Golden Soccer 360

Juventus announced Pogba's arrival in Italy on social media in the early evening with a video of the 29-year-old exiting the airplane which had brought him from Miami with the message "Incoming..." The 29-year-old had all-but announced his comeback on his personal accounts earlier on Friday when he posted a video filmed on the airplane in which he said "see you soon" in Italian while wearing clothes in Juve's colours of black and white. Pogba will undergo medicals on Saturday before signing a four-year deal which will earn him a reported eight million euros per season plus a potential two million euros in bonuses. He will rejoin Juve after his contract with Manchester United expired at the end of last month, marking the end of a largely disappointing six years in England. Pogba is expected to inherit the number 10 jersey left vacant by Paulo Dybala, who could join Juve's fiercest rivals Inter Milan after the Argentina forward was let go by the ...

Jack Wilshere has announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 30. The former Arsenal midfielder won 34 international caps after making his debut as an 18-year-old in 2010. Wilshere was named PFA Young Player of the Year at the end of the 2010-11 season but missed the whole of the next Premier League season, beginning an extended period blighted by injury. A boyhood West Ham fan, Wilshere joined the east London club in 2018. He last represented Danish club AGF, appearing 14 times for the Superliga side, who confirmed that they would not be renewing Wilshere's contract earlier this week. "Today I am announcing my retirement from playing professional football," Wilshere said in a post on social media. "It has been an unbelievable journey filled with so many incredible moments and I feel privileged to have experienced all that I did during my career. "From being the little boy kicking a ball around in the garden to captaining my beloved...

Chelsea have held talks with Manchester City over a deal to re-sign their former player Nathan Ake. Chelsea are in search of defenders after Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger left this summer. The Blues showed interest in Juventus centre-back Matthijs de Ligt, but reports suggest the defender wants a switch to Bayern Munich this summer with the club planning to make their first official offer in the coming days. Ake left Chelsea for Bournemouth in 2017 after an initial loan spell before a £40m move to City two years ago. The Netherlands centre-back saw his game time limited at the Etihad, playing in just 14 Premier League games for Pep Guardiola's side last season.

Clement Lenglet is undergoing a medical ahead of his proposed loan move from Barcelona to Tottenham. The defender stayed at the on-site hotel at Spurs' Hotspur Way training ground on Thursday night. Spurs expect to complete the deal in 24 hours and include him in the squad travelling to South Korea for the beginning of their pre-season tour on Saturday. The France international, who made 27 appearances in all competitions for Barca last season, is a left-footed centre-back - a position Spurs have been targeting this summer. Lenglet, who joined Barca in July 2018 for £31.7m from Sevilla, only started seven La Liga matches and wouldn't be part of Barca head coach Xavi's plans next season.

Sepp Blatter was head of FIFA for 17 years before being forced out in December 2015; Michel Platini ran UEFA for eight years before leaving his role on the same day as Blatter. Both men have been cleared of corruption charges by a criminal court in the city of Bellinzona, Switzerland on Friday. Blatter was cleared of fraud by the Federal Criminal Court in the southern city of Bellinzona. Platini, a former France national team captain and manager, was also cleared of fraud. The two, once among the most powerful figures in world football, had denied the charges against them. Prosecutors had accused Blatter and Platini of unlawfully arranging for FIFA to pay the Frenchman two million Swiss francs (£1.7m) in 2011. The case meant Blatter ended his reign as FIFA president in disgrace and it wrecked Platini's hopes of succeeding him after he was banned from football when the affair came to light. Blatter had said the payment followed a "gentlemen's agreement" be...

Spurs and Ajax have finally reached an agreement over the transfer of the 24-year-old after the Dutch champions' initial £20m offer was rejected in June. Netherlands international Bergwijn has been keen on a move to Ajax for over a month after falling out of favour under Spurs boss Antonio Conte. The 24-year-old also played for Ajax at the youth level. He scored 8 goals in 83 appearances for Tottenham after arriving from PSV Eindhoven in January 2020. Ajax head coach Alfred Schreuder said: "It is indicative of Steven's ambition that he chose to make the step to Ajax. He is a player with many qualities. He has enormous drive and is also very goal-oriented. "Of course, I am happy that we were able to sign him, he adds new quality to our team."

Di Maria will put pen to paper on his one-year deal worth a reported around €6 million net a season. Juventus reportedly maintained confidence throughout the negotiation process even though there were signs in the Italian media that Di Maria wasn’t always totally sold on a move to Turin. Di Maria will not be a long-term option simply because of his age and the situation in which he arrives. As much as it is to help Juventus in the present, it’s also to ensure that he is ready for the World Cup and be match fit for Argentina. No matter what, though, Di Maria is a player that Max Allegri reportedly really wanted to see arrive at Juventus this summer. And with Di Maria rolling into Turin to undergo his medicals before the weekend officially gets underway, there’s no more waiting — he’s here.

Leeds United manager Jesse Marsch has admitted that talisman Raphinha is pushing for a quick resolution to his transfer saga - which could see him left out of their pre-season tour of Australia. Leeds' preparation for the new campaign has been disrupted by Raphinha's situation - with Barcelona and Chelsea both battling to sign the winger this summer. The Brazilian has attracted a lot of attention following his fruitful two-year spell at Elland Road, scoring a crucial goal in Leeds' 2-1 victory against Brentford on the final day of last season to secure Premier League survival. Barcelona and Chelsea have each hotly pursued the 25-year-old, with the latter having seen a £60million bid accepted from the Yorkshire club. However, Raphinha has made clear his preference to sign for the Spanish giants and will reportedly hold out for a move to the Nou Camp. Leeds' No 10 didn't play in Thursday's pre-season 4-0 win over Blackpool and speaking post-match Marsch...

Southampton are understood to be closing in on a move to sign Rangers midfielder Joe Aribo, with the manager of the Scottish club, Giovanni van Bronckhorst speaking of the player's ambition. Rangers manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst admits playing in the Premier League is the "natural" step for Joe Aribo as he closes in on a move to Southampton. The 25-year-old Nigerian international is expected to move to Saints in the coming days, with Southampton in negotiations with Rangers in recent days over a structured deal, which is reportedly likely to see them pay around £6million up front, with add-ons that could see the deal rise to £10million. It would see Aribo return to English football after three years in Scotland, having signed for Rangers from Charlton Athletic for around £300,000 in the summer of 2019. That was despite him being linked back then with Premier League clubs, including Saints, Arsenal and Aston Villa. But now, after scoring 26 goals in 149 games ...

Football journalist Pete O’Rourke has suggested that Arsenal may make a move to sign Bayer Leverkusen star Moussa Diaby after their attempts to sign Raphinha didn’t come throuh. The Gunners have had a decent transfer window this summer. Mikel Arteta has brought in Fabio Vieira, Marquinhos, Matt Turner and of course, Gabriel Jesus, but the Arsenal boss isn’t done just yet. Arsenal are still on the hunt for a left-sided defender, a central midfielder and a wide player. Leeds United star Raphinha looked like the top target for the latter, but that deal seems to have collapsed. Diaby has been linked with a move to the Premier League for a while now. Newcastle United looked like the club most interested in his services, but after Raphinha snubbed Arsenal, the Gunners may make a move to sign him. O’Rourke told GiveMeSport: “Diaby is probably on the list of a number of top clubs who are looking at attacking wingers this summer, and I’m sure Arsenal are no different. “Obviously, th...

Joan Laporta, president of Barcelona, has revealed he is awaiting a response from the Bundesliga champions regarding Lewandowski. The Poland striker, 33, is entering the final year of his Bayern contract and wants to leave after a glittering eight-year spell at the club. For the second season running, Lewandowski was the leading goalscorer in Europe’s top leagues during the 2021/22 campaign and many consider him the world’s best striker on current form. Bayern are reluctant to sell their star player and reports suggest the German giants would demand at least £43million before they even consider doing business. Speaking on Thursday, Laporta said: “We made an offer to FC Bayern to sign Lewandowski and we are waiting for their response, I hope their response is positive. “I want to thank Lewandowski here in public for what he is doing to join us.” Lewandowski recently told Polish outlet Sport Onet: “Loyalty and respect are more important than the work. The best thing to do is f...

According to reports, West Ham United defender Issa Diop is set to sign for their Premier League rivals Fulham in the coming days. Diop signed for the Hammers from French side Toulouse before the 2018/19 campaign for a fee of around €25.9m. The 25-year-old made a total of 121 appearances for David Moyes' side across all competitions over the past four seasons. The centre-back has been unable to establish himself as a first-team regular at the London Stadium. He started just 10 matches in the Premier League last season. It is reported that 'only a few details' need to be 'settled' before the Fulham transfer is completed. The report adds that the transfer fee is estimated at over €20m.

Everton manager Frank Lampard has praised Anthony Gordon more than any other player last season after taking over the reins on Merseyside. Reports suggest Newcastle United remain interested in the Toffees' winger over a possible £35million move. Gordon was a stand-out player in an otherwise muddy season for Everton as they maneged to avoiid relegation. Lampard singled out the youngster for praise in May, admitting he "loved" working alongside such a "huge" talent. Speaking to Sky Sports, he said: "His feeling for the club, to bring that across at such a young age is something pretty special". "I love working with him, love him as a player. There are things he wants to improve and he can improve and that's normal in terms of development. But what he is doing for us at the minute, he's an absolutely huge player." Ahead of a clash against former club Chelsea, the Everton boss made a bold statement by comparing Gordon to England...

Roma José Mourinho and Lazio counterpart Maurizio Sarri are unhappy at their respective team's transfer inactivity this summer, according to reports in Italy. The Giallorossi have for now signed midfielder Nemanja Matić and goalkeeper Mile Svilar on free transfers alongside defender Zeki Çelik from Lille. Lazio, meanwhile, have only seen midfielder Marcos Antônio arrive from Shakhtar Donetsk and Sarri finds himself without a first or second-choice goalkeeper. Roma are likely to lose Nicolò Zaniolo to Juventus, which could open the door to a midfielder going in the other direction, while they continue to be linked with Sassuolo winger Domenico Berardi, among others. However, despite the complications surrounding any potential deal, Il Corriere report Mourinho's first-choice summer signing is Paulo Dybala. Lazio need to find a goalkeeper as a move for Chelsea's Kepa Arrizabalaga – signed during Sarri's tenure at Stamford Bridge in 2019 – is on a halt. The Bi...

Former Premier League striker Dean Ashton was full of praise for Didier Drogba and his impact on English football and the Chelsea legend was quick to reply. Drogba is an undisputed Premier League legend, winning four Premier League titles, and scoring 104 goals in 254 league appearances. Ashton played in the top flight for Norwich, West Ham, and England, before injury cruelly ended his career early. He said: “I always thought, especially towards the end of my career, Didier Drogba came to the Premier League and I instantly thought; damn it. “I can’t do that. Now teams are going to want to play that way. Teams are going to expect their centre forward to do what he did, he did everything. Absolutely everything. “He was big and strong, and quick, he had great ability. He could hold the ball up and play, run the channels, he could get on the end of a clearance and make something out of it, intelligent in possession, and could score goals.

Paul Pogba has agreed a new deal to return to Juventus on a free transfer as part of a new four-year contract, according to reports. Pogba, who left Man Utd when his contract expired last month, is set to have a medical before the move is officially announced. He will be part of the team when Juventus travel to the United States for their pre-season tour, where they will play Barcelona on July 27 and Real Madrid on July 30. It will be Pogba’s second spell at Juventus, having won four consecutive Serie A titles with the club between 2012 and 2016. Since then, Juventus have been less successful as they finished fourth in the league last season, 16 points behind champions AC Millan. Pogba scored 39 goals in 233 appearances for Man Utd and highlighted his appreciation of the fans at Old Trafford when confirming his departure. “I feel privileged to have played for this club, many beautiful moments and memories but most importantly an unconditional support from the fans,” Pogba wrote o...

Sebastien Haller has joined Borussia Dortmund from Ajax on a four-year deal. The Ivorian made a name for himself in the Eredivisie and will return to Germany where he has played previously for Eintracht Frankfurt . He could provide Dortmund the goals they need following the departure of Erling Haaland. Haller has impressed at Ajax, scoring 47 goals in 66 appearances as he helped the club to win the last two Eredivisie titles. His impressive form saw him score 11 goals in 8 games during last season’s Champions League. "We are very pleased that we were able to sign Sebastien Haller, a seasoned centre forward who recently caused a sensation in the Champions League, but who also knows the Bundesliga in particular and has already proven his class and high finishing quality there. The overall package is very promising. Sebastien has a high level of physical presence and is also very resilient physically. With his experience, he can give our young players support and stability on ...

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly close to concluding a deal to sign Middlesbrough right-back Djed Spence. Spence, who was on loan at Nottingham Forest last season, has been heavily linked with Antonio Conte's side this summer. The 21-year-old was born in London and appears set for a return to the city, Spurs are keen to announce the signing before departing on a pre-season tour to South Korea on July 9. Spence, who has played a few times for England's Under-21s, would be the fifth signing at Tottenham as the club continues to back Conte in the transfer market. Conte guided the club to a fourth-placed finish in his first season, and must now balance Premier League efforts with a Champions League campaign. Spurs have already confirmed the signings of Yves Bissouma from Brighton and Richarlison from Everton, while Ivan Perisic and Fraser Forster have arrived on free transfers.

Raheem Sterling has agreed personal terms with Chelsea and confirmation of his move from Manchester City is now imminent. The England international was on a shortlist of Thomas Tuchel's attacking targets and had entered the final year of his contract with City, who are thankful for his service and will not hinder his desire to move elsewhere. Pep Guardiola has always stated "I don't like to keep players that are unhappy" and was open to allowing Sterling's exit this summer, even to a Premier League rival, on condition that an acceptable bid in the region of £50m is offered. Tuchel was desperate to add a decisive edge in the final third to cure Chelsea's goalscoring issues and new Blues owner Todd Boehly had been in touch with City to discuss figures and the structure of a deal. Sterling would offer Tuchel a guaranteed threat - he has directly contributed a combined 165 goals in the division in 320 appearances for Liverpool and City - as well as tacti...

Barça have confirmed the signing of Franck Kessie and Andreas Christensen. Barcelona signed both players for free after the expiration of their contracts at AC Milan and Chelsea respectively. Kessie is a truly tenacious presence in the middle of the park. Barça manager Xavi was key in the negotiations to sign the Ivory Coast star. Kessie spent 5 years in Milan, ending his time at the club with a Serie A triumph last season. Kessie will add quality to Barcelona’s midfield as they hope to set their hands on the La Liga title which was won by Rivals Real Madrid last season. Christensen joins Barça as an experienced defender. The Chelsea academy graduate has all it takes to make it in La Liga. Christensen has grown and learned a lot from playing with top defenders like Thiago Silva, David Luiz, Antonio Rudiger, Gary Cahill, and John Terry over the years. He is also experienced at the biggest stage too, having played in so many European games highlighting the 2021 UEFA Champions Leag...

Tyrell Malacia joins Manchester United as he becomes the first signing of Erik ten Hag's reign after the left-back completed a £14.7m move from Feyenoord. The 22-year-old has signed a four-year contract at Old Trafford, with an option to extend for a further year. Ten Hag knows Malacia well, having heavily scouted him as Ajax head coach. He fits the profile of player the Dutchman wants at Old Trafford and the manager believes he will improve United in transition phases. Malacia appeals to Ten Hag given his speed, high interception rate, and ability to attack. Speaking about his move to United, Malacia told the club's official website: "It's an incredible feeling to have joined Manchester United. This is a new chapter for me, a new league with new team-mates and a tremendous manager leading us. "I know from playing against his teams in the Eredivisie, the qualities that he has and what he demands of his players.

Mauricio Pochettino has left Paris Saint-Germain and Nice boss Christophe Galtier has been appointed as his successor on a two-year deal. Pochettino has part ways with PSG despite leading them to the French title, winning by 15 points - the largest margin of a title-winning team in the top 5 leagues. Pochettino was able to guide PSG to the champions league semi-finals the previous season, becoming only the second manager in the club's history to achieve such under the current ownership, but they were knocked out by Manchester City. Galtier led Lille to the Ligue 1 title in 2020/2021 season before joining Nice, who went on to secure a fifth-place finish under him in the French top flight last season.

Cristiano Ronaldo is yet to make his way back to training at Carrington due to family reasons, which the club have accepted. Ronaldo was to join the team on Monday, but has instead been keeping fit at Portugal's training base for the past few days. Reports suggest Ronaldo's agent, Jorge Mendes, has spent the past few weeks selling the 'Cristiano effect' to clubs having compiled a dossier of his client's immense sponsorship, social media and 'new markets' influence. Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly is among the executives to listen to the pitch and is considering a move. Bayern Munich and Barcelona have also been engaged and while United insist Ronaldo would not be leaving, that stance is expected to soften if an offer from an overseas team is recieved. Ten Hag will have to expand his attacking targets if Ronaldo leaves, with the club already concerned by their lack of goalscoring threat heading into the new season.

Nigeria’s Super Falcons fell to a 2-1 defeat against South Africa in their opening game at the 2022 Africa Women’s Cup of Nations. Both teams cancelled out each other in the first half, with the Banyana Banyana creating better chances. The Super Falcons dominated the opening exchanges in the second half but fell behind at the 61st minute. Jermaine Seoposenwe slotted the ball home after she was set up by Noxolo Cesane. The Banyana Banyana were two goals up two minutes later courtesy of a fine strike by Hildah Magaia. The Super Falcons reduced the deficit late in the game through Rasheedat Ajibade. The Super Falcons will take on Botswana in their second Group C game on Thursday.

Christian Eriksen has decided to link up with Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford; United will now finalise a three-year contract for the 30-year-old, who spent the second half of last season at Brentford. Once that is done, Eriksen will have a medical before completing the move. Eriksen worked with Ten Hag when he trained with Ajax as part of his return to football following his cardiac arrest while playing for Denmark at Euro 2020. United were patient in their pursuit of Eriksen and put no pressure on the midfielder for a decision, as they understood his choice would be based on more than just football. Eriksen was settled in London with his family at Brentford, but has been attracted by the prospect of working under Ten Hag and being part of United's new era under the Dutchman.

Arsenal have completed the signing of Brazil forward Gabriel Jesus on a long-term contract from Premier League champions Manchester City. The fee for the 25-year-old is said to be £45m and he moves to the Emirates after undergoing a medical and agreeing personal terms. Jesus will wear the No 9 shirt recently vacated by Alexandre Lacazette, who left for Lyon on a free transfer. Arsenal technical director Edu said: "We are delighted that we have secured the transfer of Gabriel. Everyone who knows football well, knows the qualities of Gabriel Jesus. Mikel Arteta added: "I'm very excited. The club has done a tremendous job to recruit a player of this stature. I know Gabriel personally very well, and we all know him well from his time in the Premier League and being really successful here. On leaving Man City, Jesus said: "It's been a pleasure to play for Manchester City. "I feel like I am a better player now than when I arrived - and to win 11 trophie...

Raheem Sterling heads a list of Thomas Tuchel's attacking targets and is now in the final year of his contract with Man City; Chelsea looking for more firepower after Romelu Lukaku rejoined Inter Milan on loan. Any deal between Chelsea and City solely lies on Sterling agreeing personal terms, and it's thought he would expect to outdo the salary he is currently on at City, in keeping with his status as one of the biggest attacking talents in the Premier League, in the prime of his career. Sterling's relationship with Pep Guardiola and City remains very positive, with the Premier League champions happy to let the him leave so long as there is an acceptable bid in the region of £50m. Sterling has only 1 year left on his current contract at the Etihad, with no plans for that to be extended. Sterling would offer Tuchel a guaranteed threat - he has directly contributed a combined 165 goals in the division in 320 appearances for Liverpool and City - as well as tactical f...

Manchester City have completed the signing of midfielder Kalvin Phillips from Leeds on a six-year contract. City agreed a basic fee of £42million with Leeds for the England international last month, with a potential further £3m ad-ons. Phillips, who came through the Leeds Academy, joins City after making 235 appearances for his hometown club over the past eight seasons. Phillips said: "I am absolutely delighted to have joined Manchester City. "City have again proved to be the best team in the country with an amazing squad and a manager in Pep Guardiola who is rightly considered to be the finest in the world. Phillips issued a further statement in which he paid tribute to Leeds, particularly manager Marcelo Bielsa and the fans. He described Leeds as "one of the best clubs on Earth" and that playing for them was a dream and a privilege. He wrote: "I cannot mention Leeds without mentioning one special person - Marcelo. The best manager I have ever com...

Cristiano Ronaldo was unavailable when the majority of Manchester United players returned for pre-season training with new boss Erik ten Hag on Monday morning. The Portuguese forward has informed the club he wants to leave this summer in order to play Champions League football. It's understood his absence from training on Monday was due to family reasons, with United accepting this explanation. United's position on Ronaldo remains that he has a year remaining on his contract and is not for sale, despite his desire to leave mainly because he will be unable to compete for the biggest trophies at the club. The 37-year-old feels the urge to win more as he nears the end of his career, but is understood to feel that may not be feasible at Old Trafford next season. The Portugal international has never played in the Europa League - which United will be in next season. But despite Ronaldo being keen to leave, United have made it clear that he is not for sale and expect him to see...

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has insisted the club do not want to sell Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong this summer. English side Manchester United have been in talks over a move for Dutch. Barcelona need to offload players this summer due to their financial situation and he's their most valuable asset. His depature would allow them to start reshaping their squad for the future. However, Joan Laporta has made it clear he wants to keep De Jong at Camp Nou. “There are clubs that want him, not just United. We have no intention of selling him and he has made it clear, he wants to stay. “Frenkie is considered as one of the best midfielders in the world by all the experts. We are very happy to have him.” said Joan Laporta. Barcelona, though, do face a difficulty in terms of registering players due to the La Liga salary caps. They have agreed to sign Andreas Christensen and Frank Kessie for free this summer. The salary issues mean the club would be unable to add either of them ...