All of today's very latest football news across Europe!

Liverpool officials will fly to Turkey to complete a move for Besiktas defender Domagoj Vida, according to reports.
Turkish newspaper Milliyet claim Besiktas have rejected a £19.7m bid from West Ham and snubbed an approach from Everton which did not match their valuation.
Besiktas reportedly want £26.8m for Vida, and it is understood Liverpool will step up their pursuit of the 29-year-old - skysports.com and Daily Star

Argentina defender Marcos Rojo, 28, is the player most likely to make way if Manchester United manage to sign England centre-back Harry Maguire, 25, from Leicester City - Daily Mirror

Manchester United want to sign one of Leicester's Harry Maguire, Tottenham's Toby Alderweireld or AC Milan's Leonardo Bonucci this summer - Daily Mail

Arsenal are in advanced talks to sign Borussia Monchengladbach goalkeeper Yann Sommer. Gunners boss Unai Emery has already made five signings this summer, including goalkeeper Bernd Leno. But with Petr Cech and David Ospina expected to leave the Emirates following Leno's arrival from Bayer Leverkusen. Arsenal may turn to Sommer to provide competition for the Germany international - Marca (Spanish national daily sport newspaper)

Arsenal are interested in Barcelona midfielder Andre Gomes. Gomes is believed to be surplus to requirements at the Camp Nou after failing to impress since his 2016 move to the Catalan giants from Valencia - AS (Spanish daily sports newspaper)

The race for Anthony Martial's signature is hotting up. Chelsea are locked in a three-way battle with Bayern Munch and Borussia Dortmund to sign Manchester United forward Martial. All three clubs fancy their chances of landing the 22-year-old, who has a year left on his contract at Old Trafford - skysports.com

Chelsea are considering whether to accept a £65m bid from Barcelona for midfielder Willian, with Manchester United also keen on the 29-year-old Brazil international - Daily Mail

Chelsea are reportedly holding out for £70m for Willian having rejected £53m last week.
Martial, meanwhile, is not for sale, according to the report, but is also wanted by Tottenham and Bayern Munich - London Evening Standard

Napoli president Aurelio de Laurentiis says the club are interested in signing Manchester United's 28 year-old Italian defender Matteo Darmian - The Sun

Chelsea are considering signing Everton's Jordan Pickford or Stoke's Jack Butland in a goalkeeper revamp at the club should Thibaut Courtois leave for Real Madrid - The Sun

Thibaut Courtois' potential move to Real Madrid is being held up while Chelsea attempt to replace the goalkeeper. The Premier League club are interested in bringing Petr Cech back to Stamford Bridge and are also considering a move for Leicester's Kasper Schmeichel - Marca (Spanish national daily sport newspaper)

Chelsea remain interested in Juventus striker Gonzalo Higuain, according to .It is understood the Serie A champions are willing to listen to offers for Higuain following Cristiano Ronaldo's arrival. The Argentina international played under newly-appointed Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri at Napoli. However AC Milan have also made contact about Higuain. - Sky in Italy

Fulham have joined Lazio in showing interest in signing Borussia Dortmund's 27-year-old Germany winger Andre Schurrle, who has also been offered to Crystal Palace and Everton - Daily Mail

Watford striker Richarlison has arrived on Merseyside and started his medical ahead of his proposed £50m move to Everton. The striker is expected to join up with his former manager Marco Silva and become Everton’s first signing of the summer - skysports.com

Chelsea have told Real Madrid they will not be bullied into selling Eden Hazard, not even for £170m - Daily Mirror

Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness has slammed Mesut Ozil following his decision to stop playing for Germany, saying "he's been playing dirt for years". The Arsenal midfielder announced on Sunday he would "no longer be playing for Germany" after accusing German FA (DFB) officials of racism. Ozil - who was born in Germany but has Turkish heritage - has been the subject of criticism in Germany after posing for a photograph with Turkish president Recep Erdogan before the World Cup.
Germany went on to exit the tournament at the group stage - with Ozil being dropped for the second game - and now Hoeness has launched a scathing attack on the 29-year-old.
The former West Germany international said: "I'm glad it is over. He's been playing dirt for years. His 35 million follower boys, who of course do not exist in the real world, think he has played excellently if he plays a cross to a man. He last won a tackle before the 2014 World Cup. And now he hides himself and his c*** performance behind his photo."

Wolves have agreed a fee with Monaco for the Portuguese international midfielder Joao Moutinho. It’s understood the 31-year-old will sign a two-year contract, for a fee in the region of £5m - skysports.com and Daily Mail

Crystal Palace and Fulham have joined Tottenham in wanting to sign English midfielder Jack Grealish and have contacted Aston Villa about a move in the past few days - Daily Mirror

Besiktas goalkeeper Fabri is in the process of undergoing a medical at Motspur Park ahead of completing a £5m switch to Fulham - skysports.com

Liverpool's chances of signing Lyon's French midfielder Nabil Fekir look to have ended with claims in France that a deal for the 25-year-old will now not happen - Daily Express

Mateo Kovacic remains firm in his desire to leave Real Madrid. Liverpool, Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Juventus and Manchester United are among the interested clubs who have contacted him. The 24-year-old wants to begin pre-season at a new club after his summer holiday. Madrid are starting to feel that they will have to facilitate the Croatian’s departure and would seek a fee of at least €50m - Marca (Spanish national daily sport newspaper)

Juventus have reportedly made a 30m euros (£26.8m) bid for Brazilian defender Alex Telles of Porto, but the Portuguese club are insisting on a 40m euros (£35.7m) release clause - Football Italia (Italian football news website)

Newcastle have rejected attempt by West Brom to sign 27-year-old English striker Dwight Gayle on a season-long loan deal as part of a deal taking Venezuela forward Salomon Rondon, 28, the other way - Newcastle Chronicle

Barcelona's Colombia defender Yerry Mina, 23, is set for a move to the Premier League with Everton the most likely destination. - Goal (International association football news website)

Liverpool's new Brazilian keeper Alisson, 25, is set to make his first appearance for the club in a pre-season friendly against Napoli in Dublin on Saturday 4th August - Daily Telegraph

Gareth Bale's future at Real Madrid looks secure with the Wales attacker expected to be one of their key players next season. Bale raised doubts over his status at the club, after their Champions League final win over Liverpool, regarding his lack of regular football. The departure of Cristiano Ronaldo to Juventus has put the focus back on Bale and it seems likely he will remain with the European champions - AS (Spanish daily sports newspaper)

Bas Dost has performed a U-turn and signed a new deal with Sporting Lisbon, just over a month after telling the club he was terminating his contract - skysports.com

Mark Hughes says Southampton will have to sell players before they consider adding anyone else to their squad this summer. Speaking to the Southern Daily Echo, Hughes said: "We will probably have to sell or allow players to go out of the club if we're likely to bring anybody in now I would think - skysports.com

Bristol City have completed the signing of Mo Eisa from Cheltenham. The striker has agreed terms on a three-year deal at Ashton Gate, with the option of a further 12 months - skysports.com

Babe of the Month - Danish Ladies Footballer Pernille Harder

Pernille Mosegaard Harder was born 15th November 1992 in Ikast, Denmark and is a Danish professional footballer who plays as a striker for VfL Wolfsburg as well as for the Danish national team.

Pernille started playing football when she was five or years old with the boys in her birth city of Ikast. Her Mum and Dad and sister both played so they sent her to play soccer and she really loved it. Pernille says that "they didn't have a girls team until she was 11 years old, but I played and practised with boys in high school and that was a really important part of my development."

Pernille has always been a Manchester United fan, and says that David Beckham was her footballing inspiration.

Harder played for Team Viborg between 2007 and 2010 and then for IK Skovbakken from 2010 in her country's Elitedivisionen, before signing for Linköpings in June 2012.

She made her international debut aged 16 in 2009, scoring a hat-trick in Denmark's 15-0 win over Georgia.

Harder chose Linköpings, another Swedish club for her next destination because she wanted a new challenge, but also because she wanted to remain in Scandinavia. In September 2013 she scored all four goals in Linköpings' 4–1 win at relegation-bound Sunnanå SK.

In the 2015 Damallsvenskan season Harder scored 17 goals in 22 appearances for Linköping, winning a series of national awards including Årets Anfallare (English: Forward of the Year) and Årets Allsvenska Spelare (English: League Player of the Year). At the annual awards gala she shared the stage with male winner Zlatan Ibrahimović (below) and was described as "hyper-talented" and "world class" by Swedish national coach Pia Sundhage. Harder was also voted Danish Football Player of the Year in 2015.

Harder enjoyed further success in the 2016 Damallsvenskan season, retaining the League Player of the Year award and helping Linköping win the Damallsvenskan title.

By now a transfer target for the biggest clubs in women's football, it would have been easy for Harder to stay in Sweden. She had scored 70 goals in 87 appearances for Linköpings, twice winning the Swedish cup and winning the league in 2016 as top scorer with 24 goals in 22 games.

 

However Harder's agent announced in November 2016 that she would be leaving Linköping for a new challenge. In December 2016, it was announced that Harder had signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with VfL Wolfsburg running from January 2017.

The lure of the Bundesliga was too strong. Pernille said: “I always wanted to go to Germany one day. I guess it’s because the German league is the strongest league in Europe and possibly the world. All the games are hard. We’re one of the best teams in the world right now, with a lot of good players, and that’s why I always wanted to come here."

"It’s a little more physical, all teams are fit and physically strong. The way teams defend in the Bundesliga compared to Swedish league is very different. In Sweden we’re standing in zones and defending the space behind us. In Germany it’s go forward and go 100%. It’s very different for me when I have the ball and it’s given me a new way of thinking and has developed my game."

In her first season in Germany Wolfsburg pipped the holders, Bayern Munich, to the Bundesliga crown as the team secured the league and cup double.

Last Sunday Wolfsburg Ladies beat Chelsea Ladies 2-0 in their Women's Champions League semi-final second leg to win 5-1 on aggregate and reach the final, where they will face Lyon at the Valeriy Lobanovskiy Dynamo Stadium in Kiev on 24th May. Harder scored the opening goal in Wolfsburg's 2-0 win.

This season, with her team two points clear of second-placed Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga Women's League, with the German Cup Final (DFB-Pokal) on the 19th May, Harder and her team-mates are targeting the treble!

On her International career: At the inaugural 2008 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in New Zealand, Harder was part of the Denmark team who won their group before losing 4–0 to eventual champions North Korea in the quarter-final. Still 16 years old, she contributed a hat-trick to a crushing 15–0 win over Georgia in her senior international debut in October 2009, and she has continued to score regularly for the Danish team ever since.

Harder scored further hat-tricks against Austria and Armenia in 2011 and Russia in 2013. She was named in national coach Kenneth Heiner-Møller's Denmark squad for UEFA Women's Euro 2013. With nine goals she had been the team's top goalscorer in qualifying.

In October 2013, Harder won her 50th cap for Denmark in a 1–1 draw with Serbia. She scored Denmark's goal in the match. In March 2016, Harder was appointed captain of the national team.

In 2017, she was named in national coach Nils Nielsen's Denmark squad for the UEFA Women's Euro 2017. She captained the team to the final and scored a goal in Denmark's 4–2 defeat by hosts the Netherlands. She was voted runner-up to Lieke Martens in the UEFA Women's Player of the Year Award for 2016–17.

Pernille Harder is one of the five nominees for the BBC Women's Footballer of the Year 2018 award.
On being nominated she said: "It's an honour. A nomination like this is one of the things you work really hard for your whole career, so I'm really happy to be nominated and 2017 was a really good year for me."

Away from football, Pernille enjoys playing golf.

You can follow Pernille on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook

All the very latest football news and transfer gossip across Europe!

With just a month to go until Christmas and the January transfer window less than six weeks away, Clubs are drawing up both long and short term targets to either bolster or save their season! I am not just talking about the acquisition of players, but managers and backroom staff too!


Here is a round up of all the latest football news/gossip across Europe today, which includes the likes of: Real Madrid, Chelsea, Paris St-Germain, Arsenal, Barcelona, Everton, Liverpool, Wales, Tottenham, Manchester City, Manchester United, Rennes, Athletic Bilbao, Juventus, Crystal Palace, Watford, West Ham, Holstein Kiel, RB Leipzig, Changchun Yatai, Leicester, West Brom, Derby, Sunderland and Ross County to name but a few!


Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois could be on the move, with Juventus, Real Madrid, PSG and Atletico all interested - The Sun

Arsenal's German playmaker Mesut Ozil wants Barcelona to pay him 370,000 euros (£329,559) a week to join them in January. Gunners boss Arsene Wenger is willing to let the 29-year-old leave, as long as he does not join Manchester United on a free transfer next summer - AS (Spanish daily sports newspaper) and Daily Mail

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has dismissed Arsenal's £40m bid for striker Karim Benzema as embarrassing - The Sun

West Brom caretaker manager Gary Megson insists his first game in charge, against Tottenham, is not going to be an audition for a permanent job - Daily Telegraph

West Brom are likely to fail with a bid to appoint Sam Allardyce as their next boss. The ex-England boss is keen to return to international management - Daily Mirror

Watford are confident manager Marco Silva does not want to join Everton as he is house-hunting in Hertfordshire - Daily Mirror

However Everton are considering appointing RB Leipzig sporting director Ralf Rangnick instead - Daily Express

Paris St-Germain have opened discussions with Manchester United midfielder Marouane Fellaini. The 30-year-old Belgium international is out of contract in the summer - Le10Sport (French sports newspaper specialising in football) and Daily Mail

Swansea boss Paul Clement says he still has support from the club's board despite a disappointing start to the season - Guardian

Wayne Rooney has called on the Everton board to end the uncertainty and appoint a new manager following last night's humiliating 5-1 defeat to Atalanta at Goodison Park - Daily Express

Eden Hazard admits that he admires Real Madrid, but says that he has no interest in leaving Chelsea for the time being - Daily Mail

Liverpool have made contact with PSG over a January loan move for 24 year-old Germany midfielder Julian Draxler - L'Equipe (French nationwide daily newspaper devoted to sport)

Eliaquim Mangala admits he could leave Manchester City in search of regular football, despite the side's injury crisis at the heart of their defence - The Sun

Stoke, West Ham, Everton and Southampton are interested in former Watford striker Odion Ighalo. The 28-year-old moved to Chinese Super League side Changchun Yatai in January - Tutto Udinese (Italian football news website)

Arsene Wenger wants Feynoord boss Giovanni van Bronckhorst to be his successor as Arsenal manager - Daily Star

Crystal Palace will rival West Ham for the signing Bournemouth midfielder Harry Arter, 27, in January - Daily Mirror

Rennes are pursuing a loan deal for Leicester forward Islam Slimani, but face competition from Watford and Crystal Palace - Daily Mail

Chris Coleman has backed Craig Bellamy to succeed him as Wales manager, and says his lack of experience could be a positive - Daily Star

Former England defender Sol Campbell said he would be interested in becoming the United States' head coach - ESPN

Jack Wilshere admits he may have to leave Arsenal to get regular football as he is frustrated with his current game-time - Daily Mirror

Barcelona and Real Madrid are set to go head to head for the signature of highly-rated Athletic Bilbao defender Aymeric Laporte - Daily Express

Spain midfielder Juan Mata, 29, wants to extend his stay at Manchester United and has not ruled out playing until he is 40 - ESPN

West Ham asked to be given an away fixture on Boxing Day because nearby Stratford station would not have been able to cope with the number of fans and post-Christmas sales shoppers - Daily Telegraph

Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino says he "does not care" that Danny Rose was upset by being left out of the north London derby - Guardian

Chelsea have made the most money from player sales since the Premier League began - Daily Star

Glenn Murray says he would get more credit for his performances with Brighton if he had a foreign name - Daily Telegraph

Derby County want Joe Ledley to sign a new deal at the club, but Sunderland are keen on the 30-year-old midfielder - Daily Mirror

Burnley are monitoring Kilmarnock's 23-year-old winger Jordan Jones ahead of the January transfer window - Daily Mail

Leeds United scouts watched Bundesliga Two top scorer Marvin Ducksch play for Holstein Kiel against Nuremberg last weekend.

Chris Eagles has joined Scottish Premiership club Ross County until the end of the season - skysports.com

All the very latest football news and gossip across Europe!

With the current domestic football season nearing its close, clubs across Europe are planning for next season, as they scout for new players and in some cases new managers and backroom staff, both at home and abroad, in an attempt to strengthen their clubs for the 2017/18 season.

Here is a round up of all the latest football news/gossip across Europe today, which includes the likes of: Inter Milan, Tottenham Hotspur, Mauricio Pochettino, Jamie Vardy, Alexis Sanchez, Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid, Manchester United, Alvaro Morata, Gareth Bale, Diego Costa, Arsene Wenger, Antonio Conte, Harry Redknapp, Arsenal, Barcelona, Leicester, West Ham and Brighton to name but a few!


Inter Milan are ready to double the salary Mauricio Pochettino earns at Tottenham Hotspur to make him their new head coach - Football Italia (Italian Football website)

Arsenal will join Chelsea and Manchester United in the £50m race to sign Real Madrid's Spanish striker Alvaro Morata this summer. Morata, 24, has managed just 13 La Liga starts this season - The Sun

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has fired a warning ahead of talks over a new contract by telling Chelsea to pay him what he is worth - Daily Mail

Wales forward Gareth Bale, 27, is willing to move to Manchester United if Real Madrid decide to sell him in the summer - Independent

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho’s No.1 summer transfer target is a left-back, according to Le10 Sport, who claim Manchester United are plotting a move for Monaco star Benjamin Mendy - Le10 Sport (French Sports News publication)

Chelsea's Diego Costa and Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez are wanted by Atletico Madrid if Antoine Griezmann leaves - The Sun

Atletico Madrid are interested in Leicester striker Jamie Vardy, 30, and Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez - Independent and Daily Star

Turkish giants Galatasaray are keen on signing Arsenal striker Danny Welbeck - Daily Mail

Arsenal are set to reassure manager Arsene Wenger they do not have plans to restrict his power - Daily Telegraph

Everton manager Ronald Koeman says Ross Barkley has a week to decide whether to sign a new contract - skysports.com

Everton want to sign Swansea City midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson in the summer. Sky Sports News HQ understands the Toffees are hoping to strike a deal in the region of £25m for the Iceland international. Everton are likely to face competition from Southampton -skysports.com

Hull City defender Harry Maguire has shelved all contract talk until the club's Premier League survival battle has been decided. The 24-year-old defender, who has a year left to run on his current deal, has been linked with a host of Premier League clubs, while the Tigers have two games left in their bid to retain their top-flight status.

Claude Puel's days at Southampton look numbered - with Hull City boss Marco Silva already approached about replacing the under-fire Frenchman - Daily Express

Eddie Howe says Jack Wilshere will return to Arsenal following his loan spell at Bournemouth - skysports.com

Slaven Bilic has confirmed Andy Carroll will miss West Ham’s Sunday clash with Liverpool, but denied claims the striker had played his last game for the Hammers - skysports.com

Slaven Bilic says it's great Michail Antonio has signed a new four-year contract at West Ham - skysports.com

Harry Redknapp has signed a one-year contract to stay on in his role as manager of Birmingham City, the club have announced - skysports.com

Jesus Navas has been offered a new deal to stay at Manchester City after impressive recent performances - Daily Mirror

Brighton are among a host of clubs considering signing Crystal Palace striker Fraizer Campbell on a free transfer this summer. The 29-year-old’s contract at Crystal Palace expires in June and the Eagles are yet to offer him an extension - skysports.com

Burnley may cash in on striker Andre Gray, who has one year left on his current deal and could demand much more than his current £30,000-per-week if he were to agree a new contract - Daily Mail

Craig Shakespeare wants his Leicester stars to stay, irrespective of any verbal gentlemen's agreements they may have with the club. Riyad Mahrez, Kasper Schmeichel and Jamie Vardy are all set to be in demand again this summer - Daily Mirror

Barcelona are reportedly eyeing a move for Southampton midfielder Oriol Romeu. He moved to St Mary’s in 2015 but Marca claim Spaniard could be on his way back to the Camp Nou, six years after he left - Marca (Spanish national daily sport newspaper) and Daily Star

Everton boss Ronald Koeman is interested in signing Ajax captain Davy Klaassen. The Netherlands attacking midfielder has enjoyed an exceptional season, scoring 18 goals in 43 matches - skysports.com

Chelsea are keeping tabs on Bournemouth defender Adam Smith and sent a scout to watch him play in the 2-2 draw with Stoke last Saturday - The Sun

Paul Lambert could quit as Wolves manager over plans for agent Jorge Mendes to handle the club's transfers - Daily Telegraph

Manchester United are considering approaching Paul Mitchell, who found Tottenham midfielder Dele Alli, after he resigned from his role as Spurs' head of recruitment - Manchester Evening News

Barcelona midfielder Andre Gomes, 23, has been offered to rivals Real Madrid, according to reports in Spain - Don Balon (Spanish weekly sports magazine)

Newly promoted Brighton want to sign Liverpool's long-serving Brazilian midfielder Lucas Leiva, 30, for their first season in the Premier League - Daily Mirror

Fabian Johnson has signed a new two-and-a-half-year deal at Borussia Monchengladbach. The 29-year-old USA international, who moved to Gladbach from Hoffenheim in 2014, will remain at the club until 2020 - skysports.com

Chelsea want to bring Germany Under-17 star Jann-Fiete Arp to Stamford Bridge this summer. The Blues have been keeping tabs on the Hamburg forward for over six months - Daily Mirror

Stoke City boss Mark Hughes has confirmed midfielder Gianelli Imbula – the Potters' £18.3m club-record signing – can move on if a deal can be reached that satisfies all parties - skysports.com

West Brom hope to agree a compensation fee with Leeds for Charlie Taylor rather than go to a tribunal. Baggies boss Tony Pulis has confirmed his interest in Taylor, who is out of contract at Elland Road, and is prepared to offer between £3million and £5million for the left-back - Daily Mirror

Middlesbrough have made a £300,000 bid for Hartlepool winger Nathan Thomas, 22, after Sheffield United had an offer accepted earlier in the week - Daily Mail

Brentford have triggered the clause in Florian Jozefzoon's contract that will keep him at the club until next summer. The winger signed from PSV Eindhoven in January on a short-term deal with the option of a further year - skysports.com

Stevenage have completed the signing of youngster James Ferry from Brentford on a two-year contract - skysports.com

All the very latest football news and gossip across Europe!

The European Championships are over.
Clubs across Europe are preparing for the start of the new season, which begins in just a couple of weeks! Some clubs are away on pre-season tours, others are preparing a little closer to home but every club is looking to strengthen their squads.

Here is a round up of all the latest football news/gossip across Europe today, which includes the likes of: The FA, Leicester City, Manchester City, Paul Pogba, Saido Berahino, Georginio Wijnaldum, Manchester United, Juventus, Crystal Palace, Diego Costa, Arda Turan, Alvaro Negredo, West Ham, Chelsea, Newcastle, Loic Remy and Robin Van Persie to name but a few!


Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri says reigning PFA Players' Player of the Year Riyad Mahrez wants to remain with the Premier League champions - skysports.com

Manchester City will move for Leicester City and Algeria forward Riyad Mahrez, 25, if they fail to sign Schalke's 20 year-old Germany winger Leroy Sane - French Football News‎

It is no secret that Manchester United are interested in Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba and have Manchester United have had an £85m bid for the midfielder rejected by Turin club. An Italian newspaper have taken things one step further and say that he will be joining United, for a fee of €125m euros (£104.9m) - Corriere dello Sport (Italian newspaper)

In France they are saying a deal has been agreed for Paul Pogba to return to Manchester United from Juventus. Apparently negotiations will now be formalised over the final price and it is thought it could be €120m euros. It is suggested it could be completed in a ‘matter of days’ - L’Equipe (French daily newspaper)

Juventus want Chelsea’s Nemanja Matic and Newcastle’s Moussa Sissoko to replace Paul Pogba should he leave the club this summer. The Blues are not willing to part with the Serbia international Matic for anything less than €30m (£25.2m), while Newcastle want €41.7m (£35m) for France international Sissoko - Gazzetta dello Sport (Italian newspaper)

New Bayern Munich head coach Carlo Ancelotti says he will not allow striker Robert Lewandowski to leave for Real Madrid - Sportbild (German sports daily newspaper)

Talks are ongoing between Stoke and Liverpool with a £13 million fee agreed to take Joe Allen to the Britannia Stadium - skysports.com

Olivier Giroud is unlikely to leave Arsenal this summer, according to his agent Michael Manuello. Uncertainty has surrounded the 29-year-old's future, with reports suggesting he could be on his way to Napoli with Gonzalo Higuain potentially heading to the Emirates Stadium - Evening Standard

Atletico Madrid are the only club to have 'bid' for Arsenal target Gonzalo Higuain, according to Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis, although Italian champions Juventus Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain are all 'keen' on the striker - skysports.com

20 year-old defender Rob Holding's transfer from Bolton Wanderers to Arsenal will be completed in the next few days - skysports.com

Former Arsenal and Manchester United striker Robin van Persie has been heavily linked with a return to the Premier League this summer, after spending a year in Turkey with Fenerbache.
It is reported that Stoke and Middlesbrough are in pole position for the 32-year-old's signature, after West Ham turned down the opportunity to bring him back to London - The Mirror

Stoke City manager Mark Hughes has said that West Brom have rejected more than one offer for 22-year-old striker Saido Berahino, which reports suggest could have reached £20m. Crystal Palace and Watford are also interested in Berahino - skysports.com

Chelsea have emerged as favourites to sign Real Madrid forward Alvaro Morata - The Sun

Alvaro Negredo will join up with Aitor Karanka’s Middlesbrough squad in Spain today. The Valencia striker has agreed a one-year loan deal with an option for Boro to make the deal permanent next summer. The former Man City frontman will have his medical with the Middlesbrough doctors out in Marbella - skysports.com

However Middlesbrough's pursuit of Borussia Dortmund defender Neven Subotic has broken down, and the defender will travel back to Germany. Boro had agreed a fee of around £8m with Dortmund for the Serbia international and he was shown around the club's facilities nearly two weeks ago - skysports.com

Scans have revealed that Michael Dawson has sustained significant damage to the medial collateral ligament in his knee. The Hull City defender is expected to be out of action for three months - bbc.co.uk

Atletico Madrid may turn their attention to Liverpool's Belgium striker Divock Origi, 21, if they fail to sign Spain international Diego Costa, from Chelsea - Bleacher Report

Newcastle may be interested in signing Liverpool's Brazil midfielder Lucas Leiva, 29, as part of a deal taking Georginio Wijnaldum to Anfield, with the Magpies valuing Wijnaldum at £27m - Daily Telegraph

In Holland it is being reported that Everton and Tottenham will both bid for Newcastle's 25-year-old Georginio Wijnaldum, sparking a bidding war - De Telegraaf (Dutch newspaper)

Tottenham have ended their interest in Newcastle midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum. Spurs were keen on the Dutch international but manager Mauricio Pochettino has decided he is too expensive, with the Magpies unwilling to budge on their £25m valuation - skysports.com

Chelsea and Everton will go head-to-head to sign Napoli and Senegal international defender Kalidou Koulibaly. Chelsea are understood to have had a £20m bid rejected by Napoli, but the London club are set to revise their offer.
Everton meanwhile, backed by new owner Farad Moshiri, are willing to spend £37m on Koulibaly as new boss Ronald Koeman aims to steer the club back into Europe - The Sun

Liverpool have confirmed the signing of 30-year-old Estonia centre-back Ragnar Klavan from FC Augsburg. Klavan, who has appeared 112 times for his country, is believed to have cost the club €5m (£4.2m), with reports suggesting he has signed a three-year deal - bbc.co.uk and skysports.com

Burnley and England international goalkeeper Tom Heaton has chosen to extend his stay at Turf Moor. Heaton, 30, joined Burnley from Bristol City in 2013, and was part of England's Euro 2016 squad has signed a new four-year deal - skysports.com and bbc.co.uk

Swansea are reportedly keen to sign Tottenham's Nacer Chadli. Spurs value the Belgian at around £15m, which would be a club-record fee for Swansea - Daily Mirror

Turkish side Besiktas will target Chelsea's France striker Loic Remy, 29, if they fail to agree a deal with Fiorentina for Germany international Mario Gomez - Evening Standard

Germany striker Mario Gomez says he will be leaving Besiktas because of the "political situation" in Turkey - skysports.com

Europa League champions Sevilla have completed the signing of Palermo midfielder Franco Vazquez. The 27-year-old has signed a five-year deal - skysports.com

Barcelona are willing to sell £20m-rated Turkey midfielder Arda Turan, 29, with Chelsea and Arsenal are both said to be interested in the Turkey international - Talksport

Barcelona pair Munir El Haddadi and Sergi Samper have signed contract extensions, the La Liga champions have confirmed. Both Munir and Samper have penned a three-year renewals that will see them remain at the Camp Nou until June 2019.
Munir has a €60m (£50.1m) release clause in his new contract, while Samper has had a €50m (£42m) clause inserted in his deal - skysports.com

Crystal Palace, Sunderland, Swansea and West Brom are interested in West Ham's £15m-rated Senegal striker Diafra Sakho. However Diafra Sakho will not be sold until West Ham find replacements, according to co-chairman David Sullivan - Daily Mirror and bbc.co.uk

Manchester City and Manchester United both want 17-year-old West Ham defender Reece Oxford, who is valued at £15m by his club - skysports.com

Manchester United are eyeing a £25m move for the Monaco and Brazil international full-back Fabinho - Daily Mail

Manchester City are close to signing 24 year-old Argentina goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli, for £4m from Real Sociedad - Guardian

Newcastle have agreed a fee with Blackburn Rovers for defender Grant Hanley. The Scotland international will travel to Tyneside for a medical today after a fee of £5.5m was agreed between the sides - skysports.com

Aston Villa 'keeper Brad Guzan could be set to leave the club on a free transfer, ahead of a switch to Middlesbrough. The Teeside club announced the signing of Spanish World Cup-winning goalkeeper Victor Valdes earlier this month - Telegraph.

Transfer news coming from Portugal, concerning two Benfica players, who could be coming to a Premier League club. Reports that Talisca, a 22-year-old Brazilian attacking midfielder, and Eduardo Salvio, 26, an Argentina international winger, could both be moving in a joint deal worth £50m (£41.9m). Where are they going? The paper doesn't say, but does add that club president Luis Felipe Vieira is negotiating a deal in London - A Bola (Portuguese newspaper)

Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho is willing to let defender Tyler Blackett, 22, and strikers Will Keane, 23, and James Wilson, 20, leave Old Trafford - Daily Telegraph

Fulham are hopeful of agreeing a loan deal for England Under-21 international James Wilson - The Sun

Liverpool goalkeeper Adam Bogdan has joined Wigan Athletic on a season-long loan - skysports.com

West Brom goalkeeper Boaz Myhill has signed a one-year contract extension to keep him at the club until 2018 - skysports.com

Real Madrid youngster Borja Mayoral will leave the club’s training camp in Montreal to finalise his loan move to Wolfsburg. The striker, 19, will head to Germany today to sign his season-long deal with Wolfsburg - Marca (Spanish newspaper)

Aston Villa say that Stiliyan Petrov will not be offered a playing contract, but will be offered a role at the club - skysports.com

Arsenal have signed 16-year-old Norway defender Erik Tobias Sandberg from Lillestrom SK - The Sun

Stoke City are keen on striker Jose Angulo, 21. He plays for Independiente del Valle in his native Ecuador - Guardian

Sheffield United have turned down a £1m bid from Birmingham City for their young striker Che Adams - skysports.com

Bury have completed the signing of 30 year-old defender Leon Barnett on a two-year deal after his release by Wigan Athletic - bbc.co.uk

Rotherham United have secured the signature of 22-year-old Brighton's Jake Forster-Caskey. The central midfielder has 12 England under-21 caps, and signs on a season-long loan - skysports.com and bbc.co.uk

Luton Town striker Jack Marriott has pledged his long-term future to the club by signing a new three-year contract - skysports.com

Port Vale have signed midfielder Sebastien Amoros on a one-year deal, with an option of a further year. The 21-year-old joins from Monaco, where he came up through academy - skysports.com

Burton Albion manager Nigel Clough is hoping to offer Irish teenager Ryan Delaney a permanent deal with the club. Defender Delaney, 19, currently with Wexford Youths, has impressed the Brewers boss while on trial - skysports.com

Chelsea youngster Alex Kiwomya has joined Crewe on loan until 9th January 2017 - skysports.com

Crawley Town have signed midfielder Billy Clifford on a one-year deal following a successful trial, the Sky Bet League Two club have announced - skysports.com

Hearts have signed striker Tony Watt on a season-long loan from Charlton - skysports.com


# New rules to stop "intolerable behaviour" by players and managers have been introduced in English football.
In a statement, the Premier League, English Football League and Football Association said poor conduct has reached "unacceptable levels."
Starting this season, red cards will be issued to players who confront match officials and use offensive language.
Behaviour within the technical areas will also be more rigorously enforced.

The Most Famous Meltdowns in Sporting History!

There’s a famous saying about sports, that it’s the perfect platform to illustrate the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. That’s a very true statement, and sometimes we forget just how fine a line there really is between those two things. The thrill for one side equals agony for the other, and anyone who has played sports can tell you that losing is never easy. In some cases, the agony of defeat is especially strong.

Jordan Spieth's infamous collapse in the final round of the US Masters on Sunday brings to mind so many others in the world of sports that I thought I'd bring you 10 of my favorite meltdowns and collapses in sporting history, just for fun!

Spieth had a five-stroke lead when he came to the 10th hole on Sunday. But two straight bogeys followed by a disastrous quadruple bogey on the par-3 12th suddenly had him behind by three strokes, a deficit from which he could never recover.

The 22-year-old Texan had been poised to win his second straight Masters and third major in his last five tournaments. Instead, he had to place the green jacket on Yorkshire born winner Danny Willett, who became only the second Englishman ever to win the US Masters at Augusta National.


SOUTH AFRICA - 1999 CRICKET WORLD CUP SEMI-FINAL

It was all in the balance when South Africa needed nine to win from the final over of their semi-final against Australia with one wicket remaining. The two men batting for the Proteas could not have been more different. One was Lance Klusener. The burly power hitter who had probably been the player of the tournament up to that point and was sitting on 23 from 12 balls. At the other end was Allan Donald, one of the best fast bowlers to ever play for his country, but who sadly, couldn’t bat to save his life.

Luckily for the Rainbow Nation, the talismanic Klusener was on strike and stroked the first two balls of the over for four, tying the match and making sure South Africa only needed one run from the last four deliveries to make a first World Cup final.

They only lasted two thanks to a hilarious run-out in which Klusener sprinted down the pitch whilst Donald stood his ground, realised what was going on, dropped his bat and trotted down the pitch to be run out by some distance. Match tied, Australia advanced due to a higher finishing position in the previous stage.

MANCHESTER UNITED - 2011-2012 PREMIER LEAGUE

With a chance to widen their lead at the top of the table to 11 points with only five games remaining, Manchester United visited a relegation threatened Wigan Athletic side that had only won three of their last 17 games and had lost all 13 matches they had with played with United since their promotion to the Premier League in 2005.

Following Man City's 4–0 win over West Bromwich Albion, United's lead at the top of the table was cut to five points. United rebounded in their following match at Old Trafford, beating Aston Villa 4–0.

United were back at Old Trafford for their next fixture, against mid-table Everton. Despite holding a 3–1 lead and then later a 4–2 lead, United blew the chance to take all three points by conceding two late goals, resulting in their lead at the top of the table being cut to just 3 points heading into the pivotal Manchester derby.

The next game was the Manchester derby at the Etihad Stadium, with the match finishing 1–0 in favour of City. This caused City to lead the table by goal difference, which handed control of the title race over to their “noisy-neighbours.”

In this case however, the champions-elect never showed up and were unable to break Wigan down on their way to a 1-0 defeat. They dropped further points in a thrilling 4-4 draw with Everton having been two goals up with just seven minutes to play. Then United fell to a narrow defeat to at the hands of cross-town rivals City in a match which handed control of the title race over to their 'noisy-neighbours.'

On the final day of the season, Manchester United beat Sunderland and City were trailing 2-1 entering stoppage time against relegation-threatened Queens Park Rangers (and needing a victory to win their first league title for 44 years). Edin Dzeko equalized in the 92nd minute and then Sergio Aguero smashed home the winner in the 94th minute to snatch the Barclays Premier League crown from Manchester United's grasp in a quite incredible finale!


JEAN VAN DE VELDE - 1999 BRITISH OPEN GOLF TOURNAMENT

Van de Velde was an obscure pro golfer from France, who stormed to a commanding lead in the final round of the Open at Carnoustie in 1999, and strode to the 18th tee needing only a double bogey six, on a par-four closing hole, to win the major, which would have made him the first Frenchman to do so since 1907.

The engraver, thinking that the Open was in the bag, started to inscribe Van de Velde's name on the claret jug. However a series of poor decisions turned a comfortable three-stroke lead into a three-way play-off with Justin Leonard and eventual winner Paul Lawrie.

His choice of a driver off the tee was dubious, but not nearly as poor as the decision to go for the green instead of laying up on his second shot, which ricocheted backward 50 yards off a stone wall into severe rough. From there, he dunked his third shot into the Barry Burn, which he briefly considered trying to play out of before taking a drop (and ensuing penalty) and sending shot No. 5 into a greenside bunker. He wound up with a triple-bogey seven, when a six would have given him the title.

To make this collapse even more cataclysmic, Lawrie was ten shots off the lead at the start of play on that final day – making his victory the biggest comeback in major golf history.

The closest van de Velde ever came to winning a major again was tying for 19th at the Masters the following year and 19th again at the British Open in 2008.


TEAM NEW ZEALAND - 2013 AMERICA'S CUP  (Sailing)

The 34th America's Cup was a series of boat races held on San Francisco Bay between the defender Oracle Team USA representing the Golden Gate Yacht Club, and the challenger Emirates Team New Zealand representing the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron.

Oracle Team USA, with Sir Ben Ainslie on board as tactician, completed one of the most remarkable sporting comebacks of all time, trouncing Team New Zealand by 44 seconds in their winner-takes-all finale in San Francisco. The American defenders came back from an 8-1 deficit to win eight consecutive races and claim victory in the first-to-nine series.

The defeat was all the more galling for New Zealanders because Oracle's skipper Jimmy Spithill hailed from their bitter arch-rivals Australia.

It has been labelled the greatest comeback in the history of sport, matched only by one of sport's greatest chokes!




NEW YORK YANKEES VS. BOSTON RED SOX - 2004 BASEBALL WORLD SERIES

Most Red Sox fans were of the belief that they’d never see a World Series title, particularly after the gut punch of the 1986 World Series. When the New York Yankees took a 3-0 lead in the 2004 American League Championship Series, Boston fans just chalked it up as yet another disappointment, and Yankee fans were planning on raising yet another banner. And then came Game 4, and Dave Roberts made his mark in baseball lore, sparking what would become the most epic meltdown in baseball history.

The steal by Roberts started the rally that would not only give the Sox a victory in Game Four, but would begin a snowball effect that resulted in four straight wins, including a decimation at Yankee Stadium in which Boston jumped out to a 6-0 lead after two innings and never looked back, on their way to an eventual World Series championship. So, while the Sox have had some historic meltdowns of their own over the years, at least Boston fans can take solace in the fact that they helped their arch rivals achieve arguably the greatest choke job in sports history. Before 2004, no baseball team that led a series 3-0 had ever lost a seven-game series. The Yankees remain the only ones to do so.


GREG NORMAN - 1996 US MASTERS GOLF TOURNAMENT

Chances are pretty good that, if you enter the final round of a golf tournament boasting a six-stroke lead, you have to like your odds of winning said tournament. Greg Norman probably woke up on Sunday of the 1996 Masters feeling pretty confident for precisely this reason, as he found himself with a score of 13 under par, while the next closest competitor, Nick Faldo, was sitting at seven under.

What unfolded in that fourth and final round of the Masters will live on in infamy, and has forever tainted Norman’s otherwise-stellar career. After shooting an astounding 63 in the opening round, followed by strong rounds of 69 and 71, Norman was on the verge of being a wire-to-wire leader and Masters champion. It looked like Norman would romp to victory. Except Norman was the one getting romped. The Aussie shot a 78 in that final round including three bogeys and two double bogeys in an eight-hole span, while Faldo shot a 67 as the gap between the two swung by a staggering 11 strokes, with Norman going from leading by six strokes to ultimately losing by five.

Faldo won the tournament for the third time. It was the sixth and final major victory of his career.
Norman would finish his career just two major championships, both at the British Open.


GAVIN HASTINGS - 1991 RUGBY WORLD CUP SEMI-FINAL

With the scores level at 6-6 against England at Murrayfield, and with just 15 minutes of the match remaining Scotland were awarded a penalty inside the England 22, just right of centre. For Hastings this should have been a relatively straightforward penalty attempt, that could have earned Scotland a place in the Rugby World Cup final of 1991.
But the Edinburgh born goal-kicker missed, pushing it wide on the right and the score remained tied until Rob Andrew's late drop goal nicked it for England.

England had reached their first World Cup final, Scotland have never got as close again.


DEVON LOCH - 1956 GRAND NATIONAL

The Queen Mother's horse was only forty yards from the finishing line at Aintree racecourse with a five-length lead on 24th March 1956, when he inexplicably jumped into the air and landed on his stomach. Jockey Dick Francis was unable to make him continue which allowed E.S.B to claim victory. The reason behind Devon Loch's jump is still uncertain to this day. For jockey Dick Francis, his mount's bizarre collapse on the run-in to victory in the world's most famous steeplechase remained a "terrible memory, even after all these years."

Devon Loch's was not the first time a horse had seemed to jump some form of 'ghost fence' on the run in of the National. In 1901, Arthur Nightingall's race was well won on board Grudon when his mount also made to jump a fence that wasn't there. On that occasion the pair recovered and had sufficient time to continue and win the race.

The Queen Mother famously said, “Oh that’s racing.”
Dick Francis retired from the sport the following year and became a crime writer!


JIMMY WHITE

Sport's perennial runner-up, 'The Whirlwind' lost all six of his World Championship snooker finals, four of them to his ice-cool nemesis Stephen Hendry.

Among White's more spectacular chokes were losing 18-14 after leading 14-8 in 1992, and missing a routine black at 17-17 in the deciding frame in 1994.


SCOTT BOSWELL - CHELTENHAM AND GLOUCESTER TROPHY CRICKET FINAL 2001

The Leicestershire cricketer was man of the match in the 2001 Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy semi-final, but he made headlines for different reasons in the final against Somerset.

Most cricket fans will remember what happened nest. Many of the rest of you may know about it from YouTube. The video is called "The Worst Over Ever?" Six of his first eight balls were wides. There were, at one point, five in a row, some flew to slip, others flew towards fine leg.
The bemused batsman, Marcus Trescothick, hit a couple of the straighter balls for four. The six ball over lasted 14 balls.

After eventually completing the over Boswell went down to field at fine leg. The ball came his way. "I can dive for this." He did. And he missed it. Worse, he tore up a lump of the Lord's turf. "It landed on my head. So I was lying on the floor and I look up and there are 2,000 people behind me, and I see the ball trickling over the boundary. I have this bleeding lump of turf on my head." I thought: 'Fucking hell. This can't get any worse. Get me off this field.' He froze. Literally. "There was a water bottle five metres away from me. My mouth was so dry. But I couldn't move. I couldn't walk five metres to go and get it." The Somerset fans chanted "Bring on the Boswell! Bring on the Boswell!" That, he says, "haunted me for a couple of years".
and it also ended Boswell's first-class career at just 26 years of age.

Leicester also went on to lose that 2001 final.

The History of the Replica Football Shirt

A replica football shirt is defined as an (official) copy of a kit. It is a huge business in the United Kingdom.

Though replica shirts have been produced since the late 1950's, they were initially marketed only to children, and sold as part of a full playing strip. Kit designs were also not copyrighted and at times different clubs, such as Derby County and Spurs, wore identical outfits and different manufacturers produced the same designs.

In the good old days any old red shirt could indicate that you were a Liverpool or a United fan. A dark blue would indicate either Everton or Chelsea.

There were only certain teams which deviated - Arsenal had those white sleeves and Blackburn Rovers played in their blue and white halved shirts.
But then things began to change!

At Coventry City, Jimmy Hill realised the kit was something more than just a uniform to wear on the pitch and he introduced the first ever kit of just one colour (other than white) as they changed from their hitherto mostly dark blue shirts with white shorts to a kit of all sky-blue. Bill Shankly only adopted all red for his Liverpool side in 1965-66 - three years after Coventry's all sky-blue affair (below).

Moving into the 1970's Bert Patrick who was the chairman of Admiral (top right), a Leicester-based knitwear firm, spotted an opportunity to produce football teams’ kits in exchange for prominent branding on the shirts, plus exclusive rights to sell the replica versions to fans.

Leeds United, who had changed from their traditional colours of blue and gold to all white in the early 1960's, became the first club to offer their fans the chance to buy replica kits in 1975 as part of their deal with kit supplier Admiral. When Don Revie left Leeds to take over as England Manager the national team entered into a similar arrangement with Admiral.

When Bert Patrick's Leicestershire knitwear company Cook and Hurst, started producing the official England football kit using the trade name ‘Admiral’ - they became the first to include the manufacturer's logo on the chest - and in 1974 he paid the Football Association £16,000 a year for the privilege. England’s traditional plain white shirt was suddenly adorned with red-and-blue sleeve stripes and a yellow logo, much to the horror of traditionalists and to the delight of schoolboys across the nation.

That shirt was the must-have item of 1975, and when Manchester United were also signed up, Admiral had the ‘Big Three’. The rest quickly fell into line. The revolutionary deal allowed Admiral to sell British-made replica shirts to supporters for £5 - increasing to £9 with shorts and socks included.

Now Nike, the current England kit manufacturer, have a £25 million sponsorship deal with the Football Association, and charges fans around £90 for a replica shirt.

Nike also currently represent the England national women's football team too (right).

Between 1975 and 1980, use of different coloured trim on shirts increased by 40 per cent, and manufacturers’ logos soon became ubiquitous.

The Admiral agents had an eye for an opportunity. When Southampton beat Manchester United in the 1976 FA Cup Final both teams wore an Admiral strip that had been designed and manufactured since their semi-final victories, and the multiple logos down sleeves and shorts were exposed to a huge global TV audience.

In the last 25 years, the percentage of clubs changing their home kit at the start of any season has doubled to almost 100 per cent.

Things really took off when Liverpool became the first club to wear a sponsor's name on their shirts following their 1979 deal with Japanese electronics manufacturer Hitachi (right).

Replica shirt sales are important to both sponsors and clubs. In the 1980's, when hooliganism was a factor, club replica shirt sales were quite low and clubs did relatively little to limit the use of official club logos.

Despite Admiral's innovative deals, by the start of the 1980's the competition from the Far East had become too much and Patrick, faced with low profits which were dwindling into losses, was forced to close his factories in Wigston, Leicestershire. Admiral was bought up by a Dutch oil company called, Frisol. By 1984, England had a new kit manufacturer, Umbro.

In 1990, following the National League Baseball Association example, Arsenal were one of the first clubs to register its name, to stop traders outside the football ground selling the club logo at an undercut price (Hallam, 1992).

Following this and the launch of the new FA Premier League in 1992, the League and all individual clubs now jealously protected 'official' club and League products from reproduction or imitation by non club producers.

Today, as the game has rid itself of the 'hooliganism' tag and wearing club shirts has become fashionable, effective licensing deals are crucial to commercial success. All top clubs now have extensive club shops or superstores selling exclusive official club merchandise.

The market for replica shirts has grown enormously, with the revenue generated for leading clubs and the frequency with which they change designs coming under increased scrutiny, especially in the United Kingdom, where the market for replicas is worth in excess of £200m.

Several clubs have been accused of price fixing, and in 2003 Manchester United were fined £1.65m by the Office of Fair Trading. The high prices charged for replicas have also led to many fans buying fake shirts which are imported from countries such as Thailand and Malaysia.
Nonetheless, the chance for fans to purchase a shirt bearing the name and number of a star player can lead to significant revenue for a club.

In the first six months after David Beckham's transfer to Real Madrid in 2003 the club sold more than one million shirts bearing his name.

When Newcastle United signed Alan Shearer (below) in July 1996, the North-East club made £250,000 on the day of his signing, just in terms of Shearer replica shirt sales. 

When Inter Milan, in contrast, signed Ronaldo in 1997, the club had prepared no shirts carrying the Brazilian's favoured No.9. Instead, counterfeit No.9 shirts appeared to satisfy local demand, forcing the club to play their new star as a No. 10 in order to cash in later on official shirt sales!

The adult market for replica football shirts as leisurewear only developed significantly from the late 1980s and early 1990s. Today sales to adults provide the bulk of a billion dollar industry, Manchester United alone selling approximately 2 million shirts per year.


Top selling player shirts (as at 30/09/2015):

10/ Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool/Brazil)

9/ Alexis Sánchez (Arsenal/Chile)

8/ Sergio Agüero (Manchester City/Argentina)

7/ Neymar (Barcelona/Brazil)

6/ Wayne Rooney (Manchester United/England)

5/ Eden Hazard (Chelsea/Belgium)

4/ Bastian Schweinsteiger (Manchester United/Germany)

3/ Memphis Depay (Manchester United/Netherlands)

2/ Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid/Portugal)

1/ Lionel Messi (Barcelona/Argentina)


# Information courtesy of kitbag.com

All the very latest transfer gossip across Europe!

Here is all today's latest football news and transfer gossip with Diego Costa, Gonzalo Higuain, Liverpool, Barcelona, Riyad Mahrez, Corinthians, Charlie Austin, Andy Carroll, Tottenham, Juventus, Marco Reus, Southampton, Napoli, Javier Hernandez, Manchester United and Arsenal all in the news! 

Here is a round up of all the latest transfer gossip across Europe today!

Is your club involved?

Chelsea, Napoli, Manchester Utd Ajax, Leicester, Lazio, Southampton, Newcastle, Tottenham, West Ham, Bournemouth, QPR, Borussia Dortmund, Corithians, Liverpool, Barcelona, Porto, Bayern Leverkusen, AS Roma, Udinese, Inter Milan, Valencia, Juventus, Galatasaray, Arsenal, Nordsjaelland, Sunderland, Olypiakos, Fulham, Hull, Brighton, Portsmouth and Accrington Stanley..........are all caught up in the latest transfer news/rumours across Europe, as we speak.

Chelsea are considering a summer move for Napoli and Argentina striker Gonzalo Higuain, putting the future of current Blues forward Diego Costa, also 27, in doubt - Daily Mirror

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal wants a winger, and is interested in Lazio's Felipe Anderson, 22, Sadio Mane, 23, at Southampton, 24-year-old Riyad Mahrez at Leicester and Anwar El Ghazi, 20, of Ajax - Daily Mail

Newcastle want to bring back West Ham striker Andy Carroll, 26, to help their relegation battle - Daily Mirror and The Sun

Manchester United and Tottenham want to sign Newcastle United striker Ayoze Perez, 22, and could bid for the Spaniard in January - Daily Telegraph and Daily Star

Bournemouth are plotting January raid for QPR striker Charlie Austin after confirming an American billionaire has bought a 25 per cent stake in the club. Sunderland are also keen on the 26 year-old  - Daily Star and Daily Mail

Liverpool are the hot favourites to sign Borussia Dortmund star Marco Reus - Daily Express

Liverpool will sign former AC Milan striker Alexandre Pato, 26, in January, according to the president of his current club Corinthians - Tutto Mercato Web (Italian football news outlet) via The Independent

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has asked the club's transfer committee to make a formal approach for Barcelona winger Cristian Tello, 24, who is on loan at Porto - Fichajes (Spanish football news outlet) via Daily Star

Chelsea are looking at Javier Hernandez, who moved to Bayern Leverkusen in the summer and Valencia's Spanish international striker Paco Alcacer as possible transfer targets - ESPN

Southampton face a battle to keep star striker Graziano Pelle, who is wanted by Italian giants Juventus - Daily Mirror

Galatasaray are keen on signing Arsenal winger Joel Campbell in January - Daily Express

Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United are among clubs monitoring the progress of the Denmark Under-19s striker Emre Mor who is expected to leave Danish Superliga club Nordsjaelland in January - The Guardian

AS Roma are searching for a new defender and coach Rudi Garcia is keeping tabs on two Inter Milan players in Juan Jesus and Andrea Ranocchia. It is also thought that he keen on Udinese defender Thomas Heurtaux - Sportmediaset (Italian sports news outlet)

Sunderland manager Sam Allardyce has been given the go-ahead to sign two defenders to help his side in their battle against relegation, with West Ham's James Collins, 32, and French left-back Arthur Masuakyu, 22, who is at Olympiakos high on his wanted list - Daily Express and Sunderland Echo

Arsenal lead the transfer chase for Dean Windass' 21 year-old Accrington Stanley starlet Josh Windass, with Brighton, Fulham, Hull and Portsmouth also tracking the son of former Hull forward Dean - The Sun and Daily Mirror

All the very latest transfer gossip across Europe!

Here is all today's latest football news and transfer gossip with Karim Benzema, Real Madrid, Sergio Ramos, Manchester United, Fabian Delph, Christian Benteke, Liverpool, Emanuel Adebayor, Bayern Munich, Angel Di Maria, Chelsea, Victor Moses, Paris St-Germain, Crystal Palace, Loic Remy, Paris St-Germain and Edinson Cavani all in the news! 

Here is a round up of all the latest transfer gossip across Europe today!

Is your club involved?

Arsenal, Real Madrid, Liverpool, Aston Villa, Manchester United, Bayern Munich, Paris St-Germain, Everton, Juventus, Ajax, Borussia Dortmund, Atletico Madrid, Roma, Manchester City, Chelsea, Barcelona, Anderlect, Swansea, Granada, Newcastle, Anderlecht, Crystal Palace, QPR, Leicester, Espanyol, Middlesbrough, West Brom, Nottingham Forest, Aston Villa, Tottenham, Besiktas, Chievo, Sampdoria, Reading, Huddersfield, Burnley, Genk, Cambridge United and Rotherham ....................are all caught up in the latest transfer news/rumours across Europe, as we speak.

Arsenal will offer £40m for Real Madrid's 27-year-old French striker Karim Benzema - The Sun.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has rubbished rumours linking the north London club with Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema. Wenger claims he is not aware of any offer.
"I don't know where that story comes from," he said. "That's not happening at the moment, no." - talkSPORT and transfermarketweb.com

Liverpool are on the brink of completing a £32.5m deal for Aston Villa striker Christian Benteke - skysports.com and Daily Mirror

Manchester United could keep David De Gea this season, with Real Madrid increasingly likely to wait until next summer to sign the 24-year-old Spain goalkeeper on a free transfer - The Times

Manchester United will tell Real Madrid to accept their £35m offer for Sergio Ramos or forget any hope of signing David de Gea this summer - The Independent

Bayern Munich are set to seal the signing of Chile midfielder Arturo Vidal, 28, from Juventus for £28m. - The Guardian

Bayern Munich are moving quickly to replace Bastian Schweinsteiger as they close in on a move for Arturo Vidal while Mario Gotze could move in the opposite direction - The Guardian and transfermarketweb.com

Paris St-Germain believe they can tie up a deal for Manchester United midfielder Angel Di Maria, 27, by the weekend - Daily Mail

PSG will not allow striker Edinson Cavani, 28, to move to Old Trafford as part of any deal for Angel Di Maria - Daily Telegraph

A week ago Fabian Delph said he was not leaving Aston Villa to join Manchester City, but could the move be back on? There is a picture doing the rounds of Delph going for a medical and Manchester Evening News reporter James Robson has just tweeted: "Confirmed City move for Delph is back on" - skysports.com and bbc.co.uk

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has confirmed striker Yaya Sanogo has joined Ajax on a season-long loan deal - skysports.com

Arsenal are set to make an improved offer in excess of £30m for Borussia Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang - Daily Express

Borussia Dortmund Sporting Director Michael Zorc has commented on recent reports linking Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang with a move away from the club, saying that the forward won’t be going anywhere - transfermarketweb.com and skysports.com

Everton have turned down a £20m offer from Chelsea for defender John Stones - skysports.com

Manchester United will bid £42m for Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos, 29, after the Spanish club rejected an opening bid of £31m - Diario AS (Spanish daily sports newspaper)

Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo has confirmed the Spanish club is in talks with Chelsea regarding left-back Filipe Luis's return - transfermarketweb.com and bbc.co.uk

AS Roma are looking at Manchester City's Bosnian striker striker Edin Dzeko - skysports.com

La Liga side Granada have confirmed their interest in signing forward Michu from Swansea - skysports.com

Real Madrid have agreed a €6m fee for Espanyol goalkeeper Kiko Casilla - bbc.co.uk and skysports.com

Tottenham will also offer cash plus winger Aaron Lennon, 28, for Everton midfielder James McCarthy, 24 - Daily Mail and Daily Express

Roberto Martinez says midfielder James McCarthy is staying at Everton this summer and wants to build his team around the Republic of Ireland international skysports.com

Chelsea want to sign £15m-rated Serbia striker Aleksandar Mitrovic, 20, from Anderlecht, but Newcastle and Swansea are also interested - Daily Star

Chelsea are set to lose another striker as Loic Remy is closing in on a transfer to Crystal Palace - Daily Star

Chelsea's bid to sign Barcelona winger Pedro for £22m will be blocked if Joan Laporta wins the presidential election at the Nou Camp on Saturday - The Independent

Paul Pogba's agent believes the Juventus and France international could join Barcelona if Joan Laporta wins the Catalan club’s forthcoming presidential elections - skysports.com

Tottenham have made an £8m bid for Chelsea winger Victor Moses, 24, who spent last season on loan at Stoke - The Sun

A bookmaker has suspended betting on QPR striker Charlie Austin joining Newcastle United after a flurry of money was placed on the 26-year-old moving to St James' Park - skysports.com

Leicester City forward Leonardo Ulloa is a target for Turkish club Besiktas - The Sun

Middlesbrough have agreed a £2.8m fee with Espanyol for Uruguay striker Lewis McGugan - Daily Star

West Brom boss Tony Pulis has made a move for Liverpool striker Rickie Lambert - Daily Mirror

West Brom will step up their interest in Arsenal's Serge Gnabry after Nottingham Forest rejected their £5m offer for winger Michail Antonio - Daily Star

Aston Villa boss Tim Sherwood will target Tottenham striker Emanuel Adebayor, 31, to replace Benteke - Birmingham Mail

Reading want £4m from Swansea for Wales winger Hal Robson-Kanu - Daily Mirror

Burnley have received international clearance for Jelle Vossen following his move from Genk earlier this month. The Belgian forward is in line to make his debut against Accrington on Saturday - skysports.com

Huddersfield have announced the signing of striker Jordy Hiwula from Manchester City - skysports.com

28-year-old Bosnian full-back Ervin Zukanovic has left Chievo to sign for Sampdoria
- transfermarketweb.com

Cambridge United have signed Rotherham midfielder Conor Newton on a two-year deal - skysports.com

All the very latest transfer gossip across Europe!

Here is all today's latest football news and transfer gossip with Sergio Ramos, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Barcelona, Juventus, Paul Pogba, Benfica, Atletico Madrid, Carlos Bacca, Arsenal, Liverpool, Christian Benteke, Gonzalo Higuain, Napoli and AC Milan all in the news! 

Here is a round up of all the latest transfer gossip across Europe today!

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Real Madrid, Manchester United, Valencia, Southampton, Bayern Munich, Benfica, Juventus, Barcelona, Liverpool, Aston Villa, Arsenal, Napoli, AC Milan, West Ham, Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen, Tottenham, Shanghai Shenhua, Manchester City, Atletico Madrid, Sevilla, Chelsea, Fiorentina, Crystal Palace, Swansea, Stoke City, Inter Milan, Zenit St Petersburg, Marseille, Lazio, QPR, Newcastle, Watford and Genoa.................are all caught up in the latest transfer news/rumours across Europe, as we speak.


Real Madrid have slapped a huge £64m (90m Euros) price tag on Manchester United target Sergio Ramos, claims AS.
Widespread reports in the UK say United have offered £35m for the defender, but AS claims Real want much more, while also reporting that Louis van Gaal’s side will also offer the Spain international a lucrative five-year deal worth £39m - AS and Marca (Spanish national daily sports newspapers)

Real have already lined up Valencia's 27-year-old centre-back Nicolas Otamendi as a replacement should Ramos leave - Marca (Spanish national daily sport newspaper)

Manchester United are close to signing Southampton midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin, 25, for £24m, meaning they will not sign Bayern Munich midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger, 30 - Daily Star and skysports.com

Benfica and Argentina attacking midfielder Nicolas Gaitan, 27, has a deal agreed to join Manchester United - subject to his club's permission, according to his agent - Metro and A Bola (Portuguese newspaper)

Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba, 22, "is very excited to come to Barcelona", according to the Catalan club's presidential candidate Joan Laporta - Daily Mail, via Catalunya Radio

The former Manchester United youngster is reportedly close to joining Manchester City for £60m - The Sun and skysports.com

Liverpool are preparing a £25m bid for Aston Villa striker Christian Benteke, according to the - Daily Mirror and The Times

It was reported earlier this week by Sky sources that Villa have yet to receive an any offer for the Benteke, who we understand has a £32.5m release clause - skysports.com

Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech is set for a medical today ahead of his proposed move to Arsenal. Earlier in the week the clubs agreed a £10.9m fee and it looked like the Czech would be undergoing the medical next week, but things appeared to have been brought forward - skysports.com

Arsenal are getting ready to make a £21.3m bid for Chile and Juventus midfielder Arturo Vidal - Daily Mirror.

Nathaniel Clyne is set to have a medical at Liverpool next week, with the club expected to complete a structured £15m deal for the Southampton full-back.
The clubs are currently negotiating an agreement which will include a £12.5m fee followed by additional payments based on conditions met by the player - skysports.com

Napoli want £67m - the buyout clause - for Argentina striker Gonzalo Higuain, 27, a target for Arsenal, Liverpool and AC Milan - The Guardian

Liverpool and Manchester City are interested in Barcelona forward Pedro. The 27-year-old could be allowed to leave for £18m despite signing a new contract this summer - Talksport, via Mundo Deportivo (Spanish nationwide daily sports newspaper published in Barcelona) and Daily Mirror

Barcelona are set to rival Chelsea for the signature of Atletico Madrid midfielder Arda Turan, Mundo Deportivo (Spanish nationwide daily sports newspaper published in Barcelona) .

West Ham are closing in on the signing of Barcelona defensive midfielder Alex Song, 27, on a free transfer. He spent last season on loan at Upton Park - Daily Telegraph

Marseille winger Dimitri Payet will complete his move to West Ham today after passing a medical ahead of his £10.7m move, but the French club are angry and say the 28-year-old has reneged on an agreement to see out the remaining two years of his contract - The Times and skysports.com

Borussia Dortmund say they will not sell striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, 26, a reported £30m target for Arsenal - Daily Star and Bild (German tabloid newspaper)

Real Madrid were hopeful of sealing a deal for David de Gea this week but, with things dragging on, have revived their pursuit of Bernd Leno as a plan B. The Bernabéu chiefs have been tracking the Bayer Leverkusen shot stopper all season and have been in touch with his representative on several occasions. Leno, who is currently away at the European Under-21 Championship, where he is serving as Marc-André ter Stegen's understudy, has a €18m release clause. As such, any swoop for him would be a much simpler and cheaper task than the move for De Gea - Marca (Spanish national daily sport newspaper)

After two seasons with Tottenham, and with two years still left on his current deal, Brazilian international central midfielder Paulinho (26) is getting more and more likely to join Luiz Felipe Scolari's Shanghai Shenhua - transfermarketweb.com

Tottenham are hopeful of signing Atletico Madrid defender Toby Alderweireld, 26, who was also wanted by Southampton after a loan spell last season - Daily Telegraph

Sevilla say they have not received any bids for striker Carlos Bacca, and hope that no club meets his buyout clause of £21m. Liverpool and Manchester United have been linked with the 28-year-old, who scored 28 goals last season - The Independent

Fiorentina have made a £3m bid to sign Chelsea winger Mohamed Salah, 23, and the London club could accept, despite paying £11m for him last year. (Daily Express, via transfermarketweb.com and skysports.com)

Crystal Palace want Swansea City and Wales defender Ashley Williams, 30. He was valued at £12m by the Swans last summer - Daily Mirror

Stoke City have turned down a bid from Aston Villa for goalkeeper Asmir Begovic - skysports.com

Inter Milan are close to signing Giannelli Imbula from Marseille. Inter want to sign Imbula on a four-year deal, but Marseille want to send him to the San Siro on an initial year-long loan, with a view to sealing a permanent deal next summer. - Sky Italia and Gazzetta dello Sport (Italian daily sports newspaper based in Milan)

Arsenal want Zenit St Petersburg's Argentinian international centre-back Ezequiel Garay (28). Garay joined Zenit just last summer. The former Benfica, Real Madrid, Racing Santander and Newell's. Garay, who has a Spanish passport, might leave for a fee in the region of 18 million euros - transfermarketweb.com

Lazio have persuaded English midfielder Ravel Morrison, 22, to play for them next season, despite interest from QPR Talksport, via Il Tempo (Daily Italian newspaper published in Rome)

AC Milan midfielder Nigel de Jong has signed a new deal with the club to keep him at the San Siro for another three years - ESPN FC and skysports.com

Newcastle United's Italian international wingback Davide Santon, (24) who spent time on loan at Inter Milan last season and is due back at Newcastle is on Watford's radar. The player seems however willing to stay put at Neroazzurri - Sportitalia,

On loan at AS Roma from Genoa, Italian international offensive midfielder Andrea Bertolacci (24) has agreed to sign for AC Milan on a five-year deal for a fee in the region of 17 million euros - transfermarketweb.com