SPORT NEWS

  Since stepping into the hotseat of his beloved Chelsea, Frank Lampard has enjoyed mixed success, receiving plaudits for his style of play, but not always getting the results he craves. Indeed this current incarnation of the Blues is in its infancy, and Lampard has not been afforded the luxury of recruiting players to match his system, but early signs of aesthetically pleasing football appear positive. One of the biggest gripes about ‘Sarriball’ under predecessor Maurizio Sarri was a lack of high-octane intensity in the final third, but that certainly doesn’t appear to be a problem with Lampard at the helm. If his side have looked susceptible at the back, then the same certainly cannot be said of his frontline, with the west London club looking devastating going forward. The likes of Christian Pulisic and Mateo Kovacic have been key to that, demonstrating a vim and a vigour that could prove invaluable this campaign. He has also been forc...

  Pep Guardiola says David Silva and Sergio Aguero are unique talents after the Manchester City pair celebrated major milestones in Sunday’s win at Bournemouth. City captain Silva made his 400th appearance for the Premier League champions in the 3-1 south-coast success, while club-record scorer Aguero claimed his 400th career goal. Former Spain midfielder Silva marked his occasion by providing two assists, the second of which led to Aguero’s landmark strike, the Argentinian’s second goal of the afternoon. The victory returned City to winning ways after last weekend’s frustrating 2-2 draw with Tottenham, prompting manager Guardiola to pay tribute to two of his leading performers. “What can I say, everybody knows him,” Guardiola said of 33-year-old Silva to the club website. “He has a sense, to move between the lines like nobody else in the world – he is a fighter. “And Sergio, you know his sense of goals in the box is unique in the world.” Kyle Walker was perha...

Cristiano Ronaldo admitted his long-time rivalry with Lionel Messi has made him 'a better player's and that he enjoys a Ronaldo and Messi have won the coveted Ballon d'Or five times each, a factor that helps each player flourish. Ronaldo said, 'We've never had dinner together but I don't see why we can't in the future. I don't see a problem with that.' Lisbon: Cristiano Ronaldo admitted on Wednesday his long-time rivalry with Lionel Messi has made him "a better player" and that he enjoys a "healthy" rivalry with the Argentine great. However, Portuguese star Ronaldo, whose influence at Real Madrid mirrored that of Messi at Barcelona before he left for Juventus, admitted that the pair have never socialised together. Cristiano Ronaldo said his rivalry with Lionel Messi has made him a better player. Reuters "I really admire the career he has had and from his side, he has already talked of the disappoin...

Barcelona are reportedly set to make an offer in chase for securing the return of Neymar on a loan deal, with an option to buy him next summer According to a report by ESPN , Barcelona have stepped up their efforts in their bid to bring Neymar back to Camp Nou before the September 2 deadline. The La Liga champions are set to table an offer to sign the Brazilian international on a season-long loan from PSG, with an option to make his stay permanent next summer. Neymar seems to have reached a point of no return at PSG, having made his mind up over leaving the Ligue 1 giants this summer. His situation in the French capital has alerted two of the biggest clubs in the world, with Real Madrid and Barcelona being heavily linked with him . Over the last month or so, reports of various sorts of offers have emanated from the rumour mill, and the latest concerns Barcelona. The  Blaugrana may have signed Antoine Griezmann to bolster their attack, but they are n...

CHELSEA midfielder Mason Mount has the potential to become a better player than James Maddison, claims Blues legend Ashley Cole. Mount and Maddison starred for their respective sides when Leicester City drew 1-1 at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. Mount scored his first goal for the club he has been at since the age of six. Maddison, meanwhile, is enjoying his second season in the Premier League with Leicester and provided the assist for Wilfred Ndidi’s equaliser. Cole was asked who he would prefer to have at Chelsea between the two. I just think he’s got more of an overall package than Maddison Ashley Cole on Chelsea star Mason Mount And he chose Mount, not only because he played alongside him at Derby County last season, but because of the versatility of the 20-year-old. “I’m going to say Mount,” Cole said on Sky Sports. “But everyone’s going to say ‘because I’m a Chelsea man’. “I just think one: he can play all over the midfield. “He can play right if he nee...

  Bayern Munich have agreed a deal “in principle” with Barcelona to sign Philippe Coutinho on a season-long loan deal. The Bundesliga champions announced following their 2-2 draw with Hertha Berlin on Friday night that they had reached an agreement with the former Liverpool star, with an option to make the deal permanent at the end of the season. The Brazilian is due in Munich in the coming days to finalise the deal and undergo a medical. Bayern chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic travelled to Barcelona this week to seal the deal. “I can confirm that I was in Barcelona with Hasan on Wednesday and that we reached an agreement with both the club and the player,” Rummenigge said on the club website. “We have been watching Coutinho for a while.” Salihamidzic added: “I would also like to thank Barcelona. Of course, a few details are still to be sorted out, but we are very happy that we will bring this player to Bayern.” ...

  Frank Lampard has hinted that English youngster Reece James may be a “big player” for Chelsea this season, following the Blues’ 4-0 defeat to Manchester United. Despite being one of the Premier League’s most consistent defenders in recent years, Chelsea stalwart Cesar Azpilicueta was at fault for two of United’s goals, while he was also slow to react when Daniel James fired in a fourth in his Red Devils debut. Published: 19:03, 11 August 2019 Frank Lampard has hinted that English youngster Reece James may be a “big player” for Chelsea this season, following the Blues’ 4-0 defeat to Manchester United. Despite being one of the Premier League’s most consistent defenders in recent years, Chelsea stalwart Cesar Azpilicueta was at fault for two of United’s goals, while he was also slow to react when Daniel James fired in a fourth in his Red Devils debut. James to get his chance? Five key things to know… Chelsea lost 4-0 to Man Utd on Sunday. That is their ...

Today is 1 August. The transfer window for the Premier League closes in a week. It closes on 23 August in Italy and on 2 September in every other big European League. Callum Hudson-Odoi has had a contract, in several variations if rumors are to be believed, on the table all summer. With less than a year left and the contract still unsigned, Chelsea is past the point of negotiation. If Hudson-Odoi is not willing to extend his Chelsea contract before this window shuts, he must be sold this transfer window. No more hem hawing over wages, or a number that means nothing at the end of the day. No more waiting for promises already made to be shown even truer than they have already. It has become binary: extend or be sold while there is still a value on the contract in the market. This is not a joyful article to write. Nothing would be better than Hudson-Odoi extending his contract before this article even goes live. But the fish hook of “any day now! It is close!” ...