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Sporting Gijon have rewarded Abelardo Fernandez for guiding the club back into La Liga by giving their coach a new contract until 2018.
Abelardo secured promotion in sensational fashion on the final day of the Segunda Division season as Sporting beat champions Real Betis 3-0 and a late Lugo equaliser ensured Girona missed out on a two-top finish.
The former Barcelona and Spain defender only took charge of Sporting last May and will now lead them in the Spanish top flight after agreeing to extend his stay at the club.
Coach Inaki Tejada, goalkeeping coach Isidro Fernandez, trainer Gerardo Ruiz and technical analyst Marco Canal are also set to remain at Sporting.
Juve keen on Mandzukic as potential Tevez replacement
17 June 2015
Atletico Madrid's Mario Mandzukic has been identified by Juventus as a potential replacement for striker Carlos Tevez by the Italian club's general manager Giuseppe Marotta.
Tevez has been heavily linked with a move away from Turin, with reports suggesting a move to Atletico or former club Boca Juniors could be on the cards.
Faced with the prospect of replacing last season's top scorer, Marotta revealed Croatian Mandzukic as a target and predicted Tevez was only likely to leave for Boca.
"If Tevez were to leave, we have identified the player to replace him as Mandzukic," the general manager is quoted as saying by Tuttosport.
"We all agree on his positive impact. Carlos has this desire to return to South America, to his home in Argentina to end a glorious career.
"We are waiting for an answer and we hope to see within two to three days what he will do.
"If he has the desire and motivation to move forward, we will be happy to continue, otherwise we will satisfy his desire to return to Argentina, it would be counter-productive to behave differently
"I'm sure if Tevez leaves, it will be for Boca."
Marotta was also quizzed on the future of midfielder Paul Pogba - the Frenchman heavily linked with Real Madrid and Barcelona after another stellar season in Turin.
"He is a fundamental player in the Juventus squad," Marotta added.
"Pogba is off the market, unless he says he wants to go. And he has not done that."
The former captain will not give his backing to any candidates, but insists he will be available for the club whenever he is needed
Former Barcelona captain Carles Puyol says he will not be joining Joan Laporta's team in his presidential candidacy.
On Tuesday, Laporta, who was at the helm of the club from 2003 to 2010, announced his bid to be re-elected as the Catalan club's president ahead of the election on July 18.
The 52-year-old was reportedly hoping to run with the support of Puyol, who it was said could be installed as the club's sporting director should he win the race.
Laporta was the sixth man to enter the running, with incumbent Josip Bartomeu, Toni Freixa, Agusti Benedito, Jordi Majo and Jordi Farre also looking to gain control of the club.
However, the three-time Champions League winner has distanced himself from the reports, insisting he will not be backing any one individual.
"I will not stand with any candidate," the 37-year-old said. "I have very good relationship with Joan, with him I had the best years of my life, but I will be available to Barca when the club needs me."
The former Spain skipper says he is not sure what his future holds.
"I have many projects on the table, but I want to take time to make a decision," he added.
Chicharito: Ronaldo inspired me during 'frustrating' spell
By Peter McVitie
Jun 18, 2015 22:29:53
The Mexico international admitted that he was unhappy on the Real Madrid bench but says the team's talisman is an example for everyone to follow
Javier Hernandez says there are "no words" to describe Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo, saying that he is proof hard work pays off.
The Mexico international spent last season on loan at the Santiago Bernabeu from Manchester United, but played a bit-part role in an underwhelming campaign in which he started just seven league games.
The attacker admits that he found it frustrating sitting on the bench, but insists he learned a lot from his team-mates, including Ronaldo.
"Cristiano is a great player," he told Univision. "There are no words to describe him. He is a clear example that hard work pays off.
"The season at Real Madrid was one full of learning. It helped me find myself again as a player.
"I was on the bench a lot, which was frustrating because I was not important."
Despite his peripheral role in the team, Chicharito scored the crucial winning goal for Los Blancos in their Champions League quarter-final second leg against Atletico Madrid, and he admits this was a highlight.
"The goal against Atletico was a big relief because it was a difficult year and I had so few opportunities," he said of the late strike that was set up by the Ballon d'Or winner.
The future of the Mexico star remains uncertain, but a number of clubs have been linked with his signature this summer, and even a return to Madrid has not been discounted.
Sergio Aguero reiterated his desire to remain at Manchester City, insisting he has no plans to leave the club as he bids to win the UEFA Champions League in England.
Former Atletico Madrid striker Aguero has been linked with a return to the Spanish capital, with Real Madrid reportedly keen to add the Premier League's 2014-15 top goalscorer to their already lethal attacking force.
But Aguero - on international duty with Argentina at the Copa America in Chile - dreams of winning the Champions League with City, having signed a new five-year deal in August last year.
"The only reason a player should leave a club is to achieve things, and I can achieve all I want to at City," Aguero told the Mirror.
"I can't stop rumours. I can't stop people writing things. But what I can do is repeat what I have already said, and that is that I'm very happy at Manchester City.
"I have had success over the last four seasons there and I'm hungry for a lot more.
"Of course the Premier League is a big priority and we want to win it back, but it is a big dream to win the Champions League at City as well."
Sevilla winger Gael Kakuta said Raphael Varane has all of the attributes to captain Real Madrid in the future.
Varane is one of the most highly-rated defenders in Europe, though he has often played second fiddle to Pepe and Sergio Ramos in big matches for Real, leading to speculation the 22-year-old may pursue opportunities elsewhere.
The France international centre-back has already captained his country - becoming the youngest Frenchman to wear the armband in a 3-0 victory over Armenia last October.
And Kakuta, who played alongside Varane at Lens, has backed his former team-mate to one day captain the La Liga giants.
"Varane has all of the attributes needed to be the future captain of Real Madrid," said Kakuta, who signed a four-year deal with Sevilla on Thursday.
"I know him very well; when we started out at Lens, we would sit next to each other on the team's away trips. We're both originally from Lille and although he is a bit younger than me, I'd already heard a lot of good things about him.
"He played in central defence but also sometimes as a midfielder. When I made my international debut at youth level for France, he was in the side too and once I saw him, I knew right away that he was going to be a top player. What he has done so far hasn't come as a surprise to me at all.
"He has always been a very laid-back bloke and a very intelligent guy too; he knows what he is doing and I believe that he will become Real Madrid's captain one day in the future."
Liga MX side Tigres UANL have signed France international Andre-Pierre Gignac and Nigeria striker Ikechukwu Uche.
Gignac arrives at the club after nearly five years with Marseille - for whom he scored 77 goals - and was welcomed by hordes of fans at Monterrey International Airport on Thursday as he flew in for his medical.
"Incredible welcome, thank you all, we're going to do big things," Gignac posted on Twitter.
He is joined at Estadio Universitario de Nuevo Leon by Uche, who has spent the last four seasons with Villarreal.
Uche netted 36 goals in his time with the Spanish club and posted on Twitter: "I'm very happy to announce an agreement with @TigresOficial I will do my best for the team #SomosTigres."
Tigres lost the Liga MX Apertura final to Club America last season and were knocked out of the Clausura at the quarter-final stage by Santos Laguna.
However, Tigres are in the semi-finals of the Copa Libertadores and face Brazilian side Internacional over two legs next month as they bid to become the first Mexican team to win the competition.
Sevilla's director of sport Monchi remains confident of bringing Yevhen Konoplyanka to the club despite apparent delays in negotiations.
The Dnipro winger has been heavily linked with the Spanish club as well as Premier League side Stoke City and Turkish giants Besiktas during recent weeks.
Despite speculation over his future continuing to rumble on, Monchi says Sevilla remain at the front of the queue to sign him, having also recently acquired former Chelsea winger Gael Kakuta.
"It is still alive and we knew when we started competing for his [Konoplyanka's] signature that it would be a complicated task," Monchi told reporters.
"The delay does not mean anything negative for Sevilla, quite the contrary. The longer the process goes on, it means that Seville remains an option.
"It is an issue that is not easy but we move forward slowly. We will not wait forever but at the level that the negotiation is, I do not see it lasting too much longer.
"We want to tie everything up so that the player is convinced, focused and happy."
Reports in recent days have also suggested Sevilla are keen to bring Adriano back from Barcelona, with team-mate Martin Montoya and Juventus striker Fernando Llorente mooted as potential targets as well.
"When reading in the press today about Adriano, we were surprised," Monchi added.
"He is a player who we have great affection for but he is in another orbit. Llorente is not a target and neither is Montoya. They are players that we like but obviously we set goals that are realistic.
"We go where we can and to what we can achieve, both in sporting and economic terms."
Elche will take their appeal against relegation from La Liga to a government administrative sports court after announcing they have cleared their tax debts.
Despite finishing 13th in the league last season, Elche were demoted to the Segunda Division for failing to settle tax debts - meaning Eibar were given a reprieve after ending the campaign in the bottom three.
However, Elche have continued to fight the decision to take their Liga place away and released a statement on Friday, claiming they had "fulfilled all the requirements imposed".
Elche's appeal will now be heard at the sports court on June 23, as they attempt to overturn the league's decision.
Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri has confirmed striker Mario Mandzukic is on the verge of joining from Atletico Madrid.
The Croatia international has been the subject of reports linking him with a move to Turin as Juve contemplate the potential exit of Carlos Tevez to Boca Juniors.
Allegri confirmed the former Bayern Munich man is close to sealing his move, but played down suggestions Mandzukic was a direct replacement for Tevez.
"We don't have to replace him [Tevez]. What we have to do is sign players and study the way they play," Allegri is quoted as telling Sky Sport Italia.
"Mandzukic is on his way and we have [Simone] Zaza [who the club have an option to repurchase from Sassuolo], [Kingsley] Coman, [Alvaro] Morata and [Paulo] Dybala, young players with a lot of quality.
"Mandzukic has scored everywhere he has played. He has a lot of personality and plays at international level. He'll do a good job.
"We signed him because he was the player we wanted. I'm really happy because that was our choice."
Mandzukic scored 20 goals in all competitions during his debut Atletico campaign, having ended a two-year spell at Bayern.
Diego Simeone says no other player comes close to Argentina star Lionel Messi but stopped short of drawing comparisons between the Barcelona forward and Diego Maradona.
Messi is set to win his 100th Argentina cap against Jamaica at the Copa America on Saturday, having led Barca to a treble in the season just gone.
Despite losing out on the 2015 Ballon d'Or to Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi can still consider himself the world's best according to Atletico Madrid coach Simeone.
The former Argentina international told TyC Sports: "Messi is the number one. In recent years there has not been any player who has come close to Messi."
However, when quizzed on comparisons between the current Argentina skipper and the legendary Maradona, Simeone added: "[Messi and Maradona] played in different eras and different positions.
"Messi is much more of a striker, while Diego played all over the pitch.
"It's not fair [to compare them] as it just creates controversy, but within the debate are two extraordinary players.
"Messi has played in four Champions League finals and won them all. If I’m not mistaken, I don’t think anyone else has.
"You can't compare these great players. Hopefully Lionel can lead Argentina to Copa America and then a World Cup.
"A player like Lionel will adapt to any situation to win because he wants to win."
Sergio Araujo's late goal saw Las Palmas earn promotion to La Liga in dramatic fashion as they won their play-off with Real Zaragoza on away goals.
Las Palmas trailed 3-1 from the first leg in Aragon, but ended their 13-year absence from the top flight with a 2-0 win at Estadio Gran Canaria on Sunday.
Midfielder Roque Mesa opened the scoring in the 33rd minute as he fired in from 15 yards out.
The hosts piled on the pressure in search of the vital second goal, with Araujo seeing a goal disallowed for offside before David Garcia smashed an effort against the crossbar.
But Las Palmas got the decisive goal five minutes from time as Araujo turned in a ball back across the face of goal at the far post to end their Liga exile.
Atletico Madrid striker Mario Mandzukic will undergo a medical in Turin on Monday ahead of his proposed move to Italian champions Juventus.
The Croatia international landed at the city's airport on Sunday to complete his switch, with Juve confirming the 29-year-old will spend Monday undertaking a medical.
"Mario Mandzukic is this morning undergoing a routine medical ahead of his proposed transfer to Juventus from Atletico Madrid," the club confirmed on their website.
"The 29-year-old forward will take his first tests at the city's Clinica Fornaca di Sessant, before completing the procedure at the Istituto di Medicina dello Sport medical centre."
The former Bayern Munich man could be tasked with replacing fellow striker Carlos Tevez who looks set to leave for either Atletico or boyhood club Boca Juniors.
Benitez promises attacking Real regardless of formation
22 June 2015
Rafael Benitez has promised his side will play attacking football at Real Madrid next season but played down suggestions of a switch in system.
The former Napoli coach was appointed Carlo Ancelotti's successor earlier this month, with rumours circulating that he could ditch the Italian's favoured 4-3-3 system.
Instead of a forward line of Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema, Benitez is reportedly keen to use Ronaldo as a lone forward in a 4-2-3-1 system.
However, according to Benitez, a system has yet to be decided on, telling the club's official website: "We have attacking players, so our idea is to play offensively.
"You have to distinguish between a playing model and a system. A lot of people think that the players' position on the pitch, 4-4-2, 4-3-3, is a playing model and it isn't.
"Our model will be based on playing attacking football, keeping possession as much as we can, attacking by moving the ball quickly and trying not to lose the balance between defence and attack.
"We'll try to impose our game but we have to be capable of using other alternatives when needed. That's the difference between a model of play, basically attacking in our case, and a system, which is where the players line up on the pitch.
"I'd like to say that the willingness to work all of them have displayed, Sergio [Ramos], Iker [Casillas], Cristiano, Bale, Pepe, [Raphael] Varane... all of them, it has been excellent.
"As to who will play where, as I said, we have to be together, train together and then we'll decide. In spite of what has been said, Iker, Sergio, Cristiano, Isco, Bale... nobody has asked to play here or there.
"We haven't yet decided the best system to try and get the best out of each player."
Real have yet to make any marquee signings following Benitez's appointment, although Danilo was signed from Porto in March while Casemiro is to return from a loan spell at the Portuguese club.
Asked whether fans could expect further arrivals, he added: "Of course. The club works every day to try and raise the level of this team with a signing that will help us to meet challenges.
"But permit me to say that improving the squad at Real Madrid is extremely difficult. This team has won everything and has proven the quality they have.
"The fans can rest assured that this squad will have the competitive level that this club demands."
A Sevilla bid for Steven N'Zonzi came "nowhere near" Stoke City's valuation, according to the Premier League club's chief executive, Tony Scholes.
N'Zonzi has been linked with a move away from the Britannia Stadium after an impressive season in which he helped Mark Hughes' side to ninth in the Premier League.
La Liga side Sevilla are reported to have offered £3m for the former Blackburn Rovers man - Stoke's player of the year in 2014-15.
Scholes is quoted by The Telegraph as saying: "I can confirm that we received a bid from Sevilla for Steven but it gets nowhere near our valuation of the player.
"In any case we would obviously like Steven to stay at Stoke City.
"We have no desire to sell one of our best players."
Mario Mandzukic is confident he will have no problems adapting to Italian football after sealing a move to Serie A champions Juventus.
Croatia striker Mandzukic completed a €19million move from Atletico Madrid on Monday.
The fee for the former Bayern Munich man will be paid in three instalments, with an initial payment of €7million in August to be followed by two subsequent €6m payments in 2016 and 2017.
Mandzukic scored 20 goals in all competitions for Atletico in his sole season with the Spanish club and sees no reason why he will not be able to excel with Massimiliano Allegri's beaten UEFA Champions League finalists.
"I'm happy to be at a big club like Juventus," Mandzukic told the club's official website. "I hope and I believe that the coach knows me well and can get the best out of me.
"I'm ready to do everything necessary for my team-mates. I've played against Juventus and Italy several times. I know them all very well, they're a very tough team with great quality.
"That's why I'm even more delighted that I too am part of this group now. I have nothing but the best to say about the team and the coach.
"I will try to slot in as quickly as possible, because as I've already said I know the players quite well. I've played against the team on several occasions, so I don't think it will be a big problem.
"This is my new team and I'll fight with everything I've got. I hope to score as many goals as possible.
"I know and I can see that it's a massive club with a huge fan base. So I'm very happy with this new challenge, I'm ready."
Keylor Navas has confirmed he will not require surgery to the injured Achilles tendon that saw him leave Costa Rica's CONCACAF Gold Cup squad.
The Real Madrid goalkeeper was forced out of Paulo Wanchope's squad for the tournament – which starts on July 7 – after suffering with tendinitis during training.
Wanchope suggested the 28-year-old could undergo surgery to correct the problem, but the player has confirmed that will not be necessary.
"Happy, grateful to god, the club doctors have assessed me in Madrid and have discarded an operation on the heel injury," he posted on Twitter.
"Today I received platelet-rich plasma treatment on the left heel. Now to rest."
Navas made 11 appearances for Real in all competitions last season following his move from Levante after a successful World Cup campaign.
Porto striker Jackson Martinez has completed his move to Atletico Madrid, his agent Luiz Henrique Pompeo has revealed.
The Colombia international - currently in action at the Copa America in Chile - had looked set to join Milan, with Premier League side Arsenal also apparently interested.
However, amid speculation of a bid from Atletico, Pompeo has stated the deal has been finalised, with the Spanish club having this week seen striker Mario Mandzukic head for Juventus.
"It was finalised today," Pompeo told AS on Tuesday.
"We want to thank Milan for their interest right up the end, we feel very honoured by it, but you can't be in two places at once.
"[Atletico is] a very big club, which has done important things in the league and in Europe. Jackson is going there to also achieve great things and to bring the best out of himself to become even better.
"That's his dream and he's very excited. He's really happy."
Martinez has netted 92 goals for Porto since moving from Chiapas, helping the club to the Primeira Liga title in 2012-13.
The 28-year-old has also topped the scoring charts in each of his three seasons at the Estadio do Dragao.
An impasse over Sergio Ramos' contract extension is behind the defender's disillusionment at Real Madrid, according to former president Ramon Calderon.
Ramos is entering the final two years of his contract in Madrid and the Spain international has emerged as a transfer target for Manchester United.
Calderon weighed in on the speculation, telling talkSPORT: "It's clear that Ramos isn't happy because the president hasn't offered him a contract extension.
"To me it seems as though it is a public dressing down over his support for [Carlo] Ancelotti and for saying that he did not agree he should have been sacked. The same thing as Iker Casillas."
Ramos is reportedly at the top of Louis van Gaal's wishlist, with the United manager keen to add experience to his defence.
Real are desperate to sign goalkeeper David de Gea but United want one of the club's prized assets in return, preferably Ramos.
Calderon added: "Let's see what happens in the next few weeks. He is an icon for Real Madrid fans, on and off the pitch.
"I don't know if he is the best central defender in the world but he is one of the best. He can play in the middle of defence, on the right or in midfield."
Arda Turan has set his sights on a move to the Premier League despite interest from Paris-Saint Germain, the Atletico Madrid midfielder's agent has revealed.
The Turkey international has been a key player for Diego Simeone's side, but his representative - Ahmet Bulut - says the player is ready to turn his back on the club.
Manchester United, Liverpool and PSG have all been linked with a move for the 28-year-old, and Bulut confirmed talks had taken place with a number of sides.
"He [Turan] intends to leave Spain this summer," he told AS. "He is planning on leaving Spain this summer. He would like to play in the Premier League, this is the path he would like to see his career take
He added: "His departure from Atletico won't be easy due to his 41million euro buy-out clause
"Discussions are under way with three teams at the moment I cannot say the name, but they are the best of England and European football.
"Yes, it's true, both Milan and PSG are interested in Arda. The interest from Milan won’t advance as they are not involved in next season's Champions League. PSG is a possibility, but Arda has always been keen to play football in England."
Turan arrived at Atletico in 2011 and helped them claim the Liga title in the 2013/14 season, as well as the UEFA Europa League and a Copa del Rey triumph.
