Football News: Review Of The Day 20th August 2018

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Review of the Day

Transfers

Villareal have sent their young Turkish forward Enes Unal on loan to Real Valladolid. Vallodolid have also taken Croatian striker Duje Cup on loan from Standard Liege.

Belgian central defender Bjorn Engels has joined Reims on loan from Olympiacos. Olympiacos have also sent Yaya Banana out on loan to Panionios.

Benfica have taken full-back Sebastien Corchia on loan from Sevilla.

1.FC Nuremburg have paid a loan fee of just under £500,000 to take Japanese striker Yuya Kubo on loan from KAA Gent.

Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr have paid just under £10m for Brazilian attacker Giuliano from Fenerbahce.

Liverpool's young Serbian midfielder Marko Grujic has moved on loan to Hertha Berlin, straight after signing a new contract with the Premier League side.

Watford full back Brice Dja Djedje has headed to Turkish Super Lig side Ankaragucu on loan. French centre back Thomas Heurtaux has also joined the Turks on loan from Udinese.

Dummett Looking For Wales Return

Newcastle United defender Paul Dummett is hoping to talk to Ryan Giggs over a return to the Wales fold. The left back was ignored by previous Wales boss Chris Coleman, despite being a regular for the Toon, then rejected Giggs' request to join up with the Wales squad at the China Cup in March, because of Newcastle's precarious Premier League status at the time. Now Dummett would like his chance to make a fresh start with his national team. Dummett told the BBC: "I never really had many chances to play for Wales, but it's something I am keen to do. At any club, any international team, when you have a change of manager, things change. New managers have different ideas and different players play, so it is obviously a new era at Wales now. We'll see what happens if I can speak to the manager in the next few weeks."

Gerrard Hits Out At Plastic Pitches

After Rangers winger Jamie Murphy suffered a knee injury during Rangers 3-1 win over Kilmarnock in the Scottish League Cup, manager Steven Gerrard has called for synthetic surfaces, like the one at Rugby Park, to be banned from 'elite football'. Gerrard said: "If you ask Jamie right now he'll say it was a pitch incident. I'm not here to disrespect Kilmarnock and their playing facilities. I know it helps support the running of their club. But my opinion is elite football shouldn't have any plastic pitches. I think for every club worldwide it's safer to have a grass pitch. But I don't want to dive in too quick, we'll wait and see what the examinations say but we're all fearing the worst."

Hazard Rules Out Move This Month

After dropping hints about leaving in July, Chelsea winger Eden Hazard has now said that he will stay at the club, for now at least. Hazard, who has long made it clear he would like to move to Real Madrid, said in July "it might be time to discover something different". Yesterday Hazard's stance was a little different when he spoke to RMC Sport: "I'm fine here. We'll see what happens in a year or two. Leave this year? I will not leave. Everybody knows what I said after the World Cup - but I'm happy here. The transfer window in England is over. Clubs cannot sign players. It would be a little odd if they sell me now while they can't recruit a replacement." It is not exactly an 'I'm not going anywhere' quote, more of a 'Madrid never moved for me when the chance was there so I will wait and see'. Though the change in head coach to Maurizio Sarri is, no doubt, a large part of his willingness to stay.

De Laurentiis Claims Roma And Liverpool Have Same Owner

Napoli's controversial owner Aurelio de Laurentiis has made the claim that Serie A side AS Roma and Premier League Liverpool have the same ownership and should not both be allowed to enter the Champions League. De Laurentiis made the claim after admitting he had wanted to buy Alisson Becker from Roma and had a 60million Euro offer rejected, much less than the amount the Brazilian keeper eventually moved for. De Laurentiis told Corriere dello Sport: "Roma? They changed a lot and I don't know if that's good. I wouldn't have sold Alisson, not even for €100 million. I had offered €60 million for him but Roma didn't want to sell him to me. I have the doubt that Roma and Liverpool have the same owner. I was told by somebody a few years ago and if it was true they would not be allowed to play the Champions League."

Bailey Signs New Leverkusen Deal

Flying winger Leon Bailey has signed a new contract with Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen. His previous deal still had four years to run anyway, but he has now extended for a further year, with his contract now set to expire in summer 2023.

Written by Tris Burke August 20 2018 05:42:18