Utd chase record swoop for Pogba
Manchester United have stepped up their world record chase for Paul Pogba by reportedly thrashing out a huge financial
package with his agent while the Juventus midfielder eagerly awaits developments in sun- kissed Miami.
United manager Jose Mourinho
has made Pogba his top transfer target as he bids to make a big impact in his first season at Old Trafford and a record-breaking £100 million deal looks to have moved closer on Wednesday.
Pressure part of the job - Rooney
Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney admits his place in the side is under pressure
following the arrival of new star names, but says it goes with the territory at Old Trafford.
"You always feel you have to prove yourself every season, because it's a dream to play for
them," the England skipper said after his first
training session under new manager Jose
Mourinho.
'Giroud not close to Arsenal exit'
Striker Olivier Giroud is likely to stay at Arsenal, his agent Michael Manuello has said, playing down speculation linking the France
international with a move to Italy's Napoli.
Martial named most valuable U21 Player
Anthony Martial the Manchester United and France forward has been identified as the most valuable under-21 player in world
football.
This was contained in the latest Prime Time Sport study of 20 U21 footballers by Soccerex.
Germany and Schalke forward Leroy Sane was second while Bayern Munich's Portugal European Championship winner Renato Sanches was third. Martial is valued at £39.7m in this study of players
born on or after July 1st 1995. With his transfer fee and other add-ons including winning a Balon d'Or at United his value could rise to £56m due Monaco from Manchester United.
Sane is valued at £31.2m in this report after a very good first Bundesliga season with his boyhood club and if reports are to be believed Pep Guardiola is a fan and Man City could well move for him.
Sanches is valued at £29.1m and much is
expected of the player voted the young player of the tournament at the just concluded Euros. His new club manager Carlo Ancelotti must be looking forward to working with him.
The Soccerex report utilises a Football Value Index that takes into account players age, position, current club, contract length, value perception, International caps, minutes played, goals and other technical qualities to arrive at a final valuation.
Dele Alli and Marcus Rashford are the England Internationals to make it into the top 10.
Mahrez will not follow Kante - Ranieri
Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri is confident Riyad Mahrez will stay at the club after midfielder N'Golo Kante's Chelsea
move triggered speculation that the influential winger could follow suit.
Leicester have already had to fight off advances from several clubs to keep striker Jamie Vardy and left wing- back Jeffrey Schlupp and Ranieri was certain of
retaining the majority of the Premier League title- winning squad.
Mahrez remains the subject of interest from
several clubs, including Spanish champions
Barcelona, according to the British media, while Vardy rejected Arsenal and signed a new deal at Leicester last month.
"Only Kante wanted to go – that's okay. But I
understood him, he came from a little team in France and had a fantastic season. I said to him stay with us and have another year with us but he wanted to go," Ranieri told British media.
"Everybody here is happy and, yes, he wants to stay. No other players will go away – we will stay together. The football continues without Riyad or without Kante but Riyad will stay with us for all of the years.
"It's important to maintain the group, with the spirit, with the humility – that's important for me."
Atletico boss rules out Costa return
Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo has ruled out Chelsea forward Diego Costa's possible return to the Vicente Calderon
stadium this summer despite reports suggesting otherwise.
The arrival of Michy Batshuayi at Chelsea from Marseille has led to reports in England and Spain that Costa, who has scored 36 goals in 77 games since joining Chelsea in 2014, could move back to Atletico, a team he helped capture the La Liga title, a King's Cup and two Super Cups in his four years with the outfit.
New Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has said the Spain international will stay put, describing him as a player of "fundamental importance" and now Cerezo has ruled out his return.
Costa is under contract at Chelsea until June 2019
