David Moyes believes Jermain Defoe s return to the England squad could provide a positive knock-on effect to Sunderland s chances of avoiding relegation from the Premier League.
Defoe has been one of the few bright points in Sunderland s season so far, scoring 14 of the club s 24 goals in the league and giving them a fighting chance of staying up.
It is that form which persuaded Gareth Southgate to bring Defoe back from the international wilderness, meaning the 34-year-old could claim his first England cap since November 2013 when the team faces Germany and Lithuania on March 22 and 26, respectively.
At club level things look rather more uneasy for Defoe, as Sunderland sit six points adrift of safety heading into Saturday s home game against Burnley, but Moyes is…
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez said Cristiano Ronaldo has not asked to leave the Spanish and European champions as he fielded questions over a possible move to China.
The Chinese Super League has emerged as a possible destination for Ronaldo after former Brazil and Portugal head coach Luiz Felipe Scolari revealed the five-time Ballon d Or winner had often asked about China.
Ronaldo – who has scored 37 goals in 35 matches across all competitions for Madrid this season – is contracted until mid-2021 and Perez dismissed speculation that the 33-year-old superstar could depart the Santiago Bernabeu.
He hasn t asked us to leave, he has a contract for another year but when the results are not great
Pressed further on links with the CSL, where Scola…
Luke Shaw does not have the required personality to play for Manchester United, manager Jose Mourinho claimed following Saturday s FA Cup win over Brighton and Hove Albion.
The United boss was angry with his side s performance in Saturday s FA Cup quarter-final against the Seagulls, despite a 2-0 win at Old Trafford seeing the hosts into the last four.
Shaw was involved in the move that saw Nemanja Matic set up Romelu Lukaku for the opener, the Serbia international then heading in an Ashley Young cross to wrap up victory.
Young replaced Shaw at the half-time break and Mourinho – who was heavily criticised following the midweek Champions League loss to Sevilla – did not hold back in his assessment of the former Southampton full-back.
Luke – I…
Pep Guardiola has long known the lot of the holding midfielder.
During his playing days, Guardiola operated at the base of Barcelona s engine room as the likes of Michael Laudrup, Romario, Hristo Stoichkov, Luis Figo, Luis Enrique and Ronaldo took the plaudits higher up the field.
In his Manchester City side, who claimed a 15th successive win across all competitions this week to set a new record in English top-flight history, the attacking stars also trip off the tongue.
Ilkay Gundogan is enjoying the most prolific season of his career from midfield and was named Premier League Player of the Month on Friday, while Phil Foden s rapid rise is firing enthusiasm over England s Euro 2020 prospects.
City s all-time leading scorer Sergio Aguero and star playmake…
Thomas Tuchel warned such a demanding schedule will kill the players after Paris Saint-Germain suffered another three injuries in a goalless Ligue 1 draw with Lille.
Tuchel already had to contend with a lengthy list of absentees before facing fellow title hopefuls Lille at Stade Pierre-Mauroy, with Neymar and Mauro Icardi among the stars to be sidelined.
Kylian Mbappe is also not fully fit and was restricted to a late substitute appearance on his 22nd birthday as the champions missed a chance to go top at the expense of their opponents.
PSG then lost Presnel Kimpembe, Alessandro Florenzi and Layvin Kurzawa in Sunday s clash, so they face the prospect of being even more depleted when they take on Strasbourg on Wednesday.
Tuchel hit out over the fixture…
Schalke forward Jefferson Farfan says he dreams of one day winning the Bundesliga title with the club.
The 28-year-old signed for the Gelsenkirchen side in 2008 and although he understands Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund are the strongest sides in Germany, will not give up on winning the title in the coming years.
Winning the Bundesliga would be my biggest dream, Farfan told Bild.
Although our chance has gone this year, next season we will go for it, even though Bayern and Dortmund are the big favourites.
Farfan s contract runs until 2016, and the speedy Peruvian believes there is every chance he will remain with Schalke for the remainder of his career.
Finishing my career here is a possibility. Schalke has become my second home, and I am …
Liverpool will complete the signing of Celta Vigo striker Iago Aspas by the end of the week, .
The Spaniard scored twelve goals in thirty-four La Liga appearances last season, with his side securing their top flight status on the final day of the campaign with victory over Espanyol.
A fee was agreed between the two sides last week, and the 25 year old is expected in England for a medical in due course.
The player has been with Celta since graduating from their youth set up in 2008, and has gone to make a hundred and fifty appearances in all competitions.
Aspas’ arrival will be welcomed by Reds supporters, with uncertainty hanging over the future of both Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez, and with Daniel Sturridge likely to miss the start of the new ca…
Arsene Wenger has vowed not to sell Alexis Sanchez to another Premier League club, with the Arsenal manager confident the Chilean star will sign a new deal.
Sanchez s future is far from certain amid an impasse in contract negotiations with his current Arsenal deal due to expire in 2018.
Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain have been linked with moves for the 28-year-old, who scored the extra-time winner against the former as Arsenal advanced to the FA Cup final on Sunday.
However, Wenger insists there will not be a repeat of Robin van Persie s move to United when the Dutch star swapped the Emirates Stadium for Old Trafford in 2012.
I don t think that you would sell him to any Premier League club that is for sure. The questi…
Vicente del Bosque has distanced himself from claims he will step down as Spain coach after Euro 2016, stating that the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) will have the final say.
In an extract from his book Winning and Losing: Emotional Strength the 64-year-old, who guided Spain to the World Cup trophy in 2010 and the European Championship title in 2012, wrote he would leave his position following next year s tournament in France.
However, the former Real Madrid boss insists his future is in the hands of the RFEF.
When I talk to the president we will solve everything. Things should not be decided on whether you win or you lose, Del Bosque said at his book launch.
There are six months until the European Championship, I am a man of the federation and for…
As is now customary at this time of year, Bayern Munich will douse themselves in Bavaria s most famous export as celebrations follow Saturday s match with Freiburg
But, after a fifth consecutive Bundesliga title, the beer might just seem a little flatter than in previous seasons.
Dominating one of Europe s traditional powerhouse leagues to this extent should not be downplayed as anything other than a phenomenal achievement, but the direction of travel of this Bayern side throws up a reasonable share of concerns.
Jupp Heynckes 2012-13 magnificent treble winners were the ones to apply the stranglehold, responding to back-to-back titles from Jurgen Klopp s Borussia Dortmund and beating their great rivals in the Champions League at Wembley for good measure.
H…