Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe wants to sign on-loan midfielder Jack Wilshere on a permanent basis, despite relegating the Arsenal player to the bench for the last four Premier League games.
Wilshere joined Bournemouth on a season-long deal at the start of the season and the 25-year-old is into the final 18 months of his contract at the Emirates.
“I’ve always said, ‘We love Jack, we would love to sign him’,” Howe told British media.
“But that decision will rest with Arsenal, with Jack, with other people: it’s out of our hands. And Jack may well see his future elsewhere.”
Lovren disappointed by Barkley reaction after derby lunge
Liverpool defender Dejan Lovren has criticised Everton midfielder Ross Barkley for failing to apologise after a late challenge on the Croatian during Saturday’s 3-1 Merseyside derby victory for the home side at Anfield.
“It was a tough challenge but we have seen it many times before,” Lovren told British media.
“If you make a hard challenge, then be open about it and say sorry or something like that. Don’t talk to the referee and say it was not a foul. I think everyone saw it, especially me, but now it is over.”
Shaw a long way behind – Mourinho
Manchester United’s England left back Luke Shaw will struggle to earn a place on the substitutes’ bench and is a long way behind his rivals for a starting spot at his club, manager Jose Mourinho has said.
The 21-year-old came on for England during last week’s friendly in Germany but Mourinho has used him just twice in four months.
“It is difficult for him to be on the bench,” Mourinho said. “I cannot compare him with Ashley Young, with Matteo Darmian, with Daley Blind.
“I cannot compare the way he trains, the way he commits, the focus, the ambition. I cannot compare. He is a long way behind.”
Auba celebration angers Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke has hit out at Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s sponsors Nike after the attacker’s masked goal celebration in Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Schalke.
After scoring his 24th goal of the Bundesliga season, Aubameyang, 27, put on a mask that was later identified as being part of a “The Masked Finisher” campaign by Nike.
“This behaviour is unworthy of a big corporation,” Watzke told Bild.
“It can’t be that we have to force through the economic interest of Nike in this way. Our partner is Puma.”
Zidane wants new deal for Isco
Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane expressed his desire to see Isco sign a new deal with the club after the midfielder helped the La Liga leaders beat Alaves at the Bernabeu.
The 24-year-old Spain international has been in and out of the Real first XI, will have one year left on his contract this summer, and has been linked with a move.
But Zidane, quoted by Marca, said of Isco after the Alaves win: “I want him to renew. He is an important player.
“He wants to stay here, to play here. I am happy with his performance, not only for the goal but for what he did between the lines, what he helped the others do.”
S. Korea sticking with Stielike
Uli Stielike will be given more time to get South Korea’s stuttering 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign back on track after the Korea FA (KFA) said yesterday it was sticking by the under-fire German coach.
Stielike guided the South Koreans to the 2015 Asian Cup final just five months after taking charge but a string of poor performances in the final round of Asian qualifying have left their 2018 hopes in doubt.
“We’ve decided to trust Stielike once more,” Lee Yong-soo, head of the KFA’s Technical Committee, said.
“I don’t think it’s right to judge Stielike by one or two matches. We decided to trust Stielike based on all he has done so far.”