Rafinha has joined Celta Vigo on a season-long loan after signing a new deal at Barcelona.
The 26-year-old attacking midfielder is now contracted to his parent club until the end of the 2020-21 campaign but will spend another spell away from Camp Nou.
In January 2018, Rafinha joined Inter for the second half of that season before re-joining Ernesto Valverde s squad for 2018-19.
A painful theme of his career recurred when he suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury against Atletico Madrid last November – the third serious knee setback to befall Rafinha since 2015.
The Brazil international has featured in all three of Barca s LaLiga games so far this season, with Valverde short of wide attacking options as the likes of Lionel Me
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Premier League´s best dribbler, creativity to rival Silva – The Opta data behind Hazard´s Chelsea ca
Eden Hazard announced his intention to leave Chelsea after Wednesday s Europa League final win over Arsenal, meaning the Premier League is preparing to say farewell to a great.
The Belgium international joined Chelsea from French side Lille in 2012 and swiftly adapted, before becoming undoubtedly one of the division s best players.
Not only that, should he depart Chelsea, as is expected, he will be remembered as one of the club s true icons alongside the likes of John Terry, Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba, such is the impact he has had in his seven years.
Real Madrid is likely to be Hazard s next destination, with Chelsea reportedly hoping to get £100million for their prized asset.
If Madrid get their man, they will be getting a truly immense footballer…
World Cup-winning Italy striker Luca Toni has announced he will retire after Verona s meeting with Juventus on Sunday.
The 38-year-old, who finished as joint-top scorer in Serie A last season, has been unable to replicate such prolific form in 2015-16 to prevent Verona s relegation.
After thinking for a long time, I ve decided that, after 22 years of football, the next game will be my last as a professional, he told a news conference.
I ve realised that I have reached the end of the path.
I m a little emotional, it was a difficult and painful decision but I ve come to the end of my playing career.
I ve been thinking about it for some weeks, they haven t been easy weeks. At the Bentegodi against Juventus will be my last match.
Toni wo…
A number of media outlets, the among them, have reported that John O’Shea has agreed a deal to joing Reading.
O’Shea spent 12 years at Manchester United, accumulating 393 appearances and scoring 15 goals for the Red Devils. In 2011, he moved to Sunderland and his contract is set to expire this summer after an exptremely disappointing season which saw the Black Cats get relegated from the English Championship. He also represented Ireland 116 times and scored three goals. His last intenational game was played a few days ago – a friendly win over USA.
The reports claim the 37-year-old defender was keen on renewing his contract for another 12 months following the club’s successive relegations, but the newly appointed manager Jack Ross and club owner Stewart Donald …
FC Dallas returned to winning ways after seeing off Chicago Fire, while former Brazil international Julio Baptista opened the scoring and missed a penalty in Orlando City s draw at Vancouver Whitecaps.
After being humbled 5-0 by Seattle Sounders in MLS midweek, Western Conference-leading Dallas bounced back via a 3-1 victory against the Fire on Saturday.
1. Making assist of the year a thing.
2. Giving it to Castillo tonight.
— Major League Soccer (@MLS)
First-half goals from Maximiliano Urruti and Mauro Diaz put Dallas in the box seat at Toyota Stadium the pair scoring within 18 minutes of each other.
Part 2
— FC Dallas (@FCDallas)
Substitute Arturo Alvarez pulled a goal back for the Fire in the 91st minute, only for Ma…
Liverpool are interested in signing Adrien Rabiot in the summer transfer window, according to . Rabiot is a free agent at the moment after leaving Juventus at the end of the season, and Premier League giants Liverpool are keen on securing his services.
Fichajes has claimed that Arsenal could Rabiot the ideal environment to maximise his defensive and offensive skills. The 29-year-old is one of the best midfielders in the world and has been a regular for France for several years now. Rabiot scored five goals and gave three assists in 30 starts and one substitute appearance in Serie A last season.
Liverpool finished third in the Premier League table last season behind Manchester City and Arsenal. Arne Slot has replaced Jurgen Klopp as the Liverpool manager, and it will be …
Celtic have today confirmed that they have re-signed Emilio Izaguirre, as the 32-year-old defender returns to the club following a one-year spell away from Scottish football. Izaguirre, who signed for Celtic back in 2010 and remained there until 2017, left for Al-Fayha last year but spent less than twelve months in Saudi Arabia as him and his family were unable to adapt to the way of life there.
Now, however, the Honduras international is back where many believe that he belongs as Celtic continue to go in pursuit of both European and domestic glory. Under the tutelage of Brendan Rodgers, we could see Izaguirre improve even more than he already has, as he enters what will likely be the final phase of his career.
Celtic are coming off the back of a 1-1 European draw agai…
Paris Saint-Germain defender Thiago Silva hopes to emulate his idol Paolo Maldini by playing until he is 40.
At 32, Silva is already a Serie A champion and winner of four Ligue 1 titles with PSG.
But the Brazil international has no intention of stopping there, instead seeking to match his former team-mate Maldini. The AC Milan and Italy great retired in 2009.
I hope to play up to 40, Silva told Canal Football Club.
One of my idols at AC Milan, Paolo Maldini, has managed to do it. I had the chance to play with him [in] the last six months of his career.
I saw how he was investing. I will follow his path and my body will tell me if I am able.
Silva is contracted to PSG until June 2017 and the defender has been linked with a Milan retur…
Mauricio Pochettino hopes Neymar can show his talents against Bayern Munich on Wednesday after the Brazilian was sent off on his return to the Paris Saint-Germain starting XI.
Having appeared for 20 minutes as a substitute at Lyon ahead of the international break, Neymar started for the first time since February s Coupe de France trip to Caen when PSG hosted Lille on Saturday.
But the top-of-the-table Ligue 1 clash turned sour for the superstar as he was controversially dismissed in the closing stages of a 1-0 defeat.
Neymar, who tried to retrieve the ball from Lille defender Tiago Djalo before both players were sent off, has earned four red cards since his Ligue 1 debut in August 2017, a tally only topped in this time by Nantes midfielder Andrei Girotto.
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Tottenham have stepped up their pursuit of new centre-backs for boss Ange Postecoglou amid the ongoing uncertainty over Harry Kane’s future.
Kane remains of strong interest to Bayern Munich, who are expected to launch a third bid for the forward after officials from the German club reportedly met with Spurs chairman Daniel Levy in London on Monday.
While speculation surrounding Kane continues to grow, Tottenham have accelerated their search for new defenders with talks advancing over the transfer of Wolfsburg’s Micky van de Ven, the PA news agency understands.
Postecoglou gave the green light to Van de Ven’s signing soon after arriving in June and dialogue between the teams started last month.
No final agreement over a fee – expected to be in the …