Football rumours: Liverpool ramp up bid for Crystal Palace’s Cheick Doucoure

Lazio maintained their impressive run of form with a 2-1 win over Juventus at Stadio Olimpico on Saturday to tighten their grip on second place in Serie A.

On a weekend in which Milan, Inter and Atalanta had all dropped points, Lazio took full advantage with an entertaining win over Juve, who remain eight points off the top four.

Adrien Rabiot cancelled out Sergej Milinkovic-Savic s opener in a frenetic end to the first half, with that sloppy goal ending Lazio s six-game run without conceding in the league.

But Mattia Zaccagni restored the hosts lead eight minutes after the restart, and Lazio held on to move five points clear of third place, which is now occupied by rivals Roma.

Mattia Zaccagni

— Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN)

Wojciech Szc…

Aleksandar Mitrovic has signed a new five-year contract at Fulham to put an end to rumours he was on his way out of Craven Cottage.

The 24-year-old striker was linked with a move to the Chinese Super League, with offers in the region of £30million expected for a player who scored 11 goals in 37 Premier League appearances in 2018-19.

The Serbia international, who has netted 25 times in 48 outings for his country, joined Fulham from Newcastle United in July 2018 and has committed himself to the Championship club until 2024 despite last term s top-flight relegation. 

Mitrovic told the club s official website: I m really happy and I m looking forward to playing here next season.

This is my home.

— Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC)

Th…

Matthijs de Ligt has tested positive for coronavirus, Juventus have confirmed.

Juve were without Juan Cuadrado and Alex Sandro against Milan on Wednesday due to positive COVID-19 tests and the Netherlands international has also entered self-isolation.

The Bianconeri face Sassuolo on Sunday before taking on Genoa and Inter in the following week.

A club statement read: Juventus Football Club announces that, during the checks provided for by the protocol in force, Matthijs de Ligt has emerged positive with COVID-19.

The player has already been placed in self-isolation.

De Ligt missed the start of the 2020-21 season after undergoing shoulder surgery in August but has started 12 straight games in all competitions since returning to action on Novembe…

Erik ten Hag told Manchester United to look in the mirror and cut out their costly errors as he deployed a Dutch idiom to explain how he saved Bruno Fernandes from a costly Europa League red card.

The United manager threw his support behind Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof, who could both get a run in the team after injuries to Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane blighted Thursday s 2-2 draw with Sevilla at Old Trafford.

He also said it was too soon to gauge the severity of those injuries, even though he has his private suspicions.

Ten Hag then brought a touch of levity to a routine pre-match press conference, ahead of Sunday s trip to Nottingham Forest, when he explained why he substituted playmaker Fernandes against Sevilla.

The Dutch boss suspected h…

Liverpool have completed the signing of 20-year-old Inter midfielder Philippe Coutinho.

The Brazil international joined the Serie A side from Vasco da Gama in 2010, and spent the second half of last season on loan at Spanish side Espanyol.

The Premier League side agreed to an 11.8-million-pound transfer fee with Inter after seeing their initial bid of 6.5 million pounds rejected.

Speaking to the club s official website, Coutinho said: I m feeling very happy, it s a very important step in my career and I m expecting to come here and play good football to give my contribution on the pitch.

Liverpool is a great club with great players. We ve always heard about Liverpool s history in Brazil. They are the club that have been interested in me and that have sh…

that CSKA Moscow are keeping close tabs on Benfica midfielder Enzo Perez.

The Argentine has established an excellent midfield partnership with Nemanja Matic last season, and his convincing displays did not go unnoticed.

According to O Jogo, the 27-year-old is believed to be one of the first names on CSKA Moscow s hit-list.

The Russian giants are spoilt for choices in the final third, but Pontus Wernbloom is the only high-profile holding midfielder in the squad.

As a result, the Army Men are hoping to add Enzo Perez to their ranks this summer, although they have yet to submit an official proposal.

Enzo Perez joined Benfica in the summer of 2011, but he made just three league appearances for the Eagles in his first season at the club before return…

Gianluigi Donnarumma will not commit to a new contract at AC Milan until the success of the club s takeover has been assessed, his agent Mino Raiola says.

The 17-year-old goalkeeping sensation is only contracted to Milan until 2018 and has been linked with many of Europe s biggest clubs, including Chelsea, Juventus and Manchester City.

Chinese company Sino-Europe Sports are set to take over the San Siro side after signing a preliminary agreement in August, but the success of that move and direction of the club are important factors for Donnarumma before he makes a decision.

We will have to see what will become of this Milan before we make our assessments, Raiola told TuttoMercatoWeb.

Donnarumma s AC Milan team-mate Ignazio Abate, though, is very confiden…

Roberto De Zerbi claims he is undaunted by the challenge of working for Palermo president Maurizio Zamparini after replacing Davide Ballardini as coach.

De Zerbi was on Tuesday formally presented as Ballardini s successor, following yet another change on the touchlines at Stadio Renzo Barbera, where there have now been seven different coaches since the start of last season.

Zamparini is notorious for hiring, firing and then re-hiring managers, but the latest recruit, 37-year-old former Napoli player De Zerbi, who coached Foggia from July 2014 until last month, has embraced the challenge that awaits him. 

I m used to starting from scratch, he told a news conference.

I ve never had him as a president, but I can say he s … chosen me. We met, we talked a…

New England Revolution have stretched their lead to 15 points in the MLS Eastern Conference after a 4-1 triumph over Cincinnati on Saturday.

First-half goals from Tajon Buchanan, Emmanuel Boateng and Adam Buksa helped New England open up a 3-0 half-time lead and they never looked back.

Canada international Buchanan was critical, pouncing on a rebound to fire home the opener from close range, before dribbling in the box and providing the pass for Boateng s first-time effort.

Cincinnati pulled a goal back from record signing Brenner s 54th-minute strike but Buksa added a second on the hour, from Gustavo Bou s assist, to seal a comfortable win.

Revolution have now won four straight matches and are unbeaten in eight games. New England have scored a league-lea…

Could the Kylian Mbappe transfer saga be nearing a conclusion?

Long linked with Real Madrid, Mbappe is out of contract at the end of the season.

Paris Saint-Germain s attempts to re-sign Mbappe have been fruitless up until this point and the Ligue 1 giants are reportedly willing to cash in.

TOP STORY – MBAPPE NEARING MADRID?

Paris Saint-Germain are prepared to accept an offer for Kylian Mbappe should one arrive from Real Madrid before the end of the transfer window, according to RMC.

PSG have been fighting to re-sign Mbappe, who is in the final year of his current deal in the French capital.

However, PSG have reportedly accepted defeat in their efforts to retain Mbappe beyond the 2021-22 season as Madrid look to lure the Fre…