SPORTS

Antonio Conte is looking to revamp his Chelsea team this summer as it looks to defend its Premier League crown next season. The Italian coach, who won the title in his first season at Stamford Bridge, needs to add more depth to his squad as he prepares to compete in the Champions League next season. In March, Conte reportedly told ...

Nemanja Matic’s £40 million move to Manchester United looks to be edging closer after Tiemoue Bakayoko reportedly traveled to London for a medical at Chelsea on Tuesday. Bakayoko, the 22-year-old midfielder from Monaco, is seen as Matic’s replacement at Stamford Bridge, and his arrival will open the way for United to confirm the signing of the Serbian. According to France’s ...

Claims of alleged corruption in Qatar’s successful 2022 World Cup bid have been published in the German media. Bild newspaper says it has obtained the “suppressed” 2014 report authored by former Fifa independent ethics investigator Michael Garcia. Bild’s report includes details of a $2m (£1.6m) sum allegedly paid to the 10-year-old daughter of a Fifa official. Garcia quit in December ...

Manchester United has agreed on a deal to sign Chelsea’s Nemanja Matic for £40 million (about $50 million), and the signing will be announced in the next week, according to reports. Jose Mourinho, the United boss, has been an admirer of Matic since the pair won the Premier League title at Stamford Bridge in 2015. According to The Guardian, the ...

According to a report by Spanish radio station Cadena SER, Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke has personally called defender Hector Bellerin to tell the Spaniard he would not be sold. The 22-year-old experienced a serious regression at the Emirates last season, and with media speculation surrounding his potential departure, Kroenke wanted to make sure his intentions were clear. Reports had linked ...

El Hadji Diouf is a hero in Senegal. Everywhere he goes, he is mobbed by fans both young and old. His countrymen are still grateful for the stellar role he played during the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea. But in England, he is remembered more for his controversial antics than for his football talent. It is a ...

USA coach Bruce Arena has announced a 23-man 2017 Concacaf Gold Cup squad, which will take on Ghana in a pre-tournament warm-up game on July 1. The roster features 16 players of Major League Soccer as well as 11 men with Gold Cup experience. Alejandro Bedoya, Omar Gonzalez, Joe Corona and Graham Zusi are among the second category of players. ...

Liverpool forward Philippe Coutinho has been hanging out with Neymar again amid ongoing talk of a possible move to Barcelona. The pair are international team-mates with Brazil and share a close friendship. With both currently enjoying a well-earned summer break, they have taken the opportunity to catch up – with Coutinho’s Anfield colleague Roberto Firmino tagging along. It remains to ...

Former Barcelona president Joan Laporta admits Ronaldinho was just a fall back option after they failed to agree a deal with David Beckham in 2003. Laporta had promised to sign Beckham as part of his election manifesto and Manchester United announced a deal was close on the eve of the Catalan becoming the club’s president. The England captain, though, had ...

English giants Manchester City have recalled Ghana duo Thomas Agyepong and Yaw Yeboah for pre-season. The two Ghana internationals had successful loan spells with Dutch sides for last season. Yeboah, captain of the Black Satellites, was a key man for FC Twente where he scored two goals in 26 league appearances. Winger Agyepong was in full flight for second-tier NAC ...