England will face Hungary in Budapest on Saturday with at least 30,000 fans in attendance - even though the fixture is being played behind closed doors.
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Tuesday, May 31, 2022
Manchester United target Arnaut Danjuma reveals Liverpool are interested in him
Arnaut Danjuma has sensationally revealed that Liverpool have showed interest in signing him, while reports also suggest that Manchester United are keen on the Villarreal winger.
The Netherlands international has been thoroughly impressive since joining the Spanish side from Bournemouth in 2021, having spent the previous season in the Championship with the Cherries.
Due to injuries he has been limited to just 23 La Liga appearances this season, but he has scored 10 goals in those 23 games and scored six more in his 11 Champions League appearances as Villarreal made a shock run to the semi-finals.
The side that ended Villarreal’s run in Europe was Liverpool and Danjuma reckons the Reds think highly of him and have been tracking his progress.
The 25-year-old also says he would be interested in a move to a bigger club, criticising any player that wouldn’t be,’ Danjuma told Ziggo Sport.
‘I was informed that Liverpool were following me closely.
‘I have never had contacts with clubs or anything like that during the season – I always know about the situation after the season.
‘I will never lie and I think it’s a bad quality if you are not ambitious.
‘If a club came along that offered me a higher platform to play on sport-wise, I would always have to consider it.’
The winger reportedly has a €45m (£38m) release clause in his Villarreal contract, which has also attracted the attention of Manchester United, according to MEN.
Danjuma’s football journey has been unique, born in Nigeria before moving to Netherlands as a child and joining PSV before NEC and going on to play for Club Brugge before a move to Bournemouth in 2019 and Villarreal last year.
MORE : Liverpool fan ‘feared a murder’ in ambush by 200 youths after Champions League final
MORE : Liverpool to scout Villarreal star Arnaut Danjuma in Champions League clash with Manchester United
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Barcelona winger Ousmane Dembele holding out for Chelsea offer
Barcelona winger Ousmane Dembele has been holding out to receive an offer from Chelsea, according to reports.
The 25-year-old is out of contract with Barca this summer, allowing him to leave Camp Nou as a free agent.
Chelsea, meanwhile, have been unable to offer any new contracts to players due to the restrictions on the club following Roman Abramovich’s sanction in March.
But now that the Todd Boehly/Clearlake consortium officially completed its takeover this week, Chelsea are now free to sign players.
Dembele has held talks with Barcelona over a new contract, but according to PA news agency, the French winger has been waiting on Chelsea’s ownership situation to be resolved before making a decision over his future.
And Chelsea could also have an advantage during negotiations as Thomas Tuchel already has a positive relationship with Dembele from their time together at Borussia Dortmund.
‘He’s a very good player, and I am very fortunate to have trained him in my time at Dortmund,’ Tuchel said of Dembele earlier this year.
Meanwhile, Barcelona president Joan Laporta revealed last week that Dembele has been set a deadline to decide whether he will sign a new contract with the club.
‘He has our proposal and a date to decide, because there is no more room [to improve the offer],’ Laporta said.
‘We have been preparing for next season for some time and it is an issue that we are stuck, because the agent does not respond to our offer. It looks like they are making a counter-proposal.
‘There is a priority right now, which is to get our finances back on track. There are a lot of players that we are speaking with and operations that are pending, but La Liga is not helping us. The criteria is very restrictive.’
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Steven Davis: Rangers extension 'means the world' to Northern Ireland captain
Northern Ireland captain Steven Davis says signing a one-year extension with Rangers "was never going to be a difficult conversation".
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Manchester United confident Erik ten Hag’s coaching will turn Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford into key stars again
Manchester United are confident Jadon Sancho can become one of the club’s most important players playing under Erik ten Hag.
While plenty of changes are expected at Old Trafford this summer, ten Hag has underlined his intention to put the work in with the current United stars who underperformed last season.
Ten Hag has warned his squad he expects them to ‘co-operate’ and buy into his ‘total high-pressing’ style of football with belief around Old Trafford that Sancho is one of the players who will benefit most from the Dutchman’s clearly defined style of play.
After excelling in Germany, Sancho returned to English football last summer in a £72million deal from Borussia Dortmund. The England international finished the 2021-22 season with five goals and three assists to his name.
While he provided glimpses of his talent, United believe Sancho will benefit from the structure ten Hag will implement, according to The Telegraph, with the club confident he has the tools to become a ‘bona fide star’ under the new manager.
United harbour similar hopes for Marcus Rashford following what is widely regarded as his worst season for the club.
The report claims Rashford’s miserable campaign has been attributed to ‘confidence, mood and outlook’.
But United are confident that if the England international commits fully to the new manager’s methods then he will ‘benefit enormously’ from ten Hag’s coaching next season.
There had been speculation Rashford might need to leave the club to get his career back on track, but recent reports claim that the forward wants to stay and fight for his place under Ten Hag.
MORE : Manchester United and Liverpool stars among Champions League Goal of the Season contenders
MORE : Manchester United go cold on signing Chelsea star over fears of copying Arsenal’s Willian mistake
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Jarrod Bowen: Sometimes I sit back and look back at where I’ve come from
West Ham forward Jarrod Bowen talks about receiving his first England call-up after being included in Gareth Southgate's squad for the upcoming Nations League fixtures.
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Monday, May 30, 2022
UEFA commission independent review into Champions League final turmoil
An independent report into what happened in and around the Stade de France during the Champions League final has been commissioned by UEFA.
There were distressing scenes before the match in Paris as Liverpool fans were held for hours in a small space, unable to enter the stadium despite holding tickets for the match.
Police tear-gassed the crowd as more people pushed to join in from the back and caused crushing, with serious injury very fortunate to have been avoided.
French authorities have blamed thousands of people trying to enter the stadium with fake tickets, while the the French interior minister Gerald Darmanin even blamed Reds boss Jurgen Klop for encouraging fans to go to Paris if they don’t have tickets.
Liverpool Football Club have denied their fans were at all in the wrong and called for an independent review, which they have got.
A UEFA statement read: ‘UEFA has today announced it has commissioned an independent report into the events surrounding the UEFA Champions League final in Paris on Saturday, May 28.
‘The comprehensive review will examine decision-making, responsibility and behaviours of all entities involved in the final.’
This came after Liverpool CEO Billy Hogan said they were pushing for just this earlier on Monday.
‘It has been good to hear that others are also calling for a truly independent and transparent investigation into the organisation of the final in Paris,’ he said. ‘We have followed up on our request for an independent investigation with UEFA in writing.
‘We’ve also noted our deep concern about the false information that’s being circulated, while really urging UEFA to agree to an open and transparent investigation into everything that happened on Saturday night.’
MORE : French minister blames Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool for contributing to Champions League final chaos
MORE : Champions League chaos ‘brought back terrible memories’ of Hillsborough for Liverpool MP
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Transfer rumours: Timber, Mane, Nunez, Cucurella, Phillips, Richarlison
Man Utd start Jurrien Timber talks, Sadio Mane has not told Liverpool he wants to leave, Darwin Nunez meets with Premier League clubs, plus more.
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Richarlison non-committal on Everton future amid Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham links
Richarlison says no decision has been made yet about his Everton future, certainly not committing himself to the Goodison Park cause, amid interest from the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur.
The 25-year-old is still under contract at Everton until 2024 so there is little pressure on the Toffees to sell one of their star players, although he appears to have made some demands of his employers.
The Brazil international says he has sent a message to both the board and his manager, making it clear what he wants from the club.
What that is that he wants is unclear, but it appears that the forward could look to make a move over the summer if he does not receive what he desires.
‘I’ve already made it clear to the board,’ Richarlison said while on international duty with Brazil. ‘I’ve already talked to (Frank) Lampard too, with my agents and they know what I want. Let’s wait for June.
‘Now I can’t talk, because when we talk about leaving a club I’m kind of like this, because of the history I have at Everton, the affection that the fans have for me. When we talk about leaving I’m a little speechless.’
The Daily Mail report that not only the Premier League trio of Arsenal, Chelsea and Spurs are interested in the former Watford man, but also top European clubs.
Paris Saint-Germain had been keen on him, but Kylian Mbappe staying at the club will mean that a move is now very unlikely. However, Real Madrid are also credited with an interest in Richarlison after they missed out on both Mbappe and Manchester City-bound Erling Haaland.
Everton paid an initial £35m for Richarlison from Watford in 2018 in a deal which could rise to as much as £50m so they would be looking for at least around that latter figure to let him go.
He has scored 53 goals in 152 appearances in all competitions for the Toffees.
MORE : New Chelsea owner Todd Boehly sends message to fans: ‘Our vision is clear’
MORE : Everton star Richarlison mocks Liverpool after they miss out on Premier League title
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Manchester City chairman promises more summer signings after Erling Haaland
Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak says the club will not stop at the summer signings of Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez, teasing a ‘couple more’ arrivals during the transfer window.
The Premier League champions have already made what will surely be the biggest signing of the summer in Haaland from Borussia Dortmund.
Alvarez was actually signed from River Plate in January but loaned straight back to the Argentinian club, but he will now arrive in Manchester this summer and form part of a fearsome-looking new attack with Haaland.
Al Mubarak says there will be more new signings to come, though, with City desperate to win the Champions League for the first time next season and clearly leaving no stone unturned to achieve their goal.
‘I can confirm that there will be more players coming in,’ the chairman told the club’s official website.
‘We are looking to strengthen the team in the areas that we need strengthening, and every season some players leave and we have to continually refresh the team.
‘I think we’ve made two very important additions already but I anticipate we will be doing a couple more.’
While there may be more new faces coming in, Al Mubarak is delighted with the big name they have snapped up already in Haaland, believing he has signed the best possible option as they looked for a centre-forward.
‘We have, in Haaland, arguably the best number nine in the world at the right age,’ he said.
‘When you look at the next 10-15 years we have invested, in Haaland, in that striker for the future.
‘He is a very, very unique, incredibly talented striker that I think the whole world has been looking at. I would say every big team in the world wanted Haaland to join and we are absolutely delighted Haaland chose to join Manchester City.
‘For us, it’s a super decision. We are getting, truly, a phenomenal player. He will fit very nicely with the group.’
MORE : Sergio Aguero speaks out on Manchester City’s new signing Erling Haaland
MORE : Pep Guardiola wants to bring Brighton’s Marc Cucurella to Manchester City in £30m deal
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Champions League final: Uefa commissions independent report into scenes outside stadium
Uefa commissions an independent report into the scenes that delayed Saturday's Champions League final between Liverpool and Real Madrid.
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Watford goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann reveals contact with Manchester United over transfer
Watford goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann says Manchester United have been in contact in an attempt to sign him this summer.
The 27-year-old appears to have become a target for the Red Devils who are looking for a new understudy for David De Gea, with Dean Henderson expected to leave the club his summer.
The Watford stopper has emerged as a rather unlikely contender for this role, having rarely been a first choice player in his career to date.
Bachmann made just 12 Premier League starts for Watford over the last season, in which the Hornets were relegated from the top flight.
He made 23 starts in the Championship for Watford the previous season and the only time he has played more regularly than that was on loan at Kilmarnock in 2018/19 where he managed 25 league starts.
Despite this, he says Manchester United are interested in his services, with the Austria international believing that outgoing interim manager Ralf Rangnick recommended him to the Red Devils.
‘There has been contact with Manchester United,’ Bachmann told Sky Sports Austria. ‘It hasn’t just fallen out of the sky. I don’t know whether the team boss [Rangnick] has a say in transfer matters.
‘Several clubs have shown interest in me – but the most intensive contacts have come from Manchester. It is a massive honour for a club like that to be interested in you.
‘I would be second choice behind David de Gea, who has been one of the Premier League’s best keepers for years.
‘But anything can happen in football. The performance principle applies. As a result, even big stars can sit on the subs’ bench.’
Manchester Evening News reports that Newcastle goalkeeper Karl Darlow is also being considered for the understudy role, with Henderson likely to move in the opposite direction.
MORE : Cristiano Ronaldo orders changes to Manchester United training ground after complaints
MORE : ‘He’s a player’ – Jose Mourinho recently raved about Manchester United youngster James Garner
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Dan Ashworth: Newcastle confirm ex-Brighton technical director as their sporting director
Newcastle confirm the appointment of former Brighton technical director Dan Ashworth as their sporting director.
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Sunday, May 29, 2022
Villarreal’s Pau Torres says ‘there is nothing’ in Manchester United transfer talk
Long-term Manchester United target Pau Torres insists that there is ‘nothing at all’ in terms of developments in a potential move to Old Trafford, saying that the only contract offer he has received is from current club Villarreal.
The 25-year-old has been linked with a switch to Manchester United for over a year, emerging as a target for the Red Devils under former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
New boss Erik ten Hag is reportedly also a fan of the Spain international and is pushing for the centre-back to be a part of his huge rebuild at Old Trafford after arriving from Ajax.
The interest has long been known, but Torres himself says there has been no movement of note and that he has certainly not received any approach from the Premier League club.
The highly-rated defender is comfortable where he is and sounds in no rush to push for an exit from Villarreal.
‘Right now there is nothing at all, there is talk of many things like every year,’ Torres told Spanish publication AS, via the Daily Mail.
‘I have peace of mind of being where they want me, at the club of my life and I have this offer right now that I value as very positive.
‘There is nothing right now, the only thing I have is the offer from Villarreal, so I am very calm.’
Torres reportedly has a release clause in his Villarreal contract of £55m, although a bid of between £40-£45m could be enough to tempt the La Liga side into a sale with just two years left on his contract.
The Spaniard has been a mainstay in the Villarreal team over the last three seasons, making 47 appearances in all competitions over the last campaign, scoring six goals.
MORE : Christopher Nkunku speaks out on his future amid Chelsea, Manchester United and PSG links
MORE : Gabriel Magalhaes approves Arsenal’s push to sign Gabriel Jesus from Manchester City
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Saint-Etienne fans launch violent pitch invasion and attacks as team relegated from Ligue 1
Saint-Etienne fans launched a pitch invasion with violent intent after watching their side be relegated from Ligue 1, throwing flares and attacking their own players after the match.
The second leg of the relegation play-off with Auxerre finished 1-1, just as the first leg had, which meant the contest went to a penalty shootout.
Ryad Boudebouz missed the opening spot-kick for the home side and that proved to be the difference as Auxerre netted all five of their penalties to send Saint-Etienne down to Ligue 2.
Things turned very ugly as soon as Birama Toure scored his winning penalty, with Saint-Etienne fans rushing onto the pitch.
The players and officials had to get off the pitch as quickly as possible as fans stormed the pitch and flares were thrown at players and staff as they tried to get down the tunnel.
There were loud bangs heard as the violence ensued and some flares were even hurled into the stands, with smoke filling the air.
French publication RMC Sport reported that tear gas was also thrown and that journalists and cameramen were struggling to deal with the smoke bombs let off.
However, they did also report that security staff managed to clear the field of the pitch invaders, despite the chaotic scenes.
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Steve Cooper: Nottingham Forest belong in Premier League, says boss after promotion
Boss Steve Cooper says Nottingham Forest "belong in the Premier League" after leading them back to the top flight for first time in 23 years.
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Thiago Alcantara’s wife Julia Vigas details ‘many scary moments’ during Champions League final in Paris
Julia Vigas, the wife of Liverpool midfielder Thiago Alcantara, has explained the ‘total nightmare’ she experienced during the Champions League final on Saturday night, saying there were ‘so many scary moments’ in Paris.
Many Liverpool fans have reported an abysmal experience in the French capital, being kept out of the Stade de France for hours before the match and being treated incredibly aggressively by police.
The French police were then conspicuous by their absence after the game when many fans were victims of attacks by gangs of locals.
The Reds were beaten 1-0 by Real Madrid in the biggest game in European football, but it was the scenes outside the ground which were the cause of headlines in Paris.
Vigas gave her own account which was similar to many Liverpool fans who went through a terrible experience and called for a reaction to the dreadful scenes before and after the game.
She posted on Instagram: ‘I don’t like to comment on these things but this time I need to express myself. Yesterday’s final was a total nightmare, and this is not about football, it goes far beyond the result.
‘Due to a lack of organisation and security, there were so many scary moments. Constantly being threatened by bands of robbers, that were trying to assault us and slipped onto the stadium without a ticket.
‘For that many supporters were left out of the game triggering avalanches of people.
‘Tear gas was thrown by the police at families and supporters, and some of them also were beaten down. All of them innocent people. Because [of] all this trouble, we had to leave the stadium escorted for our own safety.
‘Something has to be done, these kind of things cannot happen in any kind of event and we ask for responsibility. It could have been much worse.’
MORE : Sadio Mane to inform Liverpool he wants to join Bayern Munich
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Carlos Corberan: Huddersfield Town boss questions VAR decisions in play-off final defeat
Huddersfield's Carlos Corberan questions the purpose of VAR after decisions go against them in their play-off final defeat by Nottingham Forest.
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‘Everybody loves to be loved’ – Steve Cooper explains the secret behind Nottingham Forest promotion
Steve Cooper says the remarkable job he has done at Nottingham Forest is down to making his players feel loved, as his team secured promotion to the Premier League through the Play-Offs.
Forest edged Huddersfield 1-0 at Wembley on Sunday afternoon thanks to a first half own goal from Levi Colwill to complete the stunning turnaround Cooper has masterminded at the club.
The Welshman took over in September with Forest sitting bottom of the table but guided them into the Play-Off places, which they battled their way through, beating Sheffield United before another Yorkshire side at Wembley.
Asked how he had made such an impact, Cooper said it was winning over the hearts of his players that had done the trick.
‘It’s a difficult world now, it’s a great and glamorous world in football and as a manager, but it’s also a harsh and spiteful one as well,’ he told Sky Sports.
‘I just want these players to know that I’m their biggest supporter and I will love them and give them everything through thick and thing.
‘It doesn’t mean I’m soft with them, doesn’t mean I’m not demanding and challenging them, but in the end, everybody loves to be loved and that’s what we’ve tried to do with these players. We’ve got behind them and stuck with them.’
This was backed up by Forest captain Joe Worrall who was full of praise for his manager shortly after the final whistle.
‘He’s given us that bit of belief,’ said Worrall. ‘I keep using the expression of being like a whipped dog.
‘If you treat any dog with kindness, they become a nice dog. If you mistreat one then they’re aggressive and we were, we’ve been a mistreated team.
‘But I think he’s come in and given us that hope and belief and just been so nice, he’s killed us with kindness. The fans absolutely adore him and I’m made up for him.’
It was far from a classic in north London, but Cooper was pleased with how his side were the better of the two in the first half and then dug in to hang on to their narrow lead in the second stanza.
‘I’m really pleased for the players, really pleased for the supporters,’ said Cooper. ‘I thought we played well first half apart from not being too creative.
‘Of all the good goals we’ve scored this season, we get one like that but it doesn’t matter. We managed to see it through in the second half.
‘Everyone connected with the football club deserves this, and we’re really looking forward to a positive future.’
MORE : Nottingham Forest promoted to the Premier League with narrow Play-Off final win over Huddersfield
MORE : Nottingham Forest fan jailed for five months after pleading guilty to assaulting Billy Sharp
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Depleted Celtic beat Glasgow City 3-2 to win Women's Scottish Cup
Despite a first-half red card, Celtic beat Glasgow City 3-2 after extra time to win the Women's Scottish Cup.
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Saturday, May 28, 2022
Why Karim Benzema’s Champions League final goal against Liverpool was disallowed
A former Premier League referee has explained why Karim Benzema’s goal in the Champions League final was disallowed.
Benzema thought he had given Spanish champions Real Madrid the lead shortly before half-time but the offside flag was raised, much to the relief of Liverpool.
The in-form striker controlled a high ball into the box and then took a couple of touches before trying to round goalkeeper Alisson Becker.
Benzema lost control of the ball but Ibrahima Konate and Alisson made a mess of the clearance.
Three players then challenged for the ball and it came back to Benzema who slotted past Alisson.
Real Madrid’s celebrations were cut short as the linesman raised his flag for offside, but replays showed Fabinho got the last touch before Benzema’s strike.
That appeared to mean VAR would overturn the decision but Madrid were left disappointed as the referee confirmed the goal was disallowed.
Explaining the decision at half-time, former referee Peter Walton told BT Sport: ‘It is easy. Benzema is in an offside position. The offence is committed if the ball is deliberately played back to him.
‘Fabinho, the ball deflects off him, he doesn’t deliberately play the ball to him. He doesn’t play Benzema onside. It’s only deemed onside if the Liverpool player has deliberately played it.’
While it appears the correct decision was made, a number of former players were surprised and confused by the incident.
Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand said: ‘I still don’t understand it. If I am a Real Madrid player, I am going bananas.’
Alan Shearer added on BBC Radio 5 Live: ‘I can’t work that one out because it looked like it came off Fabinho to reach Benzema.
‘It was typical Real Madrid, they do concede chances and if you don’t take them they punish you with the ability they have up front.
‘The run in behind was exceptional and he could have scored earlier. Liverpool got away with one there.’
Despite the scare just before half-time, Liverpool dominated the opening 45 minutes of the Champions League final but were unable to turn their superiority into a lead.
Mohamed Salah, who suffered an injury during the 2018 Champions League final, was twice denied by Thibaut Courtois, while Sadio Mane struck the post.
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