Striker shortage forcing Tuchel to experiment

Borussia Dortmund coach Thomas Tuchel says he is being forced to play some of his team in an unfamiliar striking role due to his lack of options up front.

Dortmund cruised to a 4-1 friendly win over Luzern on Tuesday in a game that saw Jonas Hofmann and Marco Reus both take up the position as a central striker.

The Bundesliga side face Juventus on Saturday before playing their first competitive game under Tuchel's stewardship against Shakhtyor or Wolfsberger in the third qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League four days later.

"There's a little shortage in our centre forwards, and because during our friendlies we don't want to give the players too many minutes and Adrian [Ramos] is not ready yet, so we're trying different things," Tuchel said.

"We tried Kevin Kampl in the centre but now we would like to give him a chance on his regular position on the wings, so that he could prove himself to us.

"Jonas had really good training sessions in different positions and showed us his versatility, and that's why we want to see this yesterday in a game situation.

"And then it's always weighing up how to do that. We want to get new ideas but on the other hand we need situations where we are comfortable.

"So that everyone knows where to go and to create chances. After half an hour we changed and put Marco through the middle up front. We knew already that he could play this position and that this would work.

"At the moment it's kind of an experiment and Jonas showed us that he could play all positions offensively even though it was unusual to him.

"He is more effective for us at the moment if he comes from the wings. But in the middle it's a really tough situation for us at the moment."

Oscar rejects Chelsea exit talk

Chelsea midfielder Oscar has rejected talk of a move away from the Premier League champions, amid interest from Juventus.

The Brazil international was picked out by Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri as a potential signing last month.

However, the player's agent has already distanced him from a move, and Oscar has now reiterated his desire to stay at Stamford Bridge and build on his three trophies since arriving in 2012.

"I will be staying at Chelsea," he said. "The aim for this season -- to win as many titles as possible."

Oscar lifted his first Premier League title last season, making 26 starts as Jose Mourinho's side finished eight points clear of Manchester City.

Gerard handed Barcelona B role

Gerard Lopez has become the latest ex-Barcelona midfielder to assume the role of head coach for the club's B team after agreeing a two-year contract.

The 36-year-old will follow in the footsteps of Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique in taking charge of the Camp Nou outfit's second string, with Barca hopeful he can ultimately emulate their successes.

Both Guardiola and Luis Enrique went on to win trebles with the first team after learning their trade with Barca B, but the new boss in solely focused on lifting the club back into the second division.

"It is an honour to return to the club," he told the club's official website. "My family has been linked to Barcelona, I spent many years at the club and me back is better than I could spend.

"As a coach of Barca B have two major challenges – to return Barca B to the Second Division A and help youth players can climb into the first team.

"My experience in the squad and the club branch will be useful to me, because I put myself in the skin of the players. I want to start work and I am convinced that next Pep Segura will a great job. "

During his playing career Gerard made 140 appearances for Barca, scoring 10 goals in his five years there.

Liverpool seals Benteke deal

Liverpool have finally sealed the signing of forward Christian Benteke from Aston Villa after a lengthy pursuit of the Belgium international.

The 24-year-old has agreed a "long-term contract" at Anfield after impressing with Villa, where he scored 49 goals in 101 appearances.

It is thought Benteke's release clause was £32.5 million, which would make him the second most expensive player in Liverpool's history after Andy Carroll.

"I came here to win trophies," Benteke told the club's official website. "I came here to reach some great goals with the team.

"I'm very happy to be part of the Liverpool family now and I will do everything to make them happy and work hard for them and my team-mates."

It is the latest transfer in a busy window for manager Brendan Rodgers, who has already brought in the likes of James Milner, Danny Ings, Roberto Firmino and Nathaniel Clyne.

The movement has not all been one way, though, and want-away England star Raheem Sterling completed a switch to Manchester City last week, while Liverpool will be without stalwart and club legend Steven Gerrard next season following his move to LA Galaxy.

Rodgers will be hoping to improve on a disappointing 2014-15 campaign that saw his side finish sixth in the Premier League, having been challenging for the title the season before.

Replacing Luis Suarez - now at Barcelona - has been the Northern Irishman's biggest problem, with Daniel Sturridge's injury problems adding to Liverpool's goalscoring difficulties last season.

In the 2013-14 season they scored 101 top-flight goals, but saw that figure plummet to just 52 last term. 

For Tim Sherwood's Villa it is another blow, albeit one that had been a long time coming, with midfielder Fabian Delph having already departed for Manchester City.

Drogba confirms MLS talks, open to Inter move

Former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba confirmed he is in talks with an unnamed team from MLS, but the Ivorian did not rule out a move to Inter.

Drogba has made no secret of his desire to play in the United States and the free agent is reportedly set to join Chicago Fire, whose coach Frank Yallop was tight-lipped amid growing speculation on Saturday.

Fellow MLS outfit and CONCACAF Champions League finalists Montreal Impact have also been linked with the 37-year-old striker, while reports suggest Serie A giants Inter are interested.

"I'm not aware of that situation [with Inter]," Drogba told FCInter1908.

"Inter are a great club, and certainly if they were to contact me I'd gladly listen to their offer, but I'm currently in talks with an MLS club.

"Inter could be an option if they really are interested in me."

Ex-Ivory Coast captain Drogba was further quizzed about Inter's interest and his willingness to provide back up for Argentina international forward Mauro Icardi should he make the move to Italy.

The two-time African Player of the Year said: "It would be absolutely no problem.

"In every team there are players you have to compete with for a place in the team."

Drogba scored over 150 goals in two different spells for Chelsea, winning four Premier League titles and the UEFA Champions League in the process.

Rooney to make Everton return

Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney will once again pull on an Everton shirt after agreeing to play in Duncan Ferguson's testimonial next month.

Everton fan Rooney came through the youth ranks at Goodison Park and played alongside fellow striker Ferguson after breaking into the first-team as a 16-year-old.

The England skipper departed for United in August 2004, but he will feature for Everton against Villarreal on August 2 to honour a player he described as a "hero".

"As a young lad growing up in Croxteth, Duncan Ferguson was a hero of mine, as a young player at the club he was an inspiration and when I broke into the first team he helped and looked after me," Rooney told Everton's official website.

"I cannot think of a better way to thank Dunc for all he did for me than turning out in his fully deserved testimonial match. Had he not asked me to play I would have gone and supported him on the day as I am sure most other Evertonians will."

Ferguson is a cult figure at Everton having scored 72 goals in 191 appearances across two spells at the club.

And the Scot spoke of his appreciation that Rooney has agreed to feature in the match.

"I'm absolutely delighted that the wee man has agreed to play in the game," Ferguson said. "Everybody knows that we go way back. I knew him as a kid, he's a top man and I'm proud as his friend that he's fulfilled the potential we always knew was there.

"Wayne's a world-class player and I'm genuinely thrilled that he will play on the day."

Pellegrini hints at further City signings

Manuel Pellegrini has revealed that Manchester City could make further signings ahead of the new season, but stopped short of naming any targets.

City have been busy in the transfer window, signing Liverpool forward Raheem Sterling in a reported £49million move while also bringing in midfielder Fabian Delph from Aston Villa, as well as teenagers Patrick Roberts and Enes Unal from Fulham and Bursaspor respectively.

The Premier League club have been linked with Wolfsburg's Kevin De Bruyne and Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba as they seek to regain the Premier League title, having finished eight points behind champions Chelsea last season.

Pellegrini said ahead of Tuesday's International Champions Cup clash with Roma: "I don't talk about rumour and names.

"When we have the player that we want you will know in that moment but at the moment we just have Delph, Sterling and Patrick Roberts.

"We will see in the future maybe more players will arrive but we cannot talk about names because we are not sure who will come.

"Our target is to try and have the strongest squad. I am not talking about names or positions but in the next days probably you will see who will arrive here. We are trying to have only the strongest squad and we will see which is the position we need."

Comedian throws money at Blatter in stunt

Sepp Blatter's media conference was delayed on Monday as a British comedian threw bank notes at the outgoing FIFA president as he took to the stage.

Blatter was facing the media in Zurich, following Monday's confirmation that an election to appoint his successor will take place on February 26, 2016.

But the news conference was held up in bizarre fashion as British comedian Simon Brodkin - who often uses the stage name Lee Nelson - approached the stage and threw money at Blatter.

Brodkin - whose previous stunts have seen him gatecrash an England photoshoot and Manchester City's pre-match warm-up during a Premier League game - was later photographed in a police van, having been escorted from the stage by security.

Blatter announced his intention to resign in June four days after winning a fifth term as president and six days after 14 people, including nine FIFA officials, were indicted on charges of racketeering conspiracy and corruption.

The Swiss has not been charged with any wrongdoing.

Responding to the incident when the conference eventually started, Blatter said: "I'm sorry what just happened. I just called my late mother and she said 'don't worry it's just a lack of education'."

Raheem Sterling denies Liverpool sickie

Raheem Sterling has denied calling in sick for Liverpool training before his move to Manchester City.

Sterling, 20, last week completed a switch to the Etihad Stadium for a fee which could reportedly rise to £49million after an acrimonious departure from the Merseyside club.

The England international missed two days of training in his final week at the club, with suggestions he was trying to influence transfer talks.

But Sterling said it was a genuine illness – and the Liverpool doctor – that prevented him from training.

"Everyone thought I threw a sick note in. I was in training on the Tuesday - in the changing room my stomach started hurting. I still went out and trained though," he told the Manchester Evening News.

"That day I went home, and I told the doc I was ill. My stomach was rumbling and I had diarrhoea.

"The doctor just said to me you can't be around the other players. For the next 48 hours, I stayed at home.

"That's what the club doctor told me to do. When that 48 hours was done I came back to training as normal."

I inquired from Terry and Cahill advice on Falcao says Mourinho

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho consulted with central defensive duo John Terry and Gary Cahill before bringing Radamel Falcao in on loan.

Eyebrows were raised in some quarters when Mourinho opted to sign Falcao on loan, after the Colombian endured a difficult temporary spell at Manchester United last term.

But Mourinho has revealed that he spoke with Terry and Cahill about the former Atletico Madrid man, who they believe still has the qualities that made him one of Europe's most-feared strikers.

"We think the bright movement is there, the movement to get freedom in the box to score goals is there," said the Portuguese.

"Our players had difficulty to control him all the time and we feel the potential is there.

"Let's see if he can improve his confidence, his happiness.

"If the fact we have a good community of Portuguese people, plus the guys who were with him in Atletico [Diego Costa and Filipe Luis], let's see if this situation can help him.

"I watch Portuguese football regularly and in Porto he was very good.

"When he was at Atletico, I was in Real Madrid, so there were a few years where I was with him all the time. 

"Last season I watched our game against Manchester United at Stamford Bridge a few times because of him."