Manchester City: Pellegrini Out, Guardiola In….

Manchester City has released a statement regarding their coaching situation. Here is the club Statement: “Manchester City can confirm that in recent weeks it has commenced and finalised contractual negotiations with Pep Guardiola to become MCFC head coach for the 2016/17 EPL season onwards,” a club statement read. The contract is for three years. These negotiations were a re-commencement of discussions that were curtailed in 2012. Out of respect for Manuel Pellegrini and the players, the club wishes to make its decision public to remove the unnecessary burden of speculation. Manuel, who is fully supportive of the decision to make this communication, is entirely focused on achieving his targets for the season ahead and retains the respect and commitment of all involved with the leadership of the club.”

Doumbia joins Newcastle….

Cote d’Ivoire international Seydou Doumbia has signed for Newcastle United on loan from Roma, subject to a medical. Doumbia is a powerful striker and, although he only managed two goals for Roma, he has banged them in for fun in the past. He got 66 league goals in two spells at CSKA Moscow and 50 in an impressive 64 games for Swiss Super League side BSC Young Boys.

Emenike signs for West Ham on loan….

SQUAD NUMBER: New signing Emmanuel Emenike will wear the No29 shirt for #WestHam

West Ham have signed Fenerbahce striker Emmanuel Emenike on loan, with an option to make the deal permanent at the end of the season. The former Nigeria international has been on loan at Abu Dhabi club Al Ain. “I’m very happy and very excited that I’m here,” 28-year-old Emenike told the club’s website. “I have always known West Ham as a great club. I have known [manager Slaven] Bilic for years and thank God we are here together.” Bilic previously managed Besiktas, based in Istanbul, Turkey – the city rivals of Fenerbahce. Emenike, who scored nine goals in 37 international appearances, becomes the club’s second signing of the January transfer window, after Leeds defender Sam Byram.

English FA Cup fifth-round draw….

Chelsea vs Manchester City

Reading vs West Brom or Peterborough

Watford vs Leeds United

Shrewsbury Town vs Manchester United

Blackburn vs Liverpool or West Ham

Tottenham vs Crystal Palace

Arsenal vs Hull

Bournemouth vs Everton

John Terry to leave Chelsea….

Chelsea captain John Terry is not being offered a new contract and will leave the club at the end of the season. The 35-year-old defender, who joined the club at the age of 14, has won four Premier League titles, five FA Cups and the Champions League with the Blues. “Ideally I would have loved to stay, but the club’s moving in a different direction,” he said. Terry has played 696 times for the Blues and hopes to continue his career, but not with another English club. “I couldn’t play for another Premier League club. It will be elsewhere for sure,” added the former England captain. “I feel as though I’m in great nick, I’m playing great and I’ve got a couple of years to go. It’ll just be elsewhere. “The club will move on. No player is ever bigger than the club. No doubt they’ll sign one or two great centre-backs.”

Djokovic is the 2016 Australian Open champion….

Novak Djokovic

World number one Novak Djokovic beat Andy Murray in straight sets to win his sixth Australian Open title and condemn the Briton to a fifth final defeat. The Serb, 28, won 6-1 7-5 7-6 (7-3) to claim his sixth Melbourne title, tying the record of Australia’s Roy Emerson. Djokovic also draws level with tennis greats Bjorn Borg and Rod Laver on 11 Grand Slam titles. Djokovic has now won four of the past five major tournaments, including three in a row, and will try to complete his career Grand Slam with a first French Open title in June.

Pull your socks up Alex….

Nigeria international and Arsenal midfielder, Alex Iwobi revealed he has been told to pull his socks up by Arsenal assistant manager Steve Bould. The youngster often wears the garments low on his shin during games and has admitted the former centre back has advised him to wear them higher to match his team-mates. Iwobi said: “The manager [Arsene Wenger] hasn’t said anything about my socks but Steve Bould just did. He says that I should pull them up but I’m just comfortable like that. It’s just the way I play. “As long as I play well I don’t think he minds though.”

Fenerbahce Chairman confirms Emenike’s Upton Park switch….

Confirmed: Chairman reveals striker is on verge of sealing West Ham transfer

Fenerbahce striker Emmanuel Emenike is on the verge of joining West Ham United on loan for the rest of the season. Emenike, a former Nigeria international, has been on loan at Al Ain this season and the Turkish giants are ready to let him go. And Fernerbahce’s chairman Aziz Yildirim has confirmed today that they have agreed to loan Emenike to Upton Park for the remainder of the season with the Hammers able to purchase him permanently in the summer. ‘We’re about to loan Emenike to West Ham United,’ said Yildirim. ‘They will give £760,000 to us for this agreement and they will have the option to purchase him for £8.3m.’

Chelsea accept Leicester’s offer for Remy….

Chelsea striker Loic Remy

Leicester City have reportedly had a £11.5m offer accepted for Chelsea striker Loïc Rémy. The France international is widely expected to leave Stamford Bridge before Monday’s transfer window deadline with Newcastle United among his suitors. Premier League leaders Leicester, however, are on the look-out for a new forward after allowing Andrej Kramarić to join Hoffenheim on loan until the end of the season. According to beIN Sports, the Foxes have turned to 29-year-old Rémy after failing with bids for Italian striker Éder, who joined Internazionale in the week, and AC Milan hitman M’Baye Niang.

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English FA Cup fourth round results….

FA Cup: Derby 1-3 Man Utd highlights

Friday 29 January, 2016:

Derby 1 – 3 Man Utd

Saturday 30 January, 2016:

Colchester 1 – 4 Tottenham

Arsenal 2 – 1 Burnley

Aston Villa 0 – 4 Man City

Bolton 1 – 2 Leeds

Bury 1 – 3 Hull

Crystal Palace 1 – 0 Stoke

Nottm Forest 0 – 1 Watford

Oxford Utd 0 – 3 Blackburn

Portsmouth 1 – 2 Bournemouth

Reading 4 – 0 Walsall

Shrewsbury 3 – 2 Sheff Wed

West Brom 2 – 2 Peterborough

Liverpool 0 – 0 West Ham

 

 

FA Cup: Iheanacho scores a hat-trick in Man City’s win….

Kelechi Iheanacho

Nigerian international Kelechi Iheanacho scored a hat-trick as Manchester City eased into the fifth round of the FA Cup by thrashing beleaguered Aston Villa. City went ahead within the first four minutes as the home side failed to clear a corner and Iheanacho swept in a finish from close range. The visitors doubled their lead from Iheanacho’s cool penalty after Raheem Sterling was brought down in the box. Iheanacho ran clear for his third goal and Sterling poked in a fourth. Striker Iheanacho could even have had four but failed to connect with a shot after making a run into the opposition box and Fernandinho’s long-range drive was pushed over by goalkeeper Guzan. The match ended 4 – 0 in favor of City.

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Serena Williams was gracious in defeat….

Germany’s Angelique Kerber may have pulled off a stunning victory to win the Australian Open – dashing Serena Williams’ hopes of clinching a record-equalling 22nd grand slam title, but that didn’t stop the World Number 1 from showing what a true sportswoman she is. Kerber beat Williams 6-4 3-6 6-4 to claim her first major title, but instead of looking disappointed (or hanging her head down in defeat), Williams walked across to the other side of the court to hug the latest Grand Slam winner. It was in incredible moment in sport, hailed by numerous tennis fans

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Florent Malouda joins Egyptian club….

Florent Malouda

Egyptian side Wadi Degla have signed former France international and ex-Chelsea midfielder Florent Malouda. The 35-year-old joins from Indian Super League side Delhi Dynamos, where he had been since August 2015. He has signed a contract until the end of the season and teams up with fellow Frenchman Patrice Carteron, who became the club’s manager earlier in January. Malouda, who played for Chelsea from 2007 to 2013, has earned 80 France caps and scored nine international goals. This is a reversal of the normal trend for African players ending up in Europe. Nice we’d say.

Matt Miazga joins Chelsea….

Chelsea have confirmed the signing of Matt Miazga from New York Red Bulls on a four-and-a-half-year contract. The United States defender, 20, was part of the New York side that finished top of the regular-season standings in Major League Soccer last year. Miazga, a centre-half, said Chelsea was “the place to develop and learn from some of the best players in the world”. He made 34 league appearances across three seasons with New York, with his solitary goal for the club coming in a derby victory over New York City FC last May. New Jersey-born Miazga has made one international appearance, against St Vincent and the Grenadines in a World Cup qualifier in November.

Chelsea seal Alexandre Pato loan swoop….

Alexandre Pato has hailed his arrival at Chelsea as “a dream” after joining on loan until the end of the season. Chelsea have signed the 26-year-old former AC Milan forward on loan from Brazilian club Corinthians. Pato told Chelsea’s website: “I am so happy to sign for Chelsea. It is a dream for me. I am looking forward to meeting and getting to know my new team-mates and cannot wait to play. “I thank Chelsea for their support and hope I can repay this faith to the club and its fans.”

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West Brom sign Sandro on loan from QPR….

West Brom head coach Tony Pulis has strengthened his midfield options with the loan signing of Sandro from QPR. The former Tottenham midfielder, who has made 11 appearances for Rangers this term, will stay at the Hawthorns until the end of the season, with the Baggies holding the option to make the move permanent in the summer. “We’re delighted to bring such a quality player to the club,” Pulis told the club’s official website. “We’ve got a few injuries and knocks at the moment so we’re pleased to be able to strengthen the squad.

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Real and Atletico Madrid have transfer bans provisionally suspended….

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Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid have had their FIFA-imposed transfer bans suspended pending their appeals, both Primera Division clubs have announced. Real and Atletico were banned by the world governing body earlier this month from registering new signings for the next two transfer windows for breaching rules on the international transfer and registration of players aged under 18. However, both clubs immediately appealed against the ruling – which would mean they are not be able to register any new players until the summer of 2017 after this month’s window closes – and on Friday night they announced the sanction had been provisionally suspended.

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Nwakali wants Arsenal’s No. 25 Shirt used by Kanu….

Kelechi Nwakali expects to sign for Arsenal in the weeks ahead, and the Nigerian youngster has already picked the number he wants to wear at the Emirates. Arsenal have targeted Nwakali, along with fellow youth international Samuel Chukwueze, for several months and, though they face issues over securing work permits for the two teenagers, Arsene Wenger confirmed today that he expects both players to agree contracts at the club.

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Real Madrid are poised to announce football’s first £1 billion kit deal….

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Real Madrid are on the brink of signing a 10-year, £106 million-per-season contract with Adidas, which would dwarf the one signed with Manchester United in 2014.It would also be as big as Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Barcelona’s kit deals combined.United’s £750m, 10-year contract is currently the largest in the world, having overtaken that agreed by Real with Adidas in 2012. The Spanish giants’ previous deal was not due to expire until 2020 but they have managed to secure a massive mark-up four years in advance.

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