Month: November 2024

Mikel Arteta believes Arsenal should be in the running to sign Kylian Mbappe from Paris St Germain this summer .

The France forward, who has been heavily linked with a move to Real Madrid, announced on Thursday that he will leave the Ligue 1 champions when his contract expires at the end of the season.

Arteta feels that signing Mbappe would match Arsenal’s ambitions of becoming the “best team”.

When asked if Arsenal should be interested in the 25-year-old, Arteta said: “Absolutely. Why not? If we want to be the best team then we are going to need the best talent and the best players for sure.

“When there is a player of that calibre then we always need to be in the conversation but it looks like (his future) is in a different way.”

Arte…

Borussia Dortmund will not go easy on Mainz in the Bundesliga on Saturday as they look to maintain their rhythm ahead of the Champions League final, says coach Edin Terzic.

Dortmund are fifth in the Bundesliga with two games remaining, with the performances of German clubs in Europe ensuring that will be enough for Champions League participation next season.

They are also building towards their third appearance in the final of Europe s premier club competition, having overcome Paris Saint-Germain 2-0 on aggregate in the last four.

While all eyes will soon turn to their trip to Wembley Stadium to face Real Madrid on June 1, Terzic is determined that his side maintain their intensity levels, even if he rotates his squad.

Through this rotation we not only k…

Barcelona have denied allegations claiming president Joan Laporta broke club rules when handing out the Camp Nou development contract.

The Espai Barca project was first approved in April 2014, when club members voted in favour of the massive remodelling job that would develop Camp Nou and the surrounding areas.

A further referendum in April 2021 ratified the financial proposal that took the project s maximum budget to €1.5billion.

It will lead to the stadium s capacity increasing by 6,000 to 105,000 spectators plus the installation of a retractable roof, while 40,000 square metres of land is set to be improved.

An announcement earlier this month confirmed Turkish company Limak would be in charge of remodelling the stadium, but a report by Spanish digita…

England forward Fran Kirby has extended her Chelsea contract by another year.

Kirby, who signed a two-year deal in 2021 that included the option of a further 12 months, joined the Blues from Reading in 2015 and has gone on to become the Women’s Super League club’s leading scorer with 110 goals in 175 appearances.

During her time with Chelsea, Kirby has won 13 trophies, including five WSL titles as well as the FA Cup on four occasions.

Another year of !

— Chelsea FC Women (@ChelseaFCW)

Kirby was also part of the England side which won the European Championship on home soil last summer, but has been ruled out of this year’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand after needing knee surgery.

The 29-year-old suffered the injury during…

World Cup winner Philipp Lahm will head the organising committee for Euro 2024 if the tournament is staged in Germany, the German Football Association (DFB) has announced.

Having hosted the World Cup in 2006, the DFB are hoping to bring the European Championship to Germany in six years time having submitted their bid along with an application from Turkey.

Lahm is already being lined up for a key role in any successful German bid, with the former Bayern Munich defender set to be the tournament s director.

It was my desire to take on long-term responsibilities from the beginning as an ambassador for Euro 2024, Lahm said.

The new role as a tournament director gives me a very interesting opportunity.

The vote to determine who will host Euro 202…

Lionel Scaloni says there will be a place for Lionel Messi in Argentina s 2026 World Cup squad if he has a change of heart after he lifted the trophy for the first time in Qatar on Sunday.

Messi scored twice in an incredible final against France, which the Albiceleste won 4-2 on penalties following a thrilling 3-3 draw.

Argentina looked to be cruising to victory after goals from Messi and Angel Di Maria put them two up at the break, but Kylian Mbappe s late quickfire double forced extra time.

Messi put the Copa America champions back ahead in the additional 30 minutes, only for Mbappe to level once more for his hat-trick and take the game all the way to penalties.

Aurelien Tchouameni and Kingsley Coman failed to convert in the shoot-out, which Gonzalo Mon…

Arsenal should be labelled as favourites in the north London derby, but Harry Redknapp says Harry Kane will always give his old team Tottenham a fighting chance.

Premier League leaders Arsenal make the short trip across the capital to face their rivals on Sunday.

A 3-0 defeat to Antonio Conte s team in the corresponding fixture last season was the start of Arsenal s capitulation in the run-in, which saw them miss out on the Champions League.

Yet Mikel Arteta s side are flying high this term and, having beat Spurs 3-1 in October, Arsenal are looking to complete their first league double over their rivals since 2013-14, which was also their last league victory away at Tottenham.

Former Spurs manager Redknapp believes Arsenal have the edge, but is confident …

West Ham’s new signing Max Kilman has not given up hope of representing England one day, hoping his consistent performances earn him a debut call-up.

Kilman left Wolves after six and a half years to join the Hammers in a £40m deal earlier in the transfer window, becoming Julen Lopetegui s third signing.

The Englishman was one of just two defenders, along with Arsenal s William Saliba, to play every minute of the 2023-24 Premier League season.

He was left out of Gareth Southgate s England squad for Euro 2024, with the likes of Jarrad Branthwaite, Lewis Dunk and Ezri Konsa preffered.

Interim manager Lee Carsley will choose his first squad for the Three Lions upcoming Nations League games against the Repbulic of Ireland and Finland next month.

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Bayern Munich and Barcelona await Inter in the Champions League group stage, but Nerazzurri vice-president Javier Zanetti insists his side are not afraid of the challenge.

UEFA s flagship club competition has provided a headline reunion with new Barca arrival Robert Lewandowski returning to his former side Bayern in Group C.

The draw of the Poland talisman revisiting the Allianz Arena remains the standout pick of the group-stage clashes, with Inter and Viktoria Plzen the other two sides to compete alongside the European giants.

Simone Inzaghi s side pushed Liverpool close in the round-of-16 clash last season and, despite falling to the Reds, Zanetti insists the Nerazzurri will take a no-fear approach to their draw alongside Bayern and Barca.

It is a diff…

England coach Fabio Capello has announced that the England post will be his last in football as he plans to retire from the dugout following Euro 2012.

The 64-year-old who was considered fortunate to remain in the post after England s disappointing exit in the World Cup quarter-finals said at a book signing by a friend in Milan on Friday that he was too old to consider another coaching job.

At the moment I think of nothing else but Euro-2012 with England, said Capello, who is seen by many as one of Europe s greatest club coaches.

After that I will go into retirement.

Unfortunately I am old, I no longer have the time: this will be my last experience on the bench.

Capello, who guided AC Milan to four league titles and the 1994 Champions League …