Antonio Cassano is determined to win his place back at Sampdoria after turning down lucrative offers from China to leave the Serie A this summer.
The 34-year-old striker has been barred from attending training at Sampdoria this season after breaking relations with club supremo Massimo Ferrero.
Agent Beppe Bozzo said Cassano still loves Sampdoria.
“Cassano never said he wanted to leave. His love for Sampdoria goes beyond any other football considerations,” Bozzo said.
“He has turned down big offers from China because he wants to stay at Sampdoria.”
Barkley unhappy with Hodgson
Ross Barkley believes Roy Hodgson should have shown faith in him at Euro 2016.
The Everton midfielder was named in Hodgson’s 23-man squad for the tournament in France but did not see any action. He was one of only two outfield players not used by the former England boss.
“I was devastated I didn’t get any game time,” Barkley said.
“Roy could have shown more faith in me. I was working my hardest but wasn’t playing.”
New England boss Sam Allardyce names his first squad today for a World Cup qualifier against Slovakia on September 4.
Security measures for Feyenoord vs United
Manchester United’s Europa League away match against Feyenoord will take place in a reduced-capacity stadium as the Dutch club look to avoid triggering suspended punishments they were handed by UEFA for crowd trouble.
Feyenoord – drawn in Group A with United, Fenerbahce and Zorya Luhansk – said they would be taking various measures for their European home games this season in a bid to minimise the risk of further problems.
That includes the capacity of their De Kuip ground – usually 51,000 – being reduced to 26,000.
The club also said they will suspend nets at least 10 metres high around all sides of the pitch to prevent objects being thrown onto it.
FA of Wales roles
Kit Symons has rejoined national team manager Chris Coleman’s coaching staff, the FA of Wales has announced.
Symons’s return was expected following Paul Trollope’s departure to focus on his head coach duties at Cardiff City.
The 45-year-old former defender left the Wales set-up in the summer of 2015 after being appointed Fulham boss. But he was sacked by Fulham last November.
Tony Roberts also joins the Wales staff as goalkeeping coach.
He replaces Martyn Margetson, who has joined England’s backroom staff under Sam Allardyce.
Hebei China Fortune appoint Pellegrini
Chinese Super League club Hebei China Fortune have appointed former Manchester City coach Manuel Pellegrini as their new manager.
Pellegrini guided City to their first Champions League semi-final last season, but announced in February that he would leave the Etihad Stadium on June 30.
The Premier League club immediately named Pep Guardiola as his successor.
The 62-year-old Chilean, who won the Premier League and two League Cups with City after taking over in 2013, joins big-name coaches Sven-Goran Eriksson, of Shanghai SIPG, and Guangzhou Evergrande’s Luis Felipe Scolari in China.
Hebei are fifth in the Chinese Super League standings.
Bayern have home advantage in cup
Bayern Munich will host Bavarian rivals Augsburg in the second round of the DFB-Pokal in one of just three all-Bundesliga ties.
The cup holders will have home advantage against their neighbours, who will visit the Allianz Arena on October 25/26.
Two other top-flight teams are certain to join Werder Bremen and RB Leipzig, who were eliminated in the first round, with Cologne playing host to Hoffenheim and Eintracht Frankfurt at home to Ingolstadt.
Astoria-Walldorf, who play in the fourth division, will host Darmstadt.
Matuidi ‘will not leave’ Paris SG
Paris St Germain are set to resist transfer market interest in Blaise Matuidi by signing the France midfielder to a new contract.
The 29-year-old had been linked with Juventus in recent days, with the Italian champions the latest in a line of clubs reported to have been attracted to the tough-tackling international.
However, Paris St Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi has ruled out a sale.
“I confirm to you that Blaise will not leave and that we will extend his contract,” Al-Khelaifi said yesterday.
“I’ve always wanted him to stay and he too has always wanted to stay.”
Matuidi joined the Parisians from St Etienne in 2011.