22 Thursday, December 28, 2017 SPORTS Kylian Mbappe with Neymar (file pic)

Van Dijk to join Liverpool London Mendy in July. outhampton centre-back Van Dijk said in a Virgil van Dijk will join statement he was “delighted SLiverpool when the transfer and honoured” to sign for window re-opens on 1 the Merseyside club and January in a world record accepted he had a “difficult £75m deal. The Netherlands last few months” at St Mary’s. international had been He was left out of expected to join the Reds last Southampton’s squad for summer after he handed in a their 5-2 Premier League transfer request. defeat by Tottenham But a move fell through on Tuesday, prompting when Liverpool apologised speculation he was set to for making an alleged illegal leave the club. approach for the 26-year-old. “Southampton have agreed The fee is the most a fee that will set a new world ever paid for a defender - record for a defender,” the Manchester City paid £52m south coast club confirmed to Monaco for Benjamin on Wednesday. (BBC)

Neymar Liverpool’s Jon Flanagan is the perfect team-mate: Mbappe charged with assault London conditional bail and will London only thinks about himself. But game - he’s a footballer who in the world, but it doesn’t iverpool FC footballer appear before Liverpool eymar might be a brilliant when you share a dressing can win us titles and we have guarantee you anything, it’s Jon Flanagan has City Magistrates’ Court on 2 individual player - but he room with him you realise that to take advantage.” the whole team that wins,” beenL charged with assault, January. Nis also a fantastic team-mate, it’s not the case. Neymar signed for the Ligue added Mbappe. Merseyside Police has said. A Liverpool FC spokesman says his PSG colleague Kylian “It’s true that he’s a very kind 1 leaders from Barcelona in “It’s true that it’s good to The 24-year-old defender said: “The club has been made Mbappe. person, that he is interested in a record €222m deal, and have a good striker, but you was charged following an aware of an alleged incident “People on the outside see others. He’s very nice, and he has scored 17 goals in 20 have to win.” incident in Duke Street in involving a member of the a Neymar on the pitch, but plays for the team first. appearances so far. Edinson Mbappe was also asked Liverpool city centre at around first team playing squad. that’s not him,” Mbappe told “His football is all about Cavani has scored 25 times about playing against his hero, 03:20 GMT on Friday. A force “We will be making no Marca. dribbling and skills and you - and Mbappe himself has a Cristiano Ronaldo with the spokesman said Flanagan, further comment on the “People see him doing aren’t going to ask him to stop haul of 12. forward saying that his focus from Cressington, Liverpool, matter while the process is tricks and dribbles and think because he does it very well. “What we want to do is win for the Champions League is accused of common assault. ongoing with the relevant that he is only trying to enjoy There’s nobody who dribbled and be competitive, it’s good clash against Real Madrid will He has been released on authorities.” (BBC) himself, that he’s selfish and like him in this aspect of the that we are the best attack be on winning. (eurosport) Alonso humiliated by Honda’s 2017 troubles Los Angeles performance and reliability terms. sadness, humiliation and frustration. It ernando Alonso felt humiliated Boullier admitted that realisation hit is not good.” at the start of the 2017 Formula 1 Alonso hard. Alonso famously admitted that he Fseason when he realised Honda had gone “As a competitor, he is making his punched a hole in the wall of his backwards over the winter, according to mental preparation over the winter,” room in McLaren’s facility when he McLaren racing director Eric Boullier. he said. was taken out of the Singapore Grand After its abject first season back with “And he is drawing in his head how Prix at the first corner of what looked Honda in 2015, McLaren improved from the season should be, and that even set to be his most competitive race of ninth to sixth in the 2016 constructors’ motivates him more because he tries to the season. championship and hopes of further stick to his own goals. “Sometime he has to express his progress this year were high. “So turning up in Barcelona, and frustration, but he has been like in the But Honda’s new engine concept having been backwards in terms past even winning races,” Boullier said of proved a retrograde step in both of engine performance, it is a mix of the Singapore incident. (autosport) Fernando Alonso (file pic)