Chelsea identify ‘strong candidate’ to replace Pochettino as Boehly ‘awaits’ Conte ‘response’

Liverpool have entered the race to sign West Ham United sensation Reece Oxford, .

The Merseyside outfit made an attempt to secure the defender last summer before he had even made his senior debut though they failed with their ambitious bid.

Hammers boss Slaven Bilic handed Oxford his first appearance in the 2-0 win at Arsenal on the opening day of the 2015/16 campaign and he has gone on to play a further eleven times in all competitions.

Both Manchester City and Manchester United are also monitoring the situation, with the seventeen year old available for around £10m after rejecting the London clubs offer of a new deal.

Oxford, who can also play as a defensive midfielder, is set to report for England U19 duty next week where he will be hoping to wi…

Nigeria caretaker coach Salisu Yusuf could give his hopes of taking over as full-time Super Eagles coach a boost with a convincing win over Luxembourg on Tuesday.

Kelechi Iheanacho scored from the bench as Nigeria beat Mali in Rouen on Friday their first international win in five.

Nigeria cannot qualify for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations, after Chad s withdrawal from the tournament left them stranded in their group, but the team are keen to build momentum ahead of 2018 World Cup qualifiers later this year.

A foreign coach had been expected to be drafted in after Sunday Oliseh s resignation in February, but the post is currently Yusuf s to lose.

NFF technical committee chairman Chris Green told Vanguard: We are not going to wait for long before we choose a…

Marcello Lippi has revealed that his role as coach with Guangzhou Evergrande will be his last job in club football.

The former Italy, Juventus and Inter boss has enjoyed a glittering managerial career, guiding his country to FIFA World Cup glory in 2006.

Lippi, 66, took over at Guangzhou in 2012, and has since led the Chinese Super League side to two domestic titles and an AFC Champions League crown.

Guangzhou extended Lippi s contract with the club in February, signing him to a deal that will see him remain in charge until 2017.

And the Italian has confirmed that he will not move on to another club at the end of his time in China, even insisting that he would turn down an approach from Premier League giants Manchester United.

At club level this will be my…

Marc Wilmots is unwilling to take any risks with Thomas Vermaelen in Sunday s friendly against Norway as Belgium s defensive injury crisis ahead of Euro 2016 threatens to worsen.

Wilmots has already been shorn of captain Vincent Kompany, Dedryck Boyata, Bjorn Engels and, it would seem, Nicolas Lombaerts, for the upcoming tournament.

Centre-back Vermaelen, who endured another injury-plagued campaign in 2015-16, had to leave training early on Friday due to pain in his calf, and the Red Devils coach is planning on wrapping the Barcelona man up in cotton wool for the match with Norway in Brussels.

I will not take any risks. He will not play on Sunday, Wilmots said, in quotes reported by Vavel.

Wilmots explained on Friday that Vermaelen initially picked up …

Midfielder Owen Hargreaves has been released by Manchester City after just one season with the club.

The former England international moved to Etihad Stadium in August last year after his contract at rivals Manchester United expired.

Hargreaves, 31, made just one English Premier League appearance for the newly-crowned champions in the whole of the campaign.

Having struggled for fitness throughout the season, the club confirmed on Tuesday the former Bayern Munich midfielder was leaving.

Hargreaves has struggled for fitness over the last few seasons, having been an integral part of Manchester United s Premier League and Champions League winning campaign of 2007/08.

The Canadian-born Hargreaves was forced to visit a knee specialist in the United Sta…

Birmingham City manager Chris Hughton says he holds no grudges towards former employers Newcastle United and is pleased with their progress.

Hughton was controversially sacked in December 2010 by owner Mike Ashley, despite guiding the club to a strong start in their first season back in the English Premier League after successfully leading them to the top flight from the Championship.

Newcastle have since made great strides under the guidance of former West Ham boss Alan Pardew, securing a return to European football and only just missing out on a place in next season s Champions League.

Bitterness? I have never felt that about what happened, Hughton told The Journal. I don t think that way and I don t harbour grudges towards anyone at the club. If I am absolut…

Barcelona midfielder Miralem Pjanic is dissatisfied with his lack of playing time under Ronald Koeman and does not know what more he can do to earn a regular starting spot.

Pjanic has featured 11 times in all competitions since arriving at Camp Nou in June for an initial €60million, with Arthur moving in the opposite direction in a separate arrangement.

He has started only once in LaLiga, however, the Bosnia-Herzegovina international s other five appearances in the competition coming from the substitutes bench.

And ahead of Tuesday s Champions League clash against former side Juve, Pjanic conceded it is difficult to accept being used as a back-up player.

Honestly, I don t understand the reason of this situation. I want to play more, I know I can give …

Paul Pogba was dropped from the Manchester United starting line-up for Tuesday s crucial Champions League clash with RB Leipzig.

The midfielder started the 3-1 Premier League win at West Ham on Saturday, scoring his side s first goal as they came from behind to take all three points at London Stadium.

However, Pogba was left out of the team for the trip to the Bundesliga side just a day after his agent, Mino Raiola, claimed he is unhappy at United and should be sold in the next transfer window.

The outspoken Raiola told Turin-based newspaper Tuttosport that Pogba could return to Juventus as he needs a change of air .

The France international, whose season has been impacted by injury and struggles with coronavirus, has made 13 appearances in all competitio…

Brazil captain Thiago Silva believes he and his fellow defenders will be ready for Mexico s dangerous attack on Tuesday.

Mexico stunned Brazil in the 2012 Olympic final, winning 2-1 thanks to a brace from Oribe Peralta and Silva, who also skippered his country in London, is well aware of the Central American nation s quality.

Brazil take on Mexico in Fortaleza on Tuesday, with both sides knowing that a win would put them firmly in control of Group A at the FIFA World Cup.

And while the hosts will be overwhelming favourites to follow up their 3-1 win over Croatia last week with another victory, Paris Saint-Germain centre-back Silva is wary of Mexico s attacking threat after Peralta and Giovani dos Santos looked in good form in their 1-0 success over Cameroon.

The…

Manchester United left-back Alexander Buttner has agreed to join Russian Premier League side Dynamo Moscow, according to the club s official website, .

Since arriving at Old Trafford from Vitesse on a five-year deal in August 2012, the former Holland youth international has scored two goals in 28 appearances in all competitions for the Red Devils.

Buttner was destined for another bench-ridden campaign in 2014/15 following Patrice Evra putting pen to paper on a new one-year contract earlier this summer.

As a result, the former Holland youth international, 25, has decided to take his talents to the Russian capital, and understandably so.

I want to play in the Champions League and win trophies, Buttner said.

  Dynamo have a very s…