Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang completes £56m move to Arsenal

Football | The Guardian

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang completes £56m move to Arsenal

• Striker’s move to the Premier League club announced by Dortmund
• Chelsea’s Michy Batshuayi set to join Bundesliga club on loan

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has joined Arsenal for £56m on transfer deadline day, triggering a chain of transfers that is expected to take Olivier Giroud to Chelsea and Michy Batshuayi to Borussia Dortmund.

Arsenal’s move for Aubameyang was completed after the forward passed a medical and concluded the finer details of a club-record deal at London Colney.

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Will Chelsea land a striker?

ESPN FC News

Will Chelsea land a striker?

With days left in the transfer window, how many big deals could still happen? Arsenal are closing on Aubameyang but what will happen with Giroud? Is Conte going to get the striker and defender he wants? Mark Ogden »

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Bizarre, frustrating... correct - the day VAR drove football mad

BBC Sport - Football

Bizarre, frustrating... correct - the day VAR drove football mad

West Brom manager Alan Pardew calls the video assistant referee system "bizarre" after it dominates their 3-2 FA Cup victory at Liverpool.

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Wozniacki outlasts Halep to win first grand slam title

English // marca

Wozniacki outlasts Halep to win first grand slam title

 Leer

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Érik Lamela: ‘My brother is in a wheelchair … you realise what is important’

Football | The Guardian

Érik Lamela: ‘My brother is in a wheelchair … you realise what is important’

Tottenham’s winger says he feared he might never play again but his brother’s swimming pool accident has put football in perspective

Érik Lamela felt his blood run cold. The call came in December 2016 and it was one of those that everyone dreads. The Tottenham Hotspur winger’s younger brother, Axel, had banged his head in a swimming pool in their native Argentina and the damage would be grave. Axel was paralysed.

“For a few months, he couldn’t move anything,” Lamela says. “Right now, he is getting some movement back and working day by day to return to a normal life. The doctors say that he may be able to walk again but it all depends on how the rehab goes. It’s going to be a slow process and we just need a lot of patience. He is wheelchair-bound.

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Jack Wilshere: I've never wanted to leave Arsenal

Tribal Football - Football News, Soccer News, Transfers & Rumours

Jack Wilshere: I've never wanted to leave Arsenal

Jack Wilshere has admitted he also envisaged a return to Arsenal.

The Englishman spent last season on loan at Bournemouth but has recently reestablished himself in Arsene Wenger's side.

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Dortmund boss wants 'clarity' over Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang future

ESPN FC News

Dortmund boss wants 'clarity' over Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang future

Borussia Dortmund manager Peter Stoger says he wants clarity over Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's future as soon as possible. Seemingly

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The verdict: who has done better out of the Sánchez-Mkhitaryan deal?

Football | The Guardian

The verdict: who has done better out of the Sánchez-Mkhitaryan deal?

Manchester United and Arsenal have traded attacking players – our writers discuss who has come out on top from the swap

The swap deal which saw Alexis Sánchez join Manchester United and Henrikh Mkhitaryan move to Arsenal was finally confirmed on Monday after weeks of negotiations. The Chile forward has signed a four-and-a-half-year contract at Old Trafford worth an estimated £350,000 a week, while Mkhitaryan is now contracted to Arsenal until 2021 having left United only 18 months after joining from Borussia Dortmund for £27m.

Both José Mourinho and Arsène Wenger appear happy with their new acquisitions but which manager has got the better end of the deal and will both players be successful at their new clubs? Our writers give their verdict on one of the most significant transfers in recent years.

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Tributes after 'national hero' Armfield dies aged 82

BBC Sport - Football

Tributes after 'national hero' Armfield dies aged 82

Jimmy Armfield is described as a 'national hero and football legend' after news of his death at the age of 82

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Chelsea’s Plan B of target man and crosses may prove no plan at all | Sean Ingle

Football | The Guardian

Chelsea’s Plan B of target man and crosses may prove no plan at all | Sean Ingle

Champions’ hunt for old-school reinforcements may not bring the desired returns if they start to rely on desperate crosses into the penalty area again

How times change. At the dawn of the Premier League the news that Chelsea wanted a rugged English striker to hurl himself at crosses, preferably after smashing through a centre-half in the brusque style of Kerry Dixon or Mick Harford, would barely have caused a ripple. Yet when it emerged last week that they were lining up a £20m bid for Andy Carroll – and then started making eyes at Peter Crouch – their fans were entitled to check their calendars to make sure it was not 1 April.

Much of this, of course, was down to the incongruity of Chelsea chasing after a 29-year-old who, according to Physioroom.com, had eight injuries last season – and then, when he inevitably knackered his ankle (again), doubling down on Crouch, who has scored only 10 league goals in the last two and a half seasons and turns 37 next week.

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Markus Suttner assures Brighton fans: I'm getting better

Tribal Football - Football News, Soccer News, Transfers & Rumours

Markus Suttner assures Brighton fans: I'm getting better

Markus Suttner feels he's rapidly improving at Brighton.

The fullback feels he now has good overall experience of playing football in different countries, but believes he can still develop the attacking side of his game.

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Goretzka tells Schalke he's set for Bayern move

English // marca

Goretzka tells Schalke he's set for Bayern move

 Leer

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Karim Benzema will not be risked for Leganes clash

English // marca

Karim Benzema will not be risked for Leganes clash

 Leer

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Liverpool's Flanagan sentenced for girlfriend attack

BBC Sport - Football

Liverpool's Flanagan sentenced for girlfriend attack

Jon Flanagan is sentenced to 40 hours of unpaid work and a community order after kicking his partner.

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Liverpool's Simon Mignolet: 'Rotating is not healthy. This situation cannot last'

Football | The Guardian

Liverpool's Simon Mignolet: 'Rotating is not healthy. This situation cannot last'

Belgian admits he is considering his future at the club‘Of course I am not happy but respect the trainer’s decision’

The Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet admits he is considering his future at the club after Loris Karius took over as first-choice.

The Belgium international has not played since the New Year’s Day win at Burnley and before Sunday’s victory over Manchester City manager Jürgen Klopp effectively said the place was Karius’ to lose.

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Former West Brom and England striker Cyrille Regis dies – latest updates

Football | The Guardian

Former West Brom and England striker Cyrille Regis dies – latest updates

Regis, pioneering black footballer, dies aged 59Paul Rees: ‘We got off the coach and … people spat at us’WBA testimonial when black players took on white players

11.59am GMT

In January 1979 Cyrille Regis picked a team made up entirely of black players to take on a white team picked by Len Cantello. Simon Burnton tells the story …

Related: The West Brom testimonial when black players took on a team of white players | Simon Burnton

11.39am GMT

Around a third of the players in the Premier League are from a black or minority ethnic background these days. Many of those who have played in the top flight in the last 40 years have been quick to recognise Regis’s part in the diversification of football…

Devastated,Sad,Gutted and totally Shocked by the news that Cyrille Regis has died.
He was my ALL TIME footballing hero and idol...... and the main reason why I wanted to be a Centre Forward,just like him! #LEGEND

I’m gonna miss you my FRIEND!

RIP Big C pic.twitter.com/9VBJ9EcDGs

Hard to believe I’m waking up to hear Cyrille Regis, the man who started the dream for me and many others has died of a heart attack. Genuine honour to have played on the same pitch as him . RIP Big Cyrille Regis.

Woke up to the devastating news about Cyrille Regis. Absolute legend and genuinely nice guy #RIP pic.twitter.com/QAXfDW4znw

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Alexis Sánchez not in Arsenal squad amid signs he wants Manchester United move

Football | The Guardian

Alexis Sánchez not in Arsenal squad amid signs he wants Manchester United move

• Sánchez has not travelled to Bournemouth for Sunday’s match
• United move ahead of Manchester City in transfer battle for forward
• Arsenal interested in taking Henrikh Mkhitaryan from United

Alexis Sánchez will not play for Arsenal at Bournemouth on Sunday – the forward has not travelled to the south coast – and the latest indication is that he has come to favour a move to Manchester United over Manchester City.

Arsène Wenger finally admitted last Friday that Sánchez would not sign a new contract at Arsenal; his deal is set to expire in the summer. And, with Sánchez’s agent due in England for talks, the saga has now entered its end game.

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Spurs drop interest in Arsenal target Malcom - gossip

BBC Sport - Football

Spurs drop interest in Arsenal target Malcom - gossip

Chelsea boss Conte wants Sanchez, Spurs drop interest in Arsenal target Malcom, Lionel Messi's £89m wage, Manchester United will not bid for Jamie Vardy, plus more.

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When Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa ruled Europe – and where it went wrong

Football | The Guardian

When Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa ruled Europe – and where it went wrong

With the two European Cup winners preparing to meet in the Championship, we spoke to Forest and Villa fans about the glory days and where they are now

By Copa90 for the Guardian Sport Network

In one way Nottingham Forest v Aston Villa is just another fixture in the mammoth, 46-game long Championship season. Individual results can be brushed off in the second flight, where teams can afford to go months without playing well and still find themselves in the promotion reckoning due to the sheer number of matches played. But for some, especially supporters of a certain age, this match is always an evocative one that turns the clock back 40 years to when these two clubs ruled the continent.

You won’t find a second flight in which two former European champions come up against each other anywhere else in the world. Is that damning indictment on the clubs or a testament to the strength in depth of English football? It depends on which way you look at it. Both teams find themselves a long way from previous glories, but it’s Forest, led to the summit of the European game under Brian Clough and Peter Taylor in 1979 and 1980, who have suffered the greater decline. They were relegated from the Premier League at just the wrong time, in 1999, and have missed out on the top flight’s economic boom.

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Yerry Mina's five qualities that attracted Barcelona

English // marca

Yerry Mina's five qualities that attracted Barcelona

 Leer

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Do you have to worry about online sports gambling?

Do you always find yourself itching to take on a gamble, particularly when you are on a winning streak? If so, then you might be having a gambling problem. It is always important for you to take care and proper control of your gambling problem, so much so that you need to avoid the online gambling as well as the off-line casinos that you can find in and around your vicinity. By taking a conscious decision to avoid gambling, you would be able to take care of your addiction.

However, if you are one of those people that simply have a hold of their gambling needs and only do it for fun, then the online sports gambling website topsoccerpicks.com is definitely something that you need to check out. With a few thousand websites dedicated to sports gambling, there would not be a shortage of choice for you. A lot of websites have been able to provide correct football prediction that not only helps you in the form of a handicap, but also gives you vital information on how good the website actually is. Trusting on their sources and placing your bets should not be much of a problem if they are extremely famous in what they do.

Overall, there is absolutely no need for you to worry about any kind of prediction, in case you’re not undertaking any kind of sports gambling. However, if you are doing so, you have to remember that the procurement of good information is of a necessity as of today. You have to always keep yourself peachy in terms of the proper information, and use it in order to place your bets. It is by doing these things that you will be able to make a maximum amount of money.

Transfer Rater: Leon Bailey to Manchester United, Michy Batshuayi to Sevilla

ESPN FC News

Transfer Rater: Leon Bailey to Manchester United, Michy Batshuayi to Sevilla

Things change in the blink of an eye in football.&nbsp;<a

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Arsenal to fine Alex Iwobi over ‘unacceptable’ partying before FA Cup tie

Football | The Guardian

Arsenal to fine Alex Iwobi over ‘unacceptable’ partying before FA Cup tie

• Nigeria international filmed out in early hours before Forest defeat
• Arsène Wenger: It is impossible to go out 48 hours before a game

Alex Iwobi will be fined by Arsenal after partying until the early hours of Saturday morning ahead of Sunday’s FA Cup defeat at Nottingham Forest, boss Arsène Wenger has confirmed.

The 21-year-old forward was filmed dancing in central London at 2.37am on Saturday in a video uploaded to Snapchat, according to The Sun.

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Leeds' Saiz given six-match ban for spitting

BBC Sport - Football

Leeds' Saiz given six-match ban for spitting

Leeds forward Samu Saiz is banned for six matches after being charged with spitting during Sunday's defeat by Newport County.

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Chelsea boss Conte: Coutinho sale could hurt Liverpool; his price...?

Tribal Football - Football News, Soccer News, Transfers & Rumours

Chelsea boss Conte: Coutinho sale could hurt Liverpool; his price...?

Chelsea boss Antonio Conte has questioned the timing of Liverpool's decision to sell Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona.

Conte admits the transfer may affect the Reds' chances of success this season.

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Jesus Vallejo: The wall

It has not been easy for Jesus Vallejo to break into the Real Madrid team and finally after 15 games, including the Supercopa matches in August and the LaLiga and Champions League games, on his 21st birthday he stopped being the only member of the squad not have played this season.

Clearly injury problems played a part in his delayed opportunity but also he has taken longer than expected to adapt to the first team.

However, against Numancia, he demonstrated that he has what it takes to wear the Madrid shirt with pride and in his fifth game as a starter, he helped to ensure that they kept a clean sheet, something he has managed in 80% of his games. Numancia was the last team in a list that includes Fuenlabrado, Las Palmas and Sevilla.

None of the other defenders including the regulars, Carvajal, Varane, Ramos and Marcelo can boast a similarly positive statistic, during a season where they have not been particularly solid at the back.

Opportunity without Ramos

Zidane has been quick to praise Vallejo when he has been asked about him and he is now an alternative for the trip to Vigo with Ramos injured and Carvajal suspended. That is if Zidane puts Nacho on the right instead of Achraf.

Whatever happens against Celta, the injury to Ramos means that there will be more openings for Vallejo who has a promising future ahead of him.

Redknapp: Transfer windows work against managers building teams

Tribal Football - Football News, Soccer News, Transfers & Rumours

Redknapp: Transfer windows work against managers building teams

Former Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp says the transfer windows work against managers building teams.

Redknapp marks 30 years in management this week.

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Chelsea boss Conte willing to sell Batshuayi, David Luiz to fund January signing spree

Tribal Football - Football News, Soccer News, Transfers & Rumours

Chelsea boss Conte willing to sell Batshuayi, David Luiz to fund January signing spree

Chelsea boss Antonio Conte is prepared to cash in on David Luiz and Michy Batshuayi this month.

The Times says both players are available to fund the reinforcements - Conte is said to be looking for a left-back, centre-back and striker.

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Premier League slides into the grip of radical non-possession | Jonathan Wilson

Football | The Guardian

Premier League slides into the grip of radical non-possession | Jonathan Wilson

Manchester City’s dominance is increasing the trend towards one side dominating ball possession in games and that threatens to diminish the spectacle

In 1970, when studying the effects of the appearance of robots, the Japanese robotics professor Masahiro Mori discovered something strange was going on. The more human a robot’s appearance became, the more people demonstrated empathy towards it up to a certain point at which they felt strong revulsion.

After that point, though, the more humanoid the robot became the more people began to respond positively again. There was a zone of resemblance, of almost‑humanness, that people found deeply disturbing: it was familiar enough for them to begin to engage on a human level only to find the robot deficient in all the usual points of reference. Mori called this the “uncanny valley”.

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Suggestion that Livermore fan altercation may have involved son's death

BBC Sport - Football

Suggestion that Livermore fan altercation may have involved son's death

West Ham are investigating the reason behind West Brom player Jake Livermore's confrontation with a fan amid suspicion it may be related to son's death.

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Burnley 1-2 Liverpool: Klavan wins it late

ESPN FC News

Burnley 1-2 Liverpool: Klavan wins it late

A 94th minute header from Ragnar Klavan gave Liverpool a dramatic late win at Turf Moor.

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Chelsea boss Conte: Why losing Terry, Ivanovic set us back

Tribal Football - Football News, Soccer News, Transfers & Rumours

Chelsea boss Conte: Why losing Terry, Ivanovic set us back

Chelsea boss Antonio Conte insists his squad is in transition this season.

The Blues have lost the likes of John Terry, Nemanja Matic, John Mikel Obi and Branislav Ivanovic over the last year.

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