Football News: Leicester Reject Mahrez Transfer Talk And 9 Other Stories Of The Day
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1. Insigne claims Arsenal want him
Napoli winger Lorenzo Insigne has been in good form this season, with eight goals from his twenty appearances this season. Such good form has attracted the attention of other clubs across Europe according to the Italian's agent Antonio Ottaiano. "We are delighted with the interest of the PSG and Arsenal. We are talking about two clubs at the top of world football, but Lorenzo is focused on Naples and the team's collective goals," said Insigne's representative Ottaiano. "This is a good season for Naples; the team is fighting on all fronts and Insigne wants to win every game. He wears jersey he dreamed of wearing when he was little and he will give everything to satisfy the fans."
2. Ranieri rules out Vardy and Mahrez sale
The manager of high-flying Leicester City, Claudio Ranieri, has ruled out the sale of his two star players, Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez in the January transfer window. "Nobody goes from Leicester. They have said they want to stay and fight until the end and build with me and the chairman and our fans a big Leicester. We are a solid team and we want to continue together with everybody." Ranieri added: "They are concentrating, they must be very professional. It is not important now the contract. They have their agents but it is another thing to play. For this reason they pay their agents to think about the contract. If they think about too many other things and not the real job, they will not continue to improve."
3. Mowatt still missing
Leeds United will have to make do without young midfielder Alex Mowatt for a bit longer, as he has been ruled out of the weekend's match with MK Dons by manager Steve Evans. The 20 year old has already sat out the last two matches for the Whites, as he has a groin injury, and Evans has now confirmed that he will not be getting recalled at the weekend. In fact he may also miss the following game, an FA Cup Third Round tie with Rotherham United. "He won't be risked," Evans told the Yorkshire Evening Post. "It's quite simple - he's not 100 per cent right and if we don't get him right then we'll only end up dealing with this again. I'd rather he was 100 per cent than 99 per cent and he might not play against Rotherham either."
4. Atletico clinch their first January signing
29 year old Argentina international Augusto Fernandez has left Celta Vigo to sign for La Liga title chasers Atletico Madrid. Fernandez has signed with the Madrid side on a deal until 2019 and will hope to push their title challenge over the line. Atletico are currently level on points with Barcelona at the top of La Liga, with 38 points, and are in the last 16 of the Champions League.
We start 2016 working hard; Augusto is one more in the group #HappyRedAndWhite2016 pic.twitter.com/sMl7Z5XlwR
— Atleti English (@atletienglish) January 1, 2016
5. Cherries coup sees Iturbe arrive on loan
Juan Iturbe was just a transfer windows ago the subject of huge interest from around Europe before choosing to join AS Roma from Verona. Everyone was interested in the Paraguayan winger, who qualifies to play for Argentina, as he had caught attention with his pace and trickery. Just a season and a half later and he is once again on the move, this time not following a tug of war between Europe's biggest clubs, but instead a battle between Watford and AFC Bournemouth for him on loan. With the Cherries fighting for their life in the Premier League, and Iturbe fighting to revitalise his career, this could turn out to be a very good loan move for both parties. One thing is for sure, this is the kind of signing that excites the fans and gives them belief in their chances of staying up.
6. LVG admits United need a striker
After offloading two strikers on permanent deals in the summer, then sending another one on loan, Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has stated the obvious, United need a forward. With an over the hill Wayne Rooney the main option, alongside French teenager Anthony Martial, the Red Devils were blatantly short up top at the start of the season. The main worry for me is the fact that it took the veteran coach so long to see that it might be a problem leaving no cover for injuries and loss of form. It was understandable that he offloaded Robin van Persie, the Dutch forward is clearly past his best and needed to be moved on. With Javier Hernandez, James Wilson, Wayne Rooney and Anthony Martial as the four forward, United look to have a good frontline, so why did he then decide Hernandez would never play and Wilson should go on loan? It makes even less sense when you remember that Rooney was hopeless out of sorts last season as well. It is not like his legs have suddenly gone out of nowhere. The signs have been there for years that the poor lifestyle choices he has made have left him overweight and over the hill. The goal scoring issues are problems entirely of van Gaal's own making.
7. Keane returns to Manchester United
Following on from the previous story is the news that Manchester United have recalled a striker, Will Keane, from his loan spell with Preston North End. Will he be the answer to Louis van Gaal's struggles over December? Hard to see any reason for this move in all honesty, the 22 year old has not exactly shown an eye for goal while on loan, notching just one goal in his twenty appearances for the Deepdale outfit. With James Wilson looking even more out of sorts in his loan spell with Brighton & Hove Albion, especially on New Year's day, options were limited for United and they have turned to Keane.
8. Agent hints at Prem move for Zlatan
The agent of PSG's Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Mino Raiola, has told Sky Sports that he thinks the Premier League could be the perfect destination for the Swedish legend. The 34 year old striker is out of contract with Paris Saint-Germain in the summer and Raiola believes that English football would be well suited to his game. "I would like to see him in the Premier League. I think it's a game that is made for him with his strength. his ability, his technique, the stadiums with fantastic atmosphere and how football is lived," he said. "It's difficult now because for the first time in his life he wants to be a free agent so that he can look around and have a feeling day by day what he wants to do. There are a lot of projects on our table but he has not decided yet. Can he go to England? In theory yes he can because he will be a free agent and for sure there are some clubs always interested in him. What we will do at the end, I really don't know." Raiola did rule out any move in the January transfer window saying: "No, he will definitely stay with Paris St Germain until the end of the season. He wants to be with them, they want to be with him. We have a very strong relationship with the club. He will not leave in January."
9. Villans extend loan stays
Aston Villa have confirmed loan extensions for two of their young players. 22 year old defender Janoi Donacien is set to stay with Newport County for the rest of the season, after initially joining on a short term loan that was extended once to include December and has now been extended for a second time. He has so far started 12 league games for the South Wales side. Swiss youth international Benjamin Siegrist is now going to be with Solihull Moors until the end of the season. The 23 year old goalie suffered an injury that put him out for 3 months back in May, and went to Solihull to recover fitness, but is now staying there until May 15 after becoming a regular first choice for them.
10. Turan and Vidal debuts delayed due to office opening hours
Arda Turan and Aleix Vidal signed for Barcelona during the summer transfer window, but were unable to play for the Catalan club due to a transfer ban, which has now ended. It was expected that the duo would make their debuts this weekend, but now it has emerged they will have to wait a little longer as the Spanish federation are still on their Christmas holidays!
Despite end of Fifa ban, Vidal and Arda can only be registered next week as Spanish federation is not working today or in the weekend.
— barcastuff (@barcastuff) January 1, 2016
Written by Tris Burke January 02 2016 10:28:28