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Football News: Review Of The Day 23rd February 2019

Review Of The Day 23rd February 2019
Image from: freelargeimages.com

Review of the Day

 


Transfers

Plymouth Argyle have signed free agent winger Paul Anderson on a short term deal. The 30 year old former Liverpool youngster had been on trial with the League One club in order to earn the deal. He had been released by Mansfield Town on transfer deadline day after failing to make an appearance for them all season.

Rayo Vallecano defender Jose Leon has moved on loan to Swedish Allsvenskan side AFC Eskilstuna.

West Bromwich Albion's Chinese forward Yuning Zhang has returned to the Championship club at the end of his loan spell to Dutch Eredivisie side ADO Den Haag.

 

Contracts

Aymeric Laporte has extended his deal with Manchester City. The left sided defender is now contracted to the reigning Premier League champions until 2025.

Crystal Palace have awarded Martin Kelly an extension until 2021.

Also now tied down until 2021 is Houston Dynamo's Colombian centre forward Mauro Manotas.

 

Chelsea Given Signing Ban

Chelsea have been banned from signing new players in the next two transfer windows after FIFA found them guilty of violating Article 19 of the FIFA regulations. It is fundamentally entrenched that a club must not sign players under 18 from abroad unless the player's parents have immigrated to the respective country for reasons unrelated to football. However, this only applies if both clubs are in the European Union or European Economic Area and the player is aged between 16 and 18. Even then, the buying club must meet more criteria relating to education, training, living conditions and support. Chelsea also have a 600,000 Swiss francs fine to pay. The FA have also been fined. FIFA investigated the signing of 92 under-18 players and found breaches in 29 of the cases. Chelsea stated that they will be launching an appeal: "We welcome the fact Fifa has accepted that there was no breach in relation to 63 of these players, but the club is extremely disappointed that Fifa has not accepted the club's submissions in relation to the remaining 29 players. Chelsea acted in accordance with the relevant regulations and will shortly be submitting its appeal to Fifa." The FA also plan to appeal its own fine.

 

Marotta Claims Godin Deal Close

The chief executive of Inter Milan, Giuseppe Marotta, has claimed that the club will officially announce the signing of Atletico Madrid defender Diego Godin. Marotta told Sky Italia: "We are very advanced in the negotiations and it was very nice to see that he scored against Juventus. I think we can make the announcement official shortly."

 

Tigers Hit By MacDonald Setback

Hull City defender Angus MacDonald has been ruled out for the rest of the season. The 26 year old was ruled out with a calf problem in August, with tests in November finding a blood clot. The club were expecting to have him back next month, but he has suffered a setback in his recovery that will see him miss the end of the season, at least.

 

SFA Rule Out Foreign Refs

The Scottish FA have ruled out the use of foreign referees despite the heavy criticism Scottish officials have been subject to in recent years. SFA chief executive Ian Maxwell said: "Our match officials are highly respected at Fifa and Uefa level. I am acutely aware that changes implemented in the summer - changes that had input from and were approved by the judicial panel working group comprising Scottish FA and SPFL staff, club, players', managers' and referees' representatives - have subsequently caused some confusion and uncertainty. For the avoidance of doubt, however, at no point during Monday's meeting did any discussion take place on referees from outwith Scotland, nor will the Scottish FA countenance such a notion. We currently have 22 match officials on the Fifa list and while they are as susceptible to human error as players and managers, I reiterate my support to the match officials at all levels in this country," the chief executive explained. They are a vital part of our game and it is our duty as the governing body to support and encourage them as we do our players and coaches to achieve our objective of a vibrant and flourishing game in this country."

 

Killie Keeper Has Card Overturned

Kilmarnock goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann has had the red card he was shown in the Scottish Cup defeat to Rangers rescinded. Bachmann was perceived by the referee to have elbowed Glen Kamara just 25 minutes into the game, which Killie lost 5-0, having been 1 down when he went off.

 

Taarabt Banishment Ended

Benfica have ended the banishment of Adel Taarabt to their reserves, after 7 months away from the first team. Taraabt was demoted to the reserves after returning from a loan spell with Genoa, though the former Tottenham Hotspur, Fulham, QPR and AC Milan player was, for once, praised over his attitude by his manager, Bruno Lage, as he was promoted back to the first team. Taarabt has been known for tantrums (walking out on his country after being named among the substitutes) and a poor attitude to training throughout his career, but Lage said of him: "He [Taarabt] started the season at the B team. I did not know him, I had heard stories about his past, but what I saw was a player who always trained well, with the intensity I like. I must hand him opportunities, we will see if we can create that opportunity and if he grabs it once and for all to make a career according to his potential."

 

Lacazette Gets 3 Match Ban

Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette has been given a 3 match ban following his sending off in his club's first leg Europa League tie with Bate Borisov. He will now miss the tie with Rennes, after serving the first match of his ban in the second leg against Bate. Valencia's Geoffrey Kondogbia has been banned for 2 matches for "receiving a yellow card on purpose" in his club's win at Celtic. Despite admitting he deliberately got himself booked to the media straight after the game, Sergio Ramos has still to receive any punishment.

 

Europa League Last 16 Now Confirmed

Chelsea v Dynamo Kiev
Eintracht Frankfurt v Inter Milan
Dinamo Zagreb v Benfica
Napoli v FC Salzburg
Valencia v FC Krasnodar
Sevilla v Slavia Prague
Arsenal v Rennes
Zenit St Petersburg v Villarreal

 

Hornets And Toffees Reach Agreement

Everton and Watford have finally come to an 'amicable agreement' over the alleged illegal approach Everton made to then Watford manager Marco Silva in November 2017. Watford blamed poor form afterwards on the approach, though the pattern of poor form has been repeated since Silva was appointed Everton manager in the summer.

 

AEK Athens Given Suspended Ban

AEK Athens will have a suspended ban from European competitions hanging over their heads for the next 2 years after crowd trouble in their Champions League tie with Ajax. Riot police clashed with Ajax fans in the Greek side's home league, but Ajax escaped punishment after UEFA decided to 'end proceedings' against them over their charges of setting off fireworks and throwing objects. AEK were hit with 7 charges including setting off fireworks, displaying an illicit banner and blocking stairways and will have to play their next 2 matches in UEFA competitions behind closed doors as well as paying an 80,000 euros fine.

 

Man City Alleged To Have Made Banned Payments

According to German investigative journal Der Spiegel, which has been releasing information obtained from Football Leaks in recent months, Manchester City made an illegal payment to Jadon Sancho's agent when they signed him from Watford at the age of 14. Despite FA rules banning agents until players are 16 and over, it is alleged that City paid Emeka Obasi £200,000 for his part in the transfer. Watford received £66,000 in compensation. Der Spiegel also alleged that City persuaded Sancho's father to agree to the transfer by writing him a letter outlining how much they would be willing to pay Jadon when he turned professional. It is alleged that a City lawyer was 'alarmed' by the letter, which could be (should be?) deemed as a financial offer, with clubs banned from offering financial inducements to under 16s.

Written by Tris Burke February 23 2019 05:23:32

 

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