LISBON: Argentine international Lucho Gonzalez is leaving FC Porto for a lucrative contract with a Qatar Stars League (QSL) side, it was reported here yesterday. Paulo Fonseca, manager of the Portuguese club, confirmed the player was quitting his team, without specifying the identity of his new employers.
“FC Porto were sensitive to the wishes of the player who wants to go in a separate direction,” Fonseca told local media.
The 33-year-old midfielder joined former European champions Porto from Marseille in 2012 having already played for the side from 2005 to 2009.
On the international stage he starred for the Argentina team that won gold at the 2004 Olympic Games, and played at the 2006 World Cup where Argentina lost to hosts Germany on penalties in the quarter-finals.
Matthaeus expects Kroos to reject Man United bid
BERLIN: Ex-Germany captain Lothar Matthaeus has said he would expect Bayern Munich midfielder Toni Kroos to turn down a potential bid by English Premier League giants Manchester United.
There is speculation in the English media that United will table a bid for the 24-year-old German having already signed Spanish attacking midfielder Juan Mata from Chelsea.
“I presume Kroos will extend his (Bayern) contract in the near future, even if he has offers from abroad,” Matthaeus, 52, told Sky Sports in reference to United.
United manager David Moyes flew to Germany to join Kroos’ agent Sascha Breese in watching Bayern’s 2-0 win at Borussia Moenchengladbach on Friday.
Kroos was outstanding as Bayern extended their record unbeaten Bundesliga run to 42 matches and opened a ten-point gap at the top of the table.
Having made 41 appearances for Germany, Kroos is out of contract with Bayern in June 2015 and the European champions are eager to extend his deal.
Matthaeus played for Bayern during two spells in his career and still has strong ties with the European champions. He insisted live on air that Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski would join Bayern -- a year before the deal was confirmed three weeks ago.
Hibs fail to stop Celtic juggernaut in SPL clash
EDINBURGH: The relentless Celtic march on retaining the title continued yesterday as the Glasgow giants sealed their 11th victory in a row with three late goals in a 4-0 win over Hibernian at Easter Road.
Victory sent the Hoops 15 points clear of Aberdeen at the top of the Scottish Premiership as they extended their unbeaten start to the season to 22 games and kept their ninth consecutive clean sheet in the league for the first time since the 1920s.
When Kris Commons scored the opener in the eighth minute a heavy defeat looked inevitable for Hibs, who have with this defeat lost three in a row.
However, the Easter Road outfit are one of only three teams to have take points off the Scottish champions this season in a 1-1 draw in October and they did their best to derail Neil Lennon’s side. Only a string of fine saves from Fraser Forster to deny Abdellah Zoubir and Sam Stanton kept Celtic in front while James Collins had a first half penalty claim turned down.
A 77th minute free-kick from Dutchman Virgil van Dijk made it 2-0 before second half substitute Teemu Pukki fired home in the 83rd minute. Commons then netted from the penalty spot in the 90th minute. AGENCIES
