Month: January 2025

Hugo Ekitike says he would have joined Newcastle United if he had departed Ligue 1, but that he was unable to refuse the chance of a move to Paris Saint-Germain.

The Reims striker signed a loan deal with the French champions, which includes an obligation to buy, earlier this month.

It brought to an end an unsuccessful pursuit from the Magpies, who heavily courted the forward in an attempt to persuade him to come to St James Park as far back as the January transfer window.

Now, Ekitike has revealed he remains grateful for the efforts Newcastle made to sign him, but he could not turn down the chance to go to the premier club in his home country when it arose.

I had an appointment with Luis [Campos, PSG sporting director] which meant a lot to me,  Ekiti…

Neymar had to step out of Lionel Messi s shadow by leaving Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain, according to Dani Alves.

Brazil star Neymar made a world-record €222million move from Barca to PSG last year and the superstar forward has scored 26 goals in 24 games this season.

Alves, an international and PSG team-mate of Neymar s, said the 25-year-old made the right decision in departing the Camp Nou.

I think he s up there with Messi as the most influential player in world football. The thing is, he had to come out of his shadow a little, Alves told FIFA.com.

Playing with someone as unique as Leo is the most incredible thing that can happen to you, but there s always that doubt in your mind if it s you that really has the quality or if it s him.

…

Matchday twenty-six in the Premier League gets underway at Turf Moor where Burnley face champions elect Manchester City.

Despite not winning in eight league games the Clarets are currently the highest placed side in the division aside from the ‘big six’, and they can move to within four points of Arsenal if they triumph here while Pep Guardiola’s side can open up an unprecedented eighteen point lead at the top if they secure what would be a fifth straight victory in all competitions.

Second place Manchester United will hope to bounce back from their defeat to Tottenham Hotspur midweek as they host struggling Huddersfield Town, who’s winless run stretched to eight league games with defeat to Liverpool on Tuesday.

Tight-nit

The Terriers are one…

Pep Guardiola s first league match in charge of Barcelona did not go as planned with the title hopefuls falling to an embarrassing 1-0 opening day defeat to promoted Numancia on Sunday.

Guardiola, a member of Barca s 1992 European Cup winning team, has the job of wrestling the title from Real Madrid but the omens do not look good after an insipid display.

Barca were poor travellers last season under Frank Rijkaard and the new manager and season failed to bring a change in fortune and Real can turn the screw when they face Deportivo La Coruna in Sunday s late match.

Barcelona handed a league debut to Dani Alves a 29.5 million euro signing from Sevilla in the summer with Lionel Messi starting in attack after inspiring Argentina to Olympic gold.

Guardio…

Gianfranco Zola emerged Monday as a strong favourite to become West Ham s new manager after Croatia boss Slaven Bilic was quoted as saying he does not want the job.

Bilic, a former Hammers defender, was seen as the leading candidate to take over at Upton Park following Alan Curbishley s resignation last week, but he appears committed to the task of leading his country to the 2010 World Cup finals.

I m not going anywhere, Bilic told The Sun newspaper. Any club from England is a great opportunity. Not for money, honestly, for me it s about ambition. It s about working in England, a country you know I adore.

But it s like, no. West Ham is my club, I have feelings for them but I won t go.

Bilic led Croatia to Euro 2008 last year and his reputation as a …

Jose Mourinho hopes Tottenham get another chance to face Bayern Munich in a proper match in the Champions League.

The Bundesliga giants recorded a 3-1 win over Spurs in Munich on Wednesday to wrap up a perfect campaign in Group B.

It came just over two months after Bayern thrashed Tottenham 7-2 in London, but Spurs head coach Mourinho would welcome another meeting with the German outfit.

My wish is to [come] back and if we come back it has to be for the quarter-final or semi-final because we cannot play Bayern in the next round, he told a news conference.

My wish is to be back here for a proper match, a match that we would all like.

FULL-TIME: It s defeat in Munich in our final group game. We finish second in Group B.

  3-1  

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Cesc Fabregas has backed Eden Hazard to “win everything” at Real Madrid, with a move from Chelsea reportedly set to be completed.

The Belgium international has been one of the star performers in the Premier League since moving to Stamford Bridge seven years ago, but gave a strong indication on Wednesday that his match-winning showing against Arsenal in the Europa League final would be his last appearance for the club.

Monaco midfielder Fabregas, who won two Premier League titles alongside Hazard, feels that he can go on and compete for both individual and team honours that have not been achievable in London.

It is a difficult situation and a difficult opinion for me to have,” Fabregas told Goal.

He has been at Chelsea – and I don t want people t…

Denmark s upcoming international friendlies are under threat with the local FA and Danish players at odds over a new pay deal.

The Danish Football Association (DBU) agreed to a new series of meetings with the Danish Players Association (Spillerforeningen) on Tuesday in an effort to agree a new pay deal, although Denmark s March friendlies remain under threat.

DBU and Spillerforeningen have been at odds since February 18 when the former sent a letter to approximately 60 players involved with Denmark s senior, under-21 and women s national teams.

The letter claimed negotiations about a new collective agreement had collapsed and set a deadline for Monday, for players to sign individual deals for national team duty at 17 per cent lower than the previous deal.