Pinilla: Vidal will succeed at Bayern

Mauricio Pinilla says that there is no doubt that Arturo Vidal will prove a big hit at Bayern Munich, claiming his Chile team-mate is a success wherever he goes.
Vidal finally completed his €40 million move from Juventus to the Bundesliga champions on Thursday , with the midfielder signing a four-year contract with the Bavarians.
The 28-year-old proved a big hit in Turin following his 2011 arrival from Bayer Leverkusen but he struggled to produce his best form last season, as he struggled to recover from a nagging knee problem that hindered him in 2014.
There have also been some concerns about Vidal's behaviour off the field of late, with the Santiago native having been dropped by Juve last October after an alleged altercation at a nightclub and then involved in a drink-driving incident during this summer's Copa America.
However, Pinilla insists Bayern fans should have no worries about their star summer signing reproducing his very best form at the Allianz Arena, arguing that Vidal is as mentally strong as he is talented.
"Wherever Arturo goes, he always plays well," the striker told Goal. "He has great quality but also a lot of personality. He has character.
"Put him in front of anyone, any team, he does not change his style of play.
"I think that it is really his mentality that sets him apart."
Pinilla also revealed that he has the utmost respect for Chile boss Jorge Sampaoli, who led the country to a first Copa America triumph in July, masterminding a win over favourites Argentina in the final.
Speculation is rife that the coach is now set to step down after making history with the Roja, and Pinilla freely admits that he would be devastated to see the 55-year-old quit, with the qualification process for Russia 2018 set to get under way later this year.
"I think he's a different type of coach, a technician can get 100 per cent out of every player," the Atalanta attacker stated.
"He's very demanding, especially in terms of the intensity of training, but he's a coach you can talk to.
"He's a great coach, one of the best I've ever had.
"I have seen many teams like ours, with big stars, big players, but it doesn't always work out.
"So, it would be sad if he were to leave the team, especially at this time, because he has been an important guide for all the lads.
"It would also be a shame because of everything that we have built. We would have to start from scratch, start a new cycle."
Turning his attention to club level, though, Pinilla admitted that he is looking forward to the new Serie A season with renewed optimism, after helping Atalanta avoid relegation following his arrival in Bergamo from Genoa midway through the 2014-15 campaign.
"I came to Atalanta to help them beat the drop during what was a difficult year but we achieved the goal of staying up," the 31-year-old forward added.
"This summer, there have been plenty of changes and I think that we can fight to finish in the top 10 this season."

Casillas: Porto move helping me get over Madrid

The shot-stopper has explained why he chose to join the Portuguese side over a wealth of other potential clubs this summer

Iker Casillas has revealed how joining Porto on a free transfer is helping him get over his messy break-up with Real Madrid.
The veteran goalkeeper is second in the all-time appearance holder record list for the Blancos, but he left the Santiago Bernabeu this summer on bad terms having been considered expendable by new coach Rafa Benitez.
Casillas, 34, explained that the presence of Julen Lopetegui as Porto head coach played a huge role in his decision to join the Portuguese side, ending his 25-year stay at Real Madrid.
"I felt a lot of trust and fondness towards Julen Lopetegui," he told Dragoes, Porto's official club magazine. "I had several offers but none were as attractive as Porto.
"In addition, I wanted to leave Spain. Signing for Porto was a way for me to let go of Real Madrid, put them in the past, and play for an overseas club that I felt a connection with.
"Here I can continue to develop whilst playing for a very big club. A team like Porto deserve to be winning titles every season. Winning domestic silverware is the priority."
Porto finished second last season under Lopetegui, behind Benfica, having reached the last eight of the Champions League where they were defeated by Bayern Munich.
Casillas is expected to be the undisputed No.1 in the coming campaign for Porto, whose president has had to fend off criticism from Jose Mourinho regarding who is paying the Spain international's large salary.

Official: Jovetic joins Inter on loan

The 25-year-old has moved for a £2.1 million loan fee, with Goal understanding the Serie A side will be obligated to purchase the striker outright in 18 months' time

Manchester City forward Stevan Jovetic has joined Inter on a year-and-a-half loan deal with an obligation to buy outright.

Goal understands that the 25-year-old has joined for a loan fee of £2.1 million with Inter legally obligated to buy the forward for £8.5m in 18 months' time, having claimed the striker has signed a four-year deal.

City will receive a further £2m if Roberto Mancini's side qualify for the Champions League.

"We are pleased to announce the arrival of Jovetic. This is another important player for our team, a dynamic player that will add even more value to our attack," said President Erick Thohir.

"Mancini will get the best out of him. Welcome Stevan and Forza Inter."

Jovetic joined City from Fiorentina in 2013 for £22m but has struggled to secure a regular first-team role under Manuel Pellegrini, making just 28 Premier League appearances in his two seasons at the Etihad Stadium.

The Montenegro international was also dropped from City's Champions League squad in February in order to accommodate January arrival Wilfried Bony.

'I don't explode with happiness' - Mourinho says beating Arsenal & Wenger is nothing special

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho says beating Arsenal and Arsene Wenger is "nothing special" as he prepares to take on the Gunners in Sunday's Community Shield at Wembley.

Mourinho and Wenger have a long-standing rivalry, with the Frenchman yet to beat his counterpart in 13 attempts, while the Blues manager described the 65-year-old as a "specialist in failure" 18 months ago.

The pair come face to face this weekend as Arsenal look to win the Community Shield for the second consecutive year, but Mourinho is unconcerned by the make up of his opponents with silverware on the line.

 When asked if he takes pride in his record against Wenger, Mourinho replied: ”No. It doesn’t matter, Arsenal, the manager, whoever.

"I think [the Community Shield is] in between. It's more than a friendly, like with Barcelona and PSG [friendlies], but it's less than a league game. Different motivation.

"Who knows?" he said when questioned on Wenger's ability to win. "I’ve never made a special thing about wins over Arsenal. I don’t explode with happiness when I beat them, and I won’t make drama when I lose."

Mourinho has confirmed that Gary Cahill and Diego Costa will be fit to play on Sunday after picking up knocks against Barcelona.

Valencia injury blow for West Ham

The Ecuador international injured his knee and ankle during the club's 2-2 draw with Astra Girugiu and he now appears set to miss the start of the Premier League season

West Ham have been dealt a blow in the build-up to the Premier League season after Enner Valencia suffered a "significant" injury during Thursday's Europa League clash with Astra Giurgiu.

The Ecuador international was carried off on a stretcher after damaging his right knee and ankle during the first-half of the 2-2 third qualifying round first leg draw against the Romanian side at Upton Park.

Slaven Bilic's side confirmed on Friday that the 25-year-old's scan results were not positive, but the club are not yet aware of how long he will be out for.

A statement on the club's official website said: "Enner Valencia sustained what initially appears to be a significant injury to his right knee and right ankle.

"The Ecuador forward will see a specialist consultant at a clinic in central London on Monday morning and an update will be provided following that meeting.

"It is too early to put a timescale on how long Enner's recovery and rehabilitation period may be."

West Ham also lost Joey O'Brien to injury during Thursday's clash, in which they were 2-0 up before being pegged back after James Collins was sent off.

Premier League rules out moving games to help Champions League sides

Richard Scudamore, the Premier League chief executive, has ruled out moving fixtures to give clubs more time to prepare for Champions League games.

José Mourinho and Arsène Wenger have complained that the prospects for England’s elite clubs are harmed in Europe by the league’s refusal to help them. They have lobbied for fixture amendments in the run-up to Champions League matches.

Mourinho and Wenger argue that other leagues are more sympathetic to their clubs who need time to prepare for European competition and the results are being seen on the pitch. No English side progressed beyond the Champions League last 16 last season and only Chelsea made the semi-finals the year before that. But the Premier League will not budge, even though it is worried England will lose a Champions League spot if the decline continues.

“Yes, there is a concern,” Scudamore said. “One on a practical basis, as if we keep declining it’s bad for our coefficient and we’ll lose one of our Champions League places. We have to be careful. It’s a concern but it’s difficult to see what we can do about it centrally as the clubs are trying hard enough to win.

“From 2016-17 we are playing some games on Friday nights but we won’t move individual fixtures as you can’t do it for everybody. Champions League teams play on a Tuesday and a Wednesday so you can’t move matches just to suit one team. It completely ruins everything you do.

“The entire fixture calendar in the UK is predicated upon clubs having a three-day gap, so you can’t bring games forward to a Friday. Maybe because there’s normally something going on the previous Wednesday. We’ve looked at it but it’s practically impossible to do anything.”

It has been argued that the competitive nature of the English top flight takes too much out of players, whereas their European counterparts mostly face relatively easy matches in their domestic leagues. Scudamore, however, disagrees. “[That is not the case] in the Champions League but it’s slightly different in the Europa League, I think. The clubs that are in the Champions League are big enough and have squads geared to play that midweek-weekend cycle. It’s a different issue when a team like Stoke or Everton, who don’t have vast squads, suddenly have to cope with playing in the Europa League and the Premier League.”

Blackpool fined £50,000 for failing to control fans in abandoned game

Blackpool have been fined £50,000 by the Football Association following the pitch invasion which caused their final match of last season, against Huddersfield at Bloomfield Road, to be abandoned.

The game was halted after 48 minutes when supporters poured on to the pitch in protest at the club’s chairman, Karl Oyston. After a sit-in demonstration in the centre circle that lasted more than an hour, the referee, Mick Russell, called the game off.

An FA statement said: “The FA charge, which the club denied, was for failing to control spectators resulting in a pitch incursion which caused Blackpool’s game against Huddersfield Town to be abandoned.”

The League One club were also “severely warned as to future conduct” following an independent regulatory commission hearing.

Blackpool were also ordered to play their first home competitive game of the 2015-16 season behind closed doors, with this sanction suspended for a year.

Gillingham and chairman Paul Scally fined £75,000 for ‘race victimisation’

Gillingham and their chairman, Paul Scally, have each been fined £75,000 for “race victimisation” relating to the departure of the striker Mark McCammon in 2011.

McCammon spent three years with Gillingham, and an employment tribunal in Ashford had previously ruled his departure was because of racial discrimination. McCammon claimed the club refused him treatment for an injury and docked his wages.

An FA statement said: “The club and Mr Scally, who has also been ordered to attend an education programme, were found to be in breach of FA Rule E3(1) for failing to act in the best interests of the game and bringing the game into disrepute.

“This followed an employment tribunal decision which held that an employee had been unfairly dismissed by the club and that the dismissal was an act of race victimisation by Mr Scally and the club.”

Gillingham had appealed the decision by the employment tribunal in 2012 but the verdict was upheld by a judge in September 2013 and McCammon, who has previously played for a number of Football League clubs including Brentford, Millwall, Brighton and Doncaster, was awarded £68,000.

“I am shocked, stunned and angered by this decision, as are my staff at the club,” said Scally in a statement on Gillingham’s website. “The level of these sanctions is manifestly excessive, totally disproportionate and completely unjust. We have been given no reasoned explanation for the severity of the fines. The club and I will be appealing against this decision and, if necessary, we will take the matter beyond the FA.”

Christian Benteke and Roberto Firmino made to wait by Liverpool

Christian Benteke and Roberto Firmino will have to wait for their first appearance in a Liverpool shirt after being left out of the trip to Finland for Saturday’s pre-season friendly against HJK Helsinki.

Brendan Rodgers has taken a 16-man squad to the game at the Olympic Stadium but there is no place for the club’s highest-profile summer signings Benteke and Firmino, who have not featured in pre-season since their respective moves from Aston Villa and Hoffenheim.

Firmino was given extended leave having played for Brazil in the Copa América earlier this summer, thereby missing Liverpool’s tour of the far east and Australia, while Benteke did not complete his £32.5m move until that tour was nearing its end.

Both have stayed behind to work on their fitness at Melwood before the Premier League opener at Stoke City on 9 August but could make an appearance in Sunday’s final friendly of the summer at Swindon Town. Rodgers has yet to announce his plans for the Swindon game but, with Stoke only a week away, he could select a strong side at the County Ground.

Emre Can, Alberto Moreno, Lucas Leiva and Joe Allen are among the senior players who will also miss the Helsinki friendly. However, new arrivals Nathaniel Clyne, Joe Gomez, Danny Ings, James Milner and Divock Origi will all feature in Finland, with the promising 18-year-old Spanish midfielder Pedro Chirivella also on Friday’s flight.

Mario Balotelli, Fabio Borini and José Enrique will take no part in either of the weekend friendlies having been excluded from Rodgers’s plans as the Liverpool manager encourages all three to find a new club this summer.

Theo Walcott and Santi Cazorla sign new contracts with Arsenal

Theo Walcott and Santi Cazorla have signed new contracts at Arsenal. Walcott put pen to paper on Thursday afternoon on a four-year deal which is worth £140,000 a week and replaces his old £100,000-a-week terms, which were set to expire next summer.

Cazorla had earlier agreed his extension, which runs for two years to the summer of 2017, but the club waited until Walcott had signed so they could make a double announcement on Friday, before Sunday’s Community Shield against Chelsea at Wembley.

Walcott, 26, is the club’s longest-serving player, having arrived from Southampton in January 2006 and he has now become one of the top earners, his new contract putting him in the same pay bracket as Mesut Özil and Alexis Sánchez.

Cazorla, 30, is another crowd favourite and he excelled last season when he was switched into a deeper-lying midfield position. He joined from Málaga in the summer of 2012.

The manager, Arsène Wenger, said: “We’re delighted to have extended the contracts of Santi and Theo. Both are top quality players who are hugely important and influential to our squad.

“As well as their huge contributions on the pitch, they both have a great deal of experience and are very popular off the pitch. We’re very pleased with them both signing contract extensions, as it provides our squad with further stability of quality.”

Europa League: Kukesi v Legia Warsaw abandoned after crowd trouble

Crowd trouble caused the abandonment of Thursday’s Europa League qualifier between Kukesi and Legia Warsaw in Albania.

Legia had just taken a 2-1 lead in the first leg of the third qualifying round tie when their player Ondrej Duda was hit by an object thrown from the stand.

Play was immediately suspended as Duda was taken off the field on a stretcher and had his head bandaged, but he was soon back on his feet and even changed his bloodied shirt in anticipation of a restart which never came.

A post on Legia’s official Twitter account read: “The game in Tirana is suspended. Ondrej Duda was hit with a stone by Kukesi fans.”

Ten minutes later, they added: “Official: the FK Kukesi - Legia game is ended. It will be probably declared forfeit, as Duda was hit with a stone by Albanian fans.”

No announcement had been made on that subject by Uefa.

It is the second consecutive season that Legia’s European participation has been marked by controversy. They were thrown out of last season’s Champions Leaguefor fielding an ineligible player during a 6-1 aggregate win over Celtic.

Fenerbahce complain to Uefa over Fred’s Shakhtar selection in qualifier

Fenerbahce have lodged a protest with Uefa over the inclusion of the midfielder Fred in the Shakhtar Donetsk lineup for Tuesday’s Champions League qualifier despite allegations of a doping offence hanging over the Brazilian international.

According to reports in Brazil, the 22-year-old had tested positive for a banned diuretic at the recent Copa América in Chile and faces a lengthy ban from the game should his second sample confirm the findings.

The Shakhtar Donetsk coach, Mircea Lucescu, selected Fred in the 0-0 first-leg draw in Turkey while admitting the club had been advised by Uefa not to include the player.

The governing body of European football was investigating the matter and will announce a decision on Monday, according to a letter from Uefa published on Fenerbahce’s website.

Lucescu admitted he had been made aware of the possible doping violation but felt Fred was free to play as the club had yet to be issued with formal notification of any suspension.

“Before the game, Uefa advised us not to include him but we had not received any official documents and this was just a verbal recommendation,” the Romanian told reporters after the match in Istanbul.

“There is no specific statement on this matter for now and we are still waiting for the results of the B sample,” he added. “I have talked to the team and the player personally. When the official decision arrives, of course, we will stick to it.”

Fenerbahce are due to face Shakhtar in the second leg on Wednesday with the winners advancing to the Champions League play-off round for a place in the group stage of the lucrative tournament.

Maarten Stekelenburg keen to get career back on track at Southampton

Maarten Stekelenburg intends to get his career back on track at Southamptonafter the frustration of his previous spell in English football at Fulham, which necessitated what he calls an “escape” from Craven Cottage.

The goalkeeper, who played for Holland in the 2010 World Cup final in South Africa, joined Fulham from Roma in the summer of 2013 only to endure a frustrating season, which culminated in him being dropped by the then manager Felix Magath and the club being relegated from the Premier League.

Magath went on to exile him, ordering him to work away from the first-team squad and Stekelenburg jumped at the chance of a season-long loan move to Monaco last August, even though he knew he would be the back-up to Danijel Subasic. He would make only a handful of appearances for the French club.

Stekelenburg remains contracted to Fulham until 2017 but he is on loan at Southampton for the season, where the first-choice goalkeeper, Fraser Forster, is a long-term injury casualty.

The 32-year-old made a sound start to his career at St Mary’s on Thursday night, during the club’s 3-0 win over Vitesse Arnhem in the first leg of the Europa League third qualifying round. He made an excellent save from the substitute Milot Rashica at 2-0.

“Monaco was not frustrating,” Stekelenburg said. “No, it was my escape from Fulham. The loan was my only way out [of Fulham]. I knew the situation when I signed for Monaco. The goalkeeper did a fantastic season – I knew the situation but I didn’t want to have one more year like that. I wanted to play and I get the chance here at Southampton.

“Of course, it is frustrating being on the bench. I know my level, I know what I can do. But you also need a chance to show it. I am just happy with this chance here and hopefully I can continue like I did against Vitesse.”

Stekelenburg has been impressed by his new team-mates in pre-season, particularly their fierce work ethic. “I think they can achieve a lot,” he said. “The mentality of this team is really good, if I compare with other teams I have played for. They work their bollocks off for every second of the game, and also in training. We want to get better, which is a really good thing. Hopefully, we can get a nice season like last year.”

Dedryck Boyata arrives late to give Celtic hope before Qarabag trip

It had been suggested that to stand any real chance of reaching the next round of Champions League qualification Celtic would need to take at least a two-goal lead into next week’s second leg against Qarabag. There was talk of exhausting journeys into the Azerbaijani unknown – as if the Scots will travel east by 19th-century steamboat – placing even more importance on getting a comprehensive result at home. As it transpired, Ronny Deila’s side were thankful to have anything at all to stow in their hand luggage.

“The game is definitely not won yet,” the Norwegian admitted, adding that the 1-0 win had been a reflection of the game as a whole. “In European football this is a good position. If we score [in Baku], they need three. I’m very happy that we didn’t concede against a very good team that was very hard to play against. We have given ourselves a good chance to go through now.”

Celtic might have been playing in front of their own fans, on their own patch, but this was still something of an exploratory job for Deila and his players. The Scottish game has little right in its current condition to harbour such arrogance but there remains the urge to write off any side rising from a footballing backwater like Azerbaijan. Few inside Parkhead could have recognised many of the visitors’ starting lineup but Qarabag are a better side than their pedigree and stature suggest and a significant step-up in quality from Stjarnan whom Celtic disposed of in the last round.

Dedryck Boyata’s winner – a thumping header from a corner kick, very similar to the one he scored in the previous round – therefore came as relief to a Parkhead crowd that had grown increasingly tetchy with every tepid pass or wayward clip into the channels, of which there were plenty.

With every game the former Manchester City centre-back looks more comfortable in his new surroundings and Belgium’s national team assistant, Vital Borkelmans, was there to watch another defensive prospect – as if his nation needs any more. “I didn’t know he was going to be here, so that was a nice surprise,” the 24-year-old Boyata said.

Much of the build-up had centred not on how Qarabag would line up but on whom Deila would favour up front; the Norwegian opted for Nadir Ciftci over the in-form Leigh Griffiths. “Actually it wasn’t so hard [a decision] because Leigh struggled all night with his teeth – he was at the dentist in the morning, so he didn’t sleep so much,” Deila said when asked how close a call it had been between the two strikers. “That made the decision easier, otherwise it would have been very hard.”

Celtic’s £1.5m summer signing from Dundee United, Ciftci is still awaiting his first goal in green and white and, on the basis of another erratic performance, he is no closer to finding the mark.

He passed up one particularly sparkling chance in the second half, shooting straight at the goalkeeper from only yards out following an uncharacteristically botched clearance by Qarabag inside their own area.

The miss prompted murmurings of Griffiths’ name from the home fans and Deila hooked the striker moments later.By next week Griffiths’ toothache should give way to a selection headache for Deila because Celtic are a more dynamic and energetic outfit with the former in the team.

As things stand the Scottish champions are still toiling to find their best form so early in the season and Deila is willing to accept that the trip to Azerbaijan presents his team with a great risk to their Champions League qualification campaign.

“We had pressure but we need to turn that pressure into more chances,” he said. “We need to play like we did for the Inter Milan game [last season] to get a good result.”

Crystal Palace agree fee of around £8m for Sunderland’s Connor Wickham

Crystal Palace are poised to sign Connor Wickham after agreeing a fee of around £8m for the Sunderland striker.

Wickham, 22, who joined Sunderland from Ipswich in June 2011 for a similar fee, has been a long-standing transfer target for Palace having attempted to sign him last January when Tony Pulis was in charge.

Despite Wickham signing a four-year contract in December, Palace appear to have got their man having upped their offer.

Wickham will be their fourth arrival of the summer after Yohan Cabaye from Paris Saint-Germain, Alex McCarthy from Queens Park Rangers and Patrick Bamford on a season-long loan from Chelsea.

Drogba: I won't be a burden to Montreal Impact

The former Chelsea star has warned Montreal Impact fans they will have to wait to see him in action as he is working to get match fit

Montreal Impact striker Didier Drogba has asked for patience as he does not want to be a burden to the team on the day of his MLS debut.
Drogba has not played since Chelsea's final match of the 2014-15 Premier League season and the 37-year-old knows it will take him time to get back to peak fitness, with the rest of the Impact squad having completed half of this year's MLS campaign.
The Impact signed Drogba on Monday as part of a trade with Chicago Fire.
"It's almost been two-and-a-half months that I haven't played," Drogba told the MLS website.
"I'll need time. We'll see with the coach... I will eventually play but I want to be able to contribute to the team and not be kind of a burden. I need to get ready."
The former Ivory Coast captain - who has played for Marseille, Chelsea and Galatasaray during his career - also underlined the importance of Montreal's multi-cultural nature in convincing him to join the Impact.
"This cultural diversity is important.
"I quite simply felt like getting to know the city. I was won over by the project and by the work that the president has already started with the club, looking to give back to the community through soccer. It's a little bit like what I do with my foundation.
"My children are bilingual. I know there are superb schools here. It also went into my decision."

Barcelona can repeat Pep's sextuple, says Bartomeu

The Camp Nou outfit are looking to add even more silverware to their trophy cabinet and expect Lionel Messi to play a major role in new successes

Barcelona president Josep Bartomeu is confident the club have what it takes to win six major trophies in 2015.
The Camp Nou side are already halfway through following their Champions League, La Liga and Copa del Rey success in 2014-15 and can make it six pieces of silverware in one calendar year if they also claim the European Supercup, Spanish Supercup and Club World Cup.
Barca last won the sextuple in 2009 under Pep Guardiola, but Bartomeu is hopeful they can repeat the feat under Luis Enrique this year.
"We won three trophies last season, so there are six cups to win this year. It would be a dream year," Bartomeu told ESPN.
"Hopefully, we can start thinking about winning six trophies each season. You need a competitive team for that, but I think we have it all to do just that with the additions we have made."
Bartomeu then went on to discuss Lionel Messi's decision to return from his holiday four days early in order to join his team-mates for pre-season duty and hailed the Argentine's hunger for success.
"Messi is raring to go again. He is eager to continue to make history with Barcelona. He is the best player in Barca's history and world football.
"Messi and his team-mates have a big challenge ahead of them, but everybody is excited about the chance to win six trophies. I noticed that everybody is talking about it and that is very inspiring.

'Romero must adapt quickly at Manchester United' - Schmeichel

Peter Schmeichel believes Sergio Romero must quickly become accustomed to playing at a “very aggressive football club” if he is to have any chance of taking the No.1 shirt at Manchester United.

The Argentine international completed a free transfer to Old Trafford on Monday, with Louis van Gaal admitting that the move prepares the club for the potential exit of David de Gea.

It took United six years, however, to adequately replace Schmeichel, a five-time Premier League champion, and the Dane emphasised the need for a United goalkeeper to inspire confidence in the players in front of him.

“The goalkeeping job at Manchester United has always been important,” at the filming of the new Carlsberg advert 'If Carlsberg Did Kickabouts'.

“It has always been important because of the style of play. Manchester United is a very aggressive, attack-minded football club, it’s chasing wins and it’s chasing goals.

“When you do that you commit people forward, and when you commit people forward you need strong defenders and a strong goalkeeper who can understand what’s going to happen next in terms of what the team is doing.

“Certain goalkeepers that were signed after I left the club didn’t have that.

“They didn’t have that confidence, didn’t inspire that confidence onto their team-mates and their immediate defenders. That was a big problem. Fortunately it was sorted out when Edwin [van der Sar] came in, and the standard of goalkeeping was back to where it should be.”

Tuchel pleased by Dortmund fighting qualities

The new BVB coach was satisfied with his side's win over Wolfsberger and with the way his men kept on fighting till the final whistle

Borussia Dortmund coach Thomas Tuchel accepted that the rigours of a competitive 90 minutes caught up with his players in the 1-0 Europa League win at Wolfsberger, but was pleased with his side's attitude and overall performance.
Taking the reins for the first time since succeeding Jurgen Klopp, Tuchel watched Dortmund dominate for most of the first hour against their Austrian opponents, with Jonas Hofmann's 14th-minute strike separating the sides.
But the Bundesliga outfit faded during the closing stages and were indebted to some last-ditch defending and goalkeeper Roman Burki for keeping Wolfsberger at bay.
"I am very happy with the result and the energy we showed in the pitch," Tuchel told Dortmund's official website.
"I anticipated that it could get a bit rough after the intensity we had in training over the last couple of days.
"Apart from Mats Hummels, no player has played 90 minutes and it looked like that by the end.
"We defended the lead with passion and the necessary bit of luck.
"Perhaps it is even more important, a dirty victory, than the one where everything goes easily."

Lose one game and it's the end of the world - Real Madrid are too impatient, says Van der Vaart

The 32-year-old feels the high demands at the Santiago Bernabeu were too much and feels Iker Casillas was treated unfairly

Former Real Madrid midfielder Rafael van der Vaart has hit out at his former club for the lack of patience at the club.
The Dutchman wore the Madrid shirt between 2008 and 2010 before leaving the club for Tottenham and he feels the high demands are not helping the team.
"At Real Madrid, if you win nothing it’s deemed as a major fiasco," Van der Vaart was quoted as saying by AS.
"Madrid are the most impatient club in the world. You lose a game and it's as if the world has ended.
"I am proud of having spent two years there, playing and scoring for the team.
"I arrived these when [Ramon] Calderon was president, [Predrag] Mijatovic was sporting director and [Bernd] Schuster was first team coach. In just three months all three were all gone, crazy."
Van der Vaart then went on to lament the way in which club icon Iker Casillas was forced out at the Santiago Bernabeu side.
"Casillas' exit was sad. He won so much there that the way he left was a total lack of respect for him.
"Casillas is synonymous with Real Madrid, the club ran through his blood. I hope he gets a chance at Porto to prove just how good he still is."

Newcastle sign Anderlecht’s Chancel Mbemba for £8m

Newcastle have signed the DR Congo defender Chancel Mbemba from Anderlechtfor around £8m, subject to the granting of a work permit.

The 20-year-old confirmed last week that he was on the verge of completing his move and a statement on Newcastle’s website revealed the club have been giving the green light to complete the transfer after being granted a governing body endorsement (GBE) for the player at a Football Association hearing on Thursday.

Mbemba, who has signed a five-year deal, has still to be granted a work permit but despite his country being ranked outside the top 50 by Fifa, the FA’s decision means it should be a formality.

Born in Kinshasha, the versatile defender becomes Newcastle’s third signing of the summer, after Georginio Wijnaldum and Aleksandar Mitrovic.

Tottenham defender Vlad Chiriches joins Napoli as exodus continues

Vlad Chiriches has joined Napoli for an undisclosed fee. The 25-year-old moved to Tottenham from Steaua Bucharest for £6.7m in August 2013 but struggled to cement a first-team spot.

The Romania defender made only 43 appearances across his two seasons, 27 of which came in the Premier League. He signed off in ignominious fashion in his final match with the club after being sent off in the 3-0 defeat at Stoke on 9 May.

With Spurs signing Toby Alderweireld from Atlético Madrid, Chiriches, who has 32 caps for Romania, was likely to fall further down the pecking order.

Chiriches is the second defender to leave this summer after Younes Kaboul signed for Sunderland.

PSG close to sealing £40m deal for Manchester United’s Ángel Di María

Paris Saint-Germain are hopeful of finalising a deal this weekend to buy Ángel Di María from Manchester United for around £40m. This would be a significant loss on the £59.7m record fee paid by United to Real Madrid last summer, even with the deal potentially containing another £5m in add-ons.

Although United would not confirm the deal is close, it is understood that Ed Woodward, the executive vice-chairman, is in final negotiations and it would be a surprise if the Argentina international did not depart the club. Di María failed to join United’s summer tour of the US on Saturday, with the manager, Louis van Gaal, saying after Wednesday’s 2-0 defeat to PSG that he did not know where the player was. “I don’t want to answer that but you can keep asking,” said the Dutchman. “Maybe you know where he is. I don’t know.”

Laurent Blanc, the PSG coach, added: “You know negotiations are in tandem [ongoing] and as Paris Saint-Germain [and United] are both big clubs, that can be difficult. But we feel we are close to the end.”

The French champions initially offered £28.5m (€40m) for Di María but that was swiftly rejected by United. The agreement could accelerate Van Gaal’s approach to sign Pedro from Barcelona, with reports in Spain suggesting the Spain winger will be allowed to leave if a bid of €25m is received.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic says his next move will be a ‘very big surprise’

Zlatan Ibrahimovic says he will surprise everyone with his next move when he leaves Paris Saint-Germain.

Ibrahimovic has been linked with a number of clubs this summer but insists that he is “very happy” at PSG. As it stands, however, he will leave next summer as he has only one year remaining on his contract.

The 33-year-old has spoken of his desire to play in MLS at some stage but where the Sweden international will ply his trade next is a mystery and the player intends on keeping it that way for now.

“Where I go next, it will be a surprise, a very big surprise,” the PSG striker said after scoring in the 2-0 win over Manchester United in Chicago on Thursday.

Ibrahimovic has seen PSG develop into a major force in European football since he arrived at the club. Last season they beat Chelsea to reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League but they were soundly beaten by Barcelona.

Ibrahimovic says he is totally content with life in the French capital and will not leave this summer. “I’m very happy at PSG. You don’t see that on the field?” the former Barcelona and Internazionale player said.

“I have another year on my contract with PSG and I am very happy. Things are getting better. We are a strong team, we can do much more than we have been doing so at the moment but I am very happy.”

The win over United meant PSG lifted the International Champions Cup in Chicago. Winning the pre-season tournament means little to Ibrahimovic, though. He is more concerned about beating Lyon in the Trophée des Champions meeting with the Coupe de France winners in Montreal this weekend.

“The [trophy] we won today is only for the preparation. This is nothing official,” said Ibrahimovic, who helped guide PSG to wins over Benfica and Fiorentina in the International Champions Cup over the past two weeks. “This is only to prepare our condition mentally and physically for the season.

“We have been here 15 days, played all the friendly games and now we go over to the official game against Lyon, that is the Super Cup so if we can win that one we will win our first trophy for the year, so that would be very good.”

Rickie Lambert set to finalise move from Liverpool to West Brom

Rickie Lambert is expected to finalise a move from Liverpool to West Bromwich Albion in the next few days although the clubs have yet to agree a fee for the former England striker.

Lambert joined his boyhood club for £4.5m from Southampton last summer but made only 12 starts in all competitions as the dream return to Anfield did not unfold as planned. He was given permission to talk to Aston Villa in January but rejected a proposed £5m transfer in order to fight for a place at Liverpool. In the event, the 33-year-old made only two further starts for Brendan Rodgers’ side despite their glaring problems in attack.

Albion have opened talks with Liverpool over the striker’s future and are firm favourites to sign Lambert, who has also been linked with Leicester City, Crystal Palace and a possible reunion with the former Southampton manager Mauricio Pochettino at Tottenham Hotspur.

While interest from Spurs would be attractive, Lambert, who admitted his match sharpness suffered from a bit-part role at Anfield, is anxious for regular first-team football after the experience of last season.

Liverpool are keen to recoup their outlay on the England forward while Albion’s initial valuation is believed to have been around the £3m mark. Providing a compromise is reached, Lambert could undergo a medical and move to the Hawthorns within days. He would be Tony Pulis’s third summer signing following James McClean from Wigan Athletic and James Chester, who arrived for £8m from Hull City on Wednesday.

The Albion manager confirmed: “Rickie is available. Liverpool have made that known. We’d be interested. It’s very important that we get players who will score goals and Rickie’s got a great goalscoring record.

“From what I can gather from people at Liverpool his fitness levels are very, very good and he is desperate to play football. He didn’t play last year so it’s like bringing a brand new car out of the garage if we did sign him. Just putting a bit of petrol in it and letting it run.”

Napoli never considered selling Higuain - De Laurentiis

The club's president insists they inserted a large release clause in the striker's contract to ensure he remains at Stadio San Paolo and have no interest in selling him

Aurelio De Laurentiis has insisted Napoli have never considered selling Gonzalo Higuain despite reports linking him with a move away this summer.
Higuain has flourished at San Paolo since arriving from Real Madrid in 2013, scoring 53 goals in all competitions, leading to speculation that the likes of Manchester City and Arsenal want to sign him.
But Napoli president De Laurentiis has dismissed such claims, insisting it will take a significant fee to convince the club to let him go.
"I never, ever considered selling Higuain," he told  Corriere della Sera.
"It wasn't by chance that I put a very high clause in his contract, which makes him difficult to afford for any potential buyer.
"I expect that he's respectful of his commitment to Napoli and the work of the team."
The 27-year-old Argentina international is tied to the Serie A side until June 2018.

Wilson agrees Bournemouth extension

The striker scored 20 goals as Eddie Howe's men surprisingly romped to the Championship title last season and has put pen to paper on a new four-year deal

Callum Wilson has committed his future to newly-promoted Bournemouth by signing a new contract until 2019.

The 23-year-old striker scored 20 goals last season as Eddie Howe's team surprised many by winning the Championship.

"I signed [from Coventry City] thinking we would get to the Premier League in the next few years and we did it in the first season," Wilson told Bournemouth's official website.

"There's no reason, at this moment in time, why anyone would want to leave because we are in the Premier League and have a great manager, who is young and wants to be successful.

"We have a great squad here, so we have all the key components to be successful in the Premier League and hopefully we can achieve that.

"Playing in the Premier League is all I have ever dreamed of. I'm more than happy here."

Ramos is Real Madrid's perfect captain, says Carvajal

The full-back believes his compatriot is the ideal candidate to take over the armband from lker Casillas and is confident he will stay put

Dani Carvajal believes Sergio Ramos has all the right attributes to replace Iker Casillas as Real Madrid captain.
The veteran goalkeeper left Madrid for Porto earlier this month and as the longest-serving Madrid player left, Ramos is expected to take over the captaincy.
"Our captain is Sergio and I’m sure he will do well," Carvajal told AS.
"He’s won a lot of things in the game and has had many years at the club to try out that role. I’m sure he’ll do well in the position."
Ramos, 29, was heavily linked with Manchester United earlier this summer, but now seems set to sign a new contract with Madrid until 2020.
Carvajal is not surprised to see his compatriot stay at the Santiago Bernabeu, though, and cannot imagine him ever wearing another team's jersey again.
"I only know that today he is a Madrid player and he is focused on us and on our team in the coming games. I do not see him in another shirt other than ours."
The World Cup winning defender has been at Madrid since 2005.

Schmeichel urges De Gea to make decision over Manchester United future

Peter Schmeichel has urged David de Gea to make a decision over his Manchester United future before the start of the new Premier League season.

The Spain international has been tipped to replace Iker Casillas at Real Madrid and Rafa Benitez’s side’s acquisition of Kiko Casilla has done little to dampen the speculation.

At the beginning of July that United have given up hope of keeping the goalkeeper, who could leave the club for nothing when his contract expires next summer. This week, the Red Devils completed the signing of Sergio Romero, a move manager Louis van Gaal admits prepares the club for De Gea’s exit.

United legend Schmeichel understands the attraction of a move to Madrid but implored De Gea to bring a close to the saga sooner rather than later.

“I tell you what I’d urge him to do, I urge him to make a decision because either he goes or he stays,” Schmeichel.

“If he stays, we’re happy, if he goes, we have to move on. We cannot get dragged into the next month and the next month, we’ve got to deal with this situation now.

Ibrahimovic: My next club will be a big surprise

The 33-year-old insists he is happy at Paris Saint-Germain but is confident no one will be able to predict his next destination when the time comes

Zlatan Ibrahimovic claims his next club will be "a very big surprise" as he enters the final year of his contract with Paris Saint-Germain.

The flamboyant Swede scored in the Ligue 1 champions' 2-0 pre-season win over Manchester United in Chicago on Thursday and has been linked with a move to MLS when his current deal in the French capital expires next summer.

But while Ibrahimovic insists he is "very happy" at PSG, he believes no one will be able to predict the identity of his next club when the time comes.

"Where I go next, it will be a surprise, a very big surprise," the PSG striker told reporters with a smile after the United victory.

"I'm very happy at PSG. You don't see that on the field? I have another year on my contract with PSG and I am very happy.

"Things are getting better. We are a strong team, we can do much more than we have been doing so at the moment but I am very happy."

Victory over United - coupled with earlier wins over Benfica and Fiorentina - saw PSG lift the International Champions Cup, but Ibrahimovic has his sights set on grander prizes- starting with the Trophee des Champions against Lyon in Montreal on Saturday.

"The (trophy) we won today is only for the preparation. This is nothing official," the striker insisted.

"This is only to prepare our condition mentally and physically for the season.

"We have been here 15 days, played all the friendly games and now we go over to the official game against Lyon, that is the Super Cup so if we can win that one we will win our first trophy for the year, so that would be very good."

Cavani: The whole world knows I'm a great striker

Edinson Cavani has reiterared that he is happy at Paris Saint-Germain and aims to fulfil his contract until June 2018, but believes the club would benefit from him playing in a central role.
The 28-year-old has struggled to live up to the high expectations since joining PSG from Napoli in 2013 and has often been shifted out wide rather than feature in his favoured centre forward position due to the presence of Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Cavani is continually being linked with a move away from PSG due to his situation at the Parc des Princes, with Manchester United allegedly among his suitors. but the Uruguay international has made it clear he is loving life in the French capital at the moment - although he still wants to play as a centre forward.
"A lot of things have been said about my situation, but all I can say is that the club knows how I feel and what my goals are," Cavani told L'Equipe.
"I have a contract with PSG and I have to respect that. I am feeling very well in Paris. I am happy here. I have the same goals as the club and I want to score goals. I want to have a great season and help the team forward. I am 100 per cent dedicated to the team.
"I have always said that I am a centre forward and I have proven myself in this position. The whole world knows Cavani is a great centre forward. It's true that I can also feature in other positions, but I will always put in better performances as a centre forward.
"I played as a forward at Napoli. I think a 4-4-2 formation would work very well for PSG. The coach knows what my favourite position is and how I feel."
Cavani netted 18 goals in 35 Ligue 1 appearances last term.

Gundogan: I could stay at Borussia Dortmund for years to come

The midfielder seemed destined to leave BVB just a few months ago, but is now loving life at the Signal Iduna Park again

Ilkay Gundogan has suggested that his long-term future could very well lie at Borussia Dortmund.
The Germany international appeared to be on his way out of BVB earlier this year when the club announced that he would not sign a new contract.
However, Gundogan eventually had second thoughts and inked a one-year extension to his existing deal, which will now run out in June 2017.
Many expect the 24-year-old to say farewell to Dortmund at the end of the 2015-16 campaign, with Manchester United said to be interested, but he has now made it clear another contract renewal is not out of the question.
"I am heading into my fifth year at Dortmund and I am feeling very well here," Gundogan told Sport Bild.
"I can see myself staying at BVB for a longer period. We will have to wait and see how things develop."
The presence of Thomas Tuchel could play a major role in Gundogan's decision to potentially sign a new deal as he has nothing but praise for the club's new head coach.
"I have the feeling that he has already improved me as a player.
"I like the way he speaks to the team and his training methods."

Pirlo exit my biggest mistake, admits Galliani

The transfer guru regrets his decision to allow the Italy international to move on, while he is happy Milan eventually missed out on Jackson Martinez

AC Milan CEO Adriano Galliani has admitted that allowing Andrea Pirlo to leave the club for Juventus in the summer of 2011 was the biggest mistake of his career.
The 36-year-old was deemed surplus to requirements by then Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri and was eventually snapped up by Juventus on a free transfer.
Pirlo proved Milan wrong by guiding Juventus to four consecutive Serie A titles, though, and Galliani has conceded he should have held on to the gifted playmaker.
"Letting Pirlo go was my biggest mistake ever," Galliani was quoted as saying by La Gazzetta dello Sport.
"It was an error I made, together with a number of other persons. But don't ask me who the others were."
Galliani was close to luring Jackson Martinez to Milan earlier this summer, but he has no regrets that the Colombia international joined Atletico Madrid in the end, with the Rossoneri eventually signing Carlos Bacca from Sevilla instead.
"We were really close to signing him, but then he chose for Atletico instead.
"But we are happy with his decision now because that allowed us to bring in Carlos Bacca: a great player."
The Milan supremo also had his say on the potential arrival of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Alessio Romagnoli from Paris Saint-Germain and Roma, respectively.
"Ibrahimovic has a contract with PSG until June 2016. That's all I can say about it at the moment.
"With Romagnoli, it all depends on Roma. We have offered them €25 million. But if they don't want to sell, then we have to accept that."

Messi makes early Barcelona return

The prolific attacker has cut his holiday short to return to work with the treble winners, with his compatriot Javier Mascherano doing the same

Argentina internationals Lionel Messi and Javier Mascherano have reported back early for pre-season duty with Barcelona.
Messi and Mascherano were not due to return to Catalunya until Monday after participating at the Copa America in Chile earlier this summer, but both Argentines have now joined their team-mates four days early.
Furthermore, Neymar and Dani Alves have also returned to Camp Nou after they were given extended holidays after taking part in the Copa, too.
The four South Americans were accompanied by Marc-Andre ter Stegen for Thursday's medical examinations. The German goalkeeper, who played at the European Under-21 Championship, did go on the US Tour, but had yet to take the routine medical checks.
The return of Messi, Mascherano, Neymar and Dani Alves means Luis Enrique now nearly has his full squad at his availability again.
Chile international Claudio Bravo is still away on holiday and will be joining his team-mates on Monday

West Ham United - Astra Betting: Back Bilic's men to wreck the Romanians' European dream

Slaven Bilic's side survived a scare in the last round but our tipster is backing the Hammers to enjoy a comfortable win at Upton Park in Thursday's Europa League first-leg tussle

West Ham United’s Europa League adventure continues when they face Astra in the third qualifying round first-leg at Upton Park on Thursday night.

The Hammers survived a massive scare against Maltese side Birkirkara in the last round of the competition, eventually winning 5-3 on penalty kicks after a 1-1 draw on aggregate, and Slaven Bilic will be hoping for a straightforward victory against the Romanians. The home side will go into this game without the services of James Tomkins after his sending off in the last round.

West Ham are certainly well-fancied to seize the initiative in the first-leg, with a home win chalked up at just 1/2 (1.50) with Paddy Power, while Astra can be backed at a chunky 5/1 (6.0) to win in east London. The same firm go 100/30 (4.33) that Thursday’s tussle ends in stalemate.

 It is worth noting that the Hammers have won to nil in both of their previous home ties in this competition thus far this term and, with that in mind, the 11/8 (2.38) quote on offer for Bilic’s men to repeat that feat certainly carry considerable appeal here, while the even money (2.0) quote from Paddy Power for West Ham to lead by half-time is sure to prove popular with punters.

Those anticipating an easy victory for the English Premier League side may well be tempted by the juicy 7/5 (2.40) quote for West Ham (-1) in Paddy Power’s handicap market.

Astra will not travel without confidence though, having knocked out Scottish Cup holders Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the last round, while it should also be noted that Astra reached the group stages of last season’s Europa League so they know what it takes to progress in Europe's second tier club competition.

Jamaica’s Rudy Austin has to leave UK under FA’s new work permit rules

Rudy Austin’s agent has little hope of a successful appeal after Sheffield Wednesday’s attempt to sign the midfielder was dashed by the Football Association’s new work permit rules.

The Jamaica international Austin, 30, was released by Leeds United at the end of last season and Wednesday had appeared to have won the race for his signature. But Austin, who spent three seasons at Leeds and turned down a £500,000 move to Wigan Athletic in January, will be forced to uproot his family as he no longer qualifies for a work permit under the FA’s new regulations.

“For Rudy this is very traumatic,” said Austin’s agent, Darryl Powell. “We had agreed a deal in principle with Sheffield Wednesday, who were going to make him one of their best paid players, if not the best and that was going to be on a three-year contract.

“Unfortunately the appeal process does not really work any more. If you spend in excess of £10m on fees and salary you can bypass it. But other than that there’s not much chance, even though he’s right at the top-end of the pay scale and would make such a good contribution to life in the UK.”

Austin, signed by Leeds from the Norwegian side SK Brann in 2012, played a key role for Jamaica in their run to Sunday’s Gold Cup final in Philadelphia, wherethey lost 3-1 to the seven-times winners, Mexico.

“He came back into England two days before his work permit and visa expires, which is midnight on Thursday,” Powell said. “Under the new rules a player’s country of origin has to be in the top 50 in Fifa’s rankings over the last two years and Jamaica was in the top 75.

“His little boy, who is two, was born in England and Rudy and his wife want to make their home here. He was two years away from being naturalised but now he’ll have to leave the UK.”

Powell said there were possibilities for Austin with MLS clubs in the US and there had also been interest from Turkey. “It’s very sad really,” Powell added. “Over half of the clubs in the Championship would have taken Rudy on at the right level. We’d agreed a deal with Bolton in March but that could not be concluded due to their financial situation.”