Author: bigbanng

The transfer rumors pages have been full of stories about Jude Bellingham’s next destination. Borussia Dortmund’s 19-year-old English midfielder is the hottest property in world soccer right now, and could be worth even more than Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland. CIES Football Observatory, part of the International Center for Sports Studies in Switzerland, has published its January 2023 list of the world’s most valuable soccer players. The list calculates player value based on an algorithm that factors in age, nationality, contract length and current club as well as ability and results. Kylian Mbappe had topped the list in June 2022, but he…

La Liga champions Real Madrid are interested in signing Moroccan defender Achraf Hakimi from Paris Saint-Germain. According to a report by Defensa Central, Achraf Hakimi is the subject of interest from Real Madrid. But Los Blancos’ strained relations with Paris Saint-Germain might block a move for the Moroccan defender. Achraf Hakimi has the experience of a lifetime despite only being 24 years old. The young full-back graduated from the Real Madrid academy half a dozen years ago but could never establish a foothold at the Santiago Bernabeu. But he finally rose to prominence during a two-year loan stint with Borussia Dortmund. The Moroccan…

Manchester United have reportedly reached an agreement with Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr to sign striker Vincent Aboubakar on loan. The Red Devils are in the market for a new centre-forward after terminating Cristiano Ronaldo’s contract at the end of last month, with the 37-year-old having since linked up with Aboubakar at Al-Nassr. Aboubakar, formerly of Porto and Besiktas, has spent the last 18 months with Al-Nassr and has scored 13 goals in 39 appearances across all competitions, including four strikes in 12 games so far this season. The 30-year-old recently captained Cameroon at the 2022 World Cup and scored a memorable goal in a surprise 1-0…

The 37-year-old will miss his first two domestic games for the Saudi Arabian club after being suspended by England’s Football Association for knocking a phone out of a fan’s hand after Manchester United’s defeat at Everton in April. Cristiano RonaldoFile pictureReuters Cristiano Ronaldo was not included in Al Nassr’s squad for Friday’s Saudi Professional League match against Al Tai, amid media reports that the Portugal forward was going to make his debut despite having a two-match suspension. The 37-year-old will miss his first two domestic games for the Saudi Arabian club after being suspended by England’s Football Association (FA) for…

Tottenham target Josko Gvardiol has now been the subject of a significant bid from Real Madrid following two meetings in the last 15 days. What’s the story? Well, it was Corriere dello Sport who revealed that Spurs want to sign the Croatia international – the Italian news outlet claimed that Tottenham would ramp up their interest after the World Cup. However, just six days into the January transfer window, and it is Real Madrid who have moved first. Alfredo Pedulla believes the Spanish giants have held two meetings with RB Leipzig regarding Gvardiol in the last 15 days, and have now submitted a bid worth €120m (£106m) in…

Prior to Tuesday’s round of Premier League fixtures, Manchester City have scored more goals than any other side in the league.  With 44 league goals scored, the majority of those goals have come from their star summer signing Erling Haaland. Since arriving from Borussia Dortmund in a deal worth £51m, the striker has scored 21 goals in 15 league appearances. Despite the Norwegian’s impressive goalscoring efforts, the Citizens have found themselves in second place for the majority of the campaign. Now that the January transfer window has opened, this could give Pep Guardiola the chance to refresh and strengthen his squad to make sure they don’t end up…

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has said that Reds midfielder Bruno Fernandes is an example to his teammates and explained why he regularly dons the armband when Harry Maguire is not in the team. Fernandes has made 24 appearances for United so far this season, and has only missed one match in all competitions – which came as a result of a suspension. While he has only managed to register three goals and five assists, he has been a standout performer for Ten Hag’s side all campaign. The Portuguese midfielder has captained the side for the majority of the season in the absence…

Cristiano Ronaldo is receiving a thunderous reception in his first few days in Saudi Arabia, but not the type that he would’ve expected The self proclaimed GOAT has landed in Riyadh amid some of the worst weather the Saudi capital ever experienced for decades and was forced delay his debut as he served the first match of a two-game ban imposed by the FA in November. His stormy departure from Manchester United and his arrival in Arabia has been marked with torrential rain, thunder and lightning which forced his debut to be cancelled last night and rescheduled for Friday. Source: newsnow.co.uk

There is a sensation particular to watching Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City. Most of the time they’re thrilling and brilliant, but every now and then something seems to stutter, and a vast cloud of nothingness balloons over the pitch. 98% of the time his teams destroy the opposition. 2% of the time they smother themselves.So it was in the first half against Chelsea last night, and perhaps there was a compliment buried in their somewhere. Guardiola was taking this game so seriously that he’d mistaken it for a Champions League knockout game and sent half his team out to play in…

It is no secret that Jude Bellingham is likely to be on the move this summer, and all of Europe’s top clubs would happily accommodate the England international if the logistics worked out. However Real Madrid appear to have made him their top target for the summer, as they seek a long-term replacement for the iconic Luka Modric. They will face competition from England’s elite, with the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City looking at how to do a deal. On the ground in Spain, there is plenty of optimism that Los Blancos can get their mark. After Bellingham informed…

Erik ten Hag has made a steady start to life in the Premier League, and the Red Devils have won all four fixtures across all competitions since the conclusion of the 2022 World Cup, but there is an undeniable necessity for a new established centre-forward to lead the line. According to The Athletic’s Laurie Whitwell, Manchester United have Memphis Depay ‘under consideration’ as a potential candidate to bolster the centre-forward position after the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo by mutual consent in November. Depay was previously on the books at Old Trafford, signing for the cub in a £31m deal in 2015 from PSV Eindhoven, before departing for Olympique Lyonnais after a lacklustre…

Why did Cristiano Ronaldo join Al Nassr? The build-up to this move essentially started in the summer of 2022 when it was made clear by Ronaldo and his then-agent Jorge Mendes that he wanted to leave Manchester United immediately in search of Champions League football. Teams such as Chelsea and Bayern Munich were heavily linked, but a move never materialised and Erik ten Hag was tasked with reintegrating Ronaldo into the squad. Needless to say, he did not go straight to the top of the pecking order and a rift began to form between him and the coach. That…

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has insisted he will encourage Erling Haaland to continue playing with aggression because it is ‘necessary’ in the Premier League. Haaland was on the receiving end of some rough punishment from Everton defender Ben Godfrey during City’s last game. His frustration later got the better of him when he was shown a yellow card for only the third time this season. It is worth noting, however, that all three have come in his last four Premier League appearances. “I like it, the extra limit,” Pep Guardiola said ahead of City’s clash with Chelsea this week. “Not just him,…

Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois returned to training on Wednesday after being ruled out of the recent Copa del Rey win over Cacareno with a minor injury. Courtois wouldn’t likely have played the game in Caceres in western Spain anyway, having rarely been used in the competition in recent years. But the Belgian didn’t make the trip at all as a precaution. Courtois kept a clean sheet against Real Valladolid last Friday in Los Blancos’ final game of 2022 and first game since the World Cup. It is now expected that he will start against Villarreal on Saturday. Dani Carvajal…

Casemiro’s signing from Real Madrid was the turning point for Manchester United’s revival under Erik ten Hag, and his impressive performances at Old Trafford have shown that Jose Mourinho was spot on Jose Mourinho has been proven right (Image: Paul Ellis/AFP via Getty Images) Manchester United finally have a functioning midfield and it’s much thanks to one man: Casemiro. Emphatically silencing his critics, the Brazilian has been the bedrock of Erik ten Hag ‘s impressive revival at Old Trafford, as the Red Devils sit fourth in the Premier League with two games to go until the halfway stage. If it wasn’t for a pair of humiliating defeats…

Cristiano Ronaldo signed for Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr after leaving Manchester United. By TOM PARSONS09:18, Thu, Jan 5, 2023 | UPDATED: 09:45, Thu, Jan 5, 20230 ten Hag comments on Man Utd’s January transfer plans 1 second of 1 minute, 38 secondsVolume 0% We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info Cristiano Ronaldo may have already upset Al-Nassr fans as he is banned from his new team’s next two matches despite sell-out crowds…

Housing the greatest players in the game is all well and good when things are going to plan – as they currently are for both Manchester City and Erling Haaland. But dealing with ambitious professionals can be difficult for any boss and high-profile transfers are a relatively common – albeit sometimes surprising – part of modern football. Neymar’s £198million transfer from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017 – which remains a world-record fee – is arguably the most dramatic deal of the modern footballing era. While in the Premier League, Real Madrid snapped up Chelsea’s Eden Hazard in 2019 and Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo in 2009, and the Blaugrana poached Liverpool trio…

Real Madrid flop Eden Hazard has been slammed by a Spanish fourth tier player after a dismal performance in Los Blancos’ Copa del Rey clash with Cacereno. The Spanish giants faced the minnows in a last-32 fixture in Spain’s premier cup competition on Wednesday. After a nervy display, a second-half goal from Rodrygo secured victory for Carlo Ancelotti’s side to book their spot in the last-16. Eden Hazard was mocked by a Cacereno star after Real Madrid’s clash with the fourth tier side However, Hazard struggled to make an impact on the game and was hauled off against the fourth tier side after 67…

Three Manchester United youngsters have been named in FourFourTwo‘s annual list of the top 50 most exciting teenagers in world football. United’s academy is known for it’s productivity giving chances to young players, and this continued during 2022. Anthony Elanga became a first team regular, as did Alejandro Garnacho late in the year, while the under-18s won the FA Youth Cup for the first time in 11 years. United manager Erik ten Hag is taking a keen interest in the academy, even directing the under-21s in terms of who plays, for how long, and who trains with the first team. READ: Confirmed Manchester United transfers…

Cristiano Ronaldo said he aims to transfer his success in European football to Asia after completing a record-breaking deal to Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr on Friday. Free agent Ronaldo signed a two-and-a-half year contract with the Riyadh club following the termination of his contract at Manchester United on November 22. The 37-year-old striker departed Old Trafford after a stinging television interview in which he criticised the club’s owners and manager Erik ten Hag. READ MOREWho are Al Nassr – the Saudi Arabia club Cristiano Ronaldo has joined? Following his involvement with Portugal at the World Cup, a move to the Kingdom was widely expected…

It can be easy to miss it from the main road. Into the industrial estate, past the snooker club and the car-repair place, and through the gates on the left. Then a door opens into a bright and colourful world that tells us a lot about one of the Premier League’s rising stars. A champion gym is always a place of wonder. There are pictures of Bruce Lee and Muhammad Ali on the walls of this one. There are title belts on display in glass cabinets. Music is playing. There is a boxing ring at the far end and, lining the…

La Liga champions Real Madrid are reportedly contemplating signing Manchester City playmaker Bernardo Silva, a target for Barcelona. According to a report by Spanish outlet Fichajes, Bernardo Silva is the subject of interest from Real Madrid. The Portuguese playmaker is also a target for bitter rival Barcelona over a possible move in the summer transfer window. And Manchester City will demand around €80 million to part ways with him. Bernardo Silva has been a pivotal figure for Manchester City since arriving from AS Monaco over half a decade ago. One of the best playmakers in the Premier League, the 28-year-old has…

Manchester United have been in fine form since the World Cup break, progressing in the EFL Cup and winning three Premier League games out of three, all without conceding a goal. The most recent of their victories, against Bournemouth on Tuesday, was enough for Erik ten Hag’s team to cement their place in the top four and close the gap on teams above them. However, injuries for Antony and Donny van de Beek could prompt some transfer investment in January. After seeing Martin Dubravka return to parent club Newcastle, a new goalkeeper could also arrive at Old Trafford during the window. That is one of the topics discussed as Mirror Football provides updates on…

Cristiano Ronaldo has completed a move to Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr after his much publicised Manchester United departure and subsequent struggles at the 2022 World Cup with Portugal Cristiano Ronaldo has been urged to speak about human rights issues in Saudi Arabia after his big-money move to the country. The Portugal superstar, 37, has signed for Al Nassr until 2025, announcing at his unveiling that his “work is done” in Europe. Amnesty International says Ronaldo’s signing is part of a “wider pattern of sportswashing” in Saudi Arabia, a country which has backed a breakaway golf league, hosted high-profile boxing…