Anzhi to offer Torres escape route from Chelsea

Sunday People reports that Russian Premier League side Anzhi are stepping up their efforts to sign Chelsea striker Fernando Torres.

The Spaniard continues to disappoint at Stamford Bridge, with the Blues owner Roman Abramovich seriously thinking about cashing in on his star striker.

Chelsea are eager to get back at least a portion of the £50 million fee they paid for the forward in January 2011, but the problem is there are not too many clubs out there willing to take a gamble on Torres.

Sunday People, however, understands that Anzhi are willing to splash the cash on the Spain international, as they hope to pair him with Samuel Eto’o.

The club from Makhachkala want to further raise their profile and improve the quality of the squad, with Torres seen a…

Dallas sign former PSG midfielder

FC Dallas have completed the signing of midfielder Peter Luccin, the MLS side announced on their official website.

The deal will become official once the player receives a P-1 visa and International Transfer Certificate.

Luccin spent several weeks on trial with the MLS club and has done enough to earn a contract with FC Dallas, with the terms of the deal not disclosed.

“Peter came in at the end of the season to be seen by the FC Dallas coaching staff,” FC Dallas head coach Schellas Hyndman told club’s official website.

“We were in the final two weeks of training, so he was being measured against a group of players who were very fit. He really impressed us.”

Luccin, 33, has been a free agent since leaving Swiss side Lausanne Sport in Apr…

Arsenal lead Manchester United and Barcelona in Arshavin race

According to The Sun, Arsenal is the most active clubs in the pursuit of Andrei Arshavin. The Russian playmaker has caught the eye of Europe s top clubs during his nation s run to the Euro 2008 semi-finals.

Manchester United and Barcelona were also linked with Arshavin earlier this summer, with the latter thought to be the player s preferred choice, but it looks like Arsene Wenger is most determined to get his man. According to the same report in The Sun, Arsenal would be prepared to dish out £15 million for Arshavin.

The Gunners have been one of the more active clubs on the transfer market this summer. Despite ridding themselves of the services of Jens Lehmann and Mathieu Flamini, the Gunners have also added to their squad. Aaron Ramsey was snatched from under …

Renard confirms Sochaux departure

Sochaux coach Herve Renard announced he will depart the Stade Auguste Bonal following the club s relegation to Ligue 2 on Saturday.

A 3-0 defeat at home to Evian TG in their final-day fixture condemned Sochaux to second-tier football next season, ending the Montbeliard-based club s current stint in the top flight after 13 campaigns.

Sochaux have competed in every Ligue 1 season since the French top division was rebadged in 2002.

Renard s side were one point adrift of safety heading into Saturday s game and needed to win to ensure their top-flight status but a brace from Evian s Danish midfielder Daniel Wass ended Sochaux s seven-match unbeaten run, consigning them to Ligue 2 in the process.

It had been expected Renard would leave the Stade Auguste-Bonal if Sochau…

Arsenal to step up Andre Onana interest

Arsenal will now step up their interest in Ajax goalkeeper Andre Onana, according to . It has been reported that due to Onana’s ban being reduced by CAS, Arsenal will now try to accelerate their move for the Cameroon international goalkeeper. The 25-year-old will not be able to play until November 2021.

Bernd Leno’s future at Arsenal is wrapped up in uncertainty. The Germany international goalkeeper wants to leave, and Arsenal themselves are open to selling him at the right price. So far, there has not been any concrete interest or offer made for Leno.

Arsenal need to prepare for any eventuality, and signing Onana now would make sense. The Cameroon International would miss only a handful of matches for Arsenal next season before being available for selection, and th…

Rumour Has It: Arsenal have doubts over Ljungberg

Arsenal appear to be spiralling into a deeper mess as the days pass.

Just over a week on from sacking Unai Emery, the Gunners now reportedly have doubts over how long Freddie Ljungberg should be left in charge.

Misjudging the situation could have serious ramifications for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang s future.

 

TOP STORY – DOUBTS EMERGE OVER LJUNGBERG

Arsenal fear interim boss Ljungberg s lack of managerial experience will force them to make a full-time appointment before the end of the season, reports The Mirror.

Gunners chiefs seemed set to back the Swede when Emery was moved aside but a draw with Norwich City at Carrow Road and the 2-1 loss to Brighton and Hove Albion in midweek have cast doubt over his capabilities.

Action co…

Sweden 0 Belgium 1: Ibrahimovic´s international career ends with group-stage exit

Zlatan Ibrahimovic s international career ended in disappointment as Sweden exited Euro 2016 following a 1-0 defeat to Belgium in Nice.

The captain revealed ahead of the game that he would be retiring from Sweden duty when they went out of the tournament, a fate that was sealed by Radja Nainggolan s impressive strike six minutes from time.

Ibrahimovic and Romelu Lukaku both had goals ruled out in the second half of a match that only caught fire in the closing stages, with Sweden paying the price for their failure to break down Marc Wilmots men.

Belgium put in a subdued performance, but the late victory ensures they finish second in Group E and progress to face Hungary in the last 16.

Sweden, meanwhile, conclude the group stage with one point from three g…

Sampaoli is a born winner – Sevilla president

Sevilla president Jose Castro is confident Jorge Sampaoli is the right man to lead the club forward, branding him a born winner .

Sampaoli, a nominee for 2015 FIFA Coach of the Year, was appointed as Unai Emery s replacement at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan on Monday.

Emery is set to move on to Paris Saint-Germain, but Castro is sure the Argentine coach can keep pushing the reigning Europa League champions on.

My first impressions had to be good because of the excitement he generates. He is a professional who has come to Europe to win, who is a born winner, he told Sevilla s official website.

He has enamoured himself to everyone in South America by making Chile the [2015 Copa America] champion, he is the most fashionable coach in South America and therefore…

Bojan gets moment in Spanish spotlight

After three missed chances, Barcelona s promising teenage striker Bojan Krkic is poised to earn his first cap for Spain in the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Bosnia and Armenia.

Bojan, who turned 18 last month, was the most significant absence from the squad which new Spain coach Vicente del Bosque assembled for the match against Bosnia on Saturday in Murcia and against Armenia four days later in Albacete.

But after Liverpool striker Fernando Torres pulled a hamstring on Premier League duty the coach called on Bojan as a replacement instead of Real Betis Sergio Garcia, who was part of the Spain squad that won Euro 2008, or Real Madrid captain Raul.

For me it is an award to be with the champions of Europe, he said. But I m not anxious.

If I ha…

Grand Duchy shock Hitzfeld´s Swiss

Swiss manager Ottmar Hitzfeld may be one of the most successful club coaches in history, having led Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich to the Champions League.

But on Wednesday his Swiss charges went down to a humiliating 2-1 home World Cup qualifier defeat to tiny Luxembourg in his first home competitive match in charge.

Although the likes of Andorra have shown in recent years that the minnow level has risen to prompt the well-worn adage that there are no easy matches any more, Luxembourg had until Wednesday done their best to prove the opposite.

Although they did appear in the 1963 European Championships, they scored zero points in the qualifiers for the 2006 World Cup, only San Marino proving as hapless as former Danish star Allan Simonsen and then Guy He…