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Transfer rumor roundup: Sancho to Man Utd; Madrid’s Haaland backup plan

By Andy EdwardsMar 30, 2020, 4:37 PM EDT

A roundup of all of Monday’s biggest transfer rumors, including those involving Premier League clubs…

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Jadon Sancho is a virtual lock to leave Borussia Dortmund and return to the PL this summer, and the 20-year-old winger will almost certainly command a transfer fee of more than $150 million just three years after signing from Manchester City for just $10 million. Today, it’s Manchester United who are rumored as frontrunners for Sancho’s services, based upon reports that Sancho has “unofficially confirmed” he will choose to join Man United when the transfer window opens.

Updating a transfer rumor from last week, Real Madrid are still very much in on another Dortmund starlet, Erling Haaland, but that doesn’t mean they’re putting all of their eggs in one basket. Los Blancos are reportedly eyeing Arsenal forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, a former Dortmund man himself, as a backup option should Haaland remain at Dortmund or land elsewhere this summer. Aubameyang, who’ll turn 31 this summer, isn’t likely to move for less than $60 million, which could prove a stumbling block.

If the rumors are to be believed, this summer will be a costly one for Man United, who are also interested in Atletico Madrid midfielder Saul Niguez. The price tag on the 25-year-old? Close to $170 million. It would seem unlikely that United could afford Niguez (at that price) without getting $100 million (at least) for Paul Pogba.

Another current Arsenal (and former Dortmund) player, midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan, hopes to turn his loan to Roma into a permanent move this summer. Arsenal are expected to ask $22 for the 31-year-old, but the Serie A side is hoping to pay closer to $12 million instead.

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Serie A: Lazio, Roma pick up important wins

By Daniel KarellFeb 23, 2020, 8:08 PM EST

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On a day when most Serie A cities were on edge as games were canceled over Coronavirus fears, two games were able to be played to their conclusion, with important results.

Ciro Immobile added another goal to his league-leading scoring mark as Lazio outlasted Genoa, 3-2, on the road. Immobile’s 51st minute goal was his 27th of the Serie A season, putting him six goals ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo.

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Lazio only needed two minutes to get on the board as Felipe Caicedo played a pass forward, which right back Adam Marusic latched onto. He then had defenders bouncing off him as he slalomed his way forward into the box and fired into the roof of the net. In transition six minutes into the second half, Immobile rifled a strike home to put Lazio up 2-0. Francesco Cassata’s golazo from the top of the box, a curling effort into the top corner, gave Genoa some life, though Lazio restored the two-goal advantage in the 71st minute through Danilo Cataldi.

Domenico Criscito scored a late penalty kick in second half stoppage time to bring Genoa within one goal again, but it was too little, too late from the hosts. With the win, Lazio keep the pressure on Juventus, sitting just one point behind the leaders on the same number of games played, 25.

Roma 4-0 Lecce

Roma returned to winning ways on Sunday with a crucial 4-0 rout of Lecce at the Stadio Olimpico.

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Coming off three straight defeats and a draw in Serie A action, it was one of the young guns, who’s had an up and down season this year, get Roma first on the board. Outside of Turkish winger Cenkiz Under, it was veterans Edin Dzeko and Henrik Mkhitaryan who stole the show.

In the 13th minute, Mkhitaryan sliced through the Lecce defense before feeding a short pass to the oncoming Under, who powered a strike past Mauro Vigorito for the game’s opening goal. In the 37th minute, Dzeko combined yet again with Mkhitaryan, finding the Armenian international running into the box before Mkhitaryan slotted home.

Dzeko then in the second half scored from close range to make it 3-0, and his former Manchester City teammate, Aleksandr Kolarov put the finishing touches on the rout with a blast from the left side of the box.

Thanks to the prior defeats, Roma currently sits outside of the UEFA Champions League slots, but the win on Sunday brought them within three points of Atalanta and the fourth and final Champions League place. However, Atalanta has a game-in-hand on Roma.

Serie A: Roma beaten 3-2 by Bologna as crisis deepens

Associated PressFeb 7, 2020, 8:50 PM EST

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ROME — Musa Barrow scored twice to help Bologna win at Roma 3-2 in Serie A on Friday as the Giallorossi’s crisis worsened.

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Bologna moved up to sixth, one place below Roma, following a third successive win.

Roma was booed off the pitch. The Giallorossi have won only one of their past six league matches, losing four of them.

Roma was looking to bounce back from losing to Sassuolo 4-2 but gifted the opener to Bologna in the 16th minute as Chris Smalling inexplicably left Barrow’s cross, allowing Riccardo Orsolini to tap in at the far post.

Roma leveled in the 22nd when Bologna defender Stefano Denswil bundled Aleksandar Kolarov’s cross into his own net, but Barrow restored the visitors’ lead just four minutes later as his effort was deflected into the top corner.

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It was Barrow’s first start since joining on loan from Atalanta and he doubled his tally six minutes into the second half when he raced from the halfway line before curling into the bottom right corner.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan headed in Bruno Peres’ cross to halve the deficit but Roma’s chance of leveling diminished 10 minutes from time when Bryan Cristante was shown a straight red card for his challenge on Orsolini.

Serie A: Roma hammered by Sassuolo; Joao Pedro makes Kobe tribute

Associated PressFeb 1, 2020, 10:10 PM EST

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ROME (AP) Coach Roberto De Zerbi’s offensive tactics were on clear display when Sassuolo stormed out to an early advantage in a 4-2 win over fourth-placed Roma in Serie A on Saturday.

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Francesco Caputo scored twice and Filip Đuricic added another for the hosts after only 26 minutes.

Already in his fourth season in the top flight, De Zerbi has gained wide praise for his tactics, which are based on dominating the opponent.

The loss left Roma hanging precariously onto the final Champions League spot, just one point ahead of Atalanta, which can move ahead of the Giallorossi with a victory at home over Genoa on Sunday.

Sassuolo moved up to 13th.

Caputo put Sassuolo ahead by beating the offside trap and shooting into the far corner, then added another by completing a counterattack characterized by swift passing.

Đuricic then was left unmarked to score after being set up by Domenico Berardi.

Edin Dzeko pulled one back for Roma after the break with a header for his 100th goal in all competitions for Roma, in his first match since taking over as club captain for Alessandro Florenzi, who was loaned to Valencia.

Roma midfielder Lorenzo Pellegrini was sent off for his second yellow card but Roma quickly earned a penalty that was converted by Jordan Veretout.

A minute later, however, dribbling specialist Jeremie Boga cut inside his marker and launched a powerful shot inside the far corner to restore Sassuolo’s two-goal advantage.

It marked the first time that Sassuolo has beaten Roma, having come away with only five draws in their previous 13 meetings.

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Basketball fanatic Joao Pedro made a tribute to Kobe Bryant after scoring Cagliari’s opening goal in a 2-2 draw with Parma.

After connecting from close range to give Cagliari a 1-0 lead, Pedro mimicked someone shooting a basketball then created the number 24 — Bryant’s jersey number — with his fingers.

Bryant, the NBA great, died last weekend in a helicopter crash with his 13-year-old daughter and seven others near Calabasas, California.

Juraj Kucka equalized for Parma before the break and Pedro had a chance to score another goal but badly missed a penalty early in the second half. Teammate Giovanni Simeone restored Cagliari’s lead a minute later before Andrea Cornelius equalized for Parma in added time with a header.

Serie A: Leaders Inter Milan open door for Juve by drawing Roma

Photo by Giuseppe Cottini/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Associated PressDec 6, 2019, 7:49 PM EST

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MILAN (AP) Italian league leader Inter Milan was held by Roma to 0-0 on Friday, giving second-placed Juventus a chance to return to the top.

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The home draw left Inter only two points ahead of Juventus, which can regain the lead when it visits third-placed Lazio on Saturday.The result also wasn’t good for Roma, which moved from fifth to fourth place in the standings but remained nine points off the lead after 15 matches.

Inter forward Lautaro Martinez had one of the game’s best chances when he got past a defender and entered the area in the 68th minute, but his shot was blocked at the last minute. He called for a handball by the defender but the referee let play continue.

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Inter was coming off five straight wins in the league, with its last setback in all competitions last month against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League. Its last league loss was against Juventus in October, nine matches ago.

Roma was seeking its third straight league win. It had won five of its last six matches since last month.

Inter visits Barcelona in the Champions League on Tuesday.