Fiorentina coach Vincenzo Montella has labelled Juan Cuadrado s sale to Chelsea as a pragmatic decision taken by the Italian club.

Fiorentina coach Vincenzo Montella has confirmed that winger Juan Cuadrado is to join Premier League side Chelsea, with Mohamed Salah moving the other way on loan.

Speculation has gathered pace throughout the transfer window that Colombia international Cuadrado would move to the Premier League leaders.

Montella was disappointed that Cuadrado who will become a Chelsea player officially after the completion of a medical is leaving, but stated the fee received was too good to turn down.

Honestly, it was something that had to be done, Montella said.

As a coach I m disappointed, but on a pragmatic level the fee is so hi…

Germany s World Cup-winning coach Joachim Low has no desire to coach in the Bundesliga after he steps down from the national team.

Low is into his second decade at the helm having taken the reins from Jurgen Klinsmann following Germany s semi-final exit at their home World Cup in 2006.

The 56-year-old s contract runs until the 2018 World Cup and the German Football Association (DFB) president Reinhard Grindel spoke favourably over a possible extension last month.

Whenever he does move on, former Stuttgart boss Low does not think the cut-and-thrust uncertainty of domestic coaching is for him.

When asked by the Funke Mediengruppe if he would be unwilling to take on another Bundesliga club, he said: That s right.

I understand that a change of coach …

Olivier Giroud began 2017 with a bona fide goal-of-the-year candidate, helping Arsenal see off Crystal Palace 2-0 to go third in the Premier League.
 
Giroud lit up the 200th game at Emirates Stadium, opening the scoring with a scorpion kick that echoed Henrikh Mkhitaryan s effort for Manchester United against Sunderland though the Frenchman s ability to stay onside surely trumps the Armenian s effort.
 
Spectacular in isolation, the goal also helped Giroud continue on a redemptive run of form that has seen him score in his past two games his only league starts of the campaign.

As ridiculous as Giroud s effort was, Arsenal s second goal through Alex Iwobi could also be branded as such though at the opposite end of the spectrum. 
 
Arsene Wenger s side have responded to…

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag singled Victor Lindelof out for praise after another impressive display in Sunday s 1-0 win over Aston Villa.

United have been without Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez over the past few weeks, with the latter set to miss the rest of the season.

Losing both in quick succession seemed a huge blow, but Lindelof and Luke Shaw – who has been moved centrally – have generally done well in their stead.

Lindelof enjoyed arguably one of his best games in a United shirt last weekend against Brighton and Hove Albion as they secured passage to the FA Cup final, and although the Red Devils threw away a lead against Tottenham in midweek, the Sweden international was hardly culpable.

Against in-form Villa at Old Trafford on …

Highly-regarded Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere on Friday joined fellow Premier League side Bolton on loan until the end of the season.

The 18-year-old, who has made seven Arsenal first-team appearances this season, is expected to go straight into the squad for Saturday s match with Liverpool at Anfield.

Bolton manager Owen Coyle told www.bwfc.co.uk: Jack is a talented, young, hungry player who I think has got a bright future ahead of him. He has got an abundance of quality and he will enhance our squad.

Wilshere, who has represented England at all youth levels including Under-21, became Arsenal s youngest ever league player at 16 years and 256 days when he made his debut as a substitute at Blackburn in September 2008.

…

Paul Pogba s Juventus future looks increasingly unclear after club director Pavel Nedved claimed Paris Saint-Germain have bid for the midfielder.

Pogba has become one of the hottest properties in European football after joining Juve on a free transfer from Manchester United in 2012, having scored 23 goals in 122 games for the Serie A champions.

A potential return to the Premier League with Chelsea, Manchester United or Manchester City has been reported, while La Liga giants Real Madrid and Barcelona have been strongly linked.

But it is Ligue 1 champions PSG who appear to have stolen a march on the rest of Pogba s suitors, with Czech Republic legend Nedved claiming they have made the first move.

Yes, PSG sent us an offer, Nedved told Le Parisien.

…

Reinvigorated under the guidance of head coach Antonio Conte, Chelsea attacker Eden Hazard wants to be among the top five players in the world after failing to make the shortlist for the Ballon d Or.

After scooping the PFA Player of the Year award as Chelsea won the Premier League title in 2014-15, Hazard s form dipped dramatically amid the team s struggles and Jose Mourinho s departure last season, but the Belgian star is back to his brilliant best.

Hazard scored twice in Chelsea s 5-0 rout of Everton on Saturday, taking his Premier League tally to seven goals in 11 matches this term, having only netted four goals in 2015-16.

And as he enjoys more freedom under Conte, the 25-year-old is targeting the Ballon d Or.

Last season I was not good, so for me it…

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Looking to extend on what has been a real qualifying romp this week, England will see off their September international fixtures when they make the trip to Poland on Wednesday night.

Poland

Starting with the hosts, while Poland might have been left frustrated by San Marino breaching their defence over the weekend, they did pick up what could turn out to be a crucial victory. Eventually storming their way to what was a routine victory against the Group I whipping boys, new boss Paulo Sousa did see his side storm their way to a 7-1 win on foreign soil. Only managing to muster a single point at the summer s European Championships, a run highlighted by a shock 2-1 defeat against Slovakia, the one-time Leicester manager has seen his side …

Real Madrid are desperate to bolster their attack.

Paris Saint-Germain s Kylian Mbappe and Borussia Dortmund forward Erling Haaland are both on the list.

But, if their efforts to sign Haaland are unsuccessful, Robert Lewandowski could reportedly be targeted.

TOP STORY – LEWANDOWSKI TO MADRID?

Real Madrid will turn to Bayern Munich talisman Robert Lewandowski if they are unable to sign Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund, according to Diario AS.

Madrid are reportedly determined to sign in-demand star Haaland, who has also been linked with Manchester City, Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus, Liverpool, Barcelona and Bayern.

But Lewandowski has emerged as an alternative for Madrid should they miss out on Haaland…

A second-half Nils Petersen goal was enough to hand Werder Bremen a 1-0 friendly victory over Fulham at the Weserstadion on Sunday.

Martin Jol s side struggled to carve out chances throughout, and slumped to their first defeat in pre-season after allowing Petersen to grab his third goal in just two games.

But they will need to find their creative spark soon, with only fixtures against Real Betis and Parma to come prior to the start of the new Premier League campaign.

Dutch winger Eljero Elia could have in fact put the home side ahead after just 15 minutes, but headed a Clemens Fritz cross wide from close range before Fulham were dealt a blow when Alexander Kacaniklic was forced off with an injury.

The Swede went down following a challenge on the left-hand side an…