PSG linked with move for Barca´s Maxwell

Real win chase for Odegaard

Spanish daily newspaper that Real Madrid have all but agreed to sign Norwegian wonderkid Martin Odegaard.

While Ajax and Bayern Munich were also in the race, the latest reports suggest that the youngster and his father have been convinced by the los Blancos pitch.

Odegaard has been delighted with the treatment he received during a two-day stay in Madrid and everything suggests he will put pen to paper on a six-year deal with the Spanish giants in the coming days.

The talented midfielder will probably join Real Madrid in the summer, and he will be added straight to the senior squad for the pre-season.

Odegaard has shown a great deal of potential during his debut campagn with Stromsgodset, bagging 5 goals in 23 league…

Market: Fiorentina win

Odds: 4/6 @

With a Europa Conference League quarter-final ticket still hanging in the balance, Fiorentina will make the trip to Sivasspor on Thursday evening.

Starting with the hosts, while Sivasspor might have made the trip out to Italy last week looking to spring a Conference League upset on foreign soil, Rıza Calımbay s men have come under some recent scrutiny. Eventually getting hit with a 1-0 loss in their first-leg meeting, the Braves will be more than aware that they face a huge challenge on Thursday evening. Tipped as a real outside pick to punch their quarter-final ticket, the former Trabzonspor boss has seen his side lose each of their last three appearances across all competitions. Failing to pick up any momentum last weekend …

Virgil van Dijk highlighted the importance of Champions League football for Liverpool in their bid to improve the squad for next season.

Jurgen Klopp s side suffered elimination from Europe s elite competition with a resounding 6-2 aggregate defeat against Real Madrid in the last 16.

Sitting six points behind fourth-placed Tottenham in the Premier League with a game in hand over the north London side, Liverpool face a fight to secure their spot in next season s competition.

Significant departures may also be on the cards, with Roberto Firmino already announcing he will leave upon the expiration of his contract, and Van Dijk understands being able to offer Champions League football may be crucial in the hunt for new additions.

Obviously, players are going…

Competition: Premier League

Market: Everton to beat Watford

Odds:

The Premier League continues this weekend for even more exciting action in the world s most competitive league. The table is incredibly tight which means that a single win can often see a side rise up a number of places in the table, and with this in mind, Everton travel to face Watford on Saturday.

Watford have been in poor form recently as their good start to the season has made way for a very disappointing run of results. After 27 games they have won eight, drawn six and lost 13, scoring 37 goals and conceding 47 times. In their last five they have only won once, losing twice and drawing twice, which has seen them onto 30 points. Their current tally is incredibly disappointing…

The Champions League s quota for direct group-stage qualification has been increased from 22 to 26 teams, while UEFA also announced changes to kick-off times. 

Although the format of the competition remains the same from the group stage onwards, UEFA has revealed a number of alterations will come into effect at the start of next season for both the Champions League and Europa League.

Chief among those changes for the Champions League is the increase in teams going straight into the group stage, with the allocation increasing by four.

The Europa League will see a similar change, with 17 clubs now going directly into the group phase, plus another 10 dropping into the competition from the Champions League play-offs and third qualifying round.

There is als…

Nice defender Romain Genevois has signed a contract extension that will keep him at the Ligue 1 club until 2017.

The 26-year-old has been a regular for Nice since joining on a free transfer from Tours in 2012 and has put pen to paper on a one-year extension.

Nice finished a lowly 17th in the French top flight last season, but Genevois who can operate as a centre-back and a right-back is confident he can continue to progress with the Cote d Azur club.

This is something that we have been preparing for a while, Genevois told Nice s official website.

We took the time to do things right and I am very pleased to have signed.

I m glad I have played so much, touch wood that it lasts. I hope to continue my progress and even reach new levels.

…

Former Barcelona and Brazil defender Edmilson believes Neymar would emulate Ronaldinho s achievements at the Spanish club.

The Santos star has been strongly linked with a move to Camp Nou following a series of dazzling performances in his homeland and at international level.
And Edmilson believes the 21-year-old has the ability to follow in the footsteps of his compatriot, who lifted two Liga titles and one UEFA Champions League with the Catalan side.
He told La Xarxa: Neymar has a character like Ronnie [Ronaldinho], he plays football very cheerful, very fun, very spontaneous and with this commitment from Leo [Messi] to beat records every season, they can do great things together.
He is focused and uncomplicated, so the fans will love him.
The 36-year-old, who retired from pl…

Jose Mourinho feels Tottenham s rebuilt team spirit is key to their improved form.

Jan Vertonghen s injury-time header earned a 2-1 win at Wolves on Sunday that moved Spurs within three points of fourth-placed Chelsea in the Premier League table.

Mourinho s men have taken 12 points from a possible 15 since he succeeded the sacked Mauricio Pochettino, with Tottenham also progressing to the last 16 of the Champions League.

Wolves were unfortunate to see their 11-game unbeaten league run end as Mourinho revelled in his side s new-found unity.

Sometimes football is strange, Mourinho told a news conference. It could have been the same game but, without that goal, Wolves would be one point ahead of us and we would not be so happy. But a winning team starts w…

Mikel Arteta knows Arsenal have a huge task on their hands after a 2-1 defeat to Everton left the Gunners without a Premier League win in seven games.

Arsenal will drop to 16th by the end of the weekend if Brighton and Hove Albion defeat lowly Sheffield United on Sunday.

The Gunners points return of 14 from as many games this season is their worst record at this stage since the 1974-75 campaign (converted to three points per win).

Arteta s side have failed to score from open play in any of their past five Premier League away games, with their two goals on the road since Alexandre Lacazette s strike against Liverpool coming from the penalty spot.

Nicolas Pepe restored parity from 12 yards after Rob Holding s own goal put Everton ahead on Saturday, but Yerr…

If Lionel Messi s intention to retire from internationals was not enough, Sergio Aguero claims a number of Argentina players are considering their futures.

Messi, 29, dropped a bombshell following Argentina s 4-2 penalty shoot-out loss to Chile in the Copa America Centenario final on Sunday, revealing he is walking away from the national team.

Argentina s all-time leading goalscorer was in tears after blazing his spot-kick over the bar as the South American giants lost a third consecutive final, having gone down to Chile on penalties last year, while they were beaten by Germany in the 2014 World Cup decider.

And Aguero reportedly among some of the Argentina players weighing up their international careers  added more fuel to the fire, when he told reporters: The…