AC Milan midfielder Nigel de Jong has dismissed speculation that he will look to leave the San Siro this summer. The former Manchester City hardman, who is currently on World Cup duty with Holland, told La Gazzetta dello Sport that he has not requested a move and feels “perfectly at ease” with the Serie A outfit despite a turbulent 2013-14 campaign. Under-achieving Milan finished the domestic season in eighth position in the table and failed to impress in the Champions League. Rumours of de Jong’s departure began to circulate when his fellow countryman Clarence Seedorf was sacked as head coach…
Author: Staff Writer
Napoli will reportedly try to extend striker Gonzalo Higuain’s contract and insert a hefty buy-out clause in order to resist fresh interest from a trio of Premier League clubs and Barcelona. According to Italian source TuttoSport, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United have made contact with the Argentina international’s agent amid growing concern in Naples that the 26-year-old could leave during the summer transfer window. Catalan giants Barca are long-term admirers despite his old affiliation with bitter rivals Real Madrid, and they remain hopeful of luring him back to La Liga just one year after his switch to Serie A. The…
Russia came from behind to draw with Korea Republic in their opening Group H match at the 2014 World Cup. It was the Asian side who saw more of the ball in the opening moments of the game but much like Fabio Capello’s Russia, they failed to create any clear cut chances. Sergei Ignashevich smashed a free-kick towards the goal midway through the half, but Jung-Sung Ryong was equal to his shot and he palmed it to safety. The game then sprang into life as Yuri Zhirkov came close, whilst Koo Ja Cheol saw his deflected effort test Russian stopper…
Reporter : Mark Young Follow @markyoung1988 Free agent Guillermo Ochoa produced a man of the match performance to deny Brazil a second World Cup win in Fortaleza. Thiago Silva and Neymar all had fantastic chances but it was the Mexicans who came away as ultimate party poopers as they silenced the Brazilian crowd. The match started with a huge amount of noise from both sets of fans throughout the national anthems. The noise didn’t stop as it carried both sets of players up to a drawn half time with no goals scored but both came very close. A great…
Marouane Fellaini and Dries Mertens rescued Belgium as they came from behind to beat Algeria 2-1 in Belo Horizonte. Both sides started well but it was the African side who came closest to breaking the deadlock when Rivad Mahrez sent a fierce shot goalwards but his effort dipped just wide. Moments later and Belgium were in the game as Axel Witsel came close, trying his luck from 20 yards as the Belgians were restricted to long range efforts. And, Algeria’s good work got a reward as Jan Vertonghen fouled Sofiane Feghouli in the box and up stepped the Valencia forward…
England striker Wayne Rooney is picked for the Three Lions line-up and stuck wherever because Roy Hodgson cannot justify leaving him out, according to former Chelsea midfielder Alan Hudson. Former Chelsea playmaker Hudson does not believe Rooney should feature so heavily in the England side and thinks the 28-year-old Man United star is over-rated. He described Rooney as a bit of a spare part, often played in a midfield position such as on the wing, saying he is no longer played regularly as a forward because Hodgson has more reliable strikers available who work harder, such as Daniel Sturridge. Hudson…
England should have learnt from the Euro 2012 competition and better planned their strategy to stop Italy’s captain Andrea Pirlo in last weekend’s World Cup fixture, according to former Chelsea playmaker Alan Hudson. Hudson, who is retired from a football career spanning two decades and is now a football pundit, said Italian superstar Pirlo won the game for Italy against England almost single-handedly. He told Football Express News: “Pirlo beat us on his own. He dictated the pace of the game, he created everything the Italians did, he was behind every single movement they made and the whole world and…
England captain Steven Gerrard would do well to keep his mouth shut before matches rather than hyping up the England squad then not delivering on the pitch, in the eyes of former playmaker Alan Hudson. Hudson, who was referring to England’s World Cup clash against Italy at the weekend, spoke of his grievances towards England’s 34-year-old skipper: “I was very disappointed with Gerrard on Saturday, he appeared to be just standing around with nobody to mark. “I want to know what Gerrard does, if he’s not scoring a spectacular goal from 30 yards he’s really not doing a lot, in…
Napoli striker Gonzalo Higuain’s potential move to Barcelona reportedly remains up in the air. Italian source Il Mattino claims the Argentina international is tempted by the prospect of returning to La Liga with the Catalan giants, one year on from his Real Madrid departure. However, the report also reveals Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis will do whatever it takes to keep hold of the 26-year-old hitman as he looks to deliver on his promise of backing head coach Rafael Benitez. He is determined to appease the former Liverpool manager by ensuring the club’s star performers do not leave during the…
AC Milan could sell Brazilian playmaker Kaka this summer, according to reports in the Italian media. TuttoSport claims the 32-year-old’s future at the San Siro is a major talking point heading into the transfer window and he is by no means certain to remain at the club. He could become one of many victims of Milan’s planned overhaul of a much-maligned squad following a bitterly disappointing 2013-14 campaign. A turbulent season saw them sack head coaches Massimiliano Allegri and Clarence Seedorf, with the Dutchman given only four months at the helm before being replaced by youth coach Filippo Inzaghi. They…