Lionesses striker Toni Duggan leaves Barcelona

England striker Toni Duggan has left Barcelona after two years with the Spanish giants.

Duggan moved from Manchester City Women in 2017 to try her luck overseas and helped Barcelona reach the final of last season s Champions League.

She scored 29 goals in 72 appearances for Barcelona, winning two domestic cup medals, and has been a member of England s squad at the Women s World Cup in France, making three appearances.

Duggan s destination is not yet known, with representatives for the player saying her next club would be announced in due course .

Thank you to everybody who has helped me. From the staff, to my amazing teammates and you incredible fans! It was a dream come true to wear your famous colours and be a part of such a fantastic club.
I wish you…

Lukaku? I´m optimistic about everything – Marotta

Inter chief executive Giuseppe Marotta said he is optimistic about everything amid the club s ongoing battle to sign Manchester United s Romelu Lukaku.

Lukaku revealed that he expects an update on his future next week as Inter try to prise the Belgium star from Old Trafford, where Marcus Rashford has become Ole Gunnar Solskjaer s first-choice striker.

Antonio Conte s Inter have made no secret of their interest in the 26-year-old, but the Serie A side s reported offer of €70million (£63m) – comprising of a two-year loan and a €60m obligation to buy – has apparently fallen short of United s €83m asking price.

Asked if he was optimistic about Lukaku following speculation Inter could turn to Eintracht Frankfurt s Ante Rebic, CEO Marotta told reporters: Ye…

Van Dijk confident Liverpool will thrive regardless of who owns the club

Virgil van Dijk has complete confidence Liverpool will remain a force in world football regardless of who owns the Reds.

It was confirmed last month the club s Fenway Sports Group (FSG) are exploring the possibility of selling up or seeking outside investment as they aim to keep up with the Premier League s big spenders.

Reports suggest Liverpool are valued at an eye-watering £3.7billion with Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs said to be overseeing the process.

Van Dijk, speaking to reporters after helping the Netherlands defeat the United States 3-1 to reach the World Cup quarter-finals, says Liverpool will continue to thrive whoever is in charge at Anfield.

I have full trust in Liverpool that they will be fine. We are a very established club, one of the…

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola praises team consistency in Premier League race (Video)

With Liverpool and Chelsea both failing to win their Premier League matches this week, Manchester City have pulled away in the title race, leading the way eight points ahead of Chelsea and nine ahead of Liverpool, though the Merseysiders have a game in hand on both rivals.

But City boss Pep Guardiola believes the fact that his team won their last 10 league matches is behind this gap, rather than the rivals dropping points.

The distance is not because they dropped points, it s because we won 10 games in a row.

Pep Guardiola is remaining calm about the title race as the teams around Man City have dropped points

— Football Daily (@footballdaily)

Emery revels in ´special day´ as Villa seal Champions League qualification

Unai Emery says Aston Villa have achieved their dream after qualification for next season s Champions League was secured.

Tottenham s 2-0 defeat to Manchester City on Tuesday left Ange Postecoglou s fifth-place side five points behind Villa, who subsequently sealed a fourth-place finish with a game to spare.

More importantly, the Villans are back in UEFA s premier club competition for the first time since the 1982-83 season, when they suffered European Cup quarter-final elimination to Juventus.

Additionally, the club secured their highest top-flight finish since the 1995-96 campaign, which they also ended in fourth place.

Emery, whose side reached this season s Europa Conference League semi-finals, now has his sights set on Europe s top prize next season,…

Howard: Baines and Fellaini not fazed by bid

Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard insists Marouane Fellaini and Leighton Baines are working as hard as ever, amid Manchester United s interest.

Everton rejected a bid from United for two players widely reported to be full-back Baines and midfielder Fellaini labelling the offer derisory and insulting .

The Premier League champions appear set to raise their initial bid, thought to be in the region of £28million, as David Moyes looks to return to Goodison Park in order to bolster his new squad at Old Trafford.

Despite the on-going saga, USA keeper Howard is delighted to see the pair knuckle down and contribute to the team.

Fellaini went closest to breaking the deadlock as Everton were held 0-0 at Goodison Park by West Brom, hitting the post in the second half, while Ba…

Everton v West Brom: Martinez wants Goodison fortress

Roberto Martinez wants Everton to make Goodison Park a fortress in the final months of the Premier League season, starting against West Brom on Saturday.

Everton have struggled at home in 2015-16 with only four triumphs from their 13 league matches, the most recent of those coming against Newcastle United on February 3 to end a sequence of five without a win.

Luckily their away form has kept them in the top half of the table with 13 games to play, Martinez s side only losing once all season on their travels – a 2-1 defeat to Arsenal in October.

The Spanish manager wants that resilience to be transferred to their remaining home matches as Everton look to keep building towards achieving their Champions League qualification ambitions. 

Our away record ha…

Sunderland agree Altidore fee

Sunderland have agreed a fee for AZ striker Jozy Altidore, the Dutch club confirmed on Saturday.

The 23-year-old has already agreed personal terms with Paolo Di Canio s side, and will complete his move after undergoing a medical examination.

The United States international has previously spent one season in the Premier League, scoring one goal in 28 appearances for Hull City during the 2009-10 campaign.

Altidore began his career in Major League Soccer with the New York Red Bulls before departing for Europe in order to join La Liga outfit Villarreal.

Loan spells with Xerez, Hull City and Bursaspor followed before the striker moved on to AZ having made just nine appearances in total for his parent club.

He has since excelled for the Eredivisie club, and hit 2…

Saha: Ibrahimovic return will galvanise Man United

Louis Saha has backed Zlatan Ibrahimovic to help galvanise and lead Manchester United to trophies when he returns from a knee injury.

Ibrahimovic is back at Old Trafford after signing a one-year contract last month, having initially not been offered a new deal at the end of last season following a serious knee ligament injury.

The 35-year-old striker had been tipped to make his return to action January but his inclusion in United s squad for the Champions League group stage suggests he could be available before the New Year.

And former United forward Saha is relishing Ibrahimovic s comeback as Jose Mourinho s men seek to bring the Premier League title back to the club for the first time since 2013.

Ibrahimovic is an immense player who will galvanise t…

Record-breakers: No Champions League, but departing Pep has Bayern perfectly placed to continue Bund

Atletico Madrid ended Bayern Munich s Champions League dreams on Tuesday, but the Bavarians sealed a fourth consecutive Bundesliga title with a 2-1 win over Ingolstadt on Saturday as Robert Lewandowski s brace sealed an historic triumph.

We take a look at what Pep Guardiola has achieved in his three years at the Allianz Arena, and the legacy he leaves behind as he prepares to join Manchester City.

 

Making history

No team had ever won the Bundesliga title four times in a row.

Bayern made it three in succession on three separate occasions, but a fourth title proved to be beyond them each time. Gerd Muller, Uli Hoeness, Sepp Maier and Franz Beckenbauer were unable to do it in the early 1970s. Klaus Augenthaler, Lothar Matthaus and Jean-Marie Pfaf…