Новости за 28.12.2017

Jurgen Klopp has described his delight at the £75m signing of Virgil van Dijk, telling friends and colleagues that very soon he would have the Dutch centre-back sliced open to reveal theprecious diamonds inside him.The fee is a record-breaking one for a central defender, but Anfield sources have insisted that it was actually quite cheap given the value of the rubies, emeralds and sapphires that are believed to be concealed inside the former Celtic and Southampton man.“I have it on excellent authority that where you and I have a pancreas... Читать дальше...

Sebastian Giovinco joining Inter would be a bad move for the Toronto FC striker, according to his agent. Forward Giovinco left Serie A giants Juventus for the MLS in 2015 and has been a big success. Last season, he was part of a Toronto side that won a historic treble of the Canadian Championship, Supporters' Shield and the MLS Cup. Giovinco scored 17 MLS goals en route to the latter victory, and his exploits have led to suggestions of a return to Serie A with Inter. However, his representative... Читать дальше...

UEFA does not take racism "seriously" and just brush the issue "under the carpet", according to Liverpool youngster Rhian Brewster. The 17-year-old striker claims to have witnessed several incidents in which racial slurs are alleged to have been used. Most recently at the start of December, when Liverpool lodged an official complaint to European football's governing body after Spartak Moscow defender Leonid Mironov was purported to have made a racist comment towards Brewster during a UEFA Youth League game... Читать дальше...

Liverpool's £75million man Virgil van Dijk is an inferior defender to Sol Bamba, according to Cardiff City manager Neil Warnock. Netherlands centre-back Van Dijk will become the most expensive defender in history when he completes his move from Southampton to Anfield on January 1, with his reported fee immediately sparking frenzied debate. Cardiff boss Warnock, whose side lie third in the Championship as they chase promotion to the top flight, added an unexpected strand to the conversation by claiming... Читать дальше...

Carlos Carvalhal insists Swansea City do not need a "miracle" to secure Premier League survival. The Portuguese boss was named as the surprise successor to the sacked Paul Clement on Thursday, just four days after he was dismissed himself at Championship side Sheffield Wednesday. Carvalhal has been appointed initially on a deal until the end of the season, with Swansea retaining the option to extend his stay. He takes over a side bottom of the Premier League with just 13 points from 20 matches and five from safety... Читать дальше...

Erik ten Hag has been appointed as Ajax's new head coach on a two-and-half-year deal. Ajax last week suspended boss Marcel Keizer and coaches Hennie Spijkerman and Dennis Bergkamp from active duty due to an underwhelming campaign that has seen them fail to qualify for the Champions League or Europa League – having finished runners-up to Manchester United in the latter last season. The Amsterdam giants, who last won the Eredivisie in 2014, have now confirmed that Ten Hag with join from Utrecht on January 1 on a deal until June 2020. Читать дальше...

Jurgen Klopp concedes people may look at the £75 million fee Liverpool have paid for Virgil van Dijk and think "wow", but he remains confident the Netherlands centre-half will prove his worth to the Merseysiders over the next few years. Klopp persuaded the Liverpool board to pay a world record fee for a defender for Van Dijk - the move confirmed on Wednesday - with the 26-year-old's switch from Southampton to be made official when the transfer window opens on January 1. Eyebrows have been raised... Читать дальше...

Torino have been handed a boost after scans ruled out a serious knee injury to Andrea Belotti. It was feared that Belotti had sustained an anterior cruciate ligament injury to his right knee after going down in training on Wednesday. However, Torino provided a further update on Thursday to rule out significant damage to their star striker, who remains a reported target for many of European football's heavyweights. A statement on the club's website read: "Andrea Belotti suffered a distortive trauma to his right knee. Читать дальше...

Bayer Leverkusen will not entertain the thought of selling reported Chelsea target Leon Bailey. The flying Jamaican winger made the switch to the Bundesliga from Genk on a deal until 2022 last January, despite the Blues and Manchester United having been credited with an interest. Bailey, 20, has been in impressive form this term, scoring six goals in 14 Bundesliga appearances and assisting another four. And Antonio Conte is reportedly interested in adding Bailey to a Chelsea squad that has looked stretched this term... Читать дальше...

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has struggled with the mental strain of being linked to blockbusting transfers, according to Borussia Dortmund president Reinhard Rauball. Gabon striker Aubameyang has previously been touted for a move from Signal Iduna Park to Real Madrid – speculation he has inflamed on more than one occasion – while the Bundesliga's top scorer in 2016-17 was a reported target for AC Milan and pondered a switch to the Chinese Super League during the last transfer window. Despite mixed... Читать дальше...

Swansea City have named former Sheffield Wednesday boss Carlos Carvalhal as their new manager to replace the sacked Paul Clement on an initial deal until the end of the season. Clement was dismissed as Swansea boss earlier this month after a run of nine defeats in 11 matches left them bottom of the Premier League, with midfielder Leon Britton overseeing the last two games in caretaker charge. The Welsh club have now turned to Portuguese boss Carvalhal, who was dismissed by the Owls on Christmas... Читать дальше...

Real Betis veteran Joaquin has signed a new contract that runs until 2020. The club icon, who returned to the LaLiga club in 2015, will be 38 by the time his new deal comes to an end. Joaquin rose through the youth ranks at Betis before moving on in 2006 to enjoy spells with Valencia, Malaga and Fiorentina. The former Spain international will now have the chance to add a sizeable amount to his 355 club appearances. A statement from Betis read: "Real Betis has renewed the contract of the captain Joaquin Sanchez. Читать дальше...

Fabio Capello has accused Bayern Munich's stars of failing to give their all under Carlo Ancelotti, who was sacked by the Bundesliga giants in September. Bayern coasted to the league title in Ancelotti's first season in charge, but his tenure was blighted by rumours Die Roten's key players were unhappy with his methods. An inauspicious start to this campaign culminated in a woeful showing in a 3-0 Champions League defeat to Paris Saint-Germain and spelled the end of Ancelotti's reign. Veteran coach Jupp Heynckes... Читать дальше...

Barcelona full-back Aleix Vidal would welcome an approach from Roma, according to his agent. Vidal completed the scoring in Barca's dominant 3-0 win over Real Madrid last weekend but the left-back has only started three LaLiga games under Ernesto Valverde this season. The 28-year-old is reported to be on Roma's radar and his representative Ruggero Lacerenza would welcome a reunion with former Sevilla director of football Monchi at the Stadio Olimpico. "It is true, there is interest from Roma," Lacerenza told Tele Radio Stereo. Читать дальше...

Not many foreign imports have shown such clear affection for the English capital as French defender William Gallas. The versatile stopper played in 319 Premier League matches overa dozen years in London with Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham. It’s therefore fitting that our meeting with the 39-year-old begins in a black cab as he heads to the location of his photo shoot: Stamford Bridge, no less.But even for this adopted Londoner, the jellied eels on offer were too much.“What is this?!” a squirming Gallas asks as FFT presents him with the eels. Читать дальше...

Raheem Sterling believes sacrificing flair for efficiency is paying dividends as his superb scoring run for Manchester City continues. Sterling netted the only goal of the game as Pep Guardiola's runaway Premier League leaders made it 18 top-flight wins in a row at Newcastle United on Wednesday. In a line-up flushed with attacking talent such as Sergio Aguero, Gabriel Jesus and Kevin De Bruyne, England winger Sterling is City's top scorer this season with 17 in all competitions. It is already... Читать дальше...

Francesco Totti believes Lionel Messi is the best player in the world despite Cristiano Ronaldo pulling level on five Ballons d'Or apiece earlier this month. Real Madrid's dual LaLiga and Champions League triumphs last season set Ronaldo up to claim world football's premier individual prize but Messi has also blazed a familiarly impressive trail. The mercurial Argentinian inspired a 3-0 win for Barca at the Santiago Bernabeu last Saturday, with Ronaldo a largely becalmed presence in the latest edition of El Clasico. Читать дальше...

ArsenalNeeded: An athletic central midfielderArsenal have required a new combative central midfielder in every single transfer window since Gilberto Silva’s decline in 2007, and 10 years on (!)this remains their number one priority. Poor recruitment has played its part, but this is largely because Arsene Wenger’s tactical openness makes patrolling the Arsenal midfield one of the most difficult jobs in the Premier League. Granit Xhaka has joined a long list of footballers clearly unable to play such... Читать дальше...

Former Barcelona captain Carles Puyol believes the £75million fee agreed between Liverpool and Southampton for centre-back Virgil van Dijk is the result of a "crazy" market. Liverpool announced on Wednesday they had secured the services of the 26-year-old Netherlands international, who they failed to land during the close season, and his January arrival at Anfield will make him the most expensive defender in football history. Puyol is widely regarded as one of the finest defenders of the modern... Читать дальше...

After Virgil van Dijk became the latest player to take the much-travelled route from the south coast to Merseyside, you could be forgiven for thinking Southampton are a feeder club for Liverpool. Liverpool made a statement before the January transfer window even opened, returning to their favourite shopping centre – St Mary's – to prise Dutch centre-back Van Dijk to Anfield for a reported fee of £75million in a club-record move. Sadio Mane, Adam Lallana, Dejan Lovren, Nathaniel Clyne and Rickie... Читать дальше...

Former Real Madrid and England boss Fabio Capello confirmed he would leave his Chinese Super League (CSL) club Jiangsu Suning next year. Capello, 71, headed to China in June, leading Jiangsu to a 12th-place finish in the CSL. The Italian has no plans to extend his stay beyond 2018, confirming that would mark the end of his stint at the club. "I have spoken with the chairman and I do not plan to renew," Capello told China's Xinhua news agency. "I will finish the season [in 2018] as per my contract."... Читать дальше...

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola insisted the Premier League leaders were never interested in signing Liverpool-bound defender Virgil van Dijk. Van Dijk, 26, is set to head to Anfield from Southampton in January after the clubs agreed a deal reportedly worth £75million. The Netherlands international was linked to numerous clubs before Wednesday's announcement, with City and Chelsea among them. However, speaking after City's 1-0 win over Newcastle United, Guardiola was asked if Van Dijk was a player he was looking at January. Читать дальше...

Luciano Spalletti said Inter are low on confidence after his out-of-form side slumped to a 1-0 loss to rivals AC Milan in the Coppa Italia quarter-finals. Inter succumbed to a Patrick Cutrone strike in the 105th minute as Milan triumphed after extra time at San Siro on Wednesday. After an unbeaten start to the season, Inter have gone off the boil with just one win in five matches in all competitions amid three consecutive defeats. "We've lost a bit of confidence, we do things with less conviction in our quality," Spalletti told Rai Sport. Читать дальше...

Liverpool star Mohamed Salah is good enough to play for Real Madrid, according to Egypt coach Hector Cuper. Salah, 25, has enjoyed a standout campaign since arriving at Anfield in the close-season, scoring 21 goals in all competitions. The star forward is already being linked with a move away and his international coach, Cuper, said Salah could star at the Santiago Bernabeu. "Without doubt he is the star of the team but what has helped us to qualify [for the 2018 World Cup] is the humility of all the team, including Salah," Cuper told Marca.

Gennaro Gattuso said "perhaps I am the worst coach in Serie A but I always want to win" as the AC Milan head coach called on his team to prove their derby victory over Inter was not a fluke. Milan advanced to the Coppa Italia semi-finals thanks to a 1-0 win against neighbours Inter after extra time on Wednesday. Teenage sensation Patrick Cutrone was the hero again for struggling Milan, the 19-year-old scoring in the 105th minute to settle the quarter-final fixture at San Siro. Former Milan midfielder... Читать дальше...