Porto have completed the signing of Marseille midfielder Giannelli Imbula for a fee of €20million.

Imbula, who has represented France at Under-21 level, had been heavily linked with Premier League side Arsenal and Serie A outfit Inter.

However, Porto emerged as favourites for his signature and the 22-year-old has penned a five-year deal until 2020 with the Primeira Liga club.

I am delighted to have signed with Porto, Imbula told the club s official website.

The sporting project enticed me. This is a club that has won many European trophies in their history, is a great team, has good players and hopefully will be even better with my contribution.

I talked to the coach two or three times and he convinced me to join. He told me that the team …

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini believes that striker Mario Balotelli will stay at the club.

That view has been backed up by Balotelli s agent Mino Raiola, who says his client will remain in blue for the foreseeable future.

Balotelli has been a controversial figure on and off the field ever since he signed for the club for 24 million pounds in 2010 from Inter.

The Italy international scored 13 goals in 23 appearances in the Premier League last season before shining at Euro 2012, but he has scored only once in the top flight in 2012-13 and continues to be dogged by disciplinary problems.

Despite his issues, Mancini revealed that the striker is still highly regarded by owner Sheikh Mansour.

I think Mario will stay but the future depends mo…

Sevilla midfielder Steven N Zonzi is in talks over an extension to his contract, which is due to expire in 2019.

N Zonzi arrived at the Sanchez Pizjuan from Stoke City ahead of the 2015-16 season, making 46 appearances in all competitions as Sevilla won the Europa League for the third year in succession.

Jorge Sampaoli s men have made an encouraging start to the campaign and sit second behind Real Madrid, with N Zonzi having started seven of the club s nine LaLiga matches

And president Jose Castro is keen to tie down the 27-year-old beyond the end of his existing deal.

We are working on N Zonzi s contract extension and we are in negotiations, he told Cadena Cope. We hope to announce it soon.

There are players that come here, put the jersey o…

Despite only joining Inter Milan in the summer of 2015, Goeffrey Kondogbia has failed to establish him as the first-team regular and has already fallen out of favour with the Serie A outfit.

The 23-year-old France international has made just four starts for Inter under Frank de Boer this season and has already expressed his frustration over the lack of playing time.

Kondogbia is currently sidelined with an injury, but has fired a warning to his employers opening up to on the fact that he could leave Nerazzuri if he does not get more space in the team.

The host of European sides are believed to be closely monitoring the situation around the dynamic midfielder, but Ligue 1 side Marseille are thought to be already lining up a January approach for the player.

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Nottingham Forest head coach Steve Cooper described the decision not to award his team a penalty against Manchester United as a really poor error .

United went on to win 2-0 at the City Ground on Sunday thanks to goals from Antony and Diogo Dalot, but not before they had escaped a handball shout with the game still goalless.

A Forest corner in the 19th minute struck the outstretched arm of Harry Maguire – who had already been booked – at the far post, with the hosts immediately appealing to referee Simon Hooper for a penalty.

After consultation with the VAR, Hooper waved away the claims.

I personally think it s a penalty, Cooper told Sky Sports after the game. It s a really, really poor error.

The referee should see it, but I understand why …

Tottenham have won the race to sign Radu Dragusin with the Genoa centre-back due to arrive in London today for a medical, the PA news agency understands.

Spurs stepped up talks with the Serie A club last week, but faced last-minute competition from Bayern Munich for the defender.

Napoli had also registered an interest in the Romania international but Dragusin is set to become a Tottenham player in a deal that could rise to £25million, while full-back Djed Spence will head in the other direction.

Can Drăgușin do it again at the Renato Dall Ara tomorrow in ?

— Lega Serie A (@SerieA_EN)

Head coach Ange Postecoglou made clear last month his desire for the club to bring in reinforcements in central defence, which was before vice-captain Cristian…

Lionel Messi admits he has not always performed to the best of his ability for Argentina.

But he refuses to take full responsibility for the underachievement of the national side at the last two World Cups.

The Barcelona star has been in outstanding form for his club so far this season, but has not always replicated his domestic feats on the international stage, and he admits there is still room for improvement in his performances for his country.

I knew I didn t play well for Argentina but I wasn t the only one, the 25-year-old told The Sun.

However, Messi rejected taking all the blame for Argentina failing to fulfil their potential at both the 2006 and 2010 World Cups, but revealed his sorrow in the aftermath of exiting both tournaments.

He add…

Ghana midfielder Ibrahim Ayew admitted on the eve of the African Nations Championship final against the Democratic Republic of Congo that he feels the pressure of belonging to a famous family.

Father Abedi Pele Ayew was voted African Footballer of the Year three times, collected an African Nations Cup winners medal at 17 and helped Marseille become the first French holders of the European Champions League.

Uncle Kwame Ayew was a member of the first Ghana football squad to compete in the Olympics when he appeared at the 1992 Barcelona Games and younger brothers Andre and Jordan are on the books of Marseille.

When I was called up for the Nations Championship some thought I benefitted from the status of my father. It put a lot of pressure on me but I have proved t…

Lionel Messi and not Cristiano Ronaldo deserves to win the Ballon d Or, according to Barcelona star Neymar.

Ronaldo is the overwhelming favourite to win France Football s 2016 Ballon d Or prize, which is announced next week, after helping Madrid win last season s Champions League.

He also guided Portugal to their Euro 2016 triumph as he ended the 2015-16 campaign with 51 goals in all competitions for Madrid, while he scored three at the European Championship in France.

Neymar, however, insists his Barca team-mate and five-time Ballon d Or winner Messi should receive the award after seeing the Spanish giants retain their LaLiga title.

I don t know who will win, for me there is only one who s the best, that s Messi, Neymar told GOL.

Ronaldo is a g…