Alvaro Morata: Chelsea agree £60m deal to sign Real Madrid striker

Chelsea have agreed a deal to sign Real Madrid striker Alvaro Morata for about £60m.

The Spain international must now agree personal terms and pass a medical to complete the transfer.

The 24-year-old would be the Premier League champions' fourth signing of the summer, after goalkeeper Willy Caballero, defender Antonio Rudiger and midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko.

Morata scored 20 goals last season after rejoining Real from Juventus.

He won La Liga and the Champions League, but the majority of his appearances were as a substitute.

Morata could replace Spain team-mate Diego Costa, who says he has been told by manager Antonio Conte that he is no longer in Chelsea's plans.

Manchester United had been interested in Morata prior to signing Everton striker Romelu Lukaku for an initial £75m.

Morata joined Real Madrid's youth team in 2008 and was handed his senior debut aged 18 in 2010.

The 6ft 3in striker moved to Italy in 2014, scoring 27 goals in two years for Juventus, winning both Serie A and the Coppa Italia twice and playing in the 2015 Champions League final.

Real exercised a buy-back option in June 2016 to take him back to the Bernabeu.

Morata has won 20 caps for Spain, scoring nine goals, since his international debut in 2014.
Analysis

European football journalist Mina Rzouki on BBC Radio 5 live

If you offered me the choice between Morata and Lukaku, I wouldn't even think about it.

I would pay £20m or £30m more if I had to and I would bring in Morata.

That is because I would always prefer an intelligent player in my team. Even if he doesn't score as many goals, even if he doesn't do whatever he needs to.

If he is more intelligent then he can be moulded quicker, he can do what he needs to do. And Morata has Champions League experience. He was second top scorer for Real Madrid despite not starting.

He has done it at Juventus and he has done it at Real Madrid.

He understands, he has the pace, he is intelligent, he links up play, he can be a counter-attacking threat.
The stats
Morata's conversion rate last season was 27%, the highest of any striker to score 10 or more goals in La Liga in 2016-17; he scored 15 goals from 55 shots.
Morata's goals won Real Madrid 13 points in La Liga last season; only Cristiano Ronaldo won more for the side with 15.

BBC London News & Sport

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Wimbledon 2017: Venus Williams and Garbine Muguruza set for women's singles final

Wimbledon 2017 ladies' singles final - Venus Williams v Garbine Muguruza
Venue: All England Club Dates: Saturday, 15 July Starts: 14:00 BST

Venus Williams could become the oldest woman to win a Grand Slam singles title in the Open Era when she meets Garbine Muguruza in Saturday's Wimbledon final.

The American, 37, will overtake sister Serena's record - set when she was aged 35 at the Australian Open in January - by winning her sixth SW19 title.

"I don't think about my age," Williams told BBC Sport. "It is not a factor."

Spain's Muguruza, 23, is aiming for her first Wimbledon triumph after losing to Serena Williams in the 2015 final.

"I think my mind is more equipped this time," said the 2016 French Open champion.

By Jonathan Jurejko

BBC Sport at Wimbledon

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Diego Costa and Nemanja Matic left out of Chelsea tour squad

Diego Costa and Nemanja Matic will miss Chelsea's pre-season tour of the Far East amid suggestions that both will leave Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea leave for China on Monday and manager Antonio Conte has told both players they will not be selected.

Striker Costa, 28, wants to return to Atletico Madrid, even though they are under a transfer ban.

Manchester United have been trying to reach an agreement to sign midfielder Matic, 28.

However, there is also thought to be interest in the Serb from clubs in Italy.

Monaco midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko is expected to replace Matic in the Chelsea side next season.

It is believed the 22-year-old will complete his move to the Premier League champions in the next few days.

Chelsea open their pre-season programme against Arsenal in Beijing on 22 July before travelling to Singapore for games against Bayern Munich and Inter Milan


By Simon Stone BBC Sport

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Floyd Mayweather uses homophobic slur after accusing Conor McGregor of racism

Warning: Some of the language in this story may cause offence.

Floyd Mayweather used a homophobic slur after accusing Conor McGregor of racist comments during the media tour to promote their Las Vegas fight.
Mayweather will face UFC lightweight title-holder McGregor in 12 rounds under boxing rules in August.

"He called black people monkeys," said the American, 40, during a news conference at Wembley Arena on Friday.

Mayweather then addressed McGregor as: "You punk. You faggot. You ho."

In response to accusations of racism, McGregor has said that he is a "multicultural individual".

The 29-year-old is alleged to have made racist comments during the third stop of the tour in New York on Thursday.

"He totally disrespected black women," added Mayweather. "Then he spoke disrespectfully to my mother and he spoke disrespectfully to my daughter."
'I'm a home-cooked meal, you're a microwave meal' - best of Mayweather v McGregor

Former five-weight boxing world champion Mayweather and his opponent McGregor have conducted a series of press conferences in recent days to promote their fight, with stops in Los Angeles and Toronto before the trips to New York and London.

McGregor has attracted criticism for a series of comments during those press conferences; the Irishman's statement in New York that he was "half-black from the belly button down" led Mayweather to accuse him of "crossing the line".

The American added on Friday: "I respect every country. Racism still exists.

"I'm not going to stoop that low and speak about his like or speak about his child. I'm glad that he just had a healthy child and he has a beautiful family."

Responding to Mayweather at the New York press conference on Thursday, McGregor said: "I'm a multicultural individual and I don't have any ill feelings towards anyone. I don't even see colour."

In 2010, Mayweather made racist and homophobic remarks towards Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao in a video posted on the website Ustream.
Analysis

BBC Radio 5 live sports news correspondent Richard Conway

The four night global promotional tour is over and will reassemble in Las Vegas in the build-up to the contest on August 26th.

Thousands of fans packed Wembley Arena cheering and shouting McGregor's name.

Chants of "pay your taxes" and "sit down, shut up" were continually chanted at Mayweather.

This was more pantomime than press conference.

But troubling elements of this fight have emerged before the question of its sporting validity is even answered.

Sexist and homophobic language was used continually. The hype and hoopla - what should have been a carnival of over the top bravado - sadly had a misogynistic and backdated overtone.
'It's about taking risk'

At the end of the news conference, Mayweather and McGregor took several questions from the media.

BBC boxing correspondent Mike Costello asked McGregor - who has never boxed as an amateur or professional - how he addresses pundits who say he has no chance of beating Mayweather.

McGregor replied: "I do what I say I'm going to do, by sleeping [Mayweather] inside of four rounds - the same way I silence them every time."

Mayweather, who won all 49 of his bouts, was asked how he thought the McGregor fight would affect his legacy in boxing.

"In boxing, it's all about taking chances," said Mayweather.

"In contact sports, it's about taking risk, so if you going to take a risk, take it against the top guys."

Source bbcsport

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Chelsea and Liverpool in Auba tug of war

Chelsea and Liverpool will battle it out to sign Borussia Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

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Smalling to be sold by Man Utd

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has given the green light for Chris Smalling to be sold during the transfer window.

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Naby Keita to repeat Liverpool wish as Leipzig reject £57m bid

The 22-year-old wants to link up with Jurgen Klopp, with the Reds prepared to make him one of the biggest signings in Premier League history

Naby Keita is expected to respectfully reiterate his desire to leave RB Leipzig for Liverpool as the determination to get a deal over the line is strengthened.
LFC's 15 best signings of all time
The Reds have had an opening offer of £57 million rebuffed for their priority target as the Bundesliga side once again affirmed the midfielder is not for sale.
News of the development broke via Bild on Thursday night, but it is understood the bid was submitted days in advance of the 22-year-old reporting back for pre-season training.
Jurgen Klopp had alluded to the proposal last week when he highlighted the need for patience in the transfer window and said “even if you cannot see it, you can imagine we’ve done a lot behind the scenes.”
Klopp not nervous over transfers
The response Liverpool received to their formal approach wasn’t that Keita isn’t for sale at that price - comfortably a club record fee for the Merseysiders - but that he is not on the market at all.
Leipzig’s sporting director Ralf Rangnick has been consistent with this message, stating not even a three-figure sum could convince them to let the Guinea international depart.
However, sources in Germany reveal his stance is not fully supported within the club and there is growing pressure to make a smart business decision.
Their hardline approach therefore seems to be slowly eroding privately, and Keita is due to hold further talks to plead for the kind of ambitious move he has worked towards since leaving Guinea for France as a teenager.
Unique Keita worth record fee 
Liverpool will submit an improved package when they are given indications that Leipzig are willing to have dialogue over a fee.
The Reds are prepared to make Keita one of the biggest signings in Premier League history with Klopp believing the player's rare, all-round attributes will elevate his dynamic blueprint.

Source goal.com

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Milan confirm Bonucci agreement ahead of €42m move

The 30-year-old centre-back has come to terms on shock move from Turn to Milan after seven successful seasons with Juventus

AC Milan reached an agreement with Juventus for the transfer of Leonardo Bonucci, the Rossoneri announced on Friday.

AC Milan make steal of the century with Bonucci deal

After seven years with the Bianconeri, Bonucci is set to leave Milan to join their Serie A rivals for a €42 million fee, reaching a reported five-year deal with Vincenzo Montella's side.

The 30-year-old defender arrived in Milan earlier in the day, and the move will become official pending a medical.

The Rossoneri initially offered €30m for the 30-year-old, but Juve refused to accept less than €40m for a centre-back who played a key role in their Serie A and Coppa Italia success and journey to the Champions League final last season. The Italy international was linked with a move to the Premier League last summer, with Chelsea and Manchester City interested, but opted to remain in Turin

During the campaign, the relationship between Bonucci and coach Massimiliano Allegri went sour when they had a row on the touchline during a game against Palermo in February. Allegri then left him out of the squad for the following match against Porto in the Champions League.

As reports of further arguments between the two emerged, it has been said the coach did not want Bonucci back at the Bianconeri for 2017-18.

After joining Inter as a youngster and making a few appearances for the first-team, Bonucci moved to Bari before Juve. He played over 300 games and won six Serie A titles, three Coppas Italia and three Supercoppas Italiana with the Turin club.

Prior to Bonucci's potential arrival, Milan had already spent over €100m on players in the transfer window, including Andre Silva, Ricardo Rodriguez and Franck Kessie.

REPORT BY GAOL.COM

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Novak Djokovic beats Ernests Gulbis to reach Wimbledon last 16

Novak Djokovic overcame a slow start to keep alive his hopes of a fourth Wimbledon title with a straightforward victory over Latvia's Ernests Gulbis.

On a glorious day at a sun-soaked All England Club, the 2011, 2013 and 2014 champion rallied from falling a break of serve behind early in the first set to seal his place in the fourth round with a 6-4 6-1 7-6 triumph over the world No 589.
Djokovic is without a Grand Slam title since the French Open last year, which saw him become the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to hold all four major titles, but he is moving back to his best and is yet to drop a set in the first week of the tournament.A title in Eastbourne last weekend, and the presence of Andre Agassi and Mario Ancic in his corner look to have revitalised the Serb who appears to be moving ominously towards the form that saw him dominate for so long before his recent slump.
Gulbis entered Saturday's encounter as the lowest-ranked player to reach the third round of a Grand Slam since Richard Krajicek at Wimbledon in 2002 but in seeing off Juan Martin Del Potro had served notice of his threat.
The 28-year old Latvian also has quarter and semi-finals to his name at the French Open and he showed what he was about in making a fast start against the 12-time Grand Slam champion.
But a run of nine consecutive games from Djokovic broke the challenge of Gulbis, who raised his level in the third set before Djokovic ran away, with the tie-breaker to seal a Monday fourth-round date with Adrian Mannarino.
Gulbis started fast, breaking Djokovic in his second service game thanks to a couple of crunching winners and he comfortably moved to a 4-2 lead with some booming first serves before the turnaround began.
Having had little chance on the Latvian's serve until the seventh game when he forced three break points, Djokovic made his breakthrough and never looked back as a double fault handled the break back - a break he greeted with a first roar towards his box.
The Serb held serve with little trouble before breaking Gulbis again giving him a fourth straight game and with it the opening set, the first set the Latvian had dropped in the Championships.
That seemed to suck the life out of Gulbis who quickly fell behind in the second, tamely surrendering his opening service game and when another untimely double fault from the Latvian handed Djokovic a fourth break, the writing looked to be on the wall.
With Djokovic leading 6-2 4-0, Gulbis mustered his first threat in ages to force two break points but four straight points allowed Djokovic to hold on before being handed two set points on the Gulbis serve.
All four were fended off to the delight of the Centre Court crowd as Gulbis halted Djokovic's run of nine straight games but it only delayed the inevitable as Djokovic closed out the set.
The former world No 1, benefited from Martin Klizan's injury withdrawal in the first round and he saw another opponent call for the trainer as Gulbis required treatment on a side injury.
With Gulbis galvanised the pair traded the opening ten games of the set with big serves and spectacular winners and it wasn't until the 11th game that anyone even looked like breaking but Gulbis somehow clung on before Djokovic claimed the match by losing just one game in the tie-break.
Next up for Djokovic will be Mannarino after the unseeded 29-year-old won an epic five-set affair against fellow Frenchman Gael Monfils on Court No 12.
The world No 51 rallied from 2-1 down to claim the final two sets in impressive fashion for a 6-7 6-4 5-7 6-3 6-3 triumph and a place in the fourth round of a Grand Slam for only the second time having reached the last 16 at Wimbledon in 2013.
Djokovic won their only previous encounter, in the second round at Wimbledon last year, without dropping a set, but having added Monfils to the scalp of Queen's champion Feliciano Lopez, Mannarino should represent the Serb's first considerable threat.
Also in that quarter 2010 Wimbledon runner-up and last year's semi-finalist Tomas Berdych reached the second week for a ninth time beating David Ferrer 6-3 6-4 6-3.
The 31-year-old, who lost to Rafael Nadal in the final seven years ago, will next face Dominic Thiem or Jared Donaldson.

Wimbledon 2017 - Men's Draw

Top Half
Andy Murray (1)	v	Benoit Paire
Sam Querrey (24)	v	Kevin Anderson
Rafael Nadal (4)	v	Gilles Muller (16)
Roberto Bautista Agut (18)	v	Marin Cilic (7)
Bottom Half
Milos Raonic (6)	v	Alexander Zverev (10)
Grigor Dimitrov (13)	v	Federer/Zverev
Thiem/Donaldson	v	Tomas Berdych (11)
Adrian Mannarino	v	Novak Djokovic (2)

With Djokovic leading 6-2 4-0, Gulbis mustered his first threat in ages to force two break points but four straight points allowed Djokovic to hold on before being handed two set points on the Gulbis serve.
All four were fended off to the delight of the Centre Court crowd as Gulbis halted Djokovic's run of nine straight games but it only delayed the inevitable as Djokovic closed out the set.
The former world No 1, benefited from Martin Klizan's injury withdrawal in the first round and he saw another opponent call for the trainer as Gulbis required treatment on a side injury.
With Gulbis galvanised the pair traded the opening ten games of the set with big serves and spectacular winners and it wasn't until the 11th game that anyone even looked like breaking but Gulbis somehow clung on before Djokovic claimed the match by losing just one game in the tie-break.
Next up for Djokovic will be Mannarino after the unseeded 29-year-old won an epic five-set affair against fellow Frenchman Gael Monfils on Court No 12.
The world No 51 rallied from 2-1 down to claim the final two sets in impressive fashion for a 6-7 6-4 5-7 6-3 6-3 triumph and a place in the fourth round of a Grand Slam for only the second time having reached the last 16 at Wimbledon in 2013.
Djokovic won their only previous encounter, in the second round at Wimbledon last year, without dropping a set, but having added Monfils to the scalp of Queen's champion Feliciano Lopez, Mannarino should represent the Serb's first considerable threat.
Also in that quarter 2010 Wimbledon runner-up and last year's semi-finalist Tomas Berdych reached the second week for a ninth time beating David Ferrer 6-3 6-4 6-3.
The 31-year-old, who lost to Rafael Nadal in the final seven years ago, will next face Dominic Thiem or Jared Donaldson.

Wimbledon 2017 - Men's Draw

Top Half
Andy Murray (1)	v	Benoit Paire
Sam Querrey (24)	v	Kevin Anderson
Rafael Nadal (4)	v	Gilles Muller (16)
Roberto Bautista Agut (18)	v	Marin Cilic (7)
Bottom Half
Milos Raonic (6)	v	Alexander Zverev (10)
Grigor Dimitrov (13)	v	Federer/Zverev
Thiem/Donaldson	v	Tomas Berdych (11)
Adrian Mannarino	v	Novak Djokovic (2)

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Premier league pre-season fixtures

Who plays where?
Defending Premier League champions Chelsea travel to China on 22 July to face familiar opposition in Arsenal.

Arsene Wenger's Gunners side will have already played two matches in Australia by then as they notch up the most miles through July and August.

They meet again in the Community Shield the week before the league season kicks off.

Although Arsenal will travel the furthest, they will return to England to face Benfica and Sevilla before the end of July.

Manchester United and Manchester City have lined up a derby meeting during their tour of the United States. Jose Mourinho's United and Pep Guardiola's City face each other in Houston, Texas on 21 July.

The fixture is part of the International Champions Cup in the USA, which also features Tottenham, Real Madrid, Juventus, Barcelona, Paris St-Germain and Roma.

Liverpool take part in the Audi Cup in Germany, where they face Bayern Munich and then either Atletico Madrid or Napoli.

Everton's first trip is to Tanzania to face Kenyan champions Gor Mahia FC. The African side have just appointed former Sheffield Wednesday and Leeds defender Dylan Kerr as their head coach.

Premier League newcomers Huddersfield Town will travel to Austria at the start of August, but enjoy some trips closer to home during July when they face Accrington Stanley, Bury and Barnsley.

Watford are the first to get their pre-season under way, with a trip to Woking on 8 July.

Burnley and West Brom have chosen to divide their squad to play some fixtures on the same day.


Pre-season fixture list:

Arsenal

13 July: Sydney FC (ANZ Stadium, Sydney, Australia)

15 July: Western Sydney Wanderers (ANZ Stadium, Sydney, Australia)

19 July: Bayern Munich (Shanghai Stadium, Shanghai, China)

22 July: Chelsea (Bird's Nest Stadium, Beijing, China)

29 July: Benfica (Emirates Stadium)

30 July: Sevilla (Emirates Stadium)

6 August: Chelsea (Community Shield, Wembley)

Bournemouth

15 July: Estoril Praia (Stadium Municipal, Marbella, Spain)

22 July: Portsmouth (Fratton Park)

29 July: Queens Park Rangers (Loftus Road)

30 July: Valencia (Vitality Stadium)

2 August: Yeovil Town (Huish Park)

6 August: Napoli (Vitality Stadium)

Brighton and Hove Albion

14 July: Fortuna Dusseldorf (Sportplatz St Ulrich, Austria)

22 July: Crawley Town (Checkatrade.com Stadium)

25 July: Southend United (Roots Hall)

29 July: Norwich City (Carrow Road)

1 August: Girona FC (Nou Estadi Municipal de Palamos, Catalonia, Spain)

6 August: Atletico Madrid (Amex Stadium)

Burnley

14 July: Shamrock Rovers (Tallaght Stadium, Dublin)

22 July: Kidderminster Harriers (Aggborough Stadium)

22 July: Alfreton Town (The Impact Arena)

25 July: Preston North End (Deepdale)

29 July: Nottingham Forest (City Ground)

1 August: Celta Vigo (Turf Moor)

5 August: Hannover 96 (Turf Moor)

Chelsea

22 July: Arsenal (Bird's Nest Stadium, Beijing, China)

25 July: Bayern Munich (National Stadium, Singapore)

29 July: Inter Milan (National Stadium, Singapore)

6 August: Arsenal (Community Shield, Wembley)

Crystal Palace

15 July: Maidstone United (Gallagher Stadium)

19 July: Liverpool (Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong)

22 July: Leicester City or West Brom (Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong)

5 August: Shalke 04 (Selhurst Park)

Everton

13 July: Gor Mahia FC (National Stadium, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania)

19 July: FC Twente (SV De Lutte, Overijssel, Netherlands)

22 July: KRC Genk (Luminus Arena, Genk, Belgium)

6 August: Sevilla (Goodison Park)

Huddersfield Town

12 July: Accrington Stanley (Wham Stadium)

16 July: Bury (Gigg Lane)

18 July: SV Sandhausen (BWT Stadium, Sandhausen, Germany)

22 July: Barnsley (Oakwell)

1 August: Stuttgart (Schwaz, Austria)

4 August: Torino (Jenbach, Austria)

Leicester City

19 July: West Brom (Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong)

22 July: Crystal Palace or Liverpool (Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong)

26 July: Luton Town (Kenilworth Road)

28 July: MK Dons (Stadium MK)

29 July: Wolverhampton Wanderers (Molineux Stadium)

1 August: Burton Albion (Pirelli Stadium)

4 August: Borussia Monchengladbach (King Power Stadium)

Liverpool

12 July: Tranmere Rovers (Prenton Park)

14 July: Wigan Athletic (DW Stadium)

19 July: Crystal Palace (Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong)

22 July: Leicester City or West Brom (Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong)

29 July: Hertha Berlin (Olympiastadion, Berlin, Germany)

1 August: Bayern Munich (Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany)

2 August: Atletico Madrid or Napoli (Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany)

5 August: Athletic Club (Aviva Stadium, Dublin)

Manchester City

21 July: Manchester United (NRG Stadium, Houston, USA)

27 July: Real Madrid (Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, USA)

29 July: Tottenham Hotspur (Nissan Stadium, Nashville, USA)

4 August: West Ham United (Laugardalsvollur National Stadium, Reykjavik, Iceland)

Manchester United

16 July: LA Galaxy (Stubhub Centre, Los Angeles, USA)

18 July: Real Salt Lake (Rio Tinto Stadium, Sandy, USA)

21 July: Manchester City (NRG Stadium, Houston, USA)

23 July: Real Madrid (Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, USA)

27 July: Barcelona (FedExField, Washington DC, USA)

30 July: Valerenga (Ullevaal Stadium, Oslo, Norway)

2 August: Sampdoria (Aviva Stadium, Dublin)

8 August: Real Madrid (Uefa Super Cup, Philip II Arena, Skopje, FYR Macedonia)

Newcastle United

14 July: Heart of Midlothian (Tynecastle Stadium, Edinburgh)

22 July: Preston North End (Deepdale)

26 July: Bradford City (Northern Commercials Stadium)

29 July: FSV Mainz 05 (Opel Arena, Mainz, Germany)

2 August: Wolfsburg (AOK Stadion, Wolfsburg, Germany)

6 August: Hellas Verona (St James' Park)

Southampton

Training camps planned for Austria and France

22 July: Brentford (Griffin Park)

Stoke City

10 July: Neuchatel Xamax (Tissot Arena, Biel, Switzerland)

12 July: Young Boys Bern (Tissot Arena, Biel, Switzerland)

15 July: Monaco (Stade d'Octodure, Martigny, Switzerland)

25 July: Sheffield United (Bramall Lane)

29 July: Bolton Wanderers (Macron Stadium)

5 August: RB Leipzig (Red Bull Arena, Leipzig, Germany)

Swansea City

12 July: Barnet (The Hive Stadium)

15 July: Philadelphia Union (Talen Energy Stadium, Philadelphia, USA)

19 July: Richmond Kickers (City Stadium, Richmond, USA)

22 July: North Carolina FC (Sahlen's Stadium, Cary, USA)

29 July: Birmingham City (St Andrew's)

5 August: Sampdoria (Liberty Stadium)

Tottenham Hotspur

23 July: Paris St-Germain (Camping World Stadium, Orlando, USA)

26 July: Roma (Red Bull Arena, Harrison, USA)

29 July: Manchester City (Nissan Stadium, Nashville, USA)

5 August: Juventus (Wembley)

Watford

8 July: Woking (Laithwaite Community Stadium)

15 July: AFC Wimbledon (Cherry Red Records Stadium)

18 July: Viktoria Plzen (Austria)

22 July: SD Eibar (Austria)

29 July: Aston Villa (Villa Park)

5 August: Real Sociedad (Vicarage Road)

West Bromwich Albion

12 July: SK Slavia Prague (Kumberg Stadium, Kumberg, Austria)

19 July: Leicester City (Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong)

22 July: Crystal Palace or Liverpool (Hong Kong Stadium, Hong Kong)

26 July: Walsall (Banks' Stadium)

26 July: Burton Albion (Pirelli Stadium)

29 July: Bristol Rovers (Memorial Stadium)

29 July: Slough Town (Kevin McGoldrick testimonial, Arbour Park)

1 August: Kidderminster Harriers (Aggborough Stadium)

1 August: Port Vale (Vale Park)

5 August Deportivo La Coruna (Estadio Riazor, A Coruna, Spain)

West Ham United

28 July: Werder Bremen (Osterwald Stadion, Schneverdingen, Germany)

29 July: Werder Bremen (Heinz-Dettmer Stadion, Lohne, Germany)

1 August: Altona 93 (Adolf-Jager-Kampfbahn Stadium, Hamburg, Germany)

4 August: Manchester City (Laugardalsvollur National Stadium, Reykjavik, Iceland)

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Yeboah offers support for Polack in GPL title challenge

Exclusive: The Porcupine Warriors former defender has called on supporters to allow their new coach to restructure the side

Former Asante Kotoko defender Godfred Yeboah has urged the club's supporters to exercise patience with new manager Steve Polack after the club won the 2017 President Cup against Hearts of Oak at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium on Monday.

The Kumasi giants have had a poor season in the Ghana Premier League, currently sitting fourth position and eight points behind leaders Wafa with ten matches to complete the season.

However, after winning the President Cup, a section of the supporters believe they must add the league trophy to their cabinet.

"I think Steve Polack has done well within this short period he took over from the former coach. He is a good coach who can achieve success with the club if given the necessary support," Yeboah told Goal.

"The supporters must exercise patience because the fact that we've won the President Cup doesn't mean the league is automatically ours. He's now working on his tactics with the players he met and those he brought along so it is not as easy as many perceive.

"We don’t have to do anything to jeopardise the current form of the players because Polack is yet to taste defeat in eight games. They can even extend the winning streak only if the pressure to succeed is minimized by the supporters. Even if Kotoko aren't able to lift the trophy this campaign, next season will be perfect opportunity because the players will get better with consistency," he added.

Kotoko will host Medeama on Sunday before traveling to Tema to lock horns with Inter Allies and once again welcome Hearts to the Baba Yara Sports Stadium later in July.

Source goal.com 

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Guardiola explains why Barcelona star Messi is the best player he has ever seen

 
The now Manchester City manager spent four years working with the mercurial Argentine at Camp Nou and considers him to be the greatest of his era

Pep Guardiola has described Lionel Messi as “the best player I have ever seen”, with the Barcelona star making the game look “simple”.

The now Manchester City manager spent four years working with the mercurial Argentine at Camp Nou between 2008 and 2012.

They collected an enviable haul of major honours together, with Guardiola the tactical mastermind and Messi the on-field inspiration.

In spite of those successes, and many more which have followed, the debate lingers on regarding who is the finest player on the planet, with Real Madrid talisman Cristiano Ronaldo part of any discussion.

Guardiola, though, is no doubt as to who he prefers, telling L’Esportiu on Messi: “He is the best player I have ever seen.

“The best thing about him is not what he does but how simple he makes everything look.

“He is not just the best player because he can dribble past three or four players, it is because he does it better than anyone in the world.”

Guardiola has also had his say on the end of another productive era at Camp Nou, with Luis Enrique having vacated Barca’s managerial post after three years at the helm.

His final campaign saw Real wrestle the Liga title away from Catalonia, while also claiming the Champions League crown, but Guardiola believes Enrique has left solid foundations in place for successor Ernesto Valverde to build on.


He added: "I see Barca a lot better than how they see it in Barcelona.

“Luis Enrique's work has been excellent. With him, when they were playing well, they were almost unbeatable.

“They have played very good football, while Messi is still doing it, and I do not think that the players who have signed are bad players.”

 Source bbc sports

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Stephen Curry should earn $400m, says LeBron James

LeBron James says Golden State Warriors point guard Steph Curry will still be underpaid despite reportedly signing the biggest deal in basketball history.

Two-time Most Valuable Player Curry, 29, is about to sign a $201m (£154.56m) five-year contract, his agent says.

According to Forbes, that would make him the fourth-highest paid athlete.

"Steph should be getting $400m this summer," said Cleveland Cavaliers player James, the current highest earner on $33.2m (£25m) a year.

NBA teams have a salary cap, which next season is $99m (£76m) per year [an increase from $94m (£72m)], from which they must pay the wages of all their players.

James, who has won three NBA titles, had questioned why there was a cap on players' earnings.

Curry has helped his side to two NBA titles in the past three years and has scored more three-pointers than any other player for the past five years.

He currently earns $12m (£9m) a year and will re-sign for Golden State under the new designated veteran exception rule.

Because Curry is entering his ninth season with Golden State - and has fulfilled other criteria - he is entitled to a new lucrative deal which can be worth between 30 and 35% of the salary cap. If the reported deal goes through, Curry would be on $40m (£30m) a year.

Source bbc sports

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The Portuguese forward is back in the Spanish capital after the Confederations Cup, but still has not spoken publicly about reports he wants to leave

Real Madrid are unhappy that Cristiano Ronaldo has stayed silent following recent revelations that he wants to leave the Spanish side.

How much would it cost to sign Ronaldo?

The Portuguese forward was accused of tax evasion by the authorities in Spain last month and reacted by posting a picture on Instagram with his finger over his lips and a caption that read: "Sometimes the best answer it's to be quiet".

The very next day, however, he set the alarm bells ringing in Madrid as Portuguese paper A Bola printed a bombshell on their front page. "Ronaldo wants to leave Spain," it announced. And the decision was described as "irreversible".

Away at the Confederations Cup with Portugal, Ronaldo was named Man of the Match in all three group games - against Mexico, Russia and New Zealand - but would only answer questions about the matches and the tournament when presented with those awards.

Back in Spain, Madrid president Florentino Perez gave several interviews after re-election for four more years and said: "Everybody knows I want Cristiano to stay here for life. He is one of the pillars of this team and also a big part of the history of this club."

'Cristiano will win Ballon d'Or again'

It was subsequently reported by some sectors of the Spanish media that Ronaldo had been made to feel more calm by the words of his club chief, yet still there was no reaction from the 32-year-old out in Russia.

Portugal lost on penalties to Chile in the semi-finals and Ronaldo was given permission by his national team to miss the third and fourth place match against Mexico on Sunday as he flew back to Spain to meet his new-born baby twins.

However, he has now been back in the Spanish capital for several days and there has been no contact with Madrid and no public comment from the four-time Ballon d'Or winner either.

Ronaldo accused of €14.7m tax evasion

That posture has upset the board at Real and also the Madrid fans, many of whom would like to hear an explanation from the club's all-time top goalscorer, apparently so happy as Los Blancos won La Liga in late May and retained the Champions League early last month.

The club are keen to respect the player's privacy during his holidays and especially as he adapts to life with two new family members, but there is expected to be some contact this week to discuss his situation and also the plans for next season.

Real remain confident Cristiano will stay, but the club are unhappy that their prized player has used the media to threaten a summer exit instead of talking the matter over directly. This week, with Ronaldo back in Madrid, the two parties should at least be able to do that.

By Goal.com

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New Nike kits available now

Chelsea FC and Nike today unveil our new home and away kits for the 2017/18 season.

It marks the first collaboration of this exciting partnership, in which Nike will produce strips for the first team, Academy and Ladies teams, as well as a full range of apparel and training wear for millions of Blues supporters around the world.

 

 

2017/18 HOME KIT

A minimalist look creates a Chelsea home shirt that is modern and at the same time rooted in the club’s heritage.

A key stage in the design process was ensuring the blue is a perfect match for the club’s specific shade. An original shirt from the early 1970s was used to define the desired blue and Nike Football’s apparel technicians produced a perfect match.

This Chelsea blue is combined with contemporary design details and Nike AeroSwift technology to deliver a kit fit for champions. The round neckline includes a white trim with ‘CHELSEA’ knitted into the back of the neck in white text, while the shorts feature white stripes on the flanks – these, along with blue stripes on the sides of the shirt, expand when the player is in motion to enhance ventilation.

‘THE BLUES’ is written inside the cuff of the right sleeve and the left sleeve is adorned with ‘EST. 1905’, referencing the year of the club’s formation. A blue ‘CFC’ motif features on the front of the white socks, which integrate NikeGrip technology for the ultimate boot-to-foot connection.

 

 

 

The modern era has seen unprecedented success for Chelsea, with us having won every major honour in domestic and European football, as well as the Academy and Ladies teams lifting trophies.

The away shirt and shorts are white with a soft silver hue to reflect this collection of silverware.

As in the home kit, a fusion of technology and club heritage details combine to create a modern kit that feels truly Chelsea. Nike AeroSwift innovation provides advanced garment technology facilitating football at its fastest and the same Chelsea specific references as the home kit are embedded into the fabric.

 

By   chelseafc.com

 

 

 

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Terry joins Villa

It has been announced today John Terry has joined Aston Villa after becoming a free agent on 1 July following his wonderful Chelsea career.

By moving to the Championship side, Terry will play under Steve Bruce who was appointed manager at Villa Park during last season.

Terry, who played in the Championship (known as Division One at the time) earlier on in his career when on loan from Chelsea to Nottingham Forest, departs Stamford Bridge as the most successful player in our history having won 15 major honours.

After coming through our youth system, Terry was handed his Chelsea debut in 1998 and went on to make 717 appearances. Only Ron Harris and Peter Bonetti played more times for the Blues.

During his time at Chelsea, Terry won five Premier League titles, five FA Cups, three League Cups, one Champions League and one Europa League, a truly magnificent achievement. His last appearance for the Blues came on the final day of the league season, at home to Sunderland, when he said an emotional farewell to supporters after lifting the Premier League trophy for the fifth time.

John is a true Chelsea legend, one of our all-time greatest players and he will always be welcome back at Stamford Bridge. We wish him the very best of luck for this new chapter in his magnificent career

By  chelseafc.com

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