Osimhen left in limbo after exclusion from Napoli’s Serie A squad

Former Juventus sporting director Fabio Paratici said the Serie A champions have never been close to re-signing Manchester United star Paul Pogba.

Pogba is entering the final year of his United contract and the France international s future remains uncertain amid links with Juventus, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain.

The 28-year-old, who left United for Juve in 2012 before returning to Old Trafford in 2016, has long been linked with the Bianconeri but Paratici played down the speculation.

Paul Pogba back to Juventus? I think it is very difficult, Paratici, who is now managing director of football at Tottenham, told Sky Sport.

There has never been a moment in which we have been close to taking him back.

Pogba was a standout performer at Euro …

Cagliari have hired Eusebio Di Francesco as their new coach after opting to cut short the stay of Walter Zenga.

Former Italy goalkeeper Zenga had been appointed during the coronavirus-enforced suspension, replacing Rolando Maran on a deal until June 30, 2021.

Speaking ahead of Saturday s 3-0 defeat at Milan in the club s final match of the season, Zenga seemed optimistic about his chances of continuing at the helm next term.

But club president Tommaso Giulini was clearly of a differing opinion, with Cagliari confirming on Sunday that Zenga s stay had been terminated despite guiding them to safety.

Di Francesco arrives in his place, signing a two-year deal as he returns to work following an ill-fated spell at Sampdoria last year.

He presided over …

Midfielder Marwan Attia insists Egypt can cope with the “great loss” of Mohamed Salah as they gear up for their Africa Cup of Nations last-16 clash with DR Congo in San Pedro.

Salah is back at Liverpool for treatment on the hamstring injury he picked up in the second group game, with the hope he might be able to rejoin the national team should they reach the latter stages of the tournament.

Egypt squeezed into the knockout round following three successive 2-2 draws and will next face a DR Congo side who are also unbeaten but yet to record a victory.

Get the latest updates from Marwan Attia in the press conference

— Egypt National Team (@EgyptNT_EN)

Attia said at a press conference: “The absence of a Mohamed Salah is a great loss for the …

Ronald Koeman says his decision to name Lionel Messi on the bench for Barcelona s LaLiga clash with Real Betis was down to the forward carrying a knock.

Messi was absent from Barca s starting line-up for the first time during Koeman s 10-game reign yet still managed to have a major say in his side s 5-2 victory at Camp Nou.

The Argentina international had failed to assist a goal or score from open play in six league matches before Saturday s victory.

It was the first time he had been benched for a league game since September 2019, but Koeman insists he was left out purely for fitness reasons.

We talked yesterday, Koeman said to Movistar Plus. Leo came out of the game against Dynamo Kiev with some discomfort and was not in a position to play from the sta…

Kevin De Bruyne s missed penalty proved costly for Manchester City as they played out an engrossing 1-1 draw with Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium. 

Mohamed Salah did convert a 13th-minute spot-kick as the reigning Premier League champions struck the first blow in the heavyweight top-flight tussle, putting them on course to sit top of the table during November s international break. 

City, however, weathered the early storm amid the Manchester downpours before countering impressively through Gabriel Jesus, his sixth goal in his past seven league outings. 

They could have scored again before half-time had the usually reliable De Bruyne not failed to convert from 12 yards out, the Belgian missing the target completely after another penalty wa…

Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold emphasised the value of results over performances following another narrow Premier League victory.

Virgil van Dijk scored two first-half goals, but the title favourites were made to work for Saturday s 2-1 triumph over Brighton and Hove Albion.

Alisson s dismissal for handling the ball outside his box led to a nervy final 15 minutes for substitute goalkeeper Adrian, who saved at full stretch from Aaron Mooy and almost spilled a tame Pascal Gross header into his own net.

Seven of Liverpool s past nine top-flight fixtures have been won by the Reds by a single-goal margin, the exceptions being a 1-1 draw with Manchester United and the 3-1 victory against Manchester City.

But having surged 11 points clear of Pep Guard…

Mesut Ozil is a Fenerbahce fanatic and could join the Turkish giants from Arsenal this month, according to agent Erkut Sogut.

The 32-year-old has not played for Arsenal since last March after being frozen out by first-team manager Mikel Arteta.

Ozil is into the final six months of his Emirates Stadium contract and revealed on Monday a move to either Turkey or the United States appeals to him.

Agent Sogut is hopeful his client will soon find a new club, with discussions already under way with clubs over a possible deal in the January window.

Ozil is not an ordinary Fenerbahce supporter. He s a fanatic. He would only come to Turkey to play for Fenerbahce. I hope it will happen, Sogut told beIN Sports Turkey.

This transfer needs a process. It woul…

Carlo Ancelotti claims Luka Modric will retire at Real Madrid, comparing the 36-year-old midfielder to his former charge, AC Milan legend Paolo Maldini.

The Croatia captain has been extending his contract year-by-year for a while now. His current one, therefore, expires at the end of the season, but Real boss Ancelotti isn t worried about losing his most creative player.

Modric joined Real from Tottenham Hotspur back in 2012 for a reported fee of €35 million, and despite being maliciously branded as the worst signing of the summer by the Spanish press at the time, he has so far made 429 appearances for the club, scoring 31 goals and laying on 70 assists. He has helped the team win four Champions League trophies and as many FIFA Club World Cups, three UEFA Super Cups, …

Lautaro Martinez declared Inter showed their true colours in Sunday s 3-0 derby victory over Milan at San Siro.

The Nerazzurri moved four points clear at the top of Serie A thanks to a double from Martinez and Romelu Lukaku s 23rd goal of the season in all competitions.

Lukaku crossed for his strike partner to nod in after only five minutes and each of them scored after the interval to put the game beyond Milan s reach.

Having been eliminated from European competition in December and beaten in the Coppa Italia semi-finals by Juventus, the Scudetto remains Inter s only hope for silverware in 2020-21.

Martinez is now determined to end the club s 11-year wait to become champions of Italy again.

This is what we are: we re united, we work every day to…

Fabinho thinks Mohamed Salah could go on to be regarded as one of the greatest players to ever pull on a Liverpool jersey after signing a new contract.

Salah ended speculation around his future by agreeing a new three-year deal on July 1 – the Egypt forward only had 12 months remaining on his previous deal with the Reds and could have departed as a free agent after the 2022-23 season.

That would have been a significant blow for Liverpool considering Salah s impact since joining from Roma in 2017.

The 30-year-old has made 254 appearances for the Reds and scored 156 goals, assisting 58 more.

Those 156 goals rank Salah ninth on the list of Liverpool s record scorers, while his Premier League goal involvements tally of 164 is third only to Robert Lewandow…