Liverpool join Kante race

Liverpool have joined the race to sign Leicester City midfielder N’Golo Kante, .

Jurgen Klopp is busy preparing for his first full season in charge of the Merseyside club, and is keen to bring in the France international as he looks to add strength in the middle of the park.

The Reds’ Premier League rivals Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur are also interested in securing the services of the twenty-five year old, who only signed for the Foxes from Caen last summer.

Kante made forty appearances in all competitions during Leicester’s title winning 2015/16 campaign with his one and only goal coming in a 2-1 win over Watford in November.

He has been capped five times by his country, with his latest internati…

AFC World Cup qualifying wrap: Japan cruise past Oman

Japan fired a warning shot to their rivals in Asian qualifying for the 2014 FIFA World Cup with a 3-0 win over Oman on Sunday.

The hosts wasted little time, attacking frequently in the first 10 minutes and putting Oman under constant pressure.

With shots raining from all points the first goal was a matter of time, finally coming in the 12th minute when Yuto Nagatomo s cross was volleyed in by Keisuke Honda with his left foot.

With most of the first half s play taking place in the visitors half, most of the pressure fell onto Oman goalkeeper Ali Al-Habsi, who saved several great chances but was himself saved by the official s flag more than once before the half ended at 1-0.

Japan picked up where they left off after the half ended, pressing Oman hard bef…

Rekik loaned to Rovers

Blackburn Rovers have signed defender Karim Rekik on loan from Manchester City until the end of the season.

Blackburn Rovers have signed defender Karim Rekik on loan from Manchester City until the end of the season.

The Netherlands youth international, who can play at both left-back and centre-half, allowed his representative to meet with officials from the Championship club on Thursday in order to finalise the temporary move.
Rekik has made two first-team appearances for City, in the League Cup in 2011 before making his Premier League bow in a 1-0 win over Reading in December last year.
Happy to say that I m going on loan to Blackburn Rovers and be part of the team, Rekik posted on Twitter.
Hope to win many games and learn for my future at Man City.
The young de…

Maguire linked with Manchester City switch

Harry Maguire has emerged as Manchester City’s number one transfer target, according to the Mail Online.

The English domestic treble winners are on the lookout for a new centre-back following Vincent Kompany’s decision to move to Anderlecht as player-manager.

Maguire is Pep Guardiola’s preferred option, though he is likely to command a fee that exceeds the £75m that Liverpool paid for Virgil Van Dijk in January 2018.

Maguire moved to the King Power Stadium two years ago and has since racked up seventy-three appearances in all competitions, scoring five goals.

He has been capped eighteen times for England, with his one and only international goal so far coming in the World Cup quarter-final victory over Sweden last June.

Kompany leave…

Low welcomes Sane to Bayern rumours

Leroy Sane joining Bayern Munich would be welcomed by Germany head coach Joachim Low after Bayern Munich again stated their interest in the Manchester City winger.

Bayern are reported to be readying an €80million bid for Germany international Sane.

The 23-year-old scored 10 goals and supplied as many assists as City defended their Premier League title as part of a domestic treble this season, including strikes in the pivotal wins over Liverpool and Manchester United.

But Pep Guardiola frequently left Sane on the bench during the closing weeks of the campaign, preferring Raheem Sterling and Bernardo Silva as his first-choice wide attackers.

A spell out of favour evoked memories of the player s shock omission from Germany s 2018 World Cup squad, although …

Higuain and Lamela dream of lifting the Copa America

Gonzalo Higuain acknowledges the Copa America Centenario will be a difficult tournament but the Argentina striker is optimistic over their chances of ending their trophy drought. 

Argentina have not won a major trophy since lifting the 1993 Copa America after Gabriel Batistuta struck twice in a 2-1 win over Mexico.

That winless run appeared poised to come to an end at last year s Copa, only for Argentina to suffer an agonising penalty shoot-out defeat to hosts Chile in the final, just 12 months after they went down to Germany in the 2014 World Cup final in Brazil.

The loss to Chile made if five defeats in their last six major-tournament finals for Argentina, but Higuain is hoping they can finally secure silverware again in the United States.

The Co…

Betis deny knowledge of alleged match-fixing

Allegations have been made against one current and one former Real Betis player regarding match-fixing, with the club denying any knowledge.

Real Betis have vehemently denied any knowledge of taking part in the reported fixing of a match during the 2013-14 La Liga season.

Various Spanish media outlets have claimed that the club s clash with Osasuna on the final day of last season is being investigated, with two players at the centre of the reports.

Jordi Figueras and Antonio Amaya, the latter of whom now plays for Rayo Vallecano, were named by radio station Cadena Sur as the players to have apparently met with an Osasuna chief to discuss the fixing of the game for €250,000, with the Pamplona-based outfit emerging 2-1 victors.

Both teams ultimately su…

Keane helps Ireland to unconvincing win

Robbie Keane scored his 35th international goal to give Ireland an unconvincing 1-0 World Cup qualifier win over Cyprus here Wednesday that owed too much to the towering defending of centre back Richard Dunne.

The Cypriots will be disappointed not to have come away with a point and only Ireland s bright start denied them.

The goal came after just five minutes when Damien Duff came a long way off the left wing to collect a square ball on the right edge of the box and drive at the heart of the defence.

The Cypriot s shifted across to cover the winger restored to the team in place of Stephen Hunt leaving Keane unmarked at the back post. Duff chipped over and the Liverpool forward scored one of the easiest goals of his career.

Ireland had a let-off in th…

Northwest Barclays Premier League Player of the year announced

The Northwest Barclays Premier League Player of the year has been announced.

That award went to Liverpool’s striker Fernando Torres. The Spanish striker scored thirty three goals for Liverpool in his first season with the club. He was also a key figure in Spain’s 2008 European Championship success.

Other awards were made last night. Manchester United’s Ryan Giggs was named Footballer of the Year. Manchester United’s manager Sir Alex Ferguson picked up the Outstanding Achievement Award. David Moyes won the Manager of the Year Award and Tom Finney was given the Lifetime Achievement Award for his exploits for both England and Preston North End.

Wilshere keen to repay Southgate´s faith

Jack Wilshere is keen to repay the faith shown by Gareth Southgate when he returns to the England squad for the upcoming friendlies with Netherlands and Italy.

Wilshere was part of Southgate s 27-man squad named on Thursday for the two fixtures, his first international recognition since England s defeat to Iceland at Euro 2016.

Since that loss in Nice, Wilshere s career has not hit the heights many had hoped, and last season he left Arsenal on loan to get more first-team football.

That spell at Bournemouth helped Wilshere reclaim a starting spot with the Gunners and, after 31 appearances in all competitions this season, he has earned an England recall.

Now he is ready to deliver for his country and win a place in Southgate s World Cup squad.

I…