Cesc Fabregas Signs with Italian Club Como

Posted on August 1, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Cesc Fabregas is Italy bound…

The 35-year-old Spanish professional footballer has signed a two-year deal with second-tier Italian club Como.

The former Barcelona, Arsenal and Chelsea midfielder, an ex-Spain international, became a free agent after his release from Ligue 1 side AS Monaco in the close season.

Como finished 13th in Serie B last season following their promotion from the third tier in 2020-21.

They announced Fabregas’ arrival in a video on Instagram with the caption: “All the rumours are true, yeah.”

Speaking at his presentation on Monday, Fabregas said: “The MLS was not part of my plans. I wanted to remain in Europe and I believe this is the right project for me.

“I wasn’t interested in money, I wanted to join a long-term project that I would be enthusiastic about. I’m very ambitious and I would like to help Como return to where it deserves, that is in Serie A. I’m here to play and to win games. I see a long-term future with this club.

“Como offered me not just a two-year contract as a player but a long-term project. Last season at Monaco was rather difficult but the past is in the past and now I’m looking ahead. The important thing is that I’m here. I’m not only here to play but to give a helping hand off the pitch in what will be a long-term project.”

Fabregas was part of Spain’s World Cup-winning team in 2010 and won the Premier League twice with Chelsea.

Como club administrator Dennis Wise added: “Cesc will be a part of this club long term. I believe it’s a great signing. It’s not just a two-year contract as a player, as Cesc will become a Como shareholder.”

Arsenal F.C. Completes Signing of Gabriel Jesus from Manchester City

Posted on July 4, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

It’s official… Gabriel Jesus is headed to Arsenal.

Arsenal F.C. has completed the signing of the 25-year-old Brazilian professional footballer from Manchester City, both clubs and the player have announced.

ESPN had previously reported that Arsenal were confident of landing the Brazil international amid rival interest from Tottenham Hotspur.

Arsenal will pay £45 million plus a further £10 million in add-ons to sign the striker, according to sources.

Jesus will wear Arsenal’s No. 9 shirt.

“It’s been a pleasure to play for Manchester City,” Jesus said. “I feel like I am a better player now than when I arrived — and to win 11 trophies has been amazing.

“My four Premier League titles are particularly special for me. I want to thank everyone at City — the manager, my teammates and the fans — for all the support they have given me over the past 5½ years.”

As Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta added, “I’m very excited. The club has done a tremendous job to recruit a player of this stature. I know Gabriel personally very well, and we all know him well from his time in the Premier League and being really successful here.”

“This is a position that’s been on our radar for a long time now, and we have managed to get a player that we all wanted, so I’m really happy.”

Arsenal, who have already signed midfielder Fabio Vieira and United States goalkeeper Matt Turner, are looking to strengthen after missing out on Champions League football.

Arteta’s side were in need of a striker after Alexandre Lacazette returned to Lyon on a free transfer this summer while Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang joined Barcelona for free in January.

Jesus, who had only one year remaining on his contract at City, contributed 13 goals and 12 assists in all competitions for the Premier League champions last season, and the 25-year-old can play in all attacking positions.

In total, he scored 95 goals in 236 matches for City.

Manchester City Agrees to Transfer Gabriel Jesus to Arsenal

Posted on June 26, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Gabriel Jesus is switching sides…

Manchester City and Arsenal have agreed terms over the transfer of the 25-year-old Brazilian professional footballer, according to ESPN.

Arsenal will pay £45 million plus a further £10m in add-ons for the Brazil international striker with only paperwork and a medical standing in the way of a deal being completed.

The Gunners had already agreed a five-year contract with Jesus.

Arsenal, who have already signed midfielder Fabio Vieira from Porto this summer, are looking to strengthen their squad after missing out on Champions League football.

Jesus, who had only one year remaining on his contract at Man City, scored 13 goals and gave 12 assists in all competitions for the Premier League champions last season and can play in all attacking positions.

He also excels at pressing and counter-pressing, which are key aspects of Mikel Arteta‘s playing style.

Meanwhile, Arsenal continue to pursue a deal for Leeds United winger Raphinha and remain confident of adding him to their ranks.

They are also keen to sign 24-year-old Ajax and Argentina centerback Lisandro Martinez.

Marquinhos Signs Long-Term Contract with Arsenal F.C.

Posted on June 13, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Marquinhos is heading to England…

The 19-year-old Brazilian soccer player has signed a long-term contract with Arsenal F.C.

Marquinhos, a Brazil youth international, made 33 appearances for Sao Paulo and won the Compeonato Paulista in 2021.

“We’re delighted to have completed the transfer with Sao Paulo, as Marquinhos was a player we had been watching for a while,” Arsenal technical director Edu said.

“At 19, he is still very young, so he is a player for the future. We look forward to Marquinhos now joining us for preseason, making his new home, and continuing to grow and develop with us.”

ESPN previously reported that the deal would be worth €3.5 million and that the clubs agreed a fee after Marquinhos rejected multiple contract offers from the Brazilian club and sources suggest Arsenal moved quickly to secure a cut-price agreement.

Marquinhos is a left-footed forward also able to operate as a winger, but he is viewed by Arsenal as a future prospect rather than an immediate first-team signing.

Liverpool Agrees on Transfer Deal for Benfica Forward Darwin Nunez

Posted on June 12, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

It’s official… Darwin Nunez is Liverpool bound.

Liverpool has agreed on a deal to sign the 22-year-old Uruguayan professional footballer and Benfica forward in a transfer worth up to €100 million, according to ESPN.

It was previously reported that both clubs were in advanced talks over a deal, and sources confirmed that Liverpool is set to break the team’s transfer record to sign the striker.

Nunez will sign a five-year contract at Anfield, according to sources, and he has left the Uruguay national team to travel to England to undergo a medical.

Sources have told ESPN that an agreement was reached on Saturday between the two clubs worth €75 million, plus €25 million in add-ons.

Liverpool have seen off competition from Manchester United and Arsenal to land the striker.

According to ESPN sources, Nunez is keen for regular Champions League football, which put Liverpool ahead in the race to sign him.

Nunez, who joined Benfica in September 2020, was the top scorer in Portugal’s top flight last season and added some stellar performances in the Champions League, ending the year with 34 goals in 41 appearances.

The striker began his career at Uruguayan side Penarol before moving to Spanish second-division side Almeria in 2019, where he scored 16 goals in 32 games. Almeria will receive 20% of the profit from Nunez’s transfer.

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp praised Nunez after his team’s Champions League quarterfinal clash against Benfica in April, saying that Nunez is “really good and has a big career ahead of him.”

Liverpool FC In Talks to Sign Darwin Nunez from SL Benfica

Posted on June 10, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Darwin Nunez could be heading to England soon…

Liverpool F.C. is in talks with S.L. Benfica over the signing of the 22-year-old Uruguayan professional footballer, according to ESPN.

Nunez is set to break Liverpool’s transfer record, with the deal expected to be worth around €80 million plus €20m in add-ons. The agreement between the clubs has yet to be completed, but talks are progressing well.

Benfica were initially only willing to negotiate Nunez’s departure for around €130m.

The Uruguay forward, who joined Benfica from Almeria in the summer of 2020 for €24m, is under contract through June 2025 and has a €150m release clause.

Almeria will receive 20% of any profit from Nunez’s transfer.

Nunez attracted the attention of top European clubs after an impressive 2021-22 season in which he scored 34 goals in 41 appearances for Benfica.

Nunez was the top scorer in Portugal’s top flight this past season with 26 goals.

Manchester United and Arsenal had also shown an interest in Nunez, while Premier League champions Manchester City considered signing him if they failed to acquire Erling Haaland.

City signed Haaland from Borussia Dortmund last month for an undisclosed fee.

Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp had praised Nunez after his team’s Champions League quarterfinal encounter against Benfica, saying that Nunez is “really good and has a big career ahead of him.”

Nunez, who is on international duty with Uruguay, has remained tight-lipped about his future, but chose his strike at Liverpool on April 13 as the best goal of his career.

Erik Lamela Wins FIFA’s Puskas Award

Posted on January 17, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

Erik Lamela is celebrating his award-winning rabona…

The 29-year-old Argentine professional footballer, who plays as an attacking midfielder or winger for La Liga club Sevilla and the Argentina national team, has won this year’s Puskas Award.

Lamela earned the award for his “rabona” for Tottenham Hotspur against Arsenal.

Meanwhile, Bayern Munich forward Robert Lewandowski equaled Cristiano Ronaldo‘s FIFA The Best record when he won the award for a second time on Monday.

The Bayern Munich forward retained his FIFA The Best award following an incredible campaign in which he scored a Bundesliga record 41 goals, fighting off competition from Lionel Messi and Mohamed Salah.

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel claimed the Manager of the Year award following success in the Champions League in 2021.

Chelsea and Senegal‘s Edouard Mendy won the Goalkeeper of the Year award.

Denmark team and staff won the Fair Play award following their reaction to Christian Eriksen‘s cardiac arrest at Euro 2020. Denmark and Finland fans also received the Best Fan award for their spontaneous unified chanting in support of Eriksen after he was taken off the pitch.

The award was first handed out in its present guise in 2016, after FIFA ended their five-year partnership with the Ballon d’Or. Ronaldo, who was given a special award for breaking the international men’s goal scoring record in 2021, won back-to-back awards in the first two years.

Meanwhile, Messi and part-Brazilian player Jorginho were named to the FIFA FIFPro Men’s World XI team.

FIFA FIFPro Men’s World XI
Gianluigi Donnarumma – Paris Saint-Germain, Italy
David Alaba – Real Madrid, Austria
Ruben Dias – Manchester City, Portugal
Leonardo Bonucci – Juventus, Italy
Jorginho – Chelsea, Italy
N’Golo Kante – Chelsea, France
Kevin De Bruyne – Manchester City, Belgium
Cristiano Ronaldo – Manchester United, Portugal
Erling Haaland – Borussia Dortmund, Norway
Robert Lewandowski – Bayern Munich, Poland
Lionel Messi – Paris Saint-Germain, Argentina

Barcelona midfielder Alexia Putellas won the women’s award.

Vicky Losada Joins Manchester City on Two-Year Deal

Posted on July 5, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Vicky Losada is heading to the City…

The 30-year-old Spanish football midfielder and former Barcelona captain has joined Manchester City on a two-year deal, the club has announced.

Losada announced in June that she’d leave the Catalan club after 16 years, calling it “the most difficult decision” of her life.

She led Barca to a treble-winning season this year after securing the Primera Iberdrola, the Champions League and the Copa de la Reina.

“It was very hard to me because I’ve been playing for Barca since I was 14 years old. Sometimes you feel like you need a change and close a chapter in my life and when the offer came from England it made things easier for me and also winning the Champions League definitely brought me the security to make the decision,” Losada told ESPN about her decision to move to City.

“I want to be very honest to you, new girls from La Masia came up to the team. They were bringing a very good level and I wanted to get more minutes and it wasn’t happening but I was also so happy at the same time that I was always helping the team.

“I just wanted to be more important and basically happier when I wake up and I have to go to the training ground. So that was changing a little bit so I had my thoughts every night with myself and in the end it was the perfect end to a year that was unforgettable to me.”

Losada came through Barca’s academy system La Masia and spent the majority of her playing career at the club.

However, she did spend a year-and-a-half with Arsenal in the Women’s Super League where she won the league cup and the FA Cup.

She said this time with Arsenal made her eager for a return to the WSL, despite her love for her home side in Spain.

“I said all the time I was missing the English league. All these years, I came back to Barcelona because it was home for me but I am so happy to be coming back to England. It’s true that the weather never got used to that but I think I’ll be able to handle it,” she added.

“I think it is a very competitive league and they have very good players. Every year the best players in the world not just English or British players want to go to the WSL and also I think the structure, I can see it from here. We’re missing a lot of things in the Spanish league — visibility, TV, fans. I really think they’re doing a massive job and they’re looking after women’s football.”

Losada leaves Barca with six league titles, one Champions League title, seven Copa de la Reina titles, one Supercopa Femenina title and eight Copa Catalunya titles.

Tottenham Hotspur’s Erik Lamela Wins Premier League Goal of the Season Award

Posted on June 5, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Erik Lamela is celebrating a big kick…

The 29-year-old Argentine professional footballer, who plays as an attacking midfielder or winger for Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur and the Argentina National Team, has picked up the Premier League Goal of the Season for his sublime rabona against Arsenal in March.

Despite Lamela’s effort, Tottenham Hotspur lost the match 2-1.

Lamela’s goal finished ahead of strikes from Edinson Cavani, Manuel Lanzini and Sebastien Haller.

Lamela’s rabona — the second of his Tottenham career — was simply sublime.

Sergio Reguilon cushioned a volley into Lucas Moura, who laid the ball off to Lamela inside the Arsenal box. Lamela then struck a first-time rabona with his left foot, which went through the legs of Thomas Partey and into the far corner.

That goal opened the scoring for Tottenham in March’s north London derby, but was cancelled out just before halftime by a Martin Odegaard strike.

Alexandre Lacazette then put Arsenal ahead with a 64-minute penalty and Tottenham’s misery was compounded when Lamela was sent off 12 minutes later.

David Luiz Reportedly Leaving Arsenal at End of the Season

Posted on May 14, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

David Luiz is looking to switch sides…

The 34-year-olf Brazilian professional footballer will leave Arsenal when his contract expires at the end of the season, according to ESPN.

Luiz attended a meeting with senior figures at the club on Friday, which concluded without an extension to his existing agreement.

Sources say the Gunners have made clear their respect for Luiz’s contribution but are seeking to strengthen the centerback area with younger alternatives.

It’s unclear whether Luiz was offered any terms to stay but regardless the Brazil international is now focused on finding a new club, sources said.

He has claimed on several occasions that he wants to finish his career back at Benfica, adding in April last year: “In football everything changes — what is true today, tomorrow is a lie — but my feeling is not.

“I love Benfica. My dream is to step on the pitch of Estadio da Light in their colours. Benfica is bigger than any player.”

Luiz joined the Gunners from London rivals Chelsea in 2019 for £8 million. He has made 73 appearances for the club to date — including helping them win last season’s FA Cup Final against his former club — and has been viewed by manager Mikel Arteta as an influential leadership figure in the dressing room.

He’s suffering with a hamstring problem but will hope for one final appearance in Arsenal’s remaining two Premier League matches, against Crystal Palace and Brighton next week.

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