The 26-year-old England international's agent confirmed a medical took place on Merseyside on Friday, and his move from Southampton could be completed as early as Saturday

Liverpool have agreed a €31 million [£25m] fee with Southampton for Adam Lallana.

The 26-year-old's agent confirmed that the England international underwent a medical on Merseyside on Friday, with hopes that a deal could be confirmed as early as Saturday morning.
"We are getting closer," David Manasseh told 

HOPE FOR MAN UTD

Luke Shaw has completed his €37.5 million move to Manchester United, the club have confirmed.

The England left-back, who featured for the Three Lions at the World Cup, completed his medical at the club's training ground on Friday, having agreed terms on a lucrative four-year contract, with an option for a fifth.

Shaw will earn around €200,000-a-week at Old Trafford, making him the highest-paid teenager in world football.

Upon completing his move, he told the club's website: "I am thrilled and excited to be joining Manchester United. I have been at Southampton since I was eight years old and I would like to thank them and the fans for everything they have done for me.

"I want to continue to progress my career and joining United is the ideal place for me to do that. I am looking forward to this new chapter in my life and also looking forward to learning from the world-class players and management at the club."

Assistant manager Ryan Giggs added his delight at the signing, saying:  "Luke is a very talented young left-back with great potential. He has developed immensely during his time at Southampton and has all the attributes to become a top player.

"I am delighted he has joined Manchester United as I believe this is the right club for him to continue his development as a young player and eventually fulfil that promise."
The 19-year-old becomes the second signing of Louis van Gaal's United reign,

FEAR GRIPS FRANCE

The French defender has warned his teammates not to underrate Stephen Keshi’s men when both sides meet in Monday’s World Cup second round encounter

France international Bacary Sagna is cautious of the quality in the Nigeria squad ahead of Monday’s 2014 Fifa World Cup round of 16 clash.

Estádio Nacional de Brasilia will host the game between both sides as

Colombia Off To The Quater-finals Against Brazil

Getty

The Monaco star scored arguably the goal of the tournament so far as Oscar Tabarez's men were dumped out of the tournament

James Rodriguez scored twice - his first a stunning volley - to fire Colombia to a 2-0 win over Uruguay and secure a place in the quarter-finals of the World Cup.His unstoppable 28th-minute strike on the turn is arguably the goal of the tournament so far, and he followed that up with a close range effort in the

New Signing for Man Utd

The Spanish midfielder was met at the club's Carrington training ground by Sir Bobby Charlton, with a team doctor on site ahead of a likely medical before sealing a move

Ander Herrera is meeting with Manchester United officials at their training ground in Carrington ahead of a switch to Old Trafford.

The Athletic Bilbao midfielder was met by Sir Bobby Charlton with a reception party at Carrington after he arrived in a white VW transporter before being shown around, along with his agent.

A club doctor is on site, though no medical has

Brazil World Cup Best XI

The devastating attacking trio are joined by some of the tournament's more surprising stars so far in our select XI from the opening phase of matches in Brazil

The 2014 World Cup in Brazil was always billed as the great entertaining showpiece, and throughout the opening two weeks, it has not failed to deliver.

New stars have seen their reputations rise while established names have lit up the grandest stages during a group stage full of attacking football and engaging tactical approaches, and, while picking the best XI from the opening phase of matches has been no easy feat, the players here were simply too

Ghana To Take The Next Flight Back To Accra

COMMENT: The Black Stars came close to reaching the round of 16 against Portugal but will have to wait four more years for another chance after a campaign ruined by cash disputes

By Stefan Coerts in Brasilia

Ghana were incredibly close to reaching the World Cup semi-finals for the first time ever four years ago, yet Asamoah’s Gyan missed penalty against Uruguay eventually saw their dreams end in dramatic fashion.

This summer’s tournament in Brazil was the perfect way to make amends and banish the demons from memory. Things went differently, though.

With experienced players such as Asamoah Gyan, Kevin-Prince Boateng, Kwadwo Asamoah and Sulley Muntari, combined with talented youngsters like Christian Atsu and Abdul Majeed Waris, the Africans seemed to have the weapons at their disposal to challenge the world’s top nations.

Yet their tournament was marred by matters off the pitch that eventually saw them stumble at the first hurdle. Their opener against USA ended in a disappointing 2-1 loss as they failed to take their chances, making a round of 16 spot a seemingly impossible mission with games against Germany and Portugal coming up.

A 2-2 draw against Joachim Low’s side combined with Portugal’s draw versus USA with the same scoreline on matchday two got them back in contention, though.

A win by two goals over Portugal at the Estadio Mane Garrincha on Thursday would have been enough, so long as Germany would defeat USA. Low’s men did what they had to do. Ghana, however, failed to keep their end of the deal – and they only have themselves to blame.

Match Stats — Team Stats

PORTUGALV.GHANA

• Attack
• General Play
• Distribution
• Defence & Discipline

• Attack

  Goals

  Portugal	Comparison	Ghana
  2	66.7%33.3%	1

  Total Shots

  Portugal	Comparison	Ghana
  18	51.4%48.6%	17

  Shots On Target

  Portugal	Comparison	Ghana
  7	63.6%36.4%	4

  Blocked Shots

  Portugal	Comparison	Ghana
  3	60%40%	2

  Shots from outside the box

  Portugal	Comparison	Ghana
  9	50%50%	9

  Shots from inside the box

  Portugal	Comparison	Ghana
  9	52.9%47.1%	8

  Shot Accuracy (excluding blocked shots)

  Portugal	Comparison	Ghana
  46.7%	63.6%36.4%	26.7%

Rather than focus on the game ahead, Ghana’s players threatened to boycott the crucial encounter with Portugal if they did not receive their appearance fees before kick-off. 

Their threat prompted the Ghanaian government to fly in a plane with $3 million in cash in an attempt to solve the matter, but the damage was already done. 

The pre-match press conference was all about money, not the decisive World Cup game ahead. Focus was gone and things only got worse as kick-off approached.

After previously stressing the issue he had with Kevin-Prince Boateng had been resolved, head coach Kwesi Appiah decided to send home the Schalke man on Thursday morning from out of nowhere, just hours before one of the country’s most important games ever. The spat between Boateng and Appiah was not the only distraction before the match versus Portugal, though, as Sulley Muntari was sent home as well after allegedly attacking a team official.

Needless to say, the Ghana players were unable to shake off what had happened in the build-up to the game. Despite a strong spell in the second half, Portugal proved to be too strong over 90 minutes, recording a 2-1 win to end the Black Stars’ World Cup dream.

Thursday’s events off the pitch are bound to have consequences for the men involved and it’s not out of the question that several players will retire from international duty after a disappointing tournament. 

Ghana will have to wait four more years for another chance to make an impact at the biggest stage, but they have already missed out on a huge opportunity to go far at the World Cup. That chance was now. 

Missing in Action; Victor Moses

The midfielder was unlisted for Nigeria’s match against Argentina and has now been confirmed to be carrying an injury

Confirmation has come through that Nigeria midfielder Victor Mosesis out with a muscle strain, the reason why he was left out of the game with Argentina on Wednesday.

The Chelsea man has not made an appearance since being taken off during their first game against Iran. The muscle strain was

Alexander Domiquez Ready To Move On

The 27-year-old was happy with his team-mates' performances in Brazil but said the side needed to learn from the tournament

Ecuador goalkeeper Alexander Dominguez believes his team-mates can be proud of their World Cup efforts despite being eliminated on Wednesday.

The South American side earned a goalless draw against France – who qualified as Group E winners – in Rio de Janeiro, with captain Antonio Valencia being sent off for a poor challenge on Lucas Digne in the second half.

Despite the result, the point was not enough to keep Reinaldo Rueda's men in the

Suarez out of the World Cup

The Uruguay striker has been handed a heavy sanction after being found guilty of biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini in Tuesday's World Cup

Luis Suarez was today handed a record four-month ban by Fifa after being found guilty of biting an opponent for the third time in his chequered career.

The Liverpool striker was also handed a nine-match international suspension, meaning he will miss the remainder of Uruguay's World Cup campaign,

CESARE PRANDELLI PEN DOWN IS RESIGNATION

The former Fiorentina boss signed a two-year extension immediately prior to the World Cup but could not prevent a 10-man Azzurri side crashing out at the group stage

Cesare Prandelli has submitted his resignation from his post as Italy coach following his side's elimination from the World Cup.The former Fiorentina boss signed a two-year extension immediately prior to the tournament but could not prevent a 10-man Azzurri side crashing out at the group stage of a second successive World Cup,

SUAREZ CONTROVERSY DUMPS THE AZZURI'S

http://www.supersport.com/football/world-cup-2014/video/386664

Defender Diego Godin scored a dramatic winner nine minutes from time to give Uruguay a 1-0 victory over Italy on Tuesday which sent the South Americans through to the last 16 and the four-times champions home.

Italy played the last half hour with 10 men after Claudio Marchisio was harshly sent off and their sense of grievance will only be exacerbated

Suarez Ready Ready To Battle With Italy

Uruguay striker Luis Suarez pushed his body to the very limits in last Thursday's match against England but said his knee was in "perfect condition" ahead of the must-win World Cup clash against Italy.

In a dazzling display of marksmanship, Suarez scored both goals in the 2-0 defeat of England having missed Uruguay's opening defeat to Costa Rica because of the knee surgery he underwent just before the tournament.

On Tuesday at the Dunas arena, Uruguay will again be looking to Suarez and his strike partner Edinson Cavani to provide the goals they need to beat Italy, who only require a draw, and secure a place in the last 16 from Group D.

"I was not really 100 per cent the other day," he told a news conference.

"I was at the limit of my physical capacity. My last game had been at Liverpool in May. So I was cramping and tired. But you build yourself up and come to the next assignment and this is what I'm doing.

"The knee is in perfect condition. If it hadn't been right I would have told the coach. After surgery, you are always worried but the reaction was spectacular."

Coach Oscar Tabarez said having even a partially fit Suarez in the side was vital for Uruguay, who reached the semifinals in South Africa four years ago but will be going home if they fail to beat four-time champions Italy.

"Luis is very important," he said. "He knows what to do in the last 20 metres in front of the goal. You don't lose that just because you have a knee operation.

"He put everything he had into overcoming this impediment. With respect to others on the team, he is a good option even if he isn't 100 per cent fit.

"We have no doubt his presence is going to be very important for us ... This gentleman is going to go to the pitch and he is going to fight."

BEST PLAYER

Suarez, linked with a move to Barcelona from Liverpool by Spanish media overnight, was asked whether he was aiming to become the best player at the World Cup.

"My objective is only to play for Uruguay and make Uruguay better and fulfil our ambition to go beyond this match," he said.

"We will face an Italian team at their best and play the way Uruguay play when we want to achieve something."

Tabarez did not announce his line-up for the match, but said he had been impressed by the much-changed team he put out to face England in Sao Paulo.

Describing the chance to play Italy as a "gift sent from heaven", Tabarez said he had plenty of respect for the Azzurri but no fear - not even for their sometimes deadly striker Mario Balotelli.

"There is no room for fear in football, there's only room for fear in life when bad things happen to your loved ones," he said.

"There can be concerns, of course, and in the case of Balotelli he is young and he is a specialist in the last part of the pitch.

"We have worked to try to counter him. We will see if we succeed. But I believe that this match is not going to be characterised by fear but by motivation and admiration."

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The Twitter campaign for the release of abducted Nigerian schoolgirls has made its way to Brazil with fans seen holding banners in support of the campaign.

Some Twitter users' hash tag campaign to draw attention to the kidnapping of nearly 300 schoolgirls in Nigeria had received global attention since the incident occured two months ago.
Now, at the biggest, and most watched sporting event in the world, the campaign has surfaced again with several fans