German midfielder Torsten Frings has been signed by Major League Soccer outfit Toronto FC.
The acquisition of Frings, 34, and Dutch forward Danny Koevermans, 32, was announced on Wednesday as the pair became two of Toronto s designated players , meaning they can be paid outside the salary cap.
Frings was signed from Bundesliga side Werder Bremen, while Koevermans departs Eredivisie club PSV Eindhoven.
The MLS transfer window opens on July 15 and both Frings and Koevermans will be rushed into the squad as Toronto attempt to climb from the bottom of the Eastern Conference.
We have added two very important players with significant experience and technical ability, Toronto manager Aron Winter said in a statement.
Torsten and Danny will make an imme…
The Football Association is standing by the controversial design of the new England shirt despite criticism from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer.
The shirt’s manufacturer Nike has altered the appearance of the St George’s Cross using purple and blue horizontal stripes in what it called a “playful update” to the shirt ahead of Euro 2024.
Sunak warned Nike “should not mess” with the flag while Starmer urged Nike to “reconsider” the design.
The FA said it was “very proud” of the red and white St George’s Cross but gave its support to the new design.
“The new England 2024 home kit has a number of design elements which were meant as a tribute to the 1966 World Cup-winning team,” a spokesperson said.
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Emile Heskey has backed England manager Roy Hodgson to stay on, despite their first-round exit at the FIFA World Cup in Brazil.
Hodgson watched on as his side went down 2-1 to Uruguay in Sao Paulo on Thursday, a defeat that left England s qualification hopes in the balance.
Elimination was then confirmed on Friday when Group D rivals Costa Rica beat Italy 1-0, meaning England failed to reach the second round of the tournament for the first time since 1958.
But Heskey, part of the squad for both the 2002 and 2010 finals, believes Hodgson is the right man to take England forward.
I think he should be spared until the next tournament to really push a new generation of players coming through, he told the Sony One Stadium website.
You can t keep chan…
Julio Cesar basked in his redemption after helping host nation Brazil to the quarter-finals of the FIFA World Cup.
Goalkeeper Cesar famously made a crucial error as his side crashed out of the showpiece in South Africa four years ago against Netherlands.
But he atoned for that disappointment somewhat with two saves as Brazil beat Chile 3-2 on penalties at the Estadio Mineirao in Belo Horizonte on Saturday.
That was enough to give Luiz Felipe Scolari s men a place in the last eight, Neymar s spot-kick proving the winning one following a 1-1 draw over 120 minutes.
For Cesar, the result represented a complete turnaround from the emotions he felt in 2010.
He said: Four years ago, I took one, upset, sad emotional interview. And now I am repeating (it) …
Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has confirmed the Bundesliga champions are in talks with Borussia Dortmund over the sale of Mario Gotze.
The Germany international joined Bayern from BVB in 2013, but has thus far largely failed to live up to the high expectations at the Allianz Arena and struggled for first-team football under Pep Guardiola last season.
The 24-year-old has been heavily linked with a move away from the Bavarians in recent months, but he initially dismissed talk of a return to Signal Iduna Park or a switch to Liverpool where he would be reunited with former BVB coach Jurgen Klopp.
However, it now appears that Gotze may be on the move with Bayern in talks with their German rivals over a transfer.
I can confirm that talks with Bo…
Norwich City have made a £10m bid for Fulham striker Ross McCormack, .
The Canaries are looking to strengthen their squad as they look to bounce back to the Premier League at the first time of asking, and have identified the Scotland international as their number one target.
Fulham are reluctant to let their star striker go without a fight, and are likely to only entertain offers closer to the £12m mark, £1m more than the fee they paid for him two years ago.
McCormack has played one hundred times for the London outfit in all competitions, scoring forty-two goals, a tally which includes the twenty-three league goals that saw him clinch the Championship Golden Boot in the 2013/14 campaign.
The twenty-nine year old has spent the last eight seasons …
Despite the numerous reports suggesting otherwise, Kepa Arrizabalaga apparently still sees his future at Chelsea.
Kepa arrived to Stamford Bridge from Athletic Bilbao in August 2018, and the £71m transfer broke the world record for a goalkeeper set by Liverpool s acquisition of Alisson Becker from AS Roma only a month earlier. However, the Spaniard s time in the English capital has been somewhat turbulent. He not only had issues with Maurizio Sarri in 2018/19, but also with Frank Lampard who eventually dropped him this season in favor of 38-year-old Willy Caballero.
All the signs pointed towards a possible exit this summer, and a number of high-level shot-stoppers have been linked with Chelsea lately most notably Marc-Andre ter Stegen of Barcelona and Ajax s Andre Onan…
Verdict: Manchester City win and under 4.5 goals
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Meeting for the third time in the space of a week, Manchester City will be looking to gain some much-needed revenge when the host Tottenham on Saturday lunchtime.
Manchester City
Starting with the hosts, after suffering some dramatic last-gasp heartbreak in midweek, Pep Guardiola will be demanding an immediate response from his side on Saturday. Despite picking up a 4-3 win at the Etihad on Wednesday, the Sky Blues are out of the Champions League and their sights are now firmly set on reclaiming their Premier League crown. Sat two points adrift of Liverpool and with the chance to briefly leapfrog Jurgen Klopp s men, the former Barcelona boss has seen his side continue to impress …
Bayern Munich have confirmed left-back Alphonso Davies is facing a spell on the sidelines after sustaining an injury while on international duty with Canada.
The 20-year-old damaged the lateral collateral ligament in his left ankle during training last week and was subsequently ruled out of Canada s upcoming Gold Cup campaign.
Davies has returned to the Allianz Arena for treatment, but it is not yet known how long he will be out of action, although surgery is not required.
Alphonso Davies faces a period on the sidelines at FC Bayern, a statement on the German club s official website read on Monday.
The 20-year-old suffered an LCL tear to his left ankle in Canada s build-up to the Gold Cup. Davies has now returned to Munich for rehab.
The in…
I think Messi is the best of all time, Setien told El Pais. There have been other great players who have been great, but the continuity that this boy has had throughout the years has not been had by anyone.
Leo is difficult to manage. Who am I to change him! If they have accepted him as he is for years and have not changed him.
There s another facet beyond just the player and it s more difficult to manage. Much more difficult. It s something inherent in many athletes that can be seen in the Michael Jordan documentary [ The Last Dance ]. You see things you don t expect.
He s very reserved but he makes you see the things that he wants. He doesn t talk much.
Setien, who has announced legal action over the handling of his Barca dismissal, added: After …