Theo Hernandez has completed a transfer from Real Madrid to AC Milan.
Milan have paid a reported €20million for the 21-year-old, who has signed a five-year contract at San Siro.
Theo joined Los Blancos on a six-year deal from city rivals Atletico Madrid in 2017 but made just 23 appearances in his maiden season at Madrid, before joining Real Sociedad on loan for 2018-19.
With Madrid having signed left-back Ferland Mendy from Lyon, Theo – whose brother Lucas left Atleti to join Bayern Munich on July 1 – has been deemed surplus to requirements.
129 completed 129 dribbles in the last three La Liga campaigns, more than any other defender in the competition. Slalom.
— OptaPaolo (@OptaPaolo)
Following Theo to Milan could be Empoli mid…
Jurgen Klinsmann will lead Hertha Berlin as head coach until the end of the season after the Bundesliga side parted company with Ante Covic.
The capital club announced the change in the wake of a 4-0 defeat to Augsburg that left them hovering precariously above the relegation places.
Klinsmann has Bundesliga experience with Bayern Munich on his resume but has not held a coaching position for three years.
The former Germany boss, a top-class striker in his playing days, was sacked by the United States in November 2016 after failing to secure qualification for the 2018 World Cup.
We would like to thank for all his hard work and his love for the team that he has shown not just as head coach, but over the entirety of the last 20 years.
— Hertha B…
Neymar has returned to training ahead of Brazil s World Cup last-16 tie with South Korea and will feature if he gets the green light from the team s medical department.
Brazil s talisman has not featured in Qatar since the Selecao s opening Group G game a 2-0 win over Serbia.
Neymar went off in that match having sustained an ankle injury and was unavailable for the rest of the group stage.
The 30-year-old posted images from his return to training on social media on Saturday, along with the caption I feel good, I knew that I would now , and it was confirmed in Brazil s pre-match press conference that Neymar will be available as long as he comes through a session unscathed on Sunday.
I feel good, I knew that I would now
— Neymar Jr (@neymarjr) <…
Liverpool striker Diogo Jota believes that he and his team-mates can still catch Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table despite losing further ground in the title race.
The Reds fell to a shock 1-0 defeat at Leicester City on Tuesday, before Man City overcame Brentford by the same scoreline on Wednesday to extend their lead, now eight points ahead of second-place Chelsea and nine ahead of Liverpool, albeit having played a game more than Jurgen Klopp s side.
The defending Premier League champions have dropped just 10 points in their first 20 games this season, but Jota insists that Liverpool can close the gap between now and the end of the season.
There are still a lot of games. Obviously there is a gap now between us and them, the Portugal int…
AC Milan manager Stefano Pioli hinted Christian Pulisic could be utilised as a false nine during Friday’s game against Roma at the Stadio Olimpico.
The former Chelsea forward has scored twice in his first two Serie A appearances and could be deployed in the position in the capital.
Milan will be without fellow summer-signing Noah Okafor who is recovering from injury though Samuel Chukwueze and Yunus Musah who also arrived during the summer will be available “from the first minute.”
Ciao Christian!
— AC Milan (@acmilan)
Pioli’s side lead the early Serie A table after beating Bologna and Torino in their opening games, and will open up a three-point lead on champions Napoli with victory against Roma, for at least 24 hours.
Of Pul…
Leeds United thumped Norwich City 4-0 in the second leg of their Championship play-off semi-final to seal their place at Wembley.
After a goalless draw in the first leg left it all to play for at Elland Road on Thursday, Leeds turned on the style in front of a raucous home crowd to cruise into the final on May 26.
Ilia Gruev settled the majority of Elland Road s nerves with just seven minutes played as he caught out Angus Gunn with a long-range free-kick, curling into the space vacated by the Norwich goalkeeper s expectation of a cross.
Joel Piroe then doubled the hosts advantage 13 minutes later, again capitalising on poor goalkeeping to beat Gunn to Wilfried Gnonto s cross and nod home.
The tie was effectively over five minutes from half-time, Georginio…
Ivan Rakitic has challenged Barcelona not to allow their standards to drop as they aim to prolong their record-breaking run of form against Celta Vigo on Sunday.
Luis Enrique s side made it 29 games without defeat in all competitions on Wednesday with a 1-1 draw with Valencia in the Copa del Rey semi-final second leg, moving them beyond the previous best set by Pep Guardiola s side in 2010-11.
Barca s 8-1 aggregate win sent them into a final showdown with Sevilla, who overcame Celta in their semi-final, meaning the defence of last season s treble remains a possibility for the Liga leaders.
And Rakitic insists the players are only interested in sustaining their form and winning trophies as they look to make it 30 games without defeat in the 100th top-flight encoun…
Bayern Munich sporting director Matthias Sammer has insisted the club will not lower their asking price for striker Mario Gomez.
The 27-year-old found himself behind Mario Mandzukic in the pecking order last season, as Bayern claimed a Bundesliga, UEFA Champions League and DFB-Pokal treble.
Reports have suggested that the striker is keen to gain more playing time elsewhere, but Sammer says the Bavarian club will not accept a cut-price offer.
If the conditions are not right, then it s just not going to work, Sammer told Sport1.
As long as our wishes remain unfulfilled, nothing is going to happen. But Mario wants to go to Fiorentina.
Sammer s counterpart at Serie A club Fiorentina, Daniele Prade, has also suggested that a deal may have hit the rocks over the…
Verdict: Draw
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Tottenham will be hoping to extend their five-year unbeaten record at Goodison on Saturday against Everton. The Toffees on their own part will look to extend the impressive home run which saw them lose only two of their last 15 matches in all competitions.
Everton
It’s been a mixed start of the season for Ronald Koeman’s men. The Toffees raised the curtain with a 2-0 win over Stoke City, managed a 1-1 draw at the Etihad afterwards and slumped to a 2-0 defeat at the hands of the Premier League champions Chelsea last time out. A 2-1 aggregate win over Hajduk Split for a place in the group stage of the Europa league was sandwiched in between domestic duties and it seems as if Ronald Koeman’s men will be raring to …
Euro 2016 president Jacques Lambert said he is immensely sad for Michel Platini after the Frenchman announced he would be stepping down as UEFA president.
Platini had his ban which was related to a $2 million (£1.3m) disloyal payment made by then FIFA chief Sepp Blatter in 2011 reduced from six years to four by the Court of Arbitration for Sport s three-man appeal panel on Monday.
However, Platini s legal team announced shortly afterwards he would be stepping down from his role at UEFA, leaving Lambert disappointed for his friend.
I supported [Platini] in the past, but I support him even more today, because Michel is first and foremost a friend, and when a friend is in difficulty, there s no better time to be behind him, Lambert said.
My reactio…