According to a recent report from Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona are going to try and re-sign Marc Cucurella at the end of the current season. The defender was loaned out by La Liga champions Barca to Eibar at the start of the season, and ever since then, he’s made a solid impression at the club. The 20 year old, who made his debut for Catalonia earlier this year, is considered by many to be one of the most underrated Spanish left backs playing at the top level today. Eibar are planning on triggering a £1.7 million option in the deal to try and sign him on a permanent basis, but as a direct contrast to that, Barcelona will proceed to offer £3.5 million in order to bring him back to the Nou Camp. Cucurella started off his youth development with Espanyol before making the switch to Barce…
Talksport understands that Everton are eyeing a £25m move for West Ham United full-back Aaron Cresswell.
Toffees boss Sam Allardyce was the man who signed the twenty-eight year old for the Hammers and is keen on a reunion as he looks to strengthen ahead of next season.
Cresswell was born on Merseyside, beginning his career with Tranmere Rovers before moving to Ipswich Town in the summer of 2011 and he was named the club’s Player of the Year in his first campaign at Portman Road.
After three seasons with the Tractor Boys he moved to East London and has so far racked up one hundred and fifty-one appearances, scoring four goals.
Internationally, he has been capped three times for his country with his last appearance coming in a World Cup qualifying v…
Barcelona star Lionel Messi has backed Sergio Aguero, describing him as one of the world s best strikers.
The Argentina team-mates will be on opposite sides at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday when Manchester City host Barca in the Champions League.
Aguero was controversially named as a substitute for City s 4-0 loss at Camp Nou in the reverse fixture earlier this month and has not been an automatic selection under Guardiola.
But Messi, who enjoyed sensational success under the Catalan manager during his Barca tenure, has no doubts over Aguero s quality, ranking him with the game s top centre-forwards like club colleague Luis Suarez.
Kun is a very simple and easy-going person, a great lad and, as a striker, one of the best. As is Luis [Suarez], Messi told…
Senegal and Japan missed the chance to take a giant stride towards the World Cup knockout stages after playing out a thrilling 2-2 draw at the Ekaterinburg Arena.
After winning their opening games, three points for either side would have made them outright Group H leaders and put them in pole position for a last-16 berth.
As it is, they will have to endure an anxious wait for the result of Poland and Colombia s clash later on Sunday to know what they need to do in the final round of fixtures on Thursday.
Eiji Kawashima was slow to react to Juan Quintero s goal for Colombia in Japan s opening 2-1 win and the goalkeeper was again at fault for Sadio Mane s early opener, punching against the forward s leg when it looked easier to catch.
His blushes were spare…
What the papers say
The Daily Mail says Tottenham midfielder Giovani Lo Celso has emerged as a loan option for Barcelona to fill their Gavi-shaped gap. The Spanish side are reportedly unlikely to look for a permanent replacement after they received £6million in compensation from FIFA following the Spain international’s knee injury.
According to the Mirror, Portuguese midfielder Fabio Vieira could get the green light from Arsenal to join Marseille on loan.
Chelsea are keen to part with Romelu Lukaku in the summer transfer window, with Italian side Roma eager to make the 30-year-old’s loan move permanent, the Evening Standard reports.
Social media round-up
José Mourinho when asked on his deal at AS Roma expiring in June 24: “I still don’t know if I’m…
Massimiliano Allegri wants Juventus to channel their Champions League anger and show the rest of Serie A they remain a force to be reckoned with.
Under-pressure head coach Allegri said Juventus would play an unspectacular game if necessary on Saturday to get the better of Lecce.
After recent wins over Torino and Empoli, Juventus are looking for a third Serie A victory on the bounce, but results in Europe have been dreadful by comparison, with defeats to Maccabi Haifa and Benfica dumping the Bianconeri out at the Champions League group stage.
Italian media have not been slow to link Tottenham boss Antonio Conte with a return to Juventus, possibly at the end of the season when the former Italy coach s contract expires at Spurs, though the Premier League club do hav…
Peter Schmeichel thinks Manchester United made a statement of intent by signing Paul Pogba, adding they make their own money unlike the likes of Manchester City and Chelsea.
United initially signed Pogba from Le Havre in 2009, but three years later he left the club for Juventus on a free transfer after finding first-team minutes hard to come by.
After four successive Scuddeti with the Turin giants, the France international returned to Old Trafford in August in a deal worth a record-breaking initial €105million.
Schmeichel believes the signing proves United remain a force to be reckoned with despite their struggles since the departure of Alex Ferguson in 2013.
The former goalkeeper also praised the club s financial ethos, rather than relying on the backi…
Schalke have appointed Domenico Tedesco as the club s new head coach on a two-year contract, replacing the departed Markus Weinzierl.
Weinzierl was in charge for a single season after signing a three-year deal ahead of the 2016-17 campaign, the club finishing 10th after winning one of their last six top-flight games.
Schalke missed out on European qualification for the first time since the 2008-09 campaign as a result, while they exited the Europa League and DFB-Pokal at the quarter-final stage.
Weinzierl s position was severely weakened when he was strongly criticised by Yevhen Konoplyanka, who described him as a coward for his treatment of the Ukraine winger.
BREAKING: part ways with Markus . Domenico is the new head coach on a 2-year deal! More to …
Paul Pogba is set to leave Manchester United as a free agent this summer, according to .
This decision has apparently been made in the aftermath of the abuse he suffered after the thrilling win over Norwich City. The midfielder was replaced in the 74nd minute by Juan Mata, and as he left the pitch, he was jeered by a section of the United fans in the stands of Old Trafford.
Pogba arrived to United from Juventus back in 2016, and it s fair to say that his contribution over the six years since hasn t exactly lived up to the expectations imposed by the reported €100m fee paid for his services. His initial contract would have expired last year, but the club triggered a 12-month extension included in it. Now, however, they don t have such a mechanism at their disposal, and…
LaLiga club Espanyol have confirmed the appointment of Diego Martinez as their new coach.
Espanyol finished 14th in LaLiga in the 2021-22 season, after gaining promotion back to the Spanish top flight as champions of the second tier.
However, they dismissed Vicente Moreno this month and have now moved for Martinez, who left Granada in May 2021 and has signed a two-year deal.
Martinez spent three seasons at Granada. He led the team back to LaLiga in 2019 before finishing seventh and reaching the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey in the following campaign.
¡Que empiece el partido!
— RCD Espanyol de Barcelona (@RCDEspanyol)
A ninth-placed finish followed in the 2020-21 season, along with a run to the quarter-finals of the Europa League, wh…