Ivory Coast are waiting on the fitness of key men Didier Drogba and Yaya Toure ahead of their FIFA World Cup opener against Japan.
Veteran striker Drogba handed coach Sabri Lamouchi a scare in preparation for the Group C match at Recife s Arena Pernambuco on Saturday when he limped out of Thursday morning s training session.
The 36-year-old collided with defender Didier Zokora and sustained a knock to his thigh and Lamouchi is likely to turn to Swansea City s Wilfried Bony to lead the attack if Drogba is unable to fully recover in time.
Toure s own thigh injury is a longer-term complaint that he sustained during Manchester City s 3-2 defeat at Liverpool in April before returning to inspire Manuel Pellegrini s team to the Premier League title.
Nursing himself thr…
Former Costa Rica star Luis Gabelo Conejo has tipped compatriot Keylor Navas to become one of the world s best goalkeepers.
Navas rose to fame in La Liga last season for a string of spectacular performances for Levante.
The 27-year-old put in particularly impressive displays against Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Valencia and pulled off numerous eye-catching stops in Costa Rica s surprise 3-1 win over Uruguay on Saturday.
Navas, one of a host of ex-Saprissa men in the Costa Rica squad, has been in Spain since 2010 when he – like goalkeeper Conejo before him – joined Albacete, but he is expected to leave Levante after the World Cup.
A move to Atletico has been mooted by some as the Liga champions eye a replacement for Thibaut Courtois, who looks set to return …
Monaco midfielder Joao Moutinho is on the verge of agreeing a deal with FC Porto, .
The Portugal international never hid his desire to return to Estadio do Dragao, and he has decided this is as good a time as any to make the long awaited return.
A Bola claims that his representatives have all but reached an agreement with FC Porto officials, and it is believed Monaco will not stand in the player’s way as they are desperate to get rid of their highest earner.
Despite starting his career at Sporting CP, Moutinho has always had a soft spot for the Dragons and everything suggests he will become the club’s marquee signing of the summer.
The 29-year-old left FC Porto to join Monaco in the summer of 2013, and three years later he is heading back to Estadio …
Roma have completed the transfer of Mario Rui from Empoli on a one-year loan deal.
The Stadio Olimpico side have paid a fee of €3million for the 25-year-old, potentially rising to €4.5m depending on performance-related bonuses.
Roma are obligated to make the deal permanent for €6m if Mario Rui hits performance-related objectives.
I ve joined one of the best clubs in the world so I m feeling great, the left-back commented on his move.
The first impressions are very positive. I hope to contribute and help the team to build on the work they did last season.
It was always very tough to play against Roma because it felt like they were running at double speed.
It speaks volumes when the great players Roma have put that effort in, it s …
Paris Saint-Germain have completed the signing of Leandro Paredes, beating Chelsea to the signature of the Zenit midfielder.
Paredes was reportedly a top target for the Premier League side but he has instead opted to join the Ligue 1 leaders for a reported fee of €45million.
PSG head coach Thomas Tuchel had made clear his desire to add a midfielder in the January transfer window, with Lassana Diarra and Marco Verratti both injured.
Adrien Rabiot is also unavailable as the France international has been ruled out of selection contention due to his ongoing contract stand-off, resulting in Brazilian defenders Marquinhos and Dani Alves filling in as makeshift midfielders.
But Tuchel has now got his man as Paredes, who joined Zenit from Roma in 2017, has sign…
Tottenham Hotspur have had a whole season without signing a single player during the 2018-19 campaign, but since then things have changed. With the arrival of Jose Mourinho as replacement for Mauricio Pochettino, the Portuguese made it clear to Daniel Levy that he would like to get backed in the market and that has happened in the January transfer window.
But now the summer transfer window is fast approaching and before you know it, the clubs will have the chance to sign new players. And it looks like Jose Mourinho will be eager on getting a signing from Paris Saint-Germain. According to the Daily Mail, Spurs are really interested in getting Thomas Meunier. Apparently, Mourinho has talked the Belgian into joining his team in the summer, but the problem might be Levy, who could …
Gian Piero Gasperini is relishing the fact Atalanta have a packed schedule heading into the final months of the season as his side chase success in three competitions.
La Dea can reach the Coppa Italia final with victory over Fiorentina in the semi-finals, while Champions League qualification is within their capabilities as the top four in Serie A is only seven points away, and only Liverpool stand between them and making progress in the Europa League later this month.
First up is Wednesday’s away leg of a Coppa semi match-up which head coach Gasperini is “thrilled” to be involved in.
He told La Gazzetta dello Sport: “Going into the end of the season with three goals to chase is really exciting.
I 22 nerazzurri in viaggio verso Firenze!
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England wing-back Luke Shaw scored the fastest goal in a European Championship final with his strike inside two minutes against Italy.
Shaw got on the end of a Kieran Trippier cross at the far post and thumped a volley past Gianluigi Donnarumma to give Gareth Southgate s side an early lead in Sunday s clash at Wembley.
The goal was Shaw s first for England on his 16th appearance and was timed at one minute and 57 seconds, surpassing the previous record held by Chus Pereda for Spain against the Soviet Union in 1964 (05:04)
It was also England s fastest goal in a European Championship match, 17 seconds quicker than Alan Shearer s effort against Germany in 1996.
Shaw has been a key player in the Three Lions run to the final on home soil, having also assisted…
Ajax midfielder Ismail Aissati has revealed that he wants to leave the club after his contract expires at the end of the campaign.
The Netherlands-born Morocco international joined Ajax in 2008, but has failed to establish himself as a member of the first team, having spent last season on loan at Vitesse and making just four league appearances for the Amsterdam giants this term.
The 23-year-old announced his desire to leave the club when his contract runs out, setting his sights on a move to Spain, but he insists he is fully committed to the Eredivisie champions and will make a decision on his future at the end of the season.
If I leave, I would prefer to play for a team with a similar style to Ajax, the former PSV player told De Telegraaf.
Not in the …
Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola says he is not interested in being compared with Real Madrid counterpart Jose Mourinho.
The pair and their teams have clashed throughout Mourinho s time in the Spanish capital with Barcelona dominating the majority of the matches between the rivals.
Guardiola joined the Catalan club in 2008 and has seen his side dominate at home and abroad.
Mourinho s arrival was expected to challenge Barcelona but the Portuguese could not prevent Guardiola taking his third league title and his second Champions League trophy last term.
Real are primed to break the Catalans domestic dominance, however, leading their rivals by 10 points in La Liga this term.
I know Real Madrid s coach says I am at his level now, Guardiola said. That …