Twente confirm McLaren return

Lionel Messi is not happy at the failure to agree a new contract with Barcelona, according to Joan Laporta, who signalled the start of a  new era for the club.

Messi had appeared set to agree fresh terms at Camp Nou after becoming a free agent at the end of last season.

But Barca announced on Thursday economic and structural obstacles had prevented them from retaining their greatest ever player, unable to fit his salary within LaLiga s restrictions.

Speaking to the media on Friday, club president Laporta revealed he made the decision that I had to say this was enough on Wednesday before a last conversation with Messi s father Jorge.

He explained: What we can t do is just keep prolonging the agony, making things longer.

Asked what Messi had mad…

The weekend s World Cup qualifying matches were graced by some of the top strikers in world football, but a glimpse at the list of top scorers from each confederation reveals a striking lack of big names.

Fernando Torres, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Didier Drogba and Cristiano Ronaldo were all in action on Saturday, but none have come anywhere close to the 12 goals scored by Osea Vakatalesau of Fiji.

Vakatalesau has not even featured in a qualifying match since Fiji s 2-0 win over Oceania section winners New Zealand in November 2008, but he is not the only confederation top scorer who won t be appearing in South Africa next summer.

Thailand s Sarayoot Chaikamdee and Uzbekistan s Maksim Shatskikh were the deadliest marksmen in the Asian zone with eight goals apiece, but …

Arsenal youngster Serge Gnabry will spend the 2015-16 season on loan at West Brom.

Gnabry broke into the first-team picture at the Emirates Stadium during the 2013-14 campaign, but saw his progress stutter due to injuries last season.

The 20-year-old becomes Tony Pulis fourth signing of the close-season.

I m very delighted by the move, Gnabry told West Brom s official website. I see the opportunity that I can play, it s a good club and I ve heard good things. 

I m very happy that I ve signed here. I ve got good impressions and I feel it s a good environment for me to play and also develop as a player.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger expects Gnabry to thrive under Tony Pulis guidance, and says the loan spell will be key in the young German s develo…

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French striker Nicolas Anelka revealed on Sunday that he is hoping to sign a new Chelsea contract and wants to see out the rest of his career at Stamford Bridge.

The 30-year-old has played for seven clubs prior to his move to west London in January 2008 but now wants to settle at Chelsea, who are reported to be ready to offer him an improved contract.

Anelka, who has scored six goals for the Blues in all competitions this season, was quoted in the News of the World as saying: I hope to sign a new contract soon. I am very happy at Chelsea. I have found a home.

Ever since I left Real Madrid I wanted to find a big club again and I have with Chelsea.

I feel I am playing the best football of my career and want to carry on playing my best days with Chelsea. …

Real Madrid failed to impress in a friendly with Irish side Shamrock Rovers on Monday, although the game was eventually won 0-1.

The second Galacticos as the team is commonly referred to, began the match without a single Dutchman on the pitch. This adds to speculations on manager Pellegrini s wish to sell most of the Dutch players.

Cristiano Ronaldo did form part of the starting line-up but failed to impress against the Irish.

The only goal was scored with just four minutes to go, and came from substitute forward Karim Benzema.

Real Madrid begin their 2009-10 La Liga campaign against Deportivo la Coruña on August 30.

…

Manchester City booked their ticket for the fourth round of the FA Cup, crushing West Ham 5-0 to serve the Hammers their heaviest defeat at London Stadium to date.

Defeat to Liverpool on New Year s Eve and a spiky reaction to a subsequent win over Burnley had turned the spotlight on Pep Guardiola before the trip to the capital, but that reverse at Anfield now stands as the lone blot in a run of five wins in six games.

West Ham had lost the last Cup game at their previous home Upton Park 2-1 to Manchester United and the Red Devils local rivals made sure that the Hammers began life in the competition stickily at their new home.

Slaven Bilic s outfit were never in the contest here and they trailed by three goals at half-time, with captain Mark Noble and talisman Dim…

Al Nassr showed no signs of missing injured Cristiano Ronaldo as they coasted to a 6-0 win over Inter Miami in the Riyadh Season Cup – with Aymeric Laporte scoring from his own half as Lionel Messi watched on from the bench.

Ronaldo continues to manage a calf problem, but was in the stands at the Kingdom Arena on Thursday night for the friendly which was supposed to see him face off against his old rival Messi once again.

Messi, though, was named only among the Inter Miami substitutes, as the Argentina star was reported to be carrying a hamstring issue from Monday’s game against Al Hilal and had initially not been expected to be involved at all.

Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr raced into a 3-0 lead inside the opening 12 minutes.

No Ronaldo? Don’t wor…

Midfielder Grzegorz Krychowiak felt Sevilla let their fans down in the 3-1 home Champions League loss to Manchester City.

The Europa League holders were unfortunate as they suffered 2-1 injury-time loss at the Etihad Stadium in their previous outing in the competition, but City turned in a dominant display to leave them stunned at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan – so often their fortress on European nights.

Raheem Sterling and Fernandinho were on target to give the Premier League leaders a 2-0 advantage within 11 minutes.

Benoit Tremoulinas pulled a goal back for Sevilla, but they could find not further response after Wilfried Bony netted City s third before half-time.

A return to the Europa League – where they would chase an unprecedented third succ…

Andriy Lunin is set to replace Alphonse Areola as the second choice between the posts at Real Madrid next season, behind Thibaut Courtois, according to .

Lunin has spent the whole of 2019/20 season on loan, the first half at Real Valladolid, and the second at Oviedo. He is due to return to the Santiago Bernabeu soon, and it seems he is set to stay there for the following campaign.

Last year, Real sold Keylor Navas to Paris Saint-Germain and took Areola on loan to provide cover for Courtois. The deal is about expire, and under the current circumstances, Los Blancos are looking to save as much money as possible. It means they will not be signing Areola permanently, or extend his loan.

They already have Lunin under contract until 2024, and under its terms the Ukrai…