Webb re-elected as CONCACAF president

Porto to sign Alberto Bueno

Portuguese daily newspaper that FC Porto have all but agreed to sign Spanish striker Alberto Bueno from Rayo Vallecano.

The Dragons were on the lookout for a new centre forward as they prepare for life without Jackson Martinez and they seem to have found their man in the La Liga star.

According to O Jogo, the 27-year-old has agreed a long-term deal with Porto and he will join his new club when his current deal expires at the end of the season.

The Dragons boss Julen Lopetegui is well aware of the forward s qualities having coached him at Real Madrid Castilla and he has been impressed with Bueno s form this season.

The talented footballer has scored 16 goals in 28 La Liga outings this term despite playing for a relegat…

The Premier League still remains committed to completing the 2019-20 season, though all dates are tentative over a resumption.

All 20 top-flight clubs were present at a meeting on Friday for further talks over the campaign amid the continued suspension of the competition due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The league was halted on March 13, initially until April 3, though the extent of the COVID-19 outbreak means it is still unclear exactly when proceedings will be able to restart.

An extension will be necessary to fit in the backlog of fixtures, with the meeting allowing stakeholders to hold discussions over possible scheduling models .

In common with other businesses and industries, the Premier League and our clubs are working through complex planni…

Market: Under 2.5 goals

Odds: 

Once again turning our attention to the Belarusian Premier League this weekend, two of the top-flight strugglers will open Friday s fixtures when Smolevichy-STI welcome Energetyk-BGU to the Ozyorny Stadium.

Starting with the hosts, hit with a 3-1 defeat at home against Dinamo Minsk last weekend, it is no surprise that Smolevichy-STI are seen to be one of the leading contenders to be hit with an immediate drop back down this season. Stil looking to pick up their first Premier League victory since opening the new campaign, Head Coach Aleksandr Brazevich has seen his side land just three points out of a possible 18. Still sat in the drop zone, there is no doubt that fans around the Ozyorny Stadium will be desperate for their side to m…

The sacking of Mark Hughes as Manchester City boss wasn’t really a surprise. The fact that he was replaced by former Inter boss Roberto Mancini surprised me slightly.

I wasn’t that impressed with the former Lazio striker when he was Inter boss. To manage Inter didn’t take the best manager in the world as there were already top players at the club when he arrived.

Successful in Italy

Roberto Mancini’s managerial experience has come in Italian football with Fiorentina, Lazio and of course Inter. He won three Serie A league titles with Inter and two cups. He has won the Italian cup with Fiorentina and Lazio.

He has been learning English for awhile in anticipation of a move to the Premier League and is eager to test himself in the…

Germany midfielder Torsten Frings was told on Wednesday his international career is over after national coach Joachim Loew said the Werder Bremen star will play no part in his World Cup plans.

The 33-year-old won 79 caps and scored 10 goals for his country, but has been out of favour since October 2008 and Loew told the midfielder in person he will play no part in his plans for June s tournament in South Africa.

The defensive midfielder s last international appearance was the 1-0 defeat to Norway in a friendly in February 2009.

Loew travelled to meet Frings in Bremen on Wednesday to tell him face-to-face that he had played his last international for Germany.

This step does not come as a complete surprise for me, Frings told SID.

You could see i…

Southampton captain Virgil van Dijk will not be leaving at the end of the season, with chairman Ralph Krueger insisting the in-demand Dutchman is very committed .

Van Dijk has been linked with a big-money move away from Southampton as Premier League duo Manchester City and Liverpool reportedly circle.

The 25-year-old Netherlands international, who missed Sunday s 3-2 EFL Cup final defeat to Manchester United due to injury, has impressed since arriving from Celtic in 2015.

Krueger, however, said Southampton have no plans to sell the centre-back.

We are just out of the January transfer window and are striving to keep this group together and to build on it, Krueger told talkSPORT.

Virgil is very committed to us for a long time and we don t see anyt…

Pep Guardiola will not ask Gabriel Jesus to solve all Manchester City s problems and believes the Brazil star can operate alongside top scorer Sergio Aguero in attack.

Jesus arrived in Manchester this week and trained alongside his new team-mates for the first time on Thursday, following a switch from Palmeiras agreed last August that was reported to be worth an initial £27million.

City lie fourth in the Premier League, seven points shy of leaders Chelsea. They have won four of their past five domestic matches but a defeat at Liverpool on New Year s Eve dented their title hopes and a terse round of interviews conducted by Guardiola following a battling 2-1 win over Burnley last time out did little to bolster any sense of a feelgood factor at the Etihad Stadium.

…

Thomas Tuchel was impressed with the way his Chelsea side reacted to some half-time home truths by blowing Tottenham away in a 3-0 London derby victory.

The Blues were second best in the first half at Tottenham Stadium after emotional pre-match tributes to Spurs, Chelsea and England legend Jimmy Greaves, who died at the age of 81 on Sunday.

Chelsea only registered one shot on target in the opening 45 minutes and Tottenham showed more intensity before Tuchel made his side well aware they must raise their game at the break.

The outstanding Thiago Silva headed the European champions in front four minutes into the second half and a deflected strike from the fit-again N Golo Kante, who replaced Mason Mount at half-time, doubled their lead.

Spurs had no answer…

Pep Guardiola left Ruben Dias and Aymeric Laporte on the bench for Manchester City s clash with Manchester United, while Rodri missed out altogether for the Premier League champions with injury.

City manager Guardiola made three changes for the first Manchester derby of the season, with Manuel Akanji and Nathan Ake operating at centre-back.

John Stones was another absentee due to a hamstring injury sustained on international duty, while Guardiola decided to name Dias among the substitutes as Kyle Walker came in at right-back.

Fitness issues for Rodri ruled the Spain international out of the clash at Etihad Stadium, with Ilkay Gundogan starting in midfield behind Jack Grealish, Phil Foden and the in-form Erling Haaland up top.

It is an injury. Yesterday i…

Alberto Zaccheroni s job as Japan manager is not under threat, despite their recent poor performances.

Japan became the first team qualify for the FIFA 2014 World Cup in June following a 1-1 draw with Australia.

Zaccheroni s men went on to finish top of AFC qualification Group B, but slipped to defeat in all three of their FIFA Confederations Cup matches later in the month.

The 2002 World Cup quarter-finalists suffered losses to Serbia and Belarus in international friendlies this month.

But while the Japan Football Association have admitted that they are concerned by recent results, they are eager not to make any rash decisions.

It is a fact that (the team) did not play well but this is not a time to react nervously, Japan FA technical director Hiromi Hara …