MACAULEY Bonne is out to prove his stellar football season with Leyton Orient was no fluke — and has set his sights on playing in the English Championship (equivalent of […]
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There seems to be no end to the standoff between coach Lloyd Mutasa and errant player Denver Mukamba (pictured left) as Dynamos are desperate to find a solution before the […]
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MILAN — Cristiano Ronaldo will likely make his Juventus debut at Chievo Verona as the Bianconeri kick off their attempt to win a record-extending eighth league title at the Stadio Bentegodi. The 2018-19 Serie A fixtures were announced on Thursday. Juventus signed Ronaldo from Real Madrid earlier this month for 112 million euros ($131.5 million). […]
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Liverpool are expected to mount a serious title challenge this season after several high-profile additions which could also be big news for fantasy football fans.
Jurgen Klopp’s side impressed with their barnstorming playing-style last season, which was fronted by a lightning-quick front three.
Not only do Liverpool boast a squad which is certain to make headlines in the Premier League, Klopp’s side also features several names who could be big points scorers in fantasy football this season.
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REUTERS Liverpool paid a world-record fee for a goalkeeper to sign the Roma man[/caption]
Alisson’s arrival at Anfield will expected to finally solve their long-standing goalkeeping crisis which has seen both Simon Mignolet and Loris Karius heavily criticised.
The Brazilian was signed from Roma after the Reds forked out a world-record fee for a goalkeeper and the move has whetted the appetites of Reds fans.
Alisson has built up a reputation as one of the best goalkeepers in Europe, with his distribution one of his best attributes.
The Brazilian will cost £4m in this year’s game, representing one of the most expensive goalkeepers in the game.
Alisson’s price-tag might be steep, however you would expect him to repay that with clean-sheets in front of an ever-improving Liverpool defence.
2 Virgil van Dijk – £4m
Getty - Contributor
The Dutchman is a towering leader at the heart of the Red’s defence
Van Dijk is set to be the main defensive lynch-pin in a now formidable looking Liverpool side.
The Dutchman arrived from Southampton in January for a world-record transfer fee for a defender and his impact was felt immediately.
The 27-year-old added much needed defensive steel and left Reds fans regretting that he wasn’t their player for the whole season.
At just £4m, the towering defender is a must have for your Dream Team this season.
Van Dijk’s immense aerial presence makes him a real goal-threat from set-pieces, and he is also now more likely to keep clean-sheets with Alisson behind him.
Liverpool’s favourable start to the season will also play a part in van Dijk’s potential to keep clean-sheets right from the start.
3 Naby Keita – £3m
Getty - Contributor The new arrival is expected to thrive at Anfield[/caption]
Liverpool fans have been made to wait to see Keita in action, after a transfer which was agreed last year, became permanent this summer.
The Guinea midfielder is expected to cope with the demands of the Premier League and continue the impressive form that led to him becoming one of Europe’s most sought-after talents.
Keita will slot straight into Klopp’s starting eleven, with the 23-year-old set to be given license to express himself in midfield alongside fellow new arrival Fabinho.
The former Leipzig man has taken the No8 shirt at Anfield which was previously held by the club’s former talisman Steven Gerrard.
Keita is priced up at a modest £3m in this year’s game and represents an enticing prospect for Dream Team managers, as he is likely to be the source of many goals or assists this season.
4 Roberto Firmino – £6m
Getty - Contributor The Brazilian has become one of Liverpool’s most important players[/caption]
Firmino’s excellent season went somewhat under the radar due to the brilliance of Mohamed Salah.
Nevertheless, the Brazilian was arguably just as important to Liverpool, scoring 15 goals and chipping in with seven assists last season.
The 26-year-old was the glue that held Klopp’s deadly attacking trident together, with four star man awards contributing to his impressive 280 points in fantasy football.
Firmino will cost Dream Team managers £6m in this year’s game, which is a relative steal considering what he will almost certainly bring to your fantasy football team this season.
5 Mohamed Salah – £8m
USA TODAY Sports Can the Egyptian replicate his form from last season?[/caption]
We teased you by leaving him until the very last.
Salah is fit and raring to go after he fully recovered from the shoulder injury that he sustained in last season’s Champions League final.
Before his season suffered a disastrous conclusion, the Egyptian was a revelation in his first year back in English football.
The 26-year-old scored 32 Premier League goals for Klopp’s side, which helped him to pick up a monumental 412 points in fantasy football, the most of any player.
The Egyptian is the joint most expensive player in this season’s game, alongside Spurs striker Harry Kane.
Salah will set Dream Team managers back a hefty £8m, however there is no doubt that your investment will be returned with plenty of goals this season.
Those managers looking to pick the Egyptian as a midfielder in their team will be left disappointed, as the Liverpool man has been moved to a striker in this year’s game.
What are the Dream Team rules?Every single season the Premier League gets more intriguing – and playing Dream Team really is the perfect way to enhance your experience of it.
You’ll be assigned a total budget of £50m for each side you pick and you’ll be able pick a maximum of 10 free teams.
The Game Weeks run from Friday to Thursday, effectively meaning the new Game Week starts after the last Europa League games are completed.
Emery and Arsenal will tackle the Europa League this seasonGetty
You get three transfers a month on the first Friday of every month so using them wisely is essential.
Every player on the game will be assigned a price at the start of the season which will then vary and fluctuate on a weekly basis dependent on their performances.
For example, last season we valued Mo Salah at £4m at the start of the season but the Egyptian King rocketed to over £11m by the end after his stunning goalscoring form.
Make sure to check out our website or app to see how our simplistic points system works.
DREAM TEAM 2018/19 Sign up for the best fantasy football game around hereWe’re all going on a European tour with Burnley and there’s nothing you can do about it.
Forget what Will from the Inbetweeners said in the first movie; Burnley fans don’t need to f*** off as they’re some of the best around.
After their stunning Premier League heroics last season, the Clarets begin their first foreign adventure in 50 years this week with a glamorous two-legged qualifier against, er, Aberdeen.
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That smile… that damned smilePA:Press Association
But, regrettably, I’m here to be a true party pooper.
The Europa League – a competition with unique travelling demands – can be a gruelling and cruel mistress.
Thursday to Sunday fixture patterns, long haul flights to the middle of Azerbaijan… is it really all that?
‘What do you mean I have to take more than one flight there?’Rex Features
And many of the so-called ‘lesser sides’ in the Premier League have subsequently struggled with the added challenge of a European campaign, duly seeing their domestic form suffer as a result.
In recent years a number of clubs have seen their league form nose dive dramatically whilst distracted by the Europa League.
Swansea, powered by the unforgettable Michu, won the League Cup in 2012/13 and earned a Europa League place the following season off the back of it.
Action Images - Reuters Nice hair, dodgy football[/caption]
But, after finishing ninth the season before, Swansea fell to 12th in 2013/14 and Michael Laudrup was sacked by the start of February.
One season later it was a similar story for Everton, who could only manage 11th in the Premier League following their sixth placed finish the year before.
The Toffees were also knocked out of both domestic cup competitions in the first round in 2014/15.
Bradley Ormesher - The Times Where did it all go wrong?[/caption]
And what for Southampton? Yep, you guessed it.
The Saints finished above Liverpool in the 2015/16 season and marched into Europe as a result.
But the following campaign went slightly to pot on multiple fronts, failing to get out of their Europa League group and finishing a distant eighth in the Premier League – 15 points behind Everton in seventh.
Reuters Hey Siri, find me a photographic example of pathetic fallacy[/caption]
So, should they get through qualifying of course, what does that mean for Burnley?
Well our worry is, for a side who were tipped to go down last season, it might be a case of too much too soon.
They had one of the smallest squads in the Premier League last year and have signed the square root of f*** all so far this summer.
Zero incomings whatsoever. Zilch. Nada.
Sean Dyche also made the fewest amount of changes to his first XI last season; testament to the faith in his players, but also an indication of his lack of options.
Burnley were everyone’s second favourite team last seasonREBECCA NADEN
Maintaining their odds-defying exploits will be a hell of a challenge, let alone with the burden of European football.
It means a moving of the goalposts and a reality check may be required, with ensuring Premier League safety again the priority for Dyche and co.
Could they be victims of their own success?
Have you signed up to play fantasy football this season yet?Yep, it’s that time again.
Dream Team – the UK’s biggest fantasy football game – is back and better than ever ahead of the eagerly awaited new Premier League season.
August 10 is the date you need to get in your diaries – but you can already sign up to play fantasy football well before Man United and Leicester get it all underway.
It’s completely free to play, there’s £400k in prizes up for grabs and you can show your mates who really is the boss.
What more could you ever want?
DREAM TEAM 2018/19 Sign up for the best fantasy football game around hereThe World Cup was a haze of goals, gaffes and glorious entertainment – but for fantasy football fans the Premier League is the pinnacle.
England fans have been on emotional rollercoaster this summer, so a return to the bread and butter will be a welcome comfort.
As the Premier League season draws ever closer, so does Dream Team – the UK’s biggest fantasy football game – is back and better than ever to make your experience of it all even more compelling.
SIGN UP NOW – It’s time to pick your fantasy football team for the new season
We’ve thrown plenty of fantasy football tips in your direction recently, however you have stumbled over something a bit different this time.
To make sure you’ve had your appetites suitably whetted ahead of the new Dream Team game, we decided to take a look back at some of our fantasy football favourites over the years.
Not only have we remembered the original GOAT players on fantasy football, the ones everyone would flock to pick on Dream Team, we’ve even compared them to player’s in this year’s game.
These players were all stalwarts of fantasy football for many years and still hold a special place in the hearts of die-hard Dream Team managers.
Leighton Baines/Marcos Alonso
The pair are almost identical
Baines was the original fantasy football left-back maestro.
The Everton man was an ever-present in nearly every Dream Team back in the day, with his scoring and assisting antics making him an instant fan’s favourite.
Baines was also the designated penalties, free-kick and corner taker for the Toffees, making him a Dream Team manager’s ideal pick.
The once marauding full back, now 33-years-old, has seen his crown taken by Chelsea’s Alonso in recent seasons.
The Spaniard has become the new must have pick after he was biggest points scoring defender last season, having racked up a mammoth 204 points.
Alonso might have replaced Baines, however the latter will always have a special place in our fantasy football heart!
John Terry/Nicolas Otamendi
Seeing double
John Terry used to be everyone’s first pick in Dream Team.
The Chelsea legend was an absolute colossus during his time at Stamford Bridge and was instrumental in the Blues’ impressive defensive record for many years.
Alongside his expert defending formed around a ‘never say die’ attitude, the long-term Chelsea skipper was also an absolute monster in the air.
The 37-year-old scored a whopping 65 goals over 700 appearances for the Blues. Fantasy football points-machine.
Terry has since had his crown as the GOAT fantasy football defender challenged by a younger pretender – Man City’s Otamendi.
After an initial shaky start to life in England, the Argentine centre-back has adapted to the demands of the Premier League and was one of the most improved players last season.
Otamendi registered 5 goals for Pep Guardiola’s side last season and is the closest defender to Terry in terms of his aerial ability whilst also playing for a top six club.
Clint Dempsey/Riyad Mahrez
The same, but different
Dempsey was a must have for all Dream Team managers back in the day.
The American was one of the best players in the Premier League outside of the top six and his usually low price on fantasy football made him an incredibly popular choice.
Dempsey was also listed as a midfielder in fantasy football, making the fact that he was a consistent goalscorer even more appealing.
After starring at Fulham, Dempsey earned a lucrative move to Spurs, where unfortunately it didn’t work out for him, as he struggled to make the grade at a top club.
In a strange set of parallels however, Mahrez’s Premier League career to date can be compared to Dempsey’s.
Just as the Fulham man used to be, the Algerian has been by far the best player outside of the top six in fantasy football for the past few seasons.
Mahrez has since been snapped up by Man City in a club-record deal worth £60million, where he will hope to have a better time of things than Dempsey did with Spurs.
Gary Cahill/ Virgil van Dijk
They both got their moves eventually
Cahill was always one of the first names picked for defences in fantasy football teams of the past.
The centre-back’s threat from set-pieces, which counteracted the fact that he would often concede goals as part of average sides, made him a must have for Dream Team managers.
He was very much a player always destined for bigger things having starred at both Aston Villa and Bolton.
Cahill finally got his well-deserved transfer to a bigger club when he joined Chelsea in 2012, where despite dipping in form recently, his impact at Stamford Bridge cannot be understated.
Comparisons can be drawn between the Chelsea captain and Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk.
The towering centre-back, once of Southampton, enjoyed several successful seasons for the Saints, with his low price-tag ensuring that he was always a popular choice for Dream Team managers.
Van Dijk eventually got the move his heart was set on and joined Liverpool in January for a world-record fee for a defender.
If the move to a bigger club can work out as well for van Dijk as it did for Cahill, who now boasts a Champions League winners medal, then the Dutchman would have made the right decision.
Grant Holt/Glen Murray
Yer Da still thinks they should have both been on the plane
Despite the jokes that surrounded his brief spell in the Premier League, Grant Holt actually boasts a very respectful scoring record in the top flight.
The former Norwich talisman netted 15 times during his debut season in the Premier League and followed that up with eight more in his second campaign.
During the two seasons that Holt spent with Norwich in the top flight he became a favourite of Dream Team managers.
The striker’s price-tag made him a gamble which was well worth taking in fantasy football.
Without cursing Murray to become a one and a half season wonder, comparisons can be made between the pair.
The Brighton man is a striker in a similar mould to Holt, with their strength and aerial prowess their main attributes.
Murray had a similarly successful debut season in the top flight, netting 12 times and helping Brighton to secure their Premier League status.
The pair were even both part of a campaign to see their form be rewarded with an England call up.
Holt and Murray will go down as two of the Premier League’s most lovable lumps and fantasy football favourites.
Every single season the Premier League gets more intriguing – and playing Dream Team really is the perfect way to enhance your experience of it.
You’ll be assigned a total budget of £50m for each side you pick and you’ll be able pick a maximum of 10 free teams.
The Game Weeks run from Friday to Thursday, effectively meaning the new Game Week starts after the last Europa League games are completed.
Emery and Arsenal will tackle the Europa League this seasonGetty
You get three transfers a month on the first Friday of every month so using them wisely is essential.
Every player on the game will be assigned a price at the start of the season which will then vary and fluctuate on a weekly basis dependent on their performances.
For example, last season we valued Mo Salah at £4m at the start of the season but the Egyptian King rocketed to over £11m by the end after his stunning goalscoring form.
Make sure to check out our website or app to see how our simplistic points system works.
Let’s be honest it’s always better to be playing with Cristiano Ronaldo than trying to defend against him.
Leonardo Bonucci has seen Ronaldo’s move to Juventus and immediately contemplated how he was going to be able to stop him when they meet this season.
It appears he has already decided that life would be a lot easier if he could watch CR7 tear it up as a team-mate instead.
SIGN UP NOW – It’s time to pick your fantasy football team for the new season
TFW when you realise you will have to mark Ronaldo for 180 minutes this season at least
Just 12 months ago Bonucci raised eyebrows everywhere when he left his comfort blanket of the Juventus back three with Giorgio Chiellini and Andrea Barzagli to move to rivals Milan for £40million.
But it was all part of Milan’s rejuvenation as they brought in a load of new players for big prices.
Bonucci was joining Andre Silva, Hakan Calhanoglu, Lucas Biglia and Andrea Conti in Milan’s new Galactico era.
The only problem was that none of the players gelled, Milan conceded 42 goals in 38 league games and ended up finishing sixth in the table.
Yes, there is an unlimited supply of Bonucci looking sad in a Milan shirtAFP or licensors
Vincenzo Montella was dumped three months into the season to be replaced by AC legend and former midfield Rottweiler Gennaro Gattuso.
His reign started by allowing Benevento to get their first ever Serie A points against the mighty Milan, although he did get the team playing to some extent by the end of the season.
Meanwhile, Juventus were closing in on their seventh consecutive Scudetto, despite being pushed closely by Napoli.
Bonucci had gone from a crucial leg in Juve’s defensive tripod, which conceded just 24 goals in the league last season, to the only leader in Milan’s leaky backline.
It’s no surprise he’s realised the grass isn’t greener already.
Finally, a happy BonucciGetty - Contributor
With Gonzaolo Higuain supposedly surplus to requirements at Juventus now Ronaldo has taken his dressing room spot, Milan want to take the Argentina striker and will let Bonucci return to balance the books.
Even Gatusso admitted Bonucci wanted to leave the San Siro already.
And with Juve bringing in the world’s greatest striker it comes as no surprise.
Look at it objectively, with the Old Lady having just won their seventh title in a row and then signing one of the best players in the world, it doesn’t look like anyone’s catching them any time soon.
So why would Bonucci want to toil at Milan when he could move back and retake his place in one of modern football’s great defences.
You can’t blame a man for wanting to win things.
SERBIA-BASED Zimbabwean footballer Tinotenda Chibharo might have sold the nation a dummy with his claims that he played for and captained the Manchester City Under-21 side following reports in the […]
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Brazilian superstar Neymar on Thursday sought to quash speculation about his future, insisting he planned to remain with French giants Paris Saint-Germain. “I’m staying, I’m staying in Paris, I have a contract,” Neymar told reporters at an auction to raise money for his charitable foundation in Sao Paulo. Neymar, who became the world’s most expensive […]
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It’s safe to say that Kieran Trippier was one of the success stories of the World Cup.
Not only was he England’s best player, he was arguably one of the best wing-backs at the tournament and made several publications very own best XI of the World Cup.
Bury BeckhamGetty Images
As you may know, Real Madrid always have to buy the breakout star of each World Cup.
They did it with Fabio Cannavaro in 2006, Sami Khedira and Mesut Ozil in 2010 and even snapped up 2014’s Golden Boot winner James Rodriguez.
And now it seems they’ve got their beady eyes on Trippier.
Yes, really.
We’ve made plenty of jokes about it, but sources close to the player have spoken openly about the England defender being aware of Real’s interest.
And it is understood that Trippier’s impressive performances for the Three Lions at the World Cup have made him a major target for big clubs in England and Europe.
Trippier scored the opener in the eventual semi-final defeat to CroatiaEPA
Trippier, 27, arrived at Spurs from Burnley for just £3.5million in 2015.
But his value now would be north of £50m — a record fee for an English player.
Spurs would strongly resist any formal approach for the player, who signed a five-year deal only last summer.
Trippier in action with Real midfielder Isco during a Champions League clash last seasonReuters
Los Blancos have already spent £31m this month on Real Sociedad right-back Alvaro Odriozola.
Spain international Dani Carvajal was first-choice for the position last term.
Splashing out £50m on another full-back would be a surprising move for the Spanish giants, especially as they need big money to replace Cristiano Ronaldo after his transfer to Juventus.
Trippier, though, is represented by the Stellar Group — the firm headed by Jonathan Barnett, which negotiated Gareth Bale’s then world-record £86m transfer to the Bernabeu from Tottenham back in 2013.
With 16 of the 23 players on its team coming from immigrant families, world champion France had one of the most diverse and multiethnic rosters in the recent World Cup.
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