Chelsea in talks with Atlético Madrid for left-back Filipe Luís

Chelsea have resumed talks with Atlético Madrid over the recruitment of the highly rated Brazilian left-back Filipe Luís, one of three potential signings by the Premier League club from the Spanish league winners.
Luís was a key member of the Atlético defence, backed up by the Chelsea loanee Thibaut Courtois in goal, that shipped only 26 goals in 38 games to claim a first league title since 1996. The 28-year-old full-back moved to Vicente Calderón from Deportivo la Coruña four years ago and, while he suggested after Saturday’s Champions League final defeat by Real Madrid that he intended to honour the final three years of his contract, the London club are confident they can lure him to Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea are seeking a replacement for the departing Ashley Cole, whose eight-year stay will end when his contract expires at the end of

Louis van Gaal gives United ABC of targets before going Dutch

Louis van Gaal is adamant that he can juggle two jobs at once despite the distraction that his impending appointment as Manchester United manager could have on Holland's World Cup campaign. The Dutchman says he "can manage the situation" and has already handed the club a list of transfer targets to work on while he focuses on his national team duties.
United are taking instructions from the Netherlands about when they should make an official proclamation that they have appointed Van Gaal as David Moyes' permanent successor.
The club have agreed to delay the announcement until there is a rest day for the national team, which means Sunday is the earliest United could finally confirm his appointment. If not Sunday, then it could be Monday as that is also a rest day for the Holland squad before they fly to Portugal to continue their World Cup preparations.
Asked how important it is that his concentration is solely on Holland, Van Gaal said: "I have invested a lot of time in this, so you can imagine how very important [the World Cup] is for me and the players. I've been in football for 40 years. In three months

Swansea City's Jonjo Shelvey hits wonder goal as Aston Villa wobble

Swansea's Premier League place is safe for another year after achieving back-to-back wins for the first time since December 2012 but Villa remain embroiled in the relegation battle to the dismay of their supporters, who derided the fifth defeat in the last six games with choruses of "We want Lambert out" and demanded to know what was going on.
Paul Lambert has seen his team take just one point from those last six matches. For the moment a cushion of four points separates them from the bottom three, but they do need to win their last home game, against Hull next Saturday. After that

Arsène Wenger: I have given Arsenal my word I will sign new contract

Arsène Wenger has promised Arsenal he will sign a new deal to stay on as manager beyond this season, he revealed on Friday.
The Frenchman's contract runs out in the summer and an extension has remained unsigned as Arsenal's Premier League title challenge has unravelled in recent months, leading to suggestions Wenger might be ready to leave after 18 seasons in charge.
However, the 64-year-old now looks certain to

Chelsea's Ramires accepts four-game ban and will miss title run-in

Ramires has accepted a four-game ban after being charged with violent conduct by the Football Association following an off-the-ball incident that was not seen by the match officials but caught on video.
The incident occurred during Chelsea's Premier League fixture against Sunderland at Stamford Bridge on Saturday 19 April. The ban includes three matches for this offence plus an additional game for his sending off at Villa Park last month.
The suspension means the midfielder will miss the

David Moyes sacked by Manchester United and replaced by Ryan Giggs

David Moyes has been sacked by Manchester United after just 10 months in charge and replaced by Ryan Giggs. The club are believed to be interested in putting Giggs in charge temporarily until the end of the season.
Giggs, 40, has been combining playing with studying for his Pro-Licence, learning at the feet of the manager for the majority of his career at United, Sir Alex Fergsuon.
United released a

Everton make light of Manchester United on David Moyes' return

This dismal Manchester United display will not quite go down as the poorest of a terrible season, which says it all about David Moyes's first term in charge.
A 2-0 Champions League defeat at Olympiakos may end with that dubious honour, though there are still four matches remaining and nothing would surprise.
Yet if the United board want a barometer of whether this group of players are performing for Moyes, then folding in such insipid fashion on the Scot's return to

Manchester City's Yaya Touré hits hat-trick in romp over Fulham

No slip-up, no contest and almost no sweat. Manchester City prepared for Tuesday's trip to Old Trafford with an exercise in ruthless efficiency as Yaya Touré led a rout of Fulham with his first hat-trick in English football. Felix Magath was left incensed at a lack of fight from the Premier League's bottom club. On this form, his men look condemned. Manuel Pellegrini's team look in control.
City's biggest league win since November resembled a training session for the final half hour as they prised apart Fulham without performing close to their fluent, commanding best. Their manager withdrew the outstanding Touré, who now has 20 goals for the season, David Silva and Samir Nasri in the closing stages in readiness for the Manchester derby, the first of two testing away games next week that can shape City's attempt to

Luis Suárez hits hat-trick as rampant Liverpool overwhelm Cardiff

The Liverpool bandwagon rolls on. "We're gonna win the league" reverberated from the travelling supporters after a sixth successive Premier League victory maintained Liverpool's pursuit of a first title since 1990 and offered further evidence of their staggering firepower and ability to score almost at will.
Trailing 2-1 at one stage, Liverpool responded in emphatic fashion through a hat-trick from the irrepressible Luis Suárez, who took his tally for the season to 28 in 25 appearances, two goals from Martin Skrtel and another for Daniel Sturridge. Cardiff, who remain second bottom, were powerless to stop the inevitable Liverpool onslaught. Brendan Rodgers's side have racked up 24 goals across those last six league fixtures, an incredible return that

Chelsea hit Arsenal for six to humiliate Arsène Wenger in his 1,000th game

Arsène Wenger's 1,000th game will always be remembered for The Mysterious Case of the Wrong Card, but Arsenal should probably just be grateful the sideshow was so intrusively farcical, and the refereeing so birdbrained, it might spare them even greater scrutiny of their own deficiencies. Ignore, for one moment, Andre Marriner's contribution to a wild and eccentric afternoon. The real story here was of Arsenal capitulating, once again, in one of the major fixtures.
Add this to the 6-3 at Manchester City, the 5-1 at Liverpool, and not forgetting the