Speculation around the future of Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney is likely to increase after he was used for the release of the club’s new home shirt for 2016-17.

Rooney fell down the pecking order at Old Trafford during Jose Mourinho’s first season in charge, in which he only made 15 starts in the Premier League.

The 31-year-old rejected the chance to leave the club in January but he has been heavily linked with a move before the start of next season, with former club Everton and teams from the Chinese Super League reportedly interested.

Those rumours increased when Rooney was removed from United’s Facebook cover when their away strip for upcoming season was launched last month.

However, the club’s record goalscorer was used as a central figure for the release of United’s new home shirt, featuring in images on their official website and Twitter account alongside Paul Pogba, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and new signing Victor Lindelof.

The pictures are likely to encourage speculation that Rooney will be given a chance to stake his claim for a place in Mourinho’s side next season.

Recent reports in England have suggested that England’s leading goalscorer is not pushing for a move away and would be happy to stay and fight for his future.
Read more Sport News:https://www.sportlineng.com/epl/

Having defeated Manny Pacquiao, Jeff Horn is hopeful of securing a bout with Floyd Mayweather Jr once the American has fought Conor McGregor.

The Australian secured a shock points win over Pacquiao in Brisbane on Sunday, although the unanimous verdict was questioned by many in the aftermath.

Horn was quick to shrug off the critics after achieving what he described as “climbing the Pacquiao mountain” and he has quickly turned his attentions to scaling another, more formidable, summit.

The undefeated Mayweather will come out of retirement to take on UFC superstar Conor McGregor in a mega-money bout in Las Vegas in August, but Horn is hopeful of being the American’s subsequent opponent.

https:///MS7Oosjl9C pic.twitter.com/IqEBbEcv5W

— Floyd Mayweather (@FloydMayweather) June 29, 2017
“I hope so. I’m world champ now. And he has been out of action and coming back to have a fight with Conor McGregor,” Horn said.

“It will be a good test for him to cement his record in history to fight another boxer for his title.

“I would prefer to come back here to fight in Queensland or Australia, but, look, there is always a chance that the fight could possibly be made in America.”
Read More Sport News:https://www.sportlineng.com/boxing/

Mohamed Salah will reportedly fly to England today to finalise a move to Liverpool.

The 25-year-old winger has been linked to the Merseyside outfit for some time, and it is believed that a deal is close to completion.

According to the Liverpool Echo, the fee and payment structure is yet to be agreed between Liverpool and Salah’s current club Roma, but the cost is expected to be in the region of £35m.

It has been reported that the Egyptian international will fly into the UK from Cairo today and could undergo a medical on Wednesday if the two clubs reach an agreement before then.

Salah, who had a failed two-year spell at Chelsea before joining Roma permanently in 2016, scored 19 goals last season.

Read More Sport News:https://www.sportlineng.com/transfer/

Former world number one Tiger Woods announced he is getting professional help after his arrest and DUI charge.

Woods, 41, was arrested on suspicion of DUI after he was found sleep behind the wheel on May 29 in Jupiter, Florida.

According to the police report, a combination of Xanax and other drugs were found in Woods’ system, though the 14-time major champion insisted he had a bad reaction to the mix of medications.

Police said Woods had to be woken up and that he “had extremely slow and slurred speech.” However, he blew a .000 Breathalyzer, indicating he had not been drinking.

As Woods continues to deal with the fallout, he said he is receiving aid on how to properly manage his medications.

“I’m currently receiving professional help to manage my medications and the ways that I deal with back pain and a sleep disorder,” Woods said in a statement.

“I want to thank everyone for the amazing outpouring of support and understanding especially the fans and players on tour.”

Woods’ arraignment originally was set for July 5, but was pushed back to August 9.

Read More Sport News:https://www.sportlineng.com/golf/

Arsene Wenger is adamant Olivier Giroud still has a part to play for Arsenal next season despite a frustrating 2016-17 campaign at the Emirates Stadium.

Giroud only started 17 games in all competitions for the Gunners last season but was still able to contribute an impressive 16 goals.

Injuries played a big part in his lack of action, Giroud suffering groin and foot problems over the course of the campaign.

Reports have suggested the France international could leave the FA Cup winners ahead of 2017-18 – with West Ham heavily linked with a bid – but Wenger insists the 30-year-old can play an important role going forward.

“It has been a frustrating season for him because he has not played a lot,” Wenger is quoted as saying by the Mirror.

“And when he has played well, he has not always played the next match.

“He has won us a lot of points when he has come on because he has scored lots of times. He has qualities that our team need.”

Read More Sport News:https://www.sportlineng.com/epl/

David Griffin’s sudden and unceremonious departure as the Cleveland Cavaliers general manager raised a number of questions about the future.

The Cavaliers and Griffin parted ways on Monday, one week after Cleveland’s third consecutive trip to the NBA Finals ended in a five-game loss to the Golden State Warriors.

Above all: What does LeBron James think?

The Cavaliers superstar has been vocal in his support for Griffin, whose contract was set to expire at the end of June.

Several hours after owner Dan Gilbert announced his decision not to extend Griffin’s tenure, James weighed in with a cryptic tweet about appreciating Griffin even if, maybe, “no one” else did.

If no one appreciated you Griff I did, and hopefully all the people of Cleveland! Thanks for what u did for the team for 3 yrs! We got us 1

— LeBron James (@KingJames) June 20, 2017
James and Gilbert have history dating to their acrimonious 2010 split.

When James returned to Cleveland in 2014, it was Griffin who assembled the pieces around him, culminating in the most successful three-year stretch in franchise history and their first championship in 2016.

James in turn lobbied for Gilbert to extend Griffin’s contract, to no avail.

Gilbert called Griffin’s departure a “mutual decision” on Monday.

In a statement of his own, Griffin said he stepped down, adding, “Dan and I know now that we are a team built largely on the concept of fit and we now at a point where the fit is not right for us to continue with one another.”

Former NBA guard Chauncey Billups is reported to be a leading candidate to replace Griffin.

[b]Read More Sport News:https://www.sportlineng.com/basketball/

The Cleveland Cavaliers are parting ways with general manager David Griffin, team owner Dan Gilbert announced on Monday.

Gilbert chose not to renew Griffin’s contract, which expires at the end of the month, after the two sides could not agree on a future, according to reports.

Griffin has been with the Cavs since 2010 and became the GM in 2014. He was part of a Cleveland front office that drafted Kyrie Irving in 2011 and lured LeBron James back from Miami in 2014 while adding All-Star forward Kevin Love the same year.

The Cavaliers are coming off three straight trips to the NBA Finals, including the franchise’s only NBA championship in 2015-16.

“On behalf of the entire organization, I would like to thank Griff for his leadership and many contributions during his time here, including most recently, his role in the franchise’s first NBA championship,” Gilbert said in his statement.

“We have no announcement at this time related to new leadership of the Cavaliers basketball operations group, but we are confident our current front office will continue to aggressively explore and pursue opportunities to improve our team in the weeks ahead.”

Cavs assistant GM Trent Redden, whose contract runs through June 30, also will not return next season.

Former NBA guard Chauncey Billups, who has been working as an analyst for ESPN, is reported to be a candidate to replace Griffin.

Billups interviewed for the Atlanta Hawks GM position last month.

The Hawks hired former Golden State Warriors assistant GM Travis Schlenk instead.

Read more Sport News:https://www.sportlineng.com/basketball/

Philippe Coutinho is “special” to Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp and the club must keep him, according to former midfielder Gary McAllister.

The Liverpool star, who captained Brazil for the first time in their 4-0 win over Australia on Tuesday, has been linked with a close-season move to Barcelona.

But McAllister is confident Coutinho wants to stay at Anfield and feels his special bond with Klopp will help ensure the attacking midfielder stays.

“He is a fantastic player,” McAllister, who worked as a coach under Brendan Rodgers in 2015 before taking up an ambassadorial role, said to Omnisport.

“I was very fortunate in that short period I worked with Brendan to work with Phillippe.

“It was just a pleasure to train with him and watch him train every day. He is very special, he is special to the manager – you can see that.

“But also, when I watch him play, he looks like a player who is very content here at Liverpool Football Club.

“So it is crucial we do keep him but I think he wants to stay. As far as who comes in, those decisions are in good hands.

“A lot of managers say they are winners but I think we have got a manager who has actually won things.

“He is a winner. So I think he is very capable of bringing in what we need [in the transfer market] to supplement the good players we have already got.”

Bring it on. pic.twitter.com/lwcKKsst6J

— Liverpool FC (@LFC) June 14, 2017

McAllister is in no doubt over the importance of Liverpool’s return to the Champions League and felt their top-four finish last season was fully deserved.

“I think it would have been very tragic if we hadn’t qualified,” he said.

“I don’t think there was four better teams than Liverpool. We were very competitive the whole period. I just felt it would have been a wee bit unjust if they hadn’t made it.

“We finished the season really well. All players, all top players now, and all the players here, they want to be playing against the best, and the best players in the world now play in the Champions League.

“I understand why players want to play in the Champions League because it is the barometer – that is where all the best players produce their magic.”
Read More Sport News:https://www.sportlineng.com/epl/

Anthony Joshua says Tyson Fury needs to get back to fitness before they can consider a blockbuster heavyweight clash.

Joshua added the WBA and IBO belts, vacated by Fury who is without a licence amid a hearing into alleged anti-doping offences, to his IBF strap with a thrilling 11th-round TKO of Wladimir Klitschko.

He said on Tuesday that Fury is top of his list and his British compatriot, who claims he is still the lineal champion, duly responded to those comments, saying in an Instagram post that “the world wants to see it” but that he does not believe Joshua can lace his boots up.

But responding on Sky Sports News, Joshua said: “I don’t think Tyson can lace his own boots at the minute! When Tyson is fit, when he’s ready, we’ll be ready.

“We’re patient. I wish him a speedy recovery with all the stuff that he’s got going on outside the ring.

“It’s a fight that people want to see. He’s one of my boxing rivals and I need this competition throughout my career. I can’t wait for him to get back. We’ll see if I can lace his boots when we come to blows.

“Charles Martin called me out, I had to beat him then defend my title. Then Wladimir Klitschko wanted to fight me for the WBA, and I put up my IBF, so every fight I’ve been in was a challenge. It was never given to me.

“I’ll always fight Tyson Fury, not because of the ‘lineal champion’ business. But because the public want to see it. I fight for entertainment, not for belts or glory. Just pure entertainment and passion.”

Joshua has yet to receive word back from Klitschko about a rematch and added: “I’m being patient. I’ve got myself into training to prepare, if it does happen. He’s probably looking at the landscape – what is there to achieve?

“What does he really want to do? Does he want to go through that type of fight again? I definitely do.

“He was at the peak of where he could be at the time, so it’s interesting to see how much he could change. I went in as an underdog, in the sense of experience.

“I gained so much experience from those 11 rounds so hopefully it will shape me into a better fighter and I can get a better result, if we do the rematch.”
Read More Sport News:https://www.sportlineng.com/boxing/

Roma sporting director Monchi has said that the Italian club are “not a supermarket”, and has insisted that Mohamed Salah will not be sold to Liverpool unless the attacker’s asking price is met.

Liverpool have been strongly linked with a move for the former Chelsea winger since the end of the 2016-17 season, and it was claimed on Monday that Roma were prepared to drop their valuation of the Egyptian.

Monchi, however, has said that “the price will be set by Roma”, playing down suggestions that Liverpool will be able to pick up the 24-year-old for a cut-price fee in this summer’s transfer window.

“For Salah there is an offer from an English club but the price will be set by Roma, not the buyers,” Monchi told reporters.

“As I’ve said before, Roma is not a supermarket. Roma is a team that will represent Italy in Europe. We came second in Serie A and our idea is to keep as good a team as possible. At the same time no club exists that does not sell players.”
Salah scored 15 times and registered 11 assists in 31 Serie A appearances during the 2016-17 campaign.
Read more Sport Newshttps://www.sportlineng.com/transfer/

Rafael Benitez is looking forward to taking his Newcastle United side to Anfield to face former club Liverpool following the Premier League fixtures release on Wednesday.

The Spaniard managed Liverpool between 2004 and 2010, leading the club to Champions League and FA Cup glory during his spell on Merseyside.

Newcastle face Liverpool at St James’ Park on September 30 before travelling to Anfield on March 3, with Benitez excited by the reunion.

“Obviously I look forward to the two games with Liverpool,” Benitez told the Newcastle website. “Those days will be extra special for me, but really every game is exciting and every game has its own challenges.

“It will be nice, too, to come up against Chris Hughton and his Brighton side again this season. This will be Brighton’s first time in the Premier League and the way both our clubs performed in the Championship will make it a special game, I think.”

FIXTURES: A handy mobile and tablet-sized list of our 2017/18 @premierleague fixtures. #NUFC #125YearsUnited pic.twitter.com/EVGVqKzAAI

— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) June 14, 2017
Benitez led Newcastle to the Championship title last season and their reward is a home game against Tottenham on the opening weekend of the campaign.

Newcastle hammered Spurs 5-1 in their last Premier League match, despite Aleksandar Mitrovic’s red card, but Benitez is not expecting a similar result when last season’s runners-up visit.

“It’s always exciting to see the new fixtures and, like the fans, it’s something we all look forward to,” Benitez added. “It’s a great start at home to Tottenham and a really exciting first game at St James’ Park for our fans to enjoy.

“We will all have extra motivation for that game, but it will be a very tough start too because Spurs showed how good they are last season. Of course they were our last Premier League opponents here too, which was a memorable match for everyone, but this time around it will be completely different.

ANNIVERSARY: Newcastle United will host @LCFC on 9 December 2017 – the Magpies’ 125th birthday! #NUFC #125YearsUnited pic.twitter.com/eZwZf4ZAaW

— Newcastle United FC (@NUFC) June 14, 2017
“After Spurs I think then we have a good run of games and I’m pleased to see it’s quite a balanced list in terms of the teams we’re up against.

“The fans will enjoy being at home to Manchester City on Boxing Day. It is always nice for fans to enjoy games against top teams over the Christmas period.

“We also have a great game to round off the season with Chelsea visiting us on the last day of the season.”
Read More Sport News:https://www.sportlineng.com/more-news/

Chelsea will reportedly demand £10m from Liverpool for Dominic Solanke following his impressive performances for England in the Under-20 World Cup.

The 19-year-old agreed a move to Anfield last month, but a compensation fee still needs to be paid due to Solanke being under the age of 24.

According to the London Evening Standard, the Blues initially wanted £8m after rejecting Liverpool’s £3m offer, but following Solanke’s four-goal contribution during the England Under-20s’ tournament, the fee has increased.

The teenager ended the World Cup as second top scorer and scooped the Golden Ball after being chosen as best player of the tournament in Korea.

Sunday’s 1-0 victory over Venezuela resulted in England winning their first World Cup at any level since 1966.
If Chelsea and Liverpool cannot agree a fee for Solanke, the case will go to a tribunal next month.

Read more transfer news: https://www.sportlineng.com/transfer/

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