Sunderland sign N´Diaye

Premier League giants currently sit a whopping 12 points behind their City rivals, and Pep Guardiola s side has a game in hand over the Red Devils. With a seemingly insurmountable lead to chase down, United need to make a statement in January, and various players are being put up for sale in order to fund such a statement.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan, once a player that arrived at Old Trafford with a huge amount of excitement surrounding him, looks set to be the biggest name offloaded in January. The club have slapped a £35m price tag on the Armenian s head, according to , amidst reported interest from .

The versatile winger and midfielder has failed to make an impact since making the move to Manchester in July 2016, scoring just four times in his first season. This campaign h…

Competition: Serie A

Market: Sassuolo to beat Genoa

Odds:

Italy s top league continues to provide no end of incredibly exciting games as the league begins to gain pace in 2018. The top and the bottom of the table remains exceptionally tight, with a win able to catapult a team up the table. With all of this in mind, Sassuolo travel to face Genoa in Saturday s game.

Genoa have been in poor form this season and they are in need of a number of wins to climb up the table. After 19 games they have won four times, drawn six and lost nine matches, scoring 15 goals and conceding 22 times. The 18 points they have accumulated means they are just three clear of the relegation zone, while their last five games, in which they have won just twice, drawn twic…

Claudio Ranieri Defying odds to write history with Foxes / Image squawka.com

From having barely avoided relegation last season to fighting for glory the very next year, Leicester City’s Premier League journey has been a remarkable one.

Five rounds until the end of domestic campaign and the Foxes are sitting top of the league with 72 points next to their name, seven more than Tottenham Hotspur in second place and with one hand on the Premier League trophy.

As surprising as it would have sounded last summer, Leicester City are currently standing at at the end of the season and they have one man to credit for their stellar success – Claudio Ranieri.

Known as ‘the Tinkerman’ in recognition of his tendency to make sudden, unexpected and often unneces…

Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic insists he is not thinking of a move away from the club in January.

The 22-year-old has established himself as a crucial part of Simone Inzaghi s side, scoring five goals in 17 Serie A appearances this term to help them into fifth place in the table after 18 matches.

His performances have led to speculation of interest from a number of European clubs, including Ligue 1 leaders Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United.

However, the Serbia international says his focus is on helping Lazio in their challenge for a top-four finish and a return to the Champions League next season.

I had a year to remember. I d like to go forward with the same success in 2018, he told Novosti.

Before every training session and …

that Juventus have won the race to sign Athletic Bilbao striker, Fernando Llorente, in the summer transfer window.

The Spaniard enjoyed a superb season in La Liga in 2011/12, but hasn’t been on good terms with his current employers for a while now, which is why it looks as though he is on the way out in the summer.

His contract expires at the end of the campaign and the Serie A leaders appear to have fought off interest from both Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal of the Premier League to secure his services.

The Juventus sporting director said: “I do not beat around the bush, we told Athletic Bilbao that we are interested in the player and I m optimistic about his contract. He will play for Juventus from July 1.”

There is no doubt that Llorente is a t…

Cristiano Ronaldo made his first Manchester United appearance under Erik ten Hag in the final pre-season match against Rayo Vallecano ahead of the new campaign.

The 37-year-old has made his desire to leave United before the close of the transfer window at the end of August clear but has found suitors for his services difficult to come by.

Having missed the squad s pre-season tour of the Far East and Australia due to family reasons, Ronaldo was once again absent for the defeat against Atletico Madrid in Oslo on Saturday.

It was confirmed, however, that Ronaldo would feature in Sunday s friendly against Rayo Vallecano at Old Trafford with the former Real Madrid and Juventus star named in the starting line-up.

Missed this.

Home

— Manchest…

The Colorado Rapids came from behind on the road to defeat the New York Red Bulls 5-4 in a thriller on Tuesday.

Within 10 minutes New York led by two goals, with Dru Yearwood finding the back of the net first when his shot from outside the box caught a deflection to wrong-foot the goalkeeper, before Aaron Long headed home Lewis Morgan s indirect free kick.

A costly mistake deep in defence gifted a goal back to the Rapids in the 21st minute, with Diego Rubio curling his right-footed effort into the far post, but the Red Bulls seemed to have all the answers, with Morgan scoring from the penalty spot seven minutes later to lead 3-1 after a half-hour.

Colorado ensured they would go into the break only trailing by one after a well-worked move from a throw-in resulted …

Real agree deal for Lucas Silva

Spanish giants Real Madrid have finally wrapped up a deal for Cruzeiro midfielder Lucas Silva, .

Even if the official announcement is yet to be made, the two clubs have reportedly agreed on a €14 million transfer fee.

Real Madrid appear to have won the race for one of Brazil s hottest prospects, who has just help Cruzeiro lift the league title.

He arrives at Santiago Bernabeu to increase competition for places in the centre of the park, with Asier Illarramendi heavily linked with a January exit.

The 21-year-old has so far amassed 58 league appearances for the Brazilian giants, scoring 3 goals in the process.

Silva has done enough to earn a lucrative move to one of world s most famous clubs and it is now u…

Despite a 5-0 thrashing of Aston Villa on Sunday, Arsene Wenger does not believe his Arsenal side are Premier League title contenders.

Arsene Wenger believes it is too early to consider Arsenal Premier League title challengers after his side thrashed Aston Villa 5-0 on Sunday.

Arsenal are 11 points adrift of leaders Chelsea, despite easing past Paul Lambert s men to record three straight Premier League wins for the first time this season.

Wenger had predicted that the top two Chelsea and Manchester City  would draw on Saturday, yet although both teams did drop points, he does not envisage them slipping up to allow Arsenal into the race.

It s too early to say that, said Wenger when asked whether his team were now in the title race.

We ar…

Steven Pienaar has been charged with assault for his alleged involvement in a night club brawl in his native South Africa.

The 30-year-old midfielder, who finished last season on loan at Everton, was arrested by police after he handed himself in following the incident at the Icon club in Johannesburg.

Pienaar appeared before Randburg Magistrates Court last Wednesday, facing charges of assault against Thabang Mnisi, the son of South Africa s deputy minister of public service and administration, Ayanda Dlodlo.

Pienaar and a group of friends allegedly attacked Mnisi on June 17, punching and kicking him in the head several times following a row over the usage of the toilet in the club s VIP area.

Pienaar signed for Everton in 2007 and enjoyed four successful…