Football News: Delap Eat Your Hearts Out, Newcastle Backed To Avoid Drop And Sanchez And Allegri Move Rumours Dismissed Plus More

1. Transfer round up
Zhongguo Chi, Shanghai Shenxin to Yanbian Funde, £1.19m
Calin Albut, FC Viitorul to Gaz Metan, free
Alex Pereira, Athletic FC United to Assyriska FF, free
Eduard Sergienko, Taraz to Akzhayik Uralsk, free
Dimitrios Karademitros, AE Kifisias to Triglia Rafinas, free
Anders Lindegaard, West Bromwich Albion to Preston North End, on loan
Farid Guliyev, Ravan Baku to Yozgatspor, free
Tim Janssen, Fortuna Sittard to Oklahoma City, free
Adrian Ropotan, Petrolul Ploiesti to Pandurri Targu Jiu, free
Vyacheslav Sharpar, Volyn Lutsk to Atyrau, free
Michiel Hemmen, BK Hacken to Excelsior Rotterdan, free
Alexandru Ologu, Dudley Town to Worcester City, free
Oleksiy Dovgy, Metalist Kharkiv to Vorskla Poltava, free
Paris Cowan-Hall, Millwall to Wycombe Wanderers, on loan
Stelios Tsoukanis, PGS Kissamikos to Apollon 1926, free
Tryfon Kroustalelis, APS Eolikos Mytilini to Krya Vrysi, free
Denis Kramar, Perth Glory to FK Sarajevo, free
Christos Efstathiou, OFI Crete to Apollon 1926, free
Dino Fazlic, Kidderminster Harriers to Halifax Town, free
Asterios Nikolitsis, AP Eginiakos to Vyzantio Kokkinochomatos, free
Dionysis Michailidis, Pierikos Katerini to Achilleas Neokesarias, free
Erotokritos Damarlis, AE Ermionidas to Apollon 1926, free
Lazaros Moisiadis, Anagennisi Giannitsa to Apollon 1926, free
Antonis Vouzas, Ikonomos Tsaritsanis to Tyrnavos 2005, free
Sean Kavanagh, Fulham to Mansfield Town, on loan
Vladislav Efimov, Dinamo St Petersburg to AS Pagny sur Moselle, free
Carlos Gruezo, VfB Stuttgart to FC Dallas, undisclosed fee
Cristian Danci, FC Botosani to Gaz Metan, free
Iustin Popescu, Dinamo Bucharest to Petrolul Ploiesti, on loan
Rodrigo Soria, San Carlos to Cucuta, undisclosed fee
Ognjen Skoric, released by FK Derventa
Daniel Unguru, released by National Sebis
Dejan Gavric, released by FK Derventa
Crystian, Penapolense Sao Paulo to Paysandu, on loan
Shola Ameobi, released by Bolton Wanderers
Frank Fabra, Independiente Medellin to Boca Juniors, £973,000
Matt Ingram, Wycombe Wanderers to QPR, £371,000
Jon Busch, Chicago Fire to Indy Eleven, free
Simon Mensing, Atlanta Silverbacks to Carolina Railhawks, free
Kevin Thomson, Dundee to Hibernian, free
Agus, Albacete to Houston Dynamo, free
Alan Sheehan, Bradford City to Luton Town, on loan
David Williams, Melbourne City to Szombathelyi Haladas, free
Cameron Belford, Wrexham to Stranraer, on loan
Eric Ati, Charlotte Independence to Wilmington Hammerheads, free
Jordan Bowery, Rotherham United to Oxford United, free

2. Sanchez denies Arsenal quit rumours
Chile superstar Alexis Sanchez has been linked with a move away from Arsenal in recent weeks, while he has been out injured. The Gunners are currently challenging for the Premier League title and Sanchez has claimed he is loving life in North London. In fact, the winger has claimed he is considering getting a celebratory tattoo if they can win the league this season. "I am very happy at Arsenal and I'm not thinking about leaving," Sanchez told the Sunday Mirror. "The unity here between fans, club and players is enormous and the supporters have been fantastic. We suffer the defeats and enjoy the victories together. This campaign we are demonstrating that we are serious candidates for the Premier League title. I think there can be no doubt about our credentials to be champions this time. It's true that we have lost important points that could have given us a bigger advantage in the table, but, overall, we are having a very good season," he said. "The spirit between the players is sensational and, when we do suffer a blow, we are able to overcome it. That's very important. I am always ambitious in football and I still want to win three titles this season - the Premier League, the FA Cup and the Champions League. It will not be easy but we can do it." He added: "It would be a dream. Right now, I don't know what I would do if we won the league. But maybe a tattoo!"

 

3. We expect goals from Austin says Koeman
Southampton's new signing Charlie Austin has already opened his account, scoring on his debut against Manchester United to give Saints a 1-0 win, now manager Ronald Koeman has said he expects goals from the 26 year old striker. The Southampton boss said: "I mentioned to Charlie when he came on the pitch for a free kick, go to the box and make a good header. That is the reason we wanted to sign Charlie Austin, a great numbers of goals." Austin had scored 19 goals in his one previous season in the Premier League.

4. Jack Warner wins first step in his fight to avoid justice
Disgraced Jack Warner, former FIFA vice president and one of the central figures in the corruption scandal engulfing FIFA, has been granted the right to challenge his extradition order to the USA to face charges for his reign of corruption. Warner, already banned for life from football-related activities, was granted leave by Justice James Aboud for his legal team to pursue a challenge of the extradition order filed by the US Justice Department.

 

5. Foxes given 3 day break
Just after leading his Leicester City side to a well deserved 3-0 victory over Stoke City, Claudio Ranieri has decided they all should have a rest before a run of big games. The Italian has headed back home to see his family, and he is hoping his players will enjoy a well earned rest to recharge the batteries for a title push ahead of facing Liverpool, Manchester City and Arsenal. "It was important to be top of the League at the end of January, because February is a very difficult month for us," said the Foxes boss. "Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City; it is unbelievable, but is also good." He added: "We play so many matches in the last month, and now it is important, not physically, but mentally to give them two-three days without coming in for training sessions. Now they stay with their families, it is much better. When they come back, we work very hard because this League is very exciting." Leicester had won just one game in their last seven, with Jamie Vardy misfiring, yesterday saw Vardy once again score, as the Foxes strolled to victory.

6. Allegri dismisses Chelsea speculation
With reigning Serie A champions Juventus due to take on struggling AS Roma as they chase down leaders Napoli, head coach Massimiliano Allegri has had to deal with rumours linking him with the head coach role at Chelsea. Juve have won 10 in a row after a difficult start, and are just two points behind leaders Napoli right now. With Juve once again flying, Allegri has been linked in the British media, but he denies that he has any plans to leave Juventus. "Just as there's transfer speculation around players, we get the same as coaches. It's normal, and I'm proud to be the coach of a big club like Juventus," Allegri said. "My thoughts are on Serie A, the Coppa Italia and the Champions League. I am under contract with Juventus until 2017 and, as I've said many times, I am happy here. So that's that."

 

7. McClaren backs his Toon side to avoid drop
Despite Saturday's 2-1 defeat at the hands of newly promoted Watford, head coach Steve McClaren still believes his Newcastle United side can avoid the drop. This is the third time the Toon have lost to the Hornets this season, but, despite Newcastle being in the relegation places in 18th, one point behind Swansea City, McClaren claims that performances were good enough to be higher up the table. "We just said to the players that we won't have a problem if we keep performing like that every week," said McClaren. "Many people questioned the attitude of these players earlier this season and whether they cared. Of course they do and you saw that today and in recent weeks. I thought we did everything today but win the game. It is disappointing and frustrating because we are not getting the results we deserve. But it is all about goals and if you don't score you don't win." Watford went into the match on the back of four defeats in a row.

8. Nice finish by Kevin Gameiro

 

9. Who really thought this was going to happen before the game kicked off?
That moment when your substitute snatches a last second winner to give you a 5-4 win at Norwich City. Two teams that showed that no matter how toothless the attacks are, even they can score hatfuls when the teams are as poor defensively as Norwich and Liverpool!

10. This woman has one hell of a throw in
This reminds me of a story Michel Salgado tells of when he joined English football, signing for Blackburn Rovers under Sam Allardyce. He had to face a team with Rory Delap in it for the first time and put the ball out for a throw in near the halfway line. As usual he was staying nearby to mark up and was screaming at his team mates to push up and mark up. Looking round he saw all his team mates running back to mark up like it was a corner and confused he looked to the bench to see Allardyce shouting at him to get back. Of course Delap launched the ball direct from the throw in straight into the box while he was just wondering what on earth was going on. This woman has the Delap throw!

Written by Tris Burke January 24 2016 06:45:51