After the best goalscoring season of his career, Valencia s Goncalo Guedes has reportedly earned a move to the Premier League, with Wolves said to be finalising a transfer worth up to £35million.
After arriving at the Spanish side back in 2017 from Paris Saint-Germain, the 25-year-old forward has established himself as a regular in Portugal s international side, collecting 32 senior caps and scoring the only goal in their 1-0 Nations League final win against the Netherlands in 2019.
Having never previously scored more than five league goals in a season, Guedes racked up 11, as well as six assists, in Valencia s last LaLiga campaign, and helped his side through to the final of the Copa del Rey.
TOP STORY – WOLVES CLOSE IN ON GUEDES
Wolves have no shortage…
Ivory Coast and Egypt will contest arguably the tie of the round on Wednesday as the two giants hope to book their passage to the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations.
Carlos Queiroz s Pharaohs failed to impress during the group stage, ultimately reaching the knockouts thanks to 1-0 wins over Guinea-Bissau and Sudan, teams many would expect them to beat comfortably.
They got the job done but now come up against one of the more eye-catching teams from the first round in Ivory Coast, who rounded off the group stage with a 3-1 win over defending champions Algeria.
In Wednesday s other last-16 contest, and the final game of the round, surprise package Equatorial Guinea will hope to continue their promising campaign against Mali, who will be firm favourites.
Mikel Arteta has fond memories of the last time Arsenal faced Bournemouth at the Emirates Stadium and believes the never-say-die spirit they showed in that match could prove key in this season s title race.
Arsenal came from 2-0 down to beat Bournemouth 3-2 last March, with Reiss Nelson hitting a 97th-minute winner as the Gunners supporters began to believe in their title dream.
Arteta s men ultimately came up short in the run-in in 2022-23, but they hold a slender one-point lead over City as they bid to go one better in 2023-24, though City have a game in hand.
Reflecting on the Cherries last visit to the Emirates, Arteta said the resilience shown on that day has become a key characteristic of his side.
I have a great memory because the game ended in a…
Diogo Dalot is determined to kick on and help Manchester United fulfil what he calls their responsibility to be successful after committing his long-term future to the club.
A decade has now passed since the Red Devils won their 20th league title, with the resulting post-Sir Alex Ferguson era full of ups, downs and too little silverware.
Dalot is now under his fifth either permanent or interim manager since joining United from Porto in 2018 but Erik ten Hag’s promising first season suggests the club are back on track.
The meticulous Dutchman has changed style and mindset at a club that are desperate to push on from their third-placed Premier League finish and Carabao Cup triumph.
“(Last season) brings us momentum, energy as well, to look back on what …
Dennis Bergkamp has warned Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke that Spotify CEO Daniel Ek and a group of legendary former players are here to stay in their bid to buy the club.
Swedish billionaire Ek declared an interest in buying Arsenal, whom he has supported since he was eight, in the wake of the European Super League collapse last month.
The 38-year-old has the full backing of Gunners icons Bergkamp, Thierry Henry and Patrick Vieira, but he revealed last week that his initial offer to purchase the club was rejected.
Ek is not giving up hope of persuading Kroenke to sell, however, and Bergkamp – echoing previous comments made by Henry – accepts it will be a long process.
We can t force anyone to sell. I understand that, Bergkamp told Voetbal International…
Mesut Ozil acknowledged his dream move to Fenerbahce did not go in the direction he wanted as he heads for Istanbul Basaksehir.
The 33-year-old had been at odds with interim head coach Ismail Kartal, and Jorge Jesus seemingly made it clear Ozil was not part of his plans following his appointment as boss last month.
Former Germany midfielder Ozil joined Fener on a three-and-a-half-year deal in January 2021 following his release from Arsenal.
Ozil s move did not go to plan, though, and the playmaker has been in the wilderness once again since being banished from first-team duties in March.
Media speculation linked him with Basaksehir and the club hinted at an agreement with a tweet in which Ozil was tagged on Wednesday.
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Jurgen Klopp has no doubt Liverpool will reach a compromise with captain Jordan Henderson over his future.
Reports emerged last month suggesting talks between the two parties had reached an impasse.
Henderson has spent the past decade with Liverpool, winning the Premier League and Champions League among other trophies during that period, and has two years to run on his existing contract.
Despite doubts being raised over Henderson s future, Klopp remains optimistic that the situation will soon resolve itself.
Asked how important it is to sort out the England international s future, Klopp said: Important, but it will happen.
We will sort it, we will sort it. However it will be, we will sort it, no doubt about that.
Henderson was given an …
Atletico Madrid returned to the summit of LaLiga as Luis Suarez s dramatic 90th-minute goal sealed a 2-1 win over 10-man Deportivo Alaves on Sunday.
Diego Simeone s side dropped to second following Real Madrid s 2-0 win over Celta Vigo on Saturday, but a fourth consecutive top-flight victory restored a two-point advantage over their city rivals with still two games in hand.
Marcos Llorente put the visitors ahead after 41 minutes with his latest long-range effort – his five from outside the penalty area since the beginning of 2020 more than any other LaLiga player.
Alaves brushed off Victor Laguardia s 63rd-minute red card to pull level six minutes from time through Felipe s outrageous own goal, but Suarez popped up at the death to snatch a memorable…
Liverpool made it back-to-back Champions League wins after a commanding 2-0 victory over Rangers, with Trent Alexander-Arnold scoring the pick of the goals.
Jurgen Klopp s side have been somewhat off the pace this season but soon took the lead at Anfield after an excellent Alexander-Arnold free-kick past Allan McGregor.
Mohamed Salah doubled the lead with a penalty after the interval, with the insipid Rangers thankful to McGregor for preventing Liverpool from inflicting further damage.
Victory kept the Reds three points behind Group A leaders Napoli, who thrashed Ajax in Tuesday s other game, while Rangers remain bottom after yet another disappointing showing in Europe the Scottish side conceding nine goals in three group stage matches thus far.
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Andres Iniesta says the booing of Barcelona players Sergio Busquets and Gerard Pique by their own fans is not pleasant .
The pair were jeered by Barca supporters at Camp Nou when being substituted onto the pitch in last month s win over Villarreal, with their refusal to take pay cuts thought to be the reason for the negative reception.
Barca head coach Xavi spoke out against the booing after the game, and Iniesta has joined his former midfield partner in being displeased with the fans behaviour.
It is something that no one likes and does not like, regardless of whether they are colleagues or friends, Iniesta, who ended his 20-year association with Barcelona when joining Japanese side Vissel Kobe in 2018, told AS.
That your fans whistle you is not pleasa…