Golden Soccer 360

Thibaut Courtois' agent has pleaded with Chelsea to allow the goalkeeper to join Real Madrid this summer. Chelsea will not resume talks with Real over a deal for the Belgium international, who has one year left on his contract, until they find a suitable replacement,  Sky Sports News  understands. The 26-year-old, who has previously said "all options are open", is said to be valued at £32m by Madrid but Courtois' agent Christophe Henrotay says Chelsea should show some compassion. "I have been reading everywhere that Chelsea are saying it is up to Thibaut, but he has made it clear to the club that the best option for him is to move to Madrid," Henrotay said. "For him this is a big decision because he wants to be near his family, and there is an offer in place for Chelsea to accept." Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri admitted he was unsure of Courtois' future but the Italian is optimistic of retaining his services. "At the moment Co...

Derby boss Frank Lampard says he is remaining cautious despite seeing his side come from behind to beat Reading at the Madejski in his managerial debut. Lampard's Rams looked lethargic in the first half in Berkshire on Friday night and fell behind seven minutes into the second half when Jon Dadi Bodvarsson headed home Mo Barrow's left-wing cross, but Mason Mount soon restored parity when his drive escaped the clutches of Royals stopper Vito Mannone. Though a draw perhaps would have been a fair result for both parties, Tom Lawrence created a near carbon-copy of Bodvarsson's opener to win the game when he diverted Mason Bennett's cross from the opposite wing into the back of the net. And Lampard, who took over from Gary Rowett at Pride Park in late May, admitted that the result was harsh on Paul Clement's side, who had controlled the game for large periods. "I thought they were very organised," he told  Sky Sports . "They made it hard for us ...

Barcelona have reached an agreement with Bayern Munich to sign midfielder Arturo Vidal on a three-year deal, subject to a medical. The Chile international was widely reported to be nearing a move to Italian side Inter Milan but has instead opted to play in La Liga for Spanish champions Barcelona. The 31-year-old will fill the void of the departing Brazilian box-to-box midfielder Paulinho who left the Nou Camp to return to rejoin Chinese side Guangzhou Evergrande on loan in July. Vidal joined Bayern Munich from Italian side Juventus in 2015 for a fee in the region of £32m, signed by former Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola. During his time in Bavaria, Vidal won three consecutive Bundesliga titles and the DFB Pokal in his opening season. While playing for Juventus he won four consecutive Serie A titles, winning the Coppa Italia in his final season and finished as runner-up in the Champions League in 2015 - losing to Barcelona. via Sky Sports

Maurizio Sarri believes Chelsea only need to add one more player before the transfer window closes. Chelsea have made big-money midfielder Jorginho and back-up goalkeeper Rob Green their only additions so far. But, as Sarri prepares for the Community Shield against Manchester City at Wembley on Sunday, Sarri said he does not feel his new club are short-handed. "I think we need something," he said. "But only maybe one player. "I spoke with the club about the market but only one time, no more. I spoke about positions but no specifics - no names - so I don't know." Chelsea have changed their head coach with great regularity in recent years but Sarri does not want his stay at Stamford Bridge to be a short one. "It depends on the club, I want to stay here for many years," he said. "I have to win and then it depends on the club but I want to stay here for a long time." via Sky Sports

Manchester City could make one more signing before the end of the transfer window, but only if it is a "special player", says manager Pep Guardiola. With just six days remaining of the transfer window Guardiola has only added Riyad Mahrez to his Premier League title winning squad - for a club-record £65m from Leicester. Guardiola had been keen on acquiring a midfielder, narrowly missing out on Jorginho, who opted to reunite with former Napoli boss Maurizio Sarri at Chelsea. However, the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss insists he will not add another player for the sake of it. "We will see, if we decided to bring another one it's because it is a special player," said Guardiola. "It can be a special player for the future not to have one more player for the number. "All the time I've been here, even the first season, I have been satisfied with the squad we have and last season again and this season as well. "Monday we w...

Alvaro Morata will wear the No 29 shirt for Chelsea this season to pay tribute to his new-born twins. The 25-year-old striker wore No 9 last term after joining from Real Madrid in the summer but has decided on a new shirt number after his wife Alice gave birth to twins Alessandro and Leonardo on July 29. Morata, who scored 11 goals in 31 Premier League appearances last season, has been the subject of transfer speculation over the summer, but new Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri said he was "very confident in him for the future" after his side's pre-season tie with Inter Milan. "It is a day I will never forget, to welcome my twin sons into the world," Morata said on Chelsea's website. "My family is so important to me and I want to honour them and my wife, Alice, when I am on the pitch which is why I have decided to take a different number for the new season and remember this special day by adding the number two to my shirt." Chelsea are offe...

Everton's Lucas Digne insists his "never walk alone" tattoo has nothing to do with football, adding that he has rejected two offers from Liverpool. Digne signed for the Merseyside club from Barcelona earlier this week for a fee worth £18m rising to £20m on a five-year-deal but, once Liverpool fans saw his tattoo, they thought he was a closet Reds fan. However, the French international has rubbished these claims, and revealed in an interview with the Liverpool Echo that he refused offers from Liverpool while he was at Lille and after his loan spell with Roma. "It's not about football, when I was 3 or 4 years old on my first day of school my parents gave me a necklace with these words and after I got them tattooed," said the former Barcelona full-back. "But maybe it's because the Liverpool fans are angry that I said two times 'no' to Liverpool. I'm blue." Digne's former Barcelona team-mate Yerry Mina is a target for E...

AC Milan have confirmed the signing of striker Gonzalo Higuain on a season-long loan from Juventus, with the option to buy. The 30-year-old has moved to the San Siro for the 2017-18 campaign, with defender Leonardo Bonucci travelling in the opposite direction and rejoining his former club. Milan will pay €18million (£16.3m) to take Higuain for the season, with an option to then secure his signature on a permanent deal for €36m (£32.6m) thereafter, Juventus confirmed via a document on their official website. The Argentina international joined Juve from Napoli for a then domestic transfer record fee of £75.3m in 2016 and scored 40 league goals in two seasons with the club. Milan hailed Higuain's arrival as an "important piece of the new era of the club". Italy defender Mattia Caldara has also switched from Juve to Milan, as a part of a flurry of activity between the two rival clubs. Bonucci has sealed his return to Turin in a €35m (£31.2m) switch, acting as a...

Willian insisted he will be taking legal action over a "forged" letter which has circulated in the "football market", claiming to have granted him permission to seek a move away from Chelsea. The Brazil international has taken to social media to personally set the story straight, and confirmed he has instructed his lawyers to act over the false use of his signature. Willian uploaded an image of the letter in question to his personal Instagram account, before explaining its apparent nature and offering a complete rebuttal. "In the recent days I have been informed that a 'letter of authorization for player agent FIFA', allegedly signed in my name has been circulated through the football market," said Willian. "In such letter, Mr. Denirobson Dias would grant an authorization to Mr. Renee Pinheiro Anunciação to represent me until 15 August 2018, throughout football clubs in the United Kingdom and France. "I would like to clarify ...

Tottenham will consider any potential offers for Toby Alderweireld, Danny Rose and Mousa Dembele in this window,  Sky Sports News  understands. Spurs are understood to be in the market for two new signings before the transfer window closes next Thursday, with Aston Villa midfielder Jack Grealish one of them. But the other incoming is reliant on who the club manage to sell. Manchester United are interested in signing Alderweireld, according to Sky sources. His contract is up next summer but Spurs have the option to extend to 2020, which would trigger a £25m release clause. Alderweireld's contract negotiations with Tottenham stalled around Christmas and despite being fit from January, he only featured on three occasions in the league this year. At this stage, there have been no formal talks or offers and Alderweireld is expected back at Spurs training on Monday. Alderweireld's Belgium compatriot Dembele is out of contract next summer. It is understood the midf...

Crystal Palace have signed midfielder Cheikhou Kouyate from West Ham for an undisclosed fee on a four-year deal. The Senegal captain made 129 Premier League appearances for the Hammers in four seasons since his move from Anderlecht in the summer of 2014. Kouyate captained his country at the World Cup and has won 42 caps since his debut in 2012. He told  PalaceTV : "I'm so happy. It's been a long day but now everything is good and I'm very excited to start with my new team-mates. "This is the right time to move because I needed a new challenge. "I have good memories of West Ham but I need to come here and give my best because I like the Crystal Palace project. "I spoke to the manager (Roy Hodgson) and I know he'll be a good manager. I also spoke to Pape Souare and he told me I had to come and now I'm here and I'm very happy." He becomes the second addition to Palace's senior squad, joining goalkeeper...

Fulham have confirmed the signing of defender Alfie Mawson on a four-year-deal from Swansea. The 24-year-old becomes the latest summer arrival at Craven Cottage, joining the likes of Jean Michael Seri, Andre Schurrle and Aleksandar Mitrovic. Mawson was a stand-out player for Swansea during the 2017-18 season, scoring three times in 44 appearances as they unsuccessfully battled against relegation. His strong form saw Mawson receive a call-up from Gareth Southgate to the England senior squad in March. "I'm really happy to get this over the line and join Fulham," the centre-back told the club website. "I'm excited by the project going on here and the football being played last season was lovely on the eye but also effective and I can't wait to be a part of it and get going. "I'm excited to be a part of this great club moving forward and to help achieve success in the Premier League." Fulham are back in the top flight of English foo...

Chelsea will not resume talks with Real Madrid over a deal for Thibaut Courtois until they find a suitable replacement for the goalkeeper,  Sky Sports News  understands. It is thought Courtois will be allowed to leave the club this summer, with Madrid his preferred destination, but Chelsea have yet to make progress on a deal to sign a new keeper. SSN  reported last week that Jordan Pickford was their number one target, but the England international is set for contract talks at Everton when he returns to the club this summer. Courtois, who has one year left on his current Chelsea deal, is valued at £32m by Madrid and it is expected that there would be no issue with agreeing personal terms. But, the Belgium keeper will start the new season at Stamford Bridge if no successor can be found before Deadline Day and could then run down his current deal, meaning he would be able to leave for free next summer. Courtois could yet sign a new contract at Chelsea an...

It has been a frustrating pre-season so far for Jose Mourinho. The Manchester United manager has made no secret of his displeasure with how his preparations for the 2018/19 campaign have gone. Here, we pick out some of his comments to the media over the past fortnight… On missing key players... 18 July:  "(Nemanja) Matic, (David) De Gea and Fred will come next week, but I don't have all my players. "I'm not worried about playing against Liverpool or Real or AC Milan [in the International Champions Cup], but I am worried because I am not training with all my players. It is what it is and we have to make the best of it. "It's maybe good for Luke Shaw and Eric Bailly and Andreas Pereira, just back from loan - I'll take the positives." Mourinho made his concerns about the absence of key players clear at the start of United's US tour - although initially, he could see the benefits for some fringe players. 23 July:  "We are ...

Manchester City new boy Riyad Mahrez has been given the all-clear to return to training later this week. Mahrez suffered an ankle injury in the pre-season friendly against Bayern Munich on Saturday but could feature in the Community Shield this weekend. The winger, signed from Leicester for a club-record £60m earlier this month, came off with the injury in the first half of the 3-2 win in Florida. Images subsequently emerged showing the 27-year-old wearing a protective boot on his left foot, but City said on Monday that a scan had revealed no significant damage. And Mahrez could be available when City play Chelsea on Sunday at Wembley as the 2018-19 season starts to get into full swing. City will then open their Premier League title defence by taking on Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium a week later. via Sky Sports

Liverpool will not entertain a loan offer for Divock Origi and are only prepared to consider a straight sale for the striker, Sky sources understand. Origi has fallen down the pecking order at Anfield and has been linked with moves to both Valencia and Watford in the last week. The 23-year-old spent last season on loan at German side Wolfsburg where he netted seven times in 24 starts, including a vital play-off goal against Holstein Kiel which helped Wolfsburg preserve their Bundesliga status. He has featured for Liverpool in pre-season but was an unused substitute in Saturday's thumping 4-1 win against Manchester United. Origi joined Liverpool four years ago after an impressive showing for Belgium at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, although he missed out on selection for this summer's tournament in Russia. He has scored 12 goals in 51 appearances for the Reds but is behind Roberto Firmino, Daniel Sturridge and Dominic Solanke in the Anfield reckoning. via Sky Spor...