Football rumours: Wayne Rooney in the running for Birmingham job

UEFA has announced Howard Webb will take charge of the Champions League semi-final between Bayern Munich and Real Madrid on Tuesday.

Webb, 40, is regarded as one of the best officials in the world, having refereed the finals of both the Champions League and the World Cup in 2010.

He has overseen 42 matches in 2011/12, including four in the Champions League, but none of them have involved either Real or Bayern.

Following this week s first leg at the Allianz Arena, Munich, the return fixture will take place at Madrid s Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on April 25.

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Roma midfielder Michael Bradley says it is an honour to play with Francesco Totti, describing him as one of the best players in history .

The United States international earned a transfer to Roma following an impressive 2011/12 campaign with Chievo.

He has since become a regular starter under Zdenek Zeman, making 10 Serie A appearances for the capital club, and Bradley believes the opportunity of working alongside Totti each day has been a rewarding experience.

Everything has gone well so far, Bradley told topmercato.com. I feel great, even if I have to improve my distribution and usage of the ball.

I also appreciate the presence of a leader like Totti. He is one of the best players in history. I feel lucky to play alongside him.

After an inco…

According a report from Eurosport, FC Twente has confirmed they have reached an agreement to send Dutch midfielder Orlando Engelaar to Bundesliga outfit, FC Schalke 04.

Engelaar was quite impressive as he started all four of Holland s Euro 2008 matches as the Dutch made it to the quarterfinals in Austria and Switzerland.

The 28-year-old has repeatedly expressed an interest in moving to the Gelsenkirchen club, where former Twente coach Fred Rutten recently took the reins.

“It is a pity that Orlando is going but we must stay realistic,” Twente chairman Joop Munsterman told the club s official website. “He has had two excellent years at FC Twente, played at Oranje and had a fine Euro 2008. It was his absolute wish to leav…

Sunderland striker Ji Dong-Won has joined German side Augsburg on loan until the end of the season.

The striker signed for the Black Cats in the summer of 2011 from Korean side Chunnam Dragons, but struggled to secure a regular starting berth despite scoring the winner against eventual champions Manchester City at the Stadium of Light in January 2012.

That goal proved to be the highlight of last season for the South Korea international, who made 21 Premier League appearances in total in 2011-12 but has not featured during this campaign.

The addition of top scorer Steven Fletcher has seen Ji fall out of contention for a first-team place, and the 21-year-old will now attempt to find regular football with Augsburg, who sit second from bottom of the Bundesliga havin…

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer insists Manchester United are one of the most consistent teams in England despite their mixed start to the Premier League.

United sat ninth in the table after nine matches going into the weekend, five points adrift of leaders Tottenham with a game in hand.

Solskjaer s side headed away to fifth-placed West Ham in a key game on Saturday that gave them a chance to win a fourth consecutive Premier League match.

They were also seeking a ninth straight top-flight win away from home, a streak which is already their longest run in competition history.

While Wednesday s 3-1 home Champions League defeat to Paris Saint-Germain dented morale, Solskjaer feels there is plenty to be excited about in the months ahead.

And he rejected sug…

Aleksandar Mitrovic is expected to be on the move this summer and now we have the first potential bidder for the striker. The Serbia international has had a great 2018, getting promoted with Fulham to Premier League and then doing great with national team to score 12 goals in the calendar year and participate at the World Cup.

But after a terrible season his club has had, the 24-year-old could be leaving Craven Cottage and such scenario is expected. According to the Express, Southampton are planning a £30 million bid for Fulham striker. Mitrovic scored 11 goals for Fulham this season but his future is up in the air after the club were relegated from the Premier League.

Scoring 11 goals at such a disrupted team is good turnout and Ralph Hasenhuttl will want to…

that Thibaut Courtois could be set to leave Chelsea after falling out with coach Christophe Lollichon.

The Belgium international has been the Blues’ first choice shot-stopper since returning from a three-year loan stint with Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2014.

He has played sixty-seven times for the London outfit in all competitions and helped them to success in both the Premier League and League Cup last season.

However, his days at Stamford Bridge appear to be numbered with rivals Liverpool and La Liga giants Real Madrid two of the clubs linked with a move to secure his services.

Atleti could also be interested in taking him back while French champions Paris Saint Germain have also thrown their hat into the ring.

Chelsea travel to r…

Paul Le Guen admitted his Oman side were far inferior to Australia after they were thumped 4-0 in the Asian Cup on Tuesday.

The Socceroos dominated their opponents at Stadium Australia, as goals from Matt McKay, Robbie Kruse, Mark Milligan and Tomi Juric sealed a comprehensive victory at Sydney s Stadium Australia.  

Apart from some early pressure on the Australia goal with Mat Ryan pulling off an excellent diving save to keep the visitors out Oman had no answer to the hosts.

The result means Australia are assured of their place in the quarter-finals, while Oman s hopes of reaching the last eight are now over.

They were far better than us in each part of the game, Le Guen said.

We were not able to cope with such pace three days after our g…

Simone Inzaghi saluted Inter s unity after the Nerazzurri kept Porto at bay to secure their place in the Champions League quarter-finals.

Inter are through to the last eight of Europe s premier club competition for the first time in 12 years, after a goalless draw at Estadio do Dragao sealed a 1-0 aggregate victory over Sergio Conceicao s side.

The visitors survived a late flurry of chances as Porto struck the woodwork twice in quick succession through Mehdi Taremi and Marko Grujic, while Denzel Dumfries blocked Ivan Mercano on the line.

And Inzaghi heaped praise on his players efforts as they held out to prevail.

We played a great game, the group came together and played a great match, he told Mediaset. [We were] excellent first half. In the last part o…

Manchester United great Andrew Cole expects Erik ten Hag to act decisively on Harry Maguire s future at the end of the season, having found a brilliant defensive duo in Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez.

Maguire has struggled for regular minutes since Ten Hag took charge last year, only making five starts during an encouraging Premier League campaign for the Red Devils.

The defender – who was named in Gareth Southgate s England squad for games against Italy and Ukraine on Thursday – has been linked with an exit after seeing Varane and Martinez establish themselves as regulars.

Ten Hag has taken several big decisions since arriving at Old Trafford – not least to allow Cristiano Ronaldo s departure – and Cole expects him to be similarly firm with Maguire…