Bayer Leverkusen attacking midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu has offered to go without pay during his four-month suspension for a breach of contract.
The ban relates to an incident in 2011, when Calhanoglu agreed to join Turkish outfit Trabzonspor before opting instead to extend his contract with German club Karlsruher SC.
The 22-year-old was ultimately banned and ordered to pay Trabzonspor €100,000, with the Court of Arbitration for Sport last week upholding the punishment handed down by FIFA.
But Calhanoglu is eager for the outcome to have as little impact as possible on his current club, who were not involved in the case in question.
Bayer 04 has nothing to do with the incidents at that time, he said. The club was hit hard by the pronounced punishment …
Arsene Wenger and Arsenal went some way to answering their critics by twice coming from behind to draw 2-2 with Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday, but securing Champions League qualification appears increasingly unlikely for the Gunners, as intense speculation over the manager s future continues.
City led twice through goals from Leroy Sane and Sergio Aguero at Emirates Stadium, only for Pep Guardiola s men to surrender their advantage on each occasion and miss an opportunity to close the gap on Chelsea following the league leaders surprise loss at home to Crystal Palace on Saturday.
Theo Walcott and Shkodran Mustafi were the men to get the hosts level in the first and second half respectively, a share of the spoils leaving Arsenal sixth in the table, seven…
According to Marca, midfielder could be tempted by a move to China. The 30-year-old, who has been with Spurs since 2012, is still contracted to the club but has been looking into the possibility of making the switch overseas. The Belgian has reportedly spoken with Yannick Ferreira Carrasco and Axel Witsel, both of whom now play over there with Dalian Yifang and Tianjin Quanjian respectively.
The era of over the hill footballers being the only people who make these kinds of moves is over, with several guys who are still in their prime deciding that playing Chinese football for a few years is beneficial for their career and their bank accounts. While the quality in China doesn t exactly match up to some of the top European leagues, they ve got the determination and the money…
League One Leyton Orient have completed the signing of former Liverpool full back Andrea Dossena,.
The Italy international spent last season at Sunderland, but made only eleven appearances in all competitions before leaving the club at the end of the campaign.
Prior to his move to the Black Cats, the 33 year old had spells with Palermo, Napoli, Udinese, Traviso and Verona in his native Italy, while he was part of the Liverpool squad who finished second under Rafael Benitez in 2009.
During his time at Anfield, he racked up thirty appearances in all competitions, scoring memorable goals against both Real Madrid and Manchester United.
Leyton Orient finished third in League One last season, eventually losing to Rotherham United on penalties in the play-…
Carlo Ancelotti could be entering his final season as Bayern Munich head coach according to former captain Stefan Effenberg, who also implored the club to retain the services of Thomas Muller.
The Italian led Bayern to a fifth successive Bundesliga crown in his first season at the Allianz Arena but also oversaw the club s earliest Champions League exit since 2010-11, losing to Real Madrid in the quarter-finals.
Bayern have suffered defeats at the hands of Arsenal, AC Milan, Inter, Liverpool and Napoli over the course of their pre-season schedule, and Effenberg believes Ancelotti may not be around much longer if he cannot improve on last term.
If the season unfolds like the last one or perhaps even worse, it s possible, he told T-Online. Players are exchanged …
Euro 2016 play-off draw has served us some interesting ties, but none more so than the Sweden vs Denmark clash, where Nordic neighbours will battle it out for a place at the tournament finals. And while all eyes will be on Zlatan and what is probably his final attempt to reach a major tournament, one Lord Bendtner will be out to steal the limelight from the PSG superstar.
Sweden have never been too far from Europe s top sides, but they never managed to make that final step up and shine at a major tournament. Between 2000 and 2008, Blagult did not miss single European Championship or World Cup finals, but out of those five attempts they only once made it past the group stage. Not even Zlatan Ibrahimovic could help turn Sweden into a true European powerhouse, and the Euro 2016 ca…
Former Italy and Juventus striker Vincenzo Iaquinta has been handed a two-year prison sentence for illegal gun possession, but accusations linking him with the notorious Calabrian mafia the Ndrangheta were dismissed by a judge.
The former striker, who was a part of the Italy squad which won the 2006 World Cup, was found to be in possession of two guns and 126 bullets, which the court said he transferred to his father Giuseppe Iaquinta without informing authorities.
Giuseppe Iaquinta was later banned from owning firearms in 2012 due to alleged links with the Ndrangheta. He was sentenced to 19 years in prison on Wednesday for mafia association as part of a crackdown which has resulted in 160 arrests.
Vincenzo Iaquinta is adamant his family have nothing to do with…
Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas has described Arsene Wenger as a father figure and insists he still has a lot of affection for Arsenal.
The Spain international spent eight years under Wenger in north London before being sold back to Barcelona in 2011.
Fabregas became a leading figure at the Gunners but they declined to take up the option to sign him back in 2014, allowing him to move to rivals Chelsea, where he has since won two Premier League titles in three seasons.
Speaking ahead of Sunday s derby clash between the sides at Stamford Bridge, the 30-year-old says Arsenal still hold a special place in his heart despite his decision to sign for Jose Mourinho three years ago.
Asked if Arsenal were like an old girlfriend , he told Sky Sports: I wouldn t cal…
France centre-back Laurent Koscielny is to retire from international football after next year s World Cup.
The Arsenal star has been a regular part of the squad since making his international debut in November 2011 and could pick up his 50th cap in one of Les Bleus upcoming friendlies against Wales or Germany.
Koscielny was particularly prominent in France s qualifying for the World Cup, playing 90 minutes in eight of their 10 matches.
But he accepts that all good things must come to an end and pointed out he will be 33 shortly after the climax of the World Cup, so feels it will be time to call it quits.
There is an end to everything, he told reporters ahead of Friday s meeting with Wales.
After the World Cup I will be almost 33 years old and …
Chelsea boss Emma Hayes will depart the Blues at the end of the season after more than a decade in charge, the Women’s Super League club have announced.
Hayes is among the most respected and successful managers in women’s football, having led Chelsea to six WSL titles, five FA Cups, two League Cups, one Spring Series trophy and one Community Shield.
The 47-year-old, who steered Chelsea to an historic double on two occasions and achieved one domestic treble, has previously been linked to the vacant United States women’s national team role currently occupied by interim boss Twila Kilgore.
A club statement read: “Chelsea FC can today confirm that highly decorated Chelsea Women’s manager Emma Hayes OBE will depart the club at the end of the season to pursue…