Transfer rumours and paper review – Friday, December 2: Man City target Kompany and Toure replacements, Chelsea to land £50m defender?

Here are the top headlines and transfer-related stories in Friday's newspapers...

Manchester City are lining up moves for Southampton defender Virgil van Dijk and Sporting Lisbon "midfielder" William Carvalho as long-term replacements for Vincent Kompany and Yaya Toure. (Daily Mail)
Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho will make the strengthening of his defence the main priority in January. (The Sun)
Chelsea will wait until the summer to splash £50million on Napoli's Kalidou Koulibaly as the Senegal defender will be on duty at the African Nations Cup during the second half of the season. (The Sun)
Exeter and Wales Under-19 midfielder Ethan Ampadu is expected to choose Arsenal over Liverpool. (Liverpool Echo)
Everton are planning to sign a new goalkeeper in January, with the Toffees drawing p a three-man shortlist to bolster their options in the net. (Liverpool Echo)
Odion Ighalo remains in Walter Mazzarri's plans at Watford despite a poor start to the season. (Daily Express)
Toby Alderweireld is set to give Tottenham a boost, with the Belgian defender’s return from injury imminent after he completed two double training sessions this week. (Evening Standard)
Welsh superstar Gareth Bale is set for a longer spell on the sidelines with an ankle than originally believed. The Real Madrid forward is understood to be facing four months out. (AS)

Read More

One player each Premier League club shouldn't have sold – regretful decisions?

Mauricio Pochettino wishes Tottenham kept former playmaker Gylfi Sigurdsson – ‘He’d be PERFECT for this team!'

Gylfi Sigurdsson has four goals and four assists for Swansea this season

Sigurdsson will be hoping to deliver Pochettino a timely reminder of his creative talents when the Swans face Spurs on Saturday at White Hart Lane.

He was one of the first players to depart after the Argentinian took charge in the summer of 2014, rejoining Swansea in a deal that saw Ben Davies and Michel Vorm move in the other direction.

The 27-year-old had struggled for a regular starting place during two stop-start seasons in north London but he quickly rediscovered his rhythm at Swansea, with seven goals and ten assists in 2014-15 and then 11 goals and four assists last term.

Sigurdsson has four goals and four assists already in the current campaign - the kind of attacking output Tottenham have been so lacking in recent weeks.

"I think after he moved to Swansea and we saw his development at Swansea he was a perfect player for us," Pochettino said.

"But in that moment it was the club decision and his decision to move to Swansea and find another way.

"Every time we meet him and see him he shows his quality not only as a player but like a man. All the people here talk very highly about him.

"It's a shame but sometimes in football you never know what will happen in the future."

Pochettino's priority upon taking the Tottenham job two and a half years ago was to clear out a bloated squad that had proven so disappointing under both Andre Villas-Boas and Tim Sherwood.

He allowed nine senior players to leave in his first year, and another ten in his second, with Sigurdsson shown the door during a pre-season tour in the United States.

"When we arrive at Tottenham he was a player that was difficult to assess," Pochettino said.

"The decision was when we were in Seattle to play the first friendly game. I remember he was in the starting 11 to play that match and I had a call to say, 'Okay, the agreement is done with Swansea'.

"It is difficult to assess him. In that moment we had 34 senior players and to take the decision was too difficult to assess because we did not have time enough."

Read More

UK football child abuse: Wayne Rooney offers support

 

By James Masters, CNN

English football has been rocked by allegations of child sex abuse.

London (CNN)Wayne Rooney has become the first star player to urge victims of past child abuse in the world of football not to suffer in silence.

The England captain spoke out after a hotline was set up for people who were sexually abused while playing soccer in Britain as children.

 

It received more than 50 calls in its first few hours Thursday, according to the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC).

 

 Wayne Rooney has spoken out in support of victims.

 

"It's awful that some of my colleagues have suffered this way whilst playing the sport that I and they love," said Rooney, an ambassador for the NSPCC.

The hotline was launched with the support of England's Football Association (FA), after former English footballers Andy Woodward, Steve Walters and Paul Stewart spoke to British media about being sexually abused as children. Another player, David White, has also come forward. 

 

"Andy has been really brave to come forward and I would encourage anyone who has or is suffering from abuse to call the NSPCC's new football helpline."

"It's important that people know that it's okay to speak out, there is help available and that they don't need to suffer in silence," he added.

 

Cheshire Police, in northern England, said Friday they had received a "growing number of disclosures" relating to "non-recent child sexual abuse linked to football."

"These have included allegations made against more than one individual," police said in a statement.

On Friday, two more players -- Chris Unsworth and Jason Dunford -- both spoke publicly for the first time about being abused by former Crewe Alexandra coach Barry Bennell.

In a separate development, police in Hampshire, southern England, also confirmed they are investigating "allegations of non-recent child abuse within the football community."

In another investigation, Northumbria police confirmed to CNN that the department had "received a report in relation to an allegation of historic sexual offenses in Newcastle."

A statement added: "We are working closely with, and supporting, the victim and inquiries are ongoing." 

 

Coach jailed for abuse

Former Sheffield United player Woodward was the first to tell his story publicly, explaining how he was abused by Bennell while playing for Crewe Alexandra football club, in northern England in the 1980s and 1990s.

Bennell was jailed in 1998 for nine years after admitting to sexually abusing children, including Woodward.

He has been jailed three times for child abuse -- including once in America where he was reportedly described by Florida police as having "almost an insatiable appetite" for young boys.

He was sent to prison most recently in 2015 for two years for a past sexual offense against a 12-year-old boy.

Former England and Manchester City player White and ex-Crewe player Walters have also revealed they were among Bennell's victims, though it is unclear whether Bennell was convicted of abusing them.

Stewart, who played for Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur, said another coach had repeatedly sexually assaulted him and threatened to kill his family if he spoke out.

 

Woodward's and Walters' Twitter accounts have been flooded with support in recent days. "This momentum WILL save people," Woodward wrote. Walters said he was "totally taken back" by the support he had received since opening up about the abuse he suffered.  

More come forward

On Friday, more victims came forward to tell their own stories of torment.

Chris Unsworth, now 44, was a youth team player at Manchester City before moving to Crewe with Bennell.

He told the BBC that he had stayed at Bennell's house on a number of occasions where the coach would have two or three boys in the bed at once while abusing them.

 

"We never spoke to each other about it," Unsworth, who said he was nine when the abuse started, told the BBC. "I was raped between 50 and 100 times."

"I didn't know what was going on to be fair -- I knew what I wanted to get, and I thought this is what I had to go through. I knew it was wrong but I just went with it," he said.

Manchester City said it had opened an investigation amid allegations that Bennell had an association with the club in the 1980s.

Jason Dunford has also spoken out, alleging that Bennell attempted to touch him while he was in bed at a holiday camp.

"I told him to get off me," he told the BBC. "After that, Bennell began to torment me -- dropping me from the team, telling me I would play, but on the Sunday dropping me again."

Neither Unsworth nor Dunford went on to play professionally, citing the abuse they suffered as one of the main reasons.

 

Authorities react

Meanwhile, English Football Association chairman Greg Clarke says he has written to 30,000 football clubs to help raise awareness on the subject and says his organization will do everything in its power to support any criminal investigation.

Clarke met with Woodward at Wembley on Thursday to discuss the situation and what can be done about it.

 

According to the FA, 55,000 criminal records checks are carried out across the game each season, to screen out anyone who seeks to work in football who may pose a risk of harm.

Clarke said 8,500 people have been checked and trained as designated safeguarding officers in the professional game and grassroots football.

The FA says 35,000 coaches and referees attend The FA's safeguarding children awareness course each season. 

 

'Safe haven' needed

In a statement appealing for others affected by child abuse in the sport to come forward, the NSPCC said boys were less likely to speak up about sexual abuse.

"Football locker rooms and clubs are traditionally very masculine and male environments. This means it can be difficult for players to talk about issues such as sexuality or abuse.

"But it's crucial they speak out. Along with the FA, we're urging players and others involved in football, from those just starting out to Premier League, to [use] our helpline," the charity said.

 

Detective Inspector Sarah Hall of Cheshire Police's public protection unit told the Press Association Wednesday that "we have now been made aware of a number of people who have come forward wishing to speak to the police" with similar claims.

She said no arrests had been made so far.

Gordon Taylor, chief executive of the Professional Footballers' Association, said it was a "timely warning for everybody in football about our duty of care to these youngsters" and that he wanted the union to be a "safe haven," the Press Association reported.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Read More

Burnley 1-2 Manchester City: Sergio Aguero sends City top of Premier League

Sergio Aguero celebrates after equalising for Man City  

Sergio Aguero scored twice as Manchester City came from behind to beat Burnley 2-1 and go top of the Premier League.

The Clarets, for whom 37-year-old Paul Robinson started in goal in place of the injured Tom Heaton, took the lead in the 14th minute thanks to a brilliant volley from Dean Marney.
But Aguero replied for City before the break and, after being denied by a superb save from Robinson, netted the winner on the hour mark after the hosts spurned several chances to clear their lines.

The win moves City two points clear at the top of the table ahead of the rest of the weekend's action.

 More to follow

Read More

Jeonbuk, Al Ain face off in Champions League

Jeonbuk Motors of South Korea takes on Al Ain of the United Arab Emirates on Saturday in the first leg of the 2016 Asian Champions League final. Let's look at the big questions ahead of the game.

1. Can Jeonbuk shake off domestic disappointment?

The Greens were 14 points clear at the top of the K-League table with six games to go in September, but were then docked nine points by authorities after a club scout was convicted of bribing referees in 2013. Add a first wobble in form in the whole season and a last day defeat to second-placed FC Seoul, and you can see why it was all so heartbreaking.

A third successive title was lost then and it remains to be seen how this affects the best team in South Korea. It is two weeks since the loss to Seoul and the Motors have to pick themselves up for the first leg to take something to the Middle East for the second on Nov. 26.

2. Can Omar Abdulrahman recover from World Cup exertions?

While it is nice to have the second leg at home, Jeonbuk will not be too sorry to have this game at home. Five of its players were on international duty this week but they were up in Seoul, a two hour train journey. Al Ain had four in Abu Dhabi as the UAE beat Iraq. 

Omar Abdulrahman is the team's talisman and was limping as he left the stadium on Tuesday. The team made the long trip to a chilly Korea on Wednesday meaning that there has not been much time to prepare. Abdulrahman, who has interested Manchester City, Arsenal and Barcelona in the past, should be fit to start but it is not ideal. If he is not at his best then Al Ain may struggle. Regardless, Jeonbuk will be watching him closely.

3. Can Lee Dong-gook break his own record?

The Korean striker has scored 32 goals in this competition, more than any other player. Now 37, he has admitted that this is likely to be his last chance to win in Asia. 

He was a Pohang player in 2006 when Jeonbuk lifted the trophy, but played in the 2011 final that the Greens lost to Al Sadd of Qatar in a penalty shootout. The veteran gets less playing time these days but is often brought on when Jeonbuk need a goal and is still sharp as five goals in seven appearances this year shows. What he lacks in speed this days, he makes up for in positioning and composure. There will be no player so desperate to score as the former Middlesbrough marksman.

4. Can Al Ain fly the flag for West Asia again?

'The Boss', as they are nicknamed, won the inaugural trophy in 2003 before losing the final in 2005 to Al Ittihad of Saudi Arabia. West Asia looked ready to dominate the competition after three straight wins. Since then, however, only Al Sadd's 2011 triumph took the prize back to the west. 

Eastern dominance has become the order of the day, but if Al Ain can take something from the first leg, they will be in a fine position to celebrate, not just a second success of their own but put the pride back into west Asian club football. The tournament was split geographically in 2014 and kept apart until the final to help West Asian teams, but Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia and UAE's Al Ahli could not take the trophy.

5. Can Jeonbuk's Brazilians shine?

The Motors have a raft of talented Korean players: Kim bo-kyung and Lee Jae-sung make for one of the finest midfield pairings in Asia but the Brazilians add real class. 

Leonardo is the second top scorer in the tournament this year and the winger has tormented Shanghai SIPG, Melbourne Victory and FC Seoul defences in the knockout stages. His performances slipped somewhat in the final stages of the domestic season but if he can find his earlier form then Al Ain will be in for a tough night. There is also compatriot Ricardo Lopes. 

This speedy wingman has also reserved some of his best performances in 2016 for Asia and it has often been the case that if Leonardo doesn't get you, Lopes will. Sometimes they both do.

John Duerden is a soccer columnist for ONE World Sports and the editor of Kick Off Asia. He has written on Asian soccer for The New York Times, The Guardian, ESPN, SI, Fox, IHT, 422, MSN, WSC and various Asian media.

Read More

Rivals or not, Man Utd-Arsenal has flare

It might have been a product of the Premier League, but the rivalry between Arsenal and Manchester United never felt manufactured. The contention that existed between the two clubs was very much real. English soccer was dominated by the duo for a time. It was the country’s defining fixture. 

As soccer’s ultimate manifestation of north versus south, the contest between Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger was a fierce one. The late 1990s and the early 2000s saw the two men, and the their respective clubs, clash for every honour going in the English game. Their histories intertwined, so when Arsenal won the title at Old Trafford in 2002, Man Utd responded two years later by ending their record-breaking unbeaten run. 

The two clubs will meet once more this weekend, but there is a very different feel to the rivalry now, (if there still exists a rivalry). Ferguson is gone, with Wenger now a figure of fun for some in the English game. The aura that once distinguished the Frenchman has dissipated, although he is still revered as an elder statesman of the Premier League. 

While there is always a certain intrigue to a clash between two clubs of such stature, the edge has gone from the game. Don’t expect any pizza to be thrown in the Old Trafford tunnel on Saturday. Given the current character of both teams, we’ll be lucky to even see a late tackle. The fixture has become a little tame.

But there is a symbolism to Saturday’s match. Even in times of Man Utd’s recent struggles, Arsenal have toiled to impose themselves against the Red Devils. With United enduring something of a difficult start to the season, the Gunners can underline how they are the dominant party in the contest between the two clubs.

Of course, there is one factor that could reignite the rivalry between the two clubs. Jose Mourinho is now the Manchester United manager, with the Portuguese making a habit of antagonising Wenger over the years. He has called the Frenchman a “specialist in failure” and a “voyeur,” among other things. Mourinho, in fact, is somewhat obsessed with his Arsenal counterpart.

And so the fixture between Arsenal and Manchester United has been given a sharpened edge. Mourinho has cut a subdued figure this season, struggling to impose his ways and methods on his new club, but it would be far from surprising if he is more like his old self this weekend. Wenger has that effect on him.

“This time it will be Wenger with Mourinho,” Marouane Fellaini said this week, explaining how the rivalry between the two clubs will change under new management. “It is always exciting. It will be a good game, like always. The biggest game, the atmosphere will be there so it’s good. When you see Man United v Arsenal, you don’t need a manager for it to be a big game. So with Mourinho's rivalry with Wenger it will be maybe more of an edge for United’s players.”

The two clubs find themselves on different trajectories right now. Arsenal are perhaps the only member of the so-called top four seemingly certain in their identity as a team. That identity is frequently criticised for being somewhat flawed, but at least they have one. Can Man Utd really say the same? Can any side near the top of the Premier League, with the exception of Spurs, say that?

This November provides a critical juncture for Arsenal. It’s a month that traditionally derails the Gunners, but with just two points currently separating them from the top of the Premier League table, they have the chance to underline that this time things really are different. A win over Manchester United, rivals that came to define their golden era, would do that.

Graham Ruthven writes a weekly column for ONE World Sports, focusing on the New York Cosmos and European soccer.

Read More

Sam Allardyce gone as England manager after 67 days - Southgate to take over for next four games

The Three Lions manager was removed from his post after showdown talks with FA chiefs at Wembley on Tuesday

 

Sam Allardyce has been removed as England manager by mutual consent with The FA.
Allardyce’s departure was confirmed after emergency talks at Wembley with FA bosses on Tuesday.
England under-21 boss Gareth Southgate has been asked to take over for the next four matches.
The former Sunderland boss leaves after just 67 days into his reign after a newspaper sting filmed him telling undercover reporters how to bend rules on third party ownership of players.
Allardyce and The FA confirmed Allardyce's exit in separate statements.
“Further to recent events, The FA and I have mutually agreed to part company," Allardyce said.

  Sam Allardyce leaving Wembley Stadium after the end to his England reign was decided

 Gareth Southgate has been confirmed to take over from Allardyce as interim boss

"It was a great honour for me to be appointed back in July and I am deeply disappointed at this outcome.
“This afternoon, I met with Greg Clarke and Martin Glenn and offered a sincere and wholehearted apology for my actions.
“Although it was made clear during the recorded conversations that any proposed arrangements would need The FA’s full approval, I recognise I made some comments which have caused embarrassment.
“As part of today’s meeting, I was asked to clarify what I said and the context in which the conversations took place. I have co-operated fully in this regard.
“I also regret my comments with regard to other individuals.”


The FA reiterated that Allardyce's actions were "inappropriate" for an England manager.
"He accepts he made a significant error of judgement and has apologised. However, due to the serious nature of his actions, The FA and Allardyce have mutually agreed to terminate his contract with immediate effect," the statement read

"This is not a decision that was taken lightly but The FA's priority is to protect the wider interests of the game and maintain the highest standards of conduct in football.

"The manager of the England men's senior team is a position which must demonstrate strong leadership and show respect for the integrity of the game at all times.
"Gareth Southgate will take charge of the men's senior team for the next four matches against Malta, Slovenia, Scotland and Spain whilst The FA begins its search for the new England manager.
"The FA wishes Sam well in the future."


Allardyce's exit followed emergency talks with FA chairman Greg Clarke and chief executive Martin Glenn at Wembley Stadium on Tuesday afternoon.

He is set to leave his post after just one game and two months in charge of the two-year contract he signed at the end of July.
Southgate will take charge for the World Cup qualifiers against Malta and Slovenia at the beginning of next month.

The FA decided to act after Allardyce agreed a £400,000 bogus contract to do after dinner speaking but his remarks made to two undercover reporters posing as businessmen are far worse.
He mocked former England boss Roy Hodgson's speech impediment and questioned Gary Neville's role.

Read More

GOAL! Borussia Dortmund 2-2 Real Madrid (Schurrle)

 

Zinedine Zidane's men left it late to beat Sporting Lisbon last time out but face the toughest task of their group campaign in Germany

Madrid, for their part, narrowly missed out on setting a new Liga record at the weekend. Their 2-2 draw with Las Palmas at the Gran Canaria saw them fall short of becoming the first ever team to record 17 consecutive wins.
As it stands in Group F, Dortmund and Madrid will be confident of progressing at the expence of Sporting and Legia Warsaw, but this game and the reverse fixture at the Bernabeu should go a huge way to deciding who tops the group and gets a beneficial tie in the last 16.
So both teams are in fine form and this fixture has given us some classics in recent years.

We're promised plenty of goals at the Signal Iduna!

After leaving it desperately late to overcome Sporting in their first Champions League group stage game, Zinedine Zidane’s Real Madrid have an altogether tougher prospect with tonight’s trip to the Signal Iduna Park where they will face an in-form Borussia Dortmund side.
Thomas Tuchel’s side have been scoring for fun this month, with back-to-back 6-0 victories against Legia Warsaw in Champions League Gameweek 1 and SV Darmstadt 98 in the Bundesliga.
They followed that up with a 5-1 hammering of Wolfsburg and a 3-1 victory over SC Freiburg.


Starting XI: Navas, Carvajal, Sergio Ramos, Varane, Danilo, Kroos, Modric, James, Bale, Ronaldo, Benzema
Subs: Casilla, Pepe, Coentrao, Kovacic, Lucas Vazquez, Morata, Isco

Flashback!

Before Robert Lewandowski moved to Bayern Munich, the Pole was an icon at Borussia Dortmund.
Four seasons ago he scored four times as Jurgen Klopp’s side thrashed Madrid 4-1 in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final clash.
Die Borussen went on to reach the final but lost to Bayern 2-1 at Wembley, and Lewandowski joined the Bavarian giants just over a year later.

Borussia Dortmund's line-up confirmed

Finally, we have Borussia Dortmund’s starting line-up for tonight’s match.
Starting XI: Burki, Piszczek, Sokratis, Ginter, Schmelzer, Castro, Weigl, Guerreiro, Dembele, Gotze, Aubameyang
Subs: Weidenfeller, Mor, Rode, Ramos, Schurrle, Pulisic, Passlack

                             Zidane has denied talk of a rift with Cristiano Ronaldo
 
“I understand the level of attention it received but it is what it is. I took the decision in the best (interests) of the player and that’s not going to change anything.
“We have spoken about it. I’m not dumb and he’s intelligent. We all have the same objectives, the two of us and the rest of the team.”

Zidane plays down talk of Ronaldo rift

Zinedine Zidane denied talk of a rift between him and Cristiano Ronaldo after substituting the Portuguese during Real Madrid’s draw with Las Palmas over the weekend.
Ronaldo was visibly annoyed at being withdrawn and didn’t make eye contact with his manager on his way back to the substitutes’ bench.
But at a press conference in Dortmund on Monday, Zidane said: “Everything is normal.”
The 44-year-old added: “Cristiano wasn’t the only one angry after the game but it’s over now and we are thinking about tomorrow’s game.

                         The Portuguese was all smiles in training on Monday


Dortmund continued to push and eventually levelled two minutes before half-time, when Castro’s free-kick was punched out by Keylor Navas and hit Raphael Varane, bouncing back into the goalkeeper’s net, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on hand to ensure it went over the line.
Varian made amends in the second half when he stabbed home from close range after Benzema’s shot bounced back off the woodwork, but Schurrle’s late blaster saw the scores levelled in the nick of time for the hosts.

Andre Schurrle’s late strike earned Borussia Dortmund a 2-2 draw with Real Madrid on a thrilling night in Germany.
Dortmund made all the early running, with electric passing moves cutting through Madrid’s defence, although their finishing was poor.
Keylor Navas made a good stop from Gonzalo Castro’s free-kick, while Ousmane Dembele twice fired over the bar.
Madrid broke the deadlock in the 17th minute, when Gareth Bale’s back-heel sat up nicely for Cristiano Ronaldo to dispatch with aplomb.

 

Read More