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Sports update - Printable Version +- Forums (http://contripeople.com) +-- Forum: General Discussion (http://contripeople.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=5) +--- Forum: General Discussion (http://contripeople.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=60) +--- Thread: Sports update (/showthread.php?tid=42136) |
RE: Sports update - Edoman - 01-15-2021 Onuachu Set To Join Ligue 1 Club Olympic Onuachu Set To Join Ligue 1 Club Olympic Lyon Quote:Super Eagles forward Paul Onuachu is set to join Ligue 1 club Olympic Lyon on a permanent de, l according to several reports. https://www.completesports.com/onuachu-set-to-join-ligue-1-club-olympic-lyon/ RE: Sports update - Edoman - 01-15-2021 Mourinho on Rashford penalty debate: Check the stats! 15 January 2021, Jose Mourinho has suggested he is not responsible for the high number of penalties being awarded to Manchester United. United forward Marcus Rashford revealed the club's increase in favourable penalty decisions seemed to coincide with advice handed down by Mourinho during his spell as manager at Old Trafford. Amid the debate over United penalties that was recently reignited by comments from Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, Rashford told the Football Writers' Association: "There's been times when we have not got penalties. "I remember when Jose was manager, there were five or six times I can remember where I should've had a penalty. "Jose ended up saying to me if you're not savvy about the way you do it then you're not going to get it. "After that we started to get a few – in terms of development, you have to learn it and understand it." Mourinho was asked about Rashford's comments when he faced the media on Friday ahead of Tottenham's away Premier League game against Sheffield United on Sunday. The Spurs boss claimed he did not want to make headlines ahead of the huge clash between Liverpool and United on the same day his team are at Bramall Lane. But he suggested Opta statistics would come out in his favour on the topic. "Look, first of all, Liverpool versus Manchester United is a big match that doesn't need me to make it bigger, " Mourinho said. "Or it doesn't need me to do any headlines before such a big match that I know means so much for both clubs and supporters' population, so I'll leave comments for later not for now. "But if you feel the need to write something about it, do it in a very simple way. "Stats, go to Opta, stats, go to my history as a manager in my more or less 10 Premier League seasons. Compare numbers and take your conclusions." United win more penalties under Solskjaer Opta statistics show United won seven penalties in all competitions under Mourinho in 2016-17 and six in the following campaign (four and three respectively in the league). Mourinho's United were then awarded six in 24 games before he was fired in the 2018-19 season, the spot-kick rate rising to nine in 29 when Solskjaer took charge - initially on an interim basis. United have continued to be awarded more penalties under Solskjaer since he became permanent boss. They had an astonishing 22 in the 2019-20 season, 14 of which came in the Premier League. This season, United have already racked up six Premier League spot-kicks in 17 matches and 11 in all competitions. United lead the league in more ways than one Since Solskjaer took over from Mourinho, United have won 27 penalties in 76 Premier League games. That is far and away the most in the league, ahead of Leicester City (20 in 76), Manchester City (18 in 75) and Liverpool (16 in 76). Chelsea (14), Arsenal (10) and Tottenham (eight) do not fare as well, while Everton have been awarded just five spot-kicks in 76 top-flight matches over the period. Mourinho was awarded just 26 penalties from 212 Premier League games during his Chelsea tenure. RE: Sports update - Edoman - 01-16-2021 New Paris Saint-Germain coach, Mauricio Pochettino tests positive for Covid-19 New Paris Saint-Germain manager, Mauricio Pochettino has tested positive for coronavirus. The former Tottenham manager only took over at the French club on January 2 and led them to Trophee des Champions glory on Wednesday with a 2-1 victory over Marseille, winning his trophy as a professional manager. The 48-year-old Argentine will now self isolate and is set to miss the club's next two Ligue 1 fixtures against Angers and Montpellier. An official club statement read: "The coach of PSG Mauricio Pochettino is confirmed positive in the Sars-Cov2 PCR test. "He will therefore respect isolation and is subject to the appropriate health protocol. His assistants Jesus Perez and Miguel D'Agostino will take over from tomorrow in Angers." RE: Sports update - Edoman - 01-16-2021 EPL: Lampard opens up on Avram Grant’s return to Chelsea on January 16, 2021 Chelsea boss, Frank Lampard, has reacted to reports linking the club’s former coach, Avram Grant, with a return to Chelsea. Grant has been linked with a return to Chelsea in the past few days. The Israeli managed Chelsea and Lampard for one season after replacing Jose Mourinho in September 2007. Chelsea owner, Roman Abramovich, is said to be considering bringing the 65-year-old back to the Blues to support Lampard. Speaking on the development, Lampard was quoted by Metro UK as saying ahead of Chelsea’s Premier League clash with Fulham on Saturday evening: “I don’t know anything about it, so I prefer not to go any further with it. “But in terms of football clubs now, they are huge businesses, a lot of people are employed. “I remember being here with Jose Mourinho when he won back-to-back titles in 2005 and 2006. “So I don’t want to hang on exactly what it means because in a modern football club there are different roles for different people up and down the club. “Sometimes, a great line of communication to your board or an experienced person can be a great thing. “But the most important thing for me always regarding personnel is that the team works together. The team, the club, the staff, that’s the biggest thing.” RE: Sports update - Edoman - 01-17-2021 Quote:[b]Ozil Set To Terminate His Arsenal Contract And Move To Fenerbache https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/55559952 RE: Sports update - Edoman - 01-17-2021 Transfer: Lukaku set for shock move to Man City on January 17, 2021 Inter Milan striker, Romelu Lukaku, has become a target for Manchester City, who will invest £200 million in their squad in several areas at the end of the season, the UK Telegraph reports. Pep Guardiola’s men sit four points behind leaders Manchester United with a game in hand, ahead of their match with Crystal Palace on Sunday. But City face a summer rebuilding, with the likes of Sergio Aguero, Fernandinho and Eric Garcia able to leave for free. Guardiola will be in the market for a new striker, left back and a defensive midfielder. One area of concern is a long-term replacement for striker Aguero, who has struggled with injury problems since the start of the season. The 32-year-old striker’s contract expires in six months, and he is yet to make a decision on his future. But City will reportedly target a new striker even if Aguero ends up staying at the Etihad beyond this summer. It is believed that Lukaku, Dortmund striker Erling Haaland and Benfica forward, Darwin Nunez have been targeted as long-term successors to Aguero. Lukaku has previously played for City’s rivals, Manchester United, between 2017 and 2019. But he struggled for minutes under Jose Mourinho and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer despite scoring 42 goals in 96 appearances in all competitions. RE: Sports update - Edoman - 01-17-2021 Lampard thrilled with Mount: I wasn't blowing the world away in my first year or so 16 January 2021, Chelsea head coach Frank Lampard has expressed his delight at Mason Mount's performance against Fulham and Callum Hudson-Odoi's recent form. Mount scored the winning goal in the Blues' narrow 1-0 victory at Fulham, who played more than half the match a man light following Antonee Robinson's sending off just before the break. That goal was just the tip of the iceberg for Mount, who laid on a remarkable seven key passes – only three times in the Premier League this season has a player produced more in a single game. Lampard was overjoyed with the England international's display and highlighted the midfielder's already considerable experience despite only just turning 22, before suggesting Mount is even playing at a higher level than he was at a similar stage of his career. "I thought Mason's performance all round was fantastic," Lampard told reporters. "He has been very, very good for us in the past year, this year. He is a big example of why I talk about youth. "Mason turned 22 years old last week, the age I came to Chelsea at. I wasn't blowing the world away in my first year or so, Mason already has so many games under his belt. "Across out frontline, we've got; Christian Pulisic – similar age bracket, Kai Havertz – similar age bracket, Callum Hudson-Odoi – younger age bracket, Tammy [Abraham], Timo [Werner] – they're all young. "But to go back to Mason, his effort, attitude and quality of play today was outstanding." Hudson-Odoi was bright after coming off the bench in the final 15 minutes, though he was seemingly unfortunate not to start. The winger endured a difficult 2020 due to fitness problems and a lack of form, but he is starting to show why he had been so highly rated in his teenage years. In the past month, only Mount and Pulisic have created more Premier League chances than his six among Chelsea players, despite Hudson-Odoi playing just 176 minutes. That means he is averaging 3.1 key passes per 90 minutes in that time – Mount (4.2) is the only other player with a tally of more than two, and Lampard has been impressed by the 20-year-old's attitude. "There has been a real uplift in his form," Lampard added. "That's a sign of his development, he is coming on, going by people and showing confidence. And a lot of that will be down to the injury he had to get over last season. "Hakim [Ziyech] obviously gives us something different and was outstanding when fit. Christian [Pulisic] is always a threat. When I have the three, there is one who maybe can't start the game, but they must then come on and impact the game. Generally, a winger is where you make your changes. "Yes, I had Leicester in mind [when selecting the team] and we will see how players react in the next day or two. In this busy, busy period players will have to accept to be an impact player sometimes and then come in and start. "For Callum, I am delighted with how he is playing at the minute and he is approaching it in the right way. He will get many, many minutes for us." RE: Sports update - Edoman - 01-17-2021 Conte hints at Eriksen's new role amid reports of a Tottenham return 16 January 2021, Antonio Conte has plans to utilise Christian Eriksen in a deeper role for Inter, despite speculation linking the midfielder with a return to former club Tottenham. Eriksen looked poised to leave Inter after the club's CEO Giuseppe Marotta revealed he had been placed on the transfer list before the mid-season break. That followed a difficult start to the season for the Denmark international, which saw him start just four league games and fail to claim an assist. Reports suggest a reunion with Spurs, where he scored 51 goals in 226 Premier League matches, could yet happen during the January transfer window, but it appears there may still be a future for the 28-year-old at the Nerazzurri. Deployed at the base of Inter's midfield for Wednesday's Coppa Italia win over Fiorentina, Eriksen enjoyed a fruitful outing. No player on the pitch made more than his four key passes, while he completed the most passes in the opposition half of any Inter player (45) and gained possession a team-high nine times. While Marcelo Brozovic is likely to return to that position for Sunday's Derby d'Italia with Juventus, Conte suggested he could look to use Eriksen there more frequently. "We must get the best out of our squad," Conte told a media conference. "It is inevitable to have him [Eriksen] behind Brozo [Brozovic] because we do not have this kind of player in the squad who can be a playmaker in front of the defensive line. "We are trying to get the best of Christian in that position, even if he played both as an attacking and an inside midfielder already. "It is good for the team and myself having the opportunity to use him in different roles in the midfield." Second-place Inter go into Sunday's clash four points ahead of Andrea Pirlo's Juve, who are fourth. RE: Sports update - Edoman - 01-17-2021 Lampard calm on Werner drought despite missing 'bread and butter' chance 16 January 2021, Frank Lampard is remaining patient amid Timo Werner's Premier League goal drought despite the striker missing a glorious chance late on in Chelsea's 1-0 win over Fulham. Although Germany international Werner scored in the recent FA Cup win over Morecambe, he went into Saturday's match without a goal in his previous nine league games. That was already his longest run without a goal since going 11 matches without netting in 2016. He had a fine chance to finally end that difficult spell in the latter stages when he was put through on goal by Christian Pulisic, but he missed the target when one-on-one with Fulham goalkeeper Alphonse Areola. Luckily for Chelsea and Lampard, the excellent Mason Mount had already netted what proved to be the winner. Lampard put on a brave face for Werner at full-time, though he did not completely hide his disappointment. When asked if he was worried about Werner's dry spell, Lampard told Sky Sports: "I think it's normal. "If you don't score as regularly as you want – he scored last week in the FA Cup. Those are the goals I've seen him score many times, his bread and butter is going through like that and scoring. "He has to keep on working, that's the only way out of it. We've all been there. If you're a goalscorer or striker, get back on the training pitch, be pleased that you're getting in there and go again. "It will go in for him, because he's high quality. We're getting him in positions there when he came on, and he will score." Chelsea's winner came 12 minutes from time, rather late in the day considering struggling Fulham were reduced to 10 men in the 44th minute when Antonee Robinson was sent off for a wild lunge on Cesar Azpilicueta. But Lampard insists he had faith they would get the job done and he paid tribute to Mount, whose seven key passes in a single match has only been bettered three times in the Premier League this term. "I trust in the quality of the players," he added. "Mason, I thought, was outstanding in the game anyway, so he deserves the accolades for how he played. "I did have a feeling we were going to get the goal because it was constant pressure. It was just staying patient, staying quick with our passing, which I think we did. "I changed it to bring Tammy [Abraham] on to get him and Oli [Olivier Giroud] up front. I wanted to bring Callum [Hudson-Odoi] on for his one-versus-one [abilities]. Callum could have deserved to start today, to be fair. "It's not easy selections for me on that side of the pitch at the moment, so he added, Tammy added and Timo added, just disappointed he didn't get his goal. "Mason was in a slightly deeper role at that point, but he arrived in the box. He needs to score more goals and he knows that, but his quality is brilliant and his attitude is brilliant." Victory moved Chelsea up to seventh in the Premier League, and they are in action again on Tuesday as they go to Leicester City. RE: Sports update - Edoman - 01-18-2021 English Premier League: Liverpool play out 0-0 draw with Manchester United (As it happened) Liverpool are still playing catch up with table topping Manchester United as they were held to a 0-0 draw at Anfield on Sunday night, January 17. Even with the high expectations before the game, fans were left disappointed as a lack of finishing quality was on show during the match. The following line up was used by both teams. Liverpool: Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Henderson, Fabinho, Robertson; Thiago, Wijnaldum (Milner 89′), Shaqiri (Jones 76′); Salah, Mane, Firmino (Origi 85′) Subs not used: Kelleher, R.Williams, Phillips, N.Williams, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Minamino Man United: De Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw; Pogba, Fred, McTominay; Fernandes (Greenwood 89′), Rashford, Martial (Cavani 61′) Subs not used: Henderson, Bailly, Telles, Tuanzebe, Matic, Van de Beek, Mata. Jurgen Klopp was deprived of Joel Matip in the buildup, with the Cameroonian not fit enough to feature, Xherdan Shaqiri, started while Jordan Henderson played as a left-sided centre-back. The Reds were dominant throughout the majority of the first half but, most of their chances were saved by an alert David de Gea. It was clear at half-time that both Firmino and Andy Robertson would need to improve after the break, and in the second half only Harry Maguire’s interception kept Liverpool’s No. 9 from scoring. Edinson Cavani then came in for Martial who looked out of sorts, as Ole Gunnar Solkajaer felt he could smell blood. As the game progressed, it threatened to open up as an end-to-end battle. Firmino and Mohamed Salah tooled but often saw themselves overrun while Shaquiri was replaced at the 76th minute by Curtis before Thiago drew a bright save from De Gea . Both sides pushed for a winner late on, but ultimately it did not come, with United staying top as Liverpool fell behind ????? RE: Sports update - Edoman - 01-18-2021 What the English Premier League table now looks like (photo) Manchester United, Manchester City and now Leicester City are now higher than EPL defending champions Liverpool, after this weekend's round of matches. Arsenal are still in a distant 11th and even the club's fans have ruled out a title push. Sheffield United are still rooted at the bottom of the table after losing to an Ndombele inspired Tottenham on Sunday. See the full table below. RE: Sports update - Edoman - 01-18-2021 Lionel Messi shown first red card of Barcelona career after punching opponent as Athletic Bilbao beat Barca 3-2 to win Super Cup final Athletic Bilbao stunned an error prone Barcelona on Sunday night, January 17, as they beat Barca 3-2 in extra time to win the Spanish Super Cup. In a match filled with nerve wrecking drama, six time Ballon d'or winner, Lionel Messi was shown the first red card of his Barcelona career after he punched an opposing player, as he couldn't keep a cool head seeing that his team was on the verge of losing the final. Towards the match end, Messi played a pass and took a swing at Asier Villalibre as the striker came in front of him. The referee then showed him a straight red card after reviewing the incident on VAR. It was the first red card Messi has ever received as a Barcelona player, coming in his 753rd appearance for the club. Antoine Griezmann scored twice only for Oscar de Marcos and Asier Villalibre to reply for the Basques. In extra-time, Iniaki Williams struck before Messi was red carded, in another humiliating display that will surely see Messi leave the club in disarray. Athletic who defeated Real Madid days ago to reach the final, are now Supercopa champions. RE: Sports update - Edoman - 01-18-2021 Quote: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-9154599/amp/Mesut-Ozil-signs-Fenerbahce-seven-half-years-Arsenal-finally-ends.html He teased fans by saying: ' Quote:I grew up as a Fenerbahce fan as a kid in Germany - every German-Turkish person supports a Turkish team when they grow up in Germany. https://twitter.com/MesutOzil1088/status/1350841841294467074?s=19 When asked by another Twitter followers which was his favourite district in the city, Ozil replied 'Kadikoy', which is where the club's stadium is located. RE: Sports update - Edoman - 01-18-2021 Inter Milan vs Juventus: Pirlo blasts Cristiano Ronaldo, others after Serie A 2-0 defeat on January 18, 2021 Juventus manager, Andrea Pirlo, has slammed his players, including forward, Cristiano Ronaldo for having the wrong attitude, following their Serie A 2-0 away defeat against Inter Milan on Sunday. Pirlo explained that his players lacked anger and determination against Inter Milan, adding that they dropped deep and were too fearful of Inter’s attack. Two goals from Arturo Vidal and Nicolo Barella gave Antonio Conte’s side all three points against Juventus at San Siro. “Our attitude was all wrong from the very beginning, and when you lack anger and determination in matches like these, it’s an uphill struggle,” Pirlo was quoted by Juventus’ official website as saying after the game. “We dropped deep and were too fearful of Inter’s attack – we were entirely preoccupied by our defensive work, without even being aggressive, but in these sorts of contests, you need to match your opponents for competitive desire. “Over a long run, these slip-ups can happen, and it’s a shame because we came into this in good form. However, a team like Juventus can never show that kind of attitude. “In our preparations for the match, we focused on their switches of play and the forward runs of their central midfielders, and that’s exactly where their goals came from. However, if the team fails to do what we rehearsed, it’s my responsibility. “We couldn’t have put in a worse performance than this, but now we need to pick ourselves up because we’ve got a cup final on Wednesday.” Juventus’s next match is against Napoli in the Super Coppa Italia final on Wednesday. RE: Sports update - Edoman - 01-18-2021 Mesut Ozil arrives in Turkey with his family ahead of his unveiling at Fenerbahce as his seven-and-a-half-year spell at Arsenal finally ends (photos) Mesut Ozil has officially confirmed his move to Fenerbahce, bringing to an end his seven-and-a-half year stay at Arsenal. The 32-year-old German midfielder, who joined the Gunners from Real Madrid in 2013 fell out of coach Mikel Arteta's plans since he took charge in December 2019. He will now join Turkish club, Fenerbahce, on a free transfer after his £350,000-a-week Gunners contract was terminated. The deal is yet to be officially announced, but Ozil has admitted he is 'very excited' to sign for the club in an interview with Turkish television channel NTV. 'I am a Fenerbahce fan. That is why I am very happy to be coming to Turkey with Fenerbahce,' Ozil said. 'I'm very excited. God gave me the chance to wear this jersey as a Fenerbahce fan. God willing, I will carry it with honour and do everything I can for the team,' he added. 'Of course, I'm missing a few matches. I haven't played in a match in a while, but I am physically fit, I have no issues,' he said, adding he had been training with the first team at Arsenal during his time off the pitch. The former Real Madrid star was pictured in several photos including one showing him posing with a Fenerbahce scarf after touching down with his wife Amine Gulse and their daughter Eda in Istanbul on Sunday night. Ozil leaves Arsenal having played 254 matches for the club, scoring 44 goals and recording 77 assists in more than seven years. He was signed by Arsene Wenger in a club-record fee of £42million and won three FA Cups and Community Shield. He was named the club's Player of the Season in 2015-16 after Arsenal finished second in the Premier League to Leicester City. Ozil was also named the PFA Fans' Player of the Month on three separate occasions in 2015. RE: Sports update - Edoman - 01-18-2021 Barcelona star, Lionel Messi facing possible 12 match ban for punching opponent during Super Cup final against Athletic Bilbao Barcelona superstar, Lionel Messi could be hit with 12 matches ban after he was sent off in the last minute of Barcelona's Spanish Super Cup final defeat to Athletic Bilbao on Sunday night. The Argentine playmaker was sent off as Barcelona were beaten 3-2 by Athletic Bilbao. It was Messi's first red card for Barcelona and only the third of his career. Referee Gil Manzano missed the incident initially but after a VAR review, he showed Messi a straight red card for violent conduct. Messi now faces being suspended between four and 12 matches, depending on the way the Spanish FA review the incident. If the six-time Ballon d'Or winner is deemed to have acted in an aggressive manner then he could face the maximum time out of action, The UK Sun reports. Koeman backed his star man over the incident, saying Messi's frustration at being repeatedly fouled throughout the game caused him the red card. 'I can understand what Messi did,' the Dutchman said after the match. 'I don't know how many times they fouled him, and it's normal to react when they keep trying to foul you as a player who is looking to dribble with the ball, but I need to see it again properly.' RE: Sports update - Edoman - 01-18-2021 Phil Neville steps down as England manager with immediate effect ahead of impending Inter Miami appointment Phil Neville has left his role as England women's football team manager with immediate effect. The English Football Association (FA) confirmed his departure on Monday January 18. “His decision to leave now means the FA will shortly confirm the name of an interim head coach to lead the Lionesses in February with Sarina Wiegman assuming the full-time role following the Olympic Games in August,” read a statement on Monday. “A recruitment process had already been under way with assistant coach Rehanne Skinner’s departure to join Tottenham Hotspur last November.” “It has been an honour to manage England and I have enjoyed three of the best years of my career with The FA and the Lionesses,” added Neville. “The players who wear the England shirt are some of the most talented and dedicated athletes I have ever had the privilege to work with. They have challenged me and improved me as a coach, and I am very grateful to them for the fantastic memories we have shared. “I’d like to thank The FA for the tremendous backing they have given me, in particular Sue Campbell and my talented support staff whose energy, commitment and enthusiasm has been crucial to helping us make the progress we have. I wish England Women every success in the future and look forward to following their journey in the years to come.” The former Manchester United and Everton men's player took the job in January 2018 on a contract until the summer of 2021, but decided to step down ahead of his impending appointment by Inter Miami. Under his watch, the team won a maiden SheBelieves Cup in March 2019, before finishing fourth at the 2019 World Cup in France. He also helped ensure Great Britain qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in 2021. The announcement comes days after Inter Miami, the US club part-owned by Neville's former England team-mate David Beckham, parted company with manager Diego Alonso earlier this month, having already held preliminary discussions with Neville. RE: Sports update - Edoman - 01-19-2021 Former Arsenal player, Jack Wilshere signs for Bournemouth until end of the season English club, Bournemouth have signed a short-term deal with former Arsenal, West Ham and England player, Jack Wilshere. Wilshere trained with Bournemouth after leaving Hammers last year. The 29-year-old had been training with the club and has impressed manager, Jason Tindall to award him with a short-term contract. Wilshere had a loan spell with Bournemouth during the 2016/2017 Premier League season, making 27 appearances as they finished ninth. "It feels great to be back and I can't wait to get started," Wilshere told afcbTV. "From the minute I walked through the door three weeks ago, it felt natural and like I had never been away. Manager Jason Tindall, reacting to the deal said; "I know a lot of the players and staff here and I'm pleased they allowed me to train initially, and then it just went from, there. "I've been impressed by the coaching staff, the way they work and the ambitions of the club to get back in the Premier League. "We all share the same ambitions and I'm looking forward to playing my part in helping achieve those." "He's had his injuries for a long time now it seems. He played well in his loan spell at Bournemouth. I think he will do a good job for them as they look to return to the Premier League. "He can still do stuff, he's only 29, and still has a lot to offer. If he stays fit, there is a top-quality player there. Good luck to him." Wilshere joined West Ham from Arsenal on a three-year deal in 2018, but injuries limited him to only 19 times in all competitions. ????? RE: Sports update - Edoman - 01-19-2021 Victor Osimhen makes top 10 transfers in the World as FIFA releases global transfer market report Victor Osimhen's big-money move to Napoli from Lille has been listed among the top 10 transfers in 2020 by the world football governing body, FIFA. Recall the Nigerian striker, 22, became Nigeria's most expensive player after signing a five-year deal worth €50 million (£45m/$59m) in July 2020. In its Global Transfer Market Report, world football's governing body said that the total amount spent on transfer fees of $5.63 billion was down by $1.7 billion on 2019, a fall of nearly a quarter to the lowest cumulative amount since 2016. It was revealed in the report that English clubs spent by far the most, with transfer fees totalling some $1.63 billion, followed by Italian clubs who spent a combined $731.5 million on international moves. Spanish clubs received the most with $785.7 million. Without giving a specific figure, FIFA said that Chelsea spent the most of any club in Europe ahead of Manchester United and Manchester City, followed by Barcelona, Juventus and Leeds United. Meanwhile, Manchester City reported the most outgoing transfers of any club, with 45, two more than Croatian champions Dinamo Zagreb and Watford. FIFA registered a total of 17,077 international transfers, compared to 18,047 in 2019 and the first decline from year to year since 2010. There were still more transfers than in all of 2018, but FIFA said "the downward trend is clearly due to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic." The report lists the top 10 transfers in the men's game, with Kai Havertz's move from Bayer Leverkusen to Chelsea featuring prominently alongside the likes of Arthur Melo's transfer from Barcelona to Juventus, Victor Osimhen going from Lille to Napoli, Bruno Fernandes joining Manchester United from Sporting Lisbon and Ruben Dias leaving Benfica for Manchester City. RE: Sports update - Edoman - 01-19-2021 Former Real Madrid striker, David Barral becomes first-ever footballer to be bought with Bitcoin Former Real Madrid B and Levante striker, David Barral has become the first-ever player to be purchased using cryptocurrency. The 37-year-old Spaniard officially signed for Spanish third division team DUX Internacional de Madrid on Tuesday January 19, in a deal funded entirely through the use of bitcoin. The transfer fee is yet to been disclosed with the deal yet to be acknowledged by authorities. The club owned by footballers Borja Iglesias and Thibaut Courtois, said in a statement: 'David Barral new player of DUX Internacional de Madrid, welcome to the infinite club!' the club shared on its social media pages. 'He becomes the first signing in history in cryptocurrencies. Thanks to Criptan, our new sponsor, for making it possible.' The striker added: 'Glad to join the project of @interdemadrid with the ambition and responsibility to continue competing and achieve important challenges in my sports career.' Barral made more than 50 appearances for the Real Madrid's reserve side, before going on to have spells with Sporting Gijon, Levante, and Racing Santander. |