Nicolas Anelka

French defender Aymeric Laporte is aiming to earn a maiden call-up to the France national side following his Premier League switch. The 23-year-old arrived at Manchester City on a record deal from Athletic Bilbao earlier in January, and he is hoping that the success around the club can enhance his chances of being recognised by Didier Deschamps.

He said: “Of course the more games you win, the more trophies you win, you have more chance of getting into the national side.I have to focus on my club for now, and if things go well, we'll see about that later. I've been very warmly welcomed by the club. The players are very happy to have me, I'm happy to be with them. The club has helped me in every aspect, and that's very good for me. So things are going well on and off the pitch, and we're getting results too, so it's great."

Arsenal are reportedly planning a surprise approach for Luis Enrique in the summer with Arsene Wenger's future at the Emirates pretty much on the line. The Gunners succumbed to a 1-0 loss to arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur this weekend, and they now face the potential prospect of missing out on the Champions League for the second season on the trot.

According to Mundo Deportivo, the Gunners could be looking into a possible deal for Luis Enrique in the summer with Wenger's position likely to be assessed. The Frenchman penned a fresh two-year contract with the Gunners after their FA Cup triumph last season, but things have since gone pear-shaped with the club facing a tougher battle than the previous year for the Champions League places.

Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge snubbed former Reds teammate Luis Suarez in order to pick Nicolas Anelka in his ultimate XI. The 28-year-old played alongside the likes of Anelka and Didier Drogba during his time at Chelsea, and he had no second thought picking the pair in a 4-4-2 formation.

In a report covered by Metro, Sturridge spoke about the guidance offered by Anelka during their time in west London, he said: "Growing up, I was an Arsenal fan and Anelka was my favourite striker at the time so I’ve got an affinity to him. He helped me out a lot and gave me a lot of advice. I love the way he plays the game – he’s just so elegant on the pitch. ‘The way he ran, the way he passed the ball, the way he used to chop defenders which is something that I took from him. He’s probably the best player I’ve seen at faking to shoot to create himself a yard which, in the box, is everything as a striker. He could create goals. He could do everything."

France national team manager Didier Deschamps has claimed that Arsenal forward Olivier Giroud faces the risk of missing out on the national team place ahead of the World Cup 2018.

The 30-year-old received a number of offers to leave the gunners at the start of the season. It became apparent that Giroud would not be the regular first-team player at the club after they brought in Alexandre Lacazette from Lyon for around £ 46 million. However, the Frenchman decided to stay at the club in order to fight for his position and it has so far been the wrong decision.

Manchester United coach Jose Mourinho has revealed that French star Paul Pogba is not completely happy with the role he features in in the national team. The playmaker played a major role in the success of Juventus where he played at for four years, and has been a growing influence at United.

With the role he plays in the French side, it makes it more difficult for him to net goals. Pogba scored last in the 2-1 victory over Sweden last November. His manager at club level is pushing for Pogba to be allowed to contribute more in attack so he can get more goals and assists.

The expected fixture between Real Madrid and Barcelona legends slated for September 15 in Mumbai has been postponed due to the unavailability of key players, the organizers announced.

There are further doubts that the game will ever hold as team are entering the hot zone of their leagues and various competitions.

Nicolas Anelka has not made any competitive appearance for any club since 2015 which is the year when the Frenchman left Mumbai City.

The veteran player was actually serving a player-manager role in the Indian club but made his way out after only 1 season.

A former Liverpool boss Rick Parry has complained of how difficult it is now for top clubs to get the business done without making noise.

The Chief Executive hinted that transfer market enthusiasts want information that makes it difficult for transfers to be done quietly.

Premier League side Arsenal are resilient in their chase for French teenage sensation Kylian Mbappe. Embattled French manager Arsene Wenger is confident of landing the player this summer. It would be the biggest transfer coup in the club’s history if the deal happens.

Monaco seems focused on keeping the talented youngster, preferring he contributes to the team than selling him for a world record fee. Real Madrid and Paris St Germain are other sides that are keen on breaking the world record for the youngster. They are historically higher spenders but the Gunners want this one badly.

There have been so much noise about Monaco teenager KylianMbappe, especially after his recent showdowns with top sides in the Champions League.

There have been questions if the young striker would go on to be a prolific goalscorer like Arsenal legend Thierry Henry.