Rumour Mill: United to target Arsenal star, Zlatan’s secret deal, Azpilicueta in demand, Lukaku latest

The Euro 2016 group stage might be over, but Rumour Mill is never done.

RAMBO TO UNITED
Well this would be something, wouldn’t it? Reports in The Sun are linking Jose Mourinho and Manchester United with a shock midfield target - Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsey. The report claims Mourinho will turn his attentions to the Welsh midfielder if he is unable to secure the signature of his number one target - Borussia Dortmund’s Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
Arsenal would likely demand a fee in the region of £50 million for Ramsey, who Jose reportedly sees as United’s answer to Frank Lampard. Any deal would likely inflame tensions between the two clubs that have been simmering for years, with Ramsey potentially becoming the first player to swap the Emirates for Old Trafford since Robin van Persie’s unceremonious switch back in 2012.

Meanwhile, 27-year-old Mkhitaryan remains high on Mourinho’s wish list, but Dortmund are playing hardball over a fee for their attacker. United have reportedly tabled an improved bid of £28 million for the Armenian, but Mourinho fears Dortmund will dig in over the player who has starred in Germany since joining from Shakhtar Donetsk in 2013.
One player who it appears definitely won’t be joining United is young Swiss striker Breel Embolo, with Di Marzo reporting that the 19-year-old FC Basel forward is close to agreeing a deal to join Bunsdesliga outfit Schalke.

ZLATAN SECRET
Sweden’s loss to Belgium at Euro 2016 brought down the curtain on Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s international career, but don’t expect the striker to be out of the headlines for too long. Italian journalist Tancredi Palmeri has reportedly told TalkSPORT that a deal is already in place for the giant Swede to finally confirm his long-awaited move to Manchester United.

“He’s signed for Manchester United,” Palmeri reportedly told TalkSPORT. “He signed an agreement in early June. It was sent to him at the pre-Euro 2016 training camp in Sweden, he signed it and sent it back.”
All it appears we’re waiting for is the official confirmation of the worst kept secret in football.
JOSE GETS DEFENSIVE
Staying with United, and although the club have already secured the services of Ivory Coast defender Eric Bailly from Villareal, it appears Mourinho is chasing further defensive reinforcements.
Tuttosport is reporting that both United and Inter Milan are eyeing off Argentina and Zenit St Petersburg central defender Ezequiel Garay, who has impressed in Russia since switching from Benfica in 2014.
It is believed a figure of around £15 million will be enough to secure the defender.
CESAR IN DEMAND
Sky Sports Spanish football expert Guillem Balague reports that Chelsea defender Cesar Azpilicueta is a player in high demand, drawing interest from Atletico Madrid, Bayern Munich and Barcelona.

Balague said: “Some of the top clubs in Europe are after Azpilicueta’s signature, not least because of his versatility in being able to play in both full-back positions with equal confidence.
“If Chelsea were willing to sell, the front runners would be Atletico Madrid, although they have recently cooled on the idea, turning their attentions instead to Croatian full-back Sime Vrsaljko, who will soon confirm that he is moving to the Spanish club.
“There are, however, a host of clubs and top-flight managers that would love to see the Pamplona-born defender join their ranks, not least Unai Emery who is on the verge of taking over from Laurent Blanc at PSG.”
Another team that is apparently keen on Azpilicueta is Manchester United, with the Blues defender the latest player being linked with an Old Trafford reunion with former Chelsea boss Mourinho. The Mirror report that Azpilicueta is keen on a move as he could find his position under threat at Chelsea, with rumours linking new Blues boss Antonio Conte with a move for Juventus left-back Kwadwo Asamoah.

Another defender who could be heading for the Stamford Bridge exit door is Andreas Christensen, with the Daily Mail reporting that Borussia Monchengladbach have made an £18 million offer for the player. The 20-year-old Christensen is one season into a two-year loan with the Bundesliga club, and had such an impressive first term that fans voted him their Player of the Season ahead of Arsenal-bound Granit Xhaka. But, it is highly unlikely the Blues will part with Christensen, who is seen as the natural successor to John Terry.
BUSY TIMES AT ARSENAL
Don’t expect Arsene Wenger and Arsenal to stop with just the signing of Swiss midfielder Xhaka, with reports linking the club with two tantalising attacking options.
Starting with Sky Sports, who report that Wenger is eyeing off a move for Everton striker Romelu Lukaku in what would be a major statement of intent to the rest of the Premier League. Many believe that Arsenal are a top, clinical striker away from being a thoroughly devastating side, and Lukaku certainly fits that bill, having scored over 50 league goals for West Brom and Everton. Lukaku is on record as saying he wants to play Champions League football, something Arsenal offer season after season.

Il Corriere dello Sports also link the Gunners with a move for former Manchester City attacker Stevan Jovetic. Reports suggest that Jovetic, who joined Inter Milan only 12 months ago, is not in Inter manager Roberto Mancini’s plans at the San Siro, fuelling speculation of a move, with Wenger a known admirer of the Montenegro international.
KLOPP’S MOURA MOVE
More now from Sky Sports, who are linking Liverpool with PSG’s highly-rated Brazillian Lucas Moura. The 23-year-old, who scored 13 goals in France last season, wouldn’t come cheap and Liverpool would likely face fierce competition for his services - he has previously been linked with Manchester United, who may insert themselves into proceedings should Moura be made available for transfer. Moura joins Mario Gotze and Southampton’s Sadio Mane as highly-fancied attacking talents being linked with Liverpool.
One player who could be on the way out at Anfield is Joe Allen, who has turned in three sterling performances for Wales at Euro 2016, and it appears teams are taking notice. The Sun is reporting that both former club Swansea City and Europa League champions Sevilla are eyeing up a move for the player who is believed to be surplus to requirements at Liverpool.

Reports indicate that Sevilla were highly impressed by what they saw from the Welshman during his substitute appearance against them in Liverpool’s Europa League final defeat. The La Liga side reportedly value Allen at around £10 million, and see him as a replacement for Ever Banega, who has joined Serie A side Inter Milan on a free transfer.
SPURS STRIKER CHASE
The Mirror reports that Tottenham have opened talks with Roma for £11.5 million-rated striker Antonio Sanabria. This rumour comes on the back of earlier reports linking Spurs with a move for AZ Alkmaar forward Vincent Janssen as boss Mauricio Potchettino seeks to find a partner and support for Premier League golden boot winner Harry Kane.
Sanabria, a Paraguay international, spent last season on loan at Spain’s Sporting Gijon, where he scored 11 goals in La Liga.
Spanish giants Barcelona have expressed interest in bringing the player back to Catalonia - Sanabria previously spent time with the Barcelona B side - but reports indicate the player is keen on a move to the Premier League.
NANI THE TOFFEE
Everton’s new owner Farhad Moshiri reportedly wants a marquee signing this summer, with the Daily Mail reporting that the club have turned their attention to former Manchester United man Nani. The Portuguese attacker, who has scored two goals at Euro 2016, currently plays for Turkish Super Lig side Fenerbahce and reportedly and has a £6.5 million release clause in his contract. If Everton are to secure the deal, they will reportedly have to see off competition from
Valencia and Inter Milan, with the Spanish side considered favourites to land the player.

New Everton manager Ronald Koeman is also set to look closer to home for new signings, with the Dutchman reportedly targeting a move for countryman Wesley Sneijder. Turkish outlet Haberler are reporting that Everton could sign Sneijder from Galatasaray for a cut-priced €7.5 million (£5.7 million), while Mourinho reportedly remains keen on bringing the 32-year-old, who he previously worked with at Inter Milan, to Manchester.
ZAZA IN DEMAND
Don’t expect Leicester City to rest on their laurels with a Champions League campaign coming next season, with the Foxes one of a host of clubs linked with Juventus striker Simone Zaza.
Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport claims both Leicester and Chelsea are keen on landing the 24-year-old, who is valued at around £23 million, while Stoke, West Ham and Southampton are also interested in the forward.
The Times is also reporting that the Premier League champions are set to complete the signing of midfielder Nampalys Mendy from Nice for £13 million. The 23-year-old, who is similar in stature and style to N’Golo Kante, was reportedly in the East Midlands early this week for further talks and medical checks and now appears likely to become the Premier League champions’ third signing of the summer behind goalkeeper Ron-Robert Zieler and Spanish centre back Luis Hernández.
NEYMAR GOING NOWHERE
Brazilian superstar Neymar will remain with Barcelona if the club’s sporting director, Robert Fernandez, is to be believed, telling the club’s website the Brazil captain would be staying with the Catalan giants.
“He will reach an agreement with Barca and he will be here for a long time. The club will make it public when the extension is to be made,” Fernandez said.
Those sentiments have been echoed by Barca’s financial vice-president Susana Monje, who told a recent news conference that the club have not considered the sale of Neymar.
“Neymar’s [contract] renewal is a sporting matter,” Monje said. “Economically, you have already known the margins for a while. We have not studied the impact of a hypothetical loss of Neymar. We do not contemplate it.”

ODEGAARD A ‘PR EXERCISE’
Norwegian wonderkid Martin Odegaard was at the centre of a transfer battle last year, as a host of Europe’s top clubs sought the 17-year-old’s signature. Liverpool came close, but ultimately it was Real Madrid who won the race for his signature, with the player since spending most of his time with the Real second team, making just one appearance for the senior side.
Now, Bayern Munich manager Carlo Ancelotti has weighed in on the situation, saying Real’s signing of the youngster was nothing more than a “PR exercise”.
Ancelotti, who was Real head coach at the time of the signing, says club president Florentino Perez was behind the transfer.
“When Florentino buys a Norwegian footballer, you simply have to accept it,” Anceoltti writes in his book Quiet Leadership.
“Furthermore, the president decided that he would play three games with the first team as a public relations exercise.
”He could be the best player in the world, but I don’t care because he was not a player who I asked for. That signing was to do with PR.”
Ouch.
DONE DEALS
Benjamin Mendy has joined Monaco on a 5-year deal from Marseille. The 21-year-old left-back told his new club’s website: “I am very proud to get involved with AS Monaco. It’s a new challenge for me. I hope to progress and turn a corner with this great club.”
Mendy made more than 80 appearances during his three years with Marseille, representing the club in both the Champions League and Europa League.
BITES
- Sky Sports are linking Arsenal with a move for Atletico Mineiro left back Douglas Santos.
- The Liverpool Echo’s James Pearce has claimed that the Reds have no interest in signing Newcastle United’s English winger Andros Townsend.
- The Mirror reports West Ham are prepared to pay the required £30 million to land Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette.
- Swansea have reportedly made a £2 million bid for Ajax’s 23-year-old centre-back Mike van der Hoorn, according to De Telegraaf.


Source :http://www.foxsports.com.au/football/rumour-mill-united-to-target-arsenal-star-zlatans-secret-deal-azpilicueta-in-demand-lukaku-latest/news-story/27390939a6cfb04adf8e110ae4205c8b

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Ten Facts About Rugby

Take football but add odd-shaped balls that you can pick up and you end up with rugby - the sport of gentlemen. Here are ten facts about Rugby.

Fact One

The sport of rugby is named after Rugby School, where the game was first played. The game is said to have been invented in 1823 when William Webb Ellis caught the ball while playing a game of football* at school, and ran to the goal with it. Although there is doubt about whether this actually happened, Webb Ellis is still remembered as the sport's inventor and the winner of the Rugby Union World Cup, held every four years, receives the Webb Ellis Cup. * At the time, the game of football played in schools wasn't the sport that it is now, with each school having their own rules. It was only from the middle of the 19th Century when inter-school matches began to take place that set rules were defined, with the two main variants of football becoming Association Football (soccer if you're American) and Rugby Football.

Fact Two

Rugby is known for the use of oval-shaped balls. However, this hasn't always been the case. Initially, the balls were plum-shaped due to the shape of pigs' bladders that they were made from. They became more spherical towards the end of the 19th Century when they began being made using rubber inner tubes rather than the bladders of pigs. However, to distinguish the balls used in rugby from the balls used for football, Rugby School requested that their balls remained slightly egg-shaped. Over time, they have become more and more flattened to the shape that they are now. Oval balls are more suited to rugby than spherical balls as they are easier to catch, hold and run with and don't roll as far so don't go out of play as often.

Fact Three

As rugby balls and footballs were made from pigs' bladders and they had to be blown up by breath alone, it was possible to become ill if blowing up a diseased bladder, and the wife of Richard Lindon, a man who made balls for Rugby School in the 19th Century, died after breathing in the air from too many bad bladders.

Fact Four

The reigning Rugby Olympic champion is that famous (?) rugby-playing nation, the United States! The game of rugby has only has only been an Olympic sport four times and made its first and last Olympic Games appearances in Paris. The first time it was played was in 1900 during the Paris Olympics. It was played again in the London Olympics of 1908, next in the 1920 Antwerp Olympics and finally in the 1924 Paris Olympics. As well as being the current Olympic champion, the United States is also the most successful nation winning gold in both the 1920 and 1924 Olympic Games. A seven-a-side version of Rugby will make an appearance in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

Fact Five

The first time a national anthem was sung before a sporting event happened, kind of spontaneously, before a rugby game. New Zealand famously dance the Haka before the start of a game of rugby, a traditional war-dance which is sometimes seen as an attempt to intimidate their opposition. On 16th November 1905 they played Wales at Cardiff Arms Park. After New Zealand danced the Haka before the match, Wales responded by beginning to sing the Welsh national anthem, ‘Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau’ (not sure what it means, but it probably isn't anything to do with chickens). The crowd picked up on this and joined in. Nowadays, before major sporting events, it is traditional for the national anthems of the countries being represented to be sung beforehand.

Fact Six

Rugby Union World Cup tournaments are held every four years. The first tournament took place in 1987. It was hosted by Australia and New Zealand and was won by New Zealand. The United Kingdom and Ireland hosted the 1991 tournament which was won by Australia. South Africa were hosts in 1995 and also won the tournament. Wales hosted the tournament in 1999 when Australia were victorious. Australia hosted the 2003 tournament which England won and France hosted the 2007 which South Africa won. New Zealand were hosts for the 2011 World Cup, which they also won, while the 2015 World Cup is being held in England and Wales.

Fact Seven

Rugby players mostly earn points by scoring tries, achieved by a player crossing the touchline with a ball and touching it to the ground (which can be done by falling on it!). A try in rugby union is worth 5 points, in rugby league it is worth 4. However, a try was once worth nothing, instead it gave the player who achieved one the opportunity to "try" to score a goal, hence its name. Goals were scored by placing the ball on the ground and kicking it over the crossbar and between the two posts, therefore converting the try into a goal, a goal being worth 1 point. Nowadays, an attempt at a conversion still follows a successful try and gives players the opportunity to score an extra 2 points.

Fact Eight

The Rugby World Cup game with the highest number of points was 162 from the match played on 4th June 1995 when New Zealand beat Japan 145 points to 17.

Fact Nine

The same whistle is used to kick off the opening game of every Rugby World Cup tournament. It is the Gil Evans whistle and was first blown by Gil Evans, the Welsh referee overseeing a match between England and New Zealand in 1905. It was also used at the kick off of the final rugby match at the 1924 Paris Olympics.

Fact Ten

The first international rugby match took place between Scotland and England in 1871 at Raeburn Park in Edinburgh. Scotland won 1-0 by converting a try. The scorer, and therefore the first player to score an international rugby goal, was William Cross. If the modern scoring system was used, the score would have been 12-5 to Scotland, who scored two tries and one conversion. England achieved one try but failed to convert.

From:tenfactsabout.co.uk

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England boss Roy Hodgson defends Wayne Rooney substitution after 1-1 draw with Russia

England boss Roy Hodgson defended his decision to substitute Wayne Rooney after England conceded a last-gasp equaliser to draw 1-1 with Russia in their Euro 2016 opener.
-By Oliver Yew

However, with Rooney off the field Hodgson's side were pegged back in stoppage time by Vasili Berezutski's looping header.Rooney was deployed in a new midfield role and impressed before being substituted in the 78th minute with England 1-0 to the good.
But Hodgson, who praised Rooney's performance, defended the decision to replace his captain with Jack Wilshere.

Jack Wilshere replaced Wayne Rooney with 12 minutes remaining

"I thought he [Rooney] had a good game, but was tiring," Hodgson said.
"Quite a lot of players out there were tiring because, although it wasn't baking hot, there was quite a humid atmosphere which saps the strength of the players.
"We just thought, with the control we had in the game and Wilshere on the bench, we could have the luxury of taking Wayne off the field and that Jack would do a similar job. I think that's exactly what happened.

            

Five things we learned from England's opening game...

"Always afterwards you can look and think 'Could we have used more subs? Could we have done a bit more?' But we didn't honestly believe we were in great difficulties during that time and we thought we'd see the game out 1-0.
"If anything, we replaced Raheem Sterling, who had worked very hard, with James Milner with a view perhaps to seeing the game out, but were unlucky to concede the late goal."

Berezutski's late equaliser denied England a first ever opening-game win at a European Championship.

Speaking at his post-match press conference, Hodgson could not hide his disappointment but thinks his side will get over the setback quickly as they look ahead to their next game against Wales on Thursday in Lens.

look ahead to their next game against Wales on Thursday in Lens.

"To say we are bitterly disappointed would be an understatement," the England boss added. "To get that close to a victory, which I believe would have been a deserved victory, and then to lose it with one minute of injury time remaining is a tough pill to swallow.

"But that's what happens in football. One doesn't have a divine right not to concede a goal at any stage of the game and it happens to be a very good goal from their point of view.

England players look dejected after Russia's late equalizer

"That doesn't make the matter any easier for me to accept or to feel good about but it won't take us long to get over it.
"When we start our work to prepare for the next game I think there will be a lot of things from the game that we'll want to take forward and hopefully we'll be able to put the memory of this last minute goal behind us."


News Source : http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/10311227/england-boss-roy-hodgson-defends-wayne-rooney-substitution-after-1-1-draw-with-russia

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Claudia Gadelha use to cut an absurd amount of weight before fights

Claudia Gadelha says the days of her blowing up during her off time are over.

By Jonathan Bradley @Jon__Bradley

The Claudia Gadelha of today is one of the UFC's fittest fighters out of competition and is not a
fraid to put her rock hard abs in full display.


But according to Gadelha, that hasn't always been the case. The title challenger told media in Brazil that she used to cut as much as 33 pounds to get down to the UFC strawweight limit.


"I don't cut much weight anymore," Gadelha said during a recent media scrum in Brazil, per MMAFighting's Guilherme Cruz. "I learned that by losing much weight, I also lose performance inside the Octagon, so I'm staying lighter now. I learned to eat better, so I live on a diet now. I don't go out of my diet a day now, not even on the weekends, because I have to be around 126 pounds to cut 13 or 15 pounds before the fight. No more cutting 22, 33 pounds for me.



"I think it's already tough for a male athlete, and it's even worse for a female athlete. It's bad for your performance on fight night, so I'm living on a diet so it doesn't become an issue in the future."

Cutting that much weight can't be good for anyone, and Gadelha certainly isn't the only fighter shedding massive amount of weight before taking the Octagon. The UFC is attempting to curb severe weight cutting by instituting max check-in weights for fighters, starting at UFC 200.

For the strawweight division, the eight-percent-overweight limit is 126, which is not too far from Gadelha's new walking weight.

Staying in shape year round benefits Gadhela in two ways, she has a much easier weight cut, which leads to a better performance in the Octagon, and she gets to show off those abs whenever she wants.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BPmk9xPs9g

News Source
http://www.foxsports.com/ufc/story/claudia-gadelha-used-to-cut-an-absurd-amount-of-weight-before-fights-061116

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