Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur will reportedly battle it out in the summer to try and sign Declan Rice. The West Ham startlet has caught the eye of a number of top Premier League clubs and he looks destined for big things. The 20-year-old committed his long-term future to the Hammers in December by signing a new five-and-a-half year contract but they could be tested if an offer too good to refuse comes in. The Daily Express report Spurs are plotting a £35million raid for the versatile midfielder while Liverpool are also considering a bid. Mauricio Pochettino’s side have not spent a penny in the last two transfer windows but could…

Following the lead of captain Sergio Ramos, the Blancos have shown their coach unconditional support despite Wednesday’s shock upset The Real Madrid dressing room has closed ranks around Zinedine Zidane as the coach struggles through the worst crisis of his short tenure as Merengue coach.  Wednesday’s Copa del Rey defeat to Leganes sent shockwaves through the club, leaving an unsightly wound in a Madrid side that is already reeling due to their chronic underachievement in La Liga so far this season. The circumstances of defeat, in front of a bemused Santiago Bernabeu and to a less-than-illustrious rival, only heightens the feeling of disaster around the Spanish capital, with Zidane taking…

Pep Guardiola was reduced to his knees after Sergio Aguero’s shocking first-half miss against Chelsea. The Argentine soon restored normality with two goals in the space of six minutes as Manchester City put four past the Blues in 25 minutes, but the early miss defied belief. Aguero was two yards out with the goal at his mercy, but somehow managed to put the ball wide. You would bet your life on City’s record goalscorer tucking that away, and, with City only one goal ahead at the time, Guardiola reaction was pure despair. He gasped in disbelief, before spinning around with his hands on his head and sinking to his knees.…

Manchester United pair Jesse Lingard and Anthony Martial will be sidelined with injury for “two or three weeks”, interim manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has revealed. Both Lingard and Martial were forced off in the first-half with muscle injuries during the Red Devils’ Champions League defeat to Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday night. It means the pair will definitely not feature in United’s FA Cup tie at Chelsea on Monday night – a game you can listen to live on talkSPORT – and they are unlikely to feature in their next match in the Premier League against rivals Liverpool on February 24th – a game you can also listen to live on…

Manchester United will be out for revenge when they make the trip to west London to face Chelsea in the FA Cup this evening. United were beaten 1-0 by the Blues in the final of the historic competition last season and the two face each other again in the fifth round this term. The Premier League big guns have won the cup 20 times between them and will know a win tonight will give them a great chance of going all the way again. The blockbuster tie will be live on talkSPORT and here’s how you can tune in. Chelsea vs Man United: How to listen Full commentary from the…

While Lionel Messi may be out of this world, Vincenzo Montella still believes Sevilla can spring a surprise against Barcelona. Vincenzo Montella described Lionel Messi as an “alien” but is confident his Sevilla side can bring Barcelona back down to earth in Saturday’s Copa del Rey final. Already on the brink of securing the LaLiga title, Barcelona are firm favourites to wrap up the first leg of a domestic double at the Wanda Metropolitano on Saturday. Yet Ernesto Valverde’s side were given a fright against Sevilla when the sides met in league action last month, with Messi coming off the bench to inspire a dramatic comeback in a 2-2 draw.…

Manchester United interim manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has rung the changes for their Premier League clash with Fulham. The Red Devils have won nine out of 10 under the Norwegian and ahead of a huge clash with Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League. And it seems Solskjaer is confident in his squad ability as he rotates several players out of the first XI to keep them fresh for Tuesday. Marcus Rashford, Alexis Sanchez, Jesse Lingard, Eric Bailly, and Ashley Young all move to the bench, allowing Romelu Lukaku, Diogo Dalot, and others to step up. Victor Lindelof meanwhile has been rested completely and isn’t in the matchday squad. For Fulham,…

Arsenal are looking at rising Bundesliga star Kai Havertz as a potential replacement for Gunners outcast Mesut Ozil, reports claim. Ozil has been a bit-part player since the arrival of Unai Emery and does not appear to feature in the manager’s long-term plans. And according to The Sun, the German playmaker is refusing to leave the club. The 30-year-old, who is Arsenal’s highest-earning player on a whopping £350,000-a-week, is reportedly happy in London and plans to run down the final two years on his contract. However, the Gunners are already plotting life after his departure, and Bayer Leverkusen superstar Havertz has emerged as a primary target. The 19-year-old has taken…

talkSPORT.com rounds up all the latest transfer news and football gossip from Thursday’s papers and online… Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany is set to sign a new one-year contract. The 32-year-old Belgian, whose new deal will reduce his wages, will have a testimonial in August. (Daily Mail) Lionel Messi WILL renew his contract at Barcelona, according to club president Josep Maria Bartomeu. The Argentine wizard’s current deal is due to expire in the summer of 2021. (Marca) Manchester United have joined Chelsea in chasing Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic, with the Red Devils reportedly sending a formal enquiry about the 30-year-old Croatian, who is rated at around £57million. (Sport) It is claimed the Red Devils…

Paris Saint-Germain’s return to France following the win over Manchester United on Tuesday night had to be delayed. The French champions were eager to get home as quickly as possible following their 2-0 triumph at Old Trafford in the Champions League last 16 clash. But boss Thomas Tuchel and his squad had to wait around until the early hours before heading home, as Kylian Mbappe and Marco Verratti had to undergo drug tests. Having eventually left Old Trafford around 1.20am, PSG arrived back in Paris much later than expected. Mindful of his players’ fitness ahead of Sunday’s Ligue 1 clash with St-Etienne, Tuchel subsquently gave his squad two days off. They have been told…