Monday’s latest stories from the world of football in ESPN FC’s What’s Trending…
ARGENTINA: Diego Maradona has been appointed coach of Al-Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates. Maradona, 56, has been out of management since being sacked by Dubai’s Al-Wasl in 2012 but has now found a new role in the UAE second division.
PREMIER LEAGUE: N’Golo Kante has been voted Footballer of the Year by the Football Writers’ Association, edging out Chelsea teammate Eden Hazard.
ARSENAL: Alexis Sanchez has told Sky Sports he will discuss his future with Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger at the end of the season, adding that he has been frustrated at times in his side’s erratic campaign.
– Wenger refused to claim a personal victory over Jose Mourinho.
– Lucas Perez would be open to returning to Deportivo La Coruna in the summer after admitting to his frustration over a perceived lack of opportunities at Arsenal.
– Former Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehmann says Alexis Sanchez would be a good fit for Bayern Munich, amid speculation that the German champions are preparing a bid for the forward.
MAN UNITED: Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s agent has raised hope the Manchester United striker will get back to his best following knee surgery after revealing doctors have been stunned by the Swede’s progress.
– Manchester United manager Mourinho said his side’s top-four hopes were over after their 2-0 defeat at Arsenal on Sunday.
– Juan Mata is refusing to give up on Manchester United’s hopes of finishing in the Premier League’s top four this season, despite manager Mourinho claiming that the battle is over.
– Manchester United youngster Axel Tuanzebe has been left out of the England Under-20 World Cup squad, with the FA citing “first-team commitments” at Old Trafford.
FIFA: The United States-led bid to bring the 2026 World Cup to North America looks to be well on track for success, with multiple high-ranking football sources indicating that this week’s vote by the FIFA Congress is expected to go strongly in the bid’s favor.
SOUTHAMPTON: Southampton manager Claude Puel has said that captain Virgil van Dijk will be playing for the club next season.
EVERTON: Everton striker Romelu Lukaku has hit out at the latest transfer reports regarding his future, asking the media to “stay out of my business.”
MAN CITY: Pep Guardiola has said he needs more goal-scorers despite Manchester City’s 5-0 victory over Crystal Palace on Saturday.
– Bayern Munich winger Kingsley Coman has told TF1 he would have considered joining Manchester City had he not been given assurances about his future in Bavaria.
CHELSEA: Antonio Conte insists that Tottenham have not been disadvantaged by European commitments in the Premier League title race, but admits Chelsea will need a bigger squad to cope with the demands of Champions League football next season.
– Chelsea defender Kenneth Omeruo has told the BBC it is no longer his “immediate priority” to play for the club as he searches for a permanent way out of the “frustrating” mass loan system.
LEICESTER: Leicester winger Marc Albrighton has declared it is job done for the Foxes, even if they were never going to defend the title.
TOTTENHAM: Tottenham Hotspur will play a friendly in Hong Kong the week after the end of the Premier League season.
CRYSTAL PALACE: Crystal Palace are set to rekindle their interest in Arsenal defender Carl Jenkinson in the summer, sources close to Palace have told ESPN FC.
ATLETICO MADRID: Theo Hernandez’s agent has confirmed both Real Madrid and Barcelona want to sign the Atletico Madrid defender this summer.
BARCELONA: Luis Enrique compared Neymar to a ballerina after the Brazilian’s fine form continued in Barcelona’s 4-1 win over Villarreal at Camp Nou on Saturday.
REAL MADRID: Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane hailed a “perfect” first half from this much-rotated team as they took another step towards the title in La Liga with Saturday’s 4-0 win at already-relegated Granada.
DORTMUND: Borussia Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke has told Funke Medien there was a “disagreement” with coach Thomas Tuchel in the aftermath of the attack on the team bus before a Champions League game last month.
SERIE A: Juventus have demanded answers from broadcaster Rai after a TV interview with Medhi Benatia was cut short when the Morocco defender heard a racist remark in his earpiece.
– Luciano Spalletti feels he was justified in denying Francesco Totti one last run out at San Siro as Roma beat AC Milan 4-1 without the retiring striker.
BAYERN MUNICH: Bayern Munich goalkeeper Tom Starke is set to resolve his future in talks with CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and president Uli Hoeness this week.
GERMANY: Borussia Dortmund midfielder Marco Reus has said he would welcome a summer break rather than playing in the Confederations Cup in Russia.
MLS: Jozy Altidore scored from the penalty spot and Toronto FC won 1-0 at the Seattle Sounders on Saturday in a rematch of last year’s MLS Cup final.
LIGA MX: The quarterfinals of the 2017 Clausura are set following the conclusion of the regular season on Sunday, with two local derbies highlighting the quarterfinal matchups.
– Ricardo La Volpe is no longer coach of Club America, with the Argentine announcing his departure the day after Las Aguilas failed to reach the 2017 Clausura playoffs.
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