Sunderland goalkeeper Simon Mignolet will use Belgium international duty to avoid talk of a transfer away from the club.
The 25-year-old has been an ever-present for Paolo Di Canio s side this season and his performances have created speculation that a move to Manchester United or Arsenal could be on the cards.
However, he has two years left on his contract at the Stadium of Light and is no rush to leave the club that he joined in 2010.
Instead, Mignolet will concentrate on the international matches with USA and Serbia before preparing for the new season at Sunderland.
I ll be going away with Belgium first of all and I ll focus on that, he said. Afterwards, I m abroad, so I m not going to really read the English newspapers.
I won t get carried awa…
Stoke City officially sold Xherdan Shaqiri to Liverpool on Friday for a fee amounting to £13.5million as the Reds activated the Swiss international s releagtion release clause to add to their already impressive fire-power. The move, however, according to , now enables Stoke to swoop in for Newcastle s Matt Ritchie.
The talks between the clubs about Ritchie have been ongoing for a while but the deal couldn t be reached so far due to a difference in valuation. The Magpies want £15million while the Potter s offered only £11.5million. The money they receive for Shaqiri could see them improve their bid.
If the deal goes through, it could see Newcastle try to re-sign Andros Townsend from Crystal Palace. Townsend spent a season at St. James Park before moving to Selhurst P…
Manchester City are reportedly lining up a move for Lionel Messi in a free transfer amid the star s troubles at Barcelona.
Messi, 32, has been involved in a public disagreement with the club s technical secretary Eric Abidal, leading to immediate questions over his future at Camp Nou.
City, and former boss Pep Guardiola, look ready to make their move.
TOP STORY – MAN CITY EYE MESSI FOR FREE AMID BARCELONA TROUBLES
Manchester City will swoop for Messi for free if the star cannot resolve his problems at Barcelona, according to The Sun.
While Messi is contracted until 2021, Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu confirmed last year the Argentina international was free to leave after the 2019-20 season.
Messi worked with Guardio…
Will he celebrate a Tottenham win?
Saturday 17th October
Arsenal v Birmingham
Fifth plays fourteenth. Three home wins out of three pays one away win out of four (away at Hull, so it doesn’t count!). It looks like a foregone conclusion doesn’t it?
This game has a little bit of spice after the horrible Eduardo injury and other incidents when the teams played at St Andrews a couple of seasons ago.
Arsenal will be far too strong for Birmingham who will try to defend. Trying to defend at The Emirates is a little like committing suicide.
SoccerNews prediction: 3-0
Aston Villa v Chelsea
Seventh plays top. Villa are looking to break into that top four whilst Chelsea are trying to stop Manchester United making it …
Ethiopia s World Cup qualifying campaign has been hit after they were docked three points by FIFA for fielding an ineligible player.
The offence relates to the selection of Minyahile Teshome Beyene during the 2-1 victory over Botswana on June 8, when he was included in the line-up despite being due to serve a one-match suspension for being shown two yellow cards in previous qualifying fixtures.
FIFA have now declared the match as forfeited, with Botswana handed a 3-0 victory.
That means 2010 World Cup hosts South Africa have been given a lifeline in their bid to make the finals in Brazil next year, as Ethiopia s previously unassailable five-point lead at the top of Group A has now been cut to just two points.
Ethiopia defeated South Africa 2-1 in Addis Abeba on J…
Former Italy international Antonio Cassano is leaving Sampdoria after his contract was terminated by mutual consent.
Cassano, 34, is yet to play a game this season and his departure from the Serie A club has been expected.
Sampdoria confirmed on Wednesday they had agreed a termination, although Cassano will be allowed to continue training with their youth team.
Cassano joined the club for a third time in August 2015, but scored just two league goals in 24 matches last season.
…
Steven N Zonzi has signed a new contract with Sevilla that will keep him at the club until June 2020.
The Frenchman was being linked with a move to Barcelona in recent months, but he has now ended all speculation about his future by inking a new deal with Sevilla instead.
His previous agreement was due to expire at the end of the 2018-19 campaign, but the LaLiga side felt his fine performances merited a new and improved deal.
Steven N Zonzi has renewed his contract with Sevilla with one additional season until June 30, 2020, a statement on the club s website reads.
With this renewal, Sevilla recognises the French midfielder s exceptional performances, with N Zonzi being arguably one of the most outstanding players both in Spain and in Europe.
…
Frank Lampard asked for his players to show greater intensity in the final third of the pitch after watching Chelsea’s 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest.
The PA news agency understands the Blues are close to appointing Mauricio Pochettino as manager for next season, but performances and results under interim boss Lampard continue to disappoint.
There was a familiar lack of urgency and focus to the team’s attack during the first half at Stamford Bridge, with Steve Cooper’s relegation-threatened side largely untroubled.
It ends all square this afternoon.
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC)
It meant Forest were able to bide their time and wait for chances of their own, and one came when Taiwo Awoniyi got between two Chelsea defenders and beat goalkeep…
Jurgen Klopp vowed Liverpool will maintain the pressure in the race for the Champions League after a routine 3-0 win at Leicester.
Curtis Jones’ quickfire double and Trent Alexander-Arnold’s fabulous goal kept their push for the top four alive while plunging the Foxes closer to the drop.
Second-bottom Leicester are two points from Premier League safety with two games left and go to Newcastle next Monday.
— Liverpool FC (@LFC)
Victory means Liverpool have booked European football next season and they sit fifth, a point behind Newcastle and Manchester United, who have both played a game less.
Klopp said: “Our job is to keep the pressure (on Newcastle and Manchester United), but if not this is already better than we could have expe…
Norwich City have allowed defender Daniel Ayala to join Middlesbrough on permanent basis following a successful loan spell.
The 23-year-old Spaniard has signed a three-and-a-half-year deal with the Championship outfit after Norwich accepted an undisclosed fee.
Ayala, a former Liverpool trainee, joined Middlesbrough on loan in October and has made 13 appearances for the club so far.
Having mustered only 10 first-team outings in an injury-hit first campaign with Norwich following his arrival from Liverpool in August 2011, Ayala was loaned to Nottingham Forest last season.
He once again struggled for fitness at the City Ground and appeared in only 14 games.
However, Ayala has been able to feature regularly for Aitor Karanka s Middlesbrough, who are seeking a r…