Man of the moment Gabbiadini has ´no hard feelings´ towards Napoli

Manolo Gabbiadini does not hold any grudges against Napoli following his magnificent start to life at Southampton, according to his agent.

The Italy striker has scored five goals in his first three Saints appearances since his January move reportedly worth £15million including two in Sunday s dramatic EFL Cup final defeat to Manchester United at Wembley. 

Gabbiadini, 25, only started 11 Serie A games for Napoli in 18 months from the start of the 2015-16 season and was then told he would not be allowed to join another Italian club.

But his representative Silvio Pagliari says the in-form striker s camp do not hold any hard feelings against Maurizio Sarri s men.

What has changed? His impact was equally devastating at Napoli and he did very well in his fir…

Torino make Falque deal permanent, sign Iturbe on loan

Torino have exercised their purchase option on Iago Falque and signed Juan Iturbe on loan from Roma.

Winger Falque joined Torino on loan from Roma with an option to make the deal permanent back in July.

The Spaniard has since scored eight goals in 15 Serie A appearances, with his performances convincing Torino to use their option to buy him outright.

Striker Iturbe has endured a difficult career at Roma, who he joined in 2014 from Verona. 

The Argentina-born Paraguay international has scored just three league goals in 44 appearances and spent the second half of last season on loan at Premier League side Bournemouth, but featured only twice.

But, should he impress at the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino, then the club will be able to make his deal…

Allegri urges Juventus to start ´new season´ on a high note against Bologna

Juventus head coach Massimiliano Allegri has declared a new season begins against Bologna following a disappointing start to the campaign.

Allegri s side are without a win in five matches, having lost back-to-back games against Monza in Serie A and Benfica in the Champions League before the international break.

Pressure upon Allegri has risen as a result, with Juventus only able to win two of their nine matches this season.

The hosting of Bologna on Sunday begins a frantic period for Juve, with 12 games to come before the season halts for the World Cup in Qatar, and Allegri experts his players to kickstart the campaign.

We had started well in the first three games, then [there were] many defeats and bad performances. From tomorrow a new season must begin…

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola full of praise for Brighton’s Roberto De Zerbi (Video)

Having successfully defender the Premier League title, Manchester City are about to face Brighton and Hove Albion at the Amex.

“Pay attention to what I’m about to say because I’m convinced in what I’m saying that [Roberto De Zerbi] is one of the most influential managers in the last 20 years. Brighton deserve the compliments and success.”

Pep Guardiola has high praise for the Brighton boss.

— Football Daily (@footballdaily)

 

Tan writes off Cardiff debt

Cardiff City have announced that owner Vincent Tan has written off £5.8 million of interest owed to him.

Tan took control of the Premier League side in 2010 when he bought a 36.1 per cent stake in the club and had backed manager Malky Mackay financially to enable their promotion push last season.

Under an agreement between the club and Mr Tan, he was owed the interest relating to his loans, however, he has opted to forgo that and allow the club to retain the money.

Tan has also confirmed that any future loans he makes to the club under £50m will be interest free.

Vincent Tan has agreed to write off interest of approximately £5.8 million on previous loans made to the club, a statement on Cardiff s official website read.

And (Mr Tan) stated that all future…

Malouda set to get belated start against Mexico

Chelsea star Florent Malouda looks set to start in France s second World Cup Group A match against Mexico on Thursday after he played in the first team in a practice game on the eve of the game.

Malouda a member of the side that lost on penalties in the 2006 final was a surprise omission from the starting XI that faced Uruguay in the 0-0 draw last Friday amid reports he had a heated training ground row with coach Raymond Domenech.

Malouda denied such a row had happened and it looks certain he will start Thursday s match, having played on the left flank alongside playmaker Franck Ribery in Wednesday s practice game, while Bordeaux s Yoann Gourcuff drops to the bench.

However, Nicolas Anelka and Sidney Govou, two other players heavily criticised after the first ma…

Bielsa a ´real option´ for Lille as Passi takes interim charge

Marcelo Bielsa is a real option to take charge of Lille next season, general manager Marc Ingla confirmed while presenting Franck Passi as interim coach.

Bielsa garnered plaudits for his work at Marseille during 2014-15, using unorthodox systems to promote an attacking style of football.

The fiery Argentine famously quit Lazio just two days after being appointed last year but could be set for a return to Ligue 1 with Lille, who have chosen his former assistant at the Stade Velodrome Passi to lead the struggling side for the remainder of the campaign.

Lille have lost three successive matches and sit 17th in Ligue 1, one point clear of the bottom three.

Ingla told a media conference: I thank Franck Passi for being here. He is the coach for the next four mon…

Can Toulouse’s Alban Lafont become the “next big thing” in Ligue 1?

Can Toulouse s Alban Lafont really become the next big shot-stopper in Ligue 1 and in Europe? (Photo: JEAN-SEBASTIEN EVRARD/AFP/Getty Images)

In football, strikers usually get all the accolades. That s not surprising as they are the ones who score the goals and command the biggest pay-cheques. However, the men between the posts are obviously just as important if not even more so, in some instances. After all, if a striker scores three and the goalkeeper concedes four, the team still loses, regardless of how brilliant that hat-trick was. And in the even of a penalty shoot-out, the shot-stopper has the weight of his team and its supporters on its shoulders.

Given that goalkeepers tend to stay in the business for quite some time Juventus s Gianluigi Buffon is now 39, for e…

Real to let Diaz duo go

Real Madrid are set to allow Mariano and Brahim Diaz leave the Santiago Bernabeu in January, according to .

Mariano arrived in 2018 from Olympique Lyon for just over €21 million to provide cover and a potential long-term replacement for Karim Benzema, but he has so far failed to justify the money invested in him. He hasn t played at all this season and head coach Zinedine Zidane has no place for him in his plans. Real are therefore willing to part with the 26-year-old permanently.

On the other hand, Brahim Diaz came in from Manchester City for €17 million as a young prospect for a future midfield look, but his time seems to be a long way off yet. Unlike Mariano, he is in Zidane s thoughts, but the competition for his position is too strong at the moment. The club wi…

Liverpool need to be at 110 per cent to beat Manchester City – Klopp

Jurgen Klopp rates Manchester City as one of the strongest teams in world football and acknowledges Liverpool will need to be at 110 per cent to beat them.

Reigning Premier League champions City travel to Anfield for a top-of-the-table clash on Sunday, with the two sides locked on 19 points at the summit.

Liverpool have won each of the teams last three meetings in all competitions, beating them 4-3 at home in the top flight before running out 3-0 and 2-1 victors in the Champions League.

But, despite that impressive run following the 5-0 defeat at the Etihad Stadium in September 2017, Klopp is adamant he has not stumbled upon a formula that guarantees a win over City.

He said: We beat City three times last season and not once after any of those games did …