England 2 Turkey 1: Late Vardy goal gets Euro 2016 preparations off to winning start

Newcastle defender Davide Santon believes the club is capable of returning to European competition in the near future.

Alan Pardew s side struggled domestically last term, narrrowly avoiding relegation, but impressed in the UEFA Europa League, reaching the last eight before losing 4-2 on aggregate to Benfica.

Santon, signed from Inter in 2011, missed the second leg against the Portuguese outfit because of a hamstring injury sustained in a Premier League win over Fulham in April.

However, the Italy international is eager to help the St James Park outfit return to the European stage.

When I came here, I came from Inter and the dream was to play in Europe at St James Park, Santon told the Evening Chronicle.

We done that last season. Now the dream is to go back…

Former two-time Dutch national coach Dick Advocaat was named officially as coach of Belgium on Wednesday on a two year contract.

The 61-year-old will take up his duties on January 1 2010 as he is still under contract to Russian side Zenit St-Petersburg where he has enjoyed great success guiding them to the 2008 UEFA Cup and European Super Cup.

Advocaat, a former manager of Scottish giants Rangers and who enjoyed less successful spells with South Korea and Borussia Monchengladbach, replaces Rene Vandereycken.

The 55-year-old was sacked as coach of Belgium at the beginning of April after three years in the role.

Belgium are currently fourth in World Cup qualifying group five and stand little chance of qualifying for next summer s tournament in South Africa…

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in signing Dominic Solanke from Premier League rivals Bournemouth, according to . The report in the British tabloid has claimed that Spurs want to sign a new striker in the summer of 2024, and that former Liverpool player Solanke is on their radar.

Solanke struggled to make an impact at Liverpool, but he is now one of the best and most important players for Bournemouth. The 26-year-old striker has scored 11 goals and given one assist in 17 Premier League matches for the Cherries so far this season.

Tottenham are fourth in the Premier League table at the moment with 36 points from 18 matches, four points behind leaders and North London rivals Arsenal. Meanwhile, Bournemouth currently find themselves 12th in the standings with 22 points fr…

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With a spot in the final of this year s EFL Cup up for grabs on Wednesday night, Manchester United will welcome their crosstown rivals to an empty Old Trafford.

Manchester United

Starting with the hosts, managing to pick up what was a controversial 2-1 victory against a high-flying Aston Villa on New Year s Day, Manchester United find themselves enjoying quite the purple patch. Despite a rocky start to the 2020/21 campaign and getting hit with that woeful 6-1 drumming at home against Tottenham back in October, some around Old Trafford have suddenly started to believe that their side could be a genuine title contender this season. Still sat level on points with Liverpool after their slip up against Southampton on Monday night, the forme…

Scottish champions Rangers signed French winger Jerome Rothen on a one-year loan from Paris Saint Germain on Tuesday.

Ibrox boss Walter Smith swooped for Rothen after his prosposed move to German cub Schalke collapsed earlier this week.

Rangers have completed the deadline-day signing of Jerome Rothen on a one year loan deal from French side Paris Saint Germain, a statement on the club s website confirmed.

The 31-year-old former Monaco star passed a medical at Rangers Murray Park training facility and becomes the Glasgow club s first signing for more than a year.

Rangers had off-loaded 10 players during the close-season in a bid to cut costs, but Smith was able to swoop for Rothen since the deal is not a permanent move.

Rothen helped Monaco reach…

Spanish giants Barcelona will on Wednesday launch a bid with a Bolivian entrepreneur to become co-owners of a Major League Soccer franchise in Miami in the United States.

If the deal comes off, they will become the first European club to enjoy direct association with the North American league, Barcelona said in a statement posted on their internet site.

The club will make the bid together with Miami-based Bolivian mogul Marcelo Claure, the co-chairman of Bolivian top-flight team FC Bolivar with whom Barcelona already collaborate.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta and Joan Oliver, the club s corporate director, will present their plans in Miami.

The Catalan club said it was already in negotiations with Florida International University to use its ground…

Fernando Torres is determined to bring silverware back to the Vicente Calderon after Atletico Madrid surrendered their La Liga title to Barcelona last season.

Torres made his Atletico return midway through last term as Diego Simeone s side finished third in La Liga and exited both the UEFA Champions League and the Copa del Rey at the quarter-finals.

Former Liverpool striker Torres won only the Segunda Division title during his first spell with Atleti, but maintains silverware is high on his priorities.

Torres also dismissed suggestions he was jealous of the players who helped Atleti to Liga glory in 2013-14.

If you have envy it is bad I admire Raul Garcia, Gabi and Koke as I did with Kiko, [Milinko] Pantic and [Jose Luis] Caminero and the doubl…

Middlesbrough are close to completing the loan signing of Calum Chambers, .

The England international played and scored as Arsenal lost to Liverpool in their opening game of the season but has not featured since and has been allowed to leave on a temporary basis.

He will join the North East side subject to a medical, despite also being linked with a move to Hull City.

Chambers moved to the Emirates Stadium from Southampton in the summer of 2014 and has since racked up fifty-nine appearances for the North London club in all competitions, scoring three goals.

He has won three senior caps for his country, with all of his appearances coming in 2014 two in qualification for Euro 2016 and once in a friendly.

Boro have taken five points from their …

Real Madrid are already eyeing a move for Liverpool star Sadio Mane at the end of the season.

Mane has developed into one of the world s best attackers, starring for the Premier League leaders and finishing fourth in the 2019 Ballon d Or.

Now, another one of Europe s biggest clubs are making initial moves for the 27-year-old.

TOP STORY – REAL MADRID MAKE CONTACT OVER MANE MOVE

Real Madrid have spoken to Mane s representatives about a possible move, according to Le 10 Sport.

Mane is contracted at Liverpool until 2023, but appears to be attracting interest from the LaLiga giants.

The Senegal international has scored 14 goals and provided eight assists in 27 games in all competitions this season.

EXCLU Mercato Real Madrid…

Leeds United have announced the appointment of Marcelo Bielsa as their new head coach.

The experienced Argentine takes charge at Elland Road on a two-year deal, with the Championship club holding an option to extend for a further year on top.

Bielsa who has been out of work since the end of last year  takes over a club that finished 13th in the English second tier last season, though his arrival is a clear sign of Leeds ambitions under chairman Andrea Radrizzani.

I am delighted to accept the role of head coach at Leeds United, Bielsa said in an official statement.

It has always been my ambition to work in England and I have had several opportunities to do so during my career, however I have always felt it was important to wait for the right project…