Brazilian playmaker Neymar has tried to silence critics of his Barcelona team mate Lionel Messi who are of the opinion the Argentine ace was not the worthy winner of the World Cup Golden Ball award. Brazil’s poster-boy spoke out in an interview with Rede Globo during which he backed his Barca comrade as ‘at least’ amongst the top three stand-out players of the World Cup tournament this summer. In the same breath he mentioned German midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger and Netherlands midfielder Arjen Robben as the two other stars he would place in the top three alongside Messi. “I’m a huge…
Author: Staff Writer
West Ham United co-chairman David Gold has poured cold water on the prospect of striker Andy Carroll leaving the club. The England international’s status at Upton Park has been called into question in some quarters following the Hammers’ decision to pursue Pachuca hitman Enner Valencia for £12million. They are awaiting news on Valencia’s work permit but if he does join the ranks it could see former Newcastle United talisman Carroll fall down the pecking order. However, Gold took to social media site Twitter to play down talk of an exit for £15m man Carroll, who missed half of last season…
Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko has offered his support to team-mate Alvaro Negredo, who is set to be sidelined for several months after fracturing his metatarsal. The Spain international took to social media site Twitter to announce that he expects to miss the first chunk of the defending Premier League champions’ season due to the injury. Bosnia hitman Dzeko, who often partnered the ex-Sevilla man up front last term, used the site to back his friend. He said: “Keep your head up pal @_AlvaroNegredo_ I’m sure you’ll come back stronger than ever.. This team needs you! @MCFC.” Manager Manuel Pellegrini…
Chelsea hero Frank Lampard is set to complete his move to the United States Major League Soccer this week. The 36-year-old Blues favourite bid an emotional farewell to supporters of the west London outfit in June following a 13-year spell as a Chelsea midfielder, and has confirmed he will head State-side join MLS newcomers New York City FC. New York City are a brand new club funded by Manchester City owner Sheikh Mansour and will make their debut in the MLS in 2015. When a proposal was put to free agent Lampard, he envisioned New York City an exciting project…
Veteran defender Patrice Evra has completed his move from Manchester United to Juventus. As Football Express News reported last week, the Frenchman was awaiting the end of his holiday in the USA before putting pen to paper on a lucrative contract in Italy. His exit comes just months after he put pen to paper on a one-year contract extension, but since then Dutchman Louis van Gaal has been appointed the club’s new manager and England defender Luke Shaw has arrived from Southampton. Shaw occupies the same position as Evra and the £27million acquisition is viewed as a ready-made replacement. After…
Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney is the frontrunner to become England captain following Steven Gerrard’s retirement from international football, Football Express News understands. Liverpool midfielder Gerrard, who skippered the Three Lions during this summer’s torrid World Cup campaign in Brazil, has decided to call it a day after earning 114 caps during a 14-year period. His time on the England scene failed to yield a piece of silverware but he was given the honour of leading his country, something about which he has always spoken in glowing terms. A source close to Roy Hodgson’s team told FEN that Rooney is…
Liverpool defender Daniel Agger has admitted he might quit the club. The Denmark international lifted the lid on the uncertainty surrounding his future on Merseyside during an interview in his homeland with newspaper BT. Agger is unhappy at having slipped down the pecking order under boss Brendan Rodgers last term, losing his place in the side to Martin Skrtel and Mamadou Sakho. He said: “It is not a secret that I had problems last season and so I’m considering things. “A situation such as that last year is not acceptable to me. For the moment, however, I’m here and I’ll…
Chelsea’s £50m flop Fernando Torres is being lined up for a move back home to Atletico Madrid but his career is already over, according to a source at Stamford Bridge. The Blues are reportedly in talks with La Liga champions Atletico over the transfer of Torres back to the club he started his football training with as a schoolboy. The deal being discussed is in the region of £11m and a source close to Stamford Bridge told Football Express News the west London club will just have to cut its losses, branding the misfiring striker a thing of the past.…
Manchester City are ready to step up their attempts to land Monaco striker Radamel Falcao after losing Alvaro Negredo to injury, Football Express News understands. Spain international Negredo expects to be out of action for several months after suffering a fractured metatarsal, leaving the Blues short of options in the final third of the pitch. Boss Manuel Pellegrini is left with injury-prone duo Sergio Aguero and Stevan Jovetic, and Bosnia hitman Edin Dzeko, who ended last term in excellent form. A source close to the Etihad Stadium told FEN Pellegrini intends to deploy a two-striker system in his side as…
Barcelona will abandon their pursuit of Fiorentina winger Juan Cuadrado if he does not join the club by Friday, according to reports in Spain. Catalan publication Sport claims the La Liga giants are still hopeful of landing the Colombia international but are not willing to wait much longer and have no intention of dragging the saga into the weekend. Stiff competition from fellow European heavyweights Bayern Munich means his arrival at the Nou Camp is far from certain but he will almost definitely leave the Serie A club during the summer transfer window. The Viola will hold out for somewhere…