Manchester City have confirmed Gael Clichy will leave the club at the end of his contract on June 30.
The left-back had already revealed he was on his way out of the Etihad Stadium and City have formalised his imminent departure.
Clichy, 31, joined City from Arsenal in 2011 and won two Premier League titles and League Cups during his time at the club.
It s been a special six years for me at City, the Frenchman stated.
To win four major trophies and help establish the club as one of the top teams in English football has been an incredible journey that I am proud to have been a part of.
It is amazing to see where the club is today and I am sure there is plenty more success to come.
. departs .
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— Manchester Ci…
Arsene Wenger clinched a new Premier League record when he became the first manager to triumph over 45 different opponents after his side s 2-0 victory over Brighton and Hove Albion.
Nacho Monreal and Alex Iwobi scored on Brighton s first top-flight visit to Emirates Stadium to ensure Wenger eclipsed Alex Ferguson s record of having beaten 44 different teams when he was Manchester United manager.
While Wenger s continued presence at the club after 21 years divides Arsenal fans, many of whom blame the Frenchman for the Gunners failure to win the Premier League trophy since 2003-04, his record further enhances his status as the club s longest-serving and most successful manager.
Brighton joined a string of Premier League clubs who have slipped to defeat in their ma…
When Lionel Messi made his competitive debut for Barcelona in October 2004 at the tender age of 17, there was already plenty of buzz about the Argentine wizard following his quick rise through the ranks of La Masia.
The attacker was not only seen as one of Barca s brightest prospects, but there were also murmurs he could potentially become an all-time great.
Fast-forward 13 years and it is fair to say Messi has lived up to those prodigious expectations.
At the age of 30, the prolific forward holds numerous individual records, while acting as the driving force behind Barca s mightily impressive trophy haul.
Below, we look at some of the best stats of Messi s remarkable career and the way it has progressed year by year.
RECORD MAN
Messi is La…
Liverpool forward Raheem Sterling is unlikely to be in the England under-21 squad for the European Championships this summer in France
There have been a lot of questions about whether the likes of Raheem Sterling, Ross Barkley and Harry Kane should play for the England under-21 team at this summer’s European Championship.
It seems to me it makes sense for Gareth Southgate to field a strong team in France.
Whether he will be able to field a strong team is unlikely to be in his hands and a number of England’s top young players are set for a rest this summer.
Unsuccessful
England have not won a trophy at senior level since winning the World Cup in 1966, but their under-21 side did get to the final of the European Championships in 2009.
T…
Evan Ferguson believes Brighton and Hove Albion can go on and book a place in Europe after thumping Grimsby Town 5-0 to reach the FA Cup semi-finals.
Wembley awaits the Seagulls, who were handed a shot at Manchester United or Fulham next. United and Fulham contested the last of the quarter-finals on Sunday, after the draw was made.
Manchester City will face Sheffield United in the other last-four clash over the weekend of April 22-23.
Brighton could earn a place in next season s European competitions through the Premier League or by winning the FA Cup.
They sit seventh in the league, level on points with sixth-placed Liverpool and with a game in hand on the Reds.
I think we ve got the hope and the desire to go on and get to Europe, Ferguson said,…
An investigation into Manchester City for potential breaches of Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations has been launched by the UEFA Club Financial Control Body (CFCB), European football s governing body has announced.
The move follows allegations made against the club and their owners by German publication Der Spiegel, which drew upon documents purportedly obtained by whistleblowers Football Leaks.
The articles included claims of Sheikh Mansour s City regime topping up multi-million pound sponsorship deals with Abu Dhabi companies in order to circumvent rules relating to how much money owners can put into a club.
In response to UEFA s announcement, the Premier League champions issued a statement welcoming the opening of proceedings.
Manchester City…
Didier Drogba was a monster in the dressing room who won countless big games for Chelsea, according to Frank Lampard.
It was announced on Wednesday that Drogba would retire from the game at the age of 40 following a professional career spanning two decades, the peak years of which the Ivorian spent at Stamford Bridge.
In nine seasons across two spells, Drogba won a dozen major honours, including four Premier League titles and a famous Champions League triumph in 2012.
And Lampard, a key figure alongside the striker in the most successful era in Chelsea s history, paid a glowing tribute to his former team-mate.
Enjoy your retirement, !
Thank you for the many wonderful memories
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC)
I get asked a lot who a…
Xavi highlighted Barcelona s success as a team effort rather than down to individual performances after a comfortable 4-0 win in LaLiga over Elche.
A Robert Lewandowski double, plus goals for Ansu Fati and Ferran Torres, saw the Blaugrana swat aside their rock-bottom hosts at Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero.
Against a team who look almost certain to be relegated, there were few doubts about Barca s superiority.
But Xavi was quick to praise his side s unsung heroes as much as their headline-makers, stating his belief that it is a balance of both that will bring them the title.
It has been a rounded night, he said. [It was] a very good game, from start to finish. We have a team with players who do not necessarily participate too much.
[But] they pe…
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp played down the significance of being top at Christmas, suggesting his team may need 105 points to win the Premier League.
A hard-fought 2-0 win over Wolves on Friday pushed Klopp s side four points clear at the top, guaranteeing them first spot at Christmas.
Eight of the past nine teams to be top on Christmas Day have gone on to win the title, with Liverpool in 2013-14 the exception.
Klopp believes this season is different, with a record 105 points potentially needed to claim the title.
I don t know how much we need, how many any team needs this year, he told a news conference.
What is really different – because everybody asks me about the situation, first in the table and all that stuff – somebody said that t…
Did Hummels betray BVB? / Image via independent.co.uk
Borussia Dortmund departing captain Mats Hummels had been a subject of ongoing transfer speculations for months with Germany defender having been linked with a move to Manchester United and Barcelona among other interested parties.
The 27-year-old centre-back has always been adamant about his future, claiming that once the final decision had been made he will not hold it a secret, thus assuring the BVB fans of his loyalty and honesty.
Dortmund supporters knew for a while that it won’t be too long before they were forced to bid farewell to their long-serving defender, but his decision to join bitter rivals Bayern Munich earlier this month was a big pill to swallow.
After eight years of service at Bor…