Schalke have completed the permanent signing of on-loan midfielder Nabil Bentaleb from Tottenham, with the player signing a four-year deal.

The 22-year-old joined Schalke on a season-long loan last August and has now sealed a full transfer, agreeing a contract to keep him with the Bundesliga club until 2021.

Reports earlier this month had suggested a £16million deal was close to fruition as Bentaleb neared an appearance clause under the terms of his loan that would trigger a permanent move.

Bentaleb has played in 20 of Schalke s 21 Bundesliga matches this season, scoring four times as his side sit 10th in the table.

OFFICIAL: signs with until 2021! More info to follow

— FC Schalke 04 (@s04_en)

Both Schalke and Tottenham confirmed th…

Quique Sanchez Flores has warned high-flying Manchester City that his Watford side are a different proposition to the team they beat earlier this season.

City defeated Watford 2-0 in August to set a new club record for consecutive wins with Raheem Sterling and Fernandinho on the scoresheet.

However, Watford have established themselves well in their first season back in the Premier League and they sit ninth with 29 points at the halfway stage of the campaign.

Watford boss Flores is well aware of the quality in City s ranks, but the Spaniard insists his side do not fear any opposition.

The difference [from the last time they played City] is that we have grown a lot in the last four months, he told Watford s official website ahead of Saturday s contest at …

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer suggested Jurgen Klopp may have been trying to influence referees by discussing the penalties awarded to Manchester United.

Klopp felt Liverpool should have been awarded a penalty during Monday s 1-0 loss to Southampton, while highlighting how many spot-kicks United were awarded.

Under Klopp, Liverpool have been awarded 46 penalties in all competitions, including 30 in the Premier League. In that same time frame, and under three different managers, United have won 67.

Since Solskjaer became United manager in December 2018, United have been given 42 – with 27 in the league. Liverpool have had just 19 spot-kicks in all competitions in that time.

But Solskjaer, whose side host Manchester City in the EFL Cup semi-finals on Wednesday, di…

AC Milan are weighing up a move for Manchester United defender Eric Bailly, according to the Mail Online.

The Serie A giants are ready to turn their attention to the Ivory Coast international after being put off by the price for Liverpool s Dejan Lovren, who is valued at around £18m.

With just one year remaining on his current deal, Bailly could prove to be a more viable option, while he could be be set to be moved further down the pecking order at Old Trafford with the possible arrival of Harry Maguire.

The twenty-five-year-old arrived in England from Villareal in the summer of 2016, and played thirty-eight games in all competitions in his first season with the Red Devils.

However, he has been used more sparingly since, racking up eighteen appearan…

Erik ten Hag is confident he still has the understanding of supporters after Manchester United s poor run of form continued with defeat to Arsenal.

United were beaten 1-0 by Premier League title chasers Arsenal at Old Trafford on Sunday in a game that saw them create little.

While United did well to restrict Arsenal s chances, they had just two shots on target themselves long-rangers from Casemiro and Antony.

The Red Devils have had to contend with a number of injury problems this season, not least against Arsenal with a makeshift defence fielded.

And for that reason, Ten Hag whose job beyond this season has been called into question believes the fanbase remain supportive.

They understand where we are and where this club is, he told Sky Sports. W…

Barcelona are in the market to bolster their squad in January.

The Spanish giants have financial challenges to overcome.

But after an ordinary start to the season, they are ready to get busy to build Xavi a stronger squad.

TOP STORY – BARCELONA TO MOVE FOR LAPORTE

Barcelona could move for another Manchester City star, with The Sun reporting that the Blaugrana want to sign Spain international Aymeric Laporte.

The defender has lost his starting spot to John Stones and is said to be unsettled at City.

Barcelona announced a deal to sign Ferran Torres from City this week.

Barcelona looking to raid Man City again with defender on radar after Ferran Torres deal.

— The Sun Football  (@TheSunFootball)

…

that Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund are among clubs believed to be keen on Ajax striker Kolbeinn Sigthorsson.

The 23-year-old has proved his goalscoring skills in Dutch Eredivisie over the last couple of years and has in turn seen his name linked with a number of high-profile clubs.

Il Corriere dello Sport reports that Arsenal, Borussia Dortmund and Newcastle are all keeping close tabs on the Icelandic forward, but the problem is Ajax are not yet prepared to sell.

Sigthorsson has two years left on his deal at Amsterdam ArenA, with the Amsterdammers hoping they can persuade the player to extend his contract.

Legendary coach Louis van Gaal was the first one to spot the player s potential and eventually lured him to AZ Alkmaar in January 2008.

After…

that Marseille have accepted an offer from West Brom for midfielder Morgan Amalfitano.

The Baggies plan to take the player on a season-long loan with an option to buy and are prepared to pay his wages in full.

Amalfitano himself has yet to decide whether he wants to accept the proposal from England, although the fact he is not a first team regular at Stade Velodrome should aid West Brom s chances of landing the 28-year-old.

Morgan Amalfitano came through the youth ranks at Cannes, but it was at Sedan that he began his professional career.

He joined Lorient in 2008 and went on to make 110 league appearances for les Merlus, scoring 14 goals in the process, which in turn saw him snatched by Marseille.

Amalfitano never quite managed to prove his wor…

An online petition has been started to ask Lionel Messi to allow Barcelona team-mate Javier Mascherano to take a penalty and score his first goal for the club.

Since arriving at Camp Nou in 2010, Mascherano has won 13 major trophies, including the Champions League twice, La Liga three times and the Club World Cup on two occasions.

However, despite making his 264th appearance for Barca in the 6-1 win over Celta Vigo on Sunday, the 31-year-old is yet to find the back of the net for the Catalan giants.

After Messi opted to use a penalty to tee up Luis Suarez for a hat-trick rather than convert his 300th La Liga goal for the club against the Galician side at the weekend, he is being called upon to show a similar level of generosity to his compatriot through an onli…

Mario Gomez has revealed new Bayern Munich boss Pep Guardiola heavily influenced his decision to leave for Fiorentina.

The Germany international slipped down the pecking order at the Allianz Arena, after an ankle injury and the emergence of Mario Mandzukic in attack.

He has since moved to the Stadio Artemio Franchi on a four-year deal and hailed the Florence club s playing style as crucial behind his decision.

I spoke with Pep Guardiola and he told me that the football this team plays is the most beautiful and best and most attacking, and that s why I am here, he said.

I love playing football and that s why I came here. I want to enjoy playing my football and that is what I was offered here, and of course the city is beautiful and Tuscany is also beautiful.

…