Arsenal sign Odegaard from Real Madrid on permanent deal

Putting in another rugged display over the weekend as they clinched a 1-0 victory away at Girona, Barcelona are in the midst of what has become a remarkable domestic flurry this season.

While Xavi s superstars might have eventually finished 13 points adrift of Los Blancos and recapturing their La Liga crown, the Spanish icons have made a string of improvements this time around.

Although Barca might have endured another public Champions League nightmare prior to the World Cup s winter break, Xavi s side now have their sights set on completing a famous domestic sweep.

With the mood around the Nou Camp at the highest it has been in recent memory, Barcelona now open February tipped as a runaway pick to claim a first La Liga title since 2019.

Laying down what…

Gareth Bale has backed Carlo Ancelotti to be amazing in his second spell in charge at Real Madrid, though the Wales international has reiterated he will not reveal his own future until after Euro 2020.

Ancelotti has returned to the Santiago Bernabeu to replace Zinedine Zidane, leaving Everton to undertake a second spell at a club where he previously spent two years in charge.

Bale was in the squad that won the Champions League under the Italian in 2014, scoring Madrid s second goal as they defeated Atletico Madrid 4-1 in the final to secure La Decima .

However, the forward fell out of favour under Zidane and spent the 2020-21 season back on loan at Tottenham, scoring 16 goals in 34 appearances in all competitions.

It remains unclear if he has a futur…

Julian Nagelsmann felt his team deserved to lose after two Exequiel Palacios penalties condemned Bayern Munich to a 2-1 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen at BayArena on Sunday.

After title rivals Borussia Dortmund picked up three points on Saturday to move them top, a 22nd-minute deflected goal from Joshua Kimmich looked to have set Bayern on their way to retaking their position at the summit.

But Palacios converted twice from the spot after the break, both for fouls on Amine Adli, to inflict a third league defeat of the season on Bayern and hand Dortmund the advantage ahead of the pair s table-topping Klassiker after the upcoming international break.

Nagelsmann had no complaints with the defeat or the penalty decisions, both of which saw Adli initially handed a yellow …

Shaun Maloney saluted two-goal marksman Charlie Wyke as Wigan wiped out their eight-point deduction inside four League One games after thrashing Bolton 4-0.

Wyke started and finished the scoring at Toughsheet Community Stadium with a Stephen Humphreys’ double sandwiched in between as Latics ended Wanderers’ 100 per cent start to the campaign in emphatic fashion.

The visitors’ third win of the season lifted them on to two points while Ian Evatt’s Trotters suffered a harsh reality check after four wins in all competitions.

“Every bit of credit goes to Charlie,” said Wigan manager Maloney of his frontman who had a defibrillator fitted after suffering a cardiac arrest in 2021.

“He came back on day one of pre-season in incredible condition. It wa…

Frank Lampard has revealed he tried to sign Erling Haaland for Chelsea during his first spell as the manager at Stamford Bridge.

The Manchester City striker came up against Lampard’s team in a pre-season friendly in 2019 while he was playing for RB Salzburg in Austria.

He scored 28 goals in 22 matches that season before signing for Borussia Dortmund the following summer, but Lampard said he attempted to bring him to west London instead during his 18-month spell in charge between 2019 and 2021.

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC)

Ultimately competition for the Norway international’s signature, together with the fact not everybody at Chelsea was convinced that a bid for Haaland would have been the right move, meant that Lampard was left frustrated.

Carlos Tevez spent two years with Manchester United on loan from West Ham, from 2007 to 2009. When the deal expired, he returned to his parent club and was sold only to weeks later to Manchester City.

He was probably aware of the welcome he was going to get at Old Trafford when he takes to the pitch in a sky-blue shirt.

United won the game by 4-3, with Tevez grabbing two assists.

https://twitter.com/footballdaily/status/1241001552560742401

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Fred called his time at Manchester United “a true dream” as the Brazil international prepares to complete his move to Fenerbahce.

The 30-year-old midfielder moved to Old Trafford from Shakhtar Donetsk in 2018 and has made 213 appearances for the club.

Fred is now heading to Turkey to join Fenerbahce, who have agreed a deal worth an initial 10million euros (£8.6m) rising to a possible 15m euros (£12.9m).

Thanks for everything, Manchester United Football Club.

Today ends one of the most beautiful stages of my career. I lived the dream of wearing the shirt of one of the biggest clubs in the world. Going through ups and downs, I leave with the conviction that I always gave my best…

— Fred Rodrigues (@Fred08oficial)

“Thanks for ev…

Wales meet Croatia in a vital Euro 2024 qualifier at Cardiff City Stadium on Sunday night.

Here, the PA news agency takes a look at five of the main talking points as Wales seek to keep their automatic qualification hopes alive.

Perfect finish needed

Spain beat Scotland, Türkiye defeated Croatia while Albania saw off Czechia…

Tap to see the full Thursday round-up

— UEFA EURO 2024 (@EURO2024)

Turkey’s shock win in Croatia on Thursday has really thrown a spanner in the works. Wales had expected to be in a three-way fight with Turkey and Armenia for the second qualifying spot behind top speeds Croatia. Overtaking Croatia now looks like being Wales’ target, but a top-two spot only appears achievable by winning on Sunday and also beating A…

Los Angeles FC prevailed in a five-goal thriller in their El Trafico derby against Los Angeles Galaxy, holding on for a 3-2 win.

In a clash between two of the Western Conference s top-four sides, league-leading LAFC struck first as Jose Cifuentes broke the deadlock 17 minutes in with a header from the edge of the six-yard box.

It would be the only goal of the opening half, before the scoring barrage began with Galaxy s equaliser through Samuel Grandsir at the 55-minute mark.

Cifuentes again found himself on the end of a dangerous cross in the 70th minute, heading home his second goal, before teammate Cristian Arango made it 3-1 just two minutes later with his right-foot hit from outside the box.

Rayan Raveloson set up a thrilling finish when he trimmed th…

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By the time Liverpool step onto the pitch for Saturday s clash with Burnley at Anfield, they could be displaced from the Premier League summit, providing defending champions Manchester City beat Everton in the early kickoff slot on the same day.

The Reds hopes of clinching the title took a significant hit with a 3-1 defeat to Arsenal in their previous outing, whereas Vincent Kompany s side staged a remarkable comeback from a 2-0 deficit to salvage a point against Fulham in a thrilling 2-2 draw.

Liverpool

Liverpool s trip to the Emirates Stadium last weekend resulted in a defensive nightmare, ending their 11-game unbeaten streak in all competitions and a 15-match run without defeat in the Premier League, which had lasted since…