Riqui Puig is refusing to give up on his dream of making it as a Barcelona regular – even if it means spending another season with the reserves.
The 19-year-old has started two of Barca s last five LaLiga matches, profiting from Ernesto Valverde s decision to rotate his squad over the past month as he seeks to secure the treble.
Puig was unable to prevent his side from falling to a 2-0 loss when given the full 90 minutes in Saturday s meeting with Celta Vigo, a week on from Barca wrapping up the title with a few games to spare.
But despite his limited playing time at senior level in 2018-19, the teenage midfielder – a regular for the Barcelona B side – is determined to make a name for himself at Camp Nou.
Debutant and Captain
— FC Ba…
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has backed Steven Gerrard to thrive in a coaching role, if he opts to take that route after retiring.
Gerrard will leave Anfield at the end of the season after 17 years with the club, 12 of them as captain, and head for the USA to play in MLS.
That will likely take the former England skipper up to the end of his playing career.
Another Anfield favourite, Jamie Carragher, has carved out a reputable career as a television pundit after bowing out from the game in 2013.
But Rodgers believes the gold dust that Gerrard could pass on to the stars of tomorrow makes him an ideal coaching candidate.
I do genuinely believe that he is that type, he can offer great advice, Rodgers told the club s official website. It s whethe…
Ajax defender Joel Veltman is set to miss their return to Eredivisie action due to a hamstring injury.
Veltman sustained the blow in Ajax s 2-0 friendly win over Schalke last Saturday.
No timeframe has been set for for Veltman s return, although the Dutch champions confirmed that he would be on the sidelines for a few weeks.
In 21 appearances in all competitions this season, Veltman has found the net three times for an Ajax side that sits second in the Dutch top flight, four points behind PSV.
Veltman broke into the Netherlands national team in November 2013 and made two appearances at the World Cup.
Ajax host Groningen at the Amsterdam Arena on Friday as they restart their bid for a fifth consecutive Eredivisie crown.
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Ralph Hasenhuttl has fended off talk of Chelsea being interested in Kyle Walker-Peters and refused to comment on the possibility of Southampton signing Timo Werner.
Blues head coach Thomas Tuchel is reported to have earmarked Walker-Peters as another wing-back option.
Hasenhuttl had no interest in engaging in transfer talk ahead of Saints first game of the Premier League at Tottenham on Saturday, with the window open for another four weeks.
The Southampton manager said when asked about Walker-Peters being a Chelsea target: Before we go now through every player who maybe has interest from someone else, we should maybe concentrate on the games ahead
The transfer window is now open still for a long time, and this is something that will definitely af…
Frank Lampard revealed Everton are very close to finalising the signing of Lille midfielder Amadou Onana, as he predicted the Belgium international will have a big impact at the club.
Everton suffered a frustrating 1-0 defeat to Chelsea in their Premier League opener on Saturday, with Ben Godfrey and Yerry Mina sustaining injuries just three days after Dominic Calvert-Lewin was ruled out for up to six weeks.
But Toffees supporters are set to receive some positive news after Onana travelled to Merseyside to finalise a transfer reportedly worth up to £33.7million (€40m), having made 43 appearances for Lille in all competitions last season.
And Lampard, who has already added James Tarkowski, Dwight McNeil and Ruben Vinagre to his squad since warding off the thr…
Former football coach and scout Barry Bennell has been sentenced to 31 years for child sexual abuse crimes.
Bennell, 64, was convicted of 43 offences against 11 boys aged eight to 15 between 1979 and 1991 by a jury at Liverpool Crown Court last week.
The former Crewe Alexandra coach and Manchester City scout admitted to seven charges of indecent assault on three boys before the trial, two of whom were also part of the allegations he was tried on.
Bennell, who had previously appeared via a videolink during his trial, was present in the court room for the first time to hear victim impact statements on Monday prior to his sentencing by judge Clement Goldstone.
Goldstone asked police and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to consider if there is continui…
Liverpool striker Danny Ings has revealed he spent time studying the methods of manager Jurgen Klopp during a lengthy injury lay-off last season.
Ings sustained an anterior cruciate ligament injury ahead of Klopp s appointment in October, ruling him out for the rest of the 2015-16 campaign.
The former Burnley frontman has made a promising start to pre-season, though, scoring in victories over Tranmere Rovers and Wigan Athletic.
And Ings says his watching brief during his time on the sidelines has given him a head start in preparations for the new Premier League season.
The training is very intense, very tactical and we re learning every day, he told the club s official website.
I m playing catch-up really because I obviously didn t get to train …
Liverpool midfielder Jonjo Shelvey is hoping for further first-team exposure in 2012/13 after penning a new long-term contract.
The 20-year-old spent part of last term on loan at Championship side Blackpool before returning to Anfield and making 21 appearances in all competitions under Kenny Dalglish.
Shelvey, who joined Liverpool from Charlton in 2010, is delighted to have committed his future to the club and believes his style of play could thrive under new manager Brendan Rodgers.
I am really happy, he told the club s official website.
Last season I was itching to try and push for a new contract. Now it s happened and I am ready to kick on again now.
It s lovely to know I am in the plans for the future. At the moment, it s just about getti…
Ukrainian Premier League giants Shakhtar Donetsk have rejected Chelsea s £26 million bid for Brazilian ace Willian, according to manager Mircea Lucescu, .
Willian emerged as a Chelsea transfer target last summer after an impressive 2010-11 campaign for Hirnyky.
The Blues then made a formal approach for the Brazilian in the January transfer window. Obviously, Shakhtar rejected the bid.
Chelsea are at it yet again, with Shakhtar willing to part ways with their talented midfielder, but only if the price is right.
I told Willian he can leave, but only if the right offer is made, Lucescu told Dolce Sport.
He s a great player. Willian was the biggest investment Shakhtar have made in a young player, we have to respect that. He played…
Watford are hoping to persuade Heurelho Gomes to delay his retirement after confirming they are holding talks with the Brazilian goalkeeper.
Gomes is out of contract at Vicarage Road later this month and said in March that he was 99 per cent sure he would retire at the end of the 2018-19 campaign.
The 38-year-old played for Watford in their 6-0 FA Cup final loss to Manchester City, but he refused to confirm after the match whether it would be his last outing in professional football.
And Watford have now revealed discussions are ongoing with Gomes over prolonging his stay at the club.
Defenders Miguel Britos and Tommie Hoban will not be offered fresh terms, however, with the latter recovering from a cruciate ligament injury suffered while on loan at A…