Chinese businessman Tony Jiantong Xia buys Aston Villa for £60m May 18, 2016 Aston Villa are set to become the first major English club to fall into Chinese ownership after the club confirmed a takeover by businessman Tony Jiantong Xia. The deal, which still has to be ratified by the Premier League and Football League, is thought to be for £60m – roughly the same price current owner [...]
Terry assured of key role after signing new Chelsea deal May 18, 2016 Chelsea captain John Terry has been reassured by Blues directors that he will remain a key figure at the club despite his advancing years after signing a new 12-month contract. Terry, 35, has had to accept an increasingly peripheral role as injuries and age have caught up with the former England skipper, and looked destined [...]
Chelsea’s £60m kit sponsorship with Nike trumps Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham deals but falls behind United’s £75m Adidas partnership May 18, 2016 Chelsea and Nike are believed to be on the verge of signing the Premier League's second-biggest kit partnership deal, worth £60m per year. The agreement would mean the Blues double the revenue currently generated by the £30m per season deal with Adidas that both club and manufacturer agreed to terminate six years early last week. Read [...]
Five from West Ham and three from Sunderland: my alternative team of the season May 18, 2016 You could make a case for including every Leicester player in a Premier League team of the year but away from them – and other stars who have also already been recognised – other less celebrated figures have made significant contributions too. Here is my unsung XI. Goalkeeper: Adrian, West Ham Fraser Forster had a [...]
Manchester United 3, Bournemouth 1: Rooney backs Rashford for England before admitting his days as an Old Trafford striker are numbered May 17, 2016 Manchester United and England skipper Wayne Rooney has backed rookie striker Marcus Rashford to prove his worth and snatch a place in Roy Hodgson’s Euro 2016 squad after chalking up another goal in Tuesday's demolition of Bournemouth. Rearranged after Sunday’s fake bomb fiasco, United rounded off their league campaign with a comfortable win as Rooney, Rashford [...]
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp shrugs off chronic failure record in finals as Reds plot Europa League glory bid against Sevilla May 17, 2016 Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has played down the significance of his recurring tendency to lose major finals as the Reds prepare to derail Sevilla’s bid to win an unprecedented third successive Europa League crown in Basel on Wednesday. Klopp’s respective sides have fallen at the final hurdle four times in succession since he guided Borussia Dortmund [...]
Aston Villa exodus continues: Former FA director Adrian Bevington leaves club after less than two months May 17, 2016 Former FA director Adrian Bevington has become the latest high-profile figure to leave Aston Villa after less than two months with the club. Bevington's departure from his advisory role follows the resignations of former Bank of England governor Sir Mervyn King and ex-FA chief David Bernstein from the board. The relegated club, who suffered the worst Premier League [...]
Chelsea and Tottenham hit with record fine by the FA, beating record held by Arsenal for 13 years May 17, 2016 Chelsea and Tottenham's ill-tempered clash at Stamford Bridge a fortnight ago has prompted the FA to issue a combined £600,000 fine — a record for a single Premier League match. Both clubs have been warned about their future conduct following the game in which Chelsea overturned a two-goal deficit to end Spurs' title hopes. Chelsea have [...]
England manager Roy Hodgson urges rookie striker Marcus Rashford to “knock someone off their perch” and force his way to Euro 2016 May 16, 2016 England boss Roy Hodgson has challenged uncapped Manchester Untied striker Marcus Rashford to knock a member of the Three Lions’ established order “off their perch” after calling the teenager into his expanded 26-man squad for Euro 2016. Rashford, who has never played for England’s Under-21 side, only made his United debut in February following an [...]
Boss of security firm at heart of Old Trafford fake bomb gaffe hits back as United stand firm on need for abandonment May 16, 2016 The boss of the security firm at the centre of the fake bomb saga which forced the abandonment of Manchester United’s clash with Bournemouth has hit back by saying there was no need to evacuate the stadium. Old Trafford was emptied 20 minutes prior to kick-off on Sunday after a suspect package, which transpired to be a mobile [...]