Rodrygo joked Brazil s Real Madrid contingent are all eagerly awaiting Carlo Ancelotti to take over as the Selecao s new head coach.

Madrid boss Ancelotti has been strongly linked with the job, despite still having another year to run on his contract at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Rodrygo is one of three Madrid players in the Brazil squad, along with Eder Militao and Vinicius Junior, and he would welcome the appointment of Ancelotti as Tite s successor.

We joke with him: Wow, coach, we re waiting for you there , Rodrygo told Globo. He jokes that we ll make the squad list together, the four of us in the same room.

We talk in a joking tone, but every joke has a bit of truth. The situation is difficult because it means he d have to leave Madrid.

That w…

Juventus forward Paulo Dybala has warned new team-mate Gonzalo Higuain that he will not find it easy to seize a spot in the starting line-up.

The Serie A champions spent a club record €90million to sign Higuain from title rivals Napoli, following a remarkable 2015-16 season in which he scored 38 goals in 42 appearances.

But Dybala says his compatriot s price tag is no guarantee of a place in Massimiliano Allegri s first team, such is the strength in depth of the squad.

We hope he can help us score many goals and that he can help us in the league, Dybala told La Gazzetta dello Sport.  It ll certainly be difficult at Juventus because there s so much competition. Mario [Mandzukic] is already doing well.

Higuain was the marquee signing in a stellar tran…

Reading have announced the departure of manager Jaap Stam after a wretched run of results in the Championship.

The former Manchester United and Netherlands defender took the Royals to the play-off final last season but poor results in 2017-18 have seen them slip to 20th in the table, three points above the relegation zone.

After a run of just one win in 18 league games, Reading say a change of manager is necessary to help steer them clear of the drop.

Reading Football Club announce that Jaap Stam has left his position as manager of the club with immediate effect, a club statement confirmed.

Majority shareholders, Mr Yongge Dai and Ms Xiu Li Dai, had wanted to give Jaap every opportunity to turn around what has been a difficult and challenging Championsh…

Liverpool striker Andy Carroll looks set to complete his permanent move to West Ham United later this week, according to the .

The 24 year old, who’s £35 million transfer from Newcastle United to the Reds in January 2011 remains the record for a British player, has been considering his options since Liverpool accepted a bid from the Hammers last month.

Sam Allardyce took the England international on loan for the majority of last season, though injury limited him to just twenty-four league appearances.

A return to hometown club Newcastle had been mooted, though a bid has not been forthcoming, leaving his options limited.

Carroll has played just nineteen minutes of football under Brendan Rodgers, who faces an attacking headache of ahead of the new s…

The fans are also very ‘passionate’ in Buenos Aires, but there are so many teams in that city that opposition supporters almost always ignore you. There is no third way in Rome, as you’re either Giallorosso or Laziale, he continued.
People really are crazy about football here. I met a fan who had a tattoo of my autograph on his arm. That was too much!
Lamela joined Roma from River Plate in 2011 and has since made 62 appearances in all competitions.
…

Ex-Germany goalkeeper Jens Lehmann said on Saturday he would like to come out of international retirement having extended his contract with Bundesliga club Stuttgart for another year.

The 39-year-old, who joined the German club from Arsenal last summer, made the last of his 61 appearances for the national side when they lost the Euro 2008 final against Spain last June in Vienna.

If the need exists and I am enough good, the chance to play for Germany again would be a big incentive for me, Lehmann told German television Premiere after his side s 2-1 win at Bochum on Saturday.

On Friday, Lehmann signed a year s extension to his contract which will keep him in Stuttgart until after next year s World Cup.

I said after Euro 2008 I would not be part of the te…

Asked if the chance to put the champagne on ice provided added motivation, the 28-year-old said: “It’s not so much about spoiling their party, but we want to come here and win.

“The lads will be aware that we can play with a bit of freedom, it’s a bit of a free hit for us – which is obviously disappointing to say as a player, but that’s the way it is.

“We want to win the game and spoil their party to an extent, but it’s not a vendetta against them, it’s just as a professional you want to win every game that you play in, and especially at the highest level against one of the best teams in the world, you want to go out and beat them.

“It would mean an awful lot for us to get that result.”

The game seems likely to be the penultimate fix…

Mikel Arteta s January business will not change due to Arsenal s past two results, although Bukayo Saka continues to provide the creative spark the Gunners need.

Arsenal were winless in seven and 15th in the table at Christmas but have since beaten Chelsea and Brighton and Hove Albion.

The latter 1-0 victory at Brighton came courtesy of an Alexandre Lacazette strike 29 seconds after coming off the bench on Tuesday.

Arteta s men are now nine points clear of the bottom three, surely quelling any mischievous relegation talk, but they are not looking to take their foot off the gas.

Asked if back-to-back wins for only the second time this season in the league would affect the urgency to make moves in the coming transfer window, Arteta replied: No, the last few…

Virgil van Dijk expressed his gratitude for the support he has received after making his return in Liverpool s 4-3 friendly defeat to Hertha Berlin.

Van Dijk made his first appearance since suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury in the Merseyside derby last October at the Tivoli Stadion in Tirol on Thursday.

The Netherlands captain and fellow defender Joe Gomez, who had been sidelined with a knee injury since November, were introduced by Jurgen Klopp with 20 minutes to go.

Van Dijk later thanked those who had helped him on the road to recovery during his lengthy absence.

He tweeted: 285 days ago, I started on a journey back towards playing. It s hard to express how I am feeling, but it s important to me that I say I feel blessed to have had t…

Manchester City have re-signed defender Angelino from PSV after activating a reported £5.3million buy-back clause in his contract at the Eredivisie club.

Angelino began his professional career at the Etihad Stadium but did not make a Premier League appearance for City.

He left for PSV a year ago and made 43 appearances in 2018-19 but City have opted to bring the 22-year-old back to boost their defensive options.

After signing a four-year contract with the Premier League champions, Angelino told the club s official website he is looking forward to developing his game under Pep Guardiola.

I am thrilled to have rejoined City, a side playing incredible football under Pep Guardiola, said Angelino.

Watching them while playing in Holland has been a…