L0*: *Salah Named Arab Player Of The Year*

📰 *NL0*: *Salah Named Arab Player Of The Year*

Liverpool and Egypt striker Mohamed Salah was named Arab Player of the Year for 2017 on Monday in a poll of around 100 sports journalists from several Arab countries. Salah, 25, has been an instant success at Liverpool since joining from AS Roma, scoring 17 goals in the Premier League already and 23 in all competitions.

He also helped Egypt to qualify for this year’s World Cup finals in Russia. Syrian winger Omar Khribin, who plays for Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia, came second and another Syrian player, Omar Al-Soma, of Saudi side Al Ahli, was third. Salah is also favourite to win the African Player of the Year title which will be announced in the Ghanaian capital Accra on Thursday.

*Goretzka transfer to Bayern not done yet - Schalke*

*Goretzka transfer to Bayern not done yet - Schalke*

Leon Goretzka has not told Schalke he will leave the club amid mounting speculation the Germany midfielder will join Bayern Munich.

Goretzka is out of contract at the Veltins Arena at the end of this season and has been linked with a host of leading European clubs, including Liverpool and Juventus.

Bayern appear to have stolen a march in the pursuit of the 22-year-old, with Marca and Sport Bild reporting on Sunday he had opted to join the Bundesliga champions ahead of Barcelona.

But Schalke's sporting director Christian Heidel told Sport 1 there is no done deal to discuss at this stage.

"Leon has not informed us so far that he has decided to leave us," Heidel said.

"I trust Leon and his agent, with whom I was in contact yesterday [Sunday]."

“There doesn’t exist a deadline, but I think we are in the final phase.

“The final decision will be made in January.”

*Saga over! Adrien Silva finally free to play for Leicester City after deadline day farce*

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*Saga over! Adrien Silva finally free to play for Leicester City after deadline day farce*

Portugal international Adrien Silva is finally free to play for Leicester City - four months after agreeing to join the club from Sporting CP.

Silva, 28, looked set to join the Foxes on deadline day last summer as a replacement for Chelsea-bound Danny Drinkwater, but the paperwork from his transfer arrived 14 seconds late.

As a result, world football's governing body FIFA rejected Leicester's appeal to register Silva, leaving the midfielder in limbo.

However, the France-born playmaker has now been officially registered following the start of the January transfer window and he is looking forward to putting a difficult few months behind him.

Speaking to Leicester's club website, Silva said: “It’s been very frustrating, but now the difficult times are past me and now I’m very happy to be close to my goal.

“I’ve been working hard every day to arrive at this moment and I’m in good shape."

Modric equals Suker with Croatian Footballer of the Year win*

* *Modric equals Suker with Croatian Footballer of the Year win*

Real Madrid star Luka Modric has been named Croatian Footballer of the Year for a record-equalling sixth time, pulling level with the great Davor Suker.

Modric will lead his nation at this year's World Cup, having skippered their play-off victory over Greece and scored the opening goal in their 4-1 first-leg win.

The playmaker remains a mainstay of Real Madrid's team, helping them to a LaLiga and Champions League double in 2017. Modric was also named Player of the Tournament as Zinedine Zidane's side won the Club World Cup in December.

The 32-year-old has made 12 LaLiga appearances thus far this season, with Real fourth in the Spanish top-flight, 14 points behind leaders Barcelona.

*Jones: Man Utd in danger of missing out

*Jones: Man Utd in danger of missing out on top four*

Manchester United's faltering form over the Christmas period has left them battling for a top-four spot in the Premier League, according to defender Phil Jones.

Jose Mourinho's side were held to a third consecutive draw on Saturday, as they played out a goalless stalemate with Southampton at Old Trafford.

United head into their New Year's Day clash at Everton 15 points behind leaders Manchester City and, having dropped to third in the table behind Chelsea, Jones concedes his team-mates should maybe be more concerned by the teams behind them in the fight for Champions League qualification.

"For sure [we are]," said the England international told reporters. "It's obvious if you look at the table.

"But we have to concentrate on ourselves. It sounds so cliche but we need to look after each other, stick together, which is what we will do, and keep going and keep battling.

"It's frustrating for us, frustrating for the fans and everyone involved but there's no point sitting here and sulking about it."

*Leicester City 3 Huddersfield Town 0: Mahrez and Slimani help stop the rot for Puel

*Leicester City 3 Huddersfield Town 0: Mahrez and Slimani help stop the rot for Puel

Two instances of individual brilliance from Riyad Mahrez and Islam Slimani helped Leicester City to a 3-0 win over Huddersfield Town at the King Power Stadium on Monday, ending the hosts' four-match winless run.

Leicester struggled over the festive period and went into 2018 on the back of successive league defeats, but Mahrez and Slimani scored excellent goals early in the second half to stop the rot in their first New Year's Day home game since 2013, when they beat Huddersfield 6-1 in the Championship.

Marc Albrighton, who provided the assist for Mahrez's opener, added a third late on, after Adrien Silva had been introduced for his belated Leicester debut like this