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Chelsea striker Alvaro Morata is fearful of the threat from Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi ahead of their Champions League round of 16 tie this month. The Blues ended a run of two winless games with a 3-0 triumph over West Bromwich Albion.
Juventus are still looking at the possibility of bringing in Liverpool midfielder Emre Can, as per the club’s chief executive Giuseppe Marotta. The 23-year-old is an attractive prospect for several clubs, as his contract comes to an end in the next six months. Liverpool have been unable to persuade him to a new contract, and the German has been high on the shopping list of Juventus for the last one year. It was anticipated that Emre Can would be making the switch to Turin even as early as in the summer, but Liverpool resisted the lure to sell him.
Now, the Merseyside outfit will have learnt that there is almost zero chance of Can staying in extending his contract with the club. It would effectively mean that they would lose a £ 20 million player on a free transfer. Rather than go through such a situation, there are signs that Liverpool may be interested in a potential deal. Emre Can has been hit by injury problems this season and it has restricted him to only 11 league appearances so far. He was unavailable for the recent 4-0 victory over Bournemouth as a result of suspension.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has praised Alex Oxlade Chamberlain’s displays since joining the club from Arsenal in the summer calling them “dynamite.”
The powerful midfielder signed a five-year deal with the Reds in August in a deal of around £40m. When he left the Gunners he was a first-team regular but has managed just the one full game so far in his time at Anfield.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has insisted that Alexis Sanchez’s low-key start to the season has nothing to do with his collapsed move to Manchester City earlier in the summer.
Sources have suggested that Sanchez could have a problem with his attitude which may have restricted his gametime but Wenger has rubbished those claims by insisting that his attacker needed more time to get back to his old self.
He said: “Not at all. That’s going into very quick conclusions. Alexis Sanchez has been out injured and I thought he was still a bit short on Sunday physically. I played him last night to give him competition. I just try to get him back to full fitness, and for me the Europa League and League cup are important as well. I gave him a long holiday, this year he had a real rest. He came back not really fit and then he got injured. The injury plus rest time was a bit long, but last night you could see he’s coming back sharp now.”
Read moreAlexis Sanchez treatment down to fitness – Arsene Wenger
Brazilian midfielder Oscar has admitted that he would like to return to the Premier League in a few years’ time – preferably with former club Chelsea.
Speaking to premierleaguebrasil.com, Oscar hopes to make an England comeback someday with the Blues being his favourable destination, he said: “Yes, I would go back. I’m still young, I’m 26 years old. Who knows, in two or three years to return to the Premier League. I will be very happy. And preferably to Chelsea, who opened the doors for me to return.”
Oscar was hugely loved by the Blues fans during his time at Stamford Bridge, but he admits that Antonio Conte’s change to the 3-4-3 formation paved the way for his exit. Despite this, the midfielder holds the Italian coach in high regard and backs the 48-year-old to guide the Blues to a second consecutive Premier League title.
He added: “I think United, City and Chelsea will fight to the end. City and United are there for the game they are playing and the goals they are scoring, but Chelsea are a very strong team. Conte sets up a team to play as a team, which is very good. It’s very difficult to score goals against Conte’s teams, so I think Chelsea will come and fight until the end.”
Read moreOscar opens door on Premier League return with former club Chelsea
Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand was full of praise for manager Jose Mourinho following the Red Devils’ third straight victory in the Premier League.
United previously won the English crown under Sir Alex Ferguson back in the 2012/13 season, and Ferdinand believes that Mourinho has reinstalled the title-winning confidence after guiding the club to an unbeaten start to the new campaign. The Red Devils have scored 10 goals in their opening three games of the season whilst keeping clean sheets, and they are deemed as strong favourites to pursue the title alongside cross-city rivals, who clinched a late winner over Burnley earlier on Saturday.
Speaking in the BTSportstudio, the former United centre-back said: “That comes with trophies, success. I was fortunate enough to be walking around the tunnel and in the changing rooms earlier, talking to a few of the old faces who have been here for many years. I can sense there is a difference, there’s a confidence in the place, there’s a camaraderie in the place. That’s created by this man, Jose Mourinho. He’s done that and he’s actually brought in players (that do that). Winning trophies and him getting this team and gelling this team together.”
Read moreRio Ferdinand: Jose Mourinho has reinstalled title-winning confidence at Manchester United
Manchester United have secured the signing of midfielder Nemanja Matic from Chelsea on a three-year contract with the option of a further 12 months.
Tiemoue Bakayoko arrived at Stamford Bridge from AS Monaco earlier in June, and this allowed Matic to hold talks with Manchester United, who were his preferred destination ahead of Juventus. The 28-year-old underwent a medical over the weekend, but Mourinho had confirmed that the player was ‘very very’ much interested in moving to Old Trafford.
United have now officially confirmed that Matic will wear the famous red and white strip after having moved north from the Premier League champions. Speaking to the club’s website, Matic said: “I am delighted to have joined Manchester United. To work with Jose Mourinho once again was an opportunity I couldn’t turn down. I have enjoyed my time at Chelsea and would like to thank the club and the fans for their support.
Barcelona president Josep Bartomeu has assured that Neymar would not be leaving for Paris Saint-Germain during this summer’s transfer window.
Neymar currently has a staggering release clause of £179m on his Barcelona contract, and this has not diminished speculation over his future with Paris Saint-Germain desperate to make significant progress in Europe next season. The former French champions have made it a habit of exiting in the quarter-final stage of the Champions League, and Emery has been tasked with the job of pushing the club further in the quest for European glory.
Speaking to the Associated Press, Bartomeu insisted that it is highly unlikely that Paris Saint-Germain will pursue a deal for Neymar as it would put them behind in the Financial Fair Play requirements, he said: “He is not on the market. He has a contract for the coming four years and, of course, we count on him. He’s part of our team. He’s part of this trident. These clauses are impossible to activate, if you want to comply with the financial fair play. If someone doesn’t want to comply, then, of course, it can be activated.”
Mexican football star Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez has joined Premier League side West Ham United. The former Manchester United star preferred a return to “the best league in the world” ahead of options in Spain and Italy. The player moves to the London stadium in a £16 million move.
Chicharito has two weeks to prepare ahead of the new season compared to his previous moves to Real Madrid (on loan) and Bayer Leverkusen on deadline day. He is happy that this transfer was “more calm and easy” compared to previous transfers and he hopes to help the club achieve their aim.