linearsports

Antonio Conte wants a reunion with his former Juventus charge, but while the handsome Basque has aged well, he is not the player he once was It was after watching Fernando Llorente spend three of first four games for Juventus sitting on the bench that  Tuttosport  famously asked, "Is he only beautiful?" As it turned it, the answer was no, the handsome Basque was also a quality centre-forward, as he proved just three days later by netting the decisive goal in a 2-1 win over Chievo, on September 22. 'Finalmente!' screamed the headline on the paper's front page the morning after. Even after opening his Serie A account, Llorente took time to settle in Turin, but the 16 goals he scored that season played a pivotal role in what was the Bianconeri's third consecutive Scudetto under then-coach Antonio Conte. Goal  has now learned that the former Bianconeri boss wants to be reunited with Llorente, at current club Chelsea. It would be the kind of bizar

The powerful Monaco midfielder is wanted by the Red Devils, who are determined to ensure that their rivals do not pounce for the 22-year-old first Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho is to make a £40 million bid for Monaco star Tiemoue Bakayoko in an effort to ensure that the midfielder does not move to Chelsea in the summer. The Daily Star  reports that the Red Devils are keen on the 22-year-old France Under-21s international but that plans to make a summer bid have been pushed forward in order to secure his signature. With Morgan Schneiderlin on the brink of a move to Everton, United are eager to find a replacement and see the Paris-born star as the ideal man for the job.

The teenage left-back has made just seven appearances for Championship side Wolves and will be recalled by the Red Devils to train in their first-team Manchester United are ready to cut short Cameron Borthwick-Jackson's loan spell at Championship side Wolves, according to the  Daily Star. The 19-year-old joined the second tier side on a season-long loan in the summer but has failed to claim a place in Paul Lambert's side and has not featured since November. As a result, Jose Mourinho will recall the left-back to Old Trafford and include him in first-team training where he will compete with Luke Shaw, Daley Blind and Matteo Darmian for a spot on the left side of the Portuguese's defence.

The CSL is being vilified in Europe for spending astronomical sums of money on transfers – but it's time the haters started getting used to it SPECIAL REPORT by Hu Zhicheng, Goal China Chief Editor It was quite a defining moment for Chinese president Xi Jinping. On the final day of his state visit to the United Kingdom at the National Football Museum in Manchester, Mr Xi proudly presented to his hosts a well-crafted prototype of  Cuju  - the ancient ball game which originated in China over 2300 years ago and which is believed to represent the earliest form of football. Mr Xi’s visit in October 2015 made the front pages of many national and local newspapers as he mingled with political and footballing heavyweights – taking a selfie with then UK Prime Minister David Cameron and Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero – and was granted a tour of the Etihad Stadium. Later he would meet with former City star Sun Jihai, a Chinese trailblazer who was just being inducted into

The 29-year-old Belgium international will remain with the Red Devils for another 12 months, having made nine Premier League starts this season Manchester United have triggered a clause in Marouane Fellaini's contract to extend his stay at Old Trafford through to 2018. Fellaini followed David Moyes to United from Everton in 2013, signing a four-year deal with an option for an additional season. The club have exercised their right to extend the Belgian international's agreement, securing his future beyond the current campaign. An official United statement read: "Manchester United have confirmed a clause has been triggered in Marouane Fellaini's contract to extend his stay with the club. "When signing from Everton on the final day of the summer transfer window in 2013, the Belgian agreed a four-year deal with the option of a further year. "That has now been taken up, tying him to Old Trafford until at least the summer of 2018." Fel

The Germany international has insisted he is very happy with life at the Emirates Stadium and hit back at an accusation made by Gunners legend Thierry Henry Mesut Ozil has confirmed he will sign a new contract at Arsenal if Arsene Wenger signals his intent to stay on as manager. As Goal reported in October, Ozil is happy at Arsenal but wants his manager’s future to be resolved before committing his own to the Gunners, with Wenger's contract due to expire in six months' time. The playmaker's current deal expires in the summer of 2018 and, like Alexis Sanchez, he has yet to agree terms to extend his stay at the Emirates Stadium, but has told the club he is willing to remain in north London. "I am very, very happy at Arsenal and have let the club know that I would be ready to sign a new contract," Ozil told  Kicker . "The fans want me to stay and now it is just down to the club." He added: "The club knows that I am here most of all b

The Serie A side's sporting director claims that the club have received an offer from the Gunners for their star striker but insists that he is "worth more" than that value Arsenal have had a bid for Torino striker Andrea Belotti turned down, according to the Serie A club's sporting director. Reports in England on Thursday suggested that the Gunners were keen on landing the Italy international, who has scored 13 league goals for Torino so far this season, and had been quoted a £50m asking price. Torino's sporting director, Gianluca Petrachi, has now claimed to  Sky Italia  that they have received an offer but that it is not an acceptable amount. Petrachi insists that Belotti - who recently signed a new contract which includes a €100m (£85.7m) release clause - is "worth more" than the north Londoners' offer and therefore Torino have subsequently rejected the proposal. "Yes, we received the offer, but it does not reflect the va

The Blues are seriously targeting a move for the versatile West Ham man but they are yet to show any intention of the signing of the Koln defender Chelsea are interested in signing Michail Antonio as they look to strengthen their options in the wing-back position but, despite reports, are not interested in Koln's Jonas Hector,  Goal  understands. Blues boss Antonio Conte is keen to reinforce his defence in January and has already recalled Nathan Ake from Bournemouth as he struggles to zero in on key targets, with a game against title holders Leicester City beckoning on Saturday. His hopes of signing Antonio could be dashed early, however, as the Hammers have no interest of selling the 26-year-old in January. The Blues are continuing to monitor other options, having also looked at Napoli's Faouzi Ghoulam. Ghoulam has snubbed a new contract at the Serie A club but it is understood that he will not be available to move in January. Conte is still assessing Kened

The Real Madrid president has refuted suggestions that a Chinese Super League side offered €300 million to sign the four-time Ballon d'Or winner Real Madrid did not receive an official offer from an unnamed Chinese club for Cristiano Ronaldo but it is possible an approach was made to one of his associates, says president Florentino Perez. The Portugal captain's agent Jorge Mendes claimed that Ronaldo was the latest target for the big-spending Chinese Super League, with an offer of €300million made to Real and a salary of €100m per season reportedly tabled to try and tempt him away from the Santiago Bernabeu. Mendes was quick to add that Ronaldo, who won The Best FIFA Men's Player award on Tuesday, was not interested in leaving Madrid, though. And Perez is adamant there was never a formal approach for the 31-year-old, who is Madrid's all-time leading goalscorer. "Real Madrid received no offer," he told  Onda Cero . "It is possible [s

The likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Manchester United remain opposed to FIFA's plans for a 48-team tournament in 2026 The European Club Association (ECA) has reaffirmed its stance against FIFA approving plans for the World Cup to be expanded to 48 teams for the 2026 finals. On Tuesday, world football's governing body confirmed that the proposals had been given the go ahead, with the tournament set to be increased from the 32 countries who will take part in 2018 and 2022, using a format of 16 groups of three teams. Last month, the ECA - of which the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Manchester United are all members - expressed its opposition to the plans. Now that the FIFA Council has voted in favour of the proposals, the ECA has released a statement questioning the motives for the decision, as well as the speed in which it has been made. "The European Club Association reiterates that it is in principle not in favo

Controversial proposals to increase the size of the competition have won the backing of the game's governing body, splitting opinion in the game FIFA has voted unanimously to expand the World Cup to a 48-team tournament in 2026. Mourinho proving he's still the 'Special One' The new format, which will see the finals comprising 16 groups of three teams before a 32-team knockout stage, was voted for unanimously by the FIFA Council at a meeting in Zurich on Tuesday. President Gianni Infantino had laid out plans for such an expansion as part of his campaign for the top job at world football's governing body last year. The 37 Council members were asked to select their favourite from five proposals: two involving a 48-team set-up, two 40-team tournaments, and the current 32-team format. Infantino's proposal had won backing from a number of officials, including Nigerian Football Federation president Amaju Pinnick, who said on Monday that "most

Having completed three sessions with another due before the trip to St Mary’s, the Reds could include the 24-year-old on their teamsheet, while the skipper edges closer to a return Jurgen Klopp revealed Philippe Coutinho is fit enough to make Liverpool’s matchday squad for the League Cup semi-final test at Southampton, with captain Jordan Henderson hoping to return to team training by the end of the week. The Brazil international, who sat out the club’s past nine fixtures due to ankle ligament damage, is on course to end his spell out in the first-leg clash on Wednesday. Why Martial's next two goals will cost €10m Firmino spent Christmas in a 'safehouse' Having completed three sessions, with another pencilled in before the trip to St Mary’s, Klopp feels the 24-year-old has done enough to possibly be named on the teamsheet. Ahead of Sunday’s top-flight showdown with Manchester United, Coutinho could even be afforded a cameo, depending on how the contest

The Real Madrid superstar enjoyed a staggering 2016 and has now been awarded the title of the best player in the world, beating Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann Cristiano Ronaldo has been crowned the world’s best player at FIFA’s annual awards gala in Zurich. The Real Madrid superstar enjoyed a fantastic 2016, and has now beaten his perennial rival Lionel Messi and Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann to the prize. "It's a great feeling, as I mentioned many times last year was a dream year, no doubt about that," the striker said at the ceremony shortly before receiving the prize. "Real Madrid win the Champions League and the national team won the Euros for the first time in history. Unbelievable season. I'm so proud and happy. "I have to say thank you to my team-mates of Real Madrid, and team-mates of Portugal and the coaches. It was an amazing year." Ronaldo scored a total of 59 goals for both club and country throughout the 12

\ After a year of remarkable success and some less welcome allegations, the Real Madrid superstar insists he deserved to win FIFA's latest award Cristiano Ronaldo is in no doubt that he deserved to win FIFA's inaugural The Best Men's Player award for 2016. The 31-year-old beat Lionel Messi to the prize at Monday's gala following what he considers to be the best year of his career, in which he won the Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup and the Club World Cup with Real Madrid, and Euro 2016 with Portugal. Simply the best! CR7 completes clean sweep Ronaldo claimed his fourth Ballon d'Or last month before following up that triumph with FIFA's accolade - a revamp of the World Player of the Year award that was presented between 1991 and 2009. "It was an unforgettable year at a collective and individual level," he told  El Partidazo . "I think it's almost impossible to have a better year than this one. "This is the best mo