ESPN FC News - Paul Scholes: I don't see Manchester United challenging in Premier League
Manchester United legend Paul Scholes has given his former club little chance to challenge for the Premier League title this season, and said Jose Mourinho's men seemed confused on the pitch in their league-opening 2-0 victory against Leicester on Friday.
United finished 19 points behind runaway winners Manchester City last term and Mourinho has been unapologetic in voicing his dissatisfaction with the lack of sufficient reinforcements this summer.
Meanwhile, City and Champions League runners-up Liverpool have added quality to their ranks in the most recent transfer window and Scholes believes they've both distanced themselves from the Old Trafford club.
"When you look at Manchester City, possibly Liverpool, I don't think they [United] have the quality of those two teams at the minute," Scholes told the Daily Mirror.
"Liverpool have made some really good signings. United finished above them last season.
"I just don't see United getting closer to City. City are a really good side, great manager, some great players, a way of playing that they all know about and Manchester United seem to be not too sure what's going on.
"You don't really know the team, you don't really know the players, you don't know how they're going to perform from one week to the next.
"So I hope I'm wrong, but I don't see them challenging for the league this year."
ESPN FC News - Manchester United hopeful on David De Gea extension - sources
Manchester United are hopeful Thibaut Courtois' move to Real Madrid will speed up contract negotiations with David De Gea, sources have told ESPN FC.
Courtois sealed a £35 million transfer from Chelsea to the Bernabeu last week, three years after the Spanish giants had come within a whisker of making De Gea their No.1.
In the aftermath of his failed move to Madrid in 2015, De Gea signed a new contract at Old Trafford. That deal has one year -- and a 12-month option -- left to run and United are keen to agree fresh terms with the 27-year-old, who has won the club's player of the year award in four of the past five seasons.
Sources have told ESPN FC that United were confident De Gea would sign an extension before Courtois' move, but there is an acceptance that Madrid's investment in the Belgium international, who is 18 months younger than De Gea, should help smooth the process.
United are hopeful of agreeing a five-year contract with De Gea, which would keep him at the club well into his 30s and guarantee a testimonial.
After arriving from Atletico Madrid for £18.9m in 2011, he is already into his eighth season at Old Trafford.
ESPN FC News - Atletico Madrid will push Real 'to the limit in all ways' in Super Cup - Julen Lopetegui
Real Madrid coach Julen Lopetegui says he expects his team to be pushed "to the limit in all ways" by Atletico Madrid in Wednesday's UEFA Super Cup final.
Three-time defending Champions League winners Real are aiming to become the first side to win three-successive Super Cups and also equal the competition record of five titles currently held jointly by Milan and Barcelona.
But the summer has seen the Bernabeu outfit lose both last season's coach Zinedine Zidane and the club's record-scorer Cristiano Ronaldo, with Europa League holders Atletico by contrast keeping hold of their best players and adding some interesting signings.
Speaking at the pregame news conference at the Lillekula Stadium in Tallinn, Estonia, the new Blancos boss said he knew Atletico were "experts" in such games, but was certain his side would be able to match their neighbours "physically, tactically, mentally" and come out on top.
"I imagine a game at the limits, in all senses, given the teams on the pitch," Lopetegui said. "We must do everything we can to compete with them -- physically, tactically, mentally -- in order to win the game.
"They are clear in their ideas and are an expert team in finals such as this. They are a great team with a great coach, but we are also a great team and have no doubts we can overcome them."
Multiple questions from reporters about Ronaldo were pushed aside, while Lopetegui was also not keen to dwell on the team's past success under predecessor Zidane.
"I do not want to make the mistake of talking about players who were here before," said Lopetegui. "Zidane did great work and Madrid had success, but that is part of the past. We want to continue making history at this club, without looking back. We focus on the present, and moving forward. There is no other way."
On the positive side for Madrid is last May's UCL final substitute then matchwinner Gareth Bale changing his mind about also leaving the club, with the Wales international having scored three times in four preseason outings.
"We are delighted that [Bale] is with us," Lopetegui said. "He has trained well, is motivated, in good spirits and important for the team. The fundamental thing is we are a team full of great players like Gareth. We are convinced he has the experience and mentality to have a great season."
Last year's No. 1 Keylor Navas is expected to keep his place in goal for the showpiece fixture ahead of new signing Thibaut Courtois, although Lopetegui would not confirm his XI just 24 hours before kickoff.
"I know clearly who is going to play, but I will not give you the team," he said.
ESPN FC News - Roma complete Steven N'Zonzi signing from Sevilla
Roma have made France international Steven N'Zonzi their 12th new signing this summer.
The World Cup winner landed in the Eternal City from Sevilla on Tuesday to undergo a medical, having already agreed personal terms with the Giallorossi, and was presented later in the evening.
"I'm very happy to be here and to be a Roma player," Nzonzi told Roma TV of the move. "I'm very pleased to be here.
"I really felt that the club wanted me to come. This is why I am here, and I'm happy to join such a big club."
Roma's sporting director Monchi raided his former club for a player he signed for them from Stoke City in 2015. Roma are reported to have agreed a fee of €32 million for the midfielder who had a release clause in his contract -- which still had two years left to run on it -- valued at €35m.
"Yes, Monchi signed me at Sevilla," N'Zonzi said. "He helped me a lot when I was there. We always had a lot of respect for each other and he helped me a lot at Sevilla, so I'm very happy to be here and work with him again.
"I'm very happy for the welcome that [the fans] gave me at the airport and the support they showed.
"I just want to say that I will give my best on the pitch and hopefully be a very good player for this team."
He is likely to be the last arrival of a very busy transfer window for Monchi, who has brought in Ante Coric, Ivan Marcano, Bryan Cristante, Justin Kluivert, Antonio Mirante, Davide Santon, Nicolo Zaniolo, William Bianda, Javier Pastore, Daniel Fuzato and Robin Olsen.
Alisson Becker, Radja Nainggolan and Bruno Peres have all left the club, who finished third behind Juventus and Napoli in Serie A last season and reached the semifinals of the Champions League, where they were beaten by Liverpool.
N'Zonzi, 29, featured in five of France's World Cup fixtures, including the final. He made 90 appearances in La Liga and played 195 times in the Premier League for Blackburn Rovers and Stoke.
He is expected to challenge club captain Daniele De Rossi for a place in Eusebio Di Francesco's midfield. Roma get their Serie A campaign underway on Sunday with a trip to Torino.
One Football - Sergio Ramos taunts Liverpool boss Jürgen Klopp over final losses
Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos has continued his war of words with Jürgen Klopp and aimed a dig at the number of finals the Liverpool boss has lost.
The Reds were beaten by the Spanish giants in May’s Champions League final 3-1 but felt aggrieved after Mo Salah was forced off through an injury following a duel with Ramos while Loris Karius was said to have suffered concussion before gifting Madrid two goals.
Klopp, who described Ramos’ challenge as ‘ruthless’ and ‘brutal’, has bemoaned the two incidents that occurred three months ago and brought up the topic again last week.
However, the Spaniard has not been fazed by the comments and hit back, alluding to the fact Klopp has been defeated in six of the seven finals he has been involved in. Meanwhile, Ramos and Madrid have won the European Cup for three consecutive seasons.
“It’s not the first final he’s lost, (maybe) he wants to use that as an excuse for losing,” he told reporters ahead of the Super Cup against city rivals Atletico.
“Some of us have been operating at a very high level for many years, not sure he can say the same.
“Klopp’s words? There have been many repercussions after what happened to Salah in the Champions League final. Let Klopp worry about his own players.
“To keep him quiet, he’s one of the coaches I voted for as the Best of the Year.”
One Football - I'm very happy with what I have - Spalletti not desperate for Modric
Inter and Luciano Spalletti seem to have accepted defeat in their pursuit of Luka Modric after the coach said he is content with his squad.
Luciano Spalletti is not desperate for the signing of Real Madrid star Luka Modric, adamant he is "very happy" with the squad he currently has at Inter.
After Modric's World Cup participation concluded with Croatia's defeat to France in the final, the Golden Ball winner became a surprise subject of speculation, with Inter reportedly making a move to bring him to San Siro.
Inter have not made their interest a secret in recent weeks and some reports have even suggested Modric was willing to listen to offers from the Serie A side.
Madrid have insisted throughout that Modric will not be leaving unless someone pays his huge €750million release clause, and Spalletti seems to have accepted defeat in the pursuit.
"You will have to ask the sporting director about that," Spalletti – who signed a new contract on Tuesday – told Sky Sport Italia.
"I will not say anything more with regards to the transfer market. I'm already very happy with what I have in my squad. These players are the ones I would want to have.
"I'm in the changing room with people I would have chosen even if I was playing on a computer game."
One Football - Keita ready to 'explode' at Inter
Keita Balde Diao's agent has thanked Monaco for making his client happy again, but believes he is making the right move by joining Inter.
Keita Balde Diao is ready to "explode" in Serie A once his move to Inter is finalised, according to the forward's agent.
The 23-year-old arrived in Milan on Sunday to undergo a medical, just a year on from his reported €30million transfer to Monaco from Lazio.
Keita is expected to sign his contract at Inter's offices later on Monday to seal his move, which is said to be an initial loan with the option of a permanent switch.
Roberto Calenda praised Monaco for restoring his client's happiness after a difficult final few months with Lazio, but he is confident the Senegal international is ready to take Serie A by storm.
"Monaco should be thanked," he told La Gazzetta dello Sport. "They gave Keita back his smile, his serenity and his carefree feeling after years of tension and promises made and never kept by Lazio's management.
"I'm not surprised they let him leave: the deal will benefit everyone. The player still has the desire to explode in this country, where he grew up as a footballer. At 23, it's the perfect time to do it."
Keita stated on Sunday that Inter head coach Luciano Spalletti helped to convince him to move to San Siro, and Calenda thinks the forward will thrive under the former Zenit and Roma boss.
"[Spalletti is] the perfect person at the perfect moment. He can make Keita make the definitive leap in quality," he added.
One Football - Manchester United 'confident' David De Gea will sign new deal
Manchester United are confident David De Gea will commit his future to the club after Real Madrid completed the signing of Thibaut Courtois.
The 27-year-old has long been linked with a move to the Spanish giants and nearly joined the club in 2015 only for a deal to fall through when the relevant paperwork was not completed on time.
According to Sky Sports, United have grown increasingly optimistic De Gea will sign a new deal with the club after Real signed 26-year-old Courtois from Chelsea last week.
The Spaniard’s current contract comes to an end in 2019 though does have the option of an extra year that can be triggered by the club.
De Gea won the Premier League’s Golden Glove award last season as he helped United to 18 clean sheets and a second-placed finish.
One Football - Cheryshev moves to Valencia on loan
Following an impressive World Cup with host nation Russia, Denis Cheryshev will turn out for Valencia in LaLiga this season.
Russia international Denis Cheryshev has joined Valencia on a season-long loan from LaLiga counterparts Villarreal.
Valencia announced the deal in a brief statement on their official website and did not disclose whether the switch includes a right to buy the 27-year-old midfielder.
Cheryshev was one of the stars of the host nation's campaign at the 2018 World Cup, scoring four goals in five appearances in their run to the quarter-finals, as well as converting his penalty in the shock shoot-out win over Spain in the last 16.
He enjoyed a previous loan spell with Valencia during his time at Real Madrid in 2016, scoring three times in six LaLiga starts.
That followed a temporary stint at Villarreal, who Cheryshev joined on a permanent basis in June 2016, only to struggle for a regular place in the first XI. He made 24 league appearances in 2017-18 but only started nine times.
Cheryshev's arrival continues a busy week in the transfer market for Valencia, who have brought in forward duo Michy Batshuayi and Kevin Gameiro ahead of next Monday's season opener against Atletico Madrid.
One Football - AC Milan confirm loan signing of Tiemoué Bakayoko
AC Milan have confirmed the signing of Tiemoué Bakayoko on a season-long loan.
The France international endured a torrid debut season at Stamford Bridge last time out, and with the arrival of Jorginho this summer has seen himself fall down the pecking order.
As such, the former Monaco man has been allowed to leave by new boss Maurizio Sarri, with the Rossoneri announcing his arrival in a tweet on Tuesday.
Bakayoko will spend the entirety of the 2018/19 season at the San Siro, after which the Rossoneri will have the option to sign him permanently for around €30m.
Forbes - Latin America's Soccer Fever Attracts Investors
Latin America’s soccer giants may have missed out on World Cup glory last month, but the region’s widespread passion for soccer - Latinos made up the largest group in total attendance in Russia – continues to provide a great investment opportunity on and off the field.
In Mexico, the 2013 decision by the country's professional soccer association Liga MX to eliminate one owner holding multiple first-division teams has led to a flurry of deals.
Broadcasting giant Grupo Televisa sold in 2014 one of its two first-division clubs, Impulsora del Deportivo Necaxa, to a group of investors led by Ernesto Tinajero, founder of local telecommunications company Grupo Cable TV. Last year, the local Chargoy family sold its second first-division team Club Puebla to a group of investors led by Manuel Jimenez, the controlling shareholder of pharmacy chain Farmatodo.
Sports industry consultant Luis Ramon Carazo noted that further M&A activity is expected in the short-term, driven mainly by local investors seeking to tap into the market's large size, the country's great number of soccer fans, and the value of a soccer club as a public relations and branding tool.
Local media outlets have reported that TV Azteca, the country’s second-largest broadcaster, is reportedly looking for a buyer for its second first-division club Monarcas Morelia.
Jorge Vergara, founder and majority owner of nutritional-products company Omnilife, is also reportedly looking to sell Club Deportivo Guadalajara (Chivas), arguably Mexico’s most popular team. The businessman took to Twitter in June to reject rumors of a possible sale of Chivas, saying: "The team is not for sale."
Mexico’s soccer market has also attracted foreign investors. In March 2017, Spain’s Club Atletico de Madrid acquired a 51% stake in second-division team Atletico San Luis.
To be sure, soccer clubs in Latin America are still mostly middle-market companies, compared with European titans.
In September 2017, telecommunications company America Movil [BMV:AMX] sold stakes in two Mexican clubs it had bought into five years earlier. Sale prices weren’t disclosed, but at the end of 2Q17, America Movil said its 30% stake in Promotora Club Pachuca was worth 189.4 million Mexican pesos ($10.3 million US), or 30% more than what it paid. Its 30% stake in Fuerza Deportiva Club Leon was worth 458.7 million Mexican pesos ($24.8 million US), or an increase of 3% from what it paid.
In comparison, Los Angeles Rams owner Stan Kroenke reportedly agreed to buy the 30% it did not already own in London’s team Arsenal for £602 million ($774.9 million US), valuing the team at £2 billion ($2.6 billion US).
In Colombia, the late-April acquisition of a 55% stake in Envigado Futbol Club by local private equity firm Progresion marked a milestone in the turnaround for the soccer club - which until recently was blacklisted by the US Treasury Department under the anti-crime Kingpin Act - and the country’s soccer industry as a whole.
Colombian soccer teams have historically been linked with criminal groups. In 1983, the country’s Justice Minister Rodrigo Lara said more than half of the then 15 first-division teams received financing from drug traffickers and announced a narco-soccer investigation. A year later, Lara was assassinated.
Over the past three years, however, teams have worked hard to distance themselves from criminal groups. The turnaround involved, among other things, teams becoming private limited companies. Today, 32 of Colombia’s 36 professional soccer clubs are private limited companies.
The changes have resulted in better financial results. Last year, the 36 teams reported a combined net profit of 4.4 billion Colombian pesos ($1.5 million), compared with a loss of COP23.7 billion ($8.2 million) in 2015, according to the local corporation oversight agency Superintendencia de Sociedades (Supersociedades).
The overhaul has helped attract local and foreign investors. In 2012, New York-based PE firm Amber Capital acquired a minority stake in Azul y Blanco FC (known as Millonarios) and now owns 65% of the team.
In Brazil, the country´s with the most successful men’s national team in World Cup history, entrepreneurs and investors bets on forming tomorrow’s soccer stars through the proliferation of youth soccer academies.
Campinas-based youth soccer academy company ProSports, which holds a controlling stake in Ronaldo Academy and Academia de Futebol do Palmeiras, plans to launch the first unit of a Neymar Sports youth soccer academy by year-end.
Owned by Sforza, the investment firm of Carlos Wizard Martins and his family, ProSports has received approaches from several local clubs interested in setting up their franchised youth soccer academies and could announce a new strategic partnership or joint venture next year, CEO Saddy Nardino said.
For its part, Grupo Figer, a local sports management and marketing group headed by Uruguayan soccer agent Juan Figer, is looking for an investor willing to put $50 million - $100 million to help it expand into China’s burgeoning soccer market, CEO Marcel Figer told Mergermarket in September.
Figer is comprised of a broad range of companies, including Pele Club, a chain of franchised gyms and sports clubs that has a licensing contract with Brazilian soccer legend Pele.
According to a local sector advisor, players like ProSports and Grupo Figer are in a good position to consolidate Brazil’s youth soccer academy market given that most companies in this market lack strong capital structures and corporate practices.
The source also noted that youth soccer academies tied to famous Brazilian soccer players should find a fertile ground for expansion in places where soccer is growing in popularity, such as Asia, the Middle East, and the US.
Forbes - Facebook Targets India With Live La Liga Soccer
Facebook’s expansion into live sports streaming has seen it acquire the live broadcast rights to Spanish soccer across the Indian sub-continent.
All 380 matches from the “La Liga” competition will be shown live on the social network in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Pakistan, opening up a huge potential audience.
Although neither party is revealing how much money is involved in the transaction, it is reported that former broadcast partner paid $32 million between 2014 and 2018 for the rights. A specific figure would provide an insight into who believes they have the most to gain, but the arrangement has significant benefits for both parties.
Facebook La Liga
Facebook sees sports content as a way of attracting users at a time when people are spending less time on its platform and therefore seeing fewer adverts. A 90-minute soccer match would help solve this issue -even if someone only watches a small part of the game.
The company has only dipped its toes into the market, with its most significant move to date being a deal with Major League Baseball in the U.S. However, earlier this month it became the U.K. Free-to-Air (FTA) broadcast partner for Eleven Sports, which will show at least one live match from La Liga and Italy’s “Serie A” every week on its official Facebook page.
Facebook’s Director of Global Live Sports told Reuters that this latest deal was an experiment and that it was not about to embark on a major spending spree that would disrupt the market. The matches will initially be shown without adverts, but Facebook is testing out live content advertising in the US that could eventually be rolled out to India.
Although sport is seen as a way to expand its global audience, India has been identified as a key market for Facebook. The country has played host to a number of its controversial ‘Internet.org’ initiatives which had a stated ambition of improving internet access around the world, and it failed with a $600 million bid to secure cricket’s Indian Premier League (IPL) last year.
International expansion
As for La Liga, making all its matches available for free on a widely available platform represents a significant boost to its international expansion efforts. If Facebook has paid less than Sony, the indirect benefits could outweigh the direct revenue that might have been earned from a conventional broadcast deal.
This is because although Real Madrid and Barcelona have huge international followings due to their history, recent successes and rosters of star players, other clubs in the division have failed to benefit from the globalization of the sport.
The Premier League has been the most successful at marketing its product to an international audience, while the German Bundesliga has enjoyed success in China. To combat this, La Liga has looked to build a presence in India with the opening of a New Delhi office in 2016, while the Spanish Super Cup – the traditional curtain-raiser to the season – was held in Morocco.
In countries like India, where fixed connectivity and pay television adoption is comparatively low, mobile Internet and social networks are a valuable way to reaching new fans. It is claimed that Facebook has 348 million users in India, while La Liga had 2.2 million visitors to its social media platforms in the country last year.
“We have grown our presence in India a lot and we have pretty strong numbers in this territory,” added Jose Antonio Cachaza, La Liga’s country manager for India told Reuters.
"This is the first step for us, we're excited to see it and we want to make it as successful as possible so we can unlock other territories around the world.”
Goal.com - Godin reveals he rejected Man United approach over summer
The Uruguay enforcer was offered the chance to join Jose Mourinho at Old Trafford, an offer that failed to convince him to leave Madrid
Atletico Madrid defender Diego Godin has confirmed he was offered the chance to move to Manchester United during the summer transfer window, but turned the approach down due to personal reasons.
Godin, 32, has become one of the world's elite defenders since he teamed up with Diego Simeone in the Spanish capital.
Atletico have built a formidable defense around his talents, a strength that took the side to the 2013-14 La Liga title as well as two Champions League finals in the last five seasons.
That talent, not to mention his cut-price €20 million (£18m/$23.2m) buyout clause, attracted the attention of Manchester United over the summer.
Goal understands, however, that United's enquiry was firmly rebuffed, with the Red Devils told Godin was set to sign a new deal at the Wanda Metropolitano.
And the player himself has now revealed that he had no intention of leaving his adopted home in Madrid, although he is yet to pen an extension.
"I have not renewed," Godin told reporters ahead of Atletico Madrid's UEFA Super Cup clash against rivals Real Madrid.
"I have had offers, although I have decided to stay for personal reasons and I am only thinking about the final. "But I have not extended my contract.
"I saw that news came out but I do not know where it came from."
Godin has made 350 Atletico appearances since moving from Liga rivals Villarreal in 2010, scoring 23 goals.