Sampdoria sporting director Carlo Osti has earmarked Walter Zenga as the club s next coach amid doubts surrounding Sinisa Mihajlovic s future.
Mihajlovic is tipped to replace Rafael Benitez at Serie A rivals Napoli next term, but Sampdoria president Massimo Ferrero claims there is a 70 per chance the Serbian boss will remain in Genoa.
With the uncertainty surrounding Mihajlovic, former Catania and Palermo boss Zenga, who spent four years in the Middle East up until last year, is now the frontrunner to take the reins at Stadio Luigi Ferraris.
I hope that Sinisa Mihajlovic will stay with us, Osti told Gazzetta dello Sport.
If he were to leave, Walter Zenga has attributes that I like. He has struck me with his enthusiasm and personality, but also his exper…
Arsenal and Manchester United have agreed a swap that sends Alexis Sanchez to Old Trafford and Henrikh Mkhitaryan in the opposite direction.
While Sanchez has committed his future to United, Mkhitaryan has put pen to paper on a long-term contract at Emirates Stadium. The deal reportedly does not contain any transfer fee.
Arsenal were said to be asking £35million for their star forward but have ultimately accepted a trade for the Armenia international to avoid getting nothing for Sanchez, who could have left for free at the end of his deal in June.
Sanchez was tipped for a reunion with Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, but the runaway Premier League leaders dropped out of the race for his signature amid rumours of concerns regarding the financial package.
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Bayern Munich midfielder Xabi Alonso says he would love to have a goalscorer of the calibre of Cristiano Ronaldo at the Allianz Arena.
The Portugal star has recaptured some of his best form in recent weeks after a brief goal drought, with five goals in his last two matches helping to propel Real Madrid to a six-point lead at the top of LaLiga.
Alonso spent five years alongside Ronaldo with Madrid, winning LaLiga, the Champions League, the Spanish Supercup and the Copa del Rey twice before leaving to join Bayern in 2014.
The former Spain midfielder says a forward of Ronaldo s level would be welcome at Bayern and has praised the way in which he has altered his game in recent seasons to become more of a penalty-box poacher.
Cristiano has adapted on the pitc…
Arsenal captain Granit Xhaka admitted his side were not mentally strong enough at Watford as they squandered a two-goal lead to draw 2-2.
The Gunners appeared to be in control of Sunday s Premier League match at Vicarage Road after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang struck twice in the space of 11 first-half minutes.
But Tom Cleverley halved the deficit early in the second half following a sloppy pass from Sokratis and substitute Roberto Pereyra levelled things from the penalty spot nine minutes from time after being brought down by David Luiz.
In the end Arsenal were left holding on for a point and Xhaka confessed the visitors were too scared , while also accusing his team-mates of hiding.
Watford had 31 shots against Arsenal
That s the most they ve eve…
Sergio Ramos has reiterated his admiration for Kylian Mbappe, but the in-demand Monaco striker has suggested it may be too soon for him to seek a transfer to Real Madrid.
The 18-year-old has been heavily linked with the European champions amid a breakout second season at Stade Louis II.
Madrid head coach Zinedine Zidane, Mbappe s countryman, is known to be an admirer of the teenager, having sought, without success, to sign him for the club s youth academy in 2013.
President Florentino Perez has also expressed his tentative interest in pairing Mbappe with fellow Frenchman Karim Benzema up front at the Santiago Bernabeu.
And Ramos this week stated Madrid s doors are always open for the best players when asked about the exciting forward.
However, sp…
Qatar head coach Felix Sanchez said his team s late 1-0 Copa America defeat against Colombia left a bad taste after the Asian champions threatened to pull off another shock result.
After overturning a two-goal deficit to earn a stunning 2-2 draw with Paraguay in their Group B opener, guests Qatar almost secured another point until Duvan Zapata broke the deadlock in the 86th minute.
Zapata broke Qatar hearts with four minutes remaining in Sao Paulo, where the Asian Cup holders lost their first competitive match since the Gulf Cup of Nations in December 2017.
Speaking to reporters post-match, Sanchez said: It leaves us with a bad taste because the end was already close.
Score a goal in final minutes, when the game is tied You leave with the bitterness of n…
Patrick Vieira has been sacked by Ligue 1 side Nice following a five-match losing run.
The 44-year-old had been in charge at the Allianz Riviera since June 2018, his second head coach job following two seasons in MLS with New York City FC.
He was due to be out of contract at the end of the campaign but Nice have taken the decision to terminate the former Arsenal star’s deal early.
The decision was made following Thursday s 3-2 loss to Bayer Leverkusen, which was overshadowed by protests before kick-off with supporters demanding Vieira step aside.
That defeat ensures Nice can no longer advance to the Europa League knockouts and they are 11th in Ligue 1 after going more than a month without picking up a point.
Nice confirmed the news on their offi…
Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister has had his red card against Bournemouth overturned.
Mac Allister was shown a straight red by referee Thomas Bramall after catching Bournemouth midfielder Ryan Christie on the foot in the 58th minute of Liverpool’s 3-1 home win on Saturday.
“An independent regulatory commission has removed Alexis Mac Allister’s three-match suspension following a claim of wrongful dismissal,” read a statement posted on the FA Spokesperson account on Twitter.
Alexis Mac Allister will not serve a suspension after a successful appeal against the red card he received during Saturday’s victory over AFC Bournemouth.
— Liverpool FC (@LFC)
“The Liverpool midfielder was sent off for serious foul play during their Premi…
Morocco coach Walid Regragui believes his team are capable of great things after becoming the first African team in 24 years to top a World Cup group.
The Atlas Lions finished first in Group F after beating Canada 2-1 at Al Thumama Stadium while the other pool game, between Croatia and Belgium, ended goalless.
First-half goals from Hakim Ziyech and Youssef En-Nesyri proved enough with Nayef Aguerd s own goal the first of the tournament nothing more than a consolation for a Canada side who return home without a point.
Regragui said: We set ourselves an objective of giving everything we’ve got and trying to get past the group stage. We’ve done that, so why not aim for the sky?
We’re not going to stop here, we are a very difficult team to beat, so why…
Real Madrid full-back Alvaro Arbeloa sees no reason why Jose Mourinho could not make a sensational return to the Santiago Bernabeu and says the door is never shut for the Portuguese.
During a three-year stay in the Spanish capital between 2010 and 2013, Mourinho won one La Liga and one Copa del Rey title.
However, he left after his third season amid well-publicised reports that his relationship had soured with key players, including captain Iker Casillas.
Mourinho has since returned to Chelsea and led the club to a Premier League and League Cup double last season, but a poor start to the current campaign has left his future in doubt.
Former Madrid president Ramon Calderon claimed in an interview with beIN SPORTS that Mourinho is still held in high …