Xavi wants Ousmane Dembele to stay at Barcelona amid rumours of interest from Newcastle United.
The Premier League side, bankrolled after their takeover by a Saudi Arabia-led consortium, are expected to spend heavily during the January transfer window.
Barca winger Dembele is said to be a target, with a report in Sport on Friday suggesting the player s agent, Moussa Sissoko, is prepared to listen to offers as he is not happy with the Catalans new contract offer.
The France international, a €105million signing from Borussia Dortmund in 2017, has made only two Champions League appearances this season due to injury problems but is in the squad for Saturday s LaLiga game at Villarreal.
Dembele s time in Spain has been blighted by fitness problems, but he r…
Erik ten Hag challenged Manchester United to make it our game and take a significant step in their development by beating Liverpool at Anfield.
The United manager is certain his players will be undaunted by a fiery atmosphere, a week on from winning the EFL Cup and ending a near six-year trophy drought.
Liverpool s Premier League form is improving, after a dismal start to the year, and United s hosts have a top-four finish in their sights again.
That is the bare minimum target for United though, given they are in with an outside chance of the title.
Results at Old Trafford have been outstanding, with United dropping just four points there since a season-opening defeat to Brighton and Hove Albion, but on the road, against the elite clubs, wins have been ha…
Tottenham target Arne Slot has committed to staying at Feyenoord for another season.
The Dutchman had reportedly become a leading contender to replace Antonio Conte at Spurs following a fine campaign where he led the Rotterdam club to the Eredivisie title.
Talks between Slot’s management and Feyenoord took place this week but it has been agreed the 44-year-old will stay at De Kuip.
Slot told AD Sport: “I have heard a lot about the interest of other clubs in me. I am grateful for the appreciation, but my wish is to stay with Feyenoord and continue to build on the foundation that has been laid there over the past two seasons.
“There are no transfer talks going on and there have not been any and yesterday’s discussion was only about a possible extens…
There is something about a homegrown player succeeding, especially at the top level.
Liverpool have had their fair share of local lads come through at Anfield in the last 30 years, such as Robbie Fowler, Jamie Carragher and Steven Gerrard.
It is one thing to force your way into the first team, but another altogether to do so and leave no doubt that you belong there for more than just your childhood postcode.
Since his debut in 2016, Trent Alexander-Arnold has established himself in a Liverpool team that has been enjoying as much success as any other in the last three decades.
It hasn t all been plain sailing though, and as recently as a year ago, he was the subject of fierce wider debate regarding whether he even deserved a place in the England squad.
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Gareth Southgate was delighted with his players’ commitment, togetherness and mentality over the last week as England continue to build towards their goal of winning Euro 2024.
Having reached the final of the last edition and impressed in December’s World Cup quarter-final exit to France, the focus is on finally getting their hands on silverware in Germany next summer.
Winning their first four Group C matches means it has long been a case of when rather than if England seal their place at the finals, but Saturday’s drab 1-1 qualification draw against Ukraine brought criticism.
Southgate’s side bounced back with a slick 3-1 friendly win over old foes Scotland at Hampden Park on Tuesday, bringing a successful camp came to a victorious end.
“We’r…
Karim Benzema was included in France s starting line-up for Wednesday s friendly with Wales in Nice, ending the Real Madrid striker s near six-year absence from the side.
The 33-year-old s most recent appearance for Les Blues came in October 2015 when scoring a brace against Armenia, taking his tally to 27 goals in 81 international appearances.
He then became embroiled in a blackmail scandal involving France team-mate Mathieu Valbuena Benzema has denied the claims and is due to stand trial on the charge of complicity in attempted blackmail in October and was subsequently overlooked by Didier Deschamps.
That was until last month, however, when Benzema was surprisingly recalled to the squad ahead of the Euro 2020 finals after holding face-to-face talks with De…
Pep Guardiola explained why Erling Haaland will not be the difference between Manchester City s previous Champions League failures and a first title.
City have been repeatedly frustrated in the Champions League but are through to the quarter-finals for a sixth straight year after dominating RB Leipzig, led by Haaland.
The City number nine hit five on Tuesday in a 7-0 second-leg win in the last 16, securing an 8-1 aggregate victory.
Haaland broke a series of records in the process, including moving to 39 goals for the season – a new club record.
But these unprecedented goalscoring feats will not be enough to make City champions of Europe if they do not defend better than in previous seasons, Guardiola insisted.
Asked if Haaland s involvement coul…
Kylian Mbappe has revealed he will announce a decision regarding his future before linking up with the France national team for June s Nations League fixtures.
With his contract with Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain due to expire next month, Mbappe has been strongly linked with a move to Real Madrid.
Conflicting reports have suggested PSG are confident of tying the 23-year-old to a new deal in the French capital, while the hierarchy at the Bernabeu are sure of luring him to Spain.
Mbappe, a 2018 World Cup winner, has scored 36 goals and provided 21 assists for PSG this season, firing the Parisiens to the 10th Ligue 1 title in the club s history.
His total of 57 goal contributions this season can only be bettered by international team-mate Karim Benze…
Making what was a real title statement on Saturday evening, Arsenal stormed their way to a 3-0 romp away at Brighton.
Climbing to the top of the Premier League table here, Arsenal eventually breached Brighton’s rugged defence as England international Bukayo Saka converted from the penalty spot 12 minutes before the half-time break.
While the Seagulls might have come flying out of the traps after returning from the interval, it was the red-hot Kai Havertz who slotted home from close range midway through the second-half.
Laying down what was a major marker on the south coast, Brighton certainly had salt rubbed into their wound as former talisman Leandro Trossard came off the bench and wrapped up all three points in the final moments.
While Mikel Arteta�…
Kevin Phillips has no regrets about launching his managerial career away from the limelight in which contemporaries Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney have operated.
The former England striker is currently in charge at National League Hartlepool having started in the seventh tier of the pyramid with South Shields, whereas Lampard and Rooney were both handed their first big chance in the Sky Bet Championship by Derby and Gerrard took up the reins at Scottish giants Rangers.
Phillips had expressed frustration in the past about the lack of opportunities which came his way as he looked for a first managerial job but has sympathy for Lampard, who is out of work after bruising spells at Chelsea and Everton; Rooney, sacked by Birmingham after less than three months;…