Norwich City defender Ryan Bennett has penned a new three year deal with the club, .
The centre-back made sixteen league appearances last season, scoring once, but was unable to help the Norfolk club avoid relegation to the Championship after three seasons back in the top flight of English football.
He moved to Carrow Road from Peterborough United in January 2012, by which time he had already won two caps for England’s U21 side.
He began his career with Grimsby Town, where he spent four seasons before securing a move to then Championship side Peterborough.
In total, he has turned out for the Canaries forty-eight times, and will now remain with the club until the summer of 2017.
Neil Adams’ side begin the forthcoming campaign with a trip…
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has heaped praise on Bukayo Saka for his consistency but claims the youg star still has room for improvement.
Saka has been a key pillar in Arsenal s Premier League success this term, with the side sitting eight points clear of second-placed Manchester City as they chase their first league title since 2003-04.
Only Manchester City s Erling Haaland and Tottenham s Harry Kane have more combined goals and assists in the league this season, with Saka having netted 12 goals with 10 assists. Saka has also started all 28 of Arsenal s league games this campaign.
First of all, I think you have to recognise what he s been doing, Arteta told Sky Sports about 21-year-old Saka.
The consistency he s shown at his age and at this level is s…
Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar turned down a request to return to international football it was revealed by national coach Bert van Marwijk on Wednesday.
The 38-year-old goalkeeper capped 130 times retired from international football after The Netherlands went out of Euro 2008 but did accept to return for two World Cup qualifiers last year in which he didn t concede a goal.
Van Marwijk faces a goalkeeping crisis ahead of the next two World Cup qualifiers against Scotland on March 28 and Macedonia on April 1.
I called him (van der Sar), said van Marwijk.
I find that normal given the alarming situation regarding goalkeepers in the Netherlands.
I was pretty sure what his answer would be, but I tried anyway.
Van der Sar s …
Barcelona boss Ernesto Valverde said debating VAR is a futile exercise after Real Madrid bemoaned the officiating in Wednesday s Clasico draw.
The two LaLiga rivals played out an uneventful stalemate at Camp Nou in midweek, with Madrid unhappy over perceived injustice regarding multiple unsuccessful penalty appeals.
Centre-back Raphael Varane had two shouts for spot-kicks turned down in the opening 45 minutes, the first for a high challenge from Clement Lenglet that left the Madrid defender with stud marks on his thigh.
Varane also had his shirt pulled by Ivan Rakitic in the box but, as was the case with the Lenglet tackle, referee Alejandro Jose Hernandez Hernandez remained uninterested in the appeals and neither incident was checked using the VAR pitchside mo…
Lyon have confirmed the signing of Flamengo midfielder Jean Lucas, who has been tipped as a replacement for Tanguy Ndombele.
Jean Lucas reportedly cost the club €8million and is the second new arrival after goalkeeper Ciprian Tatarusanu since Sylvinho and Juninho Pernambucano were drafted in as head coach and sporting director, respectively.
The addition of the Brazilian could pave the way for France international Ndombele to leave, with Tottenham and Paris Saint-Germain understood to be leading the race for his signature.
Physically and technically above average, Jean Lucas is considered a very promising talent [in Brazil], read a club statement.
Lyon will now be able to enjoy the qualities of the 21-year-old Brazilian in an area that was defined as …
Antonio Conte has highlighted the importance of Oscar and feels the Brazilian s defensive contribution in midfield is crucial to Chelsea.
The 25-year-old endured a difficult 2015-16 campaign as he made just 20 Premier League starts and was regularly criticised by the club s fans.
However, he has been a key figure under Conte this term, starting all four league fixtures.
I always thought this team needed to find a good balance when you have possession of the ball and when you do not have possession and last season Chelsea conceded 55 goals, Conte told reporters.
Oscar is a good player with great technique and can do both phases, offensive and defensive.
Now I ask him to always stay focused in the game because he is an important player for Chelse…
Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas has criticised his attacking team-mates for missing too many chances this season.
A five-game winning run has put Antonio Conte s side firmly back in the hunt for a top-four finish in the Premier League ahead of Wednesday s clash with Huddersfield Town.
Goalscoring has often been a problem for Chelsea in 2017-18, though.
The Blues have only scored more than twice in a match on one occasion since February, and they managed four 0-0 draws in a run of seven games in all competitions in December and January.
Fabregas believes a lack of ruthlessness on the part of the forwards has cost Chelsea too many points.
We are taking more chances because we are winning, and that s the most important [thing], he told Sky Sports. …
Domenico Berardi is to remain at Sassuolo after Juventus announced a deal worth €10million to end a co-ownership arrangement.
The 20-year-old has turned out for Sassuolo since agreeing terms with Juve in 2013 but the Turin outfit have now elected to sell their half of the player.
The fee is payable over the next four years, although reports in Italy suggest Juve will retain a buyback clause for the 2016 close-season.
A Juve statement read: Juventus Football Club S.p.A. announces that it has finalised an agreement with U.S. Sassuolo Calcio S.r.l. for the termination in favour of Sassuolo of the current player sharing agreement concerning the registration rights of the player Domenico Berardi for a consideration of €10million to be paid in four years.
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Hamburg have exercised an option to sign Lewis Holtby on a permanent deal from Tottenham.
Holtby joined Hamburg on a season-long loan from the Premier League club in September last year.
The Germany international played in both legs of Hamburg s relegation play-off as they narrowly survived the drop with a 3-2 aggregate win over Karlsruher.
And he will remain at the Imtech Arena next season, ending a stint with Tottenham who signed Holtby from Schalke in January 2013 that saw him score three goals in 41 appearances and spend time on loan at Fulham.
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Tottenham coach Andre Villas-Boas said he would not stop Emmanuel Adebayor from representing Togo at the Africa Cup of Nations.
The Spurs forward, who was present during a 2010 attack on the Togolese team bus which killed three people, recently announced his international retirement, pending more protection from the country s FA.
But, while the 28-year-old would miss five Premier League games should he feature in the January tournament, Villas-Boas said he would be open to Adebayor changing his mind to play for Togo.
I haven t confirmed it because it s a vulnerable situation and anything can happen, he told reporters.
The player can still go, but we just need to be aware of it. It s always his choice because I m not going to put myself in a position wh…