FIFA Women s World Player of the Year Marta will no longer be playing for Swedish side Umea IK, as the club announced to have ended negotiations with the Brazilian forward.
The discussion regarding Marta s being, or not being, with Umea for the coming season has ended on our part, Umea said in a statement. Umea and Swedish women s football are losing their brightest shining star.
The 22-year-old Marta joined Umea from Santa Cruz ahead of the 2004 season, and helped the Swedish side win the UEFA Women s Cup the same year.
During Marta s stay in Sweden, Umea won four national championships, one cup and -other than winning the UEFA Women s Cup in 2004, also reached the final in 2007.
Marta also formed part of the Olympic teams that won silver medals at th…
Barcelona are keen to part ways with Philippe Coutinho and Jean-Clair Todibo as soon as possible in order to balance their books, according to .
Coutinho has reportedly been an object of interest for several Premier League clubs, and his return to the English top flight is still a possibility. Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United are all keen on his services, but not one of those clubs wants a permanent transfer, preferring a loan deal instead, even though Barcelona would now be willing to let him go for as little as €70 million. The Brazilian s wages, reportedly amounting to €250,000 per week, are also an issue. While Bayern Munich, who have had him on loan for 2019/20, were willing to pay that, other clubs are not so generous.
As for the young centre-ba…
Chelsea have reached a compensation agreement with Ray Wilkins just a few weeks after the English champions sacked him as their assistant manager.
Wilkins, a former Chelsea captain and ex-England midfielder, was told his contract, due to expire at the end of the season, would not be renewed and would be terminated with immediate effect.
Chelsea sacked Wilkins last month, prompting him to hire lawyers, but have now reached what both sides say is an amicable resolution.
Wilkins, who joined Luiz Felipe Scolari s Chelsea coaching team in September 2008 and helped them win the FA Cup in 2009 and their first ever double last season under Carlo Ancelotti, said in a statement Wednesday on the League Managers Association s official website, www.leaguemanagers.com: It has…
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe has admitted he cannot just “slap money on the table” as he attempts to find the last piece of his jigsaw for the new season.
The Magpies, backed by their majority owners, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, have invested a net £95milion in Sandro Tonali, Harvey Barnes and Tino Livramento at the expense of the departed Allan Saint-Maximin this summer but Howe is keen to add one more player to his resources, with central defence a remaining focus.
However, the 45-year-old knows the club may have to be “creative” to get another deal over the line in an attempt to plot a path through Financial Fair Play regulations, with loans and staggered payments among the options.
Eddie Howe on the season ahead:
Naturally you move…
Luke Shaw believes the public criticism he previously received from Jose Mourinho has helped him become stronger mentally after the Manchester United defender earned an England recall.
Shaw missed out on Gareth Southgate s World Cup squad, the full-back reduced to the role of spectator as England reached the semi-finals in Russia.
The former Southampton defender has struggled to realise his potential at Old Trafford, with his development at the club hindered by a double leg fracture suffered in 2015.
He made his return during Mourinho s first season in charge, but his performances during the Portuguese s tenure have regularly drawn the ire of the former Chelsea, Real Madrid and Inter boss.
However, Shaw has made a strong start to the 2018-19 campaign and…
Luka Jovic will make the grade at Real Madrid if he is afforded time, according to his former Eintracht Frankfurt captain Alexander Meier.
Jovic joined Eintracht on an initial two-year loan from Benfica in 2017 after struggling in Portugal and he went on to star in the Bundesliga.
The Serbia international scored 17 top-flight goals last season and netted a further 10 in the Europa League as Eintracht reached the semi-finals.
That form persuaded Madrid to pay a reported €60million for the 21-year-old, but he has made only two LaLiga starts, with Karim Benzema continuing his fine run of form.
Luka Jović
— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadriden)
But Meier, who spent a season with Jovic, is adamant there is no reason to panic about…
Piero Ausilio shrugged off rumours linking former Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho with a return to Inter as he insisted the Serie A side are very happy with Luciano Spalletti.
Mourinho s two-and-a-half year tenure came to an end on Tuesday after the embattled manager was sacked by United, who fell 19 points off the pace following their 3-1 defeat to Premier League leaders Liverpool on Sunday.
Speculation of a return to Inter, where Mourinho is still a revered figure after guiding the Nerazzurri to the treble of Scudetto, Champions League and Coppa Italia in 2010, has emerged since the 55-year-old s departure from Manchester.
However, Inter director Ausilio said his club have no plans to replace head coach Spalletti with Mourinho.
Manchester Unite…
According to a recent report from Liverpool Echo, Liverpool are currently in talks with Georginio Wijnaldum over the possibility of the Dutchman signing a new contract with the club. Wijnaldum is coming off the back of one of his best seasons ever, with his brace against Barcelona in the Champions League earlier this year helping Liverpool on their way towards the final.
In addition to this Wijnaldum is also starting to make himself more of a regular with the Netherlands’ senior team, with the expectation being that he is going to be one of their featured stars during next summer’s UEFA Euro 2020 competition.
Given the direction that Liverpool are heading in both domestically and in Europe, it makes all the sense in the world for them to try and lock some of th…
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola is reaping the benefits of taking a patient approach with the absolutely sensational Phil Foden, according to Stuart Pearce.
Foden has long been tipped for stardom with boyhood club City, having been part of the England squad that won the Under-17 World Cup four years ago.
However, he has had to bide his time to get opportunities under Guardiola, making just 12 Premier League starts prior to this season.
His lack of minutes led to speculation over possible loan moves to get regular football, yet the talented playmaker has instead remained at the Etihad Stadium to continue his development.
This season, however, Foden has become a key figure. The 20-year-old has scored 14 goals and provided 10 assists to help City enjo…
Mauricio Pochettino has officially been appointed as the United States new head coach following the departure of Gregg Berhalter.
Berhalter was fired after overseeing a miserable home campaign at the Copa America, where a shock defeat to Panama sent the USA crashing out in the group stage.
Pochettino was quickly reported to be a surprise contender for the role, having left Chelsea following a single season in charge.
The Argentine – who previously enjoyed a successful five-year spell in charge of Tottenham, leading them to the 2018-19 Champions League final – oversaw a sixth-placed Premier League finish in his only campaign at Stamford Bridge.
He has now agreed to lead the USA into a home World Cup in 2026, as they prepare to co-host the tournament al…