Arsenal Prepared to Make Sanchez the Club’s Highest-Paid Player

Posted on October 12, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

It looks like Alexis Sanchez may be part of the arsenal for much longer…

Arsenal Football Club officials are ready to sit down and offer the 26-year-old soccer star a lucrative, new long-term contract, according to ESPN FC.

Sanchez enjoyed a stellar debut campaign with the Gunners last season, helping them win the Emirates Football Association Challenge Cup, known as the FA Cup, following his big-money arrival from Barcelona.

Sanchez has established himself as one of manager Arsene Wenger‘s key players and the club is keen to reward him for the impact he has made with a new contract.

Sanchez’s current deal expires in 2018, but the Arsenal are ready to offer him improved terms as they do not want their top stars entering the final two years of their contracts.

The Gunners are so determined to keep the forward in North London that they are prepared to make him the highest-paid player at the club.

Talks are expected to take place between Arsenal and Sanchez’s advisers before Christmas as they look to tie him to a new deal as soon as possible.

After a slow start to the season following a summer in which he helped Chile win the Copa America, Sanchez has been back to his best in recent weeks — he followed up his hat trick against Leicester with a goal against Olympiakos and a brace in the 3-0 win against Manchester United earlier this month.

Chicharito Signs with Germany’s Bayer Leverkusen

Posted on September 1, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Javier Hernandez is bidding Auf Wiedersehen to Manchester United.

The 27-year-old Mexican striker, commonly referred to by his nickname “Chicharito,” completed on Monday his move for three seasons from Manchester United to Germany’s Bayer Leverkusen, as both clubs announced in separate statements.

Chicharito, who has played in the Premier League and La Liga, two of the three major European leagues, says he now wants to play in the Bundesliga, adding that a club like Bayer Leverkusen is a great opportunity for him.

The striker, who spent last season on loan at Real Madrid, has signed a three-year contract after the clubs agreed a fee believed to be around $11.2 million.

Chicharito scored nine goals last season with Real Madrid in 33 games and scored 59 times with Manchester United in 157 games.

The striker has managed to score 40 goals in 74 games with the Mexican national team and will wear the No. 7 jersey with the German club, in which he will play until June 30, 2018.

“With Chicharito, we have more possible variations. I am delighted that he has chosen to join Bayer Leverkusen. The Bundesliga can look forward to seeing a great player,” the German club’s sporting director, Rudi Völler said, while Manchester United wished him “the very best of luck for the future.”

Ramos Renewing Contract with Real Madrid Until 2020

Posted on August 13, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Sergio Ramos is staying put…

The 29-year-old Spanish soccer player has reached an agreement with Real Madrid to renew his contract until 2020, say officials from the Spanish futbol club.

The deal will be announced next Monday at the Santiago Bernabeu, the club officials added.

During the team’s Asia tour, Real Madrid president Florentino Perez resolved the renewal issue with the player, while Rene Ramos, the brother and agent of the Real Madrid right back and team captain, successfully found common ground with Real general manger Jose Angel Sanchez in Madrid on Wednesday.

The officials noted that Ramos’s salary would come in around 9 million euros (nearly $10 million) per season, in addition to remunerations for goals scored and titles won.

The thorny renewal issue with Ramos started after the 2014 FIFA World Cup, and while it quieted down for a time, recently regained its potency.

Reports speculated that Manchester United was pursuing the Spanish player, while some saw such rumors as an attempt by Ramos to pressure Real Madrid to pay his desired salary.

Hernandez Joining Real Madrid on Season-Long Loan from Manchester United

Posted on September 1, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Javier Hernandez is leaving the United Kingdom…

The 26-year-old Mexican soccer star, known simply as Chicharito, is set to join Real Madrid on a season-long loan from Manchester United with an option for a permanent deal.

United had received offers from Juventus and Valencia for Hernandez last week, but he opted to move to Real Madrid.

The Mexico international sealed the loan to the European champion after passing a medical on Monday.

A statement on the Spanish club’s official website reads: “Real Madrid and Manchester United have reached an agreement for the loan of the player Javier Hernandez Chicharito, who will be attached to the club for the current season. Real Madrid retains an option to purchase the player.

“Javier Hernandez Chicharito will give a news conference at the Santiago Bernabeu today Monday at 4:30 p.m.”

The former Premier League champions allowed Hernandez to leave after they agreed to bring in Monaco forward Radamel Falcao, another reported target of Real, on loan.

Hernandez has slipped further down the pecking order at Old Trafford in recent years after the arrivals of Robin van Persie, Juan Mata and now Falcao.

He signed for 6.9 million pounds from Guadalajara in 2010 and was named United’s player of the year in his debut season, when he scored 20 goals.

He has gone on to score 59 goals in 154 games for the club but started only six league matches last season. While he began the current campaign in the team, he was substituted at halftime in the 2-1 defeat to Swansea.

Hernandez, who has scored 36 times in 66 caps for his country, becomes the third Mexican to play for Real after Jose Luis Borbolla and Hugo Sanchez, who scored 208 goals for the 32-time champions of Spain.

Mexico boss Miguel Herrera had earlier tweeted: “Going to Real Madrid is a big opportunity for [Hernandez], for whom I wish the best of success.”

Hernandez is expected to understudy first-choice striker Karim Benzema at the Bernabeu. In the past five years, no player has scored more goals as a substitute in the top five European leagues than Hernandez, who has struck 14 times after coming off the bench.

Hernandez will join James Rodriguez, Toni Kroos and Keylor Navas among Real’s summer signings.

Manchester United Agrees to Loan Deal with AS Monaco for Falcao

Posted on September 1, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Radamel Falcao is the man(chester)…

Manchester United has agreed to a loan deal with AS Monaco for the 28-year-old Colombian footballer, who also plays for the Colombia national football team.

Falcao, who cost Monaco 60 million euros last summer, is set to join Louis van Gaal’s squad subject to a medical and terms, according to ESPN FC.

Falcao had also been a target of Real Madrid and had been linked with Arsenal and Manchester City.

His arrival will be one of two transfers United is expected to complete on deadline day, along with finalizing Daley Blind‘s move from Ajax.

Van Gaal had already brought in Southampton left-back Luke Shaw, Athletic Bilbao midfielder Ander Herrera, Sporting Lisbon defender Marcos Rojo and Real Madrid winger Angel Di Maria.

European champion Madrid had been the favorite to sign Falcao, whose departure from Monaco seemed to be signaled when he was omitted from their squad to face Lille on Saturday.

Falcao, who missed the World Cup due to a cruciate ligament injury, scored 70 goals in 91 games for Atletico Madrid and 72 goals in 87 matches for Porto before joining Monaco.

Fàbregas Has No Plans to Leave Futbol Club Barcelona

Posted on August 8, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Francesc “Cesc” Fàbregas isn’t planning to go anywhere…

The 26-year-old Spanish footballer has confirmed that his plan has always been to remain with Futbol Club Barcelona, ending speculation about a possible move.

“I’ve never thought about leaving, I haven’t doubted for a single moment,” said the midfielder during a press conference in Malaysia, the latest stop on Barça’s pre-season tour.

Reigning Premier League champions Manchester United have approached Barcelona twice in recent weeks with offers for Fàbregas, who signed with London club Arsenal in 2003 and became one of the top players in England before a transfer to FC Barcelona in 2011.

“It cost me a lot to return (to Spain). I’m happy in Barcelona and my dream is to triumph with Barça. No one will change this,” he said Thursday, denying that he’d talked to anyone at Man United.

“When such an important team makes two offers, it flatters you, but at no time did I speak with anyone from United,” said Fàbregas.

Villa Moving from Barcelona to Atletico Madrid

Posted on July 9, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

David Villa is switching teams…

The 31-year-old Spanish international soccer star will be leaving Futbol Club Barcelona to play for Atletico Madrid.

It’s all part of a deal potentially worth $6.55 million, according to Barça officials.

Copa del Rey winner Atletico will pay the defending La Liga champion 2.1 million euros this season, with the promise of another 2.1 million if Villa continues to play in 2014-2015, Barcelona said in a statement.

Atletico will have to hand over an additional 1 million euros if Villa remains with the club into the 2015-2016 season.

Barcelona also retains a claim to 50 percent of any future transfer fee for Villa.

With 56 goals in 92 appearances, Villa is Spain’s leading scorer in international play, despite his missing the 2012 European Championship due to an injury.

He was an integral part of the Spanish squad that won Euro 2008 and the 2010 World Cup.

Villa joined Barça in 2010 and kicked 48 goals in 119 official matches with the club, but he had a hard time getting back into the starting lineup after the broken leg he suffered in 2011 kept him off the pitch for months.

Barcelona’s recent signing of Brazilian sensation Neymar left Villa’s future with the red-and-blue even cloudier.

Premier League clubs Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United were said to be interested in Villa, but Atletico – anxious to replace departed striker Radamel Falcao – beat the English sides to the negotiating table.

Barcelona and Atletico Madrid are to meet next month in the Spanish Supercup.

Alcântara Leads All-Star UEFA European Under-21 Championship Squad

Posted on June 22, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Thiago Alcântara is the leader of the pack at the European Under-21 Championship.

The 22-year-old half-Brazilian soccer player, Spain’s Under-21 captain and reported Manchester United target, has been named player of the tournament for the European Under-21 Championships in Israel.

Alcântara, a midfielder for Futbol Club Barcelona, was instrumental throughout La Rojita‘s victorious campaign and hit a first half hat-trick in the 4-2 final win against Italy.

A statement on UEFA’s official website read: “As captain of the title winners, Thiago displayed leadership qualities on and off the pitch and, throughout the tournament, was an influential figure in his team’s performance with impressive box-to-box work; exceptional ball control even in the tightest of situations; ability to dictate the tempo of play; intelligent ball-winning based on anticipation rather than tackling; and outstanding playmaking skills based on a wide variety of short and long passing.

“His three goals in the final represented a unique individual achievement and reward for his contributions to his team’s success.”

Thiago is free to leave the Camp Nou this summer if his release clause of €18 million is met and is being trailed by United and their Premier League rivals Chelsea.

He was also named in the 23-man squad of the tournament, alongside 10 of his Spain teammates, including Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea, Manchester City and Real Madrid target Isco and Golden Boot winner Alvaro Morata.

Messi Could Pick Up a Fourth FIFA Ballon d’Or Award

Posted on October 30, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

Lionel Messi has the chance to make soccer history…

The 25-year-old Argentine fútbol star, who just claimed his second Golden Boot award, is among the 23 players in the running for the 2012 FIFA Ballon d’Or award.

Should he come out on top, Messi, who made history by claiming the award the last three years in a row, would become the only player to claim the award four times.

But Messi will face stiff competition from several noted players, including Cristiano Ronaldo and Xavi Hernandez, this year’s runners-up for the world’s best player award.

Here’s a look at the nominees:

Real Madrid Players:
Cristiano Ronaldo
Iker Casillas
Mesut Ozil
Karim Benzema
Sergio Ramos
Xabi Alonso

Barcelona Players:
Lionel Messi
Andres Iniesta
Sergio Busquets
Gerard Pique
Xavi Hernandez

Atletico Madrid Player:
Radamel Falcao

Manchester City Players:
Mario Balotelli
Sergio Aguero
Yaya Toure

Manchester United Players:
Wayne Rooney
Robin van Persie

Juventus Players:
Andrea Pirlo
Gianluigi Buffon

Shanghai Shenhua Player:
Didier Drogba

PSG Player:
Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Bayern Munich Player:
Manuel Neuer

Santos Player:
Neymar

The final three candidates will be revealed on November 29 in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

The Ballon d’Or ceremony will take place in Zurich on January 7, 2013, when the player who receives the most votes from coaches and captains of international teams, as well as reporters, will be announced.

Agüero Leads Manchester City to English Premier League Title

Posted on May 13, 2012 by Tom Castaneda

Call it “The Miracle in Manchester” as Sergio Agüero helps propel Manchester City to its first English Premier League title in nearly 45 years.

In one of the most exciting game endings in soccer history, the 23-year-old Argentine soccer star on Sunday scored late in stoppage time to lead his team to victory over the Queens Park Rangers.

With Manchester United beating Sunderland 1-0, Manchester City needed a win over Queens Park to win the team’s first title since 1968.

Manchester City trailed the Rangers 2-1 after 90 minutes and needed two goals in stoppage time to win the title that had slipped from their grasp.

Edin Dzeko helped Manchester City even the game at 2-2 with a header off a corner kick in the 92nd minute. Then, in the 94th minute, Agüero and Mario Balotelli combined at the edge of the box. Agüero latched onto Balotelli’s ball, dribbled around a defender, and fired a shot to the left of Paddy Kenny that hit the back of the net.

That remarkable goal by Agüero the son-in-law of the great Diego Maradona, completed a remarkable comeback to give Manchester City the title.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a finale like this,” City manager Roberto Mancini said. “We didn’t deserve to lose. We had a lot of chances and we deserved to win the game and championship. It’s fantastic for the club and the supporters after 44 years. It’s been a crazy season and a crazy last minute.”

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