Football Blog (Page 262)

[ad_1] Newcastle host Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Saturday with both sides looking to bounce back from disappointing results. The Magpies conceded in the 97th minute at Liverpool to lose 2-1 in midweek, while the Eagles were also hit by a late strike as Brentford nicked a point at Selhurst Park. Here’s what you need to know about the fixture. Newcastle: 2 WinsCrystal Palace: 2 WinsDraws: 1 Newcastle: LDWDDCrystal Palace: DLWWD New signing Alexander Isak started and scored in the defeat at Liverpool in midweek and will likely keep his place up front. However, he may have to make do without teammate Allan Saint-Maximin, who is touch andRead More →

[ad_1] There’s no stopping Hany Mukhtar right now. The former Germany youth international is having arguably the best season of his career so far, with a hat-trick in Nashville SC’s 4-1 win over the Colorado Rapids during the week taking his tally to 19 goals in 28 MLS appearances – sitting nicely with his seven primary assists. Mukhtar is now second only to Austin FC’s Sebastian Driussi in the MLS Golden Boot race, trailing the Argentine by a single goal, while he leads the league in metrics such as xG and shots on target per 90 minutes. Without Mukhtar, Nashville simply wouldn’t be fifth inRead More →

[ad_1] Turkish side Fenerbahce have confirmed they have reached an agreement to sign striker Michy Batshuayi from Chelsea. The Belgian had been expected to join Nottingham Forest on England’s Deadline Day but saw the move collapse late in the day, forcing him to look overseas for a possible escape route from Stamford Bridge. He hasn’t had to wait long as Fenerbahce have now confirmed they are looking to get a deal finalised as soon as possible. “Our club has reached an agreement for the transfer of Michy Batshuayi to our team,” a statement read. “The player is coming to Istanbul for interviews, to pass aRead More →

[ad_1] Manchester United brought in Antony from Ajax this summer and were delighted to find out that he had rejected a £17m move to Manchester City in 2019, when he was still playing in Brazil with Sao Paulo. The agents of PSV Eindhoven forward Cody Gakpo tried to secure a move to Ajax as a replacement for Antony, only for the Amsterdam side to reject the opportunity. Chelsea lodged an €80m bid for AC Milan forward Rafael Leao on Deadline Day but were referred to his release clause of €150m. The Blues are expected to reignite their interest in January. With their focus firmly onRead More →

[ad_1] Chelsea have confirmed the departure of Marcos Alonso on a free transfer, with the left-back expected to join Barcelona imminently. The Blues brought in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Barcelona on Deadline Day and Alonso’s move to Camp Nou was arranged as part of the negotiations, but his signing was not completed before the deadline. Instead, Chelsea confirmed that Alonso had left the club by mutual consent, meaning he can join Barcelona as a free agent even though the transfer window has closed. Numerous sources report that Alonso’s move to Barcelona will be made official on Friday, with personal terms already agreed well in advance andRead More →

[ad_1] Chelsea have signed Denis Zakaria on a season-long loan from Juventus. The Blues have been looking to add another midfielder to their ranks in the final days of the transfer window, with the likes of N’Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic often finding themselves on the treatment table. They approached Ajax over a €50m move for Edson Alvarez, who was intent on forcing a move to Stamford Bridge, but Chelsea could not reach an agreement with the Dutch champions. Zakaria came to their attention and swiftly moved to agree a loan with Juventus having only completed a move to Turin back in January. Scott Saunders, GraemeRead More →

[ad_1] Brighton & Hove Albion have completed the signing of Chelsea midfielder Billy Gilmour on a four-year deal. The Seagulls have confirmed Gilmour’s arrival for an undisclosed fee, though it’s thought that Chelsea have accepted a bid of around £10m for the Scotland international’s services. Once tipped for greatness at Stamford Bridge, Gilmour has been unable to make an impression under Thomas Tuchel, and was farmed out on loan to Norwich City last season. That spell didn’t go particularly well for Gilmour, as Norwich were relegated to the Championship, but he has given another opportunity to prove himself at the highest level by Graham PotterRead More →

[ad_1] Southampton have announced the signing of Marseille defender Duje Caleta-Car on a four-year deal at the back-end of transfer deadline day. The Saints have been looking to bring in another centre-back, particularly with Jan Bednarek leaving for Aston Villa on loan earlier on Thursday. And they have moved quickly to bring in former Liverpool target Caleta-Car. “It was really a crazy day. I’m very excited because I spoke with the coach, I think he is a good coach and of course the team – I watched them against Chelsea and in the games before,” the Croatian told Southampton’s website. “I know the way theyRead More →

[ad_1] Ainsley Maitland-Niles has joined Southampton on a season-long loan from Arsenal. The 25-year-old, who spent the second half of last season on loan with Roma, had offers from Newcastle and Crystal Palace but has opted to head to St Mary’s to become Ralph Hasenhuttl’s seventh summer signing. Before making the move, it is understood Maitland-Niles inked an extension to his current Arsenal contract, which had just 12 months left to run but will now expire in 2024. Hasenhuttl said: “Ainsley is at a good point in his career, with a lot of experience already, but he is also still a player with potential, andRead More →

[ad_1] Aston Villa have completed the signing of Wolves midfielder Leander Dendoncker for an undisclosed fee. The 27-year-old heads to Villa Park after four years at Molineux, where he made 159 appearances in all competitions and scored 12 goals. “I’m very excited to have signed for Villa,” Dendoncker told the club’s official website of his move. “It’s a new challenge for me. I’m really excited to be here and I’ve already been shown around the training ground. “I can feel that this a big club, you can just feel it. I obviously know the players from playing against them, and I know it’s a veryRead More →