PSV striker Stefan Nijland has joined A-League champions Brisbane Roar on loan for the rest of the season.
The Roar s lack of depth up front was exposed by the suspension of key forward Besart Berisha, with Ben Halloran forced to lead the line against Perth Glory on Saturday.
While the Roar picked up a 1-0 win at nib Stadium, it has not stopped coach Mike Mulvey swooping for Nijland, 24.
The Groningen product is expected to link up with new team-mates at training on Thursday and could be available for the match with the Central Coast Mariners the next day, pending his international clearance.
Stefan is tall, quick and has an eye for goal, Mulvey said via club statement of his new signing, who is a former Netherlands international.
I m confident…
Sepp Blatter does not feel justice has been done after receiving an eight-year suspension by FIFA s Independent Ethics Committee on Monday.
The outgoing president and vice-president Michel Platini were handed provisional 90-day bans in October after a payment of two million Swiss francs made by FIFA to the Frenchman, authorised by Blatter, in 2011 – reportedly for consultancy work – formed part of a criminal investigation.
The pair s assertions of an oral agreement as the basis for the deal were labelled not convincing by the Ethics Committee, which determined they had breached rules on offering and accepting gifts and other benefits and subsequently imposed eight-year bans.
Blatter has already confirmed he will appeal the decision, which he called unju…
Everton and Tottenham Hotspur are set to battle for the services of out-of-favour AC Milan midfielder Keisuke Honda, .
The Japan international moved to Milan on a free transfer in the summer of 2013 and has so far racked up fifty-one appearances in all competitions, scoring nine goals in the process.
However, he has played just five times this season after falling down the pecking order under Sinisa Mihajlovic, who took charge at the San Siro in the summer.
Prior to his move to Italy spent four years in Russia with CSKA Moscow while he has also played for VVV in the Netherlands while he began his career with Nagoya Grampus in his native Japan.
He has twenty-two goals in seventy-seven appearances for his country while he was part of the squads that co…
Marko Arnautovic insists he always gives his all and criticised the European media for suggesting otherwise.
Arnautovic left West Ham on Monday, joining Chinese Super League champions Shanghai SIPG for a reported fee of £22million
The 30-year-old only signed a new five-year deal at London Stadium in January, with West Ham handing Arnautovic the bumper contract after he initially submitted a transfer request amid interest from a then unnamed Chinese side.
However, Arnautovic scored just twice following the saga, with his commitment at times called into question.
But on his presentation as an SIPG player, Arnautovic hit back, claiming the media s portrayal of his attitude is inaccurate.
They do not train with me, they do not play with me, bu…
Former Barcelona and Atletico Madrid forward David Villa has no plans to slow down, with the New York City star hungry for more goals after joining the 400 club on Sunday.
Villa became the sixth active player to score 400 career goals, joining Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Samuel Eto o following his two-goal haul in New York s 3-1 win over Dallas in MLS.
Spain s all-time leading scorer ended the match with 401 goals for club and country, the 36-year-old taking his New York tally to 68 since arriving from LaLiga outfit Atletico in 2014.
Speaking after the milestone performance, Villa told reporters: To arrive at 400 is a great day for me.
03/19/06 vs Racing Santander
04/19/09 vs Sevilla
11/28/12 vs Alaves
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Brazil head coach Tite recalled how he was shaking when he first met Pele, as he wished the three-time World Cup winner good health.
Pele was hospitalised on Tuesday, though his daughter said a day later there was no surprise or emergency pertaining to his condition, with Pele also describing it as a monthly visit .
It was later reported, though not officially confirmed, that the 82-year-old had been moved to palliative care as he was no longer responding to chemotherapy treatment.
The hospital treating Brazil s record scorer described his condition as stable , while Pele issued a statement to say he remained strong, with a lot of hope .
Speaking at a press conference ahead of the Selecao s World Cup round-of-16 tie against South Korea, Tite shared a memo…
Market: Finland win
Odds: 8/5 @
Looking to get their qualifying campaign off to a flying start in midweek, Finland will welcome Bosnia-Herzegovina to Helsinki on Wednesday night.
Starting with the hosts, after signing off their Nations League campaign with a sluggish 3-1 defeat against Wales back in November, Finland will be looking to prove that was just a minor blip in midweek. Despite seeing their four-match winning run come to an abrupt end against The Dragons last year, Head Coach Markku Kanerva knows that his squad must get off to a flying start if they re to reach the 2022 World Cup Finals. Sharing Group D with the likes of defending world champions France and Ukraine, Finland will undoubtedly be boosted by their shock meeting against Les Bleus four month…
Former Newport defender Fraser Franks faced a difficult “grieving process” when a heart problem cut short his football career at the age of 28.
But four years on, as he prepares for surgery that will ultimately save his life, he is “grateful” the condition was picked up early – as many people are not even aware they are at risk.
“I’ll be having a mechanical valve fitted and work done on my aorta,” Franks, now 32, told the PA news agency.
His surgery is set for September 4.
“It is a big operation and I’ll be in hospital for about 10 days. And the recovery after, I won’t be able to lift anything, even a bag of shopping, for two to three months.
“With a four-year-old daughter, that’s going to be difficult for me and her,” …
Mikel Arteta praised Eddie Nketiah’s fight to be in the picture to play for England after the Arsenal striker earned his first senior call-up.
Nketiah made the cut in Gareth Southgate’s 26-man squad for the upcoming Euro 2024 qualifier against Ukraine and a friendly in Scotland.
The 24-year-old is England’s all-time record goalscorer at under-21 level but has yet to be given his chance in the senior ranks.
But that opportunity could come in the next couple of weeks and Arteta believes it would be just reward for the efforts of the Arsenal forward.
“I’m so pleased. If someone deserves to be in the England squad, that’s him,” he said.
“An academy player that had some moments when his pathway wasn’t very clear and he had to fight.
Newcastle s Joe Kinnear believes he is the best director of football in England, due to his experience as a manager.
Kinnear, who was appointed to the position at St James Park in June, enjoyed a brief five-month spell as manager of the club in 2009 that was cut short due to health problems after he suffered a heart attack.
However, the former Wimbledon and Nottingham Forest boss claims his managerial pedigree means he is head and shoulders above every other director of football .
I’m probably the only football manager to be a director of football, added Kinnear to The Shields Gazette.
I don’t know any other ex-managers who have. I’ve been a manager for 35 years. I’ve been Manager of the Year. I’ve won every award there is in football as a player.