Kylian Mbappe backed Paris Saint-Germain team-mate Ousmane Dembele to fill his boots when he exits the club, after winning his fifth successive Ligue 1 Player of the Year award.
The France captain announced last week he will leave the Ligue 1 champions at the end of this season after seven years at the Parc des Princes, during which he became their all-time top scorer with 256 goals.
Mbappe has been heavily linked with a blockbuster move to LaLiga champions Real Madrid, but has thus far remained tight-lipped on where his future lies.
Either way, when he departs the club, the 25-year-old is confident his void can be filled by compatriot Dembele, who arrived from Barcelona last August and has recorded the joint-most assists during his maiden French top-flight camp…
Benfica join chase for Wilfried Bony
Portuguese newspaper that Benfica are the latest club to have shown interest in Vitesse striker Wilfried Bony.
The Eagles are looking to cash in on experienced forward Oscar Cardozo, who is linked with a switch to Fenerbahce, while at the same time searching for his replacement.
According to O Jogo, Benfica are planning a summer bid for Vitesse starlet Wilfried Bony, who is likely to be one of the hottest commodities in the summer transfer window.
The Ivorian, who has topped Eredivisie goalscoring charts with 31 strikes in 30 league matches, has already set his sights on leaving the club from Arnhem.
As a result, he has been linked with a number of top European clubs, including Chelsea, Manchester United and …
Frank de Boer is expected to be appointed as Sam Allardyce s successor at Crystal Palace, with the Premier League club due to hold a news conference on Monday.
The Netherlands great thrived as a head coach in his homeland with Ajax, leading the club to four consecutive Eredivisie titles.
However, De Boer found life tougher in Serie A during his spell with Inter and he lasted just three months at San Siro.
It marks a change in approach for Palace, who have never had a permanent boss from outside the United Kingdom in charge – Attilio Lombardi s brief spell as caretaker the closest they have come.
The past five managers at Palace have enjoyed varying levels of success, and we take a look at what De Boer is living up to at Selhurst Park.
We re goin…
Forgotten forward Nikita Rukavytsya has been included in Australia s preliminary 30-man squad for next month s make-or-break World Cup qualifying play-off against Syria.
Socceroos head coach Ange Postecoglou named an extended squad ahead of the first leg against Syria in Malaysia on October 5, with Rukavytsya back in the fold as well as captain Mile Jedinak.
The 30-year-old has scored four goals in seven games for top-flight Israeli side Maccabi Haifa and could get the chance to add to his 13 caps – his last appearance coming in a friendly against Canada in 2013.
Skipper Jedinak, who failed to make Aston Villa s squad last week, could play his first match for the Socceroos since June s qualifier against Saudi Arabia if he overcomes a groin injury and proves his…
Roberto Firmino came off the bench to fire in a stoppage-time winner as Liverpool downed Paris Saint-Germain 3-2 in a Champions League classic at Anfield.
Kylian Mbappe appeared to have salvaged a draw for PSG after levelling the scores in the 83rd minute, but the World Cup winner then gave away possession 25 yards out from his own goal.
And Firmino, who started on the bench due to an eye injury suffered against Tottenham on Saturday, rifled across Alphonse Areola to ensure last season s beaten finalists got off to a victorious start in Group C on Tuesday.
PSG had fought back from 2-0 down, Liverpool leading thanks to a Daniel Sturridge header and James Milner s penalty, but Jurgen Klopp s men deserved to come out on top.
Virgil van Dijk and Milner forced…
Luis Enrique says the media will not be able to guess his Spain team to face England in the Nations League.
Spain have maximum points after two matches in League A Group 4, with the Three Lions visiting Seville on Monday.
Paco Alcacer scored twice on his first international appearance since 2016 as Spain warmed up for England by winning a friendly 4-1 away to Wales on Thursday.
Sergio Busquets, Marcos Alonso, Thiago Alcantara and Marco Asensio were among the unused players in Cardiff, prompting speculation they may be involved against Gareth Southgate s men.
Luis Enrique, though, was unwilling to offer any clues as to the team he may select at the Estadio Benito Villamarin.
Yes, those who haven t played can give some clues, Luis Enrique told a …
Besiktas have contacted Liverpool over the possibility of signing Simon Mignolet, according to and their sources.
Mignolet arrived to Anfield in 2014 in a move by Brendan Rodgers (Liverpool manager at the time) to secure a long-term solution between the posts. However, Rodgers himself was replaced with Jürgen Klopp just over a year later and since the arrival of Loris Karius from Mainz in 2016, Mignolet constantly had to fight for his place. He eventually lost it in January this year, and following Karius s mistakes in the Champions League final, the Reds moved to sign a new No.1 in Alisson Becker.
At this point it seems Karius is set to stay as the Brazilian s understudy which practically means the end of the road for Mignolet, just as it was for Danny Ward who joine…
Melbourne Victory have been hit with a range of attendance-related sanctions following their fans pitch invasion during Saturday s Melbourne derby, though more penalties are to come.
Football Australia s (FA) sanctioning of the club began on Friday with the announcement of restrictions over attendances at all Victory games until January 15 inclusive.
The club will be unable to sell tickets, with only members able to attend the matches.
Additionally, the active supporter bays at both ends of AAMI Park are to be shut, and Victory fans will be unable to attend away games unless they appear on a pre-approved FA list of individuals who can qualify for complimentary tickets, though there will only be 1,000 of those available.
Even more significant punishments a…
Federico Chiesa has told Italy supporters they should dare to dream of Euro 2020 glory – because Roberto Mancini has got the Azzurri thinking the same way.
On Sunday, Italy will attempt to make it 30 games without defeat when they tackle Wales in Rome.
Doing so would mean Italy equal their all-time longest unbeaten run, previously achieved between November 1935 and July 1939.
Italy failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup but have been revitalised under head coach Mancini, and 3-0 wins over Turkey and Switzerland mean their place in the last-16 of this European Championship is already assured.
The fans are right to dream and we are right with them, Chiesa said in a news conference. We are here to try to go all the way and to fulfil this great dre…
Market: Both teams to score
Odds: 5/6 @
Looking to sign off 2022 with an upset on the road, Reading will make the trip to Carrow Road on Friday night when they meet Norwich.
Starting with the hosts, putting in another worrying display on Boxing Day as they slumped to a 2-1 loss away at Luton, that result was enough to cost Dean Smith his job at Carrow Road. While the Canaries might have been tipped as a leading pick to claim a Premier League return this season, they now find themselves in the midst of a real struggle. Along with heading into the World Cup s winter break with a 2-1 loss at home against Middlesbrough, Norwich have now lost three of their last four Championship contests. Sat 12 points adrift in the top-two chase, Friday s hosts have also continued …