Belgium midfielder Youri Tielemans says he is leaving Leicester City with a "heartfelt farewell" to supporters on social media.
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Wednesday, May 31, 2023
Man Utd make Bayern Munich defender a top transfer target but must battle Barcelona for his signature
Bayern Munich star Benjamin Pavard has become Manchester United’s top transfer target in defence but Barcelona are also keen, according to reports.
The 27-year-old France international can operate as a right-back or in central defence as Erik ten Hag looks to bring in defensive reinforcements this summer amid rumours that captain Harry Maguire will leave the club.
Pavard moved to Bayern four years ago and has won four Bundesliga titles as well as the Champions League during his time at the German champions.
He was named in the 2020 Bundesliga Team of the Season and scored the Goal of the Tournament at the 2018 World Cup – which he won with France – before a runner-up finish in Qatar last year, with Pavard registering 48 caps in total.
Pavard has made 43 appearances for Bayern this season but is set to enter the final year of his current deal in July after rejecting a contract extension.
According to French outlet L’Equipe, United have already taken ‘concrete steps’ to sign Pavard, who is also wanted by La Liga side Barcelona in the summer window.
Should Pavard move to Old Trafford, he would link up with fellow France international defender Raphael Varane.
United, meanwhile, announced on Wednesday that right-back Diogo Dalot has signed a contract extension until 2028 with the option of a further year.
‘As a group of players, we all feel like we are at the start of a special journey right now,’ Dalot told the club’s website.
‘I can assure you that I will dedicate myself relentlessly to helping this group to achieve our aims and make the fans proud of this team. That drive continues this week with everyone intensely focused on preparations for the FA Cup final.’
MORE : Forgotten Man Utd player in talks to join Rangers
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What is Jose Mourinho’s record in finals as a manager?
Jose Mourinho will be desperate to add yet another piece of silverware to his hugely impressive trophy cabinet when his Roma side take on Sevilla in the Europa League final 2022/23.
And who would bet against the 60 year-old doing just that, given Mourinho boasts a simply extraordinary record in major finals as a manager.
But exactly how many finals has Mourinho won during his spell in the game and, more specifically, how has he fared in his previous European finals?
Let’s take a look at his record as he prepares his Roma troops to do battle against Sevilla in Budapest.
What is Jose Mourinho’s record in finals?
Mourinho has won 18 of the 21 finals he has contested as a manager.
This gives the Portuguese icon a hugely impressive 86% win record in major finals.
After winning the first 13 finals of his career, Mourinho’s first defeat in a showpiece arrived in the UEFA Super Cup with Chelsea in 2013.
Bayern Munich scored in the final minute of extra-time to send the match to penalties, which the Bavarians won 5-4 after Romelu Lukaku missed his spotkick for the Blues.
The UEFA Super Cup was the scene once again for Mourinho’s second defeat in a final in 2017.
His Manchester United team, who qualified having triumphed in the Europa League the previous season, were beaten 2-1 by Real Madrid in North Macedonia.
Chelsea inflicted the third loss of Mourinho’s career when he took charge of Manchester United in the FA Cup final in 2018.
A first half penalty from Eden Hazard was enough to separate the two sides at Wembley.
Jose Mourinho's trophy cabinet
Porto
- Primeira Liga (2002/03, 2003/04)
- Taca de Portugal (2002/03)
- Portuguese Super Cup (2003)
- Champions League (2003/04)
- UEFA Cup (2002/03)
Chelsea
- Premier League (2004/05, 2005/06, 2014/15)
- FA Cup (2006/07)
- League Cup (2004/05, 2006/07, 2014/15)
- Community Shield (2005)
Inter Milan
- Serie A (2008/09, 2009/10)
- Coppa Italia (2009/10)
- Supercoppa Italiana (2008)
- Champions League (2009/10)
Real Madrid
- La Liga (2011/12)
- Copa del Rey (2010/11)
- Supercopa de Espana (2012)
Manchester United
- League Cup (2016/17)
- Community Shield (2016)
- Europa League (2016/17)
Roma
- Europa Conference League (2021/22)
What is Jose Mourinho’s record in European finals?
Mourinho has won all five of the European finals he has managed in.
He won the Champions League with Porto in 2004 before repeating the trick with Inter Milan in 2010.
Along with the Europa League triumph with United, Mourinho also won the Europa League when it was branded as the UEFA Cup in 2003 with Porto.
His fifth title on the continental stage saw him clinch the Europa Conference League with Roma last season.
In fact, it has been twenty years since a Mourinho side conceded a goal in a European final, with Henrik Larsson netting twice for Celtic in that UEFA Cup clash against Porto.
Mourinho is the only manager to have won all three of UEFA’s major club competitions.
MORE : How many times have Sevilla won the Europa League ahead of their latest final against Roma?
MORE : Mauricio Pochettino calls Manuel Ugarte as Chelsea contract offer is beaten by Paris Saint-Germain
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Sheffield Wednesday: Thousands applaud play-off winners
Owls fans gathered in their thousands to celebrate the club's promotion.
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How many times have Sevilla won the Europa League ahead of their latest final against Roma?
Sevilla will embark on their latest quest to add yet another Europa League title to their trophy cabinet when they face Roma in tonight’s final in Budapest.
The Spanish outfit are the undisputed kings of the competition having won the title on numerous occasions.
But exactly how many times have Sevilla won the Europa League?
Here is everything you need to know ahead of this evening’s 2022/23 final clash with Jose Mourinho’s men.
How many times have Sevilla won the Europa League?
Sevilla have won the Europa League six times in their history.
This makes them the most successful team in the history of the competition, which was rebranded from the UEFA Cup to the Europa League in 2009/10.
Their first victory came against Middlesbrough in 2005/06 with a 4-0 win in Eindhoven.
Los Nervionenses retained their title a year later with a penalty shootout victory over fellow La Liga side Espanyol.
Sevilla then went seven years without winning the tournament, but when they finally did so again it was the first of an historic treble of wins under Unai Emery
The hat-trick started in 2013/14 with victory over Benfica on penalties.
Ukrainian side Dnipro were beaten 3-2 in the final a year later before the three-peat was completed with a 3-1 win over Liverpool.
Sevilla’s last Europa League trophy arrived in the delayed 2019/20 final, with a late own goal from Romelu Lukaku sealing a 3-2 win over Inter Milan in Cologne.
The triumph three years ago means Sevilla have a perfect record in Europa League finals.
Most titles in Europa League history
- Sevilla – 6
- Liverpool – 3
- Juventus – 3
- Inter Milan – 3
- Atletico Madrid – 3
- Parma – 2
- Chelsea – 2
- Borussia Monchengladbach – 2
Speaking before this year’s final, Sevilla manager Jose Luis Mendilibar insisted the club’s Europa League pedigree will give them an edge in Hungary.
Mendilibar said: ‘I think that Sevilla will be favourites given we have won this competition six times.
Some people prefer to look at the budgets of both sides, others look at their history. However you want to look at it, you can see both sides winning it.
‘And I would not discount Sevilla. I see it 50-50.’
Sevilla’s only other European trophy is the UEFA Super Cup from 2006.
MORE : How many trophies has Jose Mourinho won as a manager?
MORE : Is the Europa League final 2023 on YouTube? How to watch for free in the UK
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Tuesday, May 30, 2023
Ukraine: Oleksandr Zinchenko & Andriy Shevchenko to captain teams in charity game at Chelsea
Arsenal defender Oleksandr Zinchenko and legendary striker Andriy Shevchenko will captain teams in a 'Game4Ukraine' charity match that will be held at Chelsea's Stamford Bridge on August 5.
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Mauricio Pochettino makes decision over Chelsea’s buy option on Denis Zakaria
Mauricio Pochettino does not view Chelsea’s on-loan midfielder Denis Zakaria as part of his plans for the club and he will return to Juventus at the end of next month, according to reports.
The Switzerland international arrived at Stamford Bridge last summer on deadline day, with the west London club forced into the transfer market after N’Golo Kante sustained a hamstring injury.
Zakaria had only joined Juve seven months earlier for a fee of around £7.5million, having had just six months left on his contract with previous club Borussia Monchengladbach.
The 26-year-old showed some flashes of promises, netting against Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League and delivering a particularly impressive display against Premier League champions Manchester City.
But four different Chelsea coaches – Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter, Bruno Saltor and Frank Lampard – all used him sparingly and he struggled to make a mark in west London.
In total, Zakaria played just seven times in the league, twice in Europe and made two further appearances in the Cup competitions for a combined total of 11 outings – though he was hampered by some injury niggles.
Nevertheless, it appears Pochettino feels much the same way as his predecessors and does not intend to keep Zakaria at the club.
According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, the new Chelsea manager has already informed the club’s recruitment team that Zakaria does not feature in his plans.
As part of the loan move, Chelsea had the option to sign the midfielder permanently for a fee in the region of £30million, but the Blues will not be triggering their buy clause.
Instead, Zakaria will return to Juventus at the end of June and assess his options, having found himself on the fringes of the first teams at both Juve and Chelsea since leaving Gladbach.
Pochettino needs to trim a heavily bloated Chelsea squad – particularly with no European football on offer next season – and has already decided to ditch Joao Felix as well.
The Portuguese attacker showed plenty of flashes of his skill and creativity, but ultimately Potter and Lampard both struggled to find a position for him and Pochettino does not want to fork out £88m to sign him permanently – which is what Atletico Madrid are still demanding.
‘Yesterday we had the news that the new Chelsea manager does not [want] Joao Felix,’ Atletico president Enrique Cerezo revealed on Tuesday. ‘He’ll come back here and we’ll see. We don’t have anything planned.’
Chelsea could also lose contract rebel N’Golo Kante, who is yet to pen fresh terms, while Mateo Kovacic and Mason Mount could be sold, leaving Pochettino in dire need of midfield reinforcements.
MORE : Chelsea ready to offload 12 players as Mauricio Pochettino starts summer clear out
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Turkish Super Lig: Galatasaray win title for 23rd time after beating Ankaragucu 4-1
Galatasaray win a 23rd Turkish league title after beating Ankaragucu 4-1.
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Liverpool open talks to sign £52m-rated Nice star but Manchester United could scupper the deal
Liverpool have opened talks to sign Nice midfielder Khephren Thuram but the deal could be complicated by Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s potential Manchester United takeover, according to reports.
The Merseysiders are looking to bring in two central midfielders this summer after withdrawing from the race to sign Jude Bellingham, with manager Jurgen Klopp feeling the transfer budget would be better spent on multiple players rather than just the Borussia Dortmund star.
Brighton’s Alexis Mac Allister is expected to swap the south coast for Anfield in the coming weeks, with the World Cup winner having a gentleman’s agreement to leave if a suitable offer comes in.
The Argentine plays a more offensive, box-to-box role for Brighton and Liverpool are thought to want a slightly more defence-conscious – but still box-to-box – player for their second midfield addition.
They have previously been linked with Sporting Lisbon’s holding midfielder Manuel Ugarte, but now French newspaper L’Equipe claim they are pushing for dynamic Nice star Thuram.
The 22-year-old, who is the son of legendary French defender Lilian Thuram, has enjoyed a breakout campaign in the south of France and earned a call-up to the senior national team as well as a place in the Ligue 1 Team of the Season.
He netted twice in 30 league starts last season, as well as laying on four assists, but also brings work rate and energy – averaging 2.6 combined tackles and interceptions per match.
A meeting is believed to have already taken place between Liverpool and the player’s entourage, while Thuram is keen to work under Klopp.
However, Nice are very reluctant to sell and it would take an offer in the region of €60million (£52m) to bring them to the negotiating table.
In a further complication, Nice are owned by Ineos and Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who are currently in advanced talks to buy Liverpool’s fierce Premier League rivals Manchester United.
Although rival Qatari bidder Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani has made a last-minute improved bid for a full takeover, Ratcliffe’s offer of a majority stake – which would see two of the Glazer siblings retain their shares – is thought to be the preferred option.
The uncertainty surrounding Ineos’ takeover of United could prove to be a stumbling block for any deal that sees Thuram move to Liverpool – certainly in the short term – though if Ratcliffe’s bid is unsuccessful the situation could change.
Speaking about his future after making the Ligue 1 Team of the Season, Thuram said: ‘I want to progress, be on the pitch, have fun. For now, I’m at Nice, and that’s going very well, I really like the club, so I still see myself at Nice. I am happy at Nice. There are rumours, I hear them, but I’m happy at Nice and I hope to grow with this club.’
MORE : Manchester United target Diogo Costa expected to leave Porto this summer
MORE : Ander Herrera expects David de Gea to sign new Manchester United contract and hits back at critics
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Quincy Promes: Spartak Moscow forward charged with alleged involvement in drug trafficking
Former Netherlands international Quincy Promes accused of being involved with smuggling 1,362kg of cocaine.
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Is the Europa League final 2023 on YouTube? How to watch for free in the UK
The Europa League final 2023 will see Sevilla take on Roma for the continent’s second most prestigious club competition.
Sevilla, who have won a record six Europa League titles, have never lost a final in the history of the tournament.
However, they will face a stern test against Jose Mourinho’s Roma, who are eyeing their second European title in as many seasons having claimed the Europa Conference League last year.
In recent seasons, BT Sport have made the Europa League final, along with the Champions League final, available to watch for free on their YouTube channel.
And with European final fever in the air, supporters have been wondering if such a luxury will be afforded to them once again this year.
Let’s find out if the Europa League final will be shown by BT for free on YouTube.
What time does the game kick-off?
Sevilla vs Roma will kick off on Wednesday, May 31 at 8pm BST.
The match will be held at the Puskas Arena in Budapest, Hungary.
Is the Europa League final on YouTube?
BT Sport have confirmed that the Europa League final 2023 will be shown for free on YouTube in the UK.
Along with being shown on the official BT Sport YouTube channel, the final will also be available to watch for free on the BT Sport website and app.
As well as smartphones, the app is available on PlayStation, Xbox, Samsung smart TVs, Apple TV, Android TV and Amazon Fire.
As well as the Europa League final, the Champions League final (Saturday, June 10) and the Europa Conference League final (Wednesday, June 7) will also be shown live and for free on BT Sport’s YouTube channel.
How to watch on TV
BT Sport customers can still watch the Europa League final on TV.
The game will be shown on BT Sport 1 and BT Sport Ultimate, with coverage getting underway from 7.15pm.
MORE : Full list of new kits released so far for the Premier League 2023/24 season
MORE : Could Lionel Messi be joining Barcelona? Transfer rumours explained
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Monday, May 29, 2023
Chelsea ‘will not panic’ over striker search and believe they already have a No.9 option
Chelsea could end the summer without signing a striker and believe Christopher Nkunku is capable of leading the line if required, according to reports.
The west London club confirmed the appointment of Mauricio Pochettino as their new manager on Monday, with the Argentine signing a two-year contract with the option for an additional year.
Pochettino’s biggest task this summer will be trimming a massively bloated squad that has no European football next season, with a horde of fringe players set to leave.
But the former Tottenham boss also wants to bring in a few key additions, with a goalkeeper, midfielder and striker his priorities.
Chelsea have already been linked with the likes of Inter shot-stopper Andre Onana and Brentford’s David Raya for the goalkeeper position, while Sporting defensive midfielder Manuel Ugarte is emerging as the club’s top target to partner Enzo Fernandez.
Finding a new striker is a little more challenging, though Pochettino is thought to be keen on compatriot Lautaro Martinez as well as Napoli top scorer Victor Osimhen.
If that duo prove too costly, however, The Guardian are reporting that Chelsea will not panic into signing any old striker and are willing to trust in the options already at the club.
Chelsea’s hierarchy believe incoming attacker Nkunku, who has a long-standing agreement to move to Stamford Bridge from RB Leipzig, can plug the goalscoring gap and play as a No.9.
The Frenchman actually tied Werder Bremen’s Niclas Fullkrug for the Bundesliga golden boot this season, netting 16 times despite injury limiting him to just 20 starts.
Nkunku also netted 20 Bundesliga goals last season, as well as laying on 13 assists, and Chelsea are hoping the 25-year-old’s arrival will go a long way to improving their clinicalness in front of goal.
There is also a feeling that Chelsea can share goals around better within the team under Pochettino, particularly with the likes of Raheem Sterling and Mykhaylo Mudryk struggling to live up to their price tags.
Pochettino also has a decision to make over Romelu Lukaku when the Belgian returns from his loan at Inter and the forward could be welcomed back into the fold to provide another attacking option.
Chelsea have yet to officially announce Nkunku’s looming arrival, but a deal has been in place since the end of last year with the Blues agreeing to pay a fee of around £52million to secure the Frenchman’s services.
MORE : Chelsea confirm appointment of Mauricio Pochettino as their new manager
MORE : Noni Madueke reacts to Mauricio Pochettino reunion at Chelsea after leaving Spurs over lack of games
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Tuesday's gossip: Kane, Mount, Rice, Odegaard, Maddison, Firmino, Carvalho
Tottenham resist Manchester United move for Harry Kane, Red Devils want Mason Mount, Paris St-Germain in shock move for Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard, plus more.
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Declan Rice open to joining Bayern Munich after phone call with Thomas Tuchel
Bayern Munich are ramping up their charm offensive for Declan Rice with manager Thomas Tuchel reaching out to the West Ham midfielder, according to reports in Germany.
The England international is expected to leave east London this summer with a host of Premier League clubs queueing up to sign him.
Arsenal have identified Rice as the ideal man to bolster their midfield and are believed to be favourites for his signature, while Manchester United, Chelsea and City also hold long-standing interest.
But Bayern are preparing to make a rival play and Sky Sport Germany claim Tuchel has personally spoken to Rice in an effort to convince him to move to the Bundesliga.
While the 24-year-old’s preference is to remain in the Premier League, he is said to be ‘open’ to a move to Bavaria and has welcomed the interest from Bayern.
Rice is top of Bayern’s summer transfer wish list with the club keen to land a marquee signing this summer as they look to challenge for the Champions League, while they rather stumbled over the line in defence of their Bundesliga crown.
The German champions are conscious of the huge amount of competition for Rice’s signature and believe Arsenal are further along in their pursuit.
But that has not deterred Bayern and Tuchel’s personal touch went down well with Rice, with the conversation described as a ‘good talk’.
The Bayern boss has seen Rice up close on several occasions during his time in charge of Chelsea and after one particularly impressive performance at Stamford Bridge last season he made a beeline for the midfielder after the final whistle to applaud his display.
Bayern will look to intensify their efforts in the coming days after receiving encouragement from Rice, though they may ultimately be priced out of a move.
The Bavarians cannot compete with the mammoth spending of the Premier League and would ideally like to land Rice for less than €100million (£86m).
West Ham are thought to want a British-record fee in excess of the £100m Manchester City spent on Jack Grealish, though the prospect of selling Rice abroad – rather than to a London rival – might tempt them into accepting a lower offer from a foreign club.
Bayern will press ahead with a move for Rice despite the departures of key personnel over the weekend in the form of chief executive Oliver Kahn and sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic.
MORE : Rio Ferdinand says Arsenal target Declan Rice could ‘go to another level’ under Mikel Arteta
MORE : Declan Rice to make it clear he has a preference between Arsenal and Manchester United transfer
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Luton Town: Thousands line streets for Premier League promotion party
Luton will play top flight football for the first time in more than 30 years next season.
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‘There is unfinished business’ – Rio Ferdinand urges Erik ten Hag to give Amad Diallo first-team chance
Rio Ferdinand believes Amad Diallo can offer a solution in a ‘problem position’ for Manchester United next season, urging Erik ten Hag to give the youngster first-team opportunities.
Amad joined United in January 2021 from Atalanta in a deal worth an initial £19m.
After immediately hitting the ground running playing for the Under-23s, he was drafted into the first-team and scored his first goal for the club against AC Milan in the Europa League in March.
He would make just seven more appearances before joining Rangers midway through the 2021-22 season, but a season-long loan spell at Sunderland saw the Ivorian return to top form.
Amad scored 14 times for the Black Cats, playing a integral role in the club reaching the Championship play-offs where they fell short against Luton earlier this month.
Reports suggest the 20-year-old will be given the chance to impress ten Hag during pre-season and force his way into the manager’s plans.
Amad has played in a variety of attacking roles for Sunderland this season but has most regularly started on the right of attack, a position Antony has been deployed in back at United since his summer arrival from Ajax.
The Brazilian has had a mixed first season in English football and Ferdinand believes Amad can come in and challenge for that role on the right, believing the Ivorian has ‘unfinished business’ back at Old Trafford.
‘He is an interesting one,’ Ferdinand told Vibe with Five, speaking on Amad.
‘He has got talent there is no doubting that. You can see the talent he has got but you can see he wasn’t robust enough at the time.
‘But that loan at Sunderland, he left that place a hero, an absolute god. He plays on the right hand side too, a problem position for us.
‘I know Antony has come in and done well but he is someone you can look at and say can he add something a bit different. I would like to see him given another opportunity.
‘There is a bit of unfinished business and I don’t know if he’s not good enough, not right for Man United or he is [good enough] because I haven’t seen enough.’
MORE : Rio Ferdinand names four Manchester United stars who can be sold to raise £100million this summer
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‘A decision he has to make’ – Erik ten Hag opens the door for Harry Maguire to leave Manchester United this summer
Erik ten Hag admits Harry Maguire may leave Manchester United this summer if he is unsatisfied with a squad role next season.
The United skipper has slipped down the pecking order at Old Trafford with Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez the manager’s first choice pairing at the back.
Maguire is now effectively United’s fifth choice option at the back with Victor Lindelof preferred in Martinez’s absence since the Argentine’s season-ending injury with Luke Shaw also shifted inside this season.
The former Leicester City star has remained central to Gareth Southgate’s England plans despite losing his place at United but the Three Lions boss has suggested that situation may change if Maguire is not playing regularly for his club in the future.
In all, Maguire has started just 16 games in all competitions this season and while ten Hag admires his professionalism and status as club captain, he admits ‘no one would be happy’ in those current circumstances.
Ten Hag told The Times: ‘Yes, but he [Maguire] has high competition there with Raphaël Varane [at centre back], who’s fantastic. That describes everything.
‘No one would be happy with this situation. ‘He is not as well. He trains always on best levels, so with 100 per cent effort.
‘So he handles that situation well and he’s in that manner and in his captaincy he’s important for the squad.’
Asked if Maguire will stay, ten Hag added: ‘Let’s say I’m happy he’s here and when we needed him he did his job. But it’s also a decision he has to make.’
Maguire started United’s final league game of the season in Sunday’s 2-1 win over Fulham but is expected to return to the bench for Saturday’s FA Cup final showdown with Manchester City.
‘We have a lot of competition for places and that’s what a big club needs. Lots of strength in depth. I think you’ve seen today, after 20 minutes, it was a really positive performance,’ Maguire said.
‘[We had] lads who stepped in, lads who haven’t played as much and I think the manager and his staff can rely upon us and know that, if he makes changes, we can do the job, so it’s good to be part of this squad.
‘I think if we’re going to be successful this season and next season and the season after, we’re going to need a big squad.’
MORE : Rio Ferdinand names four Manchester United stars who can be sold to raise £100million this summer
MORE : Erik ten Hag prepared to offload Fulham target Fred as Manchester United prepare Mason Mount bid
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Sunday, May 28, 2023
Watch the best bits from Final Score this season
Watch some of the funniest moments from Final Score this season.
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Arsenal 5-0 Wolves: Mikel Arteta says Gunners have 'reconnected with soul of club'
Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta says his team have "reconnected with the soul of the club" after they rounded off a season which saw them challenge for the Premier League title with a 5-0 win against Wolves.
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Erik ten Hag sends FA Cup final message in speech to Manchester United players and fans
Erik ten Hag addressed his Manchester United players and a packed Old Trafford crowd on the pitch on Sunday as he sent a rallying cry ahead of the FA Cup final.
The Red Devils beat Fulham 2-1 in their final Premier League match of the season thanks to goals from Jadon Sancho and Bruno Fernandes.
The win saw them secure third place in Ten Hag’s first season in charge of the club, which will go down as a very satisfactory return, especially as United have also secured the League Cup already.
The season could take go from very satisfactory to very good if they can beat Manchester City in the FA Cup final next weekend.
It would not only mean a second piece of silverware in the Dutchman’s first campaign, but also put an end to City’s chances of matching United’s treble-winning brilliance from 1999.
Ten Hag took to the pitch after the win over Fulham, speaking to both his players and the Old Trafford crowd as he thanked them for their efforts so far, but reminded them that there is still a huge job ahead.
‘First of all, I want to say thank you to our players,’ Ten Hag said to an appreciative crowd. ‘I think they played a brilliant season. Thank you to the staff and I also want to thank you all. Thank you for your contribution, backing us and the support.
‘It was great, so thank you. But when I say these words, there’s still one game to go and I’m sure these players will give everything to beat Manchester City next week. I’m sure we have a really good chance to take the cup back to Old Trafford.’
While a club the size of Manchester United will want to achieve much more than third in the table, it is a huge improvement from last season when they finished sixth.
Not only have they improved three places in the table but also by a huge 17 points, although remarkably, only scoring one more league goal.
The Manchester derby FA Cup final is on Saturday 3 June at 3pm.
MORE : Harry Kane responds to speculation over his future after Tottenham finish eighth
MORE : Erik ten Hag provides Antony injury update ahead of FA Cup final
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Arsenal 5-0 Wolvesrhampton Wanderers: Julen Lopetegui says club must 'invest and improve'
Wolves head coach Julen Lopetegui says it the club must "invest and improve" after a 5-0 defeat by Arsenal ended a season in which he successfully steered them to Premier League safety.
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Harry Kane responds to speculation over his future after Tottenham finish eighth
Harry Kane has played down speculation over his future after Tottenham finished the season in eighth place and says the club need to ‘look how we can improve’ over the summer.
The striker finished off an exceptional individual campaign against Leeds United on Sunday afternoon, scoring a brace in a 4-1 victory at Elland Road as Sam Allardyce’s side were relegated.
Kane netted his first goal inside two minutes, brilliantly finding the top corner with a first-time shot, while a moment of individual brilliance saw him set up Pedro Porro to double the away side’s lead shortly after the restart.
Jack Harrison pulled a goal back for Leeds but Kane restored the two-goal advantage within minutes, sweeping home after a swift counter, before Lucas Moura – playing his final game for Tottenham – rounded off the scoring.
Kane’s brace took his tally for the season to 30, becoming the first player to reach that landmark in two different 38-game Premier League campaigns.
Unfortunately for Spurs and their in-form forward, Aston Villa’s 2-1 win over Brighton meant the north Londoners missed out on European football for the first time in 13 years, finishing in eighth place in a disappointing campaign.
Kane is out of contract in 2024 and has a host of suitors queuing up to sign him, notably Manchester United, but he dismissed speculation over his future after the game and even suggested he was keen to help ensure Spurs learn from this season and improve for the 2023-24 campaign.
Asked about the speculation over his future and whether anything has changed, Kane told BT Sport: ‘No, no. That’s part and parcel of being a footballer – especially when you’re at the top of your game.
‘I’ve just been focusing on this season and trying to help the team as much as possible.
‘To score a couple today was nice, to finish that way, but all in all I’m just looking forward to a nice break and then a couple of games with England.’
He added: ‘It has been a disappointing season. We can’t let this win dust over that. A lot to work on.
‘We have had to show fight in some moments. A club this size should not be finishing eighth and we need to go away enjoy a break and look how we can improve.’
Reflecting on the match itself, Kane continued: ‘We were playing for pride today. We also had the chance to finish seventh but that wasn’t the case today. It is about showing the fans some fight and determination.
‘It is not an easy place to come away from home. Leeds are fighting for their lives and we put in a great performance. They put a lot of balls into the box and we stood up to that well.
‘We were in the lead the week before and didn’t finish out the game. When it went 2-1, credit to the boys for staying in the moment. Getting the third goal helped and killed the game off. Overall, we can go away happy.’
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Saturday, May 27, 2023
Cristiano Ronaldo and Al Nassr miss out on Saudi Pro League title with a game to spare
Cristiano Ronaldo’s first season in Saudi Arabia will end without a trophy after Al Nassr’s draw with Al Ettifaq on Saturday put an end to their title hopes.
Al-Ittihad have claimed the Saudi Pro Legaue title this year after they beat Al Feiha 3-0, leaving them five points clear of Ronaldo’s side with just one game left to play.
Ronaldo played 84 minutes of the match at the Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium on Saturday, but couldn’t force victory for his side.
Al Ittifaq took the lead late in the first half through Youssouf Niaktae with Al Nassr equalising thanks to Luiz Gustavo just before the hour mark.
Al Ittihad cannot boast the superstar name of Ronaldo in their squad, but the team managed by former Tottenham boss Nuno Espirito Santo have been too much for Al Nassr.
Goals from Ahmed Sharahili and two from Romarinho gave the champions a 3-0 victory on Saturday, claiming their third title since 2009.
Al Hilal have been the most consistent force in the Saudi Pro League, winning the previous three titles and five in the last six years, with Al Nassr triumphing in 2019 to break up their monopoly.
Ronaldo did his best to bring the title back to Al Nassr, scoring 14 goals in his 16 league appearances since arriving from Manchester United, but it has not brought him any silverware.
MORE : Five clubs Cristiano Ronaldo could join if he leaves Al-Nassr
MORE : Forgotten Manchester United star Alex Telles could be reunited with Cristiano Ronaldo at Al-Nassr
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