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Football: Nikolov quits Frankfurt - after 19 years

Agence France-PresseJune 18, 2013 13:01

After 19 years and 379 matches, ex-Macedonia international goalkeeper Oka Nikolov is quitting Eintracht Frankfurt and the Bundesliga to pursue his dream of playing in the North American MLS, it was announced on Tuesday. "Eintracht is everything to me - I had a really great time at this fantastic club, but it's always been my dream to play in America and broaden my horizons," said Nikolov, who was promoted and relegated six times with Eintracht.

Football: Cameroon's Zoua poised to join Hamburg

Agence France-PresseJune 18, 2013 12:31

Cameroon striker Jacques Zoua could be heading to Bundesliga side Hamburg with the German club in talks with his current team, Swiss champions FC Basel, according to reports. "We are in talks. Hamburg wants the player, he wants to go to Hamburg," Basel's director of sport George Heitz told the Hamburg Morgenpost newspaper, adding a contract is expected to be drawn up. The 21-year-old forward, who has already worked with Hamburg coach Thorsten Fink at Basel, has made two appearances for Cameroon.

Football: Talented teenager quits Dortmund for Hanover

Agence France-PresseJune 18, 2013 07:00

Hanover 96 on Tuesday said they had signed Germany under-20 midfielder Leonardo Bittencourt from Champions League finalists Borussia Dortmund. The 19-year-old endured a frustrating season at Dortmund, making just five Bundesliga appearances in a midfield dominated by Germany stars Marco Reus and Mario Goetze. The teenager, who has made five appearances for the Germany under-20 side, has been brought in to strengthen Hanover's midfield with his pacy dribbling in a deal said to be worth around three million euros (£2.5 million, $4 million).

Football: Bayern look to Guardiola's "new generation"

Agence France-PresseJune 17, 2013 21:02

Pep Guardiola will give his first press conference as Bayern Munich coach next Monday with the ex-Barcelona boss having been declared the right man to lead the Champions League winners' new generation by the coach he replaces. Jupp Heynckes stood down as Bayern coach at the start of June having steered the Bavarian giants to an historic treble, becoming the first German club to win the league, cup and European titles in the same season. Not even the great Bayern team of the 1970s matched the feat when they won three European Cup titles in consecutive seasons from 1974-76.

Football: SKorea's Son heading to Leverkusen - Hamburg

Agence France-PresseJune 11, 2013 07:32

South Korea striker Son Heung-Min is likely to join Bayer Leverkusen in the coming days, the sporting director at his current club Hamburg, Oliver Kreuzer, said on Tuesday. "We think that the transfer should be completed in the next few days. I'm working on the principle that Son will go to Leverkusen," he told Sky Germany television. Son will turn 21 on July 8 and has already let it be known that he wants to join Leverkusen, whose third-place finish in the Bundesliga last season earned them a Champions League spot.

Football: Robben planning to stay at Bayern

Agence France-PresseJune 7, 2013 10:20

Dutch winger Arjen Robben plans to remain at Bayern Munich, with whom he won last season's Champions League. "My plan is to stay (at Bayern) where I'm enjoying myself and am under contract until 2015," Robben told the Bild newspaper. "Leaving is not an issue at the moment. There's no reason," said the 29-year-old, scorer of the winning goal in Bayern's 2-1 victory over Dortmund in the Champions League final.

Football: Ribery extends Bayern contract to 2017

Agence France-PresseJune 6, 2013 07:51

France winger Franck Ribery signed a two-year contract extension with Bayern Munich on Thursday, keeping him tied to the club until 2017. The 30-year-old's extension had been long expected with both parties having expressed in the past few weeks their desire to prolong his deal. The former Marseille and Galatasaray midfielder joined the Bavarian giants in 2007 and this season was part of the historic first ever German treble-winning side as Bayern claimed the Champions League, Bundesliga and German Cup crowns. sg/eb/bc

Football: Ribery and Van Buyten extend Bayern deals

Agence France-PresseJune 6, 2013 07:48

France winger Franck Ribery signed a two-year contract extension with Bayern Munich on Thursday, keeping him tied to the club until 2017. Belgium centre-back Daniel van Buyten also added a year to his current deal, meaning he will remain until the end of next season. Ribery's extension had been long expected with both parties having expressed in the past few weeks their desire to prolong his deal. "I'm delighted to be staying in Munich, I'd promised it to the fans and now the contract is signed," said the 30-year-old in a statement released by the club.

Football: Heynckes foresees Bayern domination

Agence France-PresseJune 1, 2013 23:16

Outgoing manager Jupp Heynckes said Bayern Munich were ready to launch a "new era" of European success under his successor Pep Guardiola after victory over Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League final. Heynckes will step down at the end of the season, having become only the fourth coach to win the trophy with two different clubs after Arjen Robben snatched a 2-1 victory at Wembley Stadium on Saturday with a last-gasp 89th-minute winner.

Football: Heynckes coy as Bayern claim historic treble

Agence France-PresseJune 1, 2013 21:00

Treble-winning trainer Jupp Heynckes has said he will reveal his future plans on Tuesday having finished his two-year tenure by coaching the most successful side in Bayern Munich's history. Bayern's 3-2 victory over VfB Stuttgart in Saturday's German Cup final completed the set, after winning both the Champions League and Bundesliga, to become Germany's first team to land the treble. Ex-Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola will take charge on June 26 as Heynckes ends his third stint as Bayern coach.