Giovinco happy in Toronto despite ´huge offer´ from China

Russian heavyweights Zenit Saint Petersburg have seen their initial attempt to land the PSV midfielder Davy Propper fail, Dutch media outlet has reported.

Zenit scouts have been watching the Dutch midfielder for quite some time and have identified the 25-year-old PSV Eindhoven star as one of the top three transfer targets, according to a source close to the Russian club.

The Russians were not discouraged by the rejected approach and are expected to return with an improved offer for a player who has once more demonstrated his importance for the Eredivisie side by scoring the winning goal in a 2-1 triumph at Heracles on Saturday.

The player himself is believed to be well aware of the Russian interest and is refusing to rule out a move to Zenit, although his club …

Mikel Arteta insists his Arsenal side will continue to dig for Premier League glory as the season enters its final fortnight.

The Gunners headed into the weekend just one point behind leaders Manchester City, but having played a game more.

Brighton are the visitors to the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, with Arsenal hoping for the chance to move back to the summit, a position they held for the majority of the season.

Who are you backing? |

— Premier League (@premierleague)

The destiny of the title was taken out of their own hands after a 4-1 thrashing at City followed a run of three consecutive draws.

Since then, Arsenal have got back on track with impressive wins over Chelsea and Newcastle and Arteta is urging his players to keep workin…

Pep Guardiola says a week in which Manchester City can reach the Champions League final and win the Premier League again is a “dream come true”.

Arsenal’s 3-0 defeat at home to Brighton following City’s victory by the same scoreline at Everton means Guardiola’s side can clinch a fifth title in six seasons next weekend.

But before that City will have to get past holders Real Madrid in a home semi-final second leg to maintain their quest for a first Champions League triumph, with the tie level at 1-1.

We keep pushing

— Phil Foden (@PhilFoden)

“It is a dream come true being here, honestly,” said Guardiola, whose side also have an FA Cup final against Manchester United to look forward to next month.

“I know at the end we ma…

Swansea City are lining up a move for Bolton Wanderers striker David N gog, .

Manager Michael Laudrup is eager to bolster his attacking options ahead of the final four months of the season, were the Swans remain active in both the Europa League and the FA Cup, while most importantly, they aim to improve on their flailing Premier League form.

Bottom of the form table with no wins in their last eight league games, the South Wales side have slipped to within three points of the relegation zone and have scored just seven goals in their last eight games.

Laudrup was initially interesting in securing former Liverpool man N gog’s services in the summer, but pulled out of a deal on transfer deadline day.

Since moving from Anfield to the Reebok Stadium in t…

Thiago Silva is targeting a Paris Saint-Germain victory over Lyon this weekend as he looks to fulfill his Christmas wish of achieving a league and European double.

Unbeaten PSG are 15 points clear at the summit of Ligue 1 and wrapped up a successful Champions League group stage with a 2-0 win against Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday.

Asked what was on his Christmas list ahead of the clash with Lyon, the Brazil international said:  As every year, my first wish is that the club, the team, continue on this path.

Then I ask for the Champions League and the championship.

PSG are without a win in their last three league meetings with Lyon, whose own Champions League quest ended despite a 2-0 win in Valencia.

While Lyon may not have qualified for the l…

Liverpool have made contact with Wolverhampton Wanderers over a potential transfer of Adama Traore, according to Mundo Deportivo.

The winger has drawn plenty attention over the course of the season with his blistering pace and dazzling dribbling ability, not least those of previous title holders Manchester City, against whom he scored on both occasions twice at the Etihad. All told, he scored six goals and assisted further 12 in 45 appearances in 2019/20 so far. His performances have been vital in the successes Wolves have had under Nuno Espirito Santo. They are currently in sixth place and are battling to secure a European spot for the second consecutive season; even the Champions League doesn t seem impossible, especially if City s European ban is upheld by the Court of Arbit…

River Plate moved a step closer to back-to-back Copa Libertadores titles after defeating bitter rivals Boca Juniors 2-0 in the first leg of their semi-final clash.

Defending champions River and Boca are going head-to-head in a rematch of last year s controversial final, which the former claimed 5-3 on aggregate.

The second leg of the all-Argentinian 2018 decider had to be rearranged and moved to Real Madrid s Santiago Bernabeu in December after the match was twice suspended in November due to an attack on Boca s team bus by supporters.

Pitted against each other in the semis, hosts River drew first blood thanks to Rafael Santos Borre s seventh-minute penalty and an Ignacio Fernandez goal in the 70th minute on Tuesday.

Boca s woes were compounded by a stop…

Brazilian legend Pele on Monday launched a broadside against Argentina coach Diego Maradona, charging that he only took the job as he was out of work and needed the money, Brazilian media reported on Monday.

Pele and Maradona widely considered as the two best players of all time have regularly indulged in verbal sparring.

But Pele rose to the bait when the Brazilian media asked him about comments attributed to Maradona during the inauguration of the World Cup in South Africa.

Maradona allegedly implied that a dark gentleman taken to mean Pele had questioned the ability of the host nation to be the first African country to host the World Cup.

Pele hit back, saying: I don t understand a few things. When he did his first television programme (in 2005) in Ar…

Former Croatia international defender Robert Kovac has announced his retirement, his club Dinamo Zagreb said Wednesday.

Kovac had been one of the pivots of Croatia s national team in the past decade before quitting international football in 2009.

After spending the second of two seasons with Dinamo, the Croatian champions, the much-travelled Croat has decided enough is enough.

It s over, that s enough, the 37-year-old Kovac was quoted as saying on the club s website.

I m a little tired, I m not getting any younger and finally I m lacking a little motivation. I don t think I can contribute much to Dinamo.

Berlin-born Kovac spent most of his career outside Croatia.

He had spells with Hertha Berlin (1992-95), Nuremberg (1995-96), Bayer Le…

Ashley Westwood has agreed a new five year deal with Aston Villa,.

The twenty-five year old moved to B6 from Crewe Alexandra in the summer of 2012, and has since become an established first team regular.

His appearance in the opening day victory over Premier League newcomers AFC Bournemouth was his one hundred and first for club in all competitions, with his one hundredth the FA Cup final defeat to Arsenal back in May.

He is now committed to the Midlands club for the foreseeable future, and will look be involved as they prepare for Friday night’s game against Manchester United – a side they haven’t beaten in their twelve meetings.

Villa have finished in the bottom six of the Premier League in each of the last four seasons but can be backed at…