West Ham extends Zabaleta’s contract

Turkish daily newspaper Sporx is reporting that Fenerbahce are readying January bid for FC Porto defender Maicon Pereira Roque.

The Turkish giants are coached by former Dragons boss Vitor Pereira, who is well aware of the player s qualities.

As a result, he is eager to lure him to Istanbul at the earliest opportunity, even if that is not going to be an easy task.

According to reports, Fenerbahce are ready to offer €7 million plus Bruno Alves in exchange for the 27-year-old footballer.

The Portugal international is reportedly ready to return to Estadio do Dragao, but it remains to be seen whether FC Porto would be interested in such a proposal.

Maicon spent his youth career in native Brazil, before moving to Nacional in the summer of 2008.

…

Roberto Martinez remains confident ahead of the Euro 2024 knockout stage but admitted to feeling wary of Slovenia ahead of their last-16 meeting.

The Selecao sealed top spot in Group F with a game to spare after wins over Czechia and Turkiye.

However, they were stunned in their final group outing as they were beaten 2-0 by surprise-package Georgia on Wednesday.

Martinez noted the improvements Portugal have worked on since their disappointing end to the group stage, with his mind on the tough test ahead.

I can say that after three games, the team is ready, Martinez said. A new tournament starts now, it s in or out.

It s not easy to play at Euro, but as a team we are prepared to face this knockout phase.

Portugal is fresh, we re ready, an…

Victor Lindelof insists he is unbothered by Manchester United s critics as the Red Devils prepare for a new era under the demanding Erik ten Hag.

United endured another tough season under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and then interim manager Ralf Rangnick last time out, finishing sixth after recording their lowest points tally in a Premier League season.

The Red Devils also failed to end a league campaign with a positive goal difference for the first time since the 1989-90 season (-1).

Ten Hag has been tasked with transforming United after moving to Old Trafford from Ajax, where he secured a third Eredivisie title in four full seasons at the helm after the 2021-22 term.

Lindelof has spent early July training under his new boss in Manchester before heading to T…

Mark van Bommel has rued the fact that Arjen Robben has had to retire from international football on a low after Netherlands failed to qualify for next year s World Cup.

Although Robben scored twice as Netherlands ended their qualifying campaign with a win over Sweden, the damage had already been done and Dick Advocaat s side missed out on a play-off place on goal difference.

The Bayern Munich winger announced his decision to quit the international stage after that victory, but Van Bommel is frustrated that a fine player could not bow out with a title.

An absolutely exceptional player like Arjen deserves a worthy farewell instead of this failed World Cup qualifying campaign, he told Bild.

He would be entitled to end his impressive national team career …

Manchester United have made Everton’s Seamus Coleman their top right-back transfer target, .

Manager Louis van Gaal is keen to shore up his defensive line this summer after predominantly concentrating on attacking areas in the past.

They had been monitoring the situation of Southampton’s Nathaniel Clyne, though with the England international expected to complete a move to Liverpool in the coming days, they have been forced to look elsewhere.

Having moved to Goodison Park from Irish side Sligo Rovers in 2009, Coleman has racked up one hundred and eighty-five appearances for the Toffees in all competitions, scoring nineteen goals, while he helped Blackpool gain promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs during a loan spell in the 2009/10 season.

…

Jonas Gutierrez claims he was not considered for selection by Newcastle United so they could release him from his contract after deeming him a liability following cancer treatment.

The Argentine winger is suing the club for a fee reported to be in the region of £2million and, in a statement to an employment tribunal that is hearing his claim for disability discrimination, Gutierrez accused Newcastle of deliberately ensuring he did not play enough matches to trigger an extension.

Gutierrez, who joined Newcastle in July 2008, had a testicle removed in October 2013 and underwent chemotherapy treatment the following year.

The 32-year-old returned to first-team action in March 2015, but was released by Newcastle at the end of last season.

In his statement, Gu…

Roberto Martinez takes an Everton side buoyed by victory over Premier League champions Chelsea to former club Swansea City on Saturday and is convinced he has a squad ready for success.

Steven Naismith came off the bench to score a perfect hat-trick as Everton put Jose Mourinho s men to the sword at Goodison Park last weekend in a 3-1 triumph.

The task for Everton now is to replicate that fine performance at the Liberty Stadium against a club Martinez captained as a player and managed between 2007 and 2009.

I do [think we have a squad to compete], he said.  I feel the characters we have are hungry, desperate for success, desperate to push each other and we have competition for places now that we didn t have before. 

The football demands of bein…

Market: Bristol City win

Odds: 8/7 @

Hoping to climb off the foot of the Championship table on Saturday afternoon, Sheffield Wednesday will make the trip to Ashton Gate when they meet Bristol City.

Starting with the hosts, while Bristol City might have opened up the 2023/24 campaign dreaming of the chance to mount a genuine play-off charge, the Robins find themselves in the midst of another recent rut. Last seen putting in a downbeat display as they slumped to a 2-0 loss at the hands of Cardiff, that result was enough to cost Nigel Pearson his job at Ashton Gate. Battling it out in the bottom-half of the Championship standings and almost sat in second-tier limbo, they have also lost three of their previous four Championship appearances. With it looking like thei…

Cristian Romero said Argentina s Copa America showdown with Colombia didn t seem like a final due to the chaotic scenes outside the ground in Miami.

Fans without tickets flooded the turnstiles at the Hard Rock Stadium for Sunday s clash, with kick-off delayed for almost 90 minutes.

The poor organisation eventually resulted in those fans being allowed to enter, causing further chaos.

Romero, who helped Argentina to a 1-0 victory, said emotions were running high.

It was hard because many had their families outside, they didn t know what was going on, he told TyC Sports.

It didn t seem like a final, there was a lot of commotion and a lot of concern.

The sentiment was echoed by Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni.

He told reporters: It s…

Napoli still have work to do to qualify for the Champions League knockout stages after Union Berlin ended 12 consecutive defeats by securing a 1-1 draw at Diego Armando Maradona Stadium.

Chelsea loanee David Datro Fofana cancelled out Matteo Politano’s earlier strike as Union, bottom of Group C, picked up their first Champions League point.

Serie A champions Napoli, who knew a win would leave them needing one point from their final two games to guarantee a last-16 spot, had two chances to go in front after 15 minutes.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia did well to beat his marker before playing in Piotr Zielinski who was denied from close range by Union keeper Frederik Ronnow.

Matteo the man making the difference so far

— Official SSC Napoli (@…