French daily newspaper that Italian midfielder Thiago Motta is expected to stay at Parc des Princes beyond the summer.

The 32-year-old has just another year left on his current deal and he was thinking about leaving the Saints at the end of the season.

Inter Milan sporting director Javier Zanetti recently confirmed the club s interest in Motta, but it appears the Nerazzurri will miss out on his signature.

Namely, PSG coach Laurent Blanc sees the midfielder as an important member of the squad and does not want to see him leave.

As a result, Motta should be offered a new contract at Parc des Princes and the latest reports suggest the player is ready to extend his stay.

It was from Inter Milan that Motta joined Paris Saint-Germain in January 2012 a…

Real Madrid defender Theo Hernandez will continue his development at Real Sociedad after agreeing a season-long loan at Anoeta.

Theo swapped one side of the Spanish capital for the other in 2017 when he left Atletico Madrid for Los Blancos for a reported €30million.

The 20-year-old made 23 appearances in all competitions for the Champions League winners but dislodging Marcelo at left-back proved a tough challenge.

He will have to wait for another chance at the Santiago Bernabeu after agreeing a switch to LaLiga rivals Sociedad.

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Luis Suarez accepted Barcelona s 2-0 LaLiga loss at Granada was a worrying result.

Goals from Ramon Azeez and Alvaro Vadillo moved promoted Granada top of the table and deepened Barca s growing crisis.

They are without a win in seven away games in all competitions, while their start to the new LaLiga campaign is their worst in 25 years.

Regardless of their poor form, Barca are only three points off the top of the table and Suarez called for Ernesto Valverde s side to buck up their ideas quickly.

It is a defeat that worries and hurts, and we have to look at many things, he said after the game.

We must be self-critical in order to improve.

After going behind in the first two minutes it was difficult for us.

We have to be more for…

Former Austrian coach Josef Hickersberger will take over at Bahrain on July 1, the Austria Press Agency (APA) reported on Thursday.

He succeeds Czech Milan Macala who failed to lead the Gulf kingdom to the World Cup finals after they were eliminated in the play-offs by New Zealand.

Hickersberger, already coached Bahrain in 1996, in conjunction with his duties with club side Al Ahli Manama (1995-1997).

The 62-year-old coached Al Wahda, in neighbouring Abu Dhabi, to their first national title this season.

He previously coached Austria from 2006 until they were knocked out in the first round of Euro 2008.

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Midfield star Cesc Fabregas said on Sunday that Spain were hungry for the title as they prepare to launch their bid to win the World Cup for the first time in their history.

We are hungry for the title and we can show we are the best at this championships, said the Arsenal playmaker coveted by former club Barcelona and yet who struggles to get in the Spanish team such is their embarrassment of riches.

Spain, the reigning European champions, start their Group H campaign against Switzerland in Durban on Wednesday and Fabregas warned his countryman that we are in a very competitive group, but we are keen to show that this is our moment and we are hungry to show that Spain can be the best.

But we have to take things step by step, he cautioned at a press conferenc…

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was characteristically coy when asked about speculation linking the club with Egypt international Mohamed Elneny.

The Premier League leaders who have a two-point advantage over Leicester City after Saturday s 1-0 win against Newcastle United are rumoured to be interested in signing the Basel midfielder.

Since moving from Al Mokawloon in his homeland in 2013, Elneny has made 91 Super League appearances, helping the club to three consecutive titles.

In his post-match press conference after the Newcastle game, Wenger was asked if there was an update on the situation, to which he replied: No. I have nothing to say because he s not our player and we have not signed anybody and we are not imminently in a position where we can say we s…

Germany s most prized youngster / Image via thestar.ie

Leroy Sane is the next big thing in German football.

The 19-year-old Schalke attacking midfielder has taken Bundesliga by storm with four goals and as many assists in 17 Bundesliga matches this season.

Sane also added four appearances, a goal and an assist in UEFA Europa League and his general contribution and performances have been nothing short of impressive throughout the campaign.

As one of the latest Bundesliga’s emerging stars, Leroy Sane has caught the eyes of Europe’s top clubs, who are ready to step up their interest in signing the creative midfielder.

Sane made his debut for the Bundesliga club back in 2014 and went on to win his first cap for Germany against France at the Stade…

Real Madrid have recorded their biggest 12-month increase in revenue for 18 years, according to financial figures released by the club.

The European champions announced an income of €750.9million for 2017-18, not including fees recouped from player sales.

This marks an 11.3 per cent jump from their figures the year before, which is the largest increase since 2000, when Florentino Perez first became president.

Madrid s net profits stand at €31.2m, a 45.9 per cent increase on the previous financial year. The club s net worth has therefore risen to €494.5m.

They are in profit for the third year in a row, with net debt now at -€107m.

Forecasts suggest a revenue of €752m for the 2018-19 season excluding player sales, with pre-tax profits in t…

Jose Mourinho has hit back at criticism surrounding Marcus Rashford s game time at Manchester United by highlighting a raft of statistics about the England forward.

With Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez seen as United s main attacking options, there have been some suggestions Rashford is not getting a fair chance at Old Trafford.

Mourinho refuted that in spectacular style on Friday by pointing out that Rashford has played 105 times for United since the Portuguese took charge.

Marcus Rashford is not Dominic Solanke, said Mourinho. He is not Ruben Loftus-Cheek, he is not Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

He is Marcus Rashford, a Manchester United player, with an incredible number of appearances and an incredible number of minutes played at the highest level in the…

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Two sides who are hoping to break into the European spots, Fiorentina will welcome Lazio to the Stadio Artemio Franchi on Monday night.

Fiorentina

Starting with the hosts, while Fiorentina might have opened up the New Year with their sights set on punching a famous Champions League ticket, the Viola are enduring a recent struggle. Although Vincenzo Italiano’s men might have secured a routine 5-1 romp against Frosinone earlier in the month, that is the only domestic victory that the Tuscany-based outfit have recorded from any of their previous seven appearances across all competitions. Crashing out of the Super Cup on January 18th following a 3-0 drumming at the hands of defending Serie A champions Napoli, Italiano will also have a r…