According to a recent report from Sky Sports news, Bayern Munich have held preliminary talks with Wilfried Zaha’s representatives over the possibility of signing the popular Crystal Palace star. 

The Ivory Coast international has been linked with a series of clubs in the last few years and while it has been noted that it’s unlikely he’ll end up at Bayern, it’s definitely interesting to note that they’ve gone so far as to get his touch with his people. 

Bayern’s pursuit of a Premier League star seemed to be restricted to going after Leroy Sane based on recent evidence, but now, they appear to be expanding their horizons. 

Palace will do really well to keep hold of Zaha over the course of the next few months, although they should be breathing a si…

Former Manchester City defender Micah Richards has retired from football at the age of 31.

Richards has been unable to play since October 2016 due to a long-standing knee problem.

He has spent the past four seasons with Aston Villa but could only watch on as they secured promotion to the Premier League by beating Derby County in the play-off final at Wembley in May.

I m a footballer and I want to play football, but the knee would swell up to the point where I couldn t even train properly, he said via City s website. I would have liked to have given Aston Villa more on the pitch, but it just wasn t to be.

Richards made his City debut in 2005 and went on to win two Premier Leagues, the FA Cup and the EFL Cup before leaving for Fiorentina in 2014.

…

On Thursday, Lampard posted a goodbye message on his official Instagram account, with the statement also shared by the League Managers Association (LMA).

Coming into Everton last year I knew we were in a tough moment and I will always be proud of the incredible work and support from everyone involved to keep the team in the Premier League last season, Lampard wrote.

Thanks to everybody that played their part as the whole club came together. I will never forget the incredible night against Palace that we shared.

I want to thank all Evertonians for the welcome that you gave to myself, my staff, and my family. It truly is a special club with a huge heart, and an incredible history.

I m disappointed that we couldn t achieve more together and wish all the …

Fernandinho will not be leaving Manchester City at the end of the season after the Brazilian secured a one-year contract extension.

The 34-year-old was seemingly set to depart in July, with his previous deal approaching its conclusion, but City have ensured he will be around for at least another season.

An intelligent combative midfielder, Fernandinho joined City from Shakhtar Donetsk in 2013 and has been a revelation, appearing in at least 29 Premier League matches in every campaign.

He has remained a key figure this term, playing 20 of the champions 24 top-flight games, filling in at centre-back for many of those due to City s defensive injury crisis.

And choosing to remain at the club for another season was a straightforward decision.

Another y…

According to a recent report from Sport, Barcelona sporting director Eric Abidal has claimed that the club were not at all interested in signing Bruno Fernandes. The new Manchester United midfielder had been previously linked with a move to several top clubs around European football, but at this stage, it seems as if the Red Devils may have been one of the only sides in the hunt after all. 

Barcelona as a club seem to be struggling a little bit as of late and with Abidal clashing with Lionel Messi, it certainly seems as if there’s some kind of division that needs to be resolved – and fast. 

Fernandes looked good during his first performance for Manchester United at the weekend when they took on Wolves, but whether or not he’ll be able to sustain that kind …

Newcastle have completed their swoop for AC Milan star Sandro Tonali as they gear up for a return to Champions League football.

The 23-year-old Italy midfielder has signed for an undisclosed fee – understood to be in excess of £50million – on an initial deal which will keep him at St James’ Park until 2028.

Tonali, who has 14 senior caps, has captained his country at the European Under-21s Championship in Georgia and Romania in recent weeks and the announcement of his signing came a day after the Italians exited the competition.

Benvenuto, Sandro!

— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC)

The former Brescia player said: “First of all, I want to thank Newcastle United because they are giving me a huge opportunity for my career.

“I want t…

The Africa Cup of Nations has reached the quarter-final stage and Saturday s matches promise the chance of history.

Host nation Cameroon will meet Gambia in the competition for the first time, their second successive game against tournament debutants, something they last experienced way back in 1972.

Tunisia meet Burkina Faso in the later match looking to end a fairly rotten recent record at this stage of the AFCON, although history favours their opponents.

Two of Egypt, Morocco, Senegal and Equatorial Guinea will lie in wait for winners

Gambia v Cameroon (16:00 GMT)

Cameroon have enjoyed facing AFCON debutants of late: including their 2-1 win over Comoros in the last round, they have won three consecutive matches against such opposit…

Carlo Ancelotti and Mikel Arteta surely departed Goodison Park on Saturday suspecting they had each arrived just in time.

Everton initially improved under Duncan Ferguson following Marco Silva s sacking, but new boss Ancelotti watching in the stands struggled to hide his frustration as they contributed to a dreadful Premier League encounter.

Arteta, a former Toffees favourite, was also in attendance and might even have been the more encouraged of the two coaches-in-waiting, yet his side Arsenal were only marginally better.

Freddie Ljungberg has failed to inspire Arsenal, and it was clear on Merseyside that both the Gunners and Everton were each in need of a lift.

MESUT MESS CONTRIBUTES TO CAPTAINCY CONCERN

Ljungberg s stint ends with one win in six …

Croatia forward Andrej Kramaric has dismissed the idea Saturday s third-place playoff with Morocco is an empty contest, suggesting the winner will become immortal .

The two teams will meet at Khalifa International Stadium following their respective semi-final defeats to Argentina and France.

For Zlatko Dalic s side, they fell short of a second successive final, having been beaten by Les Bleus at Russia 2018, while Walid Regragui s men saw their underdog story come up short of the showpiece game as well.

But Kramaric says there will be no short-changing their bronze-medal match despite their heartbreak, arguing the winner stakes a place in history and becomes entrenched in sporting folklore.

I think if you ask this question to Moroccan players, I don t th…

Paris Saint-Germain youngster Kays Ruiz-Atil has confirmed he will leave the club when his contract expires next month.

The 18-year-old featured seven times for PSG in Ligue 1 this season, all but one of those outings coming from the substitutes bench.

Ruiz-Atil joined the French giants in 2015 from Barcelona – where he spent six years in the famed La Masia academy – and made his senior debut in September s 1-0 loss to Lens.

A return to Barca has been touted for the teenager, while a reunion with Thomas Tuchel at Chelsea is also reportedly being considered.

Announcing his departure on Instagram on Tuesday, Ruiz-Aril posted: Thanks from the bottom of my heart to the whole club, the president, the staff, the different coaches.

Each time y…