Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard has agreed a deal to join MLS side Colorado Rapids at the end of the Premier League season.
The United States goalkeeper, who has spent 10 years at Goodison Park following an initial loan move from fellow Premier League side Manchester United, has signed a three-and-a-half-year contract with the Rapids.
Howard has endured a poor run of form over the past two seasons, finding himself out of the first-team picture in recent weeks as Roberto Martinez has elected to start Joel Robles in his place, and the 37-year-old has now decided the time is right to move back to his homeland.
I will remain an Evertonian for life. This will always be my team and my club, Howard said in a brief interview on Everton s official website.
To play…
Roberto Mancini said he feels he had a big hand in building Manchester City into the champions they are.
Mancini steered City to their first Premier League title in 2011-12, before the club again reigned in England last season under Chilean tactician Manuel Pellegrini.
The Italian coach, who has since spent one season at Super Lig powerhouses Galatasaray before agreeing to having his contract cancelled, said he feels like he had a hand in City s ongoing fortunes after his four-season stint at Eastlands.
I think that we started to build this team five years ago, Mancini said.
In two years we won the Premier League, the FA Cup, we won everything in England.
And this current team are playing nine of my players all of the time. I am very happy wi…
Former Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez is torn over whether he will celebrate if he scores for West Ham at Old Trafford.
Hernandez will return to Manchester for Sunday s Premier League opener, but in claret and blue, after joining West Ham from Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen.
The 29-year-old Mexico international left United two years ago, moving to Leverkusen after falling down the pecking order at the Theatre of Dreams, where he scored more than 50 goals in all competitions.
And Hernandez is unsure how he will react if he opens his account for new side West Ham on the weekend.
I don t know if I will celebrate if I score at Old Trafford, he said. It s my old club, my old fans, my old stadium but it ll be my first goal for West Ham.
Peter Bosz has vowed to be careful with Mario Gotze as the Borussia Dortmund playmaker makes his way back to full fitness.
Gotze made his first appearance since February as Dortmund defeated Japanese side Urawa Reds 3-2 in a pre-season friendly on Saturday.
The Germany international, who scored the winner in the 2014 World Cup final, is recovering from a metabolic disorder and Bosz will not rush his return.
First of all, I am glad for Mario himself, he has not trained or played for a long time, Bosz said.
We have to be careful with him.
We are glad that he could play for 30 minutes today. He was also very happy about the game.
Now we have to look every day as it goes on, and we hope that he can take further steps quickly and can p…
Barcelona LaLiga fixtures in full: Atleti and Madrid double-header in October as Barca wait on Messi
Barcelona know their opponents for the 2020-21 LaLiga season but remain unsure whether Lionel Messi will be around for their opener against Real Sociedad at Camp Nou.
Messi, who is currently in action for Argentina at the Copa America, will see his Barca contract expire at midnight CET on Wednesday, with no news of any agreement on an extension at this stage.
Ronald Koeman will still be in situ as head coach and must tackle back-to-back Basque encounters, with a trip to Athletic Bilbao the first match of the campaign on the road for new additions Sergio Aguero, Memphis Depay, Emerson and Eric Garcia.
Sevilla away marks the Blaugrana s first September fixture as they continue a tricky start, while a daunting October schedule features Atletico Madrid at the Wanda …
Paul Scholes appears to have changed his tune about Anthony Martial, accusing the Manchester United striker of misleading fans over his goalscoring prowess.
Martial enjoyed his best season in 2019-20, putting early injury problems behind him to score 23 goals in 48 appearances in all competitions.
The France international was named United s Players Player of the Year as he repaid the faith shown by manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, spearheading the attack to help the Red Devils finish third in the Premier League and reach three cup semi-finals.
In August, Scholes said Martial had finally convinced him he was capable of playing as a central striker, telling BT Sport: I thought, Was he a number nine, or is he a wide player?
He s turned himself into a number …
FC Barcelona president Sandro Rosell has announced that the La Liga club have offered current boss Pep Guardiola a new contract.
Since taking control of Barcelona in 2008, Guardiola has managed to win the La Liga title in each of his first three seasons (2008-09, 2009-10, 2010-11).
In addition, the former Catalan midfielder has recorded two UEFA Champions League triumphs in just three seasons.
We are doing everything possible for Guardiola to continue, Rosell told Al Jazeera.
For him, the door of our office is always open and the contract is ready.
He can choose to sign for a year, two, three or four. Or even if he wants, he can sign for one year with an option for another one, or an option for two more.
The contract is on …
Cristiano Ronaldo scored his second hat-trick in four days as Al Nassr crushed Saudi Pro League opponents Abha 8-0.
Ronaldo hit a first-half treble against outclassed opponents languishing near the foot of the table.
His latest hat-trick followed a triple strike in Al Nassr’s 5-1 drubbing of Al Tai on Saturday.
Mr. hat-trick does it AGAIN
— AlNassr FC (@AlNassrFC_EN)
Former Liverpool forward Sadio Mane also netted, along with Abdulmajeed Al-Sulaiheem, as Al Nassr led 5-0 at the interval.
The second period proved equally one-sided with Al Nassr claiming further goals through Abdulrahman Ghareeb and a double from Abdulaziz Saud Al Aliwa.
…
Arsene Wenger said he came close to signing Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure when he was just 15.
The Ivorian switched to the Etihad Stadium in 2010 from Barcelona, but the Arsenal manager said the midfielder nearly played in the Premier League much sooner.
Toure, whose brother Kolo became captain at the north London club before leaving in 2009 for the Citizens, had agreed to join the Gunners, Wenger said.
I have known him since he was 15, Wenger told reporters ahead of his side s visit to Eastlands on Sunday.
We had an agreement with Yaya to come here, but the problem was that he was at Beveren and we had to wait long enough for a European passport.
Therefore he was impatient and went, at the time, to Metalurh Donetsk.
Now he …
Liverpool will be searching for their first piece of silverware since 2006 when they take on Cardiff City in the Carling Cup final.
The 18-time English league champions, whose last trophies were six years ago with victories in the FA Cup and Community Shield, will enter Sunday s clash at Wembley Stadium as heavy favourites.
Kenny Dalglish s men enter the encounter on the back of a 6-1 thrashing of Brighton and Hove Albion in the FA Cup fifth round.
Captain Steven Gerrard said it had been too long since Liverpool had added to their trophy cabinet.
Six years without a trophy for this football club isn t good enough. It s been too long and everyone knows that. It s time we delivered a trophy, the England midfielder said.
Everyone knows the club ha…