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Chelsea have agreed a deal to take real madrid's Mateo Kovacic as part of the deal for Belgian Goalie Courtois subject to personal terms. The Blues say the deal is still subject to Courtois agreeing personal terms and completing a medical. Real plan to present the 26-year-old, who will sign a six-year deal, as their new signing at 12:00 BST on Thursday. Athletic Bilbao's Kepa Arrizabalaga is set to arrive as his replacement for £71m - a world record for a goalkeeper. And Croatia midfielder Kovacic, 24, will have a medical on Wednesday before joining on a season-long loan. He has spent the past three campaigns at Real since joining from Inter Milan, and played in Croatia's run to the World Cup final in July. Courtois has been a Chelsea player since 2011, when he signed from Genk. He was immediately loaned to Atletico Madrid, where he played until 2014, before returning as the Blues' number one. On Monday he was absent from Chelsea's Cobham traini...

The Red Devils had thought their chase for the Belgium international was over but have now reached a compromise with the north London club Manchester United have an agreement in place with Tottenham for the signing of Toby Alderweireld, but Spurs have refused to complete the deal until they have brought in a replacement for the Belgium international. And, with United nervous as to Spurs' motives, their search for an alternative centre-back will continue to cover for the eventuality that the north London outfit will pull out of the deal at the last minute ahead of Thursday’s transfer deadline. United have been pursuing the 29-year-old throughout the summer but have widened the net in recent times after the initial failure to agree a fee with Spurs chairman Daniel Levy. That led to increased interest in Leicester City’s England defender Harry Maguire, but a similar £75 million ($97m) price tag to that pinned to Alderweireld put United off . But Goal understands that a co...

The blues are looking to sign former England international Robert Green on a short-term deal, according to the Daily Mail reports. The 38-year-old was a part of the Huddersfield side last season that avoided relegation but is out of contract and is a free agent. The report claims that Green would provide competition as a third-choice keeper and would also boost the home-grown quota of the Blues. Green has played for numerous clubs in England including Leeds United, QPR, Norwich City and West Ham United. The 38-year-old would provide competition to Thibaut Courtois and Willy Caballero, however, Courtois has been linked with a move to Real Madrid. Chelsea are interested in a number of keepers to replace Courtois, with Jack Butland being one Englishman being linked with a move to the Bridge. However, signing Green doesn’t really make the side any better for the coming season. Sure, he has a lot of experience and will be a steady head in the team but it would be a much bett...

The Belgium international has made it clear that he wants to leave Chelsea this summer and has indicated that a move to Madrid would be his preferred destination. Earlier this week, reports in France claimed that Chelsea and Madrid have reached an initial agreement to sell Hazard for €190 million (£170m). But the midfielder’s younger brother Kylian, who was signed by Chelsea last August but has not made a first-team appearance, has suggested that a move to Madrid is not the best option. Replying to a post on Instagram which asked ‘do you think this [Madrid] would be the right move for Hazard?’, Kylian replied with an emoji of a person making a cross with their arms. Hazard has just under two years left on his current contract with Chelsea and the club will hold out for a high transfer fee for the Belgian. Maurizio Sarri, meanwhile, has refused to rule out the prospect of keeping Hazard but claimed earlier this week that he wants to hold face-to-face talks with the midfielder. ‘A tele...

Manchester United fans are growing increasingly excited about Tahith Chong, but who is he? The 18-year-old was signed from Feyenoord in 2016 and immediately caught the eye as part of Kieran McKenna's U18 side. He announced himself in his first season at the club by scoring a stunning strike at Old Trafford in the FA Youth Cup - which turned out to be United's only goal in that competition in 2016/17. Unfortunately, a cruciate injury curtailed his first campaign in Manchester in January, but after spending 10 months on the sidelines the Dutch teenager's star continues to rise. Watched by Jose Mourinho on his U23s debut in January, Chong scored United's only goal against Spurs from the right wing and was the best player wearing red on both of his reserve appearances so far. Mourinho has confirmed that Chong has trained with the first team this season and EA Sports have included him in the senior squad in FIFA 18. United continue to lack a specialist right winger and t...

Reports this evening suggest that Chelsea and Real Madrid may have come to an agreement over a fee for the transfer of Eden Hazard. Hazard has been linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge all summer, following a season in which Chelsea finished fifth in the Premier League, failing to qualify for the Champions League. That cost Antonio Conte his job, with Maurizio Sarri brought in to replace him at the weekend. Hazard shone at the World Cup in Russia, helping Belgium to the semi-finals and when asked about his future following the tournament, openly admitted that his time at Chelsea could be up. Real Madrid president makes transfer vow amid links to Chelsea ace Eden Hazard The Belgian star said: "After six wonderful years at Chelsea it might be time to discover something different. I can decide if I want to stay or go, but Chelsea will make the final decision - if they want to let me go. You know my preferred destination." His preferred destination alluded ...

Chelsea attacker Eden Hazard has dropped his biggest hint yet that he could join Real Madrid. “You already know my favourite destination…” Hazard is a known admirer of former Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane, while his father claimed he was pursuing a move to the European champions, with his Chelsea contract set to expire in 2020. “After six wonderful years at Chelsea, it might be time to try something new,” he said after Belgium’s World Cup third-place playoff against England on Saturday, which his country won 2-0. “After this World Cup, I can decide whether I want to stay or leave, but Chelsea will make the final decision, if they let me go. “You already know my favourite destination. I’ve been linked with every club. It’ll be Bayern Munich next week… “It makes me laugh. You already know my preference.”

Belgium manager Roberto Martinez has claimed that Romelu Lukaku is the best striker in world football. Martinez first worked with Lukaku at Everton when the striker was just 19 years old and is now his national team boss, with Lukaku having since moved on to Manchester United at club level. The 25-year-old has impressed at this summer's World Cup with Belgium reaching the semi-finals, and ahead of Saturday's third-placed playoff against England, Martinez hailed the Golden Boot contender as the very best in his position. "If you ask me 'is he the best in the world?', yes," Martinez told reporters at his pre-match press conference. "But I am biased. I worked first with him when he was 19 and I've seen an incredible, incredible journey in his career. "His numbers throughout his career are very difficult (to achieve). His biggest attribute is he is a goalscorer and a finisher." Lukaku has failed to score in his last three games f...

Thomas Meunier said he would be facing the best player he has ever played with when Belgium take on Neymar and Brazil in the World Cup quarter-final, saying of his Paris-Saint Germain team-mate: "I do not know how to stop him." Meunier played the entirety of Belgium's 3-2 round-of-16 victory over Japan, which was settled by Nacer Chadli's stoppage-time strike and set up a quarter-final clash with the highly fancied South Americans. Neymar scored the first goal in Brazil's 2-0 win over Mexico to double his World Cup tally, and Meunier admitted that keeping the 26-year-old at bay in Friday's clash would be difficult. "I do not know how to stop him. He is very unpredictable," Meunier told Globo Esporte. "Neymar is probably the best player I've ever played with or against. "Anyway, I'll do my best. I know we have a chance, but I also know that it is very complicated to stop them, not just Neymar. Coutinho,Firmino, Jesus, Ma...

Fellaini agrees to stay at the English giants by finally agreeing to a new deal after several weeks of being linked with Arsenal and a host of other clubs. In a club statement released on the official club website, earlier today; "Manchester United is delighted to announce that Marouane Fellaini has signed a new contract which will keep him at the club until June 2020, with the option to extend for a further year". Fellaini, 30, joined United in 2013 and has made 156 appearances and scored 20 goals. During his time at the club he has won the FA Cup, EFL Cup, UEFA Europa League and Community Shield. Marouane Fellaini said: “I am pleased to be continuing my journey as a Manchester United player. I made this decision because I am very happy here. Also, I feel like this team, under Jose, still has a lot we want to achieve. “I would like to say a special thank you to Jose for the faith he has always shown in me. My focus now is on the World Cup and I am looking forwa...

It had been viewed as the game no-one wanted to win but Adnan Januzaj's fine finish early in the second half gave Belgium a 1-0 victory over England to secure top spot in Group G as both sides made wholesale changes to their lineups. The result means Belgium, who won all three of their group games to finish on nine points, will face Japan in the last 16 while England, who finished second with six, take on Colombia. All the pre-match talk had been about whether second place might offer an easier path to the semi-finals, given that the group winners could face Brazil in the last eight. If that was a consideration then Gareth Southgate's England side can take some consolation from the defeat given that it offers a potential quarter-final against Sweden or Switzerland rather than Brazil or Mexico, who could await Belgium. There is, though, something presumptuous about such talk and Colombia, a team with plenty of talent, certainly won't appreciate being considered part of an ...

Marcus Rashford sees similarities between Manchester United team-mate Romelu Lukaku and former Old Trafford favourite Cristiano Ronaldo. The Red Devils snapped up the Belgium international for £75 million ($99m) in the summer of 2017 and saw him offer a 27-goal return in his debut campaign. He is now replicating that form on a World Cup stage, with the target found four times in two outings to date. An untimely ankle issue has cast his involvement in a meeting with England on Thursday into doubt, and Rashford will be among those pleased to see the 25-year-old miss out if he does not recover in time. The United forward has seen his club colleague up close in 2017-18 and believes his talent and work ethic is comparable to that of Real Madrid icon Ronaldo. Rashford told R io Ferdinand’s YouTube channel : "He's a beast. "He's a massive threat, he'll be tough to deal with [at the World Cup]." Asked about Lukaku’s Premier League form, Rashford added: "...

Lukaku takes Drogba advices The Red Devils forward has now netted four times in his first two games at this summer’s World Cup to help Belgium wrap up two victories from their first two group games in Russia. Lukaku has made no disguise of the fact that he idolised Drogba when he was growing up, and the pair were both at Chelsea FC together in the 2011-12 campaign. The forward has since secured a transfer to Manchester United and he will be hoping to help Jose Mourinho’s men to win the Premier League title next season. Now, Drogba has revealed his delight at the fact that Lukaku seems to have taken his advice on board after his two-goal haul against Tunisia at the weekend. Speaking to BBC Sport, Drogba said: “I really like this move. We were talking about Lukaku to check and change the angle of his runs to create his own space that’s what he did there. “He did something I really like and I spoke to him a lot about that. The short steps before kicking the ball just like a tennis pla...

Lukaku For Belgium The Red Devils suffered a trio of injury worries in the 5-2 defeat of Tunisia that puts them on the brink of qualifying for the last 16 Roberto Martinez will make "major changes" for Belgium's final Group G fixture against England after key trio Romelu Lukaku, Eden Hazard and Dries Mertens all sustained minor knocks. Lukaku and Hazard scored twice in Saturday's 5-2 rout of Tunisia before being replaced in the second half, while Mertens also made way with four minutes to go after a typically energetic display. Martinez was already planning to shake-up his side to face the Three Lions on Thursday with qualification to the last 16 guaranteed if, as expected, England avoid defeat to Panama on Sunday. The Spaniard said: "If we had seven days to prepare, and then have another seven days after the England game we would carry on with the same team. "I do believe in international football it's important to have an understanding between the ...

Lukaku Scores Twice Versus Tunisia Two goals in a 5-2 win over Tunisia in Moscow on Saturday put Lukaku in exalted company, joint top scorer in the tournament with Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo, Belgium’s top scorer of all time in major finals and the first man since Diego Maradona to score twice in two consecutive World Cup matches. A hesitant first half in the opener against Panama, when captain Eden Hazard had to give him a rocket at the break and tell Lukaku to stop “hiding up front”, was followed with an explosive performance to unpick a packed defence in the second. His control in scoring one with either foot against Tunisia after a header and a flick with his left in the 3-0 win over Panama, confirmed the faith coach Roberto Martinez has put in the 25-year-old, whom he signed as a youngster for Everton. The Spaniard’s predecessor Marc Wilmots, whose Belgian record five goals in World Cups Lukaku has now equalled, struggled to fill a regular centre-forward berth for Belgium. H...