Tony Hibbert is banking on Everton s busy schedule to help reinvigorate his career with the Premier League club.
The full-back has made just 10 competitive appearances for the Merseyside outfit since May 2012 due to a series of injuries.
Despite those woes, Hibbert penned a two-year extension at Goodison Park on Tuesday.
With Everton set to participate in the UEFA Europa League this season, the fit again 33-year-old is hoping to feature more prominently.
I picked up a few injuries (last season) but I m fit and I m ready to go, Hibbert told Everton s official website.
Because of the amount of games that we are playing and the way the manager likes to keep people fresh, he might introduce players who haven t played the week before.
The ga…
Barcelona midfielder Ibrahim Afellay could be on his way to either Inter Milan or Lazio, reports have claimed.
The two clubs were interested in signing the 27-year-old last off-season but could not reach an agreement with Barca who only wanted to let the Dutchman leave on loan with the player eventually joining Schalke for the 2012-13 campaign.
However, the Catalans are ready to let go of the midfielder on a permanent basis at the end of this season according to Goal.com, with Afellay having fallen down the pecking order at Camp Nou.
His current club have set a six-million-euro asking price for the versatile midfielder, and Inter and Lazio are monitoring his situation closely.
Afellay joined Barcelona from PSV in January 2011 and helped them to Champions …
Former German international goalkeeper Jens Lehmann will not have his wish granted of making a nostalgic final appearance in the friendly with England here on November 19, German coach Joachim Low announced on Monday.
The 38-year-old Stuttgart guardian had said he wished to have one final appearance at the ground where he produced one of his finer performances in his 61 caps when he saved two Argentinian penalties in the 2006 World Cup quarter-final penalty shootout.
However, while Loew said he could see why Lehmann had wanted one final appearance and against a country where he played for five years with Arsenal there were bigger issues at stake.
We have to use our friendly matches as a way of giving our young goalkeepers more experience at international leve…
Nottingham Forest have continued their heavy recruitment drive with the double signing of Emmanuel Dennis and Cheikhou Kouyate.
Nigeria striker Dennis scored 10 Premier League goals for Watford last term but could not prevent the Hornets from being relegated to the Championship.
Dennis played in Watford s first two matches of the campaign but was not involved against Burnley on Friday and has now signed for Forest in a reported £20million deal.
Premier League new boys Forest later confirmed free transfer signing of Kouyate, who had been without a club since leaving Crystal Palace at the end of last season.
Saturday night fever |
— Nottingham Forest FC (@NFFC)
Kouyate brings plenty of top-flight experience to the City Ground having m…
Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter has revealed what Lionel Messi said to himself after Argentina s loss to Germany in the 2014 World Cup final.
Messi was awarded the Golden Ball as the best player of the tournament in Brazil, but his team slumped to a 1-0 defeat after extra time in the decider.
The Barcelona star was given his prize immediately after the game at the Maracana in Rio de Janeiro and Blatter said the 28-year-old acknowledged he had fallen short from a team perspective again.
Messi was talking to himself, Blatter told Argentine publication La Nacion.
He said to himself over and over again: The best but not the champion.’
A five-time Ballon d Or winner, Messi can add a major continental trophy to his collection with Argentina into t…
Zlatan Ibrahimovic said great things have to come to an end after his departure from Manchester United was confirmed on Thursday.
Ibrahimovic is expected to link up with MLS side LA Galaxy after his United contract was terminated with three months still to run.
The 36-year-old joined United from Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer in 2016 and he scored 28 goals in 46 games in his debut season, helping Jose Mourinho s side to win both the EFL Cup and Europa League.
But knee injuries have restricted the veteran to seven appearances this term five of which have come from the bench and Ibrahimovic is ready for a new challenge.
Great things also come to an end and it is time to move on after two fantastic seasons with Manchester United. Thank you to the cl…
Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti says appointing coach Andrea Stramaccioni was an easy decision to make.
The Serie A giants have been through a string of coaches since Jose Mourinho left the club in 2010, and the San Siro supremo turned to the 36-year-old, who had previously been in charge of the youth ranks, in March.
The appointment brought with it an upturn in results and Moratti has been delighted with Stramaccioni s impact on the club s fortunes.
It didn t take a lot of courage to choose Stramaccioni, the 67-year old told reporters. He seemed to have all the features to do the job and I wasn t mistaken.
Many Italian clubs have found themselves in dire financial situations in recent months, with Inter s city rivals AC Milan being forced to sel…
Sunderland playmaker Stephane Sessegnon has expressed his desire to leave the club, .
The highly rated midfielder has been linked with a number of England s top sides following yet another impressive season at the Stadium of Light.
However, Daily Express has learned that he is rather looking to return to French Ligue 1, with Marseille reportedly ready to jump at the opportunity to sign the 29-year-old.
With the Benin international one of club s highest earners, Sunderland officials are prepared to cash in on him if the price is right.
Sessegnon has largely impressed at the Stadium of Light ever since he joined from Paris Saint-Germain in January 2011.
He has clocked up a total of 85 Premier League appearances for the Black Cats and scored no less…
Tottenham managing director Fabio Paratici has stepped back from his role while the club awaits the outcome of his appeal against a worldwide ban from football.
FIFA announced on Wednesday that the 30-month suspension handed to Paratici by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) in January would extend beyond Italian football.
Spurs were caught cold by the timing of the announcement and said in a statement they were urgently seeking further clarification from FIFA regarding Paratici s situation.
The 50-year-old s appeal will be held on April 19, but it was confirmed by Tottenham on Friday that he will step back from his duties until then.
In view of FIFA s decision, Fabio has agreed with the club that he will take an immediate leave of absence pending the…
Wales’ hopes of qualifying automatically for Euro 2024 were dented by a 1-1 draw in Armenia.
Lucas Zelarayan came back to haunt Wales again with a fifth-minute opener before a Nair Tiknizyan own goal in first-half stoppage time restored parity.
The draw helps neither side as far as joining already-qualified Turkey in the top two is concerned.
Even beating Turkey in Cardiff on Tuesday would not be enough for Wales should Croatia win their final two fixtures.
If Croatia win those games then Wales will be involved in the March play-offs.
Armenia’s chances of a top-two place are almost certainly over, barring a Croatia collapse.
Wales had a score to settle with Armenia after their humiliating 4-2 defeat in Cardiff five months ago, a result…