Gonzalez to rejoin Porto

Jurgen Klopp says it is not easy for Liverpool to challenge for the Premier League title after a number of difficult seasons because of the continual development of their rivals.

Klopp s arrival at Anfield during the 2015-16 campaign boosted hopes that Liverpool could at last end their title drought, having not won the league since 1989-90.

Liverpool appeared to be Chelsea s main rival for the title this term after a good start to 2016-17, but a poor run of form in January has seen them drop to fourth place in the table, 10 points behind the leaders.

Their recent slump has led to criticism of Klopp, yet the Liverpool boss remains optimistic about his side s chances of winning silverware in the not too distant future.

You all know better than me about …

Real Madrid defender Jesus Vallejo, who has been billed as the new Sergio Ramos, must wait until the end of the season to discover the club s plans for him.

Vallejo, who joined Madrid from Real Zaragoza in 2015, is on loan with high-flying Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga.

The 20-year-old has been tipped to replace Pepe in the first-team squad at Santiago Bernabeu next season, but will not hold talks with Zinedine Zidane s side until the end of 2016-17.

Nobody has informed me so far, they are just rumours, Vallejo told Sport1 when asked about replacing Pepe.

When I went to Frankfurt, I was told that I should play the season calmly and make the most of it, then we sit down. We will not talk about it before May or June. 

Of course, we are i…

There has been significant interest in Sporting Lisbon s Manuel Ugarte lately, and now, Fabrizio Romano says a move to the Premier League this summer could be on the cards for the Uruguayan midfielder with three clubs from the English top flight already in talks with agent Jorge Mendes. Romano hasn t revealed the names of those clubs, but recent reports elsewhere have mentioned Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur in that regard.

Liverpool and Spurs are expected to make significant changes to their playing personnel at the end of the season, having endured a disappointing campaign. Their efforts are expected to be hampered further by a likely lack of Champions League football next season; Spurs are already out, and Liverpool are still in with a small chance to qualify. Chel…

Market: Gil Vicente win

Odds: 11/10 @

Hoping to find a route into the top-half of the Primera Liga table, Gil Vicente will welcome Vizela to the Estadio Cidade de Barcelos on Tuesday afternoon.

Starting with the hosts, opening February in the midst of a recent blip, Gil Vicente will certainly be looking to claim a welcomed domestic boost here. Nevertheless, while the Roosters might have suffered back-to-back Primera Liga defeats for the first time since the start of September, Vitor Campelos’ side still have their sights set on securing a top-half finish in 2024. Opening the midweek fixtures sat just two points adrift of breaking back into Portugal’s top-nine, the Barceols-based outfit will be hugely excited by their continued success on home soil. Last seen…

French media outlet that Inter Milan are set to complete the signing of Monaco midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia.

The Nerazzurri have been hot on the trail of the France international for quite a while, and they have been working around the clock on the deal over the last couple of weeks.

According to L Equipe, Inter have reportedly agreed a €40 million fee for the talented footballer, which is double the amount Monaco paid for his services two years ago.

Geoffrey Kondogbia had begun his professional career at Lens, making 35 league appearances before joining Sevilla in 2012.

The holding midfielder largely impressed in his first season in La Liga, earning a lucrative switch to Monaco the following summer.

After some excellent displays last season,…

Swansea City midfielder Jonjo Shelvey says that it was his choice to leave Liverpool and that he was not forced out.

The 21-year-old moved to the Liberty Stadium in July after failing to nail down a regular starting spot at Anfield under Brendan Rodgers.

And Shelvey, who has started all three of his new club s Premier League games so far this season, revealed it was a desire to play regular football that motivated his decision to leave Anfield, rather than any ill-feeling towards the club.

Brendan (Rodgers) told me I could stay there and see what happened. It really was my choice. I wasn t pushed, Shelvey told The Daily Mail.

I wanted to play football. I would hate to be one of those sitting on my money. It is in my character, the way I was brought up.

E…

Everton have confirmed defender Michael Keane suffered a small hairline fracture of the skull during Saturday s 2-2 draw at Bournemouth but there are no other complications related to the injury.

Keane clashed heads with team-mate Idrissa Gueye during the closing stages of the match at the Vitality Stadium, having earlier scored his first Premier League goal for Everton.

The former Manchester United and Burnley player was admitted to Poole Hospital but the nature of his injury means he is expected to return to full training next month.

The 25-year-old defender will be unable to engage in head contact for between three and four weeks, from which point he will be able to resume full training, read a statement on Everton s official website.

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Kepa Arrizabalaga claims he would like to return to Athletic Bilbao one day.

The Spain international left the Basque club in 2018 to join Chelsea, which ended a 14-year spell with the club after he joined the youth ranks of at age nine.

Kepa, 25, commanded a record transfer fee for a goalkeeper at the time, and has since become first choice goalkeeper for Spain head coach Robert Moreno, but admits a return to the Rojiblancos is a possibility.

Of course I would like to return to Athletic (Bilbao), he told Spanish football show El Chiringuito.

I don’t know when or how or what, but playing at Athletic obviously I’d like that. I have great memories.

The Chelsea stopper also reflected on the heavy speculation that saw him come close to joining R…

Spain playmaker Andres Iniesta said he was looking forward to the World Cup semi-final against Germany after being named man-of-the-match in Saturday s 1-0 quarter-final victory over Paraguay.

David Villa scored the only goal of the game to move clear at the top of the World Cup goalscoring charts with his fifth strike in South Africa.

But it was his new Barcelona team-mate Iniesta who got the fans vote for the best performance in the Ellis Park stadium as it was his run through the core of the South Americans defence that created the winner.

And now he can t wait to renew rivalries with Germany, whom Spain beat 1-0 in the Euro 2008 final in Vienna two years ago.

We ll be playing Germany again but I don t think what happened two years ago will have any …

Chelsea s admiration of 23-year-old Milan forward Rafael Leao is not a secret.

The Blues, along with several other clubs including Manchester City, are keen on the Portuguese.

Chelsea have also been linked with Christopher Nkunku in recent days but are plotting ways to land Rafael Leao too.

TOP STORY – CHELSEA AND MILAN PLOTTING SWAP DEAL

Chelsea and Milan are considering a swap deal whereby Rafael Leao would join the Blues, claims Calciomercato.

Christian Pulisic and Callum Hudson-Odoi would be part of the deal, although the Italian champions would still demand a £90million fee for the Portuguese.

According to the report, Milan will use their Champions League game on Wednesday against the Blues at Stamford Bridge to talk with Pulisic, …