Ajax captain Jan Vertonghen says it would be impossible to turn down AC Milan if they made an offer for his services.

Belgium international Vertonghen still has a year to run on his contract with Eredivisie champions Ajax, but has been widely tipped to leave Amsterdam in the close season, with English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur reportedly leading the chase for his signature.

Vertonghen has repeatedly expressed his interest in moving to White Hart Lane, but Ajax s asking price of 16 million pounds is believed to be a stumbling block.

The centre-back claims he is still entertaining thoughts of joining Milan, having been lavished with praise by the club s chief executive Adriano Galliani during the group stages of the 2010/11 Champions League.

I…

It is a matter of urgency The time for talking about this is over, we need some action. That is the message from FIFPro vice-president Francis Awaritefe amid growing calls for change to the concussion protocol and treatment of head injuries.

The issue of concussion and head injuries has dominated headlines once again after a sickening incident involving Tottenham defender Jan Vertonghen in the Champions League semi-final first leg against Ajax on Tuesday.

Vertonghen required extensive treatment after colliding with the back of fellow Belgium defender and Spurs team-mate Toby Alderweireld s head in the first half of the 1-0 loss in London, where he was initially cleared to return following a three-minute medical assessment as per the current concussion protocol.

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Hoffenheim head coach Julian Nagelsmann is a tactics freak , according to Bayern Munich defender Niklas Sule.

Nagelsmann became the youngest coach in Bundesliga history when he took over from Huub Stevens at the Rhein-Neckar-Arena in February 2016 aged 28.

He steered Hoffenheim away from the Bundesliga relegation zone and followed up that feat by securing a place in the Champions League qualification play-off round in his first full season at the helm.

Sule played under Nagelsmann in Sinsheim until joining Bayern ahead of this season, a path the young coach has been tipped to follow in the future, and the pair will go up against one another at the Allianz Arena on Saturday.

The Bayern defender lauded the ability of his former boss and believes Nagelsmann …

New Norwich City consultant Joe Royle said the club are desperate to keep winger Robert Snodgrass despite reported Premier League interest.

The Scotland international was one of the few players to shine last season for Norwich, who saw their three-year Premier League stay end with relegation.

The likes of Newcastle United and Hull City have been linked with moves for Snodgrass as a result, but Royle, appointed as a consultant to Neil Adams on Monday, remains hopeful the former Leeds United captain will remain at Carrow Road.

We are all hoping he will be here next year, Royle told Talksport.

He s got a great attitude and we think very highly of him.

I m told that right to the last whistle of the last game he was doing his best to win a game for Norwich. He s…

Paulo Fonseca has returned to Pacos de Ferreira after leaving for a spell in charge of Porto last year.

Fonseca guided Pacos to third place in the 2012-13 Primeira Liga, and that performance persuaded then-champions Porto to acquire his services.

However, the 41-year-old was relieved of his duties at Estadio do Dragao in March after a disappointing campaign.

Pacos, meanwhile, struggled badly last term only avoiding relegation to the second tier by virtue of a play-off victory over Desportivo Aves.

And the Estadio da Capital do Movel have turned to the man who led them to third place to revive their fortunes, with Fonseca saying he is thrilled to return.

This is not a step back, he said at a press conference on Wednesday. It was a year of great learning for…

Paolo Rossi has been described as an inspiration and a hero of Italian football following his death at the age of 64.

Striker Rossi played for Juventus, where he won the Serie A title twice and also the European Cup in 1985, as well as representing Milan and Hellas Verona during his career.

However, the former Italy international will be most fondly remembered for his exploits with the national team, particularly during the 1982 World Cup as the Azzurri were crowned champions.

His six-goal haul saw him finish as the leading scorer in Spain, while he also returned home with the Golden Ball after being voted as the best player at the tournament.

Following the announcement of Rossi s death, reportedly after a battle with illness, Italian Football Fe…

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With Madrid bragging rights up for grabs on Saturday night, Los Blancos will welcome their bitter rivals to the Estadio Alfredo Di Stéfano this weekend.

Real Madrid

Starting with the hosts, while Real Madrid might have only continued to show a host of issues both domestically and in Europe since opening the 2020/2021 campaign, Los Blancos should be boosted by an impressive week. Picking up a deserved 2-0 victory against German outfit Borussia Mönchengladbach last time out, Zinedine Zidane s men managed to secure their spot in the knockout stage of this year s Champions League as Group B winners. Now desperate to close the six-point buffer that their crosstown rivals hold over them at the top of the table, the Whites also shocked so…

Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has backed former manager Jose Mourinho to be a success at Manchester United.

The Portuguese boss is reported to have finalised terms with the Old Trafford club and is expected to succeed Louis van Gaal by leading United into the 2016-17 campaign.

Courtois was Mourinho s first-choice keeper as Chelsea won the Premier League in 2014-15 before the club embarked on a torrid run of form that resulted in his removal as manager at Stamford Bridge in December.

But the Belgium international, 24, believes Mourinho s presence will ensure facing United is a challenging prospect next season.

He s a very good manager, Courtois told Sky Sports. Obviously this season it was not our year but I m confident he s a top manager and Manche…

Elche will have to thwart the impact of nemesis Cristiano Ronaldo to stand any chance of getting a result in Sunday s La Liga clash.

Elche probably winced at the sight of Cristiano Ronaldo scoring ahead of their home clash with Real Madrid on Sunday.

Ronaldo had not found the net for Liga leaders Real in a month due to suspension and a rare blip in form.

But he returned to the scoresheet in his side s 2-0 UEFA Champions League win at Schalke on Wednesday, a result that gives the holders an excellent chance of reaching the quarter-finals, with the second leg of the last-16 tie penned in for March 10.

Ronaldo s goal his 37th in the season in all competitions is sure to lift his confidence against an Elche side he has tormented in the past.

The 201…

Deportivo La Coruna have secured the services of Evaldo from Sporting Lisbon on a season-long loan, the club have confirmed.

The Brazilian full-back joins the newly-promoted Liga outfit for the 2012-2013 campaign after failing to establish himself in the Portuguese giants starting XI last term.

Evaldo becomes the third player to arrive at the Riazor from the Portuguese side this summer, following in the footsteps of former team-mates Alberto Rodriguez and Andre Santos.

Evaldo, who started his career with Atletico Paranaense, represented Porto, Maritimo and Braga before joining Sporting Lisbon in 2010.

The 30-year-old made 42 appearances for the Leoes, but struggled to make the left-back spot his own last season, and has subsequently decided to join Depor…