Louis van Gaal has dismissed speculation that Adnan Januzaj may be allowed to leave Manchester United on loan next month.
Teenager Januzaj enjoyed a breakthrough campaign at Old Trafford in 2013-14, making 27 Premier League appearances under David Moyes.
However, the Belgian forward s first-team opportunities have been much more limited so far this season, with Van Gaal starting him just four times in the top flight.
The arrival of Angel di Maria in August and emergence of young striker James Wilson have seemingly pushed Januzaj further down Van Gaal s attacking pecking order, leading to reports that he could leave Old Trafford on loan in order to play more first-team football.
The likes of Paris Saint-Germain and Everton are said to be interested i…
Manchester United will be without Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney in Sunday s Community Shield against Portsmouth at Wembley (3 p.m. kick-off), the traditional curtain-raiser to the new season.
Ronaldo, who scored 42 goals last season and finally committed himself to United on Wednesday after flirting with a move to Real Madrid, is set to miss the first two months of the campaign due to ankle surgery.
Fellow striker Rooney and midfielder Michael Carrick are also out after picking up a virus when the Premier League champions and the FA Cup winners met in a pre-season friendly in Nigeria on July 27.
With Rooney and Ronaldo sidelined and Louis Saha short of match fitness pending a possible transfer, Carlos Tevez, who scored United s winner in their 2-1 victor…
Italy are aiming to put their disappointing Euro 2008 campaign behind them and regain the aura of world champions here on Wednesday, when Marcello Lippi starts his second stint as national team coach with a friendly against Austria.
While nothing is officially at stake, the match is important as it is Lippi s only chance to knock his side into shape before they begin the serious business of defending their world title in next month s South Africa 2010 qualifiers away in Cyprus and at home to Georgia.
Lippi s last match on the Azzurri bench was the 2006 World Cup final victory over France in Berlin and the 60-year-old wants to continue where he left off.
Starting again is even more beautiful, Lippi, who was recalled to replace Roberto Donadoni after Italy were…
Outspoken former Barcelona forward Hristo Stoichkov has described James Rodriguez as an average player , warning the Real Madrid midfielder to improve or risk becoming just another footballer at the European champions.
James played a starring role for Colombia at the Copa America Centenario in the United States, helping his country to third place at the centenary tournament, however 2015-16 was a season of disappointment in Madrid.
The 24-year-old fell out of favour following Zinedine Zidane s arrival in January, losing his starting berth as Madrid went on to win the Champions League, with Casemiro, Toni Kroos and Luka Modric preferred in a three-man midfield.
But ex-Bulgaria international Stoichkov who won five La Liga titles with Barca as well as the European C…
Wesley Sneijder s agent Guido Albers has hit out at Galatasaray over the way they have treated the Netherlands international and has accused the Istanbul side of trying to push the midfielder out.
Galatasaray reportedly handed the 32-year-old a hefty fine believed to be in excess of €2 million following his 11 league yellow cards in 2015-16, but Sneijder has no intention of accepting the punishment and is exploring legal action.
Galatasaray are trying to bully Wesley out of the club, Albers told De Telegraaf.
Of course, Wesley will not accept his punishment. It is a real shame that such a big club are stooping so low. Our lawyer has gotten in touch with FIFPro and the Turkish union.
They are only doing this in an attempt to get a €7.5m transfer f…
England will hope to avoid exerting themselves against San Marino on Friday before a pivotal World Cup qualifying clash with Montenegro.
Roy Hodgson s team are the highest-ranked nation in Group H, but sit two points behind leaders Montenegro after winning two and drawing two of their first four matches.
Routine 5-0 wins away to Moldova and at home to San Marino were to be expected, but it is the dropped points in 1-1 draws at home to Ukraine and away to Poland which have England s qualification campaign in jeopardy already.
On Friday Hodgson takes his team to the Stadio Olimpico di Serravalle, where they will be expected to earn all three points with ease against the part-time players of San Marino.
The real battle will then take place at Stadion Pod Gor…
Samir Nasri claims Arsene Wenger was forced to sell him to Manchester City by Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke.
The 25-year-old joined the now Premier League champions for 24 million pounds in 2011, in the same summer that Cesc Fabregas left for Barcelona, and Nasri says that Wenger had no say in the matter.
Wenger told me that, if Cesc (Fabregas) left, I would stay but Kroenke wanted the money, Nasri told beIN Sport.
The coach told me we ll only take Gervinho, Cesc was already gone, I had only one year left so I decided to leave.
Nasri also said Roberto Mancini s assertion that he was training at 50 per cent is not true.
Mancini revealed his frustration at the midfielder s inconsistent performances this season, but Nasri says that while he knows he…
Melbourne City gained revenge over 10-man Sydney FC with a 3-1 Grand Final victory to claim a first A-League title at AAMI Park on Sunday.
City were beaten by the Sky Blues in the Grand Final last year, but Patrick Kisnorbo s side were not to be denied this time around as they completed a Premiership-Championship double.
Kosta Barbarouses put the defending champions in front, but Nathaniel Atkinson equalised soon after and Sydney were rocked by Luke Brattan s first-half dismissal for a second bookable offence.
Scott Jamieson s penalty put Melbourne in front on the stroke of half-time and Scott Galloway sealed the victory in stoppage time at the end of a dramatic final, with Sydney unable to become the first team to win three successive titles.
Afte…
Mikel Arteta believes Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang s first open-play Premier League goal since the opening day of the season could dramatically change their season.
Arsenal could only draw 1-1 with Southampton at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday, but Arteta focused on the positives as the Gunners showed character when reduced to 10 men once again following the second-half dismissal of Gabriel Magalhaes.
It was their seventh sending off since Arteta s first game in charge on Boxing Day last year, four more red cards than any other team in that period.
Gabriel s two yellow cards in quick succession came at a time when Arsenal appeared to be growing in confidence, having seen Aubameyang cancel out Theo Walcott s first-half goal early in the second period.
Ulti…
Liverpool playmaker Philippe Coutinho knows his finishing must improve if he is to take his game to the next level.
The Brazilian has been in outstanding form this season, but has only found the back of the net five times in all competitions.
Coutinho has scored 13 goals in 92 games since joining the Merseyside club from Inter in January 2013 and the 22-year-old is determined to improve that record.
He told Liverpool s official website: I think I still have to improve.
I have not improved yet. I scored a few goals last month but I need to improve.
I have this ambition, this objective of improving finishing. In the position I play, I need to score goals to help the team and create plays. Therefore I must improve my goalscoring skills.
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