Champions League: Ramsey off but Arsenal secure draw August 19, 2014 BESIKTAS 0 ARSENAL 0 RELIEVED Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes his side are now in pole position to qualify for the Champions League proper after weathering the storm against Besiktas in the first leg of their group stage play-off in Istanbul last night. The Gunners failed to build on their perfect record of 12 previous [...]
Football Comment: Man Utd at risk of another European failure August 19, 2014 IF PROOF were ever needed that pre-season results have little bearing once the real business of the Premier League season starts, then Manchester United are surely it. All clubs just want to get the first 90 minutes out of the way and leave with three points, and United looked in a good position to do [...]
Rojo gets green light for United August 19, 2014 MANCHESTER United are set to complete the £16m signing of Argentina defender Marcos Rojo from Sporting Lisbon, the Portuguese club announced last night. Out-of-favour United winger Nani will return to his former club on a season-long loan as part of the deal, Sporting added. Rojo, a key part of the Argentina team that reached this [...]
Barca: Suarez only cost £65m August 19, 2014 BARCELONA claim they convinced Liverpool to accept a knock-down bid of £65m for Luis Suarez – significantly less than the £75m release clause in the Uruguay striker’s Anfield contract. The Reds allowed Suarez to leave in July, having blocked his exit 12 months earlier, but had been thought to have received full price. “The release [...]
Harry eyes fourth deal for Kranjcar August 19, 2014 QPR boss Harry Redknapp has admitted he wants to sign Croatia playmaker Niko Kranjcar for a fourth time as he also closes in on deals for striker Eduardo Vargas and Norwich City midfielder Leroy Fer. Chile World Cup forward Vargas is set for a medical today ahead of a season-long loan from Italian side Napoli [...]
Mackay poised to succeed Pulis and take the Crystal Palace reins August 19, 2014 CRYSTAL PALACE were last night poised to resolve their managerial situation by appointing former Cardiff City boss Malky Mackay as the successor to Tony Pulis. Mackay looks set to beat off competition from Tim Sherwood, who was dismissed by Tottenham at the end of last season, and ex-England chief Glenn Hoddle, who emerged as a [...]
Troubled Indians summon Shastri August 19, 2014 TROUBLESHOOTER Ravi Shastri has been drafted in to oversee India’s one-day series with England, which starts at Bristol on Monday, as the tourists bid to halt a dismal run of form. Indian cricket chiefs have said the former national team captain, who played 80 Tests and 150 one-day internationals between 1981 and 1992, will be [...]
Teen unfazed by F1 debut chance August 19, 2014 TRAILBLAZER Max Verstappen believes he has already navigated the harshest transition of his career as he prepares to become the youngest Formula One driver in history when he debuts during next year’s championship. The Dutchman, who does not turn 17 until next month, has been signed to drive for Toro Rosso and is poised to [...]
Wonderkid, 15, in Norway call August 19, 2014 NORWEGIAN footballing prodigy Martin Odegaard has received his first senior international call-up at the age of just 15. The Stromsgodset midfielder, who is said to be wanted by Europe’s major clubs including Real Madrid and Manchester United, is set to become the youngest man to play for Norway when they face the United Arab Emirates [...]
Kell Brook’s next fight: Amir Khan or Floyd Mayweather? Weighing up the possible contenders August 19, 2014 What next for Kell "Special K" Brook after his impressive victory over Shaun Porter in California on Saturday night? In one announcement of the judges' scorecard (Brook won on a majority decision) the Sheffield-born fighter was catapulted to the top table of the welterweight division and into a genuine contender to step into the ring [...]