AVA

The new LaLiga season begins this weekend. Here, PA picks out five players to watch in the Spanish top flight over the coming year. Eden Hazard (Real Madrid) Hazard (left) enjoyed a glittering seven-year spell at Stamford Bridge (Adam Davy/PA) After a long courtship, Real finally extracted playmaker Hazard from Chelsea in an £88.5million deal…

Brighton boss Graham Potter feels there is more to come from “hungry” striker Neal Maupay and the rest of his squad. The Seagulls opened their new Premier League campaign with an impressive 3-0 win at Watford, where summer recruit Maupay made a goalscoring debut. Potter replaced Chris Hughton following the end of last season when…

Back-up goalkeeper Adrian was the shoot-out hero as Liverpool once again tasted continental glory in Istanbul by overcoming Frank Lampard’s Chelsea in the Super Cup. The Turkish city will always have a special place in the hearts of Reds fans after the Champions League final in 2005, when Rafael Benitez’s side snatched victory from the…

Jorginho and his Chelsea team-mates were on the receiving end of a 4-0 thrashing by Manchester United on Sunday – but was it so bad that the Italian decided to change his name? The 27-year-old was on the field for three of United’s goals in Chelsea’s miserable Premier League opener at Old Trafford. He was…

France’s Stephanie Frappart made history by becoming the first female referee to take charge of a major European men’s game in the Super Cup on Wednesday. Frappart is the foremost female official in the world game having refereed the Women’s World Cup final in July as well as men’s matches in Ligue 1. She was part…

A winding-up petition lodged against Sky Bet League Two side Macclesfield by a group of former players has been dismissed by the High Court and taken over by Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC). The case involved the non-payment of Shamir Mullings, Elliott Durrell, Rhys Taylor, Jamie Grimes, Ryan Lloyd and Keith Lowe. HMRC has…

Leicester midfielder Andy King is set to seal a season-long loan switch to Rangers, PA understands. The Foxes midfielder has been given the green light by former Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers to travel north to join Steven Gerrard’s squad and he could clinch the deal ahead of Thursday night’s Europa League clash with Midtjylland. News…

Bolton’s administrators hope to be able to complete the sale of the club unimpeded after an injunction lodged by would-be owner Laurence Bassini was amended. The protracted summer-long takeover bid by Football Ventures had been near to completion when earlier this month Bassini – whose attempt to buy the League One club collapsed in May…

Velez Sarsfield have been paid more than £335,000 to settle their claim over former Sunderland midfielder Ricky Alvarez following a lengthy legal wrangle, the Argentinian club has announced. Velez have received 362,500 euros – around £335,330 – under the FIFA solidarity mechanism, which compensates clubs who have helped to develop players, in the latest twist…

Glenn Whelan says Craig Levein’s ambition is what convinced him to join Hearts. The veteran midfield anchor has signed a one-year deal after agreeing his move to Tynecastle. The experienced Republic of Ireland international has 86 caps to his name and has chalked up stints at Manchester City, Stoke, Sheffield Wednesday and Aston Villa. Now…