LATEST TRANSFER RUMOURS

Everton plan Schmeichel move

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Incoming Everton manager Ronald Koeman is planning a move for Leicester City goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel despite still monitoring Joe Hart's situation at Manchester City.

Source: Sunday People
Sunday, June 12, 2016 07:54

Liverpool weigh up Mercado move

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Liverpool are planning a move for River Plate defender Gabriel Mercado after manager Jurgen Klopp watched him in action for Argentina at the Copa America.

Source: Sunday People
Sunday, June 12, 2016 07:52

Man City to bring in Mooy

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Manchester City are set to sign Melbourne City midfielder Aaron Mooy and send the Australia international out on loan to Belgium next season.

Source: Daily Star
Sunday, June 12, 2016 07:50

Spurs close in on Wanyama

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Tottenham are close to completing a £12 million move for Southampton midfielder Victor Wanyama after further talks with the Saints.

Source: Daily Star
Sunday, June 12, 2016 07:49

Koeman wants Forster at Everton

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Ronald Koeman wants to bring Southampton goalkeeper Fraser Forster to Everton with him once he is confirmed as the Toffees's new manager.

Source: Sunday Express
Sunday, June 12, 2016 07:47

Celtic in for Steven Fletcher

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Scottish champions Celtic are facing a battle to sign former Premier League striker Steven Fletcher (now a free agent) as Hull City and Aston Villa are also interested in the Scotland international.

Source: Daily Mirror
Sunday, June 12, 2016 01:02

Arsenal to turn to Cavani if Vardy move fails

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Arsene Wenger is set to turn his attention to Paris Saint-Germain striker Edinson Cavani if Arsenal's move for Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy breaks down.

Source: Express
Sunday, June 12, 2016 01:00

Zlatan delaying move due to Olympics

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Reports claim Zlatan Ibrahimovic is delaying a move to a new club due to a desire to play in the Olympics in August.

Source: Mirror
Sunday, June 12, 2016 00:57

Arsenal weighing up Hysaj swoop

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Arsene Wenger is said to be an admirer of Albania and Napoli full-back Elseid Hysaj and is weighing up a summer swoop for the versatile 22-year-old.

Source: Daily Star
Sunday, June 12, 2016 00:55

Juve want Kroos plus cash for Pogba

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Juventus are ready to tell Real Madrid that Paul Pogba will cost them €120 million plus Toni Kroos if the Spanish giants make an official move for the French midifelder.

Source: Marca
Sunday, June 12, 2016 00:51

Chris Froome wins Criterium du Dauphine as Steve Cummings takes solo victory on stage seven

Chris Froome sealed his third overall victory in four years at the Criterium du Dauphine on Sunday as fellow Briton Steve Cummings claimed a superb solo win on the last stage.

Froome (Team Sky) was once again hit with a barrage of attacks from an aggressive Alberto Contador (Tinkoff) and Romain Bardet (Ag2r-La Mondiale), but he fended them all off to top the final general classification by 12 seconds.

Bardet climbed to second place overall by finishing third on the day, while Dan Martin (Etixx - Quick-Step) crossed the line in second place to move up on to the last spot on the final podium, 19 seconds down on Froome.

Froome: Still more work to do
Chris Froome said he has more fine-tuning to do for the Tour de France
Froome followed up his previous two victories at the Dauphine, in 2013 and 2015, by winning the Tour de France a month later and his triumph this week underlines his status as favourite for the maillot jaune in July.

The 31-year-old said: "It's a massive satisfaction. Coming into this week, I hoped I would be fighting for the podium, so to be sitting here in yellow is a really amazing feeling."

Cummings (Dimension Data), meanwhile, attacked out of a 20-man breakaway group on the fourth of the day's six climbs, with just under 50km to go, and held off the chasing peloton to win by 3min 58sec in Superdevoluy.

The 35-year-old said: "It's getting harder and harder to win, and I felt I had to try to force something. I wasn't thinking about winning; I was just thinking about training for the Tour de France.

"This was the day that I picked out before the race, so it's really good and I'm really happy because this is my third WorldTour stage race win this year."

Cummings was effectively home and dry when he took a lead of more than five minutes on to the penultimate climb, the Col du Noyer, but the general classification riders behind still had everything to fight for and Contador was once again the chief aggressor.

Dauphine conclusions
All the key talking points with three weeks left to the Tour de France
He launched two attacks to whittle the front group down to just himself, Froome, Bardet and Porte, and then Bardet launched two attacks of his own as Froome came under further pressure.

However, three of his Team Sky team-mates caught back up in time for the short final climb to the finish and they safely guided him to the last 400m, setting up a sprint between the overall contenders.

Bardet and Porte were locked on the same time in the standings, but when Martin attacked and Bardet followed, Porte found himself accidentally blocked in by Team Sky's four riders and finished five seconds down, which was enough to relegate him to fourth overall.

Froome's triumph also handed Team Sky their fifth victory in six years at the Dauphine, following Sir Bradley Wiggins' wins in 2011 and 2012.

Stage seven result

1 Steve Cummings (GB) Dimension Data, 4:05:06
2 Dan Martin (Irl) Etixx - Quick-Step, +3:58
3 Romain Bardet (Fra) Ag2r-La Mondiale, same time
4 Wout Poels (Ned) Team Sky, st
5 Adam Yates (GB) Orica-GreenEdge, st
6 Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Etixx - Quick-Step, st
7 Diego Rosa (Ita) Astana, st
8 Louis Meintjes (RSA) Lampre-Merida, +4:01
9 Richie Porte (Aus) BMC Racing, +4:03
10 Chris Froome (GB) Team Sky, st

Final general classification

1 Chris Froome (GB) Team Sky, 29:59:31
2 Romain Bardet (Fra) Ag2r-La Mondiale, +12sec
3 Dan Martin (Irl) Etixx - Quick-Step, +19
4 Richie Porte (Aus) BMC Racing, +21
5 Alberto Contador (Esp) Tinkoff, +35
6 Julian Alaphilippe (Fra) Etixx - Quick-Step, +51
7 Adam Yates (GB) Orica-GreenEdge, +57
8 Diego Rosa (Ita) Astana, +1:13
9 Louis Meintjes (RSA) Lampre-Merida, +1:30
10 Pierre Rolland (Fra) Cannondale, +2:43

Andy Murray will work with coach Ivan Lendl from Monday

Andy Murray and former coach Ivan Lendl will work together again from Monday, the world No 2 has confirmed.

Murray worked with Lendl for two years, from 2012 to 2014, and during that time won Wimbledon, the US Open and the Olympic gold medal.

Since Lendl's departure, Murray has lost three Grand Slam finals.

Lendl will be with Murray for the Aegon Championships at Queen's Club, which starts on Monday.

Murray told Aegon Championships TV: "Hopefully it will be for a long time, from my side. He's coming over, he'll be here for the tournament and it's good for him to spend a bit of time with the rest of the team as well to see how things work out. But provided everything's good, it will hopefully go on for a long time.

"I think the most successful period of my career was while I was working with Ivan. I know what he can offer. The experiences he had, I think psychologically he helped me in the major competitions and they're obviously the events I'm trying to win and am competing for.

"I hope he can bring that same experience and those same benefits that he did last time."

Murray parted company with Amelie Mauresmo in May, and worked with Jamie Delgado at the French Open where he reached the final for the first time.

Lendl, 56, said: "I enjoyed working with Andy in the past. Andy and I have always stayed in contact so it should be fun to be part of his team again."

Lendl helped Murray improve his game, particularly on the forehand, but crucially also gave him the belief to beat the world's best on the biggest occasions.

He defeated Roger Federer to win Olympic gold and then saw off Djokovic in both the US Open and Wimbledon finals.

Murray's main motivation for rehiring Lendl is surely to try to help him break the stranglehold of Djokovic, who holds all four Grand Slam titles after beating Murray in the finals of both the Australian and French Opens.

Since splitting from Lendl, Murray has lost all five Slam meetings with Djokovic and also failed to beat his other 'big four' rivals Federer and Rafael Nadal over five sets.

But the 29-year-old's form on clay, culminating in a first French Open final, shows that his game is in great shape and he will hope Lendl can give him an extra edge at Wimbledon in two weeks' time.

"I'm sure we will talk about Novak because the goal is to try to win the major events and currently to do that you more than likely have to get past Novak," Murray said.

"That will be a big part of it. It's about developing your game so when you come up against the big players you are ready to do it and you don't just change your game for one match.

"I'm on the right track but I think Ivan will be able to help with some things. I don't think it's just mental. Novak is playing great tennis, it's as simple as that.

"The last few matches I've played against him, they are not all negative, there are a lot of positives.

"I'm getting closer. I think there's a few things Ivan will be able to help me with."

Lendl is expected to spend a similar amount of time with Murray as in his first stint but will maintain his role with the United States Tennis Association's player development programme.

A new star is born: Poland teenager Kapustka lights up Northern Ireland win

The 19-year-old looks like a star of the future after a brilliant game in midfield during Poland's 1-0 win over Northern Ireland in Nice.

Those viral stats trending across social media before football matches always whet the appetite, none more so than numbers involving Robert Lewandowski. The Bayern Munich striker has 34 career international goals for Poland, while Northern Ireland’s entire starting line-up has just 36. Yet it wasn’t Europe’s top goalscorer who stole the show for the Poles against Michael O’Neill’s men on Sunday in their Euro 2016 opener. Nor was it the game's match-winner Arkadiusz Milik.

Instead, a new name has entered the fray alongside Lewy and co.

The little-known Bartosz Kapustka was chosen in the starting line-up on the left side of midfield after replacing Kamil Grosicki. The 19-year-old has no experience of a major European league and has only made 58 appearances for the oldest Polish club in existence, KSC Cracovia.

It’s worth noting that a few months before the tournament Kapustka was involved in a brawl outside a nightclub. Having sustained an injury during the fighting, the youngster made a phone call to Poland head coach Adam Nawalka where he begged for forgiveness and expressed his desire to be included in the squad for the Euros. Those are the kind of fine lines between inclusion and omission.

"Now I think about things three times before I do something,” he noted. “I view this as a valuable lesson. It was not an easy time [the nightclub fight], because my family and loved ones worried about me, but fortunately that is behind me now. I'm focusing on what I can show on the pitch."

And fortunately for Poland and all neutrals, the decision to forgive him paid off handsomely. Dynamic and two-footed, he was a thorn in Northern Ireland’s side throughout. He almost broke the deadlock with a fizzing drive in the first half and appears to be one of those players who is always in the right place at the right time – unless it involves a nightclub of course.

“Sense we'll see a lot of Kapustka in the coming years. Deliciously talented 19-year-old,” former England star Gary Lineker tweeted during the match.

Kapustka has already scored twice from midfield for Poland. The Euro 2012 co-hosts had never won a European Championship game in their history before Sunday and a game against Northern Ireland, considered minnows by many, posed a tricky test for an opening match of the tournament. But Northern Ireland’s first appearance at a major tournament since 1986 ended in somewhat predictable fashion. They barely threatened in attack and did not manage a single shot on goal.

Down the other end, though, Kapustka was a livewire as he constantly attacked the Northern Irish backline. Galatasaray were interested in signing the teenager in January and he’s considered one of Poland’s brightest young talents.

Indeed, Cracovia president Janusz Filipiak has already put a big transfer tag on his starlet.

"The transfer rumours are not something that will keep me awake at night,” the president insisted. “If a club offer €1.5-2 million, I will advise Kapustka against such a move. Such an offer would mean they're a weak club, and he can do better."

Meanwhile, the player himself is convinced that ignoring speculation and concentrating on football is the way to go.

"The opinion of my Cracovia coach will be very important for me, but for now I leave this issue out of my mind,” he explained last month. “I think only about the Euros. Nobody has decided yet who will be leaving the club. Rather the media is creating rumours that suggest I'm leaving Cracovia. I try to ignore any speculation as it's best to work on my training."

One thing’s for sure, Kapustka has all the attributes of a top class midfielder and if he carries on playing like this on the biggest European platform, it won’t be long before Premier League, La Liga, Serie A and Bundesliga clubs come calling.

Vasyl Lomachenko wins WBO super-featherweight crown

Vasyl Lomachenko stopped WBO super-featherweight champion Rocky Martinez to become a two-weight world champion on Saturday night in New York's Madison Square Garden.

The brutal fifth-round knockout saw Lomachenko make history by becoming the first boxer to win a second world title in a different weight class in just his seventh fight.

Lomachenko, who won the WBO featherweight title in his third fight, dominated the Puerto Rican with vicious left-handed leads and connected with four straight, including a precise uppercut in the fifth round.

The Ukrainian double Olympic champion followed up with a stunning right to leave Martinez motionless on the canvas for several moments.

"I came to do my job, I did my job very well tonight," said Lomachenko before dedicating the win to "the greatest man who ever laced up gloves, Muhammad Ali."

Lomachenko, a three-time world amateur champion, celebrated victory with a backflip in the centre of the ring afterwards and promoter Bob Arum tipped the 2008 and 2012 gold medallist as star of the future.

"I think anybody who follows boxing would see this performance and realize they have seen the birth of a superstar," said Arum.

Martinez, who was making the second defence of his title, admitted he was caught out by the speed of the 28-year-old.

"I couldn't see his hands," admitted the 33-year-old Martinez.

HAZARD PREPARED FOR CONTE AUDITION

The pair will soon be working together at Stamford Bridge, and the Blues star wants to make a strong impression when the sides clash in Group E on Monday
Eden Hazard is determined to get Belgium's Euro 2016 campaign off to a winning start and hopes to impress his new Chelsea manager in the process.
Belgium take on Italy, led by Antonio Conte, in the teams' Group E opener in Lyon on Monday.
The former Juventus boss will leave the Azzurri to take over at Stamford Bridge after his country's involvement in the European Championship comes to an end.
If Hazard gets his wish, Belgium could have a hand in sending Italy home as early as possible, with the playmaker aiming to make a fast start at Parc Olympique Lyonnais.
"[I'm] very happy to play against my future manager tomorrow. I hope that I'm going to be able to show him everything I'm capable of producing and that next season he'll be able to rely on me," he told a news conference when asked about the meeting with Conte.
And the 25-year-old was not averse to giving Conte some advice on potential transfers, offering a ringing endorsement of international team-mate Radja Nainggolan, who has been linked with a switch from Roma to Chelsea.
"I think Radja Nainggolan is one of the best in the world in his position," he said.
"So of course [Chelsea and Belgium goalkeeper] Thibaut Courtois and I would love him to come to Chelsea, but we're not going to get involved in that situation. He's focused on the European Championship and we'll see what happens after that."
Stand-in captain Hazard also sought to play down concerns over the injury crisis Belgium have suffered in defence ahead of the tournament, losing regular skipper Vincent Kompany and several other defenders in the months leading up to the tournament.
"We're well aware of the quality we have in the side," he said.
"We have good players all over the park.
"We have a few niggles at the back. But those who are going to replace Vincent Kompany ... play for the best sides in the world."

More violence at Euro 2016 as Germany and Ukraine fans clash

Confrontations between England and Russia fans on Saturday were followed by more tension in Lille, with chairs and bottles thrown by fans of the two sides

Euro 2016 has been marred by further scenes of violence among groups of supporters ahead of Germany's match with Ukraine at Stade Pierre-Mauroy.

Rival fans clashed in the centre of Lille, close to the Gare Flandres, where a number of supporters have been arriving in recent days.

Germany and Ukraine fans were seen fighting, throwing chairs and bottles near La Grande Place, an area of bars and restaurants which had earlier seen dozens of supporters - including some from Wales and England, whose teams meet in nearby Lens on Thursday - mixing in a peaceable atmosphere.

A group of German fans, understood to be part of a far-right contingent, threw beer cans at media representatives as they attempted to film close to the station. Some of the bars were later closed to allow a clean-up of the area.

The scenes cast a further shadow over the opening days of the tournament in France, which has seen violent confrontations between police and supporters in Marseille in particular.

English and Russian counterparts were teargassed after clashes near the old port area, shortly before the meeting of the two sides in their Group B opener.

The 1-1 draw was followed by more unsavoury scenes as Russian hooligans charged England fans after breaking through a poorly-segregated area of the stands.

UEFA issued a statement on Sunday to express its "disgust" at the incidents, and threatened that England and Russia could face expulsion from the tournament should any further skirmishes take place.

Meanwhile, the French government has announced it will prohibit the sale of alcohol close to stadiums for the remainder of the tournament, as part of efforts to curb the violence.

Canadian GP 2016: Lewis Hamilton beats Vettel to close on Rosberg

Fifth Montreal win for Hamilton, who overcomes Vettel with one-stop strategy after Ferrari takes lead at start; Rosberg fifth after Mercedes' clash at start and later suffers puncture; Bottas third

Lewis Hamilton has closed to within nine points of Nico Rosberg's world championship lead after beating Ferrari rival Sebastian Vettel to victory in a tense Canadian Grand Prix.

For the fifth time in nine attempts in Montreal, Hamilton emerged victorious but was pushed for most of the race by Vettel after the German stormed past both Mercedes and into the lead of the race at the start.

Rosberg endured another difficult race and finished only fifth, meaning his points advantage over Hamilton has shrunk from 43 to just nine points in just two races.

Rosberg dropped to 10th on the opening lap after banging wheels with Hamilton as they went side-by-side into Turn One behind the fast-starting Vettel.

Valtteri Bottas finished an impressive third from seventh on the grid to give Williams a timely first podium finish of the season.

Max Verstappen was fourth in the lead Red Bull, holding off a charging Rosberg late on after the German had to make a unscheduled second pit stop for a slow puncture. Rosberg spun on the penultimate lap in an attempt to pass the Dutchman, but was able to continue to take fifth.

More to follow...

WALES & BALE MAKE HISTORY AFTER 58 YEARS OF PAIN

They were made to wait for their winner, but Chris Coleman's side got the win they craved for over half a century thanks to Hal Robson-Kanu.
It was 58 years in the making, but Wales’ 2-1 win over Slovakia on Saturday finally ended their long, painful period in the shadows of international football. And while Gareth Bale did his bit, it was substitute Hal Robson-Kanu whose name the jubilant supporters were singing by full-time.
Despite Robson-Kanu having started eight of Wales’ 10 qualification games, Chris Coleman made the strange decision to leave him on the bench and go with Bale as the sole striker from the first whistle. And while it was the Real Madrid star who grabbed the first goal, he was far from a success in the No.9 role. It is something Coleman will gladly learn from and move on after picking up a win in the country's first appearance at a major tournament since the 1958 World Cup.
Bale’s free-kick in the 10th minute was not an epic strike. Well struck though his set-piece was, Matus Kozacik in the Slovakia goal made the grave error of taking a step towards his wall side and could only watch as the ball hit the back of the net in the half of the goal he should have been patrolling.
It was only the second or third time he had got on the ball, with Coleman’s decision to play him as the figurehead up front proving to be an exercise in isolating his greatest outlet up against three Slovak defenders.
For all the will in the world, Jonny Williams and Aaron Ramsey could supply nothing like the distraction Bale needed from either side of him to free up some space, although things might have looked a little better for the trio had Martin Skrtel been sent off for an assault on Williams shortly before half-time.
The Liverpool defender threw out an elbow at Williams as the two raced to the Slovakia bye-line inside the penalty area. Despite the close attentions of the goal-line official, neither he nor the referee decided that Wales had been wronged, instead pointing for a goal kick. It was every bit as key in Slovakia’s fight back as Bale’s misallocation as a striker.
As Jan Kozak’s side continued to dominate possession they were always likely to cause Danny Ward more trouble in the second half, and by the time Ondrej Duda struck low to the rookie keeper’s left Wales were beginning to run right out of ideas.
But as soon as Coleman threw on Robson-Kanu, they looked a different side. Suddenly they seemed to have options everywhere, with Bale’s threat from deep asking new questions of the Slovakian back line. The interchangeability of Robson-Kanu, Bale and Ramsey left them ragged.
However fortunate Robson-Kanu’s strike might have been, it was a true reflection on the ability within the two striking departments. Slovakia were let down by their lack of quality in the final third, Wales by their inability to make more of their vast stocks of it.
If Coleman can harness that, then they have every chance of progressing beyond Group B and perhaps even recording a knockout win. The belief, desire and togetherness on display amongst the red shirts was magnificent, but they need their star players on top form if they are to achieve to their full capability in France.
Right now, though, there is an opening win to be rightly celebrated. And after 58 years in the wilderness, it is one that Wales fans in Bordeaux and beyond will never, ever forget.

ENGLAND AND RUSSIA FANS INVOLVED IN FURTHER TROUBLE IN MARSEILLE

Several Three Lions supporters have clashed with their Russian and French counterparts ahead of Saturday's game between the two teams, with police again being forced to intervene
England supporters were embroiled in a third day of fighting with police and rival supporters in Marseille ahead of their Euro 2016 opener against Russia.
Two nights of trouble in the Vieux Port (Old Port) area of Marseille shows no signs of coming to an halt with Russian and French Ultras reportedly entering the city's main square from a side street before throwing bottles and inciting violence.
Tear gas has been used already by police to disperse the hooligans while several England fans are receiving medical treatment following skirmishes in the city.
England fans have been involved in a number of clashes with French police since the start of the tournament, with tear gas also used on Friday evening.
Goal correspondent Chris Wheatley was on the scene on Friday, and was stunned by the level of destruction, saying: "We’ve just seen someone knocked out. Absolutely shocking scenes here in Marseille.
"I can still feel the tear gas in my eyes. There’s not much else to say apart from absolutely disgraceful scenes by England fans.
"We were told to put our cameras down by some England fans. Looking at all the shopkeepers packing way now. Absolutely disgraceful scenes now.
"Shocking scenes in Marseille. Riot police are here but obviously there's not much they can do about it as there are thousands of England fans on the streets and about 70,000 predicted to be at Stade Velodrome for Saturday's game."
It appears, however, that Russian fans incited their rivals on Saturday.
The match against Russia is due to kick off at 20:00 GMT and further violence has been threatened by Russian ultras, clad in black, after the match is over.
UEFA have since released a statement saying they “firmly condemn” the ugly scenes that have taken place in Marseille.
The statement in full reads: "UEFA firmly condemns the incidents in Marseille. People engaging in such violent acts have no place in football.”