David de Gea is set to see out the season as Manchester United s first-choice goalkeeper despite a string of uncharacteristic errors that could cost the club a Champions League berth. 

The Spain international has failed to recapture his best form since struggling at the World Cup in Russia and mistakes have become more frequent as the campaign comes to a close. 

His high-profile blunders against Barcelona and Manchester City were followed by the cheap concession of an equaliser in last weekend s draw with Chelsea, which further damaged United s bid to finish fourth in the Premier League. 

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer continues to stand by the under-fire 28-year-old but is it a case of the United manager s hands being tied by a lack of alternatives and needing t…

Chelsea have announced the appointment of Guy Laurence as the club s new chief executive.

Laurence, the former CEO of Rogers Communications and Vodafone UK, will take over the role from the start of February.

He was also a director of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, which includes NBA team the Toronto Raptors, the Toronto Maple Leafs NHL franchise and MLS side Toronto FC in its portfolio.

Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck said: We look forward to Guy joining the club during an exciting period for Chelsea on and off the field.

He will be working with the owner [Roman Abramovich] and the board to increase our commercial revenues and maximise digital opportunities, identifying new ways to best serve our supporters here in the UK and further grow our internat…

Swansea City will attempt to soften the blow of the seemingly imminent departure of Wilfried Bony by beating West Ham on Saturday.

Ivory Coast striker Bony is expected to complete a move to Premier League champions Manchester City for a reported fee of £30million.

The 26-year-old has been a revelation since arriving at the Liberty Stadium from Vitesse in 2013 and ended 2014 as the top scorer in the Premier League for the calendar year.

Bony has jetted off to represent his country in the Africa Cup of Nations and looks to have played his last game for the Welsh club.

Swansea manager Garry Monk said at a press conference on Thursday that he had no hard feelings towards his leading scorer as he prepared his side for the visit of West Ham.

Goal…

Luka Modric has reassured Croatia fans he is in good shape ahead of his side s FIFA World Cup opener against Brazil.

Creative midfielder Modric is likely to carry much of Croatia s threat at the global showpiece, starting with Thursday s opener against the hosts.

After a gruelling campaign with Real Madrid where Modric won the UEFA Champions League and the Copa del Rey, he insists he is fully fit going into the World Cup.

I feel good, I m healthy and most importantly I have had the right training, he said.

I got a few days of rest after winning the Champions League and the chance to mentally switch focus to the team.

I am ready, eager and cannot wait for the first game of the World Cup.

Croatia missed out on the World Cup in South Africa four years…

Thomas Tuchel praised Neymar for his selflessness after the Paris Saint-Germain star handed over penalty duties to Kylian Mbappe against Istanbul Basaksehir.

Mbappe scored his first Champions League goals since December last year, netting a brace in Wednesday s 5-1 victory, the Group H clash resuming after allegations fourth official Sebastian Coltescu had exposed Basaksehir assistant Pierre Webo to racist language a day earlier.

His first came from the penalty spot three minutes before half-time, Neymar handing over duties having already scored a brace at the Parc des Princes.

That gesture was lauded by PSG coach Tuchel as Mbappe, 21, became the youngest player in Champions League history to reach 20 goals in the competition, breaking Lionel Messi s record.

…

Jakob Glesnes scored a sensational stoppage-time equaliser as Philadelphia Union came from two goals down to secure a 2-2 draw with Atlanta United on Sunday. 

Anthony Fontana and Kacper Przybylko were denied by Brad Guzan as Philadelphia looked more likely to find the breakthrough in the first half of the Eastern Conference clash at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium. 

It was Atlanta who opened the scoring, though, the unfortunate Przybylko heading into his own net from a corner shortly before the hour. 

Anton Walkes looked like he had secured three points for his side with a powerful header seven minutes from full-time, but the visitors had other ideas. 

Cory Burke pulled one back a minute later with a close-range finish before Glesnes sealed a share of the…

Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo has been named the joint-fourth highest-earning celebrity of the past 12 months by Forbes Magazine.

According to Forbes, Ronaldo earned $88million (£66m) in the last year, the same amount as US television host Dr Phil McGraw and $6.5m (£4.9m) more than Barcelona rival Lionel Messi, who was eighth on the list.

In addition to his Real Madrid salary and bonuses, which Forbes reports amounts to $50m (£38m), Ronaldo also has lucrative sponsorship deals with Nike, Tag Heuer, Sacoor Brothers suits and Monster headphones.

The 31-year-old, who has won three Ballons D Or, captained Portugal to European Championship glory at the weekend, despite leaving the 1-0 final defeat of hosts France after 25 minutes with a knee injury.

…

Stand-in captain Eden Hazard is adamant Belgium can cope without Vincent Kompany at Euro 2016 ahead of their friendly with Finland on Wednesday.

The clash at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels is Belgium s penultimate match before the tournament, where skipper Hazard will hope for better fortune following a tough club season with Chelsea.

The 2014-15 PFA Player of the Year managed only six goals as his Chelsea team meekly surrendered the Premier League title, limping to a 10th place finish.

But a thigh injury to Manchester City centre-back Kompany has seen Hazard elevated to captain.

Yet Hazard believes the world s second-ranked nation can cope without the leadership of Kompany because of the quality in the squad.

Obviously we ve lost our cap…

Sanfrecce Hiroshima moved to the top of the J.League with a 3-0 win over Kawasaki Frontale on Saturday.

Hisato Sato scored a double inside 20 minutes after Kohei Shimizu s opener in the second minute as Sanfrecce moved ahead of Vegalta Sendai on goals scored, with both level on 36 points and +19 goal difference.

Sato s 14 goals leads the league s golden boot standings.

Vegalta missed their chance to stay top as they were held by Nagoya Grampus on the road in a goalless draw.

Kashiwa Reysol recovered from two goals down to win an enthralling match with Shimizu S-Pulse 5-3.

Australian Alex Brosque put the home side 3-1 up in the second half before Kashiwa scored four goals in the last 15 minutes, including two in stoppage time, to collect all three…

Sebastian Giovinco said he has never stopped loving Juventus, and confessed returning to his boyhood club is a dream come true.

The 25-year-old is a product of the Juve youth academy, but left the club for Parma in 2010 on a co-ownership deal after failing to secure regular first team action at the Old Lady.

He re-joined the Turin giants this off-season after an impressive season at the Ennio Tardini, and expressed his delight to have finally come home .

I had lost hope that I could still return to Juve in my first year (away from the club). But I always worked hard because it was a dream to make a comeback, Giovinco told Tuttosport.

I never stopped loving Juventus. And a return the year after the club won the Scudetto is a dream come true.

I …