Premier League | Vermaelen unavailable for Fulham match

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Arsenal continues to be without key reserves as Thomas Vermaelen joins Mikel Arteta, Thomas Rosicky, Nacho Monreal, and Nicklas Bendtner in being unavailable for the Fulham match.

In addition to these key reserves, Arsenal will also be missing Aaron Ramsey and Theo Walcott. While this isn't great for squad depth, it is great for fantasy managers who won't have much rotation to worry about with Serge Gnabry/Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain the only real uncertainty for Week 22. This situation will be short lived however, as Vermaelen, Monreal, Arteta, and Bendtner are likely to be available for Week 23 while Rosicky could go in an emergency with a mask protecting his recent facial surgery.

Source: Arsenal.com

Fri, Jan 17, 2014 08:49:00 AM

Huddersfield sign Dutch midfielder Bacuna

Huddersfield Town announced the signing of midfielder Juninho Bacuna from Dutch outfit FC Groningen for an undisclosed fee.

Bacuna joins Town on a three-year contract, with the Terriers having the choice for a further season. The 20-year-old, who can operate as an attacking or central midfielder, arrives having made 94 appearances in the Dutch top-flight since his debut in 2014. This past season, he scored three goals and provided five assists across 35 appearances in all competitions. Said manager David Wagner: "I’m delighted that we’ve been able to bring Juninho in, especially before we report back as it allows him to have a full pre-season with the team. He’s an exciting midfielder that offers all the aggression of a defensive midfielder and the technical skills and mobility of an offensive midfielder."

Source: Huddersfield Town Website

Jun 20 - 5:27 PM

Burnley winger suffers an injury scare

Johann Berg Gudmundsson is at risk of missing the remainder of the World Cup after suffering a "torn muscle" during Iceland’s historic 1-1 draw with Argentina on Saturday.

Assistant coach Helgi Koldvidsson told a news conference on Wednesday that the Burnley winger is rated as a major doubt for the upcoming Group D clash with Nigeria, although a final decision on his availability would not be made until Friday: "It remains a question whether he will be fit but we’ll see on match-day." The update suggests the problem is not too serious and offers some hope that Gudmundsson can still play a part in Russia, however, Iceland may need to reach the last-16 for him to do so. The 27-year-old suffered a similar injury back in April which resulted in him spending a fortnight on the sidelines.

Source: Burnley FC website

Jun 20 - 9:38 AM

Amrabat makes a shock return to face Portugal

Nordin Amrabat was a surprise starter on Wednesday as Morocco went in search of their first Group B win against European champions Portugal.

The Watford winger fell heavily to the ground [versus Iran] banging his head which appeared to render him unconscious. The incident attracted the attention of the worlds media following the odd-method of treatment administered by the Moroccan medical team which involved spraying water in the face of Amrabat and slapping him around the cheeks. He later spent a night in hospital after team doctor - Abderrazak Hifti – revealed: "I asked him five questions and he could only answer one, I saw clear symptoms of cerebral concussion." Their actions prompted FIFA to write a strong letter to the football federation expressing their ‘shock’ at the handling of the situation but they deny any wrongdoing: "We never make a decision that would put a player’s health at risk." FIFA concussion protocol clearly states that players must wait a minimum of six days before a return to competitive play, so just how Amrabat was declared fit is cause for concern.

Source: The Telegraph

Jun 20 - 9:10 AM

West Ham completes Fabianski signing

West Ham officially announced the signing of goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski from Swansea City in a £7 million move.

The goalkeeper arrives in East London on a three-year contract and looks to be the bona fide No. 1 with Joe Hart set to return to Manchester City from his loan and amid Adrian's struggles for the side in recent years. Over the past four seasons, Fabianski has only missed three Premier League matches for recently relegated Swansea City, where he established himself into one of the most consistent goalkeepers in the league. Said the Polish international: "West Ham is a massive club so I’m really happy to be joining at such an exciting time here. I will do my best on and off the pitch to help the team to achieve the best results possible and can’t wait to start this new chapter of my career."

Source: West Ham website

Jun 20 - 5:49 AM

Pellegrini moves for Toulouse captain Diop

Toulouse defender Issa Diop completed a club-record move to West Ham as Manuel Pellegrini's second signing.

The 21-year-old joins the Hammers in a £21.9 million move on a five-year contract despite interest from Marseille and Sevilla among other clubs. Said the center-back: "I am very happy to sign for such a historic English club, and I hope to show my best here. I am a very ambitious player and West Ham is a very ambitious club, as we've seen with the appointment of the new coach. I hope to help the team win lots of games and make the fans happy." Pellegrini has made defense a focal point of his squad with all three signings so far fortifying the club's leaky defense with Fulham full-back Ryan Fredericks and Swansea City goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski also joining the side.

Source: Sky Sports

Jun 20 - 5:54 AM

RLC could replace stricken Spurs star

Dele Alli is rated as a major doubt for England’s second Group G game against Panama on Sunday.

The Tottenham midfielder suffered a thigh injury during the first half of the win over Tunisia, and even though Fabian Delph was readied as his replacement, Alli managed to see out 80 minutes. "Hopefully I am okay," he said post-match. "It's my quad." Meanwhile, the Football Association confirmed that the 22-year-old was sent for a precautionary scan which revealed a "slight thigh strain," and with such a short turnaround between games, Gareth Southgate is not prepared to take any unnecessary risks. That could open the door for Ruben Loftus-Cheek who impressed during his 10-minute cameo. Elsewhere, Marcus Rashford will also come into the manager’s thinking having helped change the course of Monday’s game. The Manchester United attacker replaced a disappointing Raheem Sterling, who faded badly in the second half, and he looks poised for a starting berthing against the team ranked at 55 in the world by FIFA.

Source: The Telegraph

Jun 20 - 7:02 AM

Jack Wilshere confirms Arsenal exit

Jack Wilshere announced his imminent departure from Arsenal via Instagram today.

While the Arsenal youth product didn't make any announcement about where he will play next season, he did say where he wouldn't be playing...at Arsenal. With Lucas Torriera set to be announced as soon as Uruguay is finished with their World Cup run, Wilshere has decided to move on. He has been linked with a variety of clubs in the Premier League and abroad. Stay tuned.

Source: Espn.com

Jun 19 - 7:06 PM

Wolverhampton adds Rui Patricio

Wolverhampton adding the veteran shot stopper will likely see John Ruddy looking for pastures new this offseason.

While Patricio is on international duty with Portugal, his agent George Mendes is making moves securing his future at Wolverhampton. Patricio had his contract terminated at Sporting CP due to the clubs lack of regard for player safety paving the way for his move to Wolverhampton. Patricio has made 327 appearances for Sporting CP and will bring a plethora of experience to the Premier League for Wolves. The interesting question will be if Ruddy is okay playing a backup role or if he’ll want to move on to a new team.

Source: Wolverhampton Wanderers

Jun 18 - 3:44 PM

Arsenal add Bernd Leno to defensive overhaul

Arsenal have reportedly added Bernd Leno to Unai Emery's reconfigured defense as he takes over for Arsene Wenger.

Arsenal supporters have been clamoring for reinforcements down the spine of the team for some time. Arsene Wenger seemed immune to their pleas but Unai Emery seems more attuned to club needs. With a holding midfielder and center back rumored to be close the addition on the 26-year-old Leno from Bayer Leverkusen will give supporters hope of keeping a tighter ship at the back.

Source: Espn.com

Jun 18 - 2:42 PM

Sigurdsson stars as Iceland shock Argentina

Concerns over the fitness of Gylfi Sigurdsson prior to the World Cup look to be a little misplaced following his performance in the historic 1-1 draw with Argentina on Saturday.

The Iceland star suffered a serious knee ligament injury back in March, and despite the early optimism, Sigurdsson did not play another competitive match during 2017/18. His lack of game-time called into question his selection for the national side. However, after just 87 minutes of competitive football, Sigurdsson starred against standout favourites Argentina. The influential skipper covered more ground, during the Group D opener [11,048 m], than any other player, in fact, it was a kilometre more than the team average. Sigurdsson attempted 41 sprints, of which, 3% were over 20 km/h with a top speed 27.22 km/h, once again topping his international teammates. "Generally, he’s very fit," Icelandic football reporter Magnus Mar Einarsson said: "You could see that some of the players were very tired towards the end of the game, but not Gylfi. He leads by example, putting all the running in."

Source: Liverpool Echo

Jun 18 - 10:46 AM

Belgium quartet put future talk on hold

Roberto Martinez says the Belgium quartet of Thibaut Courtois, Eden Hazard, Toby Alderweireld and Mousa Dembele will put all talk of their futures on hold until after the finals in Russia.

"The group has decided to only focus on the World Cup. All the personal situations will be put to one side," revealed the national manager. Courtois has just 12 months remaining on his current deal and recent reports suggest Chelsea have turned down a £35m bid from Champions League winners Real Madrid. Meanwhile, team-mate Hazard is also attracting interest from the La Liga giants, and he said little to quell rumours of a potential move: "Do they interest me? Yes, maybe," he said. "If I stay at Chelsea, then the team have to do better than they did last season." Alderweireld appears to have fallen out-of-favour under Mauricio Pochettino following an injury-plagued season and the centre-back could leave, if a new deal can’t be agreed. Dembele appears the most likely to move on as Tottenham look to cash-in on the 30-year-old who is a long-term fitness worry.

Source: Evening Standard

Jun 18 - 12:01 PM