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It could just be that Manchester United have made the best signing of the summer so far. They haven’t paid millions of pounds for a new striker or creative midfielder but they have re-signed centre-back Nemanja Vidic on a long term contract.

Speculation

There had been a huge amount of speculation that Vidic was unhappy at United and wanted to leave but that has now come to an abrupt end. Vidic said,

I know there was all this speculation but I never said I wanted to go. I always said I am happy here.

Injuries

This will be great news for United fans everywhere. The main reason that the club didn’t continue their run of Premier League titles last year was because of the injuries to key defenders Vidic and Ferdinand. It is not …

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With all eyes falling on the Etihad this weekend, Manchester City will welcome Manchester United to the blue half of town on Sunday afternoon.

Manchester City

Starting with the hosts, while Manchester City might have a real battle on their hands in their bid to make more domestic history this season, Pep Guardiola’s men are in the midst of a real purple patch. Opening this weekend’s fixtures sat just a single point adrift of reclaiming their spot at the top of the table, the Sky Blues will certainly be looking to make a heavyweight statement here. Last seen earlier in the week extending on their FA Cup adventure as they stormed their way to a 6-2 romp away at Luton, the former Barcelona boss has seen his superstar squad win 14 of t…

On-loan Atletico Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has no emotional connection to parent club Chelsea.

The Belgian, 22, will be in goals for Atletico as they face city rivals Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League final on Saturday.

Signed by Chelsea in June 2011, Courtois has been on loan at Atletico for three seasons and developed into one of the world s best goalkeepers.

Courtois wants to be ahead of Petr Cech as Chelsea s number one goalkeeper should he not be sent out on loan next season.

He said the Premier League giants wanted to keep him at the club for 2013-14, but also that he felt no connection to a team he has never played for.

The fans and the other players at Atletico don t see me as a player out on loan, Courtois said.

At Chelsea I h…

Turkish giants Galatasaray have ended the contract of coach Frank Rijkaard by mutual agreement, the club said Wednesday, after a disappointing start of the season.

As a result of mutual agreement, we have decided to part ways with technical director Frank Rijkaard as of October 20, 2010, the statement said.

The former UEFA Cup champions had signed up the 48-year-old Dutchman, previously coach of Barcelona, Sparta Rotterdam and the Netherlands, in June 2009 on a two-year contract.

Galatasaray suffered a second defeat in a row at the weekend, falling to ninth place in the Turkish league table.

The statement did not say who would succeed Rijkaard.

…

Jurgen Klopp feels scoring against Everton can help Divock Origi to move on from his injury issues and thrive at Liverpool.

Origi came off the bench to score the winner in the 96th minute in Sunday s Merseyside derby at Anfield, profiting from a Jordan Pickford error.

The Belgium international has struggled to regain fitness after suffering a badly damaged ankle in a challenge by Everton defender Ramiro Funes Mori in April 2016.

But, having scored his third Anfield goal in the Merseyside derby, Klopp feels Origi can now become a major asset for the Reds.

I said it to him, when I went to him on the pitch I had it in my mind. I ve never forgot it since, Klopp told a news conference of the 23-year-old.

Fouls and harsh tackles happen, but in his ca…

Hertha Berlin have secured the services of Davie Selke from RB Leipzig for an undisclosed fee.

The striker has signed a long-term deal with Hertha and will wear the number 27 in 2017-18.

Hertha are a big club in the Bundesliga for me and I am excited that the move has come off, Selke stated.

I want to help the team over the next few years and make sure they keep their place in the upper regions of the table.

BREAKING: Hertha are pleased to announce the signing of from !

— Hertha BSC English (@HerthaBSC_EN)

Selke came through the ranks of the Hoffenheim youth academy, but made a name for himself at Werder Bremen, before eventually earning himself a move to Leipzig in 2015.

The 22-year-old enjoyed a fine first season at the …

Kevin De Bruyne has retained the men s PFA Players Player of the Year award, matching the achievement of Cristiano Ronaldo and Thierry Henry.

Belgium star De Bruyne saw off competition from Manchester United s Bruno Fernandes, Tottenham s Harry Kane and three of his Manchester City team-mates – Ilkay Gundogan, Ruben Dias and Phil Foden, who scooped the Young Player of the Year accolade.

Foden had been nominated for the young player prize alongside fellow England internationals Declan Rice, Mason Mount, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Bukayo Saka and Mason Greenwood.

De Bruyne s win in voting for the Professional Footballers Association main prize sees him match Ronaldo and Henry, greats from United and Arsenal who are the only previous players to have won the awar…

Juventus are at home to Sampdoria in Andrea Pirlo s first Serie A game as head coach and Atalanta travel to Lazio for the standout fixture of the opening matchday.

Pirlo was appointed as Maurizio Sarri s successor last month and the legendary midfielder will set about trying to mastermind a 10th consecutive Scudetto with a clash against Samp at Allianz Stadium on September 20.

Juve are then away to Roma in a mouthwatering second Serie A match of Italy great Pirlo s reign.

Great entertainers Atalanta get their campaign under way at home to Lazio in an encounter between the sides that finished third and fourth respectively last season.

Inter, runners-up in the 2019-20 campaign are on the road at newly promoted Benevento and Milan face Bologna at San Siro, w…

Juventus boss Gigi Delneri returns to Sampdoria on Sunday for the first time since taking the reins at the Turin giants in May.

After leading Sampdoria to a fourth-placed finish last season and into the qualifying rounds of the Champions League, the 60-year-old was looking for a new challenge with Juventus, who finished a disappointing seventh in 2009/10.

When asked what type of reception he expected from the supporters at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris, Delneri was not sure how he would be received.

What reaction do I expect from the fans? Recognition, the same as I feel for the supporters. I don t think Sampdoria miss me or (former striker, now at AC Milan) Antonio Cassano and every season is its own story, Delneri said.

Besides, it is always exciting fo…

Fulham manager Mark Hughes will have revenge on his mind when he returns to the City of Manchester Stadium on Sunday.

Hughes makes his first visit to Manchester City since the club sacked him in December 2009 and replaced him with Roberto Mancini.

Hughes faced his old side for the first time in November and saw Fulham thumped 4-1 at home by Mancini s men but the former Chelsea and Manchester United midfielder says the same will not happen again.

We ve moved on from that, Hughes said.

We re better now in terms of understanding what we have to do. As a consequence, we expect a much improved performance and result.

What happened on the day, I think, some showed a little bit of apprehension in what we were trying to do. We re better now in terms …