Category: RSS English

Alexis Sanchez will have a chance to resurrect his career in Italy after Manchester United agreed a deal to loan him to Inter Milan for the rest of the season.

The PA news agency understands United have agreed a 10-month loan deal which does not include an option to buy, with the Premier League club retaining control of the 30-year-old who still has almost three years left on his contract.

Sanchez joined United from Arsenal in January 2018 in a deal which saw Henrikh Mkhitaryan go in the opposite direction, but his spell at Old Trafford has been a major disappointment.

The Chile international, who managed almost a goal every other game during his three and a half years with the Gunners, has managed just five strikes in 45 appearances for United.

Those performances were in stark contrast to his status as United’s highest-paid player, an issue which grew into a major headache for the club as they sought to negotiate contract extensions with a number of other members of their first-team squad.

That left Ole Gunnar Solskjaer keen to see Sanchez move on this summer, despite a lack of experienced cover in the squad.

With Romelu Lukaku having also joined Inter Milan on a permanent deal and no replacement brought in, United have only Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford and teenagers Mason Greenwood and Tahith Chong in their senior squad.

Sanchez will hope to have more luck in Serie A, where he starred for Udinese earlier in his career before earning a move to Barcelona.

Further departures from United could yet follow before the European transfer window closes, with Matteo Darmian and Marcos Rojo among the fringe players to have been linked with a move away from Old Trafford.

Though United opened the season with a hugely encouraging 4-0 win over Chelsea, they were then held to a 1-1 draw by Wolves before Saturday’s disappointing home reverse to Crystal Palace, who had not previously won at Old Trafford in the Premier League era.

Harry Kane was left scratching his head after he was denied a penalty in Tottenham’s defeat to Newcastle on Sunday and says VAR should have changed the decision.

Kane appeared to be brought to the ground by falling Newcastle defender Jamaal Lascelles in the final 10 minutes of the 1-0 loss but referee Mike Dean waved play on.

And the decision was upheld by VAR, much to Kane’s disbelief.

“It is hard to understand how it hasn’t been given,” Kane said. “Just like when a keeper comes out, uses his arms and trips you up – it’s a penalty.

“I kind of tripped over his (Lascelles) arm and then his body. Whether it was deliberate or not, from my point of view it is hard to take.

“It is there to help the referee on the pitch. That being said he didn’t know, he couldn’t see.

“That’s where VAR is there to help him out. If he had said ‘no penalty’ and the VAR said it was a 50-50, you can agree.

“I don’t know what the conversation was – whether he said he didn’t see it or not, but from my point of view, it’s hard to understand. That’s the way football goes sometimes.

“Sometimes you are going to get the rub of the green with VAR, sometimes not. I felt it didn’t go our way against Newcastle.”

The Premier League is maintaining a high bar for VAR on intervention on penalty decisions, with a view to not re-refereeing games.

Kane, whose side have benefited from the use of VAR in recent times, is an advocate of the system, but knows it will have teething problems.

“I’ve always said offsides are definite because there is a kind of guarantee,” the England captain added.

“It is the 50-50 ones that are always going to be hard. They are never going to take away that speculation because like against Newcastle, it is always a matter of opinion.

“It’s there to help the referees, so we have to adapt to it. This is the first season of it in the Premier League. There are things that they will maybe get right and wrong. We just have to accept it and get on with it.”

Spurs could have done with the intervention of VAR against the Magpies as they were woefully below their best and lost to Joelinton’s first-half goal.

They are already five points behind leaders Liverpool and three behind Manchester City and Kane accepts it is going to take something special for Spurs to challenge for the title.

“It is still going to take a lot of hard work,” he added.

“As you’re seeing from Manchester City and Liverpool there is no letting up from them.

“I said before the start of the season that if we could put a run together, get that momentum, maybe winning for two to three months on the spin without dropping any points, then that’s what it’s going to take.

“I knew we had to keep up with them, make sure we win, especially at home.

“It is disappointing that we haven’t done that in only our second home game.

“But there is still a long way to go, there are a lot of big games ahead of us. It just means we are going to have to pick up points in the big games, the tough games and try to improve on what we did against Newcastle.

“It’s a disappointing start but there is a long way to go.”

Brighton winger Leandro Trossard says he has become reluctant to celebrate immediately after a goal is scored due to the threat of VAR intervention.

Albion had a goal correctly ruled out following a review for the second successive week when captain Lewis Dunk was denied by an offside decision during Saturday’s 2-0 loss to Southampton.

Trossard had a debut volley disallowed in similar circumstances against West Ham last weekend.

The 24-year-old, a summer signing from Belgian champions Genk, admits technology checks are curbing his initial joy when the ball hits the net.

“I knew not to celebrate after last week and I could tell by the players’ reactions that something wasn’t right and it was clear they were going to review it,” Trossard said of Dunk’s first-half header.

“We haven’t had luck with VAR decisions so far but we must accept that and fight for a positive result and not let it affect our performance.

“We reacted very well to the sending off (of Florin Andone) and disallowed goal – if we maintain that level then the luck will come our way along with the wins.”

While Trossard’s strike against the Hammers was overturned by VAR, Dunk’s header was chalked off after referee Kevin Friend checked to confirm that Brighton defender Dan Burn was in an offside position and impacting Saints goalkeeper Angus Gunn.

Albion played for an hour with 10 men at the Amex Stadium after Andone was dismissed for a reckless challenge on Yan Valery.

Second-half strikes from Moussa Djenepo and Nathan Redmond then earned Saints a first win of the season.

Andone has now been shown a red card, five yellows and served a retrospective three-match ban for an elbow in just 30 appearances for Albion, and Brighton boss Graham Potter admits the Romania international needs to control his temperament.

“He’s an emotional guy, tries his best for the team but of course it’s managing that state,” said Potter.

“It’s not a good action. It’s one of those things that happens but it’s something he probably needs to work with.”

Saints boss Ralph Hasenhuttl believes goalscorer Djenepo has the potential to become a “big star” and could eventually net his club a hefty profit.

The Mali winger cost a reported £14million from Standard Liege in the summer and repaid part of that fee by curling home just 78 seconds after coming off the bench for his second cameo appearance.

Austrian Hasenhuttl is a long-term admirer of the 21-year-old and feels he can flourish at St Mary’s.

“In the winter we wanted to sign Moussa but it was not possible,” said Hasenhuttl.

“We stayed working on this transfer and it’s important for the player that he sees we really want to have him and the philosophy we want to play.

“I think it fits good to him because we try to transition quick forward and that is one of his biggest qualities and that’s the reason why he decided to come to us.

“If you pay a lot of money – and for us this transfer fee was a lot of money – then you must do it in a player that gives you maybe the fantasy that he is one time a big star and then we get a lot of money for him.”

Robert Lewandowski insists he can “always play better” despite scoring a hat-trick in Bayern Munich’s first win of the season at Schalke.

The Poland captain scored from the penalty spot after 20 minutes, doubled his side’s lead at the start of the second half and completed his hat-trick in the 75th minute.

Speaking after the game, Lewandowski told Bayern’s website: “I can always play better. I try to help the team.

“Alone, you can win a game, but with the team you win titles.

“No matter who I play against, I always try to score goals. The Bundesliga is not an easy league, you also have to give it a physical boost, you always have to be ready.”

Bayern boss Niko Kovac said of the match: “We controlled the game for 90 minutes. We made no mistakes. (It was) a good game.”

Summer signings Philippe Coutinho and Ivan Perisic both made their debuts, and the Brazilian forward was impressed with the performance of his new club.

Coutinho said: “I am very happy about my debut. We won, so it was a nice evening.

“The first impressions are good. The game is very intense here. I have only been here three or four days and I’m sure I have to improve. I will work hard.”

Schalke coach David Wagner believed his side’s efforts were worthy of a goal but acknowledged Bayern deserved the win.

“In the end it was a deserved victory,” said Wagner. “Lewandowski has shown why he is one of the best. My team did well in the second half. We would certainly have deserved a goal.”

Zinedine Zidane thought his Real Madrid side “deserved more” after they dropped points in a surprise 1-1 home draw against Real Valladolid.

The hosts struck first, with Karim Benzema hitting his second goal in as many games, before Sergi Guardiola earned his side a draw with a low strike in the 88th minute.

Speaking at a press conference reported by the club website, the French manager said: “It left a bitter taste in my mouth, we did the hardest part, scoring right at the end of the second half but just three minutes later they pulled one back.

“It is a tough situation, it’s complicated and hard when you know you deserved more, the three points, especially given all the chances in the first half, all we needed was a goal.

“At 1-0 on 84 minutes we needed to be practical and have more conviction when the game tested us.

“That was what happened today and we need to accept that. Yesterday I said this would not be a walkover, any team can come here and cause real problems.

“We need to stay switched on for the full 90 minutes and if we played like we did in the first half we would have real options to win.”

James Rodriguez made his first appearance since his return from Bayern Munich and Zidane said he was pleased with the Colombian’s performance.

He said: “He played well. He came off because he took a knock, and if that happens I prefer not to risk it.”

When asked about the pressure faced by his side, Zidane said: “I notice the pressure, of course. Our fans get behind us.

“I know it’s difficult but it’s like winning a title. We need our fans with the team and we will do everything from our side.”

Boss Sergio insists Valladolid will not rest on their laurels after making a strong start.

He told the club’s official website: “This year we started off well, but this does not make us relax. Keep working and think about the next game.”

On possible improvements, he said: “We have to improve a little with the ball and further enhance what we already do well.”

Bury could have been saved at the 11th hour with the English Football League considering extending Friday’s expulsion deadline after being informed a deal had been struck to sell the embattled club.

Just minutes before the League One side were due to lose their Football League status, the EFL announced owner Steve Dale had accepted an offer from C&N Sporting Risk.

The governing body said it was now in “discussions with the potential purchaser and await information to allow the board to consider a request for an extension to Friday’s deadline.”

Dale had been given until 23.59 on Friday to either provide proof to the EFL he could fund the Shakers this season or hand the club over to someone who can.

Extinction was the option if not but, after a day of claim and counter-claim, Dale told the PA news agency on Friday night he had agreed a deal.

Rory Campbell and Henry Newman’s C&N Sporting Risk, whose bid was made on Friday, have been working closely with Bury North MP James Frith.

Before the EFL’s announcement, Campbell and Newman told PA in a statement: “We can confirm that over the past 10 weeks we have been in discussions with Bury FC, the EFL and others with a view to putting forward a proposal to buy the club.

“It is a very complicated scenario and there remain a number of outstanding legal and other issues that have to be addressed. Our background is in football and data analytics and it should therefore not be surprising that we are taking a very detailed forensic look at the realities of Bury FC finances.

“A club like Bury ought to have a viable long-term future even if the short-term future is clearly very challenging. To that end, we have been in discussions with the EFL about an extension so that we can continue to explore the prospects for a purchase. We will be making no further comment at this stage.”

Dale’s declaration of a sale came just before 10pm, with a little over two hours remaining before the deadline.

The Cheshire-based businessman said throughout the day he had a buyer lined up but was unsure if a deal could be concluded before the deadline, having also asked fans to pledge money, while MP Frith had said a “credible bid” would be lodged along with proof of funding.

Dale bought Bury for £1 in December after previous owner Stewart Day ran up huge debts following years of overspending at Gigg Lane.

Having initially claimed to buy Bury for “philanthropic” reasons, Dale put the 134-year-old club into administration this summer and engineered a debt repayment scheme.

The scheme, known as a company voluntary arrangement, would see creditors paid only 25 per cent of what they are owed, with him and his associates being the main beneficiaries.

His plan, however, depended on Bury being allowed to start the season – with a small squad and skeleton staff – and the EFL handing over the club’s share of its central income.

That, as desperate Bury fans are well aware, has not happened.

Having previously greeted each EFL postponement of a Bury game – five league fixtures and an EFL Cup tie so far this season – with an angry statement on the club website, Dale announced he was willing to listen to offers for the club early last week.

England women’s team manager Phil Neville revealed that his mother Jill, who had been Bury’s club secretary, resigned from her job on Friday.

The former Manchester United defender, whose late father Neville has a stand named after him at Gigg Lane, told BBC Radio 5 Live: “My mum has worked there for 30 years, my dad’s got a stand named after him and to consider that today they might not have a football club is so upsetting.

“My mum’s devastated. She resigned on Friday because she couldn’t work with the current ownership.”

 

Nuno Espirito Santo warned Wolves’ place in the Europa League group stage is not yet secure, despite winning 3-2 away to Torino.

Wolves will welcome the Serie A side to Molineux next Thursday with an advantage carved out in Italy by a Bremer own goal and second-half strikes from Diogo Jota and Raul Jimenez.

But Wolves boss Nuno said at his post-match press conference: “It’s far from being over, it’s a close tie.

“We have to play next week against a very, very tough and a very good team.

“We played good, we were organised, we stayed in shape, we produced some goals but, like I say, there’s still one game to go.

“We have to be really, really good to perform again against a very, very good team.”

This was already Wolves’ seventh game of the season, with their Europa League commitments meaning they have been playing competitive football since July 25.

Nuno, however, retained seven of the side that had started the 1-1 Premier League draw against Manchester United at Molineux on Monday.

Among those who kept their place was Joao Moutinho, the 32-year-old Portugual midfielder who has started every one of Wolves’ seven games.

“He respects himself, he rests, he’s a fantastic player and other players play also,” Nuno said.

It’s a very, very busy schedule – we have to manage that and always try and make good decisions so the team stays compact and organised.

“Moutinho is just one case among others that play two games in a row and three games in a row, then we have to decide for the next one.

“The most important thing is that the players understand that they have to really, really work hard.

“We have to recover well to be able to cope with such a difficult time and such a difficult schedule.”

Wolves opened the scoring just before half-time when Bremer was credited with getting the final touch in a crowded goalmouth to Moutinho’s flighted free-kick.

Jota doubled the lead by finishing the impressive approach work of Adama Traore before Lorenzo De Silvestri immediately pulled one back for the hosts.

Jimenez restored Wolves’ two-goal lead with his fifth Europa League goal of the season, but Andrea Belotti converted a last-minute penalty to give Torino hope heading into the second leg.

On the performance of Traore – whose end product has often been questioned, even if his pace and power has not – Nuno said: “I’m pleased. He helped the team, others did what they had to do.

“It’s about tasks, it’s about rules, it’s about always being a team.

“Knowing that, when you know yourselves better and the characteristic of the player is what they can give to the team is important.”

Torino goalscorer De Silvestri told his club’s website: “We lost, but we have to think about our two goals scored.

“They still give us hope for the return match.

“They’re a very physical team, they put us in difficulty under that perspective.”

Stoke boss Nathan Jones suggested speculation around Jack Butland is affecting his goalkeeper after he made two costly mistakes in their 3-1 Sky Bet Championship defeat at Preston.

Daniel Johnson, Billy Bodin and Josh Harrop’s goals sealed North End’s second win of the season but they were aided at key moments by underwhelming Stoke defending.

Butland, the subject of much speculation over his Stoke future, was at fault for the goals the Potters conceded.

“We are on the bus and it’s on Sky Sports about him being left out of the England side,” said Jones of his goalkeeper.

“Everyone talks about him having to leave for his England place, but he’s got to do his job for Stoke first,” added Jones on Sky Sports.

“I don’t know where mentally he must be because there’s so much talk about him.

“You don’t go from being a top goalkeeper to making the errors he is, there must be something playing on his mind.

“But look, he’s a top keeper who trains really well, but it doesn’t help us.

“I have to pick a side to win a game because if I don’t, trust me there will be a lot more than Jack Butland to worry about.

“Since I’ve come here there’s been a hangover of players wanting to leave, players thinking they are proper players, players wanting to go and play in Europe, players thinking of their international careers.

“There hasn’t been a group here together who wants to play and focus and win games for Stoke City, that’s a problem.

“I thought we made big strides in that, but evidently we haven’t.”

Jones was also critical of his side’s defending in his post-match press conference, admitting: “You can’t defend like we did and expect to get anything from a game like this.

“We were definitely still alive at half-time, and I pointed that out to the players. They just didn’t take enough on board.

“A major problem for me is that teams are not having to do a hell of a lot to score against us. That’s costing us dearly.

“We’re not doing a hell of a lot wrong right now. I think Preston have had four efforts on target and scored with three of them.

“We competed well enough in the early stages, then we’ve gone and shot ourselves in the foot again.

“We haven’t defended well enough, and when that happens in the Championship you get punished.”

James McClean’s late finish proved a consolation against a clinical Preston side.

Early on, Bodin’s right-wing cross was only meekly headed clear into the path of Johnson, who opened the scoring as Butland allowed his shot to creep in.

Bodin’s weak then shot squirmed under Butland’s grasp and the game was wrapped up in the second half when the goalkeeper parried a shot into the path of Harrop who tucked home.

“This was always going to be a tough game so I’m really pleased,” said Preston manager Alex Neil, who confirmed striker Louis Moult has suffered a cruciate ligament injury and could miss the rest of the season.

“The lads have carried out all their instructions great, so I’m really pleased everything worked out well on the night.

“It’s hard to be critical after a performance like that, but to be honest I thought we were poorer than we were at Swansea on Saturday.

“We struggled at home at times last season, so that home form needed improving. It’s been a good start this time around, so we have to build on these opening two wins here.

Wales captain Ashley Williams has been left out for the squad for the crunch Euro 2020 qualifier against Azerbaijan next month.

Williams, who turns 35 on Friday, is the third most capped Wales player of all time with only Chris Gunter (95) and Neville Southall (92) having made more than his 86 appearances.

But the veteran centre-half, who made his name at Swansea and spent last season on loan at Stoke, has been without a club since being released by Everton in June.

The PA news agency understands Williams has turned down offers from Greece, Turkey, the Middle East and the United States because he wants to continue playing in British football.

Bristol City could complete a move for Williams this week, but Wales manager Ryan Giggs has opted to name a 26-man squad without the player who captained his country against Hungary two months ago.

Aaron Ramsey and Ethan Ampadu both return after the injuries which ruled them out of the Euro 2020 qualifying defeats to Croatia and Hungary in June.

Former Arsenal midfielder Ramsey made his debut for new club Juventus in a friendly last weekend, while Ampadu has moved to Germany this summer after joining RB Leipzig from Chelsea on a season-long loan.

Bournemouth forward David Brooks is sidelined and will also miss the October qualifiers against Croatia and Slovakia after undergoing ankle surgery earlier this month.

But Giggs is boosted by the availability of talisman Gareth Bale, who is suddenly back in favour at Real Madrid after a public fall-out with manager Zinedine Zidane and an aborted move to the Chinese Super League.

Bale started Real’s first league game of the season last weekend and claimed an assist in the 3-1 win at Celta Vigo.

The 30-year-old’s influence is sure to be key if Wales are to keep their Euro 2020 qualification hopes alive.

Wales are six points behind leaders Group E leaders Hungary, albeit with a game in hand, and three adrift of Croatia and Slovakia ahead of Azerbaijan’s visit on September 6.

Three uncapped players – Swansea defender Joe Rodon, Bristol City midfielder Joe Morrell and Wigan striker Kieffer Moore – are included in a squad that also takes on Belarus in a Cardiff friendly on September 9.

There is no place for Newcastle defender Paul Dummett or Schalke’s former Manchester City winger Rabbi Matondo.

Wales squad: Wayne Hennessey (Crystal Palace), Danny Ward (Leicester), Adam Davies (Stoke), Connor Roberts (Swansea), Chris Gunter (Reading), Chris Mepham (Bournemouth), James Lawrence (Anderlecht), Tom Lockyer (Charlton), Joe Rodon (Swansea), Neil Taylor (Aston Villa), Ben Davies (Tottenham), Ethan Ampadu (RB Leipzig, on loan from Chelsea), Joe Allen (Stoke), Matthew Smith (QPR, on loan from Manchester City), Will Vaulks (Cardiff), Jonny Williams (Charlton), Aaron Ramsey (Juventus), Joe Morrell (Lincoln, on loan from Bristol City), Harry Wilson (Bournemouth, on loan from Liverpool), Daniel James (Manchester United), Gareth Bale (Real Madrid), Sam Vokes (Stoke), Tom Lawrence (Derby), Ben Woodburn (Oxford, on loan from Liverpool), Kieffer Moore (Wigan), Ryan Hedges (Aberdeen).