Southampton sponsor Virgin Media to subsidise tickets for away fans at St Mary’s August 9, 2016 Tickets for football fans visiting Southampton this season will cost no more than £20, after the Football Supporters' Federation (FSF) collaborated with Saints sponsor Virgin Media to subsidise tickets. Virgin Media, who believe that "football fans should be at the heart of the game", are supporting the FSF's 'Twenty's Plenty' campaign, an attempt to counteract the increasingly expensive ticket [...]
Premier League preview part two: Leicester will be rivalling West Ham not the title challengers, and Hull look doomed to be whipping boys August 9, 2016 The Premier League has stepped up a level this year and the beauty of it is that the extra broadcast millions have helped raise the standard from the bottom up. There are still divides though, and I see the top-flight as three mini-leagues: the top six, teams just behind them with an eye on snatching fifth [...]
Manchester United’s incredible transfer deficit on the returning Paul Pogba exposed in one chart August 9, 2016 Sir Alex Ferguson brought 13 league titles, five FA Cups and two Champions League triumphs to Manchester United in a glorious 26-year reign as manager. His impact on the club is invaluable but even managers as good as Fergie don't turn everything they touch into gold. Their mistakes can even sometimes cost the best part [...]
Manchester City may have let slip John Stones’ imminent transfer from Everton after he is listed in Champions League squad submitted to Uefa August 9, 2016 Have Manchester City accidentally announced the signing of Everton’s John Stones? The club appears to have submitted a Champions League squad list to Uefa for their upcoming qualifier against Steaua Bucharest that includes the 22-year-old centre back. According to Uefa’s website Stones, given the No24, is a member of City’s squad for the upcoming fixture. [...]
This is Pogboom: How the Paul Pogba brand will help Manchester United pay back world record £89m fee August 9, 2016 Paul Pogba, the most expensive footballer in history after signing for United for a record £89m, is a midfielder who can do it all. In a single game he might score a screamer, demonstrate defensive diligence and bamboozle an opponent with tricks while simultaneously outrunning and outworking him. But according to industry experts, United may have been salivating at both [...]
West Ham complete signing of Swansea forward Andre Ayew for £20.5m August 8, 2016 West Ham have completed the signing of forward Andre Ayew from fellow Premier League side Swansea City for £20.5m on a four-year deal. The 26-year-old joined Swansea on a free transfer from Marseille in June 2015 and scored 12 goals during his debut Premier League season with the Welsh side. “The club have a lot [...]
Manchester United’s world-record capture for Paul Pogba moves a step closer as West Ham shell out £6m on new left-back August 8, 2016 Manchester United’s world-record capture of Paul Pogba moved a step closer after the Juventus midfielder arrived at the club’s training ground for his medical. United are set to complete the £89m signing of Pogba, who departed Manchester in 2012 after finding first-team opportunities hard to come by. The Old Trafford club received just £800,000 in compensation. The [...]
Friendly round-up: Arsenal and Chelsea both suffer defensive injuries a week before start of Premier League season August 7, 2016 Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger’s defensive crisis deepened a week before his side’s opening Premier League fixture as centre-half Gabriel was stretchered off during today's 3-2 friendly victory over Manchester City in Gothenburg. Wenger is short of defensive reserves after a knee injury ruled World Cup winner Per Mertesacker out for up to five months and Laurent [...]
Leicester City 1, Manchester United 2: Jose Mourinho backs Paul Pogba to complete his Old Trafford jigsaw after green light given for world record transfer August 7, 2016 Conundrum-solving Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho has backed midfielder Paul Pogba to prove the final piece of his Old Trafford jigsaw after the Old Trafford club beat Leicester to lift the FA Community Shield yesterday. Summer signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic emerged as the match-winner inside the final 10 minutes, handing Mourinho his first piece of United [...]
FC Twente director says Manchester City and Chelsea use Dutch club to help spin profit on young players they’ll never use August 6, 2016 Manchester City, Chelsea and other big European clubs sign young players who they know will never reach the first team but could make them a profit claims the director of Dutch club FC Twente. Technical director at the Eredivisie team Jan van Halst argues that young players such as City's Turkish teen Enes Unal — loaned to FC Twente this summer — [...]