Ligue 1 referees set record for most red cards awarded in a matchday

Race hots up for one of Germany s biggest talents / Image via Goal.com

It has been an exciting summer for all the Premier League fans, who have witnessed their favourite clubs dig deep into their respective pockets to bring a fresh batch of talent from all over Europe.

It promises to be yet another exciting season in England and luckily for all of us Premier League aficionados final month of the summer transfer window is likely to bring even more action and excitement.

Heavy Investments

With Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester City all making heavy investments to bolster their respective squads in order to forge teams that will compete for major honours next term, other Premier League rivals will need to step it up if they want to follow the trend.

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Marseille striker Andre-Pierre Gignac has refused to get carried away with his form to start the new campaign.

The 26-year-old endured a torrid 2011/12, managing just one goal in 25 appearances in all competitions, but has already scored twice in the club s Europa League qualifying campaign in 2012/13.

In an interview with Footmercato, the France international spoke of his desire to move on from the pains of his last campaign by staying calm and remaining positive.

It is better to work calmly, Gignac said. When you think negatively, you say to yourself, I do not know what will happen to me so I don t give a damn .

At the moment, everything goes well, but you should not get too caught up. Things can quickly go in the other direction.

I had a d…

Porto boss Vitor Pereira is favourite to be the next Everton boss

It has been revealed that Everton have a shortlist of eight candidates for the vacant managers’ job.

That list includes three internal candidates, who we have reviewed before here on Soccernews and five external candidates.

Cheap

Everton do have a shoestring budget, but if the Toffee’s choose to appoint somebody from within the club then owner Bill Kenwright will definitely be taking the cheap option.

Everton do not have to take the cheap option because David Moyes was one of the most highly paid bosses in the Premier League, so his replacement could earn around the same and the finances would not be affected.

The internal candidates Phil Neville, Alan Stubbs and David …

Yaya Toure has revealed he is reluctant to let his children play football because of the fear they will be racially abused.

The former Manchester City and Barcelona midfielder said he would gladly work with the likes of UEFA and FIFA to combat racism in the game.

Speaking to Omnisport at the Club World Cup in Qatar, Toure also revealed his worry that racism will persist in Italy, where attempts to curb the problem have been frequently hamfisted.

I m sometimes emotional about this because racism is something that hurts me all the time, Toure said.

Because my kids want to play football and want to be a footballer, and I say to him, Look, can you not do that? .

Sometimes I have to accept it, because I m refusing him to play football why? Becau…

Paris Saint-Germain wrapped up a fifth Ligue 1 title in six years with Sunday s resounding 7-1 win at home to last season s champions Monaco.

Unai Emery s side opened an unassailable 17-point lead at the summit with five matches remaining, completing a domestic double after their Coupe de la Ligue triumph over Monaco in March.

Giovani Lo Celso and Angel Di Maria scored doubles, with Edinson Cavani s header, an own goal from Radamel Falcao and Julian Draxler s strike securing an emphatic victory that guaranteed the trophy would be returning to Paris.

Leonardo Jardim s Monaco won the hearts of neutrals last term with their swashbuckling style and faith in talented youngsters, but the sale of key players – including Kylian Mbappe to the Parc des Princes, in…

Chelsea captain Gary Cahill does not feel he has to prove himself to club or country after returning to Antonio Conte s starting XI.

The England defender was a mainstay in Chelsea s 2016-17 Premier League title triumph but has struggled for his best form this time around – somewhat encapsulating the Blues limp defence of a crown that now lies in Manchester City s possession.

Cahill, 32, looked on as an unused substitute for matches against City, Manchester United, Tottenham and Barcelona over recent months but turned in an assured display at the heart of Conte s back three in Sunday s comfortable 2-0 FA Cup semi-final win against Southampton at Wembley.

He has now started all four Chelsea matches since defeat to Spurs at the start of the month – their first g…

Benitez wants Morata back at Real

New Real Madrid coach Rafael Benitez is eager to lure Juventus striker Alvaro Morata back to Santiago Bernabeu, .

The talented forward was surprisingly sold to the Bianconeri last summer and he has since largely impressed, especially in the Champions League.

Morata scored in both matches against his former club to help Juventus qualify for the final, before also netting in Berlin.

And while former coach Carlo Ancelotti wasn t interested in re-signing the 22-year-old, his successor Rafa Benitez wants the starlet back at the Bernabeu.

The good news is that Real Madrid have the option to buy back Morata for a fee of €30 million this summer, while the price would increase to €35m in a year s time.

The onl…

Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery are as crucial to Bayern Munich as Lionel Messi is to Barcelona, according to Thomas Helmer.

Ribery has been in sublime form this season having endured a difficult, injury-hit 2015-16 campaign, while Robben marked his return from injury with a well-taken goal in a 3-0 win over Hertha Berlin on Wednesday.

Former Bayern defender Helmer believes the Bundesliga champions will be hurt when the influential duo eventually depart the Allianz Arena and described the pair s influence as on the same scale as Messi s at Camp Nou.

It will hurt Bayern when both Robben and Ribery are not around anymore. They have some incredible quality when it comes to dribbling and one-on-ones, Helmer told TZ.

There are not an awful lot of extraordinar…

Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku is determined to fight for his place at Stamford Bridge after spending last season on loan at West Brom.

The 20-year-old forward impressed many with his performances at The Hawthorns, scoring 17 goals in 35 league appearances but he is now ready to prove himself at Chelsea.

With the arrival of Jose Mourinho, the Belgian is even keener to impress and is not interested in leaving the club again.

We had a good talk and now it s up to me, he told Sky Sports News.

My mind is in Chelsea now and I have come back to do well in pre-season and if I do a good pre-season, I think I will have a place in the squad and hopefully in the starting XI.

Last year I had a great season at West Brom and I think have the qualities to do it here, but i…

Sunderland are on the verge of signing former France international Anthony Reveillere on a short term deal, .

Black Cats boss Gus Poyet currently faces a defensive crisis with Billy Jones and Seb Coates both on the side-lines, and is set to turn to the former Napoli man who has recently been training with the North East club.

Prior to his move to Naples in 2013, the 34 year old spent ten years at Lyon where he five league titles and two French cups.

Internationally, he was capped twenty times for France, scoring his only goal for his country in a 3-0 win over Albania in qualification for Euro 2012.

Sunderland sit thirteenth in the table after losing just one of their seven games so far, though they are the division’s draw specialists having drawn…