Soccer

After the sale of RvP to Utd Arsenal fans would not find this news unbelievable, however unlike the RvP saga, Arsenal would actually be willing sellers after settling on Koscielny and Mertesacker as first-choice centre-backs. Thomas Vermaelen is facing a make-or-break summer in his Arsenal career. Gunners manager Arsene Wenger could be ready to listen to offers for his out-of-favour captain, as he looks to shake up his squad. That has alerted several top clubs, including Manchester United...Read Full Story

Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has signed a new one-year contract with the Premier League champions. The 34-year-old clinched his sixth title with the Red Devils this season and, having called time on his England career last week, has been rewarded with another term at Old Trafford. His future had seemed up in the air following Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement and the appointment of David Moyes but after admitting during the title celebrations that he was keen to play on, United have...Read Full Story

Adrian Dennis/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Lyon midfielder Megan Rapinoe, center, during the Women’s Champions League final against Wolfsburg in London. LONDON — One of the main reasons that Megan Rapinoe, the star midfielder for the United States women’s soccer team, went to France to join Lyon earlier this winter was the club’s complete and utter dominance. Lyon had won two straight European championships, shredded all comers in the French league by football-like scores and was...Read Full Story

UEFA are set to announce plans to award the winners of the Europa League a place in the following season's Champions League on Friday.Currently, the winners of Europe's second-tier competition are not guaranteed a European spot which is not earned by virtue of their league finish or winning a domestic trophy.However, in an attempt to increase the prestige surrounding the tournament, Europe's football governing body have agreed to offer a UEFA Champions League place to the victors.The plans...Read Full Story

ROTTERDAM — Utrecht took a step towards qualifying for the Europa League with goals from Cedric van der Gun and Edouard Duplan in a 2-0 win at Twente Enschede in the first leg of the Dutch playoff final on Thursday. The Times’s soccer blog has the world’s game covered from all angles. Utrecht, who finished fifth in the standings, grabbed an early lead when Van der Gun was left unmarked in front of goal to score after nine minutes. Twente, who were comfortable league leaders earlier...Read Full Story