Kevin De Bruyne leaves Chelsea for Wolfsburg

•    OOJ - Midfielder Kevin De Bruyne has left Chelsea (PA Photos)

Chelsea have sold Kevin de Bruyne to Wolfsburg after the Belgian midfielder failed in a second attempt to establish himself at Stamford Bridge.

De Bruyne found there was no room for him in Chelsea's plans 18 months ago, after he signed from Genk and was swiftly loaned out toWerder Bremen for the 2012-13 campaign.

And despite Jose Mourinho affording him the chance to win him over this season, De Bruyne has been a peripheral figure around the first-team squad.

Chelsea said in a statement: "Kevin De Bruyne has today (Saturday) completed a move to Wolfsburg.

"The Belgian joins the Bundesliga club having made five starts for Chelsea, with a further four appearances as a substitute."

De Bruyne, 22, scored 10 goals in 34 appearances for Bremen last season, earning himself a strong reputation in the Bundesliga.

Wolfsburg announced he has signed a five-and-a-half-year contract after passing a medical.

De Bruyne said: "For me it was clear from the start that Wolfsburg would be the first people to talk to when Chelsea said I could go.

"I am very pleased that my transfer has come about.

"I want to play my part in ensuring we continue to be successful and return to international business (in European competitions)."

Wolfsburg stand fifth in the German top flight, three points adrift of Borussia Monchengladbach in third place, the final Champions League position.

The arrival of Nemanja Matic at Chelsea from Benfica effectively ended any hope De Bruyne had of winning over Mourinho, who also has the likes of Eden Hazard, Oscar, Frank Lampard, John Obi Mikel, Willian, Juan Mata and Ramires as midfield options.

German reports have suggested Wolfsburg are paying around 20million euros (£16.7million) for De Bruyne, although neither club has confirmed the price involved.

Mourinho recently said Chelsea would look to sell for "a very positive amount". De Bruyne moved to Stamford Bridge for a fee of around £7million.

Wolfsburg head coach Dieter Hecking said: "Kevin is a player with outstanding qualities. I am very happy he has chosen Wolfsburg. From our first talks, I had a good feeling. Kevin is convinced by our plan."

Premier League - Team news: Podolski returns for Arsenal

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     OOJ  - Lukas Podolski

All the weekend's Premier League team news, with leaders Arsenal welcoming back Lukas Podolski to soothe their injury crisis.

Saturday (kick-off 15:00 unless specified)

Sunderland v Southampton

Both sides are missing key players with Sunderland keeper Keiren Westwood and defender Carlos Cuellar both out, while Southampton - reeling from the departure of Nicola Cortese - are without Victor Wanyama, Dani Osvaldo, Artur Boruc and Guly do Prado.

West Ham United v Newcastle United

Andy Carroll could start for the first time this season after coming off the bench in West Ham's win over Cardiff, while Newcastle are without suspended defender Mathieu Debuchy.

Norwich City v Hull City

Under-pressure Norwich boss Chris Hughton may give a debut to loan signing Jonas Gutierrez, while Hull could hand debuts to £14m strike duo Nikica Jelavic and Shane Long.

Arsenal v Fulham

Arsenal forward Lukas Podolski is back following a hamstring injury, coming as a major boost with both Theo Walcott and Nicklas Bendtner ruled out, while Fulham captain Brede Hangeland could make his first league start since October after returning from back surgery in the midweek FA Cup win.

Manchester City v Cardiff City

Manchester City will bring back the big guns after Yaya Toure, David Silva and Vincent Kompany were rested for the FA Cup win over Blackburn. Cardiff could start City old-boy Craig Bellamy, while new signings Magnus Wolff Eikrem and Mats Moller Daehli are also in contention.

Crystal Palace v Stoke City

Cameron Jerome is ineligible for Palace under the terms of his loan from Stoke, while Potters striker Kenwyne Jones is dropped as punishment for refusing to play against Liverpool.

Liverpool v Aston Villa (17:30)

Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge is set for a recall to the starting line-up, while Villa could hand debuts to Grant Holt and Ryan Bertrand.

Sunday

Swansea City v Tottenham Hotspur (13:30)

Swansea City manager Michael Laudrup could be handed a double boost with both Roland Lamah and Dwight Tiendalli available. Spurs midfielder Sandro could make his return from a one-month calf injury layoff, while Andros Townsend could also feature after recovering from injury.

Chelsea v Manchester United (16:00)

Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard could return from a calf injury, but either way new signing Nemanja Matic is not expected to start. United are without Wayne Rooney (groin) and Robin van Persie (thigh).

Australian Open - Agitated Murray beats Lopez to reach fourth round

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     OOJ  - Andy Murray of Britain reacts during his men's singles match against Feliciano Lopez of Spain (Reuters)

An agitated Andy Murray was at his muttering, tormented best before reaching a higher plain to trounce Spaniard Feliciano Lopez 7-6 (7-2) 6-4 6-2 and advance to the Australian Open fourth round on Saturday.

The scorching heat that plagued Melbourne Park all week had given way to a pleasantly cool summer's day but the moody Briton fumed and berated himself throughout the opening two sets at Hisense Arena as he struggled with his backhand.

However, on surrendering the second set, 26th seed Lopez's resolve crumbled, allowing the 26-year-old Scot to coast to an encouraging victory in 135 minutes.

Fourth seed Murray, a three-times finalist at Melbourne Park, will next play French lucky loser Stephane Robert for a place in the quarter finals.

Putin: Gays welcome in Sochi, but only if they don’t ‘promote’ homosexuality By Eurosport | The Sochi Network

Russia is not "going after" gays, President Vladimir Putin said, defending a ban on "propaganda" about homosexuality that has brought criticism from the West ahead of the Winter Olympics.

The Kremlin hopes the games, starting on February 7 in the city of Sochi on the Black Sea, will showcase Russia's modern face more than two decades after the Soviet Union collapsed.

Putin has identified himself closely with the $50 billion event and also pledged Russia will do everything to ensure safe Games in spite of security concerns.

But Russia last year upset the West and human rights activists by banning what it called the promotion of homosexuality among minors. Calls for a mass boycott of the games have failed, but the row has clouded the build-up to the event.

Critics say the law is discriminatory and part of a rolling back of human rights and democratic freedoms under Putin, who has taken a more conservative course on social issues since returning to the presidency in mid-2012.

"There is no ban on non-traditional forms of sexual interaction between people. We have a ban on propaganda of homosexuality," Putin told a meeting with young volunteers preparing for the games.

"We ban nothing, we aren't going after anyone, we have no responsibility for such contacts."

Putin said some U.S. states had laws envisaging criminal responsibility for gay sexual intercourse.

"We have no such thing, people can feel free and at ease but please leave the children in peace," he said.

Putin did not elaborate on what that actually means.

In a victory for gay rights activists, the U.S. Supreme Court in 2003 invalidated any remaining anti-sodomy laws that prohibited sex between adults of the same gender.

In a clear message to Moscow, U.S. President Barack Obama included three openly gay athletes in his Olympic delegation and Britain said it would sent to Sochi a minister responsible for the country's same-sex marriage laws.

Moscow has said it expects more than 6,000 athletes from 85 countries and hundreds of thousands of sports fans in Sochi.

It has also introduced a security clampdown in the city, bringing in about 37,000 personnel to ensure safety after at least 34 people were killed last month in suicide bombings in the southern city of Volgograd, some 700 km northeast of Sochi.

"Our task as the organisers is to ensure security to the participants of the Olympics and guests of this sports fete and we will do everything to that end," Putin said in an interview with several TV channels, according to excerpts run by ITAR-TASS news agency on Friday evening.

Putin vowed to annihilate "terrorists" after the bombings in Volgograd added to security fears ahead of the games in Sochi, a few hundred kilometres from the North Caucasus where Islamist separatists are fighting to carve out their own state.

"If we allow ourselves to show weakness, show fear, then it means we will be aiding terrorists and the accomplishment of their goals," Putin also said in the interview quoted on Friday.

North Caucasus faces nearly daily violence and at least five people, including two policemen, were hospitalised after two blasts in the provincial capital of Makhachkala on Friday evening, security officials said.

But, visibly relaxed and making jokes throughout the meeting with Sochi volunteers, Putin appeared confident and said he would like to go to some ice hockey matches during the Games if time allows.

"Everybody in our country likes figure skating, I do too. I like cross-country skiing, biathlon, Alpine skiing. This is what I know and what I like," Putin also said.

Australian Open - Federer eases into fouth round

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     OOJ  - Roger Federer of Switzerland relaxes during a change of ends in his men's singles match against Teymuraz Gabashvili of Russia 

Roger Federer strolled nonchalantly into the fourth round of the Australian Open with a seemingly effortless 6-2 6-2 6-3 victory over Russia's Teymuraz Gabashvili on Rod Laver Arena.

The 32-year-old Swiss, a four-time champion at Melbourne Park, had played his second round match against Blaz Kavcic on the second showcourt Hisense Arena on Thursday, the first time in 10 years he had played on the court.

Federer was at his clinical best on his return to Rod Laver, remaining unruffled even on the Russian's five break opportunities as he calmly swatted away the challenge in one hour, 41 minutes.

Federer will next meet either 10th-seeded Frenchman Jo-Wilfried or his compatriot Gilles Simon, who play later on Saturday.

Wenger confident of new deals

Arsenal are making "good progress" in their attempts to agree new deals with Per Mertesacker and Bacary Sagna, according to Arsene Wenger.

Mertesacker has just 17 months to run on his current deal while Sagna is already free to sign a pre-contract agreement elsewhere.

Both have been cornerstones of an Arsenal defence which has as good a record as any in this season's Premier League.

And, speaking at his press conference ahead of Saturday's game against Fulham, Wenger appeared confident of keeping both.

He said: "We are making good progress, and hopefully we can announce something soon."

The Arsenal manager was a little more coy when asked about the possibility of a deal for Schalke's Germany international Julian Draxler.

Some reports this week even suggested Draxler had been spotted at the club's training ground, but Wenger said: "It's like UFOs - some see them everywhere!

"The transfer window is open until January 31. Are we close to signing anybody? At the moment I would say no."

Wenger denied making a bid for Dimitar Berbatov, who is likely to lead the Fulham attack at the Emirates, and offered no public update on his own contract situation.

There was a hint, though, that he has already decided whether or not to extend his spell in charge beyond the summer.

He said: "You can make a decision without going public. You can take that sentence how you want."

Arsenal face Fulham at Emirates Stadium

 Arsene Wenger is able to call upon Lukas Podolski for Saturday's Premier League game at home to Fulham, with the Arsenal forward back following a hamstring injury.

Kieran Gibbs and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, both of whom made comebacks in Monday's win at Aston Villa, are also available but the Gunners have a number of other injury concerns.

Nacho Monreal is a doubt, having twisted a ligament in his foot in the game at Villa Park, as is Tomas Rosicky who suffered a broken nose in the same match.

Theo Walcott is a long-term absentee whilst Aaron Ramsey, Mikel Arteta, Nicklas Bendtner and club captain Thomas Vermaelen remained sidelined as well.

Fulham captain Brede Hangeland is expected to start having come through 90 minutes of their FA Cup victory over Norwich on Tuesday unscathed.

The Norwegian's return means that Rene Meulensteen is able to choose from a full complement of players with Fernando Amorebieta the only doubt with a knee problem.

Youngster Dan Burn impressed in just his second appearance for the club in the midweek win and is an option to keep his place alongside Hangeland should Amorebieta miss out.

Chelsea host Manchester United at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard could return from a calf injury for Sunday's Premier League clash at home to Manchester United (kick-off 4pm).

Right-back Branislav Ivanovic only returned to training on Friday following a knee problem and is unlikely to figure.

New signing Nemanja Matic has been added to the squad but boss Jose Mourinho has said he will not start.

Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie will again be missing when United visit Chelsea on Sunday.

Rooney (groin) has at least started running again, whilst Van Persie (thigh) should return to training on Monday after nearly six weeks on the sidelines.

United are looking for their sixth win out of seven in the Premier League but David Moyes has never won a head-to-head meeting with Mourinho.

Bundesliga: Wolfsburg hopeful over Kevin de Bruyne switch from Chelsea

Wolfsburg are optimistic they will clinch the signing of Belgian midfielder Kevin de Bruyne from Chelsea.

The 22-year-old has been unable to earn a regular first-team place at Stamford Bridge, and the arrival of Nemanja Matic from Benfica means he will be sacrificed by manager Jose Mourinho.

De Bruyne had a successful loan spell with Wolfsburg's Bundesliga rivals Werder Bremen last season, and is now poised to make a permanent switch to Germany.

German reports suggest Wolfsburg will pay around 20million euros (£16.7million) for De Bruyne.

Wolfsburg are on a mid-season trip in China, but sporting director Klaus Allofs told German broadcaster NDR: "Kevin is in Wolfsburg. We hope that everything so far is going to plan."

Bertrand joins Villa on loan

Aston Villa have signed defender Ryan Bertrand on loan from Chelsea for the rest of the season.

The 24-year-old has played more than 50 times for the Blues, including in their Champions League final victory over Bayern Munich in 2012.

Bertrand had a regular role in the first team last season but only made three appearances since Jose Mourinho returned as manager last summer with Ashley Cole and Cesar Azpilicueta keeping his playing time limited.

Villa boss Paul Lambert said: "Ryan brings a lot of big-game experience, not only in the Premier League but even a Champions League final which Chelsea won, so he'll be really good for us.

"The way he plays the game and as a person, too, he'll fit in here great and it will be good for him also to be playing games. He has real enthusiasm for the game and he's looking forward to playing here.

"We're grateful to Chelsea for allowing him to come here on loan and we know he'll be really good to work with."

Bertrand added: "It's a fantastic opportunity for me to come here. Aston Villa is a fantastic club with a massive fanbase and a great history. To get this chance to come here and play some games will be a really good step for me.

"Whenever I've played for Chelsea here at Villa Park the fans have been fantastic and have always created a great atmosphere.

"I've had to adjust many times in my career having played under several managers, so I know I can settle in here quickly and I'm looking forward to being able to contribute to the team.

"This is a really traditional English club, a family club as well and you get the feeling that everyone really knows one another, so that side's not been lost either.

"Knowing some of the lads here, too, such as Fabian Delph, Marc Albrighton and a few others will really help, too, and I couldn't be more looking forward to playing my part here."

Premier League preview: Manchester City host Cardiff City at the Etihad Stadium

Sergio Aguero could return to the starting line-up for City having made a goalscoring return from his calf injury as a second-half substitute in the 5-0 win over Blackburn.

Yaya Toure and David Silva will face late fitness tests to assess whether they are ready for a return to action, as will summer signing Stevan Jovetic who has missed large parts of the campaign with a hamstring problem.

However, Samir Nasri is out until March after being stretchered off in last weekend's win at Newcastle with a knee ligament injury, while Jack Rodwell (hamstring) also remains sidelined.

Cardiff will remain without defender Andrew Taylor (ankle) and midfielder Jordon Mutch (hamstring) for the trip to the Etihad Stadium.

Otherwise, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has no fresh injury worries or suspensions and he could hand debuts to new signings Magnus Wolff Eikrem and Mats Moller Daehli.

Craig Bellamy is also vying for a place in the starting line-up after coming off the bench in last weekend's 2-0 defeat against West Ham.

Pogba is going nowhere Juventus reaffirmed

Juventus general manager Beppe Marotta has reaffirmed the club's stance that midfielder Paul Pogba is not for sale.

The 20-year-old has continually been linked with a host of European clubs including Arsenal, Real Madrid and PSG, while former club Manchester United have also been reported to be keen on a return.

Pogba is under contract at Juventus until 2016 and Marotta insists that the Italian champions do not plan on selling the France international.

"We read about PSG's interest for Pogba but we have never got official offers and, anyway, we would answer with courtesy that it is not our intention to sell the player," he told Gazzetta dello Sport.

Speaking of exits from the Turin club, Marotta added: "As for possible departures, there aren't any players who have asked us to leave.

"We will see what will happen but anyway we are keeping our concentration on a sensational aim like our third consecutive title."

Drennan pens Cumbrians deal

Carlisle have completed the signing of Aston Villa forward Michael Drennan on a one-month loan deal.

The 19-year-old, who is a product of Villa's youth system, has represented the Republic of Ireland at all levels up to Under-19.

Carlisle manager Graham Kavanagh told the club's official website: "He's been on our radar for a while.

"I've watched him play twice and he's a centre forward who knows where the goal is.

"He's looking for an opportunity to show what he can do and we're happy to give it to him. Hopefully he'll get us some goals.

"The key for any player we bring in is that he wants to be here and you can tell that Michael is hungry to play."

Grealish extends Magpies stay

 Jack Grealish has extended his loan stay at Notts County until the end of the season.

The 18-year-old Aston Villa winger, who has scored three goals in all competitions for the Magpies, originally penned a deal until the turn of the year, but further negotiations between the clubs has resulted in his time at Meadow Lane being prolonged.

Grealish has made 18 appearances for Notts County and also made his debut for the Republic of Ireland Under-21s in August 2013, coming on as a substitute against the Faroe Islands.

Paper Round: Chelsea in pole position for Costa

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Chelsea are set to bid for Diego Costa; Blackpool's Tom Ince is on the verge of signing a pre-contract with Monaco; and Manchester United are involved in a straight fight with Real Madrid for Ilkay Gundogan - here are the main stories making headlines in this morning's papers.

Chelsea set to bid for Costa: Chelsea are preparing to make a bid to sign scoring sensation Diego Costa in the summer, reports the Daily Star. The Brazil-born striker has committed himself to Atletico Madrid this season, but "is aware of Chelsea's interest", the paper claims. He has a £32 million buy-out clause in his current deal, something which Arsenal are also aware of, although Chelsea "appear to have an advantage" over the Gunners. Why? Because the player is represented by agent Jorge Mendes - who just so happens to be Mourinho’s agent as well.

Paper Round's view: Diego Costa is a name that is sure to be bandied about ad nauseum until he eventually leaves Atletico, such is his talent and the identity of his current club - who will struggle to keep him, despite the fact that they are joint-top of the Spanish league. Costa's current has made him the hottest property in Europe right now - in other words, the best player who is actually buyable. That being the case, every club with any kind of financial backing will be linked to him - especially the likes of Chelsea, who are in need of a world class goalscorer despite Jose Mourinho's insistence a few weeks ago that they're not in the market right now. And Mourinho's link to Costa's agent could indeed be crucial: it'll be far easier for the initial approaches to be made through back channels when there's only one palm to be greased.

Read the full story.

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Monaco set to sign Ince: Monaco appear to have won the race to sign England U21 winger Tom Ince after setting up talks with him in London on Thursday, a number of papers report. The Daily Mail claims that Blackpool boss Paul Ince - yes, he is indeed Tom's dad - pulled out of a press conference to drive his son to the capital and meet with representative of the French club. Ince junior's contract with Blackpool expires at the end of the season and he has been free to talk to foreign clubs since the turn of the year. Ajax and Inter Milan, along with Swansea and Tottenham, have also been interested in a move for him at the end of the current campaign.

Paper Round's view: What a great move this would be for the youngster. Not enough English players try their luck abroad yet those that do have the courage to do move to foreign climes usually find it a rewarding experience - something former Inter player Ince senior is no doubt relaying to his son. Not only would Ince's bank balance be fattened by a move to Monaco, but he would gain invaluable experience playing in a team that should be challenging Paris Saint-Germain for the French title next year.

- - -

United in fight with Real for Gundogan: Manchester United and Real Madrid are involved in a straight fight to sign Borussia Dortmund’s Ilkay Gundogan, reports The Independent. With Andersonset to join Fiorentina on loan, David Moyes has stepped up his interest in the £25m-rated Germany international - but Real are also admirers of the 23-year-old, whose contract expires in 18 months.

Paper Round's view: When was the last time United won a fight with Real over the signature of a player wanted by both clubs? It certainly doesn't happen very often, with the Spanish club usually getting their way. And this time around, it looks no different with United unable to guarantee any new recruits Champions League football next season, something which Real pretty much can.

Read the full story.

- - -

Kalou set for Spurs talks: Former Chelsea forward Salomon Kalou is due to have talks with Tottenham about a move back to the Premier League, according to the Daily Mirror. The Ivorian's club Lille are thought to be unwilling to sell, but Spurs have sounded out his representatives and will hold discussions on Friday about a £3 million move. The paper claims that Kalou will wait on the outcome of the talks before deciding on his future.

Paper Round's view: Is Kalou the man to bring Spurs out of their AVB-induced malaise? Probably not, but he could at least be a valuable squad player and at £3m he will not have to shoulder the kind of expectation some other recent Spurs signings have to.

Read the full story.

- - -

Arsenal bid for Morata in jeopardy: Arsenal's hopes of signing Real Madrid star Alvaro Morata are in the balance after Inter Milan and Juventus both registered their interest, reports the Daily Express. With a new striker the Gunners' main concern this January, 21-year-old Morata has been linked with a loan move to the north London club over recent weeks. But Inter and Juve are both willing to offer £11 million to snare the youngster on a permanent basis, leaving the paper to suggest that one of the Serie A clubs could pinch him from under Arsene Wenger's nose.

Paper Round's view: If Wenger needs a quick fix in the striking department, perhaps Morata is not the man he needs to be looking at anyway. He has managed just two goals in 12 outings so far this season for Real - hardly the kind of form that suggests he can guarantee goals. Maybe Wenger would be best focusing his attention elsewhere.

Read the full story.

Groin injury rules Rooney out of Chelsea game

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     OOJ  - Wayne Rooney (PA Photos)

Rooney had been sent for some warm weather training in a desperate attempt to get him fit for the trip to London, but the game on Sunday has come too soon for the forward.

“Wayne’s come back, he’s fresh but he’s not ready for Chelsea,” Moyes said at his Friday press conference.

“He’s training, he’s on the grass, doing some running and looking quite good. He’s had a break, done a lot of strengthening work around his groin and hopefully enjoyed a few days in the sunshine as well. Hopefully he’ll benefit from it, but not for this game.”

Rooney aggravated an existing groin injury in the defeat against Tottenham on New Year’s Day and Moyes was reticent to give a specific date on his return.

“I don’t want to put a date on it just now as I don’t want to say he’ll be fit for whatever game and then I find he’s not, but we’ve just got to take it bit by bit. I’ve watched him running today; he looks well and is in really good condition."

Cech voted best Barclays Premier League goalkeeper

Premierleague.com readers vote for Petr Cech, with Peter Schmeichel in second

A review of six of the best No 1s to have played in the Barclays Premier League.

Premierleague.com readers have voted Chelsea's Petr Cech as the best goalkeeper to have played in the Barclays Premier League.

Over 3,000 votes were cast and on the back of reaching 150 League clean sheets after Chelsea's 2-0 win at Hull City on Saturday, Cech ended up as the winner with 46% of the votes. Former Manchester United goalies Peter Schmeichel and Edwin van der Sar were in second and third while David Seaman finished ahead of David James to claim fourth. Do you agree? We have left all the relevant stats and information below for you to look through and make up your mind.

Clean sheets

David James, the former England goalkeeper, played for five different teams in the Barclays Premier League during his long career and still holds the record for the number of clean sheets, with 169. But Petr Cech, who joined Chelsea in 2004, has reached the 150 mark a lot sooner, having competed in far fewer matches in his career to date. His Stamford Bridge team-mate Mark Schwarzer is only two behind and former Arsenal goalkeeper David Seaman was was not far off either.

Player	Matches played	Clean sheets*
David James	572	169
Petr Cech	313	150
Mark Schwarzer	504	148
David Seaman	344	142
Nigel Martyn	372	138
José Reina	285	134
Brad Friedel	450	132
Edwin van der Sar	313	132
Tim Howard	325	112
Shay Given	440	112
Jussi Jääskeläinen	435	108
Thomas Sørensen	363	107

Save percentage

Cech has the highest save percentage in history of the Barclays Premier League, leading Tottenham Hostpur goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes and Manchester City's Joe Hart.

Player	Saves	Matches played	Clean sheets	Save %
Petr Cech	747	313	150	75.98
Heurelho Gomes	324	95	31	75.35
Joe Hart	620	214	82	73.8
Marcus Hahnemann	469	115	28	73.78
Jens Lehmann	345	148	54	73.18
Tim Howard	901	325	112	73.14

More records

Legendary Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel, later of Aston Villa and Manchester City, was the first player to reach 100 clean sheets in the Barclays Premier League and ended his career with 129. One of the next to fill his boots at Old Trafford, Edwin van der Sar, holds the record for the longest run of consecutive clean sheets. The Dutchman went 14 matches without conceding a goal for Manchester United in 2008/09, breaking Cech's record of 10 consecutive clean sheets during his debut season in 2004/05.

Player	Matches	Team	Date
Edwin van der Sar	14	Manchester United	Nov 2008 – Feb 2009
Petr Cech	10	Chelsea	Nov 2004 – Mar 2005
Jose Reina	8	Liverpool	Oct 2005 – Dec 2005
Neville Southall	7	Everton	Nov 1994 – Dec 1994

The vote

We have compiled a list of five goalkeepers listed below, but who gets your vote? Remember to watch the video with highlights from each player's career and vote for your person of choice on the homepage by scrolling down to the poll.

David Seaman

Team	Matches played	Goals conceded	Clean sheets
Arsenal	325	267	137
Manchester City	19	24	3
Overall	344	291	140

David James

Team	Matches played	Goals conceded	Clean sheets
Liverpool	214	217	72
Aston Villa	67	69	20
West Ham United	64	91	18
Manchester City	93	109	20
Portsmouth	134	179	39
Overall	572	665	169

Brad Friedel

Team	Matches played	Goals conceded	Clean sheets
Liverpool	25	32	6
Blackburn Rovers	261	331	77
Aston Villa	114	145	35
Tottenham Hotspur	50	59	14
Overall	450	567	132

Petr Cech

Team	Games played	Goals conceded	Clean sheets
Chelsea	313	234	150
Overall	313	234	150

Edwin van der Sar

Team	Games played	Goals conceded	Clean sheets
Fulham	127	162	42
Manchester United	186	142	90
Overall	313	304	132

Peter Schmeichel

Team	Games played	Goals conceded	Clean sheets
Manchester United	252	212	112
Aston Villa	29	37	7
Manchester City	29	38	9
Overall	310	287	128

*Clean sheets only counted where the goalkeeper has played the entire match.

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