain scored 118 goals in 292 games during his first spell at United, winning his first Ballon d’Or and Champions League title, as well as three Premier League titles, one FA Cup and two League Cups.

“This is absolutely 100% the stuff that dreams are made of,” Ronaldo posted on Instagram.

“Everyone who knows me, knows about my never ending love for Manchester United. The years I spent in this club were absolutely amazing and the path we’ve made together is written in gold letters in the history of this great and amazing institution.”

Ronaldo’s return has already had a knock on effect with United winger Daniel James set to move to Leeds for a reported £25 million.

The Wales attacker has started two of United’s three Premier League games so far this season, but was expected to struggle for game time once Ronaldo arrived and Marcus Rashford and Edinson Cavani returned to full fitness.

Liverpool are not expected to add to their only signing of the window, centre-back Ibrahima Konate, but secured the future of captain Jordan Henderson on a long-term contract that runs till 2025.

Top-of-the-table Tottenham could help to ease Barcelona’s financial woes with a deal for right-back Emerson believed to be 30 million euros expected to be completed before the deadline.

Chelsea had been linked with moves for Sevilla’s Jules Kounde and Atletico Madrid midfielder Saul Niguez, but both the Blues and Manchester City are not likely to add to their squads before the deadline.

West Ham have strengthened ahead of a busy season which will take in Europa League football with the signing of Croatia forward Nikola Vlasic.

The 23-year-old, who previously had a unsuccessful stint in England at Everton, joins from CSKA Moscow for a reported initial fee of £25 million having been named Russian Premier League player of the year in 2020.

“I was really impressed with how determined Nikola was to become a West Ham player,” said Hammers boss David Moyes. “It’s that hunger and ambition that fits with what we are trying to build here at the club.”

West Ham are also nearing a deal for Czech Republic midfielder Alex Kral from Spartak Moscow.

Brighton signed Spain left-back Marc Cucurella for £15 million after paying his buyout clause from La Liga side Getafe.

And Crystal Palace are close to completing a deal for Celtic’s French under-21 striker Odsonne Edouard for an initial £15 million.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/3zyMPf9

Where to watch Transfer Deadline Day on TV and streaming

So far, the 2021 summer transfer window has been extraordinary. Who would have imagined that Messi and Ronaldo would move clubs within just a few weeks of each other, as well as many of the huge transfer signings.

And now it all comes down to this.

Tuesday, August 31 is the final day of the transfer window, which means it’s Transfer Deadline Day. The last few years have been an anti-climax when it comes to deadline day. Today promises to be far more exciting as clubs make last minute moves to strengthen their squads and get rid of players who aren’t a good fit.

For viewers in the United States, there are three main ways to follow all of the news and confirmed deals:

Sky Sports News Transfer Deadline Day

Today, NBC Sports is presenting immersive coverage of Premier League Transfer Deadline Day. Beginning at 8 a.m. ET, Peacock is streaming live Sky Sports News’ 11 hours of deadline day coverage.

NBC Sports Transfer Deadline Day Special

At 5 p.m. ET on NBCSN, NBC Sports presents a three-hour Transfer Deadline Day Special covering all the breaking news and providing insights and analysis on the latest transfers at Tuesday’s deadline. The show will feature Rebecca Lowe, Robbie Earle, Tim Howard, former Premier League player Robbie Mustoe, and NBC Sports Premier League Insider David Ornstein.

ESPN FC Transfer Deadline Day Show

Beginning at 5:30PM ET, ESPN+ will stream a live Transfer Deadline Day Special. Hosted by the effervescent Dan Thomas, the show will include plenty of reporters and analysts sharing their opinions, including Shaka Hislop, Steve Nichol, Julien Laurens, Gab Marcotti and Frank LeBoeuf.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/3yr6sEB

Ronaldo eyes more Man Utd history after ‘dream’ return

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Cristiano Ronaldo said he has a “never ending love” for Manchester United after sealing his return to Old Trafford from Juventus on Tuesday.

United have secured the five-time Ballon d’Or winner for a initial fee of 15 million euros that could rise to 23 million euros ($27 million, £20 million) according to figures released by the Italian club.

The 36-year-old has signed a two-year contract with an option to extend that deal by a further season.

Ronaldo made his name on the world stage in six years at United between 2003 and 2009 before moving to Real Madrid for a then world record transfer fee of £80 million.

“This is absolutely 100% the stuff that dreams are made of,” Ronaldo posted on Instagram.

“I can’t even start to explain my feelings right now, as I see my return to Old Trafford announced worldwide.

“It’s like a dream come true, after all the times that I went back to play against Man. United, and even as an opponent, to have always felt such love and respect from the supporters in the stands.”

Ronaldo is expected to make his second United debut at home to Newcastle on September 11.

But the United support were already delirious at his impending arrival as they chanted his name and held up a cardboard cut out of Ronaldo in a 1-0 win at Wolves on Sunday.

“History has been written in the past and history will be written once again!” Ronaldo added. “You have my word! I’m right here! I’m back where I belong! Let’s make it happen once again!”

United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer played alongside his new star during his previous spell in England, but it was his former boss Alex Ferguson who played a big part in convincing Ronaldo to return to the club despite interest from Premier League champions Manchester City.

“Sir Alex, this one is for you,” said Ronaldo.

– Pressure on Solskjaer –

The investment in Ronaldo, who is set to become the highest paid player in the Premier League, piles the pressure on Solskjaer to end his wait to win a major trophy since taking charge of the Red Devils in December 2018.

United have also signed Ronaldo’s former Real Madrid teammate Raphael Varane to bolster their defence and splashed out £73 million to bring 21-year-old England winger Jadon Sancho from Borussia Dortmund in their quest to win a first Premier League title since 2013.

“Ronaldo’s return demonstrates the unique appeal of this club and I am absolutely delighted he is coming home to where it all started,” said Solskjaer.

Solskjaer’s men have taken seven points from their opening three Premier League games to sit two points behind leaders Tottenham.

The English giants have also not won the Champions League since 2008, when Ronaldo scored in the final against Chelsea in Moscow.

However, Ronaldo’s experience in Italy serves as a warning that even his goalscoring prowess does not bring a guarantee of success in Europe.

In his three seasons in Turin, Juve never made it beyond the Champions League quarter-finals — crashing out to far less well-resourced opposition in Ajax, Lyon and Porto.

Inter Milan also ended Juventus’ nine-year grip on Serie A last season.

However, Ronaldo still topped the Serie A goal charts last season and rolled back the years at Euro 2020 to win the Golden Boot despite playing just four games as Portugal bowed out at the last 16.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/3ju5FOM

Henderson signs new long-term Liverpool deal

Liverpool (AFP) – Liverpool announced on Tuesday that captain Jordan Henderson has signed a new long-term contract with the club reportedly keeping him tied to the English giants until 2025.

“Jordan Henderson has signed a new contract with Liverpool Football Club to commit his long-term future to the Reds,” they said in a statement.

The 31-year-old has made 394 appearances since joining from Sunderland a decade ago and led Liverpool to their first league title for 30 years in 2020.

“I’m obviously very honoured and proud to continue the journey I’ve already been on here,” said Henderson.

“It’s amazing to finally get it done and just concentrate on looking forward and what the future may hold.

“I’m in a different place of course, as a player and as a person, from when I first walked in. I’ve learned and grown a lot over my time here, and I’ve got to thank a lot of people for that.”

The England midfielder has also won the Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, Club World Cup and the League Cup during his time at Anfield.

Liverpool’s lack of transfer activity has been criticised by fans, who have seen Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United strengthen significantly in the window.

Centre-back Ibrahima Konate has been the only addition to Jurgen Klopp’s squad after a £36 million ($50 million) move from RB Leipzig.

However, Henderson is the sixth senior Liverpool player to extend his contract in the last few weeks after Trent Alexander-Arnold, Fabinho, Alisson Becker, Virgil Van Dijk and Andy Robertson.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/3DHrT8j

Ronaldo’s heart set on Manchester United return

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Cristiano Ronaldo said Manchester United “always had a special place in his heart” after sealing his return to Old Trafford from Juventus on Tuesday.

United have secured the five-time Ballon d’Or winner for a initial fee of 15 million euros that could rise to 23 million euros ($27 million, £20 million) according to figures released by Juventus.

The 36-year-old made his name on the world stage in six years at United between 2003 and 2009 before moving to Real Madrid for a then world record transfer fee of £80 million.

Ronaldo scored 118 goals in 292 games during his first spell at United, winning his first Ballon d’Or and Champions League title, as well as three Premier League titles, one FA Cup and two League Cups.

“Manchester United is a club that has always had a special place in my heart, and I have been overwhelmed by all the messages I have received since the announcement on Friday. I cannot wait to play at Old Trafford in front of a full stadium and see all the fans again,” Ronaldo said in a United statement.

“I’m looking forward to joining up with the team after the international games, and I hope we have a very successful season ahead.”

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner has signed a two-year contract with an option to extend that deal by a further season.

“Ronaldo’s return demonstrates the unique appeal of this club and I am absolutely delighted he is coming home to where it all started,” said United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who played alongside the Portuguese during his previous time in England.

Ronaldo is expected to make his second United debut at home to Newcastle on September 11.

– Pressure on Solskjaer –

But his return also piles the pressure on Solskjaer to end his wait to win a major trophy since taking charge of the Red Devils in December 2018.

Solskjaer’s men have taken seven points from their opening three Premier League games to sit two points behind leaders Tottenham.

The English giants have also not won the Champions League since 2008, when Ronaldo scored in the final against Chelsea in Moscow.

However, Ronaldo’s experience in Italy serves as a warning that even his goalscoring prowess does not bring a guarantee of success in Europe.

Juventus had reached the Champions League final twice in three years prior to Ronaldo’s arrival from Real Madrid in 2018 for 112 million euros.

In his three seasons in Turin, Juve never made it beyond the quarter-finals — crashing out to far less well-resourced opposition in Ajax, Lyon and Porto.

Inter Milan also ended Juventus’ nine-year grip on Serie A last season.

But Ronaldo can argue that was a sign of the Italian giants’ declining standards rather than his own.

He still topped the Serie A goal charts last season, edging out Romelu Lukaku, who joined Chelsea this month for £97 million.

And Ronaldo also rolled back the years at Euro 2020 to win the Golden Boot despite playing just four games as Portugal bowed out at the last 16.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/38sECNC

Ronaldo completes Manchester United return

Manchester (United Kingdom) (AFP) – Manchester United completed the signing of Cristiano Ronaldo on Tuesday for his second spell at Old Trafford for a fee that could rise to 23 million euros ($27 million) from Juventus.

The 36-year-old made his name on the world stage in six years at United between 2003 and 2009 before moving to Real Madrid for a then world record transfer fee.

“I’m looking forward to joining up with the team after the international games, and I hope we have a very successful season ahead.”

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner has signed a two-year contract with an option to extend that deal by a further season.

Ronaldo is expected to make his second United debut against Newcastle at Old Trafford on September 11.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/3sYOhoo

Italy’s Kean joins Juventus after Ronaldo exit

Milan (AFP) – Moise Kean will be the final piece of Juventus’ post-Cristiano Ronaldo attack after the Italy forward completed his move from Everton on Tuesday.

Kean, 21, returns to the club where he began his professional career as an academy graduate on a two-year loan which will then turn into a permanent sale for a reported fee of 20 million euros ($23.6 million), subject to certain conditions being met.

“Moise is back and he joins us on loan,” Juventus said on its Twitter account.

Juventus announced the move while also officially confirming the departure of five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo, who will join his former club Manchester United.

Juve sold Kean to Everton in the summer of 2019 after excelling in his breakthrough season in Serie A but he failed to impress in England and last season was loaned to Paris Saint-Germain.

He scored 17 times in 41 appearances for the star-studded French side, who lost their Ligue 1 title to Lille and were knocked out of the Champions League by Manchester City.

On Friday Kean was called up to the Italy squad after missing out on Euro 2020, won by Roberto Mancini’s impressive Azzurri last month.

Kean has already represented his country nine times, scoring twice.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/3zwSB0N

Monday 30 August 2021

Back to business for Italy and a new-look Germany as World Cup qualifying resumes

Paris (AFP) – Across Europe it is time for people to go back to work at the end of the summer holidays, and for Italy it is back to business too, less than eight weeks after their Euro 2020 triumph at Wembley.

Fifty-three days on from the joy of beating England on penalties on a feverish night in London, the Azzurri will take the acclaim of their own supporters when they play Bulgaria in Florence in a World Cup qualifier.

Roberto Mancini’s team cannot afford to rest on their laurels because until they have secured qualification for the finals in Qatar, they will not have completely erased the memory of their failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup.

Italy are unbeaten in 34 games — including winning their first three qualifiers for Qatar back in March – and now they face three more matches in eight days with a trip to Switzerland and a home meeting with Lithuania also on the agenda.

“I would like the boys to pick up where they left off,” said Mancini this week. “As a national team we can still improve between now and the World Cup, but first we have to qualify.”

As Italy know well, the World Cup is a different ball game to the Euro, and not just because the next one takes place in November and December, 2022.

Only the winners of the 10 qualifying groups are certain to qualify, with the remaining three places up for grabs in play-offs next March.

Italy’s game on Sunday in Basel against Switzerland, their biggest rivals in Group C, will therefore be crucial.

At the moment the biggest European names with work to do are the Netherlands and Germany, two powerhouses who head into the autumn with new coaches.

Hansi Flick is the new man in charge of Germany after 15 years under Joachim Loew.

For a long time Flick was Loew’s assistant and, after winning the Champions League with Bayern Munich, he is the man tasked with restoring pride to a national team that went out of Euro 2020 in the last 16.

“I’m looking forward to working with him,” said Bayern and Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer. “I have big goals. I want to be a world champion.”

Germany’s final qualifier under Loew in March ended in a shock 2-1 home defeat to North Macedonia, their first loss in World Cup qualifying in 20 years leaving them third in Group J.

Flick’s start looks gentle though, with Germany playing Liechtenstein, Armenia and Iceland.

– Van Gaal returns –

The Netherlands, who also failed to qualify for the last World Cup, sacked Frank de Boer after going out of Euro 2020 in the last 16 and have reappointed Louis van Gaal.

The man who led the Oranje to the 2014 World Cup semi-finals takes over a team currently trailing a point behind Group G leaders Turkey.

It could be a challenging start to the 70-year-old Van Gaal’s third stint as national coach as the Netherlands play Erling Haaland’s Norway in Oslo before hosting Montenegro and Turkey.

For England it is all about putting the pain of their Euro final defeat behind them as they face potential pitfalls away in Hungary and Poland, either side of a home meeting with minnows Andorra.

“There is no doubt that individually these players are going to improve and continue to improve,” England manager Gareth Southgate said after naming a squad that has changed little from the young group that took part in Euro 2020.

Ater completing his transfer back to Manchester United, Cristiano Ronaldo has the chance to become the all-time top international goal-scorer when Portugal play Ireland.

Ronaldo equalled the Iranian Ali Daei’s record of 109 goals for his country during the European Championship.

Following a disappointing Euro 2020, reigning world champions France get back to business in a triple-header including a testing visit to Ukraine.

European teams have been spared the disputes over the release of players by clubs that have threatened to mar upcoming matches in Africa and South America.

Meanwhile VAR will now be used in all European qualifiers after its implementation had initially been postponed.

from World Soccer Talk https://ift.tt/3t1Nwec

Coverage of Asian World Cup qualifiers begin across Paramount+

Paramount+ today announced coverage details for the start of Asian Football Confederation (AFC) competitions in September, including the AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to Qatar Final Round and AFC Champions League.

AFC World Cup Qualifying Final Round action begins on Thursday, Sept. 2 with every match on Paramount+. Asia’s top 12 nations will compete in 60 Final Round matches through March 2022. The top two AFC national teams in both groups will qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, with all five qualifiers to the previous World Cup in Australia, Iran, Japan, Korea Republic and Saudi Arabia vying for a spot. The AFC Asian Playoff, where the third-place teams in each group will face off for a potential fifth spot in the 2022 FIFA World Cup, will also stream live on Paramount+ in Summer 2022.

AFC Champions League Round of 16 action kicks off on Monday, Sept. 13 with eight matches on Paramount+. All 15 AFC Champions League matches through the Final in November will stream live on Paramount+.

Paramount+ will deliver more than 300 AFC club and national team matches live through 2024. Coverage will also include the AFC Women’s Asian Cup beginning in January 2022, which also serves as the qualifiers for the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia/New Zealand 2023, while coverage of the AFC Asian Cup China 2023 begins in June 2023. Additional coverage details will be announced in advance of each respective competition.

Paramount+, a leading destination for U.S. soccer fans, features more than 2,000 live matches each year. The extensive portfolio of soccer properties includes UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League; NWSL; The Women’s Cup; Concacaf national team competitions (Men’s World Cup Qualifiers, Women’s World Cup Qualifiers, Men’s Nations League and Women’s Nations League); Italy’s Serie A; Argentina’s Liga Profesional de Fútbol; Brazil’s Campeonato Brasileirão Série A; the Scottish Professional Football League (cinch Premiership, cinch Championship and Premier Sports Cup); and Asian Football Confederation competitions (AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to Qatar, AFC Champions League, AFC Women’s Asian Cup and AFC Asian Cup).