Talksport understand that Arsenal are ready to reignite their interest in signing Borussia Dortmund defender Sokratis Papastathopolus.
The Gunners are in the market for a new centre-back and Papastathopolus is high on their list of targets, with Manchester United and Juventus also interested in securing his services.
The Greece international has been plying his trade with Dortmund since signing from Werder Bremen in the summer of 2013 and during that time has racked up one hundred and ninety-two appearances in all competitions, scoring ten goals.
Prior to his move to Germany he had a spell in Italy turning out for Genoa and Milan having began his career with AEK Athens in his home country.
Internationally he has been capped seventy-eight times at sen…
Market: Middlesbrough win
Odds: 13/10 @
Looking to lay down another marker on Monday afternoon, a high-flying Middlesbrough will make the trip to St. Andrew s when they meet Birmingham.
Starting with the hosts, while Birmingham might hold a six-point buffer over slipping into the drop zone, the Blues are enduring what has been another worrying rut. Last seen signing off 2022 with a toothless display on home soil as they were hit with a shock 1-0 loss against fellow strugglers Hull, John Eustace s men could be looking over their shoulder with some concern. In fact, on a run that is highlighted by a 3-0 drumming at the hands of Burnley last week, fans around St. Andrew s have seen their side muster just a sole Championship win from their last six attempts. With th…
Bayern Munich signing Erling Haaland doesn t make any sense for sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic because they have Robert Lewandowski.
Haaland is believed to be available for €75million due to a clause in his Borussia Dortmund contract and is set leave in one of the upcoming off-season s major transfers.
The Norway international has scored 82 goals and supplied 19 assists in 86 appearances in all competitions for Dortmund since making his debut on January 18, 2020. He has averaged 1.1 goals per 90 minutes, a record that is only bettered by Bayern striker Lewandowski (1.2) among players in the top five European leagues.
Haaland has been touted as a potential replacement for Lewandowski, who Bayern were said to be open to offers for with his contract exp…
Memphis Depay s first goal for Barcelona secured a 1-1 draw for Ronald Koeman s side against Athletic Bilbao at San Mames on Saturday.
Barca started life without Lionel Messi – who joined Paris Saint-Germain earlier this month – with a 4-2 win over Real Sociedad last weekend, but they were well off the pace for much of the clash with Marcelino s side.
The hosts had seven shots to Barca s three in a lively first half and they deservedly went ahead five minutes after the restart when Inigo Martinez steered a header past Neto.
Former Lyon forward Depay ensured a share of the spoils 15 minutes from full-time, though, lashing home from an acute angle moments after Frenkie de Jong had hit the crossbar.
Eric Garcia was then sent off in the final moments…
Jurgen Klopp will take charge of Borussia Dortmund for the final time in Saturday s DFB-Pokal final against Wolfsburg, bringing the curtain down on a successful seven-year stint at the club.
After 18 years at Mainz, where he served as player and coach, Klopp moved to Signal Iduna Park in 2008 and led Dortmund to three major trophies two Bundesliga titles as well as one Pokal crown.
In April, Klopp announced he would leave the club at the end of the season, believing he was no longer the right man to take Dortmund forward, with Thomas Tuchel named as his replacement.
It remains to be seen where his next destination will be with a year s sabbatical a possibility but Klopp is unlikely to be short of potential suitors.
We take a look at his career to date.…
France forward Anthony Martial s future at Manchester United is unclear.
The 25-year-old is struggling to fit into United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer s plans.
Martial signed a five-year deal with United in 2019, meaning he is contracted until 2024.
Manchester United officials have given Anthony Martial’s representatives the green light to look for a new club.
However, the Frenchman fears he may be priced out of a January move.
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Barcelona head coach Ernesto Valverde rested Lionel Messi for his side s LaLiga clash with Leganes, naming the club s leading goal-scorer among the substitutes.
Valverde opted to start the match with a front three of Philippe Coutinho, Ousmane Dembele and Luis Suarez as Barca sought a seventh successive league victory that would restore their five-point lead over Atletico Madrid at the top of the table.
Messi has scored six goals in his last four league appearances to take his tally for the season to 17 and his total for the club past the 400 mark, but Valverde said before the game that his star man would need a rest amid a tough run of fixtures.
The Blaugrauna will face Sevilla over two legs in the Copa del Rey before the end of January, either side of a t…
Neymar scored two penalties as Brazil cruised to an entertaining 5-1 friendly win over South Korea in Seoul on Thursday.
South Korea star Son Heung-min had urged his team-mates to be fearless against the top-ranked side in international football, but they were outclassed for much of the match by Tite s men.
A scrappy Richarlison opener had Brazil in charge as early as the seventh minute and, although the hosts did equalise through Hwang Ui-jo, more Brazil goals were inevitable such was their dominance.
Alex Sandro proved key to getting Brazil back in front as he won two penalties either side of half-time, with Neymar outsmarting the goalkeeper on both occasions to put the game beyond South Korea before substitutes Philippe Coutinho and Gabriel Jesus finished off …
Gerard Pique scored the only goal as Barcelona beat Dynamo Kiev 1-0 at Camp Nou to get off the mark with their first victory in this season s Champions League.
Barca had lost their opening two group games for the first time ever, going down 3-0 to both Bayern Munich and Benfica, but they were good value for the three points.
Pique volleyed in a first-half opener to end a run of 287 minutes without a goal in the competition for the Catalans and they looked comfortable without adding to their scoring.
The win moves Ronald Koeman s men above Kiev into third place in Group E, a point behind Benfica and three off Bayern Munich, with those two sides meeting later on Wednesday.
Barca had recorded fewer shots on target (one) than any side in the competition headi…
Alphonso Davies is relishing his new-found status as an inspiration after he helped Bayern Munich to Champions League success, as he believes his backstory proves anything is possible.
Davies, 19, has enjoyed a remarkable rise to the top, having only joined Bayern from Vancouver Whitecaps in MLS last year and being converted into a left-back this season.
But the Canada international s story goes back much further.
He was born in a refugee camp in Ghana after his parents fled their native Liberia during the country s second civil war.
The family moved to Canada when he was five and he eventually attained citizenship in 2017.
Dream come true!!!!!!
— Alphonso Davies (@AlphonsoDavies)
Now regarded as one of the finest left-backs …