Neymar will have €170m release clause after next season

Bayer Leverkusen have signed right-back Santiago Arias from Atletico Madrid on an initial loan with the option of a permanent deal at the end of the campaign.

The 28-year-old struggled for playing time in his second season at Atletico, featuring in 18 matches in all competitions in 2019-20.

Leverkusen, who have sold Kai Havertz and Kevin Volland to Chelsea and Monaco respectively this transfer window, must reportedly pay €12million to sign Arias permanently.

He becomes the German club s second signing of the window following the addition of Patrick Schick from Roma on a permanent deal earlier this month.

Arias arrival was confirmed on Leverkusen s official website on Thursday and the club s sporting director Rudi Voller said: We have signed a very ex…

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Two sides who will be smelling the chance to pick up maximum points this weekend, Southampton will welcome Brighton to St. Mary s on Saturday afternoon.

Starting with the hosts, after taking the lead twice at home against Leicester in midweek, there is no doubt that Southampton would have been disappointed to have had to settle for a single point on home soil. Eventually playing out a lively 2-2 draw against the Foxes, Ralph Hasenhüttl does find his side seeking a boost. While they might have entered the international break with back-to-back wins against Aston Villa and Watford, the one-time RB Leipzig boss has seen his side largely fail to build off of that boost. Including a 4-0 drumming away at Liverpool, Southampton have …

Zack Steffen will make his Premier League debut for depleted Manchester City as their clash with Chelsea goes ahead despite a coronavirus outbreak.

Pep Guardiola is without six players for Sunday s trip to Stamford Bridge, with the club s squad badly affected by COVID-19.

Eric Garcia was the latest to test positive on the day of the game, though the Spaniard was due to miss out through injury anyway.

Kyle Walker and Gabriel Jesus were confirmed to have the virus on Christmas Day, though Guardiola did not reveal the identities of the others to have returned positive tests.

But goalkeeper Ederson did confirm he is self-isolating, meaning 25-year-old United States international Steffen was picked to start between the posts, wirth Scott Carson as back-up.

Everton made mathematically certain of remaining in the Premier League on Saturday as Idrissa Gueye s goal handed them a 1-0 home win over Brentford, who are also safe after Luton Town s earlier loss to Wolves.

Luton s 2-1 defeat at Molineux meant Brentford s slim fears of relegation were behind them before kick-off, while Everton knew a third straight victory would also secure their place in the top flight for next season.

The Toffees old wastefulness was on show in the first half, but Gueye powered home 15 minutes into the second period to hand them a third Goodison Park triumph in the space of six days.

The result saw Sean Dyche s men climb above their visitors to go 15th in the table, one place and point clear of Brentford, who can also plan ahead for 2024-25…

Nicolo Zaniolo is set to leave Galatasaray for Aston Villa after the two clubs reached an agreement over a proposed transfer for the Italian attacking midfielder, according to Fabrizio Romano. Zaniolo will start at Villa as a Galatasaray loanee, but the Premier League club will have the option to turn the deal permanent for a fee of €30 million, plus potential add-ons. The option could become mandatory if certain conditions are met.

Zaniolo only joined Galatasaray from AS Roma in February this year for a reported fee of €15m, after certain controversies arose at the end of which he openly criticized the Serie A side. He was later heavily linked with AC Milan and Tottenham Hotspur since, but obviously neither of those clubs stepped up the reported interest.

The 24-ye…

Crystal Palace have completed the signing of France midfielder Yohan Cabaye from Paris Saint-Germain, subject to international clearance.

Cabaye has moved to Selhurst Park on an three-year-deal, with Palace shelling out a club-record fee to secure his services.

The transfer sees Cabaye reunite with former manager Alan Pardew, who he played under during his spell at Newcastle United.

I m happy to be here. I ve been waiting for the decision, had the medical and now I can t wait to focus on my new team, a new season and my new life, Cabaye told Palace s official website.

I wanted to come and play for Palace because there are some really strong players here. They finished very well last season and I think they can compete to get into the top eight. 

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Lille s Rudi Garcia has dismissed his team s last game against Valencia as insignificant in the lead-up to their UEFA Champions League clash.

Valencia will host Lille on Tuesday with the French club s last trip to the eastern Spanish city in 2009 having ended in a 3-1 defeat to Garcia s team.

But the 48-year-old French head coach has rejected the claim Lille might be affected by that result because the two teams will be significantly different this time around.

The context is completely different, Garcia said.

We re talking about a game played three years ago.

Obviously, Valencia s team and our team were different.

If I recall, (full-back) Mathieu (Debuchy) was on the bench, (former Lille forward) Gervinho too.

Garcia has …

Southampton manager Ronald Koeman has insisted that Jose Fonte is not for sale,.

The Saints’ captain has been linked with a move to Aston Villa though he has himself said that he would only leave for Champions League football.

Either way, Koeman is determined to keep hold of the defender, who has been at St Mary’s for five-and-a-half years, during which time he has racked up two hundred and twenty appearances in all competitions, scoring thirteen goals.

He was part of the squads that won back to back promotions from League One to the Premier League and the Football League Trophy in 2010.

Internationally, the thirty-one year old won the first of his four caps for Southampton back in November having previously made just one appearance for their B t…

Wayne Rooney has been described as a once in a generation player and a unique talent by Barcelona star Lionel Messi after becoming England s leading goalscorer.

The Manchester United and England captain moved to 50 goals for his country in Tuesday s 2-0 win over Switzerland overtaking fellow United and England great Bobby Charlton from the spot.

Like Argentina international Messi, Rooney has not always enjoyed the best relationship with his national side.

While Messi has been accused of failing to replicate club form for his country, Rooney has enjoyed a fractious relationship with England supporters at times, notably when the side were booed off after drawing 0-0 with Algeria at the World Cup in 2010.

But Messi suggested English football should apprecia…

that Chelsea are ready to listen to offers for midfielder Willian this summer.

Manchester United are interested in securing the services of the Brazil international, with Jose Mourinho having taken him to Stamford Bridge in the summer of 2013.

The twenty-eight year old has made thirty-six appearances in all competitions for Antonio Conte’s side so far this season but has started just thirteen Premier League games – less than half as many as this time last season.

He scored a brace as the Blues beat Tottenham Hotspur 4-2 in the semi-finals of the FA Cup at Wembley last month, but only made a cameo appearances in the league win over Southampton three days later.

He also netted after coming off the bench as the champions elect beat Everton by three…