England winger James Milner has ruled out conspiracy theories that Croatia midfielder Luka Modric was deliberately injured ahead of a crucial World Cup qualifier at Wembley next week.
Croatia FA chiefs are frustrated that key midfielder Modric broke a leg in a tackle with Birmingham s Lee Bowyer just 10 days before a match against England that could decide the World Cup fate of both teams.
They already have bitter memories of how key striker Eduardo also suffered a broken leg playing against the same opposition for Arsenal in February 2008 and Croatia FA supremo Vlatko Markovic on Tuesday said: First Eduardo, now Luka Modric. This is horrible. I can only ask myself if it was really an accident.
I m close to thinking it was done to us deliberately before the Eng…
European clubs on Tuesday urged FIFA to accept that only players aged under 21 years can take part in the Olympic Games football tournament instead of 23 years as presently allowed.
After a meeting of the European Club Association (ECA), top executives accused world football s governing body of wavering and changing its mind on the issue.
All 100 ECA member clubs present in Geneva support the under 21 with no over age players solution, Barcelona president and ECA vice-chairman Juan Laporta said.
It s important to have a clear-cut rule, he told journalists.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has indicated that it wants FIFA to stick to the 23-year-old age limit.
That is at odds with the general under-21 format applied by FIFA for young in…
Hull City are on the verge of signing Arsenal striker Chuba Akpom on a season-long loan, .
The 19 year old has enjoyed a successful preseason with the Gunners, even scoring a hat-trick in their 4-0 win over a Singapore Select XI in earlier this month.
He has so far made nine senior appearances for Arsene Wenger’s side, while he had a brief spell with Nottingham Forest last season.
He also spent time with Brentford and Coventry City during the 2013/14 campaign, though he is yet to score his first senior club goal.
Internationally, the nineteen year old has been capped for England at every level from U16s to U20s, and has scored six goals in ten outings for the latter.
Tigers boss Steve Bruce has already drafted in Isaac Hayden from Arsenal …
Calum Chambers has joined Middlesbrough on a season-long loan from Arsenal.
The 21-year-old signed for Arsenal from Southampton in July 2014 and won the FA Cup with the Gunners in 2015.
Chambers has made 58 Premier League appearances and has three England caps to his name but the defender who can play at right-back and in the centre has been deemed surplus to requirements by Arsenal, who appear set to sign Shkodran Mustafi from Valencia.
The focus for Chambers switches to helping Middlesbrough retain their Premier League status following promotion from the Championship last season.
Pleased to sign on loan for . Excited about the season ahead and can t wait to get working
— Calum Chambers (@CalumChambers95)
Middlesbrough head coach Ai…
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Runaway league leaders Liverpool are set to play host to one of the surprises of the season in the form of the newly promoted Sheffield United on Thursday evening at Anfield.
Liverpool
There s very little to be said about the team currently ruling Europe and the rest of the planet that hasn t been said already. They are on a run of extreme ruthlessness in the Premier League, with 18 wins and a draw from the 19 games they ve played so far. Much has been said about the way VAR helped them win their last game, a 1-0 struggle against Wolverhampton Wanderers last weekend, but the fact remains that the controversial technology made two right calls, correcting the referee s ruling both when Sadio Mane s goal was initially disallowed for an …
According to French outlet , Chelsea have rejected an offer of €20million from for David Luiz.
The controversial centre-back, also capable of deputizing in midfield, spent a large part of the 2017/18 season on the sidelines at . Apart from being injured, there have been reports of a rift with manager Antonio Conte. Chelsea s centre-back department is already decently stocked with Gary Cahill, Cesar Azpilicueta, Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rüdiger all currently ahead of Luiz in the pecking order under the Italian coach.
It is therefore expected that the Brazilian will eventually leave Stamford Bridge this summer for the second time, but Arsenal will have to improve their offer if they are still keen on his signature. At the moment they are still contemplating wh…
Real Madrid and European champions Barcelona will battle to sign Arsenal s Spanish captain Cesc Fabregas at the end of the season, sports daily AS reported on Tuesday.
Cesc Fabregas has become one of the main targets of Madrid and Barcelona to reinforce their squads next season, it said.
Real recently joined the list of clubs interested in signing the 22-year-old international midfielder, who rose through the ranks of Barcelona before leaving to join Arsenal in 2004, the newspaper said without naming its source.
Spanish media reported elsewhere that Sandro Rosell, a former Nike executive, wants to use the recruitment of Fabregas to boost his bid to be elected president of Barcelona at the club s next elections in 2010.
I m comfortable at Arsenal. We ha…
Holders Chelsea set out on the first steps towards a defence of their FA Cup crown with a home tie against Championship side Watford, finalists in 1984, in the third round draw made on Sunday.
The pairing had Chelsea coach Carlo Anceletti drooling at the prospect of getting the chance to meet one of his singing heroes, former Watford chairman Sir Elton John.
I do not know Watford very well at the moment but I will have the opportunity to learn about them, he said after Sunday s 3-0 Premier League win at Arsenal.
The owner of Watford many years ago was Elton John. Elton John is my favourite singer. The match will be an opportunity to meet Elton John.
West Ham will host London rivals Arsenal, who last lifted the trophy in 2005 and have not picked up an…
Manchester City full-back Aleksandar Kolarov is set to quit the Citizens at the end of the current campaign, .
The Serbian defender is disappointed by the lack of first team chances at Etihad and is ready to leave his current employers.
Kolarov has fallen behind Gael Clichy in the pecking order and only started nine Premier League fixtures this term.
He seems to have ran out of patience and is likely to request a transfer in the summer transfer window.
Kolarov should have no shortage of offers as he is still held in high regard by top Italian clubs after largely impressing at Lazio between 2007 and 2010.
Juventus are reportedly showing interest, but Inter and Milan could also make a move on the 27-year-old.
However, the Serbia internation…
AS Monaco FC has reached an agreement with Portuguese Primeira Liga giants F.C. Porto for James Rodriguez and Joao Moutinho, .
The deal is reportedly worth €70 million, with Moutinho and Rodriguez having both penned five-year deals at the Stade Louis II.
AS Monaco FC is glad to reach an agreement with FC Porto and players Joao Moutinho and James Rodriguez for their transfers to ASMFC, for the season 2013-2014, read a statement on the club s official website.
Players will be introduced to the media during pre-season training.
Earlier this week, Moutinho revealed he was extremely happy at the club, white insisting that his future is up to Porto.
Right now, nothing will make me change clubs. I am extremely happy here and the most…