Chelsea set to sign Man Utd star


 
on
 September 4, 2020



Chelsea are reportedly ready to sign Manchester United goalkeeper, Sergio Romero.

Quote:Chelsea Sign Kai Havertz From Bayern Leverkusen

The Blues have completed the signing of our second German international this summer with Kia Havertz putting his signature on a five-year contract.

The transfer of the young, highly rated attacking midfielder from Bayer Leverkusen follows on from the purchase of Timo Werner from another Bundesliga club RB Leipzig, and is in addition to the recruitment of Hakim Ziyech, Ben Chilwell and Thiago Silva as Frank Lampard’s squad for the forthcoming season takes shape. We have also signed young French defender Malang Sarr who is going out on loan with a view to gaining more experience before he is involved.

Havertz had this to say on becoming a Chelsea player. ‘I am very happy and proud to be here, For me it is a dream come true to play in a big club like Chelsea and I can’t wait to meet all the players and the trainers. Yeah, I am very happy to be here!’

Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia added: ‘Kai is one of the best players of his age in world football, so we are very happy that his future lies at Chelsea. He has proven pedigree in one of the best leagues in Europe, he plays for the German national side and he is an exciting, dynamic talent. We are delighted to be able to add his versatility and quality to the squad before the season begins.’

Havertz has become one of German football’s highest-rated young players following his breakthrough at Bayer Leverkusen, setting a series of records for his achievements, including those for the youngest player to make 50 and 100 Bundesliga appearances, which were both previously held by Timo Werner.

How old is Kai Havertz and what is his style of play?

Tall (he is 6ft 2in), fast and technically excellent, the 21-year-old has shown impressive versatility given his age. Predominantly a central attacking midfielder known for his accurate and incisive passing, along with an ability to retain possession in tight spaces and win the ball back in advanced positions, Havertz also played wide on the right earlier in his career, cutting inside onto his favoured left foot.

More recently, he proved himself a capable striker while filling in for that role due to injuries in the second half of 2019/20, and has been dubbed an ‘Alleskonner’ in his homeland – meaning a player who can do everything.

https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/2020/09/04/chelsea-have-havertz-?cardIndex=0-0

Quote:[b]Victor Osimhen scored another hat-trick in the Napoli jersey 

Victor Osimhen scored another hat-trick in the Napoli jersey as they beat Serie C side Teramo 4-0 in today’s friendly.[/b]

After a treble on his debut in a mini-tournament, former Lille hitman Osimhen notched up another three goals this afternoon.

Hirving Lozano was also on target with a rocket into the top corner to round out the 4-0 result.


Coach Gennaro Gattuso was again pushing the 4-2-3-1 formation, which allows his forwards to fan out and provide service for centre-forward Osimhen.

Matteo Politano was particularly inspired in this system, providing two assists, while Amin Younes set up Osimhen’s second.

The fans present at the Castel di Sangro training ground gave standing ovations to Osimhen and transfer-listed Kalidou Koulibaly.

Napoli 4-0 Teramo

Osimhen 4, 61, 65 (N), Lozano 14 (N)

Napoli: Ospina (Contini 66); Malcuit (Mezzoni 83), Luperto (Manolas 46), Koulibaly (Labriola 88), Ghoulam (Bifulco 88); Demme (Palmiero 80), Gaetano (Prezioso 66); Lozano (Zerbin 83), Younes (Ciciretti 66), Politano (Tutino 75); Osimhen (Llorente 75)

Quote:AFCON Trophy Missing At CAF Headquarters In Egypt

The North African country got to keep the trophy permanently after winning it three times in a row, but the silverware has now been lost

The Africa Cup of Nations trophy retained by Egypt permanently after the Pharaohs won the title three times in a row has been lost, with former federation member Magdi Abdelghani explaining that the cup was destroyed in a fire at the association's Cairo HQ in 2013.

Ex-Egyptian Football Association vice-president Ahmed Shobeir earlier revealed that the trophy was discovered missing during preparations to build a museum to house all of the silverware won by the North African nation.

Former Fifa Board Member and Pharaohs great Abdelghani later confirmed that the cup was one of several items of silverware that had been lost in a fire seven years ago.

"Officials of the committee which meets every five years and currently manages the Football Association were surprised that the trophy was not available, in light of their desire to create a museum at the federation headquarters, which would feature the trophy and the national team's kits," Shobeir said on the 'On Time Sports' TV show.

"However, [they] were surprised to find that the Afcon trophy was lost, and decided to open an investigation."

It was initially claimed that former captain Ahmed Hassan - who skippered the team to success at the biennial tournament in 2006, 2008 and 2010 - was in possession of the trophy, although he subsequently denied the claim.

"The committee searched for the trophy, but then an employee told them that Ahmed Hassan, the former captain of the Egyptian national team, who won the cup three times in a row, has kept it," Shobeir added.

Later, ex-Egypt midfielder Abdelghani clarified in a press conference that the trophy had been lost in a fire seven years ago.

"After the burning of the Football Association headquarters, some cups were lost, and the matter was investigated," the former FA member began, "including the Africa Cup of Nations that we retained.

"Some said that the cup had been with Shawky Gharib, the former general coach of the Egypt national team, and some say it had been with Hassan, the former captain of the Pharaohs."

After learning of the trophy's disappearance, Hassan took to social media to express his dismay at the loss.

"I wish I had kept the cup in my house instead of it being lost," he posted on his @AhmedHassan Twitter handle, "and I am surprised that I'm being questioned about the cup after nine years, despite the presence of two FA boards, and the five-year committee for a year and two months...but they're only now looking for the cup!

"One of the members of the five-year committee contacted me and told me that they would put a picture of me with the African Nations Cup on the wall inside the federation," Hassan continued, "and he asked me about the cup.

"I told him that I had delivered it back in 2011, and he said to me: 'I wish you had not handed it over, as the cup is not at the association now.'"

Egypt are the most successful country in the history of the Africa Cup of Nations, having won the trophy seven times since 1957. Their trio of consecutive successes between 2006 and 2010 is an unprecedented feat in the history of the African game.

https://www.goal.com/en/amp/news/egypt-fa-confirm-loss-of-africa-cup-of-nations-trophy/kkwd8zfzfcq81ch9lefarmlt6?__twitter_impression=true

Quote:[b]Messi Confirms Stay At Barcelona

It was a brutal drama... now I am going to continue in the club': Lionel Messi confirms he will begrudgingly STAY at Barcelona for now with superstar finally giving up on his fight for move to Manchester City in stunning U-turn[/b]

The superstar's bombshell U-turn was officially announced on Friday evening, although Messi has once again doubled down on his criticism of the board and suggested his desire to avoid a legal battle forced his hand.

The 33-year-old club captain announced he is finally abandoning attempts at a move to Manchester City this summer in a recorded interview despite having initially demanded to leave.



Lionel Messi has confirmed he will remain at Barcelona due to his desire to avoid a legal battle



Jorge Messi had refuted claims from Barca that his son has a €700m release clause in his deal

He also slammed LaLiga for getting involved in the saga and insisting a fee must be paid

Messi told Goal in an explosive admission: 'I wasn't happy and I wanted to leave. I have not been allowed this in any way and I will stay at the club so as not to get into a legal dispute. The management of the club led by (Josep) Bartomeu is a disaster.

'When I communicated my wish to leave to my wife and children, it was a brutal drama.

'The whole family began crying, my children did not want to leave Barcelona, nor did they want to change schools.

'But I looked further afield and I want to compete at the highest level, win titles, compete in the Champions League. You can win or lose in it, because it is very difficult, but you have to compete.



'At least compete for it and let us not fall apart in Rome, Liverpool, Lisbon. All that led me to think about that decision that I wanted to carry out.'

Messi told the club he wanted to leave last month after growing tired of the club's leadership.

He had appeared to be willing to fight on when his father issued a statement reiterating his claim that he does not have a €700m release clause.

Messi's father Jorge issued the statement on Friday that appears to quote directly from his contract stating: 'The release clause will not apply when the unilateral resolution of the contract comes into effect after the end of the 2019-20 season.'

The statement also slammed La Liga for wading in on the debate last week and claiming Barcelona were right to demand €700m from anyone who wanted to sign Barcelona's captain.

'We don't know what contract they have analysed,' it said. Also condemning their 'obvious lack of impartiality' in the matter.

But the statement from Messi's father appears to have been the last shot fired before the white flag was raised.

Not having a release clause could have drastically changed things for Manchester City if the Barcelona captain had been prepared to rip up his contract and let a tribunal decide his transfer fee.

But La Liga responded immediately reiterating their position and accusing the Messi statement of having taken the clause quoted from his contract out of context.

La Liga put its weight behind Barcelona's claim Messi was under contract for one more year and with a €700m buy-out clause, with a statement issued August 30.

The statement said: 'The contract is currently in force and has a release clause applicable in the event that Messi decides to unilaterally terminate it.'

La Liga's statement also threatened to block his move away although that would be beyond its juristition if Messi moved from Spain to England.

Chelsea told to pay more than £30m for 28-year-old star

 
on
 September 5, 2020




Rennes FC have reportedly informed Chelsea that it will cost more than £30 million to sign their 28-year-old goalkeeper, Edouard Mendy, this summer, The Telegraph UK reports.

.The majority of 26,000-plus fans surveyed in an AS poll have said that they disagree with Lionel Messi's decision to stay at Barcelona.

Lionel Messi’s decision to stay at Barcelona has not gone down well with fans. Of the more than 26,000 participants surveyed in an AS poll who were asked: ‘Do you agree with Messi staying at Barcelona?’, 61.6% have said ‘No’, while 38.4% have stated ‘Yes’.

These results indicate the significant loss of support for the Argentine superstar. The soap opera involving Messi and Barcelona – which began early last week after the player sent a burofax demanding to leave the club – ended on Friday when Messi himself confirmed he would stay at Camp Nou in an interview with Goal.

As Barça insisted the only way Messi could leave was through the payment of his €700million release clause, the club's talisman and captain has accepted he has no choice but to stay – as goes his account in the interview.

Read the full Messi interview here.

Messi: “I would never go to court against Barcelona”

“I thought and was sure that I was free to leave, the president always said that at the end of the season I could decide if I stayed or not. Now they cling to the fact that I did not say it before June 10, when it turns out that on June 10 we were competing for LaLiga in the middle of this awful coronavirus and this disease altered the whole season,” Messi told Goal.

“And this is the reason why I am going to continue in the club. Now I am going to continue in the club because the president told me that the only way to leave was to pay the €700million clause, and that this is impossible.

“There was another way and it was to go to trial. I would never go to court against Barça because it is the club that I love, which gave me everything since I arrived, it is the club of my life, I have made my life here. Barça gave me everything and I gave it everything. I know that it never crossed my mind to take Barça to court."

Messi slams Barcelona president Bartomeu

Barcelona have stayed relatively silent following the interview, apart from a post on their twitter page including a photo of Messi accompanied by a quote from the star: “I will give it my all. My love for Barça will never change.”

But the reality is Messi still wants to leave Barcelona, a fact that was very clear from the star's Goal interview, during which he also made severe criticisms of club president, Josep Bartomeu.

"The burofax was to make it official in some way. Throughout the year I had been telling the president that I wanted to leave, that the time had come to seek new goals and new directions in my career. He told me all the time: 'We'll talk, not now,' this and that, but nothing [happened]. The president did not give me a clue at what he was really saying,” said Messi.

“Sending the burofax was making it official that I wanted to go and that I was free and the optional year – I was not going to use it and I wanted to go. It was not to make a mess, or to go against the club, but the way to make it official because my decision had been made."

Source: https://en.as.com/en/2020/09/05/football/1599293538_619379.amp.html

Cech identifies new goalkeeper to replace Kepa at Chelsea


 
on
 September 6, 2020



Chelsea are set to ramp up their interest in Rennes goalkeeper, Edouard Mendy, this week.
According to the UK Mirror, Mendy comes highly recommended by the Blues’ technical director, Petr Cech.

                          

‘Talk to families before tweeting’ - Marcus Rashford blasts UK politician for tweeting ‘it’s a parents job to feed their kids’



                              





Manchester United footballer, Marcus Rashford has blasted a UK politician who tweeted that it's a parent's job to feed their families.

 



The exchange on Twitter occured after a North Yorkshire MP called Kevin Hollinrake tweeted about the 'Eat Out to Help Out' scheme's success.

The politician wrote: "Extraordinary success of #EatOutToHelpOut - simultaneously helped boost the economy, encouraged staycations and got us all used to venturing out once again."

After the tweet, a twitter user  replied: "Undoubtedly a success Kevin and I’m sure warmly welcomed by the hospitality industry. Credit where it’s due.

"Whilst we’re discussing food, why does it take footballer @MarcusRashford to make a stand for the hungry children in our society? Is that not the Governments job?"

Mr Hollinrake then tweeted back, writing: "Where they can, it’s a parents job to feed their children."

 



Almost two days later, Rashford saw the tweet and then responded.

Rashford, who suffered hunger as a child before Manchester United signed him, waded into the discussion.

The Manchester United player pointed out all parents "felt the responsibility to feed their children" as he urged the politician to talk to families before tweeting.

The footballer, who has been campaigning to end child food poverty, said: : "I would urge you to talk to families before tweeting. To this day I haven’t met one parent who hasn’t wanted or felt the responsibility to feed their children...

"Put to the side that this comment came from an MP. It’s comments like this that prevent people from speaking their truth and asking for help.

"We need to start uplifting each other. I would have had the same response to anyone tweeting this..."



Rashford, who earns £200,000 weekly at his club, has already helped to raise £20million to fund 3.9million meals for vulnerable children.

He now wants to expand a program that gives free school meals to every youngster from a Universal Credit household, helping an extra 1.5million children.


b

Quote:[b]Everton Sign James Rodriguez From Real Madrid For £20 Million

Everton have signed Colombia attacking midfielder James Rodriguez from Real Madrid in a deal worth £20m.[/b]

The 29-year-old joins the Toffees on a two-year contract, with the option for a further season.

He joined Real Madrid from Monaco in 2014 after winning the Golden Boot at the World Cup in Brazil that summer.

"I am really, really happy to be at this great club, a club with so much history, and here with a manager who knows me really well," said Rodriguez.

"I'm looking forward to achieving great things here - and winning things, which is what everyone's aim is.

"I've come here to try to improve, to get better. I've also come here to help the team to win, to play good football - entertaining football."

Rodriguez, who was entering the last year of his contract with the Spanish champions, featured 14 times for Zinedine Zidane's side last season.

It is the third time he has been signed by Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti, having joined the Italian at Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.

"I'm convinced, with Carlo and his technical staff, we can achieve big things and one of the big reasons [I signed] was the presence of Carlo Ancelotti," Rodriguez added.

"I have enjoyed some great times with him previously at two different clubs. That was a massive reason to come here."

Ancelotti said: "James, as everyone knows, is a fantastic player with a lot of quality and a lot of ability to make assists for the strikers.

"He's really excited about the project of the club and the fact we want to improve. He was really excited to sign and I didn't spend time to convince him - he was already convinced."

Rodriguez is part of an ambitious Ancelotti rebuilding programme at Everton, with the Toffees having signed Napoli's combative Brazil international Allan and agreed a fee for Watford's French midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure.

The Colombian has been marginalised under Zidane at the Bernabeu and was allowed to miss pre-season training to sort out his future.

Ancelotti, who became Everton boss last December, has been the driving force behind the deal, with Rodriguez attracted by the idea of working with the Italian once more.

Rodriguez won two La Liga titles and two Champions Leagues with Real but was then loaned to Bayern for two seasons, winning the Bundesliga in both campaigns.

He returned to the Bernabeu last term but featured just eight times in La Liga and scored one goal.

Rodriguez had already established a strong reputation across Europe before 2014, courtesy of his time at Porto and Monaco.

He won the Portuguese league three years running before the age of 21, during which time he became the youngest to win the division's player of the year award, aged 20, in 2012, before Monaco bought him for £38.5m.

He scored 10 goals and made 14 assists in 38 appearances for Monaco before impressing on the global stage, scoring six goals to win the World Cup Golden Boot in Brazil in 2014 and secure a move to Real Madrid.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/53992937

                          

“I’ve got a point to prove and I’m really excited for the new challenge," Ojo told Cardiff City TV, today, Monday, September 7.

b

“I am happy because my son Messi has stayed at his house - Samuel Eto’o delighted with Messi’s decision to stay at Barcelona









Former Barcelona and Cameroon striker, Samuel Eto’o, has stated that he is happy Lionel Messi has agreed to remain at Barcelona, but warned the club to sign more players so the club won't be reliant on Messi.

 

Messi wanted to leave Camp Nou recently, but changed his mind after his father and agent, was warned by the club that he could face legal issues if he doesn't obey his contract.

 

Eto’o who played for Barcelona between 2004 and 2009, scoring 130 goals and winning eight titles there, says he is happy that Messi is now settled for the season

“I am happy because my son Messi has stayed at his house, but at Barca, we need other players with Blaugrana DNA. Messi alone is not enough,” Eto’o said at a La Liga event as reported by TuttoMercato.

“You need to look for players on the market with tiki-taka style and not box to box.”

 



 

Eto'o also hopes his former club Mallorca, who he played for between 2000 and 2004, scoring 70 goals returns back to the top-flight having been relegated by finishing 19th last season.

“I want Barcelona to win the championship and I hope that my Mallorca returns to the top division,” he said.

 

When quizzed on who would be the standout player for the upcoming season, Eto’o said;

“I would like to see Sergio Busquets back at the highest level, Barcelona always wins when Busquets is in good form,” Eto’o continued.

“And then I say Eden Hazard: I played with Chelsea and I'm not afraid to say that Lionel Messi is worth it to me.”

On the best teammate of his career, Eto’o revealed: “Iniesta is the best player I have played with, for me, he is the one who best interprets the game of football ever.”

Quote:[b]Ronaldo: I Want To Break Ali Daei’s Goalscoring Record 

Cristiano Ronaldo became the first European player to reach 100 international goals after scoring twice in Portugal’s 2-0 win over 10-man Sweden.[/b]

Veteran Sweden midfielder Gustav Svensson was sent off just before half-time for collecting a second yellow card, and from the resulting free-kick, Ronaldo fired the ball into the top corner to bring up his landmark century.

After 72 minutes, the Juventus forward – who missed Portugal’s Nations League opener against Croatia on Saturday with a toe injury – curled in a second goal from the edge of the penalty area.

Ronaldo has set his sights on Iranian Ali Daei’s record for a male international of 109 goals.

“I managed to beat this milestone of 100 goals and now (I’ll go) for the record. It’s step-by-step. I am not obsessed because I believe the records come in a natural way,” Ronaldo said.

“When I had this problem in my toe I always knew that I could recover for this second game.”

Asked about his future in the game, Ronaldo was quoted by Reuters as saying: “The future, only God knows. I am happy to play with these young players and I am enjoying a lot this moment both individually and collectively.

Portugal have two wins from their opening Nations League fixtures, and top the table ahead of France, who beat Croatia 4-2 in Paris.


Defender Dejan Lovren had put the 2018 World Cup runners-up ahead after 17 minutes following a corner, but Antoine Griezmann drew France level just before the break.

In stoppage time, Manchester United forward Anthony Martial saw his sliding effort deflect in off ‘keeper Dominik Livakovic for an own goal.

Brighton vs Chelsea: Lampard suffers major injuries blow ahead of EPL opener

 
on
 September 9, 2020



Chelsea manager, Frank Lampard, is very likely to be without the club’s new signings, Hakim Ziyech and Ben Chilwell for their Premier League opener against Brighton on Monday due to injuries.