Sunderland manager David Moyes has confirmed striker Victor Anichebe is out of Saturday’s match against Stoke. Anichebe is out with a hamstring injury but Moyes said full-back Billy Jones could return. The Scot also said goalkeeper Jordan Pickford could return earlier than expected from a knee injury. The 22-year-old was expected to be out for at least six weeks following an injury picked up on Boxing Day but Moyes says he could return in three or four weeks.
Hull City have made a double signing with Oumar Niasse and Evandro Goebel arriving in the transfer window. It was confirmed today that the Senegal international Niasse had signed on a six-month loan until the end of the season. The 30-year-old Evandro has agreed to join permanently on a two-and-a half-year deal for an undisclosed fee. His move from Porto is subject to international clearance.
Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has been named Premier League manager of the month for December, his third win on the bounce. The Blues won all six of their league matches during the final month of 2016 as part of a 10-match winning streak which took them to the top of the table. That run came to an end on January 4 with a 2-0 defeat to Tottenham at White Hart Lane. “This award shows we’re working very well,” Conte said. “December was a great month for us. It was important for the table and for our confidence.”
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been named the Premier League’s Player of the Month for December after his five goals helped Manchester United find winning form. The 35-year-old Swedish striker has enjoyed his first season in English football and now has a total of 18 goals in all competitions for Jose Mourinho’s team. He opened December with a flicked lob against Everton at Goodison Park, then claimed United’s late winner in their 2-1 victory at Crystal Palace.
Luis Suarez became the third quickest Barcelona player in history to reach 100 goals last night as they beat Athletic Bilbao to reach the Copa del Rey quarter-finals. The ex-Liverpool striker, in his 120th game for the Catalans, scored the opener as they won 3-1 to go through 4-3 on aggregate. Only Mariano Martin (99 games) and Hungarian striker Laszlo Kubala (103) have done it in fewer matches. It took Lionel Messi – who scored last night’s winner – 188 games to reach 100 goals, although he has been playing for the first team since he was 16.
Manchester United have triggered a clause in Marouane Fellaini’s contract that will keep him at Old Trafford until 2018. Fellaini signed a four-year deal with the option of a further year when he joined from Everton for £27.5m in 2013. United boss Jose Mourinho has activated the option despite uncertainty over the 29-year-old midfielder’s future. Fellaini was booed by his own fans last month but scored in the EFL Cup semi-final win against Hull on Tuesday.
Japanese striker Kazuyoshi Miura will take his professional football career into his 50s after signing a new contract with second-tier Yokohama FC. Miura is the oldest scorer in the history of the domestic league after netting at the age of 49 last season. He turns 50 on 26 February. He started his career in Brazil with Santos, making his professional debut in 1986, and had brief spells with Genoa and Dinamo Zagreb in the 1990s.
Chinese Super League clubs certainly are splashing the cash. Reports in Spain suggest Real Madrid midfielder James Rodriguez has rejected a £26m-a-year deal from Hebei China Fortune. AS claims the offered wage – from the club currently managed by former Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini – was nearly nine times higher than what the Colombian currently earns at the Bernabeu.
Manchester United midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin has only featured eight times under Jose Mourinho this season and now he’s on his way to Everton. Mourinho confirmed after United’s EFL Cup semi-final first leg win over Hull City on Tuesday that the former Southampton player was leaving. “I am sad and happy, sad because I like him and he could be an option for us, happy because this is what he wants, to play every game and be important in the team,” added Mourinho.
Maria Sharapova will make her professional tennis comeback following her doping ban at the Porsche Grand Prix in Stuttgart in April. The former world number one is serving a 15-month ban after testing positive for cardiac drug meldonium last January and is eligible to compete again on 26 April. The tournament starts on 24 April but the 29-year-old, who will enter as a wildcard, will not be allowed to attend until the Wednesday, the day of her first match. “I could not be happier to have my first match back on tour at one of my favourite tournaments,” she said. “I can’t wait to see all my great fans and to be back doing what I love.”
The World Cup will be expanded to host 48 teams, up from 32, FIFA has decided. An initial stage of 16 groups of three teams will precede a knockout stage for the remaining 32 when the change is made for the 2026 tournament. The sport’s world governing body voted unanimously in favour of the change at a meeting in Zurich on Tuesday (today). The number of tournament matches will rise to 80, from 64, but the eventual winners will still play only seven games. The tournament will be completed within 32 days – a measure to appease powerful European clubs, who objected to reform because of a crowded international schedule.
Cristiano Ronaldo was named the world’s best player at the inaugural Best FIFA Football Awards in Zurich. Real Madrid and Portugal forward Ronaldo, 31, beat Barcelona’s Lionel Messi and Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann to the prize. Ronaldo also won the Ballon d’Or in December, with both honours recognition for success in the Champions League with Real and Euro 2016 with Portugal. Carli Lloyd of the United States was named the world’s best female player. Leicester’s Claudio Ranieri was named best men’s coach, ex-Germany boss Silvia Neid won the female coach award, while Penang’s Mohd Faiz Subri received the Puskas award for the best goal of 2016.
Super Eagles of Nigeria captain John Mikel Obi has left Chelsea to join Chinese Super League side Tianjin TEDA with a reported weekly wage of £140,000. The 29-year-old Nigerian has played 372 times for Chelsea since joining in 2006 but has not featured this season. He said it had been “an honour” to play for the Stamford Bridge club but it was time to “seek a new challenge”. Mikel has won two Premier League titles, four FA Cups and the 2012 Champions League during his time at Stamford Bridge.
Former Olympiakos manager Marco Silva has been confirmed as Hull City’s new boss. The 39-year-old Portuguese has signed until the end of the season at the KCOM Stadium. He replaces Mike Phelan who was sacked on Tuesday with the Tigers bottom of the Premier League. Silva left the Greek side in the summer and had previously been linked with managerial vacancies at Championship sides Wolves and Nottingham Forest. He will take charge of Hull’s next game against fellow Premier League strugglers Swansea in the FA Cup third round at home on Saturday.
Watford are ready to cash in on Odion Ighalo amid fresh interest from the Chinese Super League. Ighalo has twice snubbed big-money moves to the Far East in order to stay at Vicarage Road. Watford were forced to reject Shanghai SIPG’s record £37.5million offer on the eve of this season as he did not want to go. Now Shanghai Shenhua, managed by Gus Poyet , are preparing a move for the misfiring striker. Boss Walter Mazzarri has said publicly Ighalo will be going nowhere. But privately the Hornets want him out – even if the Nigeria star digs his heels in again.
Everton have completed the £11m signing of Charlton Athletic’s teenage forward Ademola Lookman. The 19-year-old joins on a four-and-a-half-year deal until June 2021. The England Under-20 international, who has scored seven goals in 25 games this season, becomes the most expensive signing from League One. Lookman said: “It feels great to be an Everton player. As soon as I heard about Everton’s interest I knew this would be the right place for me.” Charlton had hoped Everton would loan Lookman back to them for the rest of the season but he is seen as someone who could quickly play a part at Goodison Park under manager Ronald Koeman. “Everton has a big history and I was also attracted by the manager,” Lookman added. “When you look at what he did at Southampton, and what he does with young players in terms of developing them, that was a big attraction. “It was great playing in the Championship last season and for the last six months in League One but I feel like I’m ready to make the step up to the Premier League.” Koeman said: “Ademola is a big talent and, at 19 years old, he has a big future in the game. I’m really happy that we’ve been able to bring him here to the club.” Lookman is of Nigerian parentage.
Leicester City have signed defensive midfielder Wilfred Ndidi for a reported £15m from Belgian side Genk. The 20-year-old Nigeria international completed his move on Thursday after a work permit was approved, signing a five-and-a-half-year deal. Ndidi has already trained with the squad and could make his debut in Saturday’s FA Cup third-round tie at Everton. “He’s an impressive player with a big future,” said manager Claudio Ranieri. “I feel I can learn a lot here,” Ndidi told the club’s TV channel. “I try to win the balls for the team – that is one of my main attributes. I have to achieve a lot here.” Ndidi helped Genk finish top of their Europa League group to secure their place in the knockout stages of this season’s competition.
Leicester forward Riyad Mahrez has won the Confederation of African Football’s player of the year award. The 25-year-old Algerian, who inspired Leicester to the Premier League title, is already the PFA Player of the Year and BBC African Footballer of the Year. Borussia Dortmund’s Gabonese forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was second and Senegal and Liverpool striker Sadio Mane came third. Arsenal and Nigeria forward Alex Iwobi won the young player award. Countryman and Manchester City striker, Kelechi Iheanacho was in contention for the honour.
At least 30 people have drowned after a boat carrying a football team and their fans capsized on Lake Albert in Uganda, police say. The overcrowded vessel was carrying some 45 people. Police say the boat became unbalanced when too many passengers moved to one side. Nine bodies have been recovered, and 15 people have been rescued, reports say. Boat accidents are fairly common on Lake Albert and in other parts of Africa. Vessels are often packed with too many people and goods, and in a poor state. Police commander John Rutagira told AFP news agency that most passengers were drunk by the time they embarked on the boat. The group, from Buliisa District, was on its way to a Christmas day football match in Hoima District, singing songs and blowing trumpets and whistles. Fishermen have helped authorities on the rescue operation. In November, 10 people drowned in Lake Albert on the country’s western shore.
Swansea City have sacked Bob Bradley after only 85 days in charge of the Premier League club. Monday’s 4-1 home defeat by West Ham was Swans’ seventh in 11 games since Bradley took over on 3 October and leaves them on 12 points, above bottom club Hull on goal difference. Bradley was the first American to manage a Premier League club. Chairman Huw Jenkins said: “We felt we had to make the change with half the Premier League season remaining.” He added: “With the club going through such a tough time, we have to try and find the answers to get ourselves out of trouble. “I have nothing but praise for Bob. He is a good man; a good person who gave everything to the job. His work-rate is phenomenal and we wish him well for the future.” Bradley managed USA, Egypt and Stabaek in Norway before leaving French second division club Le Havre to succeed Francesco Guidolin, who had himself only been appointed in January.
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