West Brom close in on Chadli

Claudio Ranieri insists both Leicester City and Manchester United will not be treating the Community Shield as a friendly when they do battle at Wembley on Sunday.

The Premier League champions have no injury concerns ahead of the game against a revamped United side managed in a competitive game by Jose Mourinho for the first time.

Ranieri claims he has already forgotten about the 2015-16 season and is ambitious for the upcoming campaign, even though he is aware of the difficulties Leicester could encounter against top opposition.

This is not a friendly, Ranieri said at his pre-match media conference.

We will give the maximum and also Manchester United will too. The two teams want to win the Cup. It will be a true, true match.

I expect a very st…

Highly-rated Russian forward Andrei Arshavin could finally be on his way to Europe after his agent said the Zenit St Petersburg player was almost certain to be sold in the transfer window.

Arshavin has been linked to Arsenal, Tottenham and Real Madrid and, according to a BBC website report Tuesday his agent, Dennis Lachter, said Arshavin and Zenit had agreed that he should find a new club in January.

He will definitely move in January or the player and club will lose money, Lachter said.

Zenit and Andrei understand that it is time for them to part from each other.

Arshavin, 27, was linked with Tottenham last summer following his impressive performances at Euro 2008, and this week Zenit general director Maxim Mitrofanov was quoted as saying his price…

Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo has confirmed that Wigan attacker Victor Moses is on the brink of a move to Stamford Bridge.

The two Premier League clubs have agreed a fee, reported to be around nine million pounds, and the midfielder will now undergo a medical at the club.

Di Matteo is looking forward to working with the 21-year-old and has praised his development at the DW Stadium since joining from Crystal Palace in 2010.

The clubs have agreed terms now. The player will have a medical. Subject to that he might become a Chelsea player, Di Matteo told reporters.

(Wigan manager) Roberto Martinez has done a wonderful job with this player since signing him. He s really developed him.

He had a very good season last year and hopefully we can pro…

Joshua Zirkzee marked his first Bundesliga appearance with a late goal while Serge Gnabry also scored in injury time as Bayern Munich stole a scarcely deserved 3-1 win at Freiburg.

Robert Lewandowski, fresh from a brace in a 6-1 hammering of Werder Bremen, netted a 19th league goal of the campaign to put Bayern ahead at Schwarzwald-Stadion.

Freiburg, having kept it to one during that early storm, levelled through Vincenzo Grifo s excellent equaliser, and the enterprising hosts had plenty of chances to earn the three points

But teenage substitute Zirkzee kept a cool head in the 91st minute to steer past Mark Flekken, and Gnabry added undeserved gloss as Bayern moved third and four points off the top of the Bundesliga.

Never in doubt  

— FC …

Manchester City missed out on a place in the Champions League group stage after their former midfielder Caroline Weir struck the goal that gave Real Madrid a 1-0 victory on Sunday.

Scottish star Weir left City in July, and in a reunion with her old club she hit the winner in the 15th minute at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano.

Three weeks after England s Euro 2022 triumph at Wembley, City had Lionesses Keira Walsh, Alex Greenwood, Chloe Kelly and Lauren Hemp in their starting line-up.

However, they could not force City back onto level terms, meaning that for the second successive year, two-time semi-finalists City have gone out to Madrid at the qualifying stage.

Hemp shot wide late on as City s hopes fizzled out in the Spanish capital, with Madrid going thr…

Chelsea star Eden Hazard aimed a dig at former manager Jose Mourinho, praising Antonio Conte for treating his players well.

Mourinho s time at Stamford Bridge came to an end before Christmas last year after his team lost nine of their opening 16 Premier League games.

The Portuguese tactician s relationship with key players, including Hazard, came under the spotlight.

Hazard s form dipped in 2015-16, but he has started this season under Conte on fire with two goals in three league games.

Speaking to L Equipe, Hazard said: Conte puts trust in his players and now we are good after an ugly season last year.

I ve always been the same player but Conte knows how to treat players having played at the highest level himself.

Now at Manchester Unit…

Marco Verratti has extended his Paris Saint-Germain contract to keep him with the Ligue 1 champions until 2019.

The Italy midfielder, who joined PSG from Pescara in 2012, has put pen to paper on a one-year extension with the French capital club.

Verratti, 21, has previously been linked with a return to Italy, with Juventus touted as potential suitors for the diminutive schemer.

But, with his long-term future now apparently settled, Verratti insists his only focus is on adding to the five trophies he has already won with PSG.

He told the club s official website: When I think about my career, I only see myself at Paris Saint-Germain. I want to continue winning trophies with this club, while continue to improve as a footballer alongside truly world-class pla…

Juventus have completed the signing of Dinamo Zagreb winger Marko Pjaca for €23million.

The 21-year-old featured for Croatia at Euro 2016 and was soon linked with a move to the likes of Inter and AC Milan.

However, Serie A champions Juve emerged as front-runners and the club confirmed on Thursday that Pjaca has penned a five-year-deal.

Juventus Football Club can today confirm that Marko Pjaca has completed a permanent switch from Dinamo Zagreb for a fee of €23m, to be paid over two financial years, a club statement read.

The 21-year-old has signed a five-year contract with the club.

OFFICIAL: Marko signs for Juventus on a five-year deal:

— JuventusFC (@juventusfcen)

Pjaca s move to Juventus Stadium had been expecte…

Roma midfielder Miralem Pjanic has stressed that he does not want to leave the club despite speculation surrounding his future.

Pjanic, 23, joined Roma from Lyon in 2011 and has two years remaining on his contract at the Stadio Olimpico.

The Bosnia and Herzegovina international has been linked with moves to Arsenal and Tottenham in the close-season.

However, he insists that he has no desire to leave Roma.

I don t want to leave. Everyone at the club knows that, he told the club s official website.

I ve always wanted to stay here. I want to give everything to start the season well.

I don t know about the financial situation at the club. A new contract? It doesn t happen overnight. We re talking about it.

The desire is there and we ll see what hap…

Phil Jones wants to establish himself as a centre-back for Manchester United this season.

The England international has proved a versatile asset for the Old Trafford club since joining from Blackburn Rovers in 2011, playing at full-back and in midfield.

But the 21-year-old believes that he is best suited to playing in central defence and is keen to nail down a regular berth in the position.

I have said from day one I see myself as a centre-back, he said.

But if I am asked to play in midfield or at right-back I am happy to do so. As long as I am in the team, it doesn t matter whether I am in goal.

Of course, towards the middle and end of my career I will want to start cementing a place in a certain position but at the moment I am happy.

Jones featured…