West Bromwich Albion takeover: New owner Guochuan Lai promises to “maintain stable structure” of Premier League club August 5, 2016 West Bromwich Albion's new Chinese owner pledged to maintain the club's stable structure after completing a takeover of the Premier League team. An investment group headed by Chinese entrepreneur Guochuan Lai has agreed a deal to purchase the club from outgoing chairman Jeremy Peace and is now just waiting on Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and Premier League approval. [...]
West Ham United 3, NK Domzale 0 (Agg: 4-2): Happy Hammers’ housewarming, while Slaven Bilic targets a minimum of five new signings before start of Premier League season August 4, 2016 West Ham boss Slaven Bilic revelled in the atmosphere generated within the London Stadium as the Hammers marked their first match at their new home with a commanding Europa League victory over Slovenian minnows NK Domzale. Two first-half strikes from Cheikhou Kouyate and a late third from new signing Sofiane Feghouli ensured West Ham avoided [...]
Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere a doubt for Premier League season opener against Liverpool while Gunners offload goalkeeper on loan August 4, 2016 Injury-plagued Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere’s hopes of playing in his side’s opening match of the Premier League season against Liverpool look to be in doubt after he was ruled out of their pre-season tour of Scandinavia. A knee injury has forced Wilshere out of Arsenal’s final two warm-up matches before the new campaign. The Gunners face [...]
Ladbrokes the real winner from Leicester City’s Premier League triumph August 4, 2016 Euro 2016 and a less-than-predictable Premier League season boosted earnings at bookies Ladbrokes and sent shares climbing 3.8 per cent this morning, as it edges closer towards its £2bn tie-up with Gala Coral. The figures Profits before tax climbed by 61 per cent to £39.8m in the six months to June at Ladbrokes, with operating profits up 34 [...]
Manchester City sign “one of the most exciting young prospects in world football” to push Pep Guardiola’s spending towards £100m mark August 3, 2016 Manchester City director of football Txiki Begiristain insists the two-time Premier League champions have signed one of the world’s principal talents after concluding the £27m capture of teenage forward Gabriel Jesus. The 19-year-old, who has scored 19 goals in 30 appearances for Brazilian outfit Palmeiras this season, will make the move to City in January [...]
Two Champions League winning managers, a wealth of ambitious foreign owners and exciting England prospects – whether you support Leeds or Newcastle, the Championship can be relied on for entertainment August 3, 2016 Tomorrow a football competition starts in London featuring ambitious and enigmatic billionaire owners from across the globe, a cosmopolitan array of managers — including two Champions League winners — and some of the most exciting young players in England. But this isn't the Premier League. It is, of course, the Championship. English football’s second tier [...]
From an Aston Villa troublemaker to a Newcastle forward and a Chelsea loanee – here’s five players to look out for in the Championship this season August 3, 2016 The Championship. A league full of 30+ cloggers and clumpers adept at the dark arts and averse to pretty passing football, right? Not quite. English football's second tier certainly still boasts those of the agricultural persuasion, but there are just as many players who will have you scratching your head and wondering why no Premier League club [...]
Premier League transfer spending down on last year as clubs hesitate in spending TV windfall August 2, 2016 An anticipated record-breaking close-season transfer splurge by Premier League clubs has yet to materialise, with spending slower than last summer, according to Deloitte. English top-flight teams shelled out £475m in July, £40m down on the £515m they spent 12 months earlier and significantly short of a predicted £1bn total gross outlay for the transfer window. Buoyed [...]
Pep Guardiola will make me the complete player, insists Manchester City’s £37m new boy Leroy Sane August 2, 2016 Newly-acquired Manchester City winger Leroy Sane believes he will become the complete player under Pep Guardiola’s tutelage after completing his move from Schalke for an initial £37m. The 20-year-old has signed a five-year deal at the Etihad Stadium and continues Guardiola’s rebuilding job at the two-time Premier League champions, taking the club’s spending this transfer window [...]
Football Association of Wales reject Hull City’s approach for national team boss Chris Coleman August 2, 2016 Hull City’s search for a new manager has suffered a blow after the Football Association of Wales rejected an approach from the Tigers to speak with national team boss Chris Coleman. The Premier League side have been hunting a replacement for Steve Bruce after the former Manchester United skipper quit last month following a breakdown in [...]