Chelsea flop Cuadrado a perfect fit for Juventus

The Colombian has been shown the door after just over six months at Stamford Bridge but he looks an ideal signing for a Bianconeri side in need of pace and versatility

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COMMENT   By Mark Doyle

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Juan Cuadrado touched down in Italy on Monday evening and was promptly mobbed by Juventus supporters as he tried to make his way to the car waiting to whisk him away to Turin ahead of his proposed loan move from Chelsea.

Blues fans could be forgiven for wondering what all the fuss was about. After all, many are still trying to work out why their side decided to splash £23.3 million (€32 million) on the Colombia international during the January transfer window. They had expected to see the thrilling winger that had illuminated last year's World Cup in Brazil; a mix of industry and ingenuity that seemed certain to slot straight into Jose Mourinho's first team - yet ended up appearing unworthy of the reserves.

Suarez: PL the world's best league but Barcelona the best team

The Uruguay international says he is loving life in Catalunya but would like to return to Ajax or even move to MLS

Luis Suarez says that while the Premier League is the game's top championship, Barcelona are "the best team in the world".

The Uruguay international spent three-and-a-half years plying his trade in England with Liverpool, winning the 2013-14 PFA Players' Player of the Year award before moving to Catalunya last summer.

Suarez took some time to settle at Camp Nou, not least because he was ineligible to play for the Blaugrana until October because of his four-month ban for biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup, but he went on to form a formidable front three with Lionel Messi and Neymar, and played a key role in Barca's treble triumph last season.

Suarez is loving life in Catalunya and is hoping to help Luis Enrique's men become the first side to successfully defend the Champions League. However, the 28-year-old has revealed that he would like to return to Ajax at some point before he quits - or even move to MLS.

Arsenal happy to play Benzema waiting game

Real Madrid do not want to let the France international leave, but the Gunners will be ready to pounce if he falls out of favour as Rafa Benitez's reign gets under way...

 Arsenal are prepared to bide their time and wait until the end of the transfer window for a potential deal to sign Karim Benzema from Real Madrid.

Arsene Wenger has identified his fellow Frenchman as his top target to improve the Gunners’ attack this summer and still believes the striker could end up in north London.

Real Madrid have said that Benzema is not for sale and the 27-year-old is happy in the Spanish capital, but Arsenal are closely monitoring his situation.

Laporta, Bartomeu, Benedito, Freixa - meet the Barcelona presidential candidates

ANALYSIS: With socios set to vote in the election at the end of this week, Goal takes a closer look at the four men battling for power at the Catalan club...

By Ben Hayward | Spanish Football Writer

The race for control of FC Barcelona is on. Four of the seven initial candidates gained sufficient signatures to advance to the polls on July 18 and will battle it out for the privileged position in charge of the Catalan club for the following six years.

In order to advance to the final hurdle, candidates needed to secure 2,534 signatures from supporting socios and three men - Joan Batiste, Jordi Farre and Jordi Majo - fell short of that target when the numbers were counted last week.

Batiste, head of the Seguiment FCB movement, looked to have gained sufficient support but only 2,518 of the signatures collected were validated and he missed out by only 16. Farre (2,033 signatures) and Majo (1,021) also dropped out of the race.

That leaves four candidates: recent club chief Josep Maria Bartomeu, former president Joan Laporta, previous challenger Agusti Benedito and ex-Barca spokesman Toni Freixa. Here, Goal takes a closer look at the four men and their plans for the Catalan club should they be successful on July 18.

'Remember me as a good person' - Casillas in tears as he bids farewell to Madrid

 

The goalkeeper waved goodbye to the club's fans at a press conference on Sunday and confirmed his move to Porto, ending a career at the Spanish side which stretches back 25 years..

Iker Casillas bid an emotional farewell to Real Madrid on Sunday as he confirmed he is now a Porto player.
The goalkeeper brings an end to 25 years at the Santiago Bernabeu side to join the Portuguese outfit after a deal was agreed on Saturday night.
And a tearful Casillas, who sat alone at his press conference, thanked the club's fans for all the support they have shown him during his trophy-laden, and says he is looking forward to continuing his career. 

Man United makes sense - Schweinsteiger was being left behind at Bayern Munich

 

The Germany star has been a fantastic servant to the Bavarians but, with injuries taking their toll and competition for places at an ultimate high, it's the right time to move on...

Bayern Munich unveiled their new home kit for the 2015-16 season in front of 68,000 fans at a packed Allianz Arena on Saturday. The Bavarian heroes stood in all their usual glory. The stands were full, a pitch-side stage had been set and triumphant music blasted from the speakers. Yet one thing was missing.

Philipp Lahm was there. As was Robert Lewandowski. Pep Guardiola, Thomas Muller, Mario Gotze... all the big names were present as the players and coaching staff emerged from the tunnel, except one. Bastian Schweinsteiger; a first-team Bayern player for 13 years and essentially a part of the furniture in Munich. Until now.

Casillas deserves a top team like Barcelona, not Porto - parents

The parents of the Spanish goalkeeper say Florentino Perez never loved him due to his lack of height...

The parents of Iker Casillas say that the outgoing Real Madrid goalkeeper has been the victim of a smear campaign from president Florentino Perez and feel that he deserves to end his career at a bigger club than "second tier" Porto.