Mkhitaryan continues Roma relationship despite previous Mourinho divorce

Henrikh Mkhitaryan has revealed how he has fallen in love with Roma after extending his contract with the Serie A club, meaning he will once again work with Jose Mourinho.

Having already spent a season on loan at the Giallorossi, Mkhitaryan joined on a permanent basis a year ago and was a regular during the 2020-21 campaign under Paulo Fonseca.

The Armenia international scored 15 goals and provided 11 assists as he made 46 appearances in all competitions, including a run to the Europa League semi-finals that came to an emphatic halt against one of his former teams in Manchester United.

His new deal will see the 32-year-old stay for a further season after embracing life in Rome.

Over the last two years at Roma I ve fallen in love, both with the club and t…

Prediction: Lokomotiv Moscow vs Zenit St Petersburg

Best odds: 10/13

Bookmaker:

The 2020/21 season is yet to begin in Europe s top five leagues, but in Russia, the top tier clubs have already gone through five matchdays each. It s not really surprising, given that the league consists of only 16 teams, that they managed to end 2019/20 in time despite the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. The absence of their teams in the final stages of the European competitions further enabled them to prepare to start this campaign on time as well.

On the sixth matchday, Zenit St Petersburg will travel to Moscow to take on Lokomotiv at the RZD Arena.

Lokomotiv Moscow

Having finished second to Zenit in the previous campaign, which takes them directly into the group stages of the Champions League, Lokomotiv now sit in fift…

Football rumours: Arsenal closing in on Declan Rice for club-record fee

What the papers say

Arsenal are closing in on signing West Ham captain Declan Rice and are expected to pay more than £100m for the 24-year-old England midfielder, the Guardian reports. The move will make Rice the most expensive player in the Gunners’ history.

The same paper says Pep Guardiola is firmly minded to leave Manchester City in two years when his contract expires. The 52-year-old manager will reportedly end his tenure in summer 2025 after nine years at the helm of the treble winners.

Elsewhere, the Evening Standard says Chelsea are planning to step up their pursuit of Inter Milan goalkeeper Andre Onana after his impressive display in the Champions League Final. The Italian club is understood to want at least £50million for the 27-year-old Cameroon internati…

Aston Villa 0-4 Tottenham: What Were The Main Talking Points As Spurs Make A Major Top-Four Statement At Villa Park?

In what was rightfully billed as a crucial battle in this season’s Champions League chase, Tottenham made a major statement as they stormed their way to a stunning 4-0 romp away at Aston Villa.

While Villa might have opened Sunday’s showdown holding a five-point buffer in the top-four chase, it was Spurs who produced a remarkable second-half performance in the Midlands.

Although chances might have come at a real premium throughout the first-half as both sides entered the interval goalless, Tottenham came flying out of the traps when returning from the break.

As James Maddison and Brenan Johnson notched a quickfire brace just eight minuets after the break, things quickly unraveled for Villa as Scotland international John McGinn was shown a straight red card f…

Mourinho planning Drogba swoop

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said a move to re-sign Didier Drogba is on the cards, as he looks to bolster his squad.

Drogba spent eight years at Stamford Bridge, famously scoring the equaliser for the Londoners in the 2011-12 UEFA Champions League final against Bayern Munich and tucking away the decisive penalty in the shoot-out.

The Ivorian, 36, has a strong affinity with Chelsea fans given his clutch goals in Munich, and also his hand in helping them to three Premier League titles.

And the Portuguese tactician Mourinho said he was looming on bringing the Galatasaray striker back to England.

We think about it, Mourinho said of Drogba.

We want to win matches and win titles and Didier is one of the best strikers in Europe.

He is still …

Hutton holds no grudge as Villa return nears

Alan Hutton admits he is surprised to be back in the Aston Villa first-team fold after two seasons in the wilderness under Paul Lambert.

Alex McLeish brought Hutton to Villa Park from Tottenham in 2011, but he fell out of favour when Lambert arrived the following year and is yet to make an appearance under the former Norwich City boss.

Time in the reserves, along with loan moves to Nottingham Forest, Mallorca and Bolton Wanderers are the only club action Hutton has seen since May 2012, with Matt Lowton being preferred at right-back.

However, after five appearances in Villa s pre-season campaign, Hutton is in line to start against Stoke City on 16 August when the new Premier League season starts, and he hopes to seize his chance.

Hopefully this is like a …

Bournemouth 0 Liverpool 4: Hat-trick hero Salah sends Reds top

Mohamed Salah was the star of the show with a hat-trick as Liverpool thrashed Bournemouth 4-0 away from home to go top of the Premier League for at least a few hours.

Jurgen Klopp said pre-game that Manchester City would feel no added pressure for their trip to Chelsea if the Reds were to briefly go above them, but the champions now have to prove his point, as Salah led a rout at the Vitality Stadium.

There was more than a hint of fortune about Liverpool s first-half opener, as Salah netted from close range despite appearing to be offside.

The Egypt star was decisive again just after the restart, singlehandedly taking the game to the Bournemouth defence and finding the net, before a Steve Cook own goal and Salah s third rounded things off in the latter stages…

Rumour Has It: Tottenham´s Kane willing to move abroad amid PSG links

Harry Kane reportedly informed Tottenham of his desire to leave the club in the final week of the 2020-21 season.

The England international has since been linked with Manchester City, Chelsea and Manchester United.

Tottenham are desperate to retain their talisman, let alone allow him to join a rival English club.

 

TOP STORY – KANE OPEN TO CONTINENTAL SWITCH

Harry Kane is willing to move abroad for his next challenge as Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain circle for his signature, according to 90min.

The report claims Kane is unimpressed with Tottenham s search for a new manager to replace Jose Mourinho and the England international has been linked to Manchester City, Chelsea and Manchester United.

PSG, who are in the market …

Gedson Fernandes becomes Mourinho´s first Spurs signing on initial 18-month loan

Jose Mourinho has secured his first signing as Tottenham head coach, with midfielder Gedson Fernandes joining on an initial 18-month loan from Benfica.

The deal includes an option for the Premier League club to make the move permanent for a reported €50 million (£42.8m).

Fernandes, 21, came through Benfica s famed academy and established himself in the first-team squad in 2018, going on to make 22 Primeira Liga appearances last term.

His form early last season saw Fernandes earn a two Portugal caps, but he fell out of favour at Benfica at the start of last year.

 

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial)

Only one of his 11 Primeira Liga starts last term came in 2019, while he has also lined up just twice in 2019-20 prior to joining Spur…

Inter Miami appoint Lionel Messi’s former boss Gerardo Martino as head coach

Former Barcelona and Argentina manager Gerardo Martino has been appointed as the new head coach of Inter Miami.

The 60-year-old Argentinian arrives at the Major League Soccer outfit co-owned by David Beckham after they sacked the latter’s ex-Manchester United team-mate Phil Neville earlier this month.

It will reunite Martino with his compatriot Lionel Messi, with the World Cup winner to join the Florida side after leaving Paris St Germain at the end of his contract.

Martino, who coached Messi with Barcelona and Argentina, said in a club statement: “I’m very excited to join a big club like Inter Miami and I know together we can accomplish many great things.

Bienvenido Tata

El Club ha nombrado a Gerardo Martino como director técnico.