A number of clubs are monitoring Ross Barkley’s situation as the midfielder has stalled on contract negotiations at Everton, .
Aside from the Toffee’s city rivals Liverpool, all of the sides currently battling in the top six have been mentioned as potential suitors for the England international, who has faced criticism from his manager Ronald Koeman one more than one occasion this term.
Barkley broke into the Everton first team in the 2011-12 campaign and has since racked one hundred and sixty-five appearances in all competitions, scoring twenty-six goals.
He has also been capped twenty-two times by country, scoring twice and was part of the squads that attended the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil and the European Championships in France two years later.<…
Pablo Zabaleta believes David Silva is the greatest player in the history of Manchester City.
Silva joined City from Valencia in 2010 and has become a key figure at the Etihad Stadium, with two Premier League titles, a pair of EFL Cups and an FA Cup triumph among his accomplishments.
The 31-year-old made his 300th appearance for the club in the 3-1 win over Hull City on Saturday and Zabaleta emphasised his importance.
I could keep talking about David all day because I love him so much. For me he s the greatest City player ever, Zabaleta told the club s official website.
I must say he is my favourite player at City, for sure. I love him. I am so lucky to have been playing in the same side as great players but especially David because he is so good.
…
New Roma sporting director Monchi has expressed his desire to transform the Serie A club into one Europe s elite sides.
Monchi spent his entire playing career at Sevilla before taking over as the club s sporting director in 2000, but the 48-year-old left his post in April.
Sevilla enjoyed a period of great success during Monchi s tenure, including five Europa League titles and two Copa del Rey triumphs, and although Monchi was strongly linked to several high-profile clubs across the continent, he decided on a move to the Italian capital.
I believe Roma have already built a lot, Monchi told Roma s official website. All we have to do is add to that and I believe that with good planning, the right personnel and infrastructure, we can achieve great things.
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Carlo Ancelotti has revealed discussions over a new contract at Real Madrid are under way.
The Italian arrived at the Santiago Bernabeu ahead of last season and ended Real s long wait for a 10th UEFA Champions League title by overcoming city rivals Atletico in Lisbon in May.
Former Milan, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain boss Ancelotti also won the Copa del Rey in his first season in the Spanish capital.
Real are currently in a scintillating run of form having won 14 games in a row in all competitions, and sit top of La Liga while also being through to the last 16 of the Champions League.
And although Ancelotti s existing Real contract runs until 2016, he has already begun talks over extending his stay.
I hope not to [just] be remembered becau…
Italian giants AS Roma have announced on their official website that they have signed Argentine defender Nicolas Spolli from Catania.
The Giallorossi have agreed to pay €1.5m for a six-month loan, while they have the option to make the deal permanent for additional €1.5m.
Roma officials turned to Spolli after they failed in their attempts to sign Younes Kaboul and Vlad Chiriches.
The 31-year-old had only represented two clubs in his career ahead of the switch to Stadio Olimpico, having begun his career at Newell s Old Boys and joined Catania in 2009.
Spoli has since made 132 Serie A appearances for the Elephants, while featuring in 16 Serie B fixtures this season.
The experienced stopper is expected to provide cover for Kostas Manolas, Davide…
Southampton manager Ronald Koeman thinks opponents Manchester City are used to coping with criticism as they go into Saturday s Premier League match at the Etihad Stadium under pressure.
Manuel Pellegrini s men are on a poor run having drawn with bottom-of-the-table Aston Villa before suffering consecutive defeats at the hands of Liverpool and Juventus.
Southampton lost to Stoke City last week, but that negative result came after an impressive eight-match unbeaten run in all competitions.
Koeman, though, does not feel his side have any major advantage going into the game, despite the scrutiny over City s form, and sympathised with Pellegrini s long injury list.
Teams like City are used to having that pressure about winning games and if you don t win …
Arsenal defender Per Mertesacker has sent a message to the club s young players as he prepares to become the new academy manager, saying: Talent means nothing to me .
The 32-year-old remains captain and has a year left on his playing contract at the Emirates Stadium, but the club confirmed in July he will take over as the head of youth development at the end of the 2017-18 season.
Arsene Wenger described Mertesacker as an inspirational figure for everyone connected with the academy when announcing his new role, and the former Germany international has already outlined his approach to bringing through the next generation.
Talent means nothing to me, it s all about hard work, Mertesacker told the Arsenal Magazine.
When asked about his attitude towards youn…
Everton s wait for a Europa League group stage win goes on after a dramatic late Hector Yuste goal secured an unlikely 2-2 draw for 10-man Apollon Limassol at Goodison Park.
The Toffees were thumped 3-0 by Atalanta in their first Group E game and never impressed against a resolute Apollon side.
Adrian Sardinero took advantage of some poor defending from Ashley Williams to give the visitors a deserved lead in the 12th minute before Wayne Rooney equalised after an equally shambolic piece of play from Yuste.
Nikola Vlasic, who replaced Idrissa Gueye at the break, then scored his first goal for the club midway through the second half, but, after having Valentin Roberge sent off late on, Apollon secured a point through Yuste s 88th-minute goal.
Everton will h…
Real Madrid were held scoreless in a LaLiga away game for the first time under Zinedine Zidane as their attacking concerns resurfaced in Saturday s 0-0 draw with city rivals Atletico Madrid.
The visitors struggled to create chances in battling to a second blank of the season and first on the road in 35 top-flight matches.
Zidane will be particularly concerned by the form of Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo, the pair having now scored just twice between them from a combined 16 league appearances this term.
In addition to leaving the champions 10 points shy of Barcelona – a gap never previously overcome by any team in a LaLiga title race the stalemate means Los Blancos have scored 11 fewer goals than Ernesto Valverde s men over the opening 12 fixtures.
Crystal Palace are interested in signing Folarin Balogun from Premier League rivals Arsenal in the summer transfer window, according to . The report has claimed that although the Gunners do not want to sell the striker at the end of the season, if the youngster does push for a move away from the Emirates Stadium, then Arsenal could ask for around £30 million in transfer fees for him.
Balogun is on loan at Reims at the moment. The 21-year-old striker moved to the French club on a loan deal in the summer of 2022 and is scheduled to return to his parent club Arsenal at the end of the season. The England Under-21 international striker has made 27 starts and three substitute appearances in Ligue 1 for Reims so far this season, scoring 18 goals and providing two assists in the proce…