Former France international midfielder Mathieu Flamini has revealed he rejected a two-year contract extension from AC Milan as well as offers from other clubs to return to Arsenal, understands.
Flamini, who joined Milan from Arsenal in May 2008, made over 150 appearances in all competitions for the Gunners from 2004 to 2008, winning two trophies: the Community Shield (2004) and the FA Cup (2004-05).
The versatile midfielder, 29, marked his return to the club with a solid 45-minute display in the North London derby after replacing Jack Wilshere at half-time, and could prove to be a bargain signing for Arsene Wenger.
Milan asked me to extend my contract for two years, Flamini told France Football.
However, at 29 years old, I didn t want to si…
England welcome Poland to Wembley on Tuesday knowing they must win to guarantee a place at the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
Roy Hodgson s side are on the verge of qualification after victory over Montenegro on Friday, but a failure to secure maximum in the final group game on Tuesday will condemn England to the play-offs if Ukraine beat San Marino.
Poland saw their hopes of reaching the finals extinguished on Friday when they were defeated 1-0 by Ukraine, but they can still have a big say on the outcome of Group H.
England fans and players will not need reminding of a similar clash between the sides in 1973 as Poland left with the hosts crestfallen, Jan Tomaszewski s heroics in goal denying Alf Ramsey s side a win that cost them a place at the World Cup the following year.
Blaise Matuidi believes Paris Saint-Germain s domestic dominance means their season should be viewed as a success.
PSG won the Ligue 1 title with a remarkable eight matches to spare when they thrashed Troyes 9-0 last month.
They face Lille in the Coupe de la Ligue final on Saturday and will take on Marseille in defence of the Coupe de France and the historic domestic treble they achieved last term.
But Laurent Blanc s team have come in for criticism after bowing out of the Champions League against Manchester City – their fourth consecutive quarter-final exit.
France midfielder Matuidi missed the decisive second leg at the Etihad Stadium through suspension and, speaking at a pre-match news conference for this weekend s showpiece at the Stade de France, h…
Real Madrid have launched an official inquiry into the availability of AC Milan defender Mattia De Sciglio, .
Carlo Ancelotti has come to terms with losing Fabio Coentrao and is, therefore, looking to add another left-sided defender to the squad.
After los Blancos attempt to sign Guilherme Siqueira from Granada fell through, they have turned their attention to Milan s Mattia De Sciglio.
Despite leaving the Rossoneri in 2009, Carlo Ancelotti is well aware of the youngster s qualities and he is desperate to lure him to Santiago Bernabeu.
As a result, Ancelotti s representative and key associate of Florentino Perez, Ernesto Bronzetti has contacted the player s agent to learn whether De Sciglio would be interested in a switch to Real Madrid.
The tale…
Cristiano Ronaldo scored a stunning winner before being sent off for a dive in Real Madrid s Supercopa de Espana first-leg triumph over Barcelona.
The Portugal star came off the bench to blast home the third goal of the visitors 3-1 win at Camp Nou but earned a second yellow card for going to ground in the penalty area two minutes later, having earlier been booked for taking his shirt off in celebration.
Zinedine Zidane s side took the lead early in the second half through an own goal from Gerard Pique but Barca levelled thanks to Lionel Messi s penalty, which was won in controversial fashion by Luis Suarez.
Ronaldo put Madrid back ahead with a spectacular strike but was dismissed within two minutes of that goal and risked further punishment when he pushed the re…
Antonio Conte has welcomed the end of a nightmare after the Italy boss was acquitted of sporting fraud.
In April, the prosecutor of Cremona recommended a six-month suspended jail sentence and an €8,000 fine for Conte as part of the ongoing Scommessopoli case, but judge Pierpaolo Beluzzi dismissed the charges on Monday.
Conte, who will take charge of Premier League club Chelsea after leading his country at Euro 2016, was accused of failing to report an attempt to fix a match against AlbinoLeffe when he was in charge of Serie B side Siena in 2010-11.
The 46-year-old, a decorated former player and coach at Juventus, denied any wrongdoing and posted a statement on his Facebook page after the verdict, detailing his experience of the ordeal.
Four years a…
Newcastle United boss Rafael Benitez is not getting carried away by a run of three straight victories even if the club s supporters are already thinking about Europe .
The Magpies saw off Stoke City 2-1 on Saturday to improve their Premier League points tally to nine points from five games, a tally they last managed to reach this early in the season when they finished fifth in the top flight under Alan Pardew in 2012.
But Benitez, who returned to the touchline following hernia surgery, is keeping his feet firmly on the ground.
The fans, when you win so many games in a row, they are excited and thinking about Europe. For me it is one game at a time, the former Real Madrid manager told the BBC.
It is a very competitive league and we are learning from that…
Germany general manager Oliver Bierhoff claims close friend and United States boss Jurgen Klinsmann is in talks with the Football Association to fill the England vacancy.
England are on the hunt for a new manager after Roy Hodgson walked away following the country s embarrassing last-16 exit to Iceland at Euro 2016.
Former Germany coach Klinsmann who has led the Americans since 2011 was immediately linked to the post, talked up by ex-England international Jamie Carragher having guided USA to a semi-final appearance at last month s Copa America Centenario.
Klinsmann has also been credited for laying the foundations for Germany s World Cup triumph in 2014, after his two-year spell in charge of the European giants from 2004 to 2006.
And Bierhoff believes ex-…
Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde defended Luis Suarez after the forward s struggles continued against Olympiacos.
Suarez attempted seven shots – the most he has had without scoring for Barca – as his side were held to a 0-0 draw in Piraeus on Tuesday.
The Uruguay international has netted just three goals in 13 matches in all competitions this season.
But Valverde praised the 30-year-old, backing the forward to turn his fortunes around.
I like this version of Suarez a lot and sometimes the goal depends on one more centimetre to the left or to the right, Valverde said.
I like that they have chances to score. The success or not will come. I liked the team.
7 Luis Suarez attempted more shots without scoring vs Olympiakos than in any oth…
Former Portugal manager Carlos Queiroz believes Cristiano Ronaldo was destined to become the Michael Jordan of football from a young age.
Queiroz, who is now the Iran national team manager, coached Ronaldo during his time in charge of Portugal between 2008 and 2010, making the Real Madrid superstar captain of his country at the age of 23.
The 60-year-old also worked with Ronaldo during his two spells as assistant manager to Alex Ferguson at Manchester United before his compatriot left for Real in a then world record deal in 2009.
And Queiroz, who was at Old Trafford when Ronaldo arrived from Sporting Lisbon in 2003, had no doubt that the forward would establish himself as a modern-day great even likening him to Chicago Bulls legend Jordan, who is widely considered t…