#POGBACK?
That was the hashtag used for Paul Pogba s high-profile return to Manchester Untied from Juventus in 2016 – a world-record transfer at the time.
The hashtag could be recycled as Pogba reportedly nears a return to Turin.
00004000
TOP STORY – JUVE FAR AHEAD FOR POGBA
Juventus have stepped up their interest in wantaway Manchester United star Paul Pogba, according to Tuttosport.
The reports says Juve are already far ahead with Pogba in terms of contract talks as the Serie A champions look to start negotiating with United.
Pogba – valued at €100m (£86m) – left Juve for United in 2016 and the French midfielder has also been linked to Real Madrid.
ROUND-UP
Calciomercato cla…
Newcastle United are interested in signing Joe Rodon from Tottenham Hotspur in the January transfer window, according to . It has been reported that the Wales international central defender is among the defensive options that Newcastle are considering signing when the transfer window opens in January.
Rodon joined Tottenham from Swansea City in the summer of 2020. The 24-year-old central defender has struggled for playing time at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and has made only 13 appearances in the Premier League for the North London club so far in his career.
It is hard to see Rodon get much playing time under Conte at Tottenham in the coming weeks and months. Although the former Chelsea and Inter Milan tactician could see Rodon as a back-up to Eric Dier, it would make sen…
Jurgen Klopp selected Diogo Jota in attack and dropped Roberto Firmino to the bench for Liverpool s Champions League quarter-final first leg at Real Madrid.
Jota came on with the game goalless and netted a brace in Saturday s 3-0 Premier League win at Arsenal.
Although Firmino was initially on the field along with Jota, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane at Emirates Stadium, the Brazil forward had to be content with a place on the bench in the Spanish capital.
Jota s brace took him up to 12 goals for the campaign in his debut season at Anfield, level with Mane and double Firmino s six, despite injury restricting him to 1,269 minutes on the field.
Firmino has played 2,661 minutes, meaning he averages a goal every 443.5 minutes, with Jota s one per 105.75 minute…
Jadon Sancho will train away from the Manchester United first-team squad for a period, the Premier League club have announced.
The development comes after the England international recently complained about his treatment in a social media post.
Sancho claimed he had been made a “scapegoat” after manager Erik ten Hag said he left him out of the squad for the game at Arsenal on September 3 because of poor performance in training.
The is back this weekend ||
— Manchester United (@ManUtd)
United have confirmed the matter is now being treated as a disciplinary issue.
A statement from the club read: “Jadon Sancho will remain on a personal training programme away from the first-team group, pending resolution of a squad discipline iss…
Arsenal utility man Ainsley Maitland-Niles has joined Serie A side Roma on loan until the end of the season.
The 24-year-old will link up with fellow England internationals Chris Smalling and Tammy Abraham under Jose Mourinho at the Stadio Olimpico.
Maitland-Niles has made eight appearances for Arsenal this season but has not featured since coming off the bench in the 4-0 defeat at Liverpool in November.
Mourinho has reportedly been seeking reinforcements at full-back, with Italy international Leonardo Spinazzola missing since suffering an Achilles injury at Euro 2020.
Maitland-Niles, who can play at full-back or in midfield, spent the second half of last season on loan at West Brom, where he made 15 appearances for the ultimately relegated Baggies.
…
Borussia Dortmund sealed their place in next season s UEFA Champions League with an enthralling 4-2 win over Mainz on Saturday.
In a high-tempo encounter, the hosts took the lead after just six minutes at Signal Iduna Park courtesy of Milos Jojic s deflected opener, before Shinji Okazaki levelled with a deflected effort of his own eight minutes later.
Robert Lewandowksi restored the advantage after finishing a wonderful breakaway, only for Okazaki to pounce on a Nuri Sahin mistake to restore parity again shortly after the break.
However, from that point, Dortmund stepped up the pace to seal the points, and a Lukasz Piszczek header put them back in front before Niko Bungert was sent off for handling in the box.
Marco Reus stepped up to convert the resulting spot k…
Dusan Vlahovic has been labelled a coward by Fiorentina ultras for joining fierce rivals Juventus.
The Serbia international completed a €70million switch between the Serie A sides on Friday, the day he turned 22.
Vlahovic had previously turned down the offer of a new contract with Fiorentina, forcing the club s hand somewhat as he had just 18 months to run on his existing deal.
After reportedly rejecting proposals from Premier League sides Arsenal, Tottenham and Newcastle United among others, Vlahovic instead opted for fellow Italian club Juventus.
Having also lost Federico Bernardeschi and Federico Chiesa to Juve in recent years, Vlahovic s choice of club did not go down well with Fiorentina s devoted supporters.
The Partizan Belgrade academy p…
Lionel Messi emerged from the shadow of his fellow Argentinian phenomenon Diego Maradona by leading his country to World Cup glory, says 1994 runner-up Arrigo Sacchi.
Messi clinched the World Cup Golden Ball after producing a series of talismanic displays in Qatar, scoring seven goals and adding three assists during a dream campaign.
The seven-time Ballon d Or winner scored twice in Sunday s thrilling final against France, also converting in the subsequent penalty shoot-out as he became the first Albiceleste captain to lift the trophy since Maradona in 1986.
Sacchi, whose great Milan side battled with Maradona s Napoli in the 1980s, refused to compare the two Argentina greats but was delighted to see Messi replicate his compatriot s success.
When Messi r…
Former Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon is looking forward to seeing Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho tangle in the Premier League and will not let Clasico loyalties obscure his admiration for the ex-Barcelona boss.
Guardiola s Manchester City will make the short trip to face Mourinho s Manchester United at Old Trafford on Saturday, with both men having inspired 100 per cent starts from their new clubs so far this season.
Mourinho was appointed at Madrid in 2010 to go toe-to-toe with Guardiola s all-conquering Barca side and Calderon prefers the Catalan.
They are very different personalities. Personally I prefer Guardiola s style, his attitude, he s humble and faces trouble without making a fuss, Calderon told Omnisport.
Mourinho is more explosive …
Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany has signed a new five-year contract with the Premier League champions.
The Belgium centre-back has established himself as one of the best defenders in the top flight following his move to the Etihad Stadium from Hamburg six years ago and the club confirmed on Wednesday that he has put pen to paper on a new deal that will run until 2019.
Kompany, who lifted the Premier League trophy for the second time in three years in May, follows David Silva, Samir Nasri and Aleksandar Kolarov in signing fresh terms with Manuel Pellegrini s side.
And the 28-year-old had no hesitation in extending his stay at the club.
When I arrived in 2008, I could never have dreamed that we could achieve what we have over the last six years but…