Jose Mourinho is convinced Zlatan Ibrahimovic will remain at Manchester United next season for what the Portuguese believes will probably be the last of his career at the highest level .
Ibrahimovic joined United on a 12-month deal from Paris Saint-Germain at the end of the 2015-16 campaign with an option for a further year.
Mourinho has already stated his intention to trigger the clause and extend the former Sweden captain s stay at Old Trafford, although he warned it may be the beginning of the end for the 35-year-old striker.
Speaking ahead of Saturday s home game with Watford, Mourinho told a news conference: I don t need his contract to be signed. I m totally convinced he is going to stay. He came with the intention of staying two years.
The first …
The Glazer family’s search for new investors in Manchester United reaches the one-year mark on Wednesday, with boyhood fan Sir Jim Ratcliffe still poised to take a 25 per cent stake in the club in the coming days.
The United owners announced on November 22 last year – during the Premier League’s World Cup recess – that they were “exploring strategic options” including a full sale of the club.
One year on, Ratcliffe, the billionaire founder of chemicals company Ineos, is understood to be on the verge of a £1.25billion deal to secure a 25 per cent stake in United, but sources have indicated that an announcement may not come now until next week.
If, as is anticipated, no deal is announced on the New York Stock Exchange on Wednesday, Monday would be the …
The domestic football season concluded at the weekend in typically dramatic fashion.
The title went down to the wire in France and Spain, while Champions League qualification was up for grabs for some big names in England and Italy.
Much of the focus during the closing rounds in Germany was on Robert Lewandowski s record bid, but there was no shortage of intrigue whichever way you looked.
It was in keeping with the rest of an unpredictable campaign, one that Stats Perform breaks down with the use of Opta data.
LILLE, LALIGA AND LUKAKU SHAKE THINGS UP
Lille, Atletico Madrid and Inter all have relatively recent history of league glory, but a pre-season wager would have fetched long odds.
In Ligue 1, Paris Saint-Germain had won seven of …
Marc Cucurella says Spain suffered like a family on their way to Euro 2024 glory, while Alvaro Morata paid tribute to former team-mates Andres Iniesta and Bojan Krkic.
La Roja captured their record-breaking fourth European Championship crown on Sunday, as Mikel Oyarzabal s 86th-minute strike sealed a 2-1 victory over England in Berlin.
Although not initially among the pre-tournament favourites, Spain went from strength to strength in Germany, winning all seven of their matches.
After topping Group B with maximum points, Luis de la Fuente s side swept Georgia aside 4-1 and edged out Germany 2-1 in extra time, before coming from behind to beat France by the same scoreline in the quarter-finals.
And Cucurella highlighted the togetherness demonstrated by the …
Jurgen Klopp is yet to think about his future at Liverpool beyond the expiry of his current deal in 2022.
The German signed a fresh six-year contract in July 2016, having only been appointed as Brendan Rodgers successor nine months previously.
Klopp is yet to lift any silverware at Anfield, having lost the finals of the Europa League, EFL Cup and Champions League during his spell.
Liverpool sit four points clear of defending champions Manchester City atop the Premier League at Christmas, raising hopes that the wait for a trophy could be ended in May, but Klopp says his relative success thus far has not prompted him to consider his long-term future.
Still unbeaten and top at Christmas.
UP THE REDS!
— Liverpool FC (@LFC)
I d…
Brazil began their Copa America campaign with a frustrating goalless draw against Costa Rica at the SoFi Stadium.
The Selecao dominated large periods of the Group D clash. Marquinhos saw a goal ruled out following a VAR review, while Lucas Paqueta rattled the woodwork from distance.
Yet despite enjoying just under three-quarters of the possession and registering 19 shots to their opponents two, they could not find the breakthrough and failed to win their opening match in the competition for the first time since 2016.
Dorival Junior s side subsequently lost early ground on Group D leaders Colombia, who beat Paraguay 2-1 earlier in the day.
Brazil quickly asserted their authority on proceedings in California as they sought the game s opening goal.
R…
Danny Welbeck is keen for his England team-mates to use their performance against France as a platform when they face Sweden on Friday.
England earned a hard-fought 1-1 draw with France in their opening Euro 2012 Group D clash and the Manchester United striker has called for further improvement.
I think the France game, as a start for us, we set out our platform. We really want to build on that from now on. I think we can improve a lot more, Welbeck said.
Looking at it from a neutral point of view it will be a fine game to watch. Once the game is opened up, there will be a few goalscoring opportunities carved out.
Roy Hodgson s side welcome back talisman Wayne Rooney at the conclusion of Friday s match at Kiev Olympic Stadium but there are doubts rega…
Watford have tied down midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure to a new five-year contract.
The 25-year-old French midfielder was a standout performer for the Hornets last season, scoring seven goals to be named Watford s player of the year by both his team-mates and supporters.
Doucoure had been linked to a reunion with former boss Marco Silva at Everton, while Tottenham were also reportedly interested in the ex-Rennes player.
His absence from Watford s pre-season fixtures served to fuel speculation but head coach Javi Gracia insisted injury was the sole reason for Doucoure missing out and he has now penned a deal running until 2023 at Vicarage Road.
It has become perfectly clear that our ambitions as a club match Abdoulaye s ambitions as a player and we are loo…
Atletico Madrid made the perfect start to 2014 with a 1-0 victory over Malaga to return to the top of the Liga table.
On a frustrating night for Diego Simeone s side, they had to wait until the 70th minute before they could get the breakthrough from Koke.
Malaga were quite happy to sit back, allowing the visitors to have possession and hit them on the counter attack but Atletico s pressure eventually told with the 21-year-old midfielder s third league goal of the season.
The win moves Atletico three points clear at the top of the league, with Barcelona able to retake top spot if they beat Elche on Sunday.
Valencia returned to winning ways against local rivals Levante as they recorded a 2-0 victory in Juan Antonio Pizzi s first game in charge.
Sofiane Feghou…
Virgil van Dijk bluntly said it sucks after the Netherlands crashed out of Euro 2024 following their last-gasp defeat by England.
The Oranje were seconds away from extra time in what was their first European Championship semi-final appearance for 20 years, after Harry Kane s penalty cancelled out Xavi Simons earlier effort.
However, there was to be a late twist in Dortmund as substitute Ollie Watkins drilled a 90th-minute winner beyond Bart Verbruggen s helpless dive to send England through to face Spain in Sunday s showpiece.
It meant a fifth defeat in six European Championship semi-finals for the Netherlands, whose sole victory came when they lifted the trophy on German soil in 1988.
I have no words for this, Van Dijk said. When you concede so late, i…