Man United News: Truth behind Mourinho deal, five summer signings, Mata rally call

Jose Mourinho is becoming increasingly confident he will take over as Manchester Unitedmanager this summer.

The pressure has been heaped on Louis van Gaal following a disjointed season.

United sit fifth, four points behind fourth-placed Arsenal but are in the FA Cup semi-final, where they face Everton at Wembley this weekend.

And Manchester United have got five players in their sights as they get ready for a summer overhaul.

The Red Devils are set for another busy transfer window and are interested in Everton defender John Stones, Benfica midfielder Renato Sanches, Paris St-Germain striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Sporting Lisbon duo William Carvalho and Joao Mario.

The Sun report that United had scouted Carvalho and Mario over the weekend ahead of a potential summer bids.

Ibrahimovic is out of contract in the summer and United are ready to offer him a big money contract while Sanches and Stones could cost a combined £90m.

Juan Mata has issued a rallying call ahead of the Premier League run in.

Mata insists United can still book a final Champions League place - but knows it will be difficult.

"Our goal is to play the Champions League the next season and all we think about right now is to win every single game," he said in his weekly blog.

"We play at home and we want to have a good game in front of our fans; we know that we can count on Old Trafford to have an extra energy. With the crowd’s support we can be closer to the victory although Palace got a draw at the Emirates this weekend and it’s not going to be an easy game for us.

"We are in good spirits ahead of these two games after the win against Aston Villa. The last week was very positive for us and it should help the team to gather momentum for the last few games."

By:BRUCE ARCHER

Sources:http://www.express.co.uk

FIFA president Gianni Infantino determined to weed out any remaining corrupt officials

Gianni Infantino has warned anyone who is still corrupt at FIFA to get out before they are caught.

The new FIFA president has promised to clean up world football's governing body after a year of corruption scandals and controversy.

"I don't know whether there are still individuals or entities that are corrupt, I hope not," Infantino said. "If there are, then they have the choice now to leave FIFA because sooner or later either we or justice will catch them and they will be kicked out and punished."

Infantino became FIFA president in February after his predecessor Sepp Blatter was banned from football for six years.

Former UEFA president Michel Platini and former FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke are also serving long bans and Infantino says he fully supports the US and Swiss investigations which have targeted football officials.

Many of FIFA's problems started with the controversial decision to hold the vote for the right to host the 2018 and the 2022 World Cups at the same time.

In a wide-ranging interview with Fox Sports, Infantino says the decision on who will host the 2026 World Cup will be taken in 2020.

"The bids will start now with the consultation phase," Infantino said. "We have to make sure that this bidding process is absolutely bulletproof, that we create a transparent process and this takes of course a little bit of time, a little bit of consultation. And so we start the process now. It will take three or four years and we will make a decision."

Infantino campaigned for the presidency on a platform of reform and transparency, but he was caught up in the Panama Papers scandal last month. Files leaked from a Panamanian law firm showed that in 2006, when Infantino worked at UEFA, they signed a TV deal with a businessman who last year was accused by US prosecutors of paying bribes to football executives.

"I have made it very clear that this whole situation is basically a non-story," Infantino said. "There was a tender process. Everything is well documented. It has been done completely transparently and properly. If then after the deal has been concluded some people have committed a criminal activity, then these people need to be judged. 

"I am feeling relaxed because I know the facts. I know everything was done correctly. I was at the beginning quite upset about how it was reported. I think it was just disgraceful the way it was portrayed."

Infantino is pressing on with proposals to expand the World Cup from 32 to 40 teams. He hinted that the 2026 World Cup could be in the United States although he would be staying neutral.

When challenged on the disparity in pay levels between men and women footballers, Infantino said the gap was being closed but he refused to endorse equal prize money at World Cups.

"I think this is linked with many different elements that need to be discussed", he said. "There is not a straightforward answer to this." 

By:Kaveh Solhekol, SSNHQ chief news reporter

Source:Skysports.

Leicester City: Final home game tickets on sale for £15,000

Tickets to watch Premier League leaders Leicester's final home game are being offered for £15,000 a pair through an online re-sale website.

The 7 May match against Everton, which could see the Foxes become champions, sold out in 90 minutes on Monday.

But within hours, individual tickets were being advertised for more than £3,000 each and a pair for much more.

The club said it would "take action against any ticket touting" or attempts to "resell tickets above face value".

Leicester are seven points clear of nearest rivals Tottenham with five games left. They have already secured Champions League football and need three more wins to guarantee the Premier League title.

They face West Ham and Swansea at their King Power Stadium then Manchester United at Old Trafford, before the game against Everton next month, followed by the final match of the season away to last year's champions Chelsea on 15 May.

One fan who contacted BBC Sport said he had missed out on a ticket, despite having a membership package and having been to all but three home games this season.

"This season is something we never expected and will probably never happen again in our lifetimes," said the supporter, who wished to remain anonymous.

"Now I won't be there to potentially celebrate us winning the Premier League. It is a bit of a 'here's what you could have won' moment.

"The club have been brilliant with fans these past couple of seasons. But I think there will be a few questions for them to answer as to how this has happened. I can't see how ordinary fans could afford to pay £15,000 for two tickets - it's the price of a second-hand car."

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Leicester posted on their own website that the Everton game had seen "unprecedented demand" and sold out in "record time", with the "vast majority" of higher-tier members able to get a ticket.

Membership does not guarantee a ticket, the club told the Leicester Mercury.

"The unauthorised sale of football tickets is a criminal offence under UK law," added a club spokesman.

A number of fans responded to the club's Facebook post with their complaints:

David Lea: "Very bad when they are on ticket sites at anything from £495 to £5,000. Who's giving the touts these tickets? What's the point of being a gold/silver member? I'd like to hear the club's views on this."

Ben Dunkley: "Absolute joke, what a waste of money spending £75 on a gold membership."

Peter Schoneveld: "I made 85 calls since 9am as I have to book by phone because I have a family membership and was unable to get through. The system is rubbish. I have only been able to get tickets to one match all season!! Why am I paying over £100 for a membership (plus however much on phone calls sitting through an automated message to then be cut off) to get priority on tickets and still unable to get any! I am gutted... and angry."

Emilia Woch: "The shameful fact of the matter is half these people who got tickets will go on to sell them off for thousands of pounds, whilst us TRUE fans (who find it hard enough to afford £50 a ticket, let alone thousands of pounds) miss out. If the club truly cares about its fans, it would void every resold ticket and sell them back to the fans who don't want to make money off Leicester's success and who actually want to go to their last home game of the season."

Adie Wheat: "Gutted. Been all season, 1968 my first game never miss a season. Silver member can't get a ticket for the most important game - winning the league."

Gemma Kott: "Gold membership! Was trying to get a ticket since 9am only to be told all sold out! Never had that problem before. People selling their tickets for a massive profit should be banned from buying tickets again."

Philip Goodchild: "Gutted. You would have thought paying £40 per season would get you a ticket. The club should have capped the memberships at the beginning of the season."

By: BBC News

Source:http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/36020849

The team join up for final preparations ahead of the Éibar clash

The players travelled from the Santiago Bernabéu to Real Madrid City.

Real Madrid have come together ahead of Saturday's Santiago Bernabéu clash against Éibar (4pm CEST). The players departed from the stadium and made their way to Real Madrid City, where they will rest at the first-team residence until a few hours before the La Liga Matchday 32 fixture.