Inaki Williams revealed he had contact from Manchester United before signing a new long-term contract with Athletic Bilbao.

Williams emerged as a target for United during the closing days of the Premier League transfer window, with Romelu Lukaku heading to Inter.

The 25-year-old Williams, though, remained at Athletic and signed a nine-year extension with a €135million release clause.

Reflecting on the August speculation, the Spain forward told Cadena Ser: I had contact from Manchester United but I cannot tell you who it was.

My number one option has always been to stay at Athletic Club and to retire here.

Joining Real Sociedad? No, I could never go there – 100 per cent.

  It does not rain in today s training session in Lezama. Just…

Mohamed Salah scored a first-half double as Liverpool ended their wait for a first Premier League away win of the season with a 2-1 victory at Tottenham.

Salah gave the Reds a deserved early lead and capitalised on a terrible mistake from Eric Dier to double their advantage, taking his goal tally for the season to 14 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday.

Spurs burst into life in the second half and Harry Kane s 13th goal of the campaign halved the deficit, but they are down a spot in fourth place after suffering back-to-back home defeats in the top flight.

This was a first Premier League win in three Premier League matches for Liverpool after being stunned by Nottingham and Forest and Leeds United, moving them into eighth spot.

The Reds started with vig…

Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig were kept apart in the draw for the DFB-Pokal semi-finals on Monday.

Dortmund will go up against Holstein Kiel hoping to avoid suffering the same fate as holders Bayern Munich, who were knocked out of the competition by the second-tier side.  

In the other tie, Leipzig – who sit second in the Bundesliga – will take on the winner of the quarter-final clash between Regensburg and Werder Bremen, which is scheduled to be played on April 7. 

Bayern have lifted the trophy in the previous two campaigns, including beating Leipzig 3-0 in the 2019 final. 

However, their hopes of triumphing again were dashed by Kiel, who scored a dramatic late equaliser in the second-round tie before going on to seal a famous win on p…

Leonid Slutsky will step down as CSKA Moscow coach after the Champions League match against Tottenham on Wednesday.

The 45-year-old has been in charge of the club since 2009, winning the Russian Premier League three times, including last season, as well as two Russian Cups and two Russian Super Cups.

CSKA have endured a disappointing campaign in UEFA s elite club competition but could yet finish third in Group E and qualify for the Europa League ahead of Tottenham, who they face at Wembley.

CSKA thank Leonid Slutsky after seven years of fruitful co-operation, yielding three league titles, two Russian Cups and two Super Cups, as well as the incredible emotion that the team gave to our huge army of fans under his leadership over all these years, the club said in a…

Club Brugge s unbeaten run in the Champions League continued but they could not find a way through Galatasaray in a frustrating 0-0 draw.

Brugge exited last season s competition in the group stage but went on a streak of four successive games without defeat to end their participation in the tournament.

They had much the better of Wednesday s Group A encounter at the Jan Breydel Stadium but wasted too many opportunities in a game they deserved more from.

The stalemate does little for the hopes of two teams expected to be battling for the Europa League place in a group containing heavyweights Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain.

Points are split on a silent night in Bruges.

— Galatasaray EN (@Galatasaray)

Brugge dominated from the off a…

Liverpool chief executive Peter Moore has rejected the idea that Fenway Sports Group are looking into the possibility of selling Liverpool Football Club. They purchased the Reds back in 2010, and while there have certainly been highs and lows, it seems as if they’re moving into an exciting new era with Jurgen Klopp at the forefront.

Moore noted that they’ve invested £2 million in capital investment, and that they have a vision for what they want the club to be.

Fans have forever been intrigued by what goes on behind closed doors in the world of football, especially with a club like Liverpool who divide opinion so often. Nonetheless, despite what everyone has said it certainly seems like things are on the up both on the pitch and off the pitch.

The Reds will…

Erling Haaland is one of three members of Manchester City’s treble-winning team to be nominated for the Professional Footballers’ Association Players’ Player of the Year award.

The 23-year-old Norway striker was a sensation in his debut season in English football, scoring 52 goals in all competitions as Pep Guardiola’s side won the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup.

Haaland is joined on the six-man shortlist by Belgium playmaker Kevin De Bruyne and England international John Stones.

The Barnsley-born player, 29, was a revelation as Guardiola pushed him up from defence into midfield last season.

Arsenal were City’s closest challengers in the Premier League last term and two of their star performers, Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard, are …

Iran coach Carlos Queiroz said the description of his side as favourites to win the Asian Cup was an ill-fitting tag as he prepares to face Japan in the semi-final without three-goal forward Mehdi Taremi.

Queiroz claimed Team Melli had achieved their tournament objective after Taremi scored the opening goal in a 3-0 quarter-final victory over China to help them reach the competition s last four for the ninth time.

Speaking before the elimination of South Korea and Australia at the hands of Qatar and United Arab Emirates, respectively, Queiroz played down his side s chances of winning a fourth Asian Cup title.

Our dream has always been to be in the middle of the top teams in the final four, something which we have now done and are very happy about, said the 65-y…

Aaron Ramsey s upcoming move to Juventus was confirmed on Monday, with the Arsenal midfielder signing a pre-contract deal with the Bianconeri.

The Wales international was out of contract at Emirates Stadium at the end of this season and has committed his next four years to Juventus in a deal that will reportedly see him paid £400,000 a week.

Ramsey is far from the first star to make their way to Turin on a free transfer, however.

Juventus have made several smart moves in the transfer market in recent years and so we look at others who have taken this path at the end of their contracts.

ANDREA PIRLO

World Cup winner Pirlo was used sparingly in his final season at AC Milan in 2010-11, reaching a decision with the club that he would depa…

With the Champions League group stage drawing to a close in midweek, we have a stacked European schedule from across the continent on Tuesday night.

As the likes of Manchester United find their knockout stage dreams hanging by a thread, we have taken a look at some of the most intriguing Champions League betting markets that are available.

20:00 Union Berlin vs Real Madrid

While Real Madrid might have eventually finished 10 points adrift of defending their La Liga crown last season, Los Blancos certainly haven’t shown any signs of a hangover this time around. Already breezing their way to the Champions League knockout stage without breaking much of a sweat, Tuesday’s hosts will simply be looking to make another European statement on foreign soil.

T…