The flying English winger hasn’t ruled out a return to the country of his birth with top-flight clubs circling for his services.

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Manchester United has been given a boost in their pursuit of Jadon Sancho, with the star Borussia Dortmund winger declaring he ‘wouldn’t mind’ a return to England in the future.

The 19-year-old has attracted interest from the Red Devils after taking the Bundesliga by storm over the last two seasons, scoring 14 goals and getting 20 assists in only 37 appearances.

Sancho, who played his junior football with Watford and Manchester City before heading to Germany to get first team opportunities, says a move to England or Spain could be on the cards in the future but insisted he was just happy to be on the pitch at Signal Iduna Park.

“I can’t tell the future but I wouldn’t mind. La Liga I wouldn’t mind also, but we don’t know yet,” Sancho said.

“I am just happy that I’m playing and that’s the main thing. I’m just helping my team and learning every day when I’m on the pitch.”

Sancho has enjoyed a hot start to current Bundesliga campaign, with two goals and three assists in this first three games helping to increase speculation about his future.

But the England winger was adamant he could block out the outside noise and believed his location helped avoid pressure from the media.

“I don’t really try to take notice of all the media,” he said. “I just try to stay focused on my game.

“Obviously being in Germany has taken off the pressure of the media and I think that’s really helping me a lot and keeping me focused.”

Sancho’s form has seen him break a 52-year-old Bundesliga record, with his goal against Cologne on August 23 meaning he was the youngest player to score 15 times in the division since Stuttgart striker Horst Koppel in 1967.

The teenager has also become a strong voice in football, issuing a rallying cry for football to come together following the racial abse of Inter Milan’s Romelu Lukaku at Cagliari on Sunday.

Sancho is currently preparing for England’s upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Bulgaria and Kosovo, where he will be looking to score his first goal after drawing a blank in his six caps to date.

Source – Goal.com

Arsenal midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan has joined Roma on a season-long loan.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan has been at Arsenal since January 2018

Mkhitaryan arrived in Rome on Monday morning to finalise the deal and underwent a medical with the Serie A side.

Roma will pay Arsenal a loan fee of €3m (£2.7m) with the deal not expected to include an option to buy, according to Sky in Italy.

The Armenian joined Arsenal in January 2018 as part of the deal that saw Alexis Sanchez leave the Gunners for Manchester United.

Sanchez left United after a disappointing year-and-a-half last week, moving to Italy to join Inter Milan on loan.

During his time at the Emirates, Mkhitaryan has scored nine goals in 56 games, making his most recent appearance as a second-half substitute against north London rivals Tottenham on Sunday.

Source – Sky Sports

The Argentine’s ordeal with the Serie A club has come to an end, as he makes the move to the Ligue 1 champions on a temporary basis.

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Inter striker Mauro Icardi has joined Paris Saint-Germain on a loan for the duration of the 2019-20 season.

The loan reportedly includes an option for PSG to buy the 26-year-old Icardi for €65 million (£59m/$71m).

This season, PSG reportedly will pay Icardi €8m, with a €2m bonus should they activate the purchase option in the deal.

If PSG do not activate the purchase option, Icardi would return to Inter on wages of €5m per season.

Inter have also announced Icardi has signed a one-year extension on his contract, so if he does not join PSG permanently his deal with Inter will run through 2022.

The Argentine’s future with Inter has been in doubt since February 2019, when he was stripped of his club captaincy amid reports of contentious contract negotiations between himself, his wife and agent Wanda Nara, and Inter.

Icardi would not return until two months later, and though he finished out the season in the squad, he was not part of new Inter head coach Antonio Conte’s plans for the 2019-20 campaign.

Inter were vocal about moving Icardi on, with links to Juventus, including a possible swap of Paulo Dybala mooted, while Napoli, Monaco and Atletico Madrid were also mentioned as possible landing spots in recent months.

However, he will instead join PSG, where the Ligue 1 champions have been beset by an injury crisis ahead of the start of Champions League play.

Star forward Kylian Mbappe suffered a hamstring injury in a late August match against Toulouse and was ruled out for at least four weeks.

Striker Edinson Cavani was injured in the same match, having injured his right adductor in the victory.

Former Stoke City striker Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting replaced Cavani, with the 30-year-old having netted three times for PSG in his two appearances since.

However, with a September 18 showdown with Real Madrid in the Champions League awaiting the Ligue 1 champions, PSG have elected to bring in another proven option in attack.

While PSG have suffered injuries in the early part of the campaign, they are set to welcome back star forward Neymar, who will stay at the club after Barcelonafailed to agree a move for the Brazil star.

Neymar has yet to feature for PSG this season, as uncertainty in his transfer situation have kept him out of the squad the past two matches.

Source – Goal.com

Robert Lewandowski has committed his future to Bayern Munich by signing a new four-year deal with the club.

Robert Lewandowski scored 40 goals in 47 games for Bayern last season

The Poland captain has scored 197 goals for the Bundesliga giants since joining from rivals Borussia Dortmund on a free transfer in 2014, finishing as Bundesliga top scorer three times.

He is in the running to improve Karl-Heinz Rummenigge’s tally of 217 goals for Bayern, with the former player – now the club’s current executive board chairman – labelling him as “the world’s best centre-forward”.

His current deal was set to expire in June 2021 but he has decided to extend his stay at the Allianz Arena by signing a deal taking him through to 2023.

Karl-Heinz Rummenigge labelled Lewandowski “the world’s best centre-forward”

“Bayern has become my sporting home,” Lewandowski said. “Besides, my family and I are happily settled in Munich.

“I’m convinced we’ll achieve a lot in the next few years. FC Bayern are one of the three biggest clubs in the world, and we have an outstanding team.”

The 31-year-old has started off his sixth season in Bavaria by scoring five goals in two league games.

Lewandowski has won five Bundesliga titles, two DFP-Pokal cups and three Supercup trophies.

Source – Sky Sports

Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo praised his long-term rival Lionel Messi at the UEFA Champions League draw, saying he hopes the pair have dinner together “in the future”.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi sat next to each other at the ceremony

Who is the best player in the world, Ronaldo or Messi?

The rivals are widely regarded as two of the greatest players of all time, shared the pitch many times in epic El Clasico battles and have 10 Ballons d’Or split evenly between them. However, Ronaldo wants the pair to become great friends after their playing days.

Ronaldo has not faced Messi since moving to Juventus in July 2018

After the Champions League draw in Monaco, Ronaldo and Messi were interviewed together before the winner of the UEFA Men’s Player of the Year was announced.

Asked if he missed the rivalry with Messi since leaving Real Madrid for Juventus, Ronaldo said: “I was curious because we shared this stage for 15 years, me and him.

“I don’t know if that has ever happened in football, the same two guys on the stage at the same time, so it’s not easy.

“Of course we have a good relationship, we have not had dinner together yet but I hope in the future.”

Virgil van Dijk poses with the UEFA Men’s Player of the Year award

Despite their dominance, Messi and Ronaldo lost out on the award to Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk after he guided the Reds to Champions League glory in June.

However, Messi did pick up one award on the night by winning UEFA Forward of the Year, with Barcelona team-mate Frenkie de Jong awarded Midfielder of the Year and Liverpool’s Alisson Goalkeeper of the Year.

Source – Sky Sports

The former Spain coach posted a message revealing the tragic passing of his daughter, who was suffering from bone cancer.

Pho to by Getty Images

Former Barcelona and Spain head coach Luis Enrique has confirmed his daughter Xana has died after suffering from bone cancer.

Luis Enrique stepped down from the Spain post in June after missing their three previous matches, having been granted leave in March for what was described as a family emergency.

Robert Moreno was confirmed as Luis Enrique’s successor, although Luis Rubiales, head of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) said: “Our doors will always be open to him”.

On Thursday, the ex-Barcelona boss confirmed nine-year-old Xana has passed away.

“Our daughter Xana has died this afternoon at the age of nine, after fighting for five intense months against an osteosarcoma,” he said in a statement posted on Twitter.

“We give thanks for all the shows of affection we’ve received during these months and we’re grateful for the discretion and understanding.

“We are also grateful to the staff of the Sant Joan de Deu and Sant Pau hospitals for their dedication and treatment, to the doctors, nurses and all the volunteers. With a special mention to the palliative care team of Sant Joan de Deu.

“We’ll miss you a lot but we’ll remember you every day of our lives with the hope that in the future we will meet each other again. You will be the star that guides our family.

“Rest, Xanita.”

An outpouring of support has followed for the coach and his family, from players, clubs as well as many outside the sport.

Spain striker Alvaro Morata wrote on Twitter: “There are no words that can comfort you in these tough moments, boss, but from here we send you all the strength and love in the world. May Xana rest in peace.”

Real Madrid and Spain defender Nacho Fernandez said: “All the courage, strength and support in the world right now boss.”

Barcelona also offered support, saying: “Our condolences and all our sympathy for Luis Enrique and his family at this very difficult time. RIP Xana.”

Real Madrid, for whom Luis Enrique played for five years, said: “Real Madrid are deeply saddened by the passing of Luis Enrique’s daughter and would like to share our condolences to him and his family at this difficult time.”

The RFEF said: “The RFEF mourns the sad loss of little Xana, only nine years old, daughter of the coach and international player with Spain, Luis Enrique. We want to show our condolences to family and friends, joining us all today in their pain.”

Roma also expressed condolences towards their former coach, as did tennis star Rafael Nadal and Spain’s prime minister.

Source – Goal.com

The England international will join the Serie A outfit for the 2019-20 season and could be followed to Italy by fellow defender Matteo Darmian.

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Manchester United defender Chris Smalling is travelling to Italy to complete a loan move to Roma, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has confirmed.

England international Smalling has fallen down the pecking order at Old Trafford following the arrival of summer signing Harry Maguire and is yet to make an appearance this season.

Roma have been in the market for a centre-back this summer having sold Kostas Manolas to Napoli, with Liverpool‘s Dejan Lovren and Juventus‘ Daniele Rugani among those whom they have shown an interest in.

But it is Smalling who will now represent the Giallorossi during the 2019-20 campaign, with Solskjaer revealing the former Fulham man had already set off to the Italian capital on Friday morning.

“It’s just come up the last couple of days this opportunity for Chris, we’ve sat down and discussed it, at the moment we’ve got six fit centre-backs, I couldn’t promise Chris regular football, so he’s on the plane over now,” Solskjaer told a press conference.

“I think he’ll enjoy the experience, it’s a big club, a big league, not many English players have had the chance to play in Italy. He’ll come back stronger and fitter for it.”

Smalling only signed a new contract at Old Trafford in December that will keep him with the Red Devils until the summer of 2022, but it remains to be seen whether he has now played his final game for the club.

In total he has made 323 appearances for the 20-time English champions since joining from Fulham in 2010, scoring 18 goals.

He joins Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez in swapping United for Serie A this summer, with the attacking duo having both secured moves to Inter in recent weeks.

And Smalling may not be the last member of Solskjaer’s squad to arrive in Italy before the European transfer window shuts on September 2, with the Norwegian coach revealing Matteo Darmian may also be heading out of the exit door.

The full-back has been linked with a return to his homeland for over a year, and Solskjaer confirmed there is interest in the Italy international from Serie A clubs.

He denied, however, that Marcos Rojo would also be sold despite the Argentine being behind the likes of Maguire, Victor Lindelof and Eric Bailly in the fight for a place at the heart of United’s defence.

“I can see maybe Matteo (leaving), there’s been some interest in Italy,” said Solskjaer.

“Marcos is staying definitely. We’re a squad now that is less in numbers but still big enough and strong enough to have coverage in all positions.”

United return to action on Saturday against Southampton as they look to bounce back from defeat to Crystal Palace last time out in the Premier League.

Source – Goal.com