Bettinelli signs new Chelsea deal until 2026

Mauricio Pochettino confirmed Christopher Nkunku is likely to make his Chelsea debut during Tuesday’s EFL Cup quarter-final against Newcastle at Stamford Bridge but urged fans not to expect him to instantly solve his team’s problems.

Nkunku, 26, has not played competitively for the club after injuring his knee on the pre-season United States tour, weeks after joining from RB Leipzig for £52million.

Last season’s Bundesliga top scorer with 16 goals, he was named in Pochettino’s squad for the first time for Saturday’s 2-0 win against Sheffield United as the team registered back-to-back Premier League home wins for the first time in over a year.

19/12: Newcastle United (H) 24/12: Wolves (A)

A big week ahead! Let s get it, Blues.

— Chel…

Harry Kane pinpointed David Beckham as his inspiration as the England captain looks to deliver the ultimate success at the World Cup.

Tottenham talisman Kane heads to Qatar just three strikes away from breaking Wayne Rooney s 53-goal record for England, who will look to build on recent success in major tournaments by targeting the trophy.

Gareth Southgate s team reached the semi-finals at Russia 2018 before losing on penalties to Italy in the Euro 2020 final.

Kane played an integral role in both those campaigns, and former England star Beckham was the childhood hero who inspired him to achieve his dreams.

When I was five, I wrote a note which said: ‘I want to play football’. I just fell in love with it. |

— England (@England)

I…

Paulo Fonseca says Milan have been working hard in training after a poor start to the Serie A season and will be prepared to bounce back when they face Lazio.

The newly appointed head coach is already under pressure after a lacklustre start to the campaign, with a 2-2 draw against Torino on matchday one being followed by a disappointing 2-1 defeat to newly promoted Parma.

We are aware that we haven’t started well. But we are all united and we want to find solutions. That’s what we’ve been doing this week, Fonseca told reporters.

We are united so it’s easier to work. It was a good week and I think we understood where we really need to improve. I expect a different Milan tomorrow.

The Portuguese coach denied that some players were having trouble …

Steve Cooper dismissed fears about losing his job as pressure mounts on the Nottingham Forest boss.

Forest were hammered 5-0 at Fulham on Wednesday – a fourth straight Premier League defeat – which left them six points above the drop zone.

The former Swansea manager accepts his position will be under scrutiny – with former Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui thought to be a serious contender if he leaves – but ahead of Saturday’s trip to Molineux Cooper insisted he cannot consider the sack.

Full time at Craven Cottage.

— Nottingham Forest (@NFFC)

He said: “I don’t think like that. That is not a good way to think, it is like saying to a player ‘you have to play well or you will not play again’ – it is not a thought process I believe…

Rob Page says Wales must improve their discipline against opponents “good at the dark arts” of football.

Wales were reduced to 10 men for the second successive game as Joe Morrell was sent off in Monday’s 2-0 European Championship qualifying defeat to Turkey.

Morrell’s first-half dismissal in Samsun for a studs-up challenge on Ferdi Kadioglu came just a few days after Kieffer Moore was sent off for kicking Armenia goalkeeper Ognjen Chancharevich.

Losing players to red cards has become a recurring theme for Wales who had goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey sent off against Iran at the World Cup in November and Ethan Ampadu and Harry Wilson banished at the delayed Euro 2020 finals two years ago.

“We should be disciplined enough to keep 11 players on the pi…

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is still evaluating his future and is not in negotiations with Milan over a January transfer, according to the Serie A club s director Frederic Massara.

The 38-year-old has been linked with a return the Rossoneri, where he spent two seasons between 2010 and 2012, after leaving Major League Soccer side LA Galaxy.

MLS commissioner Don Garber last month suggested Ibrahimovic is set to rejoin the Milan, but Massara insists talks between the club and the player are not ongoing.

There is no news on Ibrahimovic, because this is not a negotiation, he told Sky Sport Italia.

I came, I saw, I conquered. Thank you for making me feel alive again. To the Galaxy fans you wanted Zlatan, I gave you Zlatan. You are welcome. The story continues Now go b…

Manchester City are on the brink of claiming back-to-back Premier League titles, but Pep Guardiola believes they can be even better next season.

City are on course to become the first Premier League side to retain the title since 2008-09, as they sit on 95 points, one clear of Liverpool heading into the final round of matches.

The defending champions travel to Brighton and Hove Albion on Sunday, while Liverpool host Wolves, and victory for the EFL Cup winners will keep alive their hopes of a domestic treble – a feat never before achieved by an English side.

However, Guardiola is demanding even more from his squad in 2019-20.

The calm before the storm

— Manchester City (@ManCity)

Next season we will be stronger, I am sure. …

Mats Hummels has completed a move from Bayern Munich to Bundesliga rivals Borussia Dortmund and will join the list of players to have returned to their former club after a spell away.

The 30-year-old joined Dortmund from Bayern in 2008 and made 309 appearances for the club, before returning to the Bavarian giants for a three-year stint at the Allianz Arena.

But Hummels will wear the famous yellow strip of Dortmund once again next season and he will be hoping for a positive reaction from BVB supporters.

That is not always the case, of course, with many failing to match their previous highs when returning to a former side.

Here we look at six examples of players going back home in recent seasons, with varying degrees of success.

Let s get to work…

Former Juventus CEO Giuseppe Marotta has taken up a similar role at Serie A rivals Inter, the club announced on Thursday.

Marotta joined Juve in 2010 and presided over a glorious period for the club, which included seven consecutive Serie A titles before stepping down at the end of September.

The 61-year-old had been heavily linked with the presidency of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) towards the end of his tenure, but he strongly denied that and claims of talks with Inter surfaced soon after.

Marotta s installation will surely come with great expectations given Juve s success under his guidance, coupled with Inter s underwhelming last few years.

The Nerazzurri have not won the title since 2009-10, but they will hope Marotta s arrival is the first…

AC Milan owner Gerry Cardinale has reiterated his commitment to the club and stressed he wants to return the Italian giants to the top of the European game.

The Rossoneri have endured an inconsistent season, featuring a disappointing group-stage exit from the Champions League while they trail fierce rivals Inter by 11 points in Serie A.

That has built pressure on Cardinale, chief executive of Milan owners RedBird Capital, following the controversial dismissal of directors Frederic Massara and Paolo Maldini last summer.

Amid continuing speculation over the future of head coach Stefano Pioli, who delivered the title to Milan in 2022, and talk of investment from Saudi Arabia, Cardinale has outlined his long-term vision for the seven-time European champions.

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