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RASHFORD WINS BATTLE OF THE BABIES AGAINST RECORD-BREAKER SVILAR Kris Voakes Man Utd Correspondent The England teenager outfoxed the Champions League youngest goalkeeper in history to decide the match between Benfica and Manchester United On a night when Manchester United were looking short of experienced heads to wake them from their slumber it was once again Marcus Rashford who made all the difference with a match-winning performance in the 1-0 success away to Benfica on Wednesday. But it wasn’t all good news for the teenage contingent as Rashford’s winning goal came as a result of a moment of inexperience from the Champions League’s youngest-ever goalkeeper. At 18, Mile Svilar was always likely to court some headlines, but the Benfica shot-stopper’s game-deciding error will sadly forever hang a black mark over his incredible achievement.

'IT WAS AN INSTINCTIVE PLAY' - VALVERDE DEFENDS PIQUE AFTER RED CARD Dom Farrell 23:38 SHARE Getty Images The Barca boss felt the defender was unfortunate to be sent off against Olympiacos - a decision that impacted upon Gerard Deulofeu Gerard Pique did not deserve his handball red card during Barcelona's 3-1 Champions League Group D win over Olympiacos, according to head coach Ernesto Valverde. La Liga leaders Barca made it three wins out of three in Europe's top competition this term as Lionel Messi moved on to a century of continental goals. Barca were a goal up – Dimitris Nikolaou having put through his own net – but a man down by the time Messi dispatched a 61st-minute free-kick, after Pique collected a second booking for turning in a rebound from Gerard Deulofeu's angled shot with his hand.

CHELSEA CONTE: DAVID LUIZ MIDFIELD EXPERIMENT FAILED Stephen Creek The Chelsea boss has acknowledged that moving the Brazilian into midfield did not work against Roma Chelsea were "improvising" tactically in the second half of their 3-3 draw with Roma according to head coach Antonio Conte, who acknowledged that playing David Luiz in midfield did not work. After goals from David Luiz, Eden Hazard and Roma's Aleksandar Kolarov had made it 2-1 to Chelsea at half-time in Wednesday's Champions League clash, Edin Dzeko's superb brace put the visitors 3-2 up with 20 minutes left to play while Conte switched from a 3-5-2 formation to a 4-3-2-1. The change seemed to work as Hazard headed the equaliser before Chelsea held out the for the final 15 minutes, although Dzeko went close to completing his hat-trick when he headed narrowly wide in the dying minutes. RELATED 'YOU MUST WIN' - HAZARD FRUSTRATED WITH CHELSEA SHOWING AFTER SECOND-HALF COLLAPSE REBEL RU...

'SE QUEDA! SE QUEDA!' – MADRID FANS MOCK PIQUE FOR NEYMAR TWEET 23:37 The Santiago Bernabeu faithful didn't miss an opportunity to remind the Barcelona defender of his ultimately incorrect prediction regarding Neymar Gerard Pique's rough night Wednesday was compounded by fans at the Santiago Bernabeu mocking him for his ultimately incorrect tweet stating Neymar was staying at Barcelona. The Barcelona centre-back set social media ablaze on July 23 by tweeting a picture of himself and Neymar with the caption "Se queda" (he's staying). Pique later admitted the tweet was more of a hope than a declaration, and Neymar did in fact depart for Paris Saint-Germain two weeks after his post. And Madrid fans predictably took the opportunity to remind Pique of his erroneous tweet during Wednesday's Spanish Super Cup second leg, chanting "Se queda! Se queda!" at Pique as he departed the field in the second half with an injury. Madrid would go o...

'HE CAN'T DO WHATEVER HE WANTS' – SOKRATIS FIRES WARNING TO DEMBELE 21:49 The Dortmund defender had strong words for his team-mate, who is currently excluded from first-team training Borussia Dortmund centre-back Sokratis Papastathopoulos has registered his frustration with suspended team-mate Ousmane Dembele. Dembele has gone on strike in an attempt to force a move to Barcelona, who have seen bids for the 20-year-old thus far rejected by Dortmund. Barca taking transfer tactics to extremes Dortmund have responded to Dembele's absence by suspending the France international until the situation is resolved. Speaking to Kicker, Sokratis has expressed his displeasure with the way Dembele is handling himself in a difficult situation. "Ousmane is a good guy. But he has to understand that no player is bigger than the team," Sokratis said. "He can't do whatever he wants and should take Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang as an example. "Auba also coul...

EVERTON SIGN SWANSEA STAR SIGURDSSON FOR CLUB-RECORD £45M FEE 19:53 The Toffees have finally secured their man after a drawn-out process, with the Iceland international inking a five-year deal at the club Everton have completed the signing of Swansea City star Gylfi Sigurdsson for a reported club-record fee of £45 million. The Iceland international, 27, has inked a five-year deal at the Toffees, putting to bed a drawn-out process between the two clubs. Sigurdsson had been on Everton's radar for over a year and the Merseysiders reportedly had two bids previously knocked back by Swansea. However, Everton have now finally secured their man — increasing their summer spending to well over £100m after also signing the likes of Jordan Pickford, Michael Keane and Wayne Rooney this summer. Sigurdsson — who scored nine goals and registered 13 assists in the Premier League last season — missed a large chunk of Swansea's pre-season due to the ongoing speculation surrounding him. ...

RONALDO BRANDS FIVE-MATCH BAN 'EXAGGERATED AND RIDICULOUS' 18:27 The Real Madrid star has hit out at the sanction, which was issued after he laid his hands on a match official against Barcelona Cristiano Ronaldo has hit out at his five-match ban, branding the sanction "exaggerated and ridiculous" and alleging that he is being persecuted. The Real Madrid star was handed the suspension after being sent off and then shoving the referee in Real Madrid's 3-1 Supercopa de Espana first-leg victory over Barcelona on Sunday. Madrid 5/1 to retain Champions League again The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) upheld the ban on Wednesday, meaning Ronaldo will sit out Wednesday's second leg of the Supercopa, followed by Liga matches away to Deportivo La Coruna, at home to Valencia and Levante and away to Real Sociedad. Real Madrid still the team to beat in Europe And Ronaldo has since taken to Instagram to voice his disapproval, writing: "Impossible to be unaf...

LEICESTER CONFIRM SIGNING OF IHEANACHO FROM MAN CITY FOR £25M The forward has agreed a five-year deal with the Foxes, having spent the last three years at fellow Premier League side Manchester City Leicester City have announced the signing of Nigeria international Kelechi Iheanacho from Manchester City. The forward has moved to the Foxes for a fee reported to be £25 million, with the 20-year-old signing a five-year deal at the King Power Stadium. Leicester 250/1 to win the Premier League In two full seasons at Man City, Iheanacho played 46 Premier League games and scored 12 goals, but found himself behind Sergio Aguero, Wilfried Bony and Gabriel Jesus in the pecking order. Iheanacho is eager to get started with Craig Shakespeare's side, and is looking forward to becoming part of the Leicester first team. “It feels good and I’m happy to be part of this team," Iheanacho told the club's official website. Neymar's Barca legacy ruined forever "I know the am...

IT'S OFFICIAL! NEYMAR THE SUPERSTAR SIGNS FOR PSG FROM BARCELONA FOR €222 MILLION 20:40 The Ligue 1 giants have more than doubled the previous mark for a transfer set by Paul Pogba and Manchester United as they welcome the Brazilian Paris Saint-Germain have smashed the world transfer record by completing the €222 million signing of Neymar from Barcelona on a five-year contract. The Brazilian had been continually linked with a move away from Camp Nou over the summer, and had declined to clarify his own future as the PSG rumours grew stronger. How many goals with Neymar score this season? And after weeks of denials, mixed messages and reports, he has finally been confirmed as the Ligue 1 club's latest signing on Thursday night. "Paris Saint-Germain are very pleased to announce the arrival of Neymar Jr," the Parisiens said in a statement on their official website. "The Brazilian attacker signed a five-year contract in the presence of club and player repre...

MESSI WISHES NEYMAR GOOD LUCK AT PSG AS €222M MOVE NEARS 14:26 The Brazilian attacker said goodbye to his team-mates as he left to finalise his move to the French side, prompting a public farewell from his friend Lionel Messi has wished Neymar good luck in his new adventure as his Barcelona colleague closes in on a world-record move to Paris Saint-Germain. PSG 10/1 to win Champions League Neymar's proposed €222 million switch to the French capital swiftly gathered pace on Wednesday as he was granted permission to miss training and tie up his future. The Brazil star informed the Barcelona board and his team-mates of his intention to leave and Messi, who lined up in the all-conquering "MSN" forward line alongside Neymar and Luis Suarez, paid tribute to his colleague in an Instagram post. "It was a great pleasure to have shared all these years with you, friend," Messi posted alongside a photo montage of the pair. "I wish you a lot of luck in this n...

MAN UTD TO SEAL PERISIC SIGNING Manchester United are close to completing a £48 million deal to sign Ivan Perisic from Inter, according to The Daily Star. The Red Devils have been locked in talks with the Nerazzurri over the Croatia international, who has told the club he wants to leave. United were holding off meeting Inter's £50m valuation, but it seems they have managed to talk the Italian club down. CHELSEA TO MAKE OFFER FOR SANDRO Chelsea are ready to make a deal worth up to €70 million for Alex Sandro, according to an exclusive report from Calciomercato. Antonio Conte is also willing to afford the Italian champions first refusal on midfielder Nemanja Matic, as a additional bonus, should the Blues sign the Brazilian left-back this summer. PSG TO MAKE £35M ALEXIS OFFER Paris Saint-Germain are ready to up their bid for Alexis Sanchez to £35 million, according to The Express. The Chile international had been set to leave the Gunners for Manchester City, though th...

RAMOS: I HOPE NEYMAR LEAVES BARCELONA FOR PSG 07:16 The World Cup winning-defender admits that a record-breaking transfer for the Brazilian would make life easier for the reigning La Liga champions Sergio Ramos wants Neymar to leave Barcelona as it would be "less of a problem" for Real Madrid, amid talk of interest from Paris Saint-Germain. Neymar's future at Barca is in serious doubt, with Ligue 1 side PSG ready to meet the Brazilian's €222 million release clause . The 25-year-old showed why he is the subject of interest after dazzling against bitter rivals Madrid at the International Champions Cup on Saturday, setting up two goals in a 3-2 triumph . Asked about Neymar's future after the game, Madrid captain Ramos said: "I do not know, everyone is free to choose their future. Zidane wants 'no changes' at Madrid "I hope [he leaves]. It would be less of a problem for us." Ramos, who made his first pre-season appearance for M...

MESSI, SUAREZ AND NEYMAR MAKE GOLF LEGEND TIGER WOODS’ DAY AFTER MIAMI CLASICO 09:30 The Barcelona trio took the opportunity to pose for photos with the golfing superstar after beating Real Madrid The appeal of Barcelona duo Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez appears to know no bounds, with even golf legend Tiger Woods a huge fan. The 14-time major championship winner was among those in attendance at Saturday’s International Champions Cup clash between Barca and Real Madrid in Miami. The Florida-based superstar made no secret of where his allegiances lie, with his family all donning Barcelona jerseys. They had plenty to celebrate  as Barca secured a 3-2 victory , and Woods was all smiles afterwards as he got to mingle with iconic figures from another sporting field. While Messi and Suarez were the biggest draw for the Woods clan, the 41-year-old also met up with fellow ‘MSN’ member Neymar amid ongoing talk of a possible record-breaking transfer to Paris Saint-Germain for th...

'YOU HAVE TO BE SELFISH' - DANI ALVES URGES NEYMAR TO JOIN PSG 06:12 The French side is still in pursuit of the Brazilian superstar, with his international team-mate pushing for him to make the move to Ligue 1 Paris Saint-Germain full-back Dani Alves has called on Barcelona star Neymar to be selfish and move to the Ligue 1 side. Neymar could be set to leave Barca, with French giants PSG ready to meet the 25-year-old's €222 million release clause. PSG's pursuit of Neymar has dominated headlines and former Barca defender Alves urged the Brazil international to be brave in his decision. "I speak with him every day, but not always about football," Alves said after scoring in PSG's 2-1 Trophee des Champions win over Monaco on Saturday, "I try to keep him calm because in these times when you listen to people from all over you can go crazy. "You have to be selfish because the clubs don't think of you once you don't produce result...

DI MARIA LINED UP AS NEYMAR REPLACEMENT Paris Saint-Germain winger Angel Di Maria has been identified as a potential new signing for Barcelona should they lose Neymar to the Ligue 1 side, according to RMC. Rumours of a blockbuster €222 million move continue to circulate around the Brazilian, despite claims by Gerard Pique that he is staying put. And while Paulo Dybala and Philippe Coutinho also appear on the Barca shortlist, the Argentine is similarly seen as a possibility to fill the attacking vacancy that would be left by Neymar's exit. MONACO NAME MBAPPE PRICE Monaco would be willing to sell Kylian Mbappe if they were to receive a bid of €180 million, according to L'Equipe. The Ligue 1 champions are continuing talks over a contract extension with the teenage forward amid interest from Manchester City and Real Madrid. And they are now set to consider selling, but only if their demands are met financially. ARSENAL FAIL IN €50M LEMAR BID Monaco have rejected ...

MENDY MAKES WORLD RECORD MANCHESTER CITY SWITCH 13:05 The France international defender has become the most expensive player of all time in his role as he becomes Pep Guardiola's fourth big buy Benjamin Mendy has completed his switch from Monaco to Manchester City, with the English side paying £52 million for the left-back. Man City favourites to win Premier League With the deal, Mendy, who turned 23 on July 17, has become the most expensive defender in football history and eclipses the £45m fee City paid for Kyle Walker last week that made the England star the game’s most expensive full-back. The France international has signed a five-year deal with the Etihad Stadium outfit, becoming their fourth major signing of a window that has also seen them sign Benfica goalkeeper Ederson as well as Mendy’s Monaco team-mate Bernardo Silva. Manager Pep Guardiola is focussing on the long term with City, explaining on Thursday that the players he is targeting this summer “are you...

MANCHESTER CITY SIGN DANILO FROM REAL MADRID 09:08 The full-back is Pep Guardiola's fifth signing ahead of the new season and follows the likes of Kyle Walker and Ederson as a new face at the Etihad. Manchester City have confirmed the signing of Danilo from Real Madrid in a £26.5 million deal. The 26-year-old has joined City on a five-year contract and will immediately link up with Pep Guardiola's squad in the United States, where he may make his City debut in the International Champions Cup.  reported by Goal, City beat competition from Chelsea for the Brazil international and the club are also confident of securing the services of another full-back in Monaco's Benjamin Mendy, with confirmation of his arrival imminent. Danilo's arrival takes City's spending on full-backs past the £70m mark this close-season after they paid an initial £45m for Tottenham's Kyle Walker – a deal that could rise to an eventual £50m. City have seen a number of defenders...

BIG ROM'S BIG NIGHT - LUKAKU LEAVES FIRST LASTING IMPRESSION AS MAN UTD DOWN CITY 04:59 The £75m front man was the star of the 2-0 win over rivals City in Houston, with Marcus Rashford also playing a key role. Romelu Lukaku will take part in far more important fixtures during his Manchester United career but his first ever taste of Manchester derby action will take some forgetting. A spectacular opening goal crowned a wonderful personal display which will have United’s fans salivating at the thought of what he could deliver in the years to come. The 2-0 win over Manchester City in Houston came with an obvious string of caveats. The International Champions Cup clash had been played down as a competitive training session by Jose Mourinho in the lead-up, while City were always going to be behind the eight-ball given that they only recently arrived Stateside and were taking to the field for the first time. But none of those factors will stop Lukaku gaining a whole load of con...

LEICESTER MOVE FOR IHEANACHO, BUT EVERTON NEED HIM TO REPLACE LUKAKU 16:27 The Nigeria international looks set to move to the King Power Stadium, but with a hole in attack, how are the Toffees not putting up a fight? It appears Kelechi Iheanacho’s Etihad nightmare is finally at an end. The 20-year-old is, according to Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, set to complete a move within the next week, with the most likely destination being Leicester City. “We believe he deserves to play at that age,” said Guardiola. “That’s why we decided what’s best.” That indeed he does, and City’s insistence on a buy-back clause is an indication of (a measure of) continued faith in the player. However, with the club’s sixth all-time top scorer Sergio Aguero not even a certain starter, and the Citizens still interested in Alexis Sanchez, Iheanacho’s chances looked set to go from slim to non-existent very quickly. Leicester will get a player lethal in the box, an outstanding one-touch fini...

MOURINHO NOT HAPPY WITH MAN UTD TRANSFER BUSINESS 11:09 The Portuguese admits that he "wants more" to add to the signings of Victor Lindelof and Romelu Lukaku but insists that he doesn't blame Ed Woodward Jose Mourinho is yet to be satisfied by Manchester United's dealings in the transfer window, despite the arrivals of Romelu Lukaku and Victor Lindelof. United missed out on signing Antoine Griezmann and have decided against bringing in Alvaro Morata up to now, while a reported chase of Eric Dier is expected to fall short due to Tottenham's demands. United beat Chelsea to the signing of Lukaku, who netted his first goal against Real Salt Lake on Monday, but Mourinho is targeting two more signings - with Ivan Perisic and Nemanja Matic thought to be top of his wishlist. "We always want more," Mourinho told ESPN. "We always feel there is room to improve, and I cannot say that I am happy with our transfer window. "What I can also say i...

NEYMAR TOLD TO LEAVE BARCA Neymar is being encouraged to leave Barcelona by one element of his entourage so that he can step out of the shadow of Lionel Messi, claims Sport. The Brazilian moved to Camp Nou in 2013 and is under contract until 2021, with his current release clause standing at €200 million. The likes of Manchester City, Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain are all expected to be interested if Neymar becomes unsettled enough to look to leave Barcelona. CHELSEA WANT AUBAMEYANG DEAL Chelsea want to complete a deal to sign Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Borussia Dortmund, according to Sky Sports . The Premier League champions lost out to Manchester United for the signing of Romelu Lukaku and, with Diego Costa tipped to leave, Antonio Conte wants to sign a world-class striker. Aubameyang’s name now appears to be at the top of Conte’s list, with reports claiming Dortmund will accept around £70 million for the striker, although the Bundesliga club want the s...

BALE: NO OFFER FROM MAN UTD BUT I'M HAPPY AT REAL MADRID 10:00 The 28-year-old continues to be linked to a move back to the Premier League but he is working hard to play a key role for Madrid next season Gareth Bale says he is not planning to leave Real Madrid for Manchester United, stating no offer has been made. The Welsh attacker has long been linked with a move back to the Premier League, with the Old Trafford club the main suitors. The 28-year-old made just 27 appearances in all competitions last season due to injuries, but remains a key role to Madrid's famous BBC attacking trio alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema. And he insists he is enjoying life in the Spanish capital. When asked if he has considered leaving, he told Marca: "No, everything has been complicated by my injury, but nothing else. "I can still play well and when I'm at the maximum I'll give my best again. I signed a long contract at Madrid and I'm happy here. ...

FRANCE ARE STAR SIXES WORLD CHAMPIONS 23:26 Youri Djorkaeff’s strike was enough to separate the two teams and give Les Bleus the world crown for football legends France have won the inaugural edition of the Star Sixes World Cup after defeating Denmark 2-1 at O2 Arena on Sunday evening. Goals from Ludovic Giuly and Youri Djorkaeff’s fired Les Bleus to World Cup glory as Daniel Jensen counted as mere consolation. That means a lot to @youridjorkaeff who gives France the lead #FRADEN #StarSixes pic.twitter.com/SCIuXerkRy — Star Sixes (@StarSixes) July 16, 2017 FT France 2-1 Denmark @piresrobert7's team win the first-ever #StarSixes title!! #FRADEN — Star Sixes (@StarSixes) July 16, 2017 Surprise package of the championship, Denmark failed to repeat the fluency and brilliance of their 4-2 semi-final romp against Brazil. Brazil suffered further humiliation as Spain silenced them 11-3 to claim the third place prize. FT Spain 11 (eleven) - 3 Brazil Spain wrap up in style...

CHELSEA STRIKER COSTA PARTIES IN ATLETICO SHIRT AND MOCKS CONTE 08:06 There appears to be no way back for the Spaniard at Stamford Bridge and he has made light of the situation in a live video on Instagram Diego Costa has been filmed partying in an Atletico Madrid shirt and taking a swipe at Chelsea manager Antonio Conte. In an Instagram live video, the Spaniard is seen wearing his former club's colours, while he wrote in Spanish in the comments section  "give a hug to Conte". The striker's future is very much up in the air at Stamford Bridge, with Costa having revealed that he has been told by Conte that he is no longer needed at the club. As a result, the 28-year-old has been excused from the start of pre-season training with the Blues in the hope that he will be able to find a new club and resolve his future. Costa has been strongly linked with a return to Atelti and the his latest performance on Instagram will undoubtedly excite fans of the Liga cl...

MAN CITY GOALKEEPER HART TO UNDERGO WEST HAM MEDICAL 08:00 The England international is set to move on loan to the London Stadium this summer, which could become a permanent move for around £15 million Joe Hart is set to undergo his medical at West Ham ahead of an initial loan move from Manchester City. The Hammers are keen to recruit a new goalkeeper this summer, and have swiftly negotiated a deal for the England international. Hart’s City contract expires in 2019, and he has, it is understood, been told to find a new club by manager Pep Guardiola. City allowed Hart to leave on loan to Torino last season and he is now set to move to London Stadium, with Guardiola’s side willing to subsidise his wages. West Ham are understood to have struck a deal that will see City pay half of Hart’s £100,000-per-week wages, and an option to buy will be included. Hart is now poised to formalise his move to the Hammers, which will likely lead to speculation over the futures of Adrian a...

ADEBAYOR REVEALS THE BEST MANAGER HE'S EVER WORKED WITH 12:30 The Togo forward, who has worked under Harry Redknapp and Arsene Wenger has explained why Jose Mourinho is the best manager he's ever had Togo international Emmanuel Adebayor has picked Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho as the best manager he has ever worked with. Adebayor who was loaned from Manchester City to Real Madrid in 2011 admitted that the Portuguese is truly the special one because he makes him special and remains the only coach who still keeps in touch with him. “Without a doubt, the best manager I ever worked with has been Jose Mourinho,” Adebayor was quoted by Turkish Football “Like everyone says he is the ‘Special One’, the guy is a special person and he is the only coach who still keeps in close contact with me. “We regularly talk, he is more than a manager. Mourinho holds a special place for me, he is on another level, there is nobody I have played under that is like him, t...

NEVILLE CLAIMS LUKAKU SIGNING WAS MOURINHO STOPPING CHELSEA 22:13 The former defender feels the chance to stop the Blues from replacing Diego Costa may have played a part in Manchester United signing the striker Manchester United's signing of Romelu Lukaku may have been a move from Jose Mourinho to ensure Chelsea did not get stronger, according to Phil Neville. United snared Lukaku from Everton in a move reportedly worth an initial £75 million on Monday, the striker signing a five-year contract with an option of a sixth. The deal came after the Belgium international had seemingly been set for a return to former club Chelsea for much of the transfer window, while Mourinho's men had pursued Real Madrid star Alvaro Morata. Lukaku's move to Old Trafford caught Neville by surprise and he feels United stopping their Premier League title rivals from improving – particularly with Diego Costa expected to leave – played a part in Mourinho's decision. "It caugh...

TERRY TAKES OVER AS ASTON VILLA CAPTAIN 14:51 The 36-year-old will lead his new side in their battle for promotion from the Championship and wears the armband for the first time on Saturday John Terry has been named the new captain of Aston Villa after completing his move to the Championship club. The former Chelsea and England skipper takes over the armband from James Chester as Steve Bruce plots a return to the Premier League. "Aston Villa are pleased to announce John Terry as captain," the club said in a brief statement. "Terry will be skipper for the 2017-18 campaign." The 36-year-old, who said he signed for Villa to avoid having to play against Chelsea, captains his new side for the first time on Saturday in a pre-season friendly against Shrewsbury Town. Terry spent 22 years at Chelsea and captained them from the 2004-05 season, winning five Premier League titles as well as the Champions League and Europa League.

WENGER EXPECTS MBAPPE TO STAY AT MONACO 14:32 The French boss claims the Gunners have not made an offer for the attacker and feels the teenager will remain in Ligue 1 for another season Kylian Mbappe is likely to stay at Monaco, according to Arsene Wenger, who confirmed Arsenal have not made a world-record bid for the in-demand striker. Mbappe has been linked with Arsenal and Real Madrid after scoring 15 goals to fire Monaco to the Ligue 1 title, as well as hitting six goals in his side's run to the semi-finals of the Champions League. Wenger previously indicated that he would be interested in signing the precocious 18-year-old, but the Frenchman now thinks Mbappe will still be in Ligue 1 for the new season. "It looks like that,” Wenger told reporters when asked if Mbappe would stay at Monaco. "Maybe he had too much choice, so in the end people don't move." Reports in Spain claimed Arsenal had made a world-record bid of £123 million for Mbappe, but...

BAKAYOKO SET TO SIGN FIVE-YEAR CHELSEA CONTRACT ON SATURDAY 01:36 The Monaco midfielder's confusing transfer to the Premier League club is set to finally come to an end Saturday after he completed a medical Tiemoue Bakayoko's move to Chelsea is set to be completed Saturday.  Goal understands that the Monaco midfielder traveled to London on Thursday and passed his medical with the Blues a day later, despite lingering concerns over his knee. He was set to sign a contract later Friday, having spent the day at the club's training ground in Cobham and speaking with Antonio Conte.    However, the move was complicated by several factors, with Monaco vice president Vadim Vasilyev asking for a higher fee at the last minute and Bakayoko having signed several mandates with mulitple agents or intermediaries, making it difficult to identify the parties who needed to be paid and slowing down the process of finalizing the deal.  And later in the evening the p...

ROONEY HAPPY AGAIN AFTER MAN UTD EXIT, SAYS EVERTON TEAM-MATE SCHNEIDERLIN 14:30 Morgan Schneiderlin believes a return to Everton after 13 years at Manchester United is what Wayne Rooney needs to enjoy football again. Wayne Rooney is "happy" after scoring on his second debut for Everton, with the striker's return to the club exactly what he needs to begin enjoying football again, according to team-mate Morgan Schneiderlin. Rooney found the net with a dipping shot from 30 yards out in Thursday's friendly win over Kenyan side Gor Mahia to reopen his account for the club after completing a move from Manchester United. The all-time United and England record goalscorer had fallen out of favour for club and country prior to his return to boyhood club Everton and Schneiderlin says the move is what the 31-year-old needed to reignite his career. "I don't need to present him as a player, he has a hell of a lot of qualities," Rooney's former United ...

CHELSEA, LIVERPOOL IN AUBA TUG OF WAR Chelsea and Liverpool will battle it out to sign Borussia Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, according to The Sun. Both clubs have made contact with the 28-year-old's representatives over a potential £65 million move, with Liverpool the slight favourites due to Aubameyang's relationship with former Dortmund and current Reds boss Jurgen Klopp. WEST HAM END GIROUD INTEREST West Ham have ended their interest in signing Olivier Giroud after learning they are not the Arsenal striker’s first choice, according to Sky Sports. Giroud has been linked with a move away from Arsenal following the club record signing of Alexandre Lacazette, and West Ham had been keen to sign the France international. However, with Everton, Borussia Dortmund and Marseille also reportedly chasing Giroud, the Hammers have pulled out of the race. MONACO REJECT €45M MENDY BID Monaco have rejected a €45 million offer from Manchester City for left-ba...

NABY KEITA TO REPEAT LIVERPOOL WISH AS LEIPZIG REJECT £57M BID 09:56 The 22-year-old wants to link up with Jurgen Klopp, with the Reds prepared to make him one of the biggest signings in Premier League history Naby Keita is expected to respectfully reiterate his desire to leave RB Leipzig for Liverpool as the determination to get a deal over the line is strengthened. The Reds have had an opening offer of £57 million rebuffed for their priority target as the Bundesliga side once again affirmed the midfielder is not for sale. News of the development broke via Bild on Thursday night, but it is understood the bid was submitted days in advance of the 22-year-old reporting back for pre-season training. Jurgen Klopp had alluded to the proposal last week when he highlighted the need for patience in the transfer window and said “even if you cannot see it, you can imagine we’ve done a lot behind the scenes.” The response Liverpool received to their formal approach wasn’t that Keita...

LACAZETTE THANKS IWOBI FOR ARSENAL DEBUT GOAL 00:59 The Frenchman singled out the Nigerian for praise after scoring in his first game for the Gunners against Sydney FC on Thursday Alexandre Lacazette has appreciated teammate Alex Iwobi after netting his dream debut goal in Arsenal’s 2-0 victory over Sydney FC in a pre-season game. The striker netted within 15 minutes of coming off the substitutes' bench to mark his arrival for a club-record fee in style. Iwobi made a great ground down the right before squaring for the onrushing Frenchman to slot home with a low finish. The France international who joined the Emirates Stadium giants for £52 million expressed his delight scoring his maiden goal before thanking the Nigerian for his assist. ''Happy to score my first goal with my new Team !! Thanks Alex Iwobi, great assist. #COYG #SydvARS,’’ Lacazette tweeted. Happy to score my 1st goal with my new Team !! Thanks @alexiwobi.. great assist#COYG #SydvARSpic.twitter.c...

MBAPPE BORN TO BE THE BEST PLAYER IN THE WORLD - GALLAS 12:30 The Monaco star has shown extraordinary maturity in his short career so far and is destined for the very top, according to ex-France international Kylian Mbappe was “born to be the best player in the world” according to William Gallas, who urged his compatriot to stay put at Monaco for at least one more season. Mbappe, 18, caught the world’s attention with his displays during Monaco’s Ligue 1-winning campaign in which he emerged as the breakout star. Additionally, the teenager scored six knockout goals as the principality side made a run to the semi-finals of the Champions League forcing Europe’s top clubs to sit up and take notice. Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester City and Arsenal are among the clubs interested in Mbappe and Gallas is not surprised to see his compatriot in such high demand. “The guy is born to be one of the best players in the world,” Gallas, speaking on behalf of Betsafe at the Star...

BONUCCI €17M LESS THAN KYLE WALKER?! AC MILAN MAKING STEAL OF THE CENTURY AT €40M 10:45 The centre-half is a massive game-changer for the Rossoneri, while the disparity in fees underlines that English clubs have more money than sense. It was only three days ago that Slaven Bilic lamented, "The money in football is absurd but it is like that in other sports and also in show business. "You have [Justin] Bieber who is earning more than the Rolling Stones, not to mention Led Zeppelin or Elvis Presley. "Everything cracked. Nothing is normal anymore." Bonucci agent won't deny Milan deal Friday offers us further evidence of football's seemingly irreversible descent into insanity, with Kyle Walker set to join Manchester City for €57 million, €17m more than the fee AC Milan have agreed with Juventus for Leonardo Bonucci. Bonucci is one of the finest defenders in the world, the ball-playing centre-half within one of the finest back-lines the game has e...

MAKELELE ADMITS HE HAD TO TALK TO BAKAYOKO 'EVERY DAY' AT MONACO TO TURN HIS CAREER AROUND Nizaar Kinsella 16:01 The Blues legend went to work in the principality and he made it his mission to turn the distracted young man into a great player EXCLUSIVE Tiemoue Bakayoko was always highly regarded, but when Claude Makelele was the technical director at Monaco, there were concerns that the midfielder may not live up to that potential. He was only 19-years-old at the time and he didn't see eye-to-eye with the club's head coach Leonardo Jardim, but conversations with Makelele saw the youngster change his diet, move house and simplify his life. Bakayoko demonstrated the quality of character needed to Jardim and helped Monaco to a Ligue 1 title and Champions League semi-final last season. Makelele opened up about his daily conversations with Bakayoko, who fittingly is set to move to Chelsea for £40 million to follow in Makele's footsteps. "When I came [to...

SYDNEY FC 0 ARSENAL 2: LACAZETTE SCORES ON DREAM DEBUT Chris Myson 12:56 Arsenal recorded a comfortable victory over Sydney FC to begin their pre-season campaign, with Alexandre Lacazette making a dream debut. Alexandre Lacazette made a stunning start to his Arsenal career by scoring on his debut to wrap up a 2-0 victory over Sydney FC. The striker netted within 15 minutes of coming off the substitutes' bench late on at a sold-out ANZ Stadium to mark his arrival for a club-record fee in style. It had looked until that point that a fourth-minute strike from Per Mertesacker, magnificent during the FA Cup final in his last Gunners appearance, would be the only goal of the game. Danny Welbeck had a controversial second-half penalty saved by Sydney goalkeeper Andrew Redmayne, whose impressive performance ensured the match remained in the balance until Lacazette's late intervention. The match was Arsenal's first pre-season encounter, with a friendly against Western S...