Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis has confirmed that Rafa Benitez will become the clubs next coach.
Rafa has been the hot favourite to succeed Walter Mazzarri for a few weeks now, and the Partenopei owner has revealed this afternoon that the Spanish tactician will take over for next season.
“I’ve given myself a birthday gift – I’ve signed Benitez” De Laurentiis told reporters.
“I’ll make it official in the next few days, as Benitez needs to end things with Chelsea. He’ll have a two-year contract, no longer. We need to get to know each other first, then we’ll see.” Read more...(277 words, 1 image, estimated 1:06 mins reading time)
In an attempt to boost the popularity of the Europa League, Uefa has announced that the 2015 Europa League winners will qualify for the following season’s Champions League.
More importantly, the Europa League winner will not take one of the designated Champions League spots that each league has, if they finish outside the Champions League qualifying spots. That means that there is the potential that Spain, Germany or England could have five teams in the Champions League at some point.
While it has not been confirmed, it is expected that the Europa League winners will go straight into the Champions League group stages. Read more...(215 words, 1 image, estimated 52 secs reading time)
Recently promoted Ligue 1 side Monaco is wasting no time making its intentions known signing Porto’s midfield duo Joao Moutinho and James Rodriguez for a combined €70m. Both players have agreed to five-year deals with the club.
Porto said Rodriguez was valued at €45m and Moutinho at €25m, with the deal “the biggest in Portuguese football history.”
Moutinho was reported to have been close to a move to Tottenham Hotspur on deadline day last summer, and was said to have been targeted by Andre Villas-Boas again this summer. Read more...(255 words, 1 image, estimated 1:01 mins reading time)
According to the Brazilian newspaper ‘O Globo’, Neymar last week signed a document that commits him to joining La Liga club Barcelona after the Confederations Cup, which takes place in June.
The Santos player had been hoping to move to Europe after the World Cup next summer, but after gettig hammered by Bayern Munich in the Champions League this season, Barcelona move the deadline up by 12 months.
If Neymar does leave after the Confederations Cup, then the match on Sunday against Flamengo will be the 21-year-old’s last game for the club. Read more...(195 words, 1 image, estimated 47 secs reading time)
According to reports in the British media, West Ham United have bought Andy Carroll from Liverpool for around £15m. Now West Ham have to do is agree personal terms with Carroll.
Carroll had been on loan to West Ham all season, where Carrol scored seven goals in an injury riddled season. But when he was healthy, Carroll showed how good a player he is.
‘I have enjoyed every minute of being here,’ he told whufc.com.
‘I have just tried to play my best in every match, score goals and keep myself fit once I got back from the injuries I had and then push on from there. Read more...(351 words, 1 image, estimated 1:24 mins reading time)
Major League Soccer today announced that their 20th franchise will be called New York City FC and will be co-owned by Manchester City and baseball’s New York Yankees. The team is expected to begin play in 2015.
“We proudly welcome two of the most prestigious professional global sports organizations to Major League Soccer,” MLS President Don Garber said in a statement released by the league. “This is a transformational development that will elevate the league to new heights in this country. The New York area is home to more than 19 million people, and we look forward to an intense crosstown rivalry between New York City Football Club and the New York Red Bulls that will captivate this great city.” Read more...(421 words, estimated 1:41 mins reading time)
Paris St-Germain striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic was named the Ligue 1 Player of the Year as the Swede and his team-mates dominated the awards.
“I came to a new country. It was not an easy situation, but everything went well. We worked hard. Now is the time to enjoy it,” said the former Barcelona forward.
Ibra has been brilliant this season and with one game left in the season, away at Lorient this Sunday, his is currently one goal behind the French all-time record for a season of 30 goals, set by Jean-Pierre Papin while playing for Marseille in 1989-90. Read more...(258 words, 1 image, estimated 1:02 mins reading time)
The highly rated defender has been linked with a move to Barcelona this summer, but the Dortmund defender told Kicker magazine that he will still be wearing a yellow and black shirt next season.
“I’ve not had any contact with Barcelona or any other club,” he said. “I don’t think it’s my duty to dismiss rumours which other people invent. If there was to be any truth in them, I would say so. If I say that there is nothing behind the speculation, then people should believe me.” Read more...(126 words, 1 image, estimated 30 secs reading time)
Real Madrid have announced that head coach Jose Mourinho will leave the club at the end of the season after three years in charge of the Spanish giants.
At a packed press conference today, Real President Florentino Perez said”
“We’ve decided to bring our relationship to an end,” said Perez. “Nobody’s been sacked, it’s a mutual agreement.”
“The club and manager agree the timing is right to bring our relationship to an end,” Perez added.
“On behalf of the board of directors, I would like to thank Jose Mourinho for all his hard work. Read more...(331 words, 1 image, estimated 1:19 mins reading time)
These games kick of a busy summer of soccer, with World Cup qualifiers, Spain and Germany, Gold Cup games and Lionel Messi in Chicago there is a little bit of something for everything. And to top it off, Brazil will play Portugal in Boston in September which promises to eb a fantastic game. Read more...(736 words, 1 image, estimated 2:57 mins reading time)
Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis has confirmed that Rafa Benitez will become the clubs next coach.
