Former England footballer Adam Johnson has been sentenced to six years in prison after he was found guilty of sexual activity with a 15-year-old girl and grooming the teenager.
Johnson, admitted kissing the girl in his car in County Durham on January 30th last year and grooming her with hundreds of social media messages, but was found not guilty of a third charge of sexual activity with a child, relating to the same girl.
Judge Jonathan Rose, in sentencing Johnson, said: “This will be your first prison sentence, this is all entirely your fault. There is an abuse of trust, you are trusted by young fans to behave properly.”
The judge said the victim had been a Sunderland fan who would wait after matches to take pictures of her “favourite player,” Johnson, who had known her age.
He said: “That was known to you — to put it another way she had only just turned 15 when you began grooming her, because as you were to admit you found her sexually attractive. You made a deliberate decision to engage in sexual activity with this young girl, no doubt in the expectation that you would get away with it.”
Judge Rose told him that he had “every opportunity” to enter guilty pleas to the charges he finally admitted.
After the former Sunderland winger was found guilt of a more serious charge of sexual activity with the teenager, the judge had told him he should expect to receive a substantial prison sentence.
The jury had heard how Johnson, began exchanging hundreds of messages with the girl on social media at New Year 2015. He eventually agreed to meet her to sign football shirts but it was during a second meeting, after he inquired about a “thank you kiss,” that the sexual activity happened.
In the victim impact statement, the schoolgirl said: “The whole experience has been very overwhelming and
throughout the process I’ve had many hard times. I’ve always felt at risk of being recognised when I go places and on some occasions this has happened.
“I have felt very intimidated by it all and I’ve felt very lonely at times when I’ve felt everyone is against me due to Adam Johnson protesting his innocence and continuing to put himself in the public eye and ultimately it was like I was being taunted as if to say he could do what he wants and get away with it.
“For a whole year I’ve been accused of many things and being unable to defend myself has made this hard to deal with not just for me but for my family and close friends. It has affected us all.
“I am pleased with the three guilty verdicts as it proves to people I was not lying and it finally gives me a sense of closure to something I felt was never-ending. What happened a year ago has completely changed my life and now I hope justice has and will be done and I can move on from this.”
Adam Johnson photo credit: fifawallpapers.com
It was revealed during the sentencing that Johnson had been stripped of his 12 England caps.
His counsel, Orlando Pownall, asked the judge to “temper justice with mercy” when sentencing the footballer by considering his previous good character.
Pownall said: “He has lost a lucrative career he will never be able to retrieve. He has been stripped of his England caps and it might be said deservedly. He has been made the subject of national humiliation. These are all aspects of punishment that arise from his pleas and from his conviction.”
Pownall said Johnson had a “compulsive attitude towards engaging in sexual activity” and was not a “predatory paedophile”.
Sunderland terminated Johnson’s contract on February 11th, shortly after his guilty plea on two charges was
entered. After the verdict was returned, they issued a statement denying they had known that he would change his plea from not guilty.
Former Sunderland midfielder Adam Johnson have being found guilty of sexual activity with a 15-year old girl and faces up to 10 years in jail.
Johnson was convicted of sexual activity with the 15-year old girl but was cleared of another count in which she was alleged to have performed a sex act on him.
The judge Jonathan Rose told Johnson a custodial sentence was “an almost inevitable outcome” when he is sentenced in two to three weeks at Bradford crown court.
He said his preliminary view was that the case fell into the category of a five-year prison sentence with a range of four to
10 years.
Judge Rose told Johnson as he was granting him bail that he should use the opportunity to “say goodbye to your daughter” because “you will not see her for some time”.
The judge said: “You must understand when you return here at the end of March that it will be to receive a substantial prison sentence. Do you understand that?”
Johnson nodded in the glass dock, flanked by two Police officers. The judge told Johnson he must observe a 7pm-7am curfew and also said to him that “you would be well advised to stay well away from social media” before he is jailed.
The jury of eight women and four men deliberated for nine hours and 42 minutes after which they found Johnson guilty of one count of sexual activity with a child.
They returned with a majority of 10-2 after failing to reach a unanimous verdict.
The jurors convicted Adam Johnson just half an hour after acquitting him on another count of sexual activity with a
child.
Adam Johnson photo credit: fifawallpapers.com
Johnson had denied all four of the allegations until the first day of his trial, when he pleaded guilty to one count of
grooming and one count of kissing the schoolgirl.
He continued to deny that he did anything further than kiss the teenager and disputed her allegation that she performed oral sex on him and that he penetrated her with his fingers..
Adam Johnson’s counsel Orlando Pownall told the court that there would be an appeal against the guilty verdict.
The schoolgirl groomed by Adam Johnson wept in court as she acknowledged trying to cover up her sexual encounter with former Sunderland midfielder Adam Johnson ‘to save his career’.
The 15-year-old also broke down under cross-examination on Monday as she claimed that did not want any details of their illicit meetings to come out.
Adam Johnson’s counsel Orlando Pownall claimed she had asked her friends to tell lies for her as rumours of the illicit affair emerged.
The girl broke down as she told him: “I did not want him to lose his career.
“I am not bothered about myself in all this. I was ready to face my problems. I was trying to protect him so they would not believe what happened.”
In a tearful police interview played to the jury at Bradford crown court, the girl claimed she performed a sex act on
Johnson “because I didn’t know what his reaction would be if I didn’t”.
The teenager told the police officer in April last year that Johnson had text her to say “you owe me for this” after giving her a signed Sunderland football shirt.
The girl, who cannot be named, described how she felt “awkward” when Johnson allegedly kept trying to place her hand on his penis while they kissed in his car.
“He put my hand on his trousers then put my hand back down there [his trousers] so I felt a bit awkward if I pulled my hand
back. I just sort of felt compelled to do it in a way because he took his trousers down…, It’s hard because I can’t remember how it started – I just tried to forget about it,” she told a detective.
The schoolgirl claimed she performed a sex act on Johnson “for a couple of seconds” before stopping when the footballer allegedly said that if she continued he would “have to have sex” with her.
The girl alleged the sex act was Johnson’s idea “because he sort of put his hand on my back, not forcing but gradually
pushing forward a bit”. Asked how she felt after the alleged sex act, the teenager wiped away tears and said: “Not very good. Like…, I don’t know. I was disappointed in myself.”
The trial was stopped during the girl’s evidence as she wept uncontrollably while explaining how she lied to try to keep Johnson out of trouble.
Rumours about the alleged sexual encounter started circulating among the girl’s school friends just days after her
meeting with Johnson, the court heard. Pownall suggested that the girl asked friends to give police a partial picture
about what had happened when the rumours “spiralled out of control”.
The girl sobbed: “It was a concern because I didn’t want him to lose his career or anything. I wasn’t bothered about myself at all…, I was trying to protect him so he didn’t lose everything.”
Earlier, jurors heard the girl’s first police interview in which she described how she felt shocked and worried after allegedly being groped by the footballer. She described how she avoided meeting up again with the then Sunderland player because she “knew it was wrong”. However, she said she was reluctant to go to the police.
Of the alleged sexual activity on 30 January last year, she told the police officer: “I would say I was a bit shocked. As much as I was expecting it to happen I was still shocked it was. I was a bit worried because I knew I had done something wrong. It wasn’t that I didn’t want…, I just I knew it was wrong. I’m not one for being able to hold guilt.”
Adam Johnson photo credit: fifawallpapers.com
The court heard as the girl added: “I didn’t want anything to be done about it – I just wanted to drop it, but my mum said what he’s done is wrong.”
The schoolgirl was interviewed at Durham police station, with the footage shown in court during the second day of the trial. She claimed the relationship started when she sent a friend request on Facebook to Johnson “who I’ve idolised for a long time so it was surreal”. Johnson accepted her request later the same day, the court heard, and they later exchanged mobile numbers.
The girl told the police Johnson knew her age, what school she went to, that she was a Sunderland season-ticket holder and
even where she sat at the Stadium of Light, the jury heard. She described what is alleged to have happened when the two met behind a Chinese takeaway – weeks after he accepted her friend request. “I was kissing him for quite a while. Then he undid my button on my trousers and my zip and it took him quite a while to do that. He put his hand down my trousers and started, like, putting his hands in my knickers,” she claimed.
“That went on for quite a while. Then he stopped for a bit then he put his hand down again. Then he started to put my hand down his trousers, but I put my hand back a bit but then he put my hand back on over this trousers.
She described how Johnson sent her further texts on WhatsApp after the alleged sexual encounter, wanting to meet up again. “He sent me more messages offering to meet up and asked to meet the next day, but I was with friends. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to, but I was a bit hesitant because I knew it was wrong. I just said I was going out for a meal. Then everyone started to find out about it,” the girl told police.
She described how she “broke down” and confided in her parents when school friends learned about her and Johnson.
She was taken to a police station by her mother and a family friend, the jury heard.
The court has already heard allegations that Johnson knew the girl was 15 within hours of them exchanging messages on
New Year’s Eve 2014. Days after the alleged sexual touching, he is said to have searched the internet for “legal age of consent”.
Adam Johnson has denied two counts of sexual activity with a child. He has pleaded guilty to grooming and one count of sexual activity with the 15-year-old.
– Newcastle are reportedly lining up a late deal for Swansea striker Bafetimbi Gomis.
– Manchester United are locked in talks over a £30million deal for Benfica midfielder Renato Sanches, according to reports.
– Stoke City boss Mark Hughes says he may be forced to make a late bid for a centre-back after Marc Wilson sustained a knee injury that could keep him out for 12 weeks.
– According to reports, Everton have agreed to loan Aiden McGeady to Sheffield Wednesday until the end of the season.
– Andre Ayew’s agent says he is surprised the player is still at Swansea after Sunderland’s offer.
– Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has confirmed Serge Gnabry will be returning from his loan spell at West Bromwich Albion.
– According to reports, Real Madrid are close to sealing a 50million deal for PSG defender Marquinhos.
– Marseille are closing in on the signing of Spanish side Rayo Vallecano striker Miku, according to reports.
– According to Sky Sports Italia,Sampdoria have made an offer for Stade de Reims midfielder Prince Oniangué.
– Newcastle are reportedly considering a loan move for Valencia left-back Lucas Orban.
– Genoa have sent Diogo Figueiras back to Sevilla just six months into his season-long loan.
– Watford are prepared to pay Liverpool £3m to sign 19-year-old striker Jerome Sinclair, according to reports.
Diego Simeone photo credit uefa.org
– Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone wants to swap striker Jackson Martinez for Chelsea’s forward Diego Costa, according to reports.
– According to reports, Chelsea striker Loic Remy is set to move on loan to Leicester, with only a few details of the transfer yet to be completed.
– Florian Thauvin is set to join Ligue 1 side Marseille on a season-long loan deal, having left Newcastle to travel to France on Saturday.
– Everton are poised to sign the striker Oumar Niasse from Lokomotiv Moscow after having an offer of £13.5million accepted by the Russian club.
Football tit bits:
– Juan Antonio Pizzi has been announced as the manager of Chile’s national
team.
– West Ham manager Slaven Bilic was satisfied after a 0-0 draw at Liverpool in the fourth round of the FA Cup and feels the replay at Upton Park will be a “great night”.
– Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has revealed that the executive vice-chairman of the club, Ed Woodward, always treats the Dutchman to expensive wine when his side beat teams in the top six of the Premier League.
– The FA Cup fifth round draws come up Tomorrow evening at 6:15pm
– Newcastle United will have to pay £7million to lure Bafetimbi Gomis from Swansea City, according to reports.
– According to reports, Villarreal are keen to resign Denis Cheryshev from Real Madrid.
– Gary Cahill will not be allowed to leave Chelsea during this transfer window, according to reports.
– Roma sporting director Walter Sabatini has told L’Equipe that Seydou Doumbia will not be joining Marseille.
– West Ham United are reportedly ready to rival Norwich City for Inter defender Davide Santon.
– Atalanta captain German Denis says goodbye to fans ahead of a move to Independiente: “You don’t make history by yourself, thanks for everything.”
– Barcelona have made Juventus striker Paulo Dybala their main objective for the summer transfer window, according to reports in Spain
– Lyon have joined the race to sign Troyes attacking midfielder Jimmy Cabot, according to reports.
– Monaco are set to sign defender Jemerson from Atletico Mineiro, according to L’Equipe.
– Schalke chairman Clemens Tonnies has labelled reports claiming defender Joel Matip has already agreed terms with Liverpool ”a hoax”
– Alexander Pato underwent his medical last night but the deal is being held up by complications over his loan fee, according to reports.
– Quique Sanchez Flores has confirmed Watford were interested in Andros Townsend, but couldn’t match Tottenham’s asking price.
Luis Enrique, credit fcbarcelona.com
– Barcelona manager Luis Enrique has hinted the Spanish champions could add to their squad before Monday’s transfer deadline.
– West Ham boss Slaven Bilic hopes to compete a loan deal for Emmanuel Emenike in the next couple of days.
– St Étienne have confirmed that they have reached a fee agreement with Norwegian side Rosenborg for the signing of highly-rated young defensive midfielder Ole Kristian Selnaes.
– Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski will reject interest from Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea to wait for a move to Real Madrid once the Spanish side’s transfer embargo is lifted at the end of next season, according to reports.
– Porto want £38million for Giannelli Imbula, double of what Stoke City have offered for the midfielder, according to reports
Emmanuel Adebayor joins Crystal Palace
– Alan Pardew has dismissed fears that he has gambled by signing Emmanuel Adebayor, revealing the controversial striker has signed a performance-based contract at Crystal Palace.
– Tottenham are close to agreeing a deal with Fulham for Moussa Dembélé, according to reports.
– Swansea City head coach Francesco Guiodlin has confirmed talks are ongoing with Chievo’s Alberto Paloschi and could be finalised over the next 48 hours.
– West Ham manager Slaven Bilic says “no money in the world” could persuade him to sell Dimitri Payet this month.
– Arsenal have agreed a £23 million fee with Dynamo Kiev for Andriy Yarmolenko, according to reports in Ukraine.
– According to reports in Spain, Arsenal have been told to pay Real Madrid £25 million if they wish to sign Isco this month.
– Leicester City have turned their sights on Southampton striker Graziano Pelle, according to reports.
– Representatives from MLS side DC United spoke to Milan midfielder Antonio Nocerino today, according to reports.
– According to reports, Saido Berahino looks set to stay at West Bromwich Albion, with the Baggies not now likely to sell this month.
Football tit bits:
– Greg Dyke will stand down as chairman of the Football Association in the summer after deciding not to seek re-election at the end of his four-year term, amid a bruising battle over long overdue reform of the organisation.
– Swiss prosecutors say they have been given important evidence by a whistleblower in their investigation into FIFA and its suspended president Sepp Blatter.
Kevin De Bruyne
– Manchester City midfielder Kevin de Bruyne is likely to be out for six weeks after injuring his right knee.
– Louis van Gaal has angrily dismissed reports that he offered to quit as Manchester United manager last
weekend.
The England number one goalkeeper has been in blistering form keeping 10 clean sheets in the Premier League this season. He had an outstanding performance against West Ham at the weekend making a world class from West Ham midfielder Dimitri Payet’s free kick.
Right back- Branislav Ivanovic (Chelsea):
The Serbian defender had a stand-out performance against Arsenal at the Emirates stadium on Sunday and capped it off with a lovely assist for Diego Costa’s goal.
Centre back- Ashley Williams (Swansea):
The Welsh defender continued his excellent form at the weekend making 15 clearances against Everton.
Centre back- Craig Cathcart (Watford):
Craig Cathcart has been fantastic for Watford in defence this season and last weekend was not an exception. He capped off his fine defensive display with a lovely goal against Newcastle United.
Left back- Patrick van Aanholt (Sunderland):
Patrick van Aanholt continued his impressive form with a top-class performance at the weekend against Bournemouth. His attacking and defensive ability is a joy to watch. He scored his team’s only goal to salvage a draw at home on Saturday.
Newfanzone BPL Team Of The Week (Game week 23)
Centre midfield- Dele Alli (Tottenham):
The young English midfielder had an outstanding performance at the weekend and he capped it off with a fantastic volley which would definitely be a contender for goal of the season.
Centre midfield- Danny Drinkwater (Leicester City):
Danny Drinkwater had an awesome game on Saturday at the King Power stadium. He scored a lovely goal and got an assist in his team’s 3-0 win over Stoke City.
Attacking midfield- Andre Ayew (Swansea):
Andre Ayew had an outstanding performance against Everton on Sunday, scoring a lovely goal and winning a penalty for his team.
Left-forward- Enner Valencia (West Ham):
The Ecuador forward was at his best at the weekend scoring two well-taken goals against Manchester City.
Right-forward- Roberto Firmino (Liverpool):
The Brazilian forward had an awesome game at the weekend,scoring two beautiful goals and made an assist for Jordan Henderson’s goal
Forward- Sergio Aguero (Manchester City):
The Argentine striker was at his best at the weekend scoring a well-taken penalty and a beautiful strike to salvage a draw for his team against West Ham.
– Genoa have completed a loan deal for midfielder Alessio Cerci from AC Milan until the end of the season.
– Leicester have signed Daniel Amartey from Copenhagen on a four-and-a-half year deal for an undisclosed fee.
– Sunderland have completed the signing of goalkeeper Steve Harper until the end of the season.
– Fiorentina striker Giuseppe Rossi has signed for Levante on loan for the rest of the season.
– Udinese have signed midfielder Zdravko Kuzmanovic on loan from Basel for the rest of the season.
– Gaziantepspor have confirmed the loan signing of striker Habib Habibou from Rennes until the end of the season.
– Fiorentina has completed the signing of Cristian Tello from Barcelona on loan.
Christian Tello, photo credit MIGUEL RUIZ-FCB.
Today’s reports and rumours:
– Liverpool have contacted FC Lorient about left-back Raphael Guerreiro, according to reports.
– Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has admitted he is now more open to bringing in new players this month.
– Sampdoria are targeting Twente FC’s Moroccan talent Hakim Ziyech, according to reports.
– FC Nantes President Waldemar Kita has confirmed that Colombian defender Oswaldo Vicarrondo is on the transfer market
– Borussia Dortmund midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan has revealed that Thomas Tuchel is the reason he stayed with the Bundesliga club this season.
– Toulouse striker Wissam Ben Yedder has announced via his official Twitter account that he will be remaining at the club until the end of the season, amid intense speculation linking the player with Tottenham, Lyon and Marseille.
– Roberto Martinez has assured Everton fans that none of the team’s key players will be sold in the January window.
– West Bromwich Albion boss Tony Pulis believes the Saido Berahino transfer saga could extend right into the final hours of the January transfer window.
– Swansea have failed with a fresh offer for Napoli striker Manolo Gabbiadini, according to reports in Italy.
– Fernando Torres has an offer to become the highest-paid player in world football, his agent José Antonio Martín has said.
– Manuel Neuer has not ruled out leaving Bayern Munich in the future amid the increasing wages on offer in the Premier League,
– Chinese outfit Jiangsu Suning FC have lodged a formal bid for AS Roma striker Seydou Doumbia, according to reports.
– Roberto Martínez has claimed Sam Byram was not the right player for Everton despite bidding an initial £3.7m for the Leeds United defender before he chose West Ham United.
– Manchester United are ready to spend up to £20million to secure a deal for Southampton left-back Ryan Bertrand, according to reports.
Football tit bits:
– UEFA have officially agreed to use goal-line technology at Euro 2016 and next season’s Champions League.
– Manchester United’s Ashley Young has suffered a ‘severe’ groin injury and is to undergo surgery, Louis van Gaal has revealed.
– Chelsea’s Eden Hazard and Diego Costa are fit and will be available for selection for Sunday’s showdown with Arsenal at the Emirates.
– Bahraini pro-democracy campaigners have written to FIFA’s top sponsors to raise concerns over Sheikh Salman al-Khalifa’s attempt to become the president of world football’s governing body.
Mitchel Platini
– UEFA executive committee have decided to delay presidential election until Michel Platini’s appeal is heard
– Roberto Mancini and Internazionale have accepted Maurizio Sarri’s apologies after the Napoli coach used “highly
insulting” language during a Coppa Italia match.
– ADO Den Haag has slapped stadium bans on 22 fans it says were involved in racist chants during Sunday’s 1-0 loss to Ajax.
– Spain’s anti-violence committee for sports has asked the Spanish FA (RFEF) to take action over abusive chants from Espanyol fans towards Gerard Pique’s wife Shakira during the recent Copa del Rey game against Barcelona.
– Roma terminate Ashley Cole’s contract by mutual consent.
– According to reports, Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Adrien Rabiot is edging closer to a loan switch to Marseille.
– According to Marca, Atletico Madrid have turned down a €30million offer from Tottenham for striker Jackson Martinez.
– West Ham co-chairman David Sullivan has confirmed that terms have been agreed with Leeds United for the signing of Sam Byram.
– Newcastle will not allow Florian Thauvin’s proposed loan deal to Marseille untill they reach an agreement with Spurs over the signing of Andros Townsend, according to reports.
– Tottenham midfielder Nabil Bentaleb has been reassured over his future by head coach Mauricio Pochettino.
– Arsenal defender Nacho Monreal has signed a new long-term contract.
– Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Granit Xhaka says he will not leave the Bundesliga club simply to sit on another side’s bench.
– Diego Perotti’s agent reveals only “final details” are missing for a transfer from Genoa to Roma.
– Atalanta want to sign Anderlecht striker Idrissa Sylla, according to Sky Sports Italia.
– Lille are interested in signing Chelsea attacker Charly Musonda on loan this month, according to reports.
– AC Milan defender Cristian Zapata is reportedly not keen on VfB Stuttgart or Hoffenheim offers.
– Werder Bremen chief executive Thomas Eichin has told Bild: “We are in negotiations.” over a loan move for Chelsea defender Papy Djilobodji.
– An intermediary for Wolfsburg claims Juventus rejected an offer from the German club for Simone Zaza.
– Roma’s hopes of signing Barcelona’s Adriano this month have taken a hit after his agent said: “Adriano won’t leave in January.”
– According to Le Parisien, Ligue 1 high-flyers Angers are considering a loan deal for PSG youngster Jean-Kevin Augustin.
– Roma and AC Milan are said to be interested in Atletico Madrid attacking midfielder Oliver Torres.
– Marseille midfielder Alaixys Romao has confirmed in a press conference that he will remain at the club until the end of the season, dismissing speculation about a possible move to Sunderland.
– Spanish sources claim Roma have asked Real Madrid for defender Nacho Fernandez.
– Inter director Piero Ausilio confirms Fredy Guarin “is in negotiations” with Jiangsu Suning
– Jurgen Klopp insists he has the final say on transfers at Liverpool despite his predecessor suggesting he had been compromised by a transfer committee.
– According to reports, West Ham are preparing a £18million bid for Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge.
– According to reports, Manchester City have joined the race for Athletic Bilbao attacker Inaki Wiliams and are looking to activate his £15.3 million release clause, with Arsenal, Real Madrid and Liverpool also interested.
– According to reports, Swansea and Bournemouth are both weighing up moves for Lazio midfielder Ravel Morrison.
– According to reports, Hajduk Split goalkeeper Lovre Kalinic is set to sign for Aston Villa after a £5million fee was agreed.
– According to Goal, Barcelona have turned down a loan move from Real Betis for striker Sandro Ramirez and hope to sell the 20-year-old to a premier league team before the end of the January transfer window.
Football tit bits:
– Gianni Infantino, the UEFA general secretary who is bidding to succeed Sepp Blatter as FIFA president, has proposed staging an expanded World Cup across several countries as part of his manifesto.
– André Villas-Boas found Chelsea’s sacking of José Mourinho “quite incredible”, saying the club’s owner, Roman Abramovich, “has sacked basically every coach that he’s had”.
– The Dutch FA (KNVB) has said it would have supported Ajax’s Riechedly Bazoer if the midfielder had walked off the
pitch after he was subjected to racist chants from opposition supporters over the weekend.
– Real Madrid have confirmed that Gareth Bale has picked up another calf muscle injury, with reports in Spain saying the Wales international is likely to miss three weeks of action.
– The father of Manuel Godoy believes Real Madrid tried to hide their involvement with his son during FIFA’s investigation into the club.
– Barcelona coach Luis Enrique says Lionel Messi will decide if he is fit enough to play in Wednesday’s Copa del Rey quarterfinal first leg tie at Athletic Bilbao.
– Jorge Sampaoli has stepped down as coach of Chile in the wake of a disagreement with newly elected Football Federation of Chile (ANFP) president Arturo Salah.
– Leeds are in advanced talks with Everton over a potential deal for right-back Sam Byram, according to reports.
– According to reports,Swansea have joined Norwich in the race to sign Steven Naismith from Everton.
– Napoli midfielder Jonathan de Guzman is closing in on a return to Swansea City , according to Sky Sports sources.
– Liverpool have seen an offer to take Real Madrid’s attacking midfielder Martin Odegaard on loan until the end of the season turned down by the La Liga club, according to reports in Marca.
– Florian Thauvin could be set for a sensational return to Marseille on loan just five months after moving to Newcastle United, according to media reports in France.
– Manchester City youngster Patrick Roberts is a transfer window target for Bournemouth, according to reports.
– Middlesbrough manager Aitor Karanka says the club are “very close” to sealing the signing of Athletic Bilbao striker Enrique Sola.
– The agent of Paris Saint-Germain forward Ezequiel Lavezzi is reportedly in Milan to meet with Inter.
– Tony Pulis last night said striker Saido Berahino’s future at West Bromwich Albion is still unclear.
– Aston Villa are in talks to sign Bordeaux’s Lamine Sane on loan until the end of the season, according to Sky Sports sources.
– According to L’Équipe, Stade de Reims have made an enquiry for PSG third choice goalkeeper Nicolas Douchez.
– According to L’Équipe, Lille have reinitiated contacts for the possible transfer of Frenchman Yoan Gouffran from Newcastle.
– Fredy Guarin is reportedly considering an offer from Chinese club Jiangsu Suning with wages worth €6m-€7.5m.
– Gaston Ramirez’s agent confirmed “we’ll close the deal with Bologna next week,” as he leaves Southampton.
– Manchester United are set to sign 16-year-old Italian defender Luca Ercolani, who was spotted in Serie D.
– Hamburg defender Marcelo Diaz is on the verge of joining Celta Vigo.
– Christoph Kramer “doesn’t want to go to Napoli” declares the Bayer Leverkusen midfielder’s agent.
– Roma, Inter and Milan have made approaches for Martin Caceres but Juventus want to sell him to a foreign club, according to reports.
– FC Copenhagen has confirmed they have received a bid from Leicester City for Ghana international Daniel Amartey.
– Nolito has distanced himself from a potential return to Barcelona, saying he is happy at Celta Vigo.
– According to reports in France, Alaixys Ramao will turn down a lucrative offer from Saudi club Al-Ahli in order to stay at Marseille until the end of the season.
– Tottenham are reportedly keen on signing Mainz forward Yunus Malli.
– Manchester City are preparing a £19million bid for Borussia Dortmund midfielder Julian Weigl, according to Sky Sports.
– Bruno Peres is “flattered” by Bayern Munich, PSG and Real Madrid interest, but “I am focused on helping Torino.”
Football tit bits:
– Roma have announced that Luciano Spalletti has taken over as Coach after Rudi Garcia’s sacking.
– FIFA has banned Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid from registering new signings for the next two transfer windows as punishment for breaching its rules on the international transfer and registration of players aged under 18. Both clubs have announced they intend to appeal, with Real Madrid describing the decision as “absolutely unacceptable”.
– Espanyol supporters smuggled a pig’s head into the Estadio Cornellà-El Prat stadium to throw at Gerard Piqué during a fraught Copa del Rey derby with Barcelona on Wednesday night.
– Jurgen Klopp has defended Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet over the goals he conceded in Wednesday’s 3-3 Premier League draw with Arsenal, instead blaming a collective loss of concentration.
– Jorge Sampaoli has confirmed he no longer wants to be Chile coach, but the exit clause in his contract appears set to delay the matter.
The veteran goalkeeper continued his blistering form in front of goal for Arsenal at the weekend. He made a couple of saves to keep his team in the match before the Gunners got on the scoresheet.
Right back- Ashley Young (Manchester United):
Ashley Young had an outstanding game against Swansea on Saturday. He darting runs caused Swansea’s defence a lot of trouble and he was also top class when defending. He capped off his performance by setting up Anthony Martial’s goal.
Centre back- James Collins (West Ham):
The Welshman had a top-class game against Liverpool at the weekend. He nullified the threat of Christian Benteke and won everything in the air.
Centre back- Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal):
Laurent Koscielny had a good defensive display against Newcastle on Saturday and scored the vital goal that kept his team on top of the Premier League table.
Left back- Patrick van Aanholt (Sunderland):
The yound Dutch defender had an outstanding performance against Aston Villa. He was “solid” defensively and opened the scoring for his team.
Centre midfield- Mark Noble (West Ham):
Mark Noble was at his best against Liverpool at the weekend. He orchestrated the Hammers play in the middle of the pack and provided the assist for Andy Carroll’s goal.
Attacking midfield- Dele Alli (Tottenham):
The English midfielder was simply “superb” against Everton. He dictated play in the midfield and scored a lovely a goal.
Attacking midfield- Willian (Chelsea):
The Brazilian midfielder showed why he has been Chelsea’s standout performer this season against Crystal Palace on Sunday. He scored a fantastic goal and set up Diego Costa’s goal.
Forward- Anthony Martial (Manchester United):
The young French forward had a standout performance against Swansea at the weekend. He was a threat to the Swansea defence with his pace on the ball and his movement. He capped off his performance with a well taken goal and provided the assist for Wayne Rooney’s goal.
Forward- Jermain Defoe (Sunderland):
The Englishman was at his best against Aston Villa at the weekend scoring two beautiful goals.
Centre forward- Wayne Rooney (Manchester United):
The English striker scored a superb back heel goal against Swansea City to give his team their first win since November 21st. Wayne Rooney’s goal moved him past Andy Cole into second on the all-time Premier League scorers’ list.
This is Game week 15 of our Bookies corner where we help Punters forecast on the best matches to put their money on.
Tobi Olubiyi’s (@tobipreety) predictions:
Italian Serie A
Bologna Vs Napoli – Napoli win:
Napoli have been impressive this season with just 1 defeat in 14games and currently the table toppers after their latest feat which was a win against Scudetto favourites Inter Milan at the Stadio San Paolo to extend their run of straight wins to 5 in all competition.
Bologna will have it tough albeit on their home turf against high flying Napoli who have not lost in 18 matches. Napoli striker Gonzalo Higuain is in the form of his life scoring 12goals in 14 games.
I see Napoli getting the victory in this game against 18th placed Bologna.
Inter Milan Vs Genoa – Inter Milan win :
Genoa will be travelling to the San Siro stadium where they have not been able to get a victory since 1994 and on the back of just one win from their last 5 games. It’s also worth noting Mancini’s Inter are wounded lions at the moment after loosing their last game to League Leaders Napoli which was their first defeat in 8 matches.
The Nerazzurri will be looking to get inspiration up front from Mauro Icardi and Jovetic to get them the victory.
French Ligue 1
Bastia Vs Monaco – Monaco Win or draw:
Monaco have not been as dominating as they have been in recent years in the Ligue Un. With a fringe squad and a bunch of average players they would be lucky to make the Champions league place at the end of the season. A trip to Bastia could prove tricky as they have won only 1 of their last 5 games which included a hard-fought 3-all draw at the Stade Velodrome against Marseille.
I expect Monaco to get something out of this game and put a dent to Bastia’s current run of only defeat in their last 5 games.
St Etienne Vs Rennes – St Etienne Win:
The perennial Dark horses of the Ligue Un in recent years, St Etienne will host 9th placed Rennes who are 3 points behind them. St Etienne have recently been on a bad run with just a win in 5 matches in all competitions but to be fair to them they have come against relatively tough opposition facing Lyon, Marseille, Rosenborg, and Lille during this period. I expect Christophe Galtier’s men to get back to winning ways and get all 3 points at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard.
English Premier League
Arsenal Vs Sunderland – Arsenal win :
The Gunners are having their usual mid- season injury crisis with key players picking up injuries at the same time. Sanchez, Koscienly,Carzola, Walcott, Rosicky, Coquelin, Welbeck and a couple more players are injured for arsenal. There has been very few good news coming from the arsenal medical department and the Physio’s treatment table of late but there has been indications Koscienly and Walcott could play a part in this fixture against Sunderland. Arsenal will depend on the fine form of their assist-master Ozil who has been linking up well with their attackers and creating goals therby creating a new premier League record of assists in consecutive games.
The Black cats have currently jumped out of relegation waters with an impressive back to back wins under new manager Sam Allardyce. I see Arsenal getting the win at the Emirates staking their claim for their title push.
West Brom Vs Tottenham – Tottenham win :
Tony Pulis would be fired up for this one after back to back games against London clubs, winning against Arsenal and getting a point at West Ham. He will be looking on to spur his team to a victory against Spurs another London club,Pochettino’s men haven’t lost in 13 league games since the opening day and made Chelsea labour for a goalless draw last game. I believe this new look Tottenham with Harry Kane back in form will be too strong for West Brom and they will get the victory against the baggies.
Spanish La Liga
Gary Neville photo credit, pixgood.com
Valencia Vs Barcelona – Barcelona win:
This would be the first game after the Neville brothers re-United at Valencia since after their playing days together at Manchester United. They couldn’t have wished for a tougher opposition to kickstart thier la liga campaign as the catalans will come visiting at the Mestalla. Barcelona have been scoring goals without remorse and even put 6 past their King’s Cup opponents without needing the services of Neymar, Messi or Suarez who are the most inform trio in Europe’s top 5 leagues. Valencia would have their work cut out against Luis Enrique’s team who they have managed to defeat only once in their last 6 games together. I expect Barcelona to get maximum points away from home.
Athletic Bilbao Vs Malaga – Athletic Bilbao Win:
In form Bilbao will finally return to play infront of their home fans at the San Mames after playing 4 consecutive away games in all competitions and winning their last 3 consecutively. They would need goal scoring veteran Aduriz to kill off Malaga after his run of 10goals in 13 matches this season.
18th place Malaga are still wallowing in relegation waters after a bad run of 4 consecutive defeats in their last 5 matches. The Lions of San Mames led by coach Ernesto Valverde should be able to get a win in front of their home fans.
German Bundesliga
Wolfsburg Vs Dortmund – Both Teams score (BTTS):
An exciting game at the Volkswagen arena as the 2nd placed Dortmund will be battling 3rd placed Wolfsburg. The home team would be hoping to close the wide gap of 7points in between them. There has been goals from both teams in 5 of their last 6 games against each other and I expect that to continue on saturday. Wolfsburg have been scoring a lot of goals this season, finding the net 40 times in 13 Bundesliga matches. Especially with the form of Gabonese Striker Aubameyang who has 17goals in 14games and the best shot conversion ratio in Europe’s top 5 leagues.
These two teams are difficult to separate but I expect a lot of goals and I see both teams getting on the score sheet.
Borussia Dortmund
Ingolstadt Vs Hoffenheim – Under 2.5goal:
It’s been a dream start to life in Bundesliga for newly-promoted Ingolstadt who are currently 11th on the log after an impressive 5 wins and 4 draws in their 14games so far. Hoffenheim are rooted to the bottom of the table after picking up 1 win all season. These 2 teams are not fond of scoring a lot of goals as the home team have scored a dire 10 goals in 14 games, the lowest in the league while the visitors have scored 15 goals in 14 games. I don’t expect an explosive end to end game with lots of goals, I believe both teams will score less than a total of 3 goals in this game.
Paul Ayorinde’s (@el_pauleta) predictions:
Italian Serie A
Lazio V Juventus- Double chance on Juventus:
Lazio continued their bad form last weekend when they lost to by a lone goal to Empoli while Juventus continue their resurgent as they trashed Palermo 3-0 away from home. I expect Lazio to be fired up for this match but I tip Juventus to get at least a point at Stadio Olimpico on Friday night.
Inter Milan V Genoa- Inter win:
10-man Inter Milan lost 2-1 against Napoli on Monday night in an unlucky fashion while Genoa snatched a draw at home against newcomers Carpi. I am expect Mancini’s men to get back to winning ways this weekend. I tip Inter Milan to win at the San Siro on Saturday night.
English Premier League
Swansea City V Leicester City- Double chance on Leicester:
Swansea continued their poor form last weekend losing by a lone goal against Liverpool while Leicester got a well-deserved draw against Manchester United. Swansea have picked up just 1 point in their last four premier league games, so I don’t expect them to be much of a threat against Leicester on Saturday. I tip Leicester City to get at least a point at the Liberty stadium.
West Bromwich Albion V Tottenham- Double chance on Tottenham:
West Brom picked up a point at West Ham on Sunday while Tottenham played out a goalless draw against Chelsea at the weekend to extend their unbeaten run to 13 Premier League matches. West Brom are on a good run of form, so i expect this match to tough for Tottenham. I tip Tottenham to get a point at the Hawthorns on Saturday.
Newcastle V Liverpool- Liverpool win:
Newcastle continued their abysmal form losing 5-1 against Crystal Palace in Game week 14 while Liverpool defeated Swansea 1-0 at Anfield. Jurgen Klopp’s men are in rich-vein of form after defeating Southampton 6-1 in the League Cup. I tip Liverpool to win convincingly at St James’ park on Sunday.
Spanish LIGA BBVA
Valencia V Barcelona- Barcelona win:
Valencia lost away from home last weekend to struggling Sevilla in a match that ended the reign of Nuno Espirito Santo while Barcelona continue their winning run defeating Real Sociedad 4-0 at Camp Nou. I expect Barcelona to be too strong for Valencia at the Mestalla on Saturday. I tip Barcelona to win in an entertaining match.
Deportivo La Coruna V Sevilla- Double chance on Deportivo:
Deportivo defeated Las Palmas away from home in Game week 13 while Sevilla got a lone goal victory against Valencia. Deportivo have lost just one game in their last five Liga BBVA matches, so i tip them to get at least a point at home on Saturday.
German Bundesliga
Cologne V Augsburg- Double chance on Cologne:
Cologne played a goalless draw against Darmstadt last weekend while Augsburg also played a goalless draw against Wolfsburg. I expect the match to be tight because both teams give extra details to defending. I tip Cologne to get at least a point at home on Saturday.
Wolfsburg V Borussia Dortmund- Both teams to score(BTTS):
Wolfsburg played a goalless draw with Augsburg last weekend while Dortmund defeated Stuttgart 4-1. In the last 3 Bundesliga meetings between Wolfsburg and Dortmund at the Volkswagen Arena both teams got on the score sheet, so I expect the trend to continue this weekend. I tip Both teams to score at Volkswagen Arena on Saturday night.
French Ligue 1
Ajaccio V Nantes- Double chance on Ajaccio:
Ajaccio continued their impressive form with an away win at Montpellier on Wednesday while Nantes held Olympique Lyon to a goalless draw on Tuesday night. I tip Ajaccio to get at least a point at home on Saturday.
The Romanian goalkeeper had a standout performance on Saturday against Stoke City. He made four saves in the match to gives his team their second clean sheet in a week.
Right back- Adam Smith (Bournemouth):
The English defender sparked life into the Cherries team. His passing and darting runs brought life into Bournemouth’s attack and he capped it off with the “Goal of the weekend”
Centre back- Chris Smalling (Manchester United):
The Englishman was at his best once again for Manchester United at the weekend. He kept record-breaking Jamie Vardy quiet for most part of the game. He made nine clearances against Leicester City on Saturday.
Centre back- Kurt Zouma (Chelsea):
The young French defender was outstanding against Tottenham on Sunday. He was commanding in the air and nullified the threat of Harry Kane.
Left back- Patrick van Aanholt (Sunderland):
The Dutch defender had an outstanding performance against Stoke City and capped it off with a “cracking” goal.
Centre midfield- Fabian Delph (Manchester City):
The English midfielder had a good game at the weekend,building up play from the midfield. He capped off his outstanding performance with a goal.
Centre midfield- James McArthur (Crystal Palace):
The Scottish midfielder had a standout performance against Newcastle on Saturday. He “bossed” the midfield and scored two lovely goals.
Forward- Yannick Bolasie (Crystal Palace);
The Congolese winger was at his best at the weekend tormenting the Newcastle defenders with his trickery and pace. He capped it off with two well taken goals.
Forward- Junior Stanislas (Bournemouth):
The English winger had a standout performance against Everton scoring two crucial goals to help his team rescue a point at Vitality Stadium.
Forward- Ross Barkley (Everton):
Barkley continued his fine form at the weekend against Bournemouth. He had an outstanding game setting up Funes Mori’s goal and scoring a goal.
Striker- Jamie Vardy (Leicester City):
The Englishman continued his extraordinary goalscoring form at the weekend. He broke Ruud van Nistelrooy record by scoring in 11 consecutive premier league matches. Vardy is now just one short of equalling the all-time English record of 12 straight games set by Jimmy Dunne in the 1930s.
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