Eden Hazard says he would only ever contemplate leaving Chelsea if they are crowned Premier League champions again.
The Belgium international has enjoyed a fine start to 2016-17, scoring seven top-flight goals and being named October s Premier League player of the month.
That comes after a miserable 2015-16 campaign that saw Hazard fail to score in the league before April and his performances criticised as the Blues struggled to a 10th-place finish under Jose Mourinho and latterly Guus Hiddink.
Hazard was again linked with a move away from Chelsea following the campaign, but the 25-year-old stressed he would never have wanted to leave on such a low note.
If I ever leave, it ll be after winning a championship, Hazard said to The Guardian.
You nee…
Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard believes in-demand centre-back John Stones can develop into a brilliant defender.
Speculation is rife that Stones will swap Goodison Park for Chelsea s Stamford Bridge before the transfer window shuts, but Everton manager Roberto Martinez is determined to keep hold of the 21-year-old.
Despite the uncertainty, Stones remains an Everton player and will feature against Manchester City on Sunday.
Howard, who has played alongside Stones for the past three seasons following the England international s arrival from Barnsley, said his Everton team-mate has the potential to become one of the world s best.
John is a very good player, Howard told Soccer Saturday via Sky Sports.
As young as he is, he s full of confidence, but h…
Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has hit back at criticism from Robin van Persie, insisting the Dutchman doesn t have a right to question his methods.
Working for BT Sport for United s 2-0 loss to Arsenal on New Year s Day, Van Persie questioned Solskjaer s demeanour in the aftermath of such a disappointing result at Emirates Stadium.
I would like to see him a bit more mean at times, just be angry, the former United forward who was signed from Arsenal said. I see him smiling now after a game like that. This is not the moment to smile.
Yet Solskjaer made clear he was not impressed by the comments on the eve of his team s FA Cup tie away at Wolves.
I don t know Robin and Robin doesn t know me, a defiant Solskjaer told the media. He pro…
Martin Odegaard does not want to go back at Real Madrid if Zinedine Zidane is still in charge of the Spanish club next season, according to . The Norway international attacking midfielder joined Arsenal on loan from Madrid in the January transfer window and is scheduled to stay at the Emirates Stadium until the end of the season.
The report has claimed that Odegaard knows that Arsenal want to sign him permanent in the summer of 2021 if the opportunity arises. The 22-year-old also knows that his playing time at Madrid under Zidane would be severely limited and does not want to be back at the defending Spanish champions if the Frenchman is still in charge of the team next season.
Madrid won the league title under Zidane last season, but things are not looking so good at …
(GSM) Dean Ashton is expected to confirm his retirent from professional football today. The 26-year-old West Ham United striker has been suffering from a serious ankle injury for three years now.
The Telegraph reports that Ashton is considering suing Chelsea and Shaun Wright-Phillips following the challenge in August 2006 which, he will claim, has ended his football career. The West Ham United forward sustained an ankle fracture during a training session while on England duty and has since featured in just 39 official matches for the Hammers. Ashton made his last appearance for West Ham in September 2008 against WBA (3-2 loss).
In an apparently ground-breaking case, Ashton is believed to be investigating whether both Wright-Phillips and his employers at the time, Chels…
Fiorentina sealed their place in the Coppa Italia final after a 0-0 draw against Cremonese on Thursday at Stadio Artemio Franchi, securing a 2-0 aggregate win.
A frantic start to the game did not lead to any goals, with few clear-cut chances for either team despite the pace of the play in the first half.
It took until the 73rd minute for Cremonese to have anything that could be called a chance, with Charles Pickel seeing a close-range header closed down by Fiorentina goalkeeper Pietro Terracciano.
Nicolas Gonzalez curled a shot wide at the other end moments later, but on the whole, it was a match devoid of any serious opportunities.
The hosts hit the target just once from 13 attempts, while Cremonese could only muster two shots at all as Vincenzo Italiano…
Monaco and Montpellier suffered surprise exits in the third round of the Coupe de la Ligue on Wednesday.
Claudio Ranieri s side who lie second in Ligue 1 on goal difference fell to a 1-0 defeat at Reims.
Antoine Devaux scored the only goal of the game in the 34th minute and despite Monaco s best attempts at scoring an equaliser, Hubert Fournier s men held on to book their spot in the next round.
Montpellier who finished runners-up in 2011 crashed out to Ligue 1 strugglers Sochaux, who won a thrilling contest 3-2 after extra time.
Sanjin Prcic put Sochaux into a first-half lead, but the match required extra time thanks to Jonas Martin s 50th-minute penalty.
The match looked destined for penalties until Sebastien Corchia s goal in the 115th minute, and Roy Co…
Rudi Garcia says the Serie A title race is more open this season than any of the last four thanks to Juventus stuttering start to the campaign.
Juve have cantered to the Scudetto in each of the last four years and finished 17 points clear of Garcia s Roma in 2014-15.
However, they have only won two of their opening seven matches and have been beaten by Udinese, Roma and Napoli leaving them 10 points behind early leaders Fiorentina, and six adrift of Garcia s men.
With Fiorentina, Inter and Lazio all showing impressive early form, Garcia is relishing the title battle this season and hopes Roma can be part of that tussle come May.
It is a much more open Scudetto race after four years in which Juventus were champions of Italy four times in a row and bea…
Everton are interested in signing Tariq Lamptey from Brighton and Hove Albion in the summer of 2021, according to . It has been reported that the defender has admirers at Everton, and that the Merseyside club could make a move for him at the end of the season.
The report has added that although Brighton could sell Lamptey in the summer of 2021, they will only do so if they get at least £30 million in transfer fees, having paid just £3 million for the 20-year-old to Chelsea in January 2020. It has been further claimed that Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti may be less inclined to sign him, as he is 5ft 5in tall and the Italian likes his full-backs to be taller than that.
According to , Lamptey has scored one goal and provided one assist in 11 Premier League matches for B…
Market: Harrogate Town double chance
Odds: 4/5 @
Looking to lay down another marker on their travels this weekend, a high-flying Harrogate will make the trip to Field Mill when they face off against Mansfield on Saturday afternoon.
Starting with the hosts, while Mansfield might have opened the 2021/22 campaign with back-to-back wins against Newport and Bristol Rovers, Nigel Clough s side have failed to build off of that flurry. Putting in what was a worrying display when they faced off against Saturday s guests on EFL Trophy duties earlier in the week, the former Burton boss saw his side get hit with a 3-1 drumming. Slipping their way down the League Two table and last seen on fourth-tier action getting hit with a 1-0 loss at the hands of Swindon, the Stags hav…