Milan midfielder Bennacer signs new long-term deal

Brendan Rodgers has declared striker Jamie Vardy fit for Leicester City s Boxing Day clash with Manchester United.

Vardy was substituted late on in Sunday s 2-0 win over Tottenham as Leicester climbed to second in the Premier League, a point above United having played a game more.

He netted from the penalty spot at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to make Premier League history, becoming the first player to score away to an opponent at three different grounds following previous goals at White Hart Lane and Wembley Stadium.

It took the 33-year-old s tally for the season to 11 goals in 13 outings, placing him behind only Mohamed Salah in the Premier League scoring charts the Liverpool forward scoring 13 times in the same number of appearances.

Vardy has also now …

Manchester City left-back Angelino has been loaned to Bundesliga leaders RB Leipzig until the end of the campaign.

The 23-year-old has been limited to just four Premier League starts since re-joining City in July following a season with Eredivisie side PSV.

He has not featured at all in the league since a 2-1 loss to Manchester United on December 7, being restricted to three cup appearances since then.

Leipzig confirmed on Friday the defender will spend the remainder of 2019-20 at the Red Bull Arena, and it has been reported they have an option to make the move permanent for €30million (£25m).

Bienvenido, ! 

Our newest Toro joins us on loan until the end of the season from  

— RB Leipzig English (@RBLeipzig_EN)  

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AC Milan appear to have hit a significant stumbling block in their efforts to have Rafael Leao sign a new contract. As reported by , the Rossoneri have put an offer of €5 million per season on the forward s table, but he is holding out for €7m.

Milan are believed to have paid just under €30m to sign Leao from LOSC Lille in 2019. Since then, the Portugal international has developed into a highly potent attacker, scoring 34 goals and producing 30 assists in 135 matches in all competitions for the seven-time European champions. The 23-year-old mostly plays on the left, but he can do a good job anywhere across the whole spectrum of attacking positions.

Real Madrid, Barcelona and Chelsea have been credited with strong interest in Leao, whose current deal expires at the…

South Korea coach Paulo Bento hopes Neymar is fit to play his team in their World Cup last-16 clash with Brazil, even if he concedes it would better for them if he was absent.

The Taeguk Warriors caused something of a shock by reaching the first knockout round of the tournament at the expense of Uruguay, with South Korea scoring a dramatic winner against Portugal on matchday three.

Brazil await in the last 16 and there remains some doubt over the fitness of talisman Neymar, who injured his ankle in the Selecao s first match of the tournament.

Neymar s involvement will be determined in training on Sunday, and Bento hopes he is ultimately passed fit.

It would be hypocritical if I said that it s better to play against Neymar than without him, but to be fair…

Atletico Madrid deserve to win this season s Champions League after twice suffering heartbreak in the final, according to on-loan winger Yannick Carrasco.

Diego Simeone s side lost in extra-time in the 2013-14 showpiece and on penalties two years later, both times against city rivals Real Madrid.

Atleti knocked out holders Liverpool 4-2 on aggregate in March and now take on RB Leipzig in a one-legged quarter-final in Lisbon on Thursday.

And Carrasco, who scored against Madrid in the most recent of Atletico s final appearances, is hoping it can be third time lucky for his side in the condensed competition. Atleti also came second in the 1973-74 European Cup.

It s true that Atletico deserve a Champions League after losing two finals in such difficult circu…

Michael McGovern was “desperate” to join Hearts and team up with some familiar faces following his move from Norwich.

The 39-year-old former Ross County, Falkirk and Hamilton goalkeeper left the Canaries at the end of last season after seven years at Carrow Road.

McGovern, who has 32 caps for Northern Ireland and who played at the Euro 2016 finals, knows the Jambos management team of head coach Frankie McAvoy, technical director Steven Naismith and sporting director Joe Savage, as well as new club-mate, Northern Ireland striker Liam Boyce and former Gorgie and fellow compatriot defender Aaron Hughes.

McGovern signed a one-year deal with the option of a further year and is the Tynecastle club’s first summer signing.

He told HeartsTV: “I’m delight…

Coming under scathing scrutiny from Roy Keane for his hand in Tottenham s opener last week, David de Gea has marked his return from the enforced break with more questions surrounding his spot between the sticks at Old Trafford.

Allowing Steven Bergwijn s simple strike to go through his hands, the 29-year-old has seen his reputation come crumbling down after what has been a worrying campaign for the Red Devils.

Although some may have previously mentioned the Spanish shot-stopper in the argument for the Premier League s greatest ever keeper, could De Gea s time in Manchester be drawing to a close with a whimper?

A drastic drop in class

Although almost the whole of Old Trafford were ecstatic to see De Gea finally put pen to paper on a new deal back in September, f…

With all eyes from across Europe falling on the Bernabeu on Thursday night, Barcelona opened their Copa del Rey semi-final adventure with a 1-0 victory against Real Madrid.

While many were expecting Los Blancos to claim what could have been a crucial first-leg advantage on home soil, Eder Militao s first-half own-goal proved costly as Madrid watched their six-match unbeaten run come to an abrupt end.

Although Barcelona might have been without a host of first-team stars that included the likes of Robert Lewandowski, Pedri and Ousmane Dembele, Xai s young squad put in another gritty display here.

Still holding a seven-point buffer at the top of the La Liga table and already claiming this year s Spanish Super Cup thanks to a 3-1 romp against their historic rivals b…

Real Madrid midfielder and former Arsenal loanee Dani Ceballos is relishing the prospect of combining with Spain s Olympic head coach Luis de la Fuente in Tokyo, having previously worked with him at Under-19 level.

Spain head into the Tokyo Olympics as one of the favourites for the gold medal, given De la Fuente has been able to call upon six players that reached the semi-final stages at Euro 2020 with the senior national side.

The names of their star-studded line-up would be enough to frighten any Olympic opposition as they have included Pedri, Unai Simon, Dani Olmo, Mikel Oyarzabal, Eric Garcia and Pau Torres.

While the players on the pitch paint an attractive picture that could see Spain win their second gold and first since 1992, Ceballos explained how his r…

Liverpool have stepped up their interest in signing Luis Diaz from FC Porto, according to a number of relatively reliable journalists.

Liverpool are looking to finalise a £37.5 million deal to sign Luis Diaz after hijacking Tottenham Hotspur’s interest in the Porto winger.

— paul joyce (@_pauljoyce)

The Merseysiders initially had no intention of making any move on that front this month, looking into the possibility of bringing Diaz to Anfield in the summer, and both clubs denied any negotiations were held. But Tottenham Hotspur stepped in and tried to take the winger to North London instead, forcing Liverpool to move sooner rather than later for the player whom they see as a good fit for their attacking line.

The reports claim Liverpool wi…