Benfica have confirmed Atletico Madrid have submitted an offer worth €126million for highly rated attacking midfielder Joao Felix.
The 19-year-old talent enjoyed a stunning breakout season in Portugal s Primeira Liga in 2018-19, scoring 15 goals and setting up another seven in 26 matches.
Joao Felix s form for Benfica resulted in his first call-up to Portugal s senior side and he represented them as they clinched Nations League success earlier this month.
Atletico emerged as the favourites to sign him ahead of Manchester United and Manchester City after Antoine Griezmann announced his intention to leave the Wanda Metropolitano, paving the way for Joao Felix to replace the Frenchman.
Although links between Griezmann and Barcelona have gone quiet, Atle…
Jurgen Klopp paid tribute to his Liverpool team following their Club World Cup triumph over Flamengo, claiming he has difficulty putting his respect for his players into words.
Liverpool were pitted against Copa Libertadores champions Flamengo in Saturday s final in Doha.
The score remained goalless at the end of the regulation 90 minutes, but Roberto Firmino finally ended his compatriots resistance in the 99th minute.
Despite Flamengo enjoying some late pressure, Liverpool held on to secure a first triumph in the competition, and Klopp found it difficult to describe his feelings.
I struggle to find the words to express my respect for the boys, it was incredible. We did so many good things, Klopp told reporters in Doha.
I saw so many sensati…
Burnley have confirmed winger Johann Gudmundsson has signed a new long-term contract to commit his future to Turf Moor.
Gudmundsson, who joined the club from Charlton Athletic in July 2016, is expected to be named in Iceland s World Cup squad on Friday.
The 27-year-old has been one of the key players in Sean Dyche s men securing European qualification for the first time in over 50 years, recording eight Premier League assists this term in addition to goals against Liverpool and Manchester City.
This season has been a good season for myself and the team and being rewarded with a new contract is a great thing, Gudmundsson told Burnley s website.
Big Burnley boost as signs new Turf Moor deal
— Burnley FC (@BurnleyOfficial)
It s somethi…
Joachim Low has told Manuel Neuer he must gain match practice if the Germany captain is to be part of his country s World Cup defence.
Bayern Munich goalkeeper Neuer was named in Low s provisional 27-man party for Russia 2018 on Tuesday despite not playing since September following foot surgery, although he has now returned to full training.
The 32-year-old could make a high-profile return in Bayern s DFB-Pokal showdown with Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday, while Germany have scheduled pre-tournament friendlies against Austria and Saudi Arabia.
Neuer is back in full training and we want to see and judge him in the training camp, said Low, who has named Barcelona s Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Bayer Leverkusen s Bernd Leno and Kevin Trapp of Paris Saint-Germain as hi…
Newcastle United have told Queens Park Rangers that they will only lay out £12m for Charlie Austin, .
The striker, who is expected to leave Loftus Road this summer, has been linked with a number of Premier League clubs with Bournemouth, West Ham United and even champions Chelsea monitoring the situation.
However, it is the Magpies who appear to be front runners in the race for his services though they have said that they will not pay over £12m due to concerns over his injury record.
The former Burnley man failed a medical at Hull City in 2013, with the issue believed to be his shoulder while he missed part of QPR’s promotion winning 2013/14 campaign with a similar issue.
In seventy-three appearances in all competitions for the Hoops, the 26 year …
Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has signed a one-year contract extension with the Chinese champions.
Scolari s new deal includes the option of a second year after Evergrande set a new record by winning a sixth successive Chinese Super League title last week.
The 67-year-old World Cup-winning boss looked to be on the way out with his contract due to expire and former coach Marcello Lippi signing a pre-agreement, but Evergrande cancelled the latter s deal after he took charge of China.
We firmly believe that Scolari, as the core of a world-class champion coach, will help Guangzhou continue to maintain their leading position, the Chinese powerhouses said in a statement on their website.
Scolari has enjoyed significant success since joi…
The saga of Jorginho s transfer from to the Premier League is becoming a long one. After being initially linked with Liverpool and Manchester United, the midfielder was set to make his move to . Manager Pep Gaurdiola wants him to share the work-load with the 33-year-old Fernandinho and to eventually replace him a regular starter.
However, it seems the negotiations with the Italian club aren t going as smoothly as expected for City. According to the Mirror, Napoli value the Brazil-born Italy international at £60million, while the Premier League champions aren t willing to pay more than £43million. With such a notable gap in valuation of the player, Manchester City may be forced to look elsewhere, and they have reportedly marked Real Madrid s Mateo Kovačić and Southampton …
Napoli’s dismal season continued as they succumbed to a seventh defeat of the season in Serie A, losing 3-0 at Torino.
Antonio Sanabria, Nikola Vlasic and Alessandro Buongiorno got the goals as Walter Mazzarri’s defending champions had another miserable afternoon.
A dismal afternoon for the visitors was compounded by the 50th-minute dismissal of Naples-born wing-back Pasquale Mazzocchi, less than three minutes into his debut.
They are now winless and without a goal in four matches and lie 20 points behind leaders Inter Milan.
Napoli had a 20-3 aggregate goal advantage in the last eight meetings of these two teams in Turin, winning seven and drawing the other.
However, it was destined to be the hosts’ day from the moment Sanabria broke the de…
Luton goalkeeper Tim Krul spoke of his side’s disappointment at having to settle for an FA Cup third-round replay against League One high-flyers Bolton.
The teams played out a drab goalless draw at Kenilworth Road on Sunday, despite the hosts coming close to winning at the death when Alfie Doughty struck a post before being controversially denied a penalty by VAR.
Prior to that, Andros Townsend and Jordan Clark had gone close with efforts that were deflected wide, as Ian Evatt’s Bolton gave a dogged defensive showing to earn themselves a second go at knocking out the Premier League outfit.
Thank you for your support yesterday
— Luton Town FC (@LutonTown)
The additional match means Luton’s planned warm-weather training retreat will have t…
Stuttgart posted their first Bundesliga win of the season with a 6-2 thrashing of Hoffenheim, while Borussia Dortmund also won on Sunday.
After three successive losses, Stuttgart coach Bruno Labbadia was sacked, with former player Thomas Schneider taking on the job.
And the new man would have been delighted with what he saw, as they cruised to victory thanks to a Vedad Ibisevic hat-trick.
Antonio Rudiger opened the scoring in the 11th minute for the winners, tapping Alexandru Maxim s low cross into an empty net, before Ibisevic opened his account against his former team.
Kevin Volland produced a quick response for Hoffenheim but Romanian Maxim pounced on a mistake by Hoffenheim goalkeeper Koen Casteels to restore Stuttgart s two-goal lead.
And Bosnia intern…