Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has signed a new five-year contract with Chelsea, the Premier League club said yesterday.
The 22-year-old, who joined the west Londoners from Belgian side KRC Genk in 2011, has replaced Petr Cech as Chelsea’s first-choice goalkeeper this season after spending the previous three years on loan at Atletico Madrid.
“I’m very happy with this new deal. It’s really nice to have signed this new contract for five years,” Courtois said.
Aurier fine after being knocked cold
Ivory Coast full-back Serge Aurier, who was knocked unconscious in Wednesday’s African Nations Cup qualifier against Cameroon, has been declared fine by the doctors, the Ivorian Football Federation said.
The 21-year-old Paris St Germain defender was knocked cold after an aerial clash with Cameroon captain Stephane Mbia early in the second half of the match in Yaounde and looked to be having convulsions as he lay prone on the pitch.
Aurier was to be taken to a hospital for observation but he made a quick recovery at the stadium and stayed on to watch Cameroon win the game 4-1.
Gundogan ready for comeback
Borussia Dortmund and Germany midfielder Ilkay Gundogan has set his sights on returning to action in just over a fortnight after returning to training.
The 23-year-old has spent 13 months on the sidelines with a troublesome back injury which caused confusion even among his own club’s doctors.
“I have no fear at all and am able to go into tackles like I always did, without holding myself back,” Gundogan told Bild.
“I know I have not yet reached my goal because I cannot claim to be in the form I was before my injury, but if everything goes well and the coach picks me, then I presume that I can play against Anderlecht (in the Champions League) at the start of October.”
Cellino’s Leeds future still in doubt
Leeds owner Massimo Cellino will be forced to sell his controlling stake in the club if an Italian judge rules that his recent tax evasion conviction was an act of “dishonesty”.
Football League chief executive Shaun Harvey said the long wait for the full written judgment on Cellino’s conviction for failing to pay tax on his yacht was “a cloud still hanging over the Football League and the club and Mr Cellino himself”.
Cellino was found guilty of tax evasion in March but following an appeal was allowed to complete his takeover at Elland Road because the Italian court had not confirmed whether it felt the offence had been a “dishonest act”.
Wenger: I feared for Ramsey’s ankle
Arsene Wenger felt “haunted” by thoughts of another serious injury to Aaron Ramsey when watching the Arsenal midfielder turn his ankle while in action for Wales.
“The first news is not bad,” said the Arsenal boss. “He will be assessed , he has a little chance to be available for Saturday (tomorrow). He had an ankle sprain, it is a minor one, that is for sure.
“I am relieved because I had been haunted in my head by last year’s injury that was much more serious than expected, at the start it was a little muscular injury and then it was three months.
“Even if he is not completely ready for Saturday (tomorrow), it is a short-term injury.”
Tom bid wasn’t so Clever – Martinez
Everton manager Roberto Martinez accepts with hindsight that a failed last-minute deadline day bid for Manchester United midfielder Tom Cleverley was not the right move.
The Spaniard is an admirer of the 25-year-old, having had him on loan at previous club Wigan, and when he became aware of the player’s availability he made a last-ditch attempt to snatch him from Aston Villa, where he had already undergone a medical.
“I felt it was an opportunity for us to maybe add a player that could bring something different but at the end it wasn’t right, it didn’t work out and I was very pleased this time around we had all the business done well ahead of the transfer deadline,” Martinez said.
UEFA to probe Wales pitch invasion
Wales are facing a UEFA investigation after their supporters ran on to the pitch to celebrate Gareth Bale’s late winner in Andorra on Tuesday night.
UEFA started disciplinary proceedings against the Football Association of Wales on Wednesday for the pitch invasion during the Euro 2016 qualifier, which Chris Coleman’s side won 2-1.
Bale’s 81st-minute free-kick sparked wild scenes behind the goal, with Welsh fans racing on to the pitch to celebrate the decisive moment.
Under article six of UEFA’s disciplinary regulations there are a wide range of punishments available, including a warning, a fine and a points deduction.