Brighton head coach Fabian Hurzeler believes referee Chris Kavanagh was right to give Arsenal's Declan Rice a second yellow card, and is disappointed his side could not go on to beat 10-man Arsenal.
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Saturday, August 31, 2024
Friday, August 30, 2024
Palace sign Wolfsburg centre-back Lacroix in £18m deal
Crystal Palace sign Wolfsburg centre-back Maxence Lacroix in a deal worth up to £18m.
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Man Utd confirm another midfield signing ahead of Manuel Ugarte unveiling
Manchester United have confirmed the signing of young midfielder Sekou Kone on transfer deadline day.
The highly-rated talent who only turned 18 in February has signed a contract at Old Trafford and will initially join the club’s academy as he settles in the city.
The Mali youth international arrives from Guidars FC in his homeland.
He represented his nation at the Under-17 World Cup last year, helping Mali reach the semi-finals of the competition with impressive performances in midfield.
Liverpool and Wolves were believed to be among the clubs to have been tracking his progress.
The deal to bring him to Manchester is thought to be worth around £1million plus add-ons.
He becomes United’s fifth signing of the summer following the arrivals of Joshua Zirkzee, Leny Yoro, Noussair Mazraoui and Matthijs de Ligt.
Confirmation of the deal came on Friday evening with United supporters still waiting for the club to unveil Manuel Ugarte.
The 23-year-old is set to join the club from Paris Saint-Germain in a deal that could rise to £51million.
While he has spent most of the week in Manchester, United have not been able to register him in time to play against Liverpool on Sunday.
Personal terms with the player with agreed back in July but a protracted transfer has dragged out until the final day of the summer transfer window.
Further exits are also expected to be confirmed tonight with Scott McTominay set to join Napoli on a permanent transfer.
Chelsea are locked in talks to sign Jadon Sancho, left out of the squad for United’s opening two games of the season. The Blues have reportedly agreed personal terms with the former Borussia Dortmund star with two separate offers currently being discussed.
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Rangers sign Feyenoord defender Kasanwirjo on loan
Rangers sign Feyenoord defender Neraysho Kasanwirjo on a season-long loan.
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Thursday, August 29, 2024
Football Daily
John Murray interviews Lee Carsley after his first England squad was announced.
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Wednesday, August 28, 2024
'Evans retires as one of NI's all-time greats'
Jonny Evans' legacy as a Northern Ireland great is secure as the defender calls time on his 18-year international career.
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Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca drops Jadon Sancho transfer hint and sends brutal message to Raheem Sterling
Enzo Maresca has strongly hinted he’d like Chelsea to sign Jadon Sancho from Manchester United and has sent a brutal message to Raheem Sterling.
The Blues and the Red Devils are locked in negotiations over the two players, and there is a high chance Sancho could be swapping Manchester for west London.
That would open the door for Sterling to move across to United in the other direction and Chelsea head coach Maresca has now provided a fresh update.
The Italian faced the media on Wednesday and confirmed that Sterling is not in his plans, while he has also lauded Sancho and says he knows him ‘very well’.
‘I said already many times, he is a fantastic person,’ Maresca said when quizzed about Sterling. ‘The only thing is that every manager has a different idea.
‘He is not the type of winger I like. That says nothing about Raheem. The history and the numbers speak for Raheem.’
Asked about Chelsea’s transfer interest in Sancho, Maresca added: ‘If we can sign a player that can help us, for sure I would do it. Jadon is not our player. I know him very well. But he is not our player.’
Maresca also faced questions about Chelsea’s reported interest in Napoli striker Victor Osimhen and says he has not spoken to current forward Nicolas Jackson.
‘I didn’t speak to Nicolas about this,’ Maresca said. ‘I had a meeting with Nicolas yesterday but just about the amount of good things he is doing with us.
‘I don’t think Nicolas needs a chat. He is our nine, our striker in this moment. We are very happy with him.’
Rio Ferdinand names two Man Utd stars who will be worried over Raheem Sterling deal
Rio Ferdinand has backed United’s move for Chelsea outcast Sterling – but warns his arrival could leave Antony and Amad Diallo fearing for their futures.
‘For Man United, I think Sterling would be a good addition if he did come,’ Ferdinand said. ‘What that does for someone like Antony I don’t know, he probably goes to fifth choice if someone like Sterling comes.
‘Amad has been playing recently, I think he’ll be sitting there looking over his shoulder thinking please don’t come. But competition is good, it’s healthy and at a club like Man United it is vital to help keep pushing the team on.’
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Ben Chilwell says fellow ‘bomb squad’ outcast is the ‘most underrated player’ at Chelsea
Ben Chilwell believes a fellow member of Chelsea’s ‘bomb squad’ is the ‘most underrated player’ at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea have put a large number of players up for sale this summer after continuing their extraordinary activity in the transfer market by bringing in more than ten new signings.
The notorious ‘bomb squad’ includes the likes of Raheem Sterling, Romelu Lukaku, Kepa Arrizabalaga and Trevoh Chalobah, who Chilwell rates as the ‘most underrated player’ at the club.
Chalobah joined Chelsea at the age of eight and has made 80 appearances for the first-team.
The 25-year-old has featured heavily for the Blues over the past three seasons but has been deemed surplus to requirements by new Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca.
Chalobah was in fact one of the first members of the ‘bomb squad’ after being banished from training at the start of the month.
The likes of Crystal Palace, Tottenham and Bayern Munich have been linked with moves for Chalobah but Chilwell appears to believe it would be a mistake if Chelsea sold him.
Asked who he views as the most underrated player at Stamford Bridge, Chilwell told Fubo: ‘I personally just love watching Trev play.
‘I think he’s a brilliant athlete, he’s good on the ball, he’s Chelsea through and through.
‘I personally think Trev’s the most underrated player. He’s the one that comes to mind.’
After axing Chalobah from Chelsea’s pre-season tour of the United States, Maresca admitted it was a ‘sad decision’.
‘First of all, from my point of view, it’s always sad to leave players out,’ the former Leicester City boss said.
‘That can be out of a pre-season, or can be out of the squad or out of the first eleven because in the end they all work for the same target, that is to be part of the same team.
‘The Trevoh situation for me is quite clear, we have Axel [Disasi] there, we have Tosin [Adarabioyo] there, we have Wes [Fofana] who in these two weeks has worked very good and is finally back, we have some very young profiles like Josh Acheampong who is doing fantastic.
‘It’s a sad decision but we have to take the decision.’
Chilwell is also part of Chelsea’s ‘bomb squad’ but may still be at Stamford Bridge after Friday’s transfer deadline due to a lack of substantial interest.
Manchester United have been linked with a move for the England international but are not currently expected to approach Chelsea with an offer.
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Football Daily
Aaron Paul and Jobi McAnuff talk transfers, Blackpool and mascots with Curtis Davies.
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Tuesday, August 27, 2024
Manchester United star agrees transfer move to leave club legend Rio Ferdinand gutted
Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay has agreed terms over a move to Napoli, much to the frustration of Old Trafford legend Rio Ferdinand.
United accepted an offer from the Serie A side worth around £25m earlier this week but Napoli still had to agree terms with the player himself.
McTominay was believed to be keen to stay at the club he first joined at the age of six but United essentially forced his hand, putting him up for sale as the summer transfer deadline approached.
If he was forced out of Old Trafford, reports claimed McTominay would have preferred to remain in the Premier League, with Fulham making an offer for the Scotland international earlier in the summer and West Ham failing with a move last year.
But Manchester United chose to sell the 27-year-old to Napoli and he will now look to impress in Italy for a club who won the Serie A title two years ago.
United permitted McTominay to travel to Naples on Tuesday to undergo his medical and put pen to paper on his new contract.
The news will not be well received by all connected to Manchester United, with several fans valuing the academy graduate and club legend Ferdinand recently complaining about the deal.
Asked about McTominay’s sale, Ferdinand said on his YouTube channel: ‘I look at Scott McTominay and not every player can be a star, a standout player.
‘But to win the league you need the likes of John O’Shea, Wes Brown, Darren Fletcher… you need a Julian Alvarez at Man City.
‘They might not start every game but they were huge, you need those players and most of them know the DNA of the club, especially ones who have come through the academy, there’s a lot to be said for that.
‘It really doesn’t sit well with me. To replace him you’re going to have to spend £30m or £40m and give him £150,000 a week probably.
‘It’s not going to be cheap and it’s a gamble, you don’t know what you’re going to get, whereas with McTominay you know what you’re getting.
‘He might not always be a 9/10 but invariably he’s a solid 7/10 and sometimes he will be an 8/10 and get you a goal.’
McTominay made his Manchester United debut in 2017 under Jose Mourinho. He began to feature regularly the following season and amassed 255 appearances for the Red Devils, including more than 40 last term.
The Scottish midfielder will play under ex-Chelsea and Tottenham manager Antonio Conte at Napoli, who are currently tenth in Serie A after two games.
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Defender Cancelo leaves Man City for Saudi club Al-Hilal
Manchester City defender Joao Cancelo joins Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal in a £21.2m deal.
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Monday, August 26, 2024
Gary Lineker rates Arsenal star as ‘world-class’ after Aston Villa heroics
Gary Lineker believes Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya must now be viewed as ‘world-class’ following his heroics in the Premier League victory over Aston Villa.
Mikel Arteta’s side made it two wins from two on Saturday as second-half goals from Leandro Trossard and Thomas Partey helped down Unai Emery’s men at Villa Park.
With the scoreline still goalless, Raya produced a sensational save to deny Ollie Watkins after a deflected shot struck the bar.
Watkins’ miss proved costly as Arsenal soon took the lead through super sub Trossard before Partey put the game to bed with a strike that ex-Gunners goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez should have saved.
Raya, who completed a permanent move to Arsenal from Brentford over the summer, also made a crucial save in last weekend’s victory over Wolves.
Ex-England striker Lineker believes he now has ‘world-class’ status and praised Arteta for deciding to sign Raya despite the largely effective performances from former Arsenal No. 1 Aaron Ramsdale.
Ramsdale helped the Gunners challenge for the Premier League in 2022-23 but has hardly played in the league since then due to the arrival of Raya.
‘Mikel Arteta is clearly not frightened of making big decisions,’ Lineker said on The Rest is Football podcast.
‘This time last year we were questioning why he was bringing in David Raya but you have to say he looks one hell of a goalkeeper.
‘He made a sensational save last week and he did the same against Aston Villa. How quick did he get up from off the ground to keep out Ollie Watkins to make that save? It’s absolutely world-class.’
Ex-England defender Micah Richards agreed with Lineker’s assessment of Raya but said he ‘felt sorry’ for Ramsdale, who could leave Arsenal this week after slipping down Arteta’s pecking order.
Wolves and Southampton have expressed interest in signing Ramsdale before the summer transfer window shuts later this week.
‘It was world-class from Raya,’ Arsenal fan and former Manchester City star Richards said.
‘That was a very bold decision from Mikel Arteta [replacing Ramsdale with Raya] but it’s worked.
‘I feel sorry for Aaron Ramsdale because I don’t think he did anything particularly wrong but Arteta was just looking for those marginal gains.’
Arsenal, who have finished second two years in a row, continue their Premier League campaign next weekend against Brighton, who beat Manchester United last time out.
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Chelsea legend responds to being told to ‘shut his mouth’ by £32m striker Nicolas Jackson
Chelsea hero John Obi Mikel has responded to being told to ‘shut his mouth’ by current Stamford Bridge striker Nicolas Jackson.
Jackson took aim at Obi Mikel after scoring in Chelsea’s impressive 6-2 victory over Premier League rivals Wolves.
Obi Mikel, who won Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup trophies at Stamford Bridge, had criticised Jackson after the opening game of the season against Manchester City.
Speaking on beIN SPORTS after watching his former club fall to defeat to the Premier League champions, Obi Mikel said: ‘We’ve played OK, we haven’t played perfect, but we’ve played OK.
‘We created chances, we haven’t taken them. And [it’s] just an example of how Jackson finishes.
‘You can see there, even though he was offside, he dribble (past) one or two or three players and the way he shot the ball!
‘You need a striker who knows how to hit a ball back in the back of the net and that’s what we don’t have.
‘I know I talk so much about him and sometimes I sound like I disrespect him. I don’t disrespect him.
‘I think at Chelsea Football Club we need a top striker who can get us a goal. A bit like (Haaland), 91 goals (for City) that’s absolutely unbelievable.’
Jackson scored 17 goals in 44 appearances during his first season at Chelsea following a £32m move from La Liga club Villarreal.
The Senegal striker was clearly annoyed by Obi Mikel’s comments and took to social media after the Wolves win to make his feelings clear.
‘Shut your mouth,’ Jackson said, tagging Obi Mikel. ‘Don’t talk s***, we are killing ourselves for Africa.’
Obi Mikel has now responded to Jackson’s outburst, insisting he wants his compatriot to do well at Stamford Bridge but will always give his honest opinion on players.
‘I really like the guy as a football player. I like him. There’s something there as a football player,’ the 37-year-old said on The Obi One podcast.
‘I haven’t said that he’s a bad player at all. I’ve just said that his finishing qualities, it’s not there yet.
‘He’s a young boy and all I’ve said is that he needs a more experienced striker to come into the football club to help him, to help him improve, to help him get better.
‘We all can see the shift he puts in week in, week out. So for me, I would like to see my African brother like he said do well in the Premier League, come to Chelsea, a big club, a massive club where we’ve had one of the greatest strikers in Didier Drogba from Africa, Ivory Coast did really well.
‘I’d like to see him do well as well in the club. If he plays well I will praise him. If there is something to be said about him, where he needs to improve, I will definitely say it.
‘If he scores every week and tells me to shut up, I’ll take that. You know what I mean?’
Jackson will look to continue his goalscoring streak on Thursday when Chelsea face Servette in the Europa Conference League.
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Gaps to fill as Scotland prepare to name squad
Faced with so many absentees and uncertainties, Scotland head coach Steve Clarke's latest squad could be his least predicable yet.
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Sunday, August 25, 2024
Everton making too many mistakes - Dyche
Everton manager Sean Dyche says his players are making "too many mistakes" after their 4-0 defeat by Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League.
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Saturday, August 24, 2024
Saints 'nowhere near good enough' for Forest goal - Martin
Southampton boss Russell Martin says he is annoyed by the manner in which they conceded the only goal of the game to Nottingham Forest.
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Friday, August 23, 2024
Martin Keown tells Arsenal to avoid signing unwanted Chelsea star
Martin Keown has urged Arsenal not to try and sign Raheem Sterling, insisting the Chelsea outcast would not suit Mikel Arteta’s style of play.
Sterling’s Chelsea career appears all but over after he was left out of the Premier League opener against Manchester City and then banished from first-team training.
Maresca initially played down Sterling’s absence but confirmed earlier this week that the Englishman was not his preferred type of winger and admitted he should leave the club if he wants regular minutes.
Sterling is now believed to be seeking a permanent move away from Stamford Bridge but would prefer to stay in the Premier League.
Arsenal were tentatively linked with a move for Sterling 12 months ago, but Keown believes that the Gunners should pass up the opportunity to sign the 29-year-old now.
When asked if he would want Sterling at the Emirates, Keown told talkSPORT: ‘No, I don’t think I would [take him].
‘I do rate this guy as a very good player. But I think, when he played for Man City, he did his best work off the ball.
‘When you look what Pep did, it was all off-the-ball movement. When he has the ball, he does too much and he doesn’t get past his man.’
Pressed on who should be looking to sign Sterling, Keown responded: ‘[Aston] Villa might not be a bad fit for him. [Unai] Emery is very hands-on and knows exactly what he wants from a player. He might suit their style.’
Paul Scholes, meanwhile, suggested that Arsenal should give serious consideration to a late move for Sterling to provide them with an additional option off the bench.
‘I think he’d improve your [Arsenal’s] squad,’ the Manchester United legend said on The Overlap with Sky Bet. ‘I don’t think he’d improve the team, I don’t think he’d be a starter.
‘But then again I do think you need those numbers, you need 16 or 17 players. It’s ok having 12, 13, 14 that are good, and if they stay fit then great you’ve got a good chance, but you still have to go deeper into your squad.
‘And I think Sterling would be a good squad player for them.’
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Leicester sign Palace forward Ayew for £5m
Leicester sign Ghana forward Jordan Ayew on a two-year contract from Crystal Palace in a deal worth an initial £5m.
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Mikel Arteta teases bold new position for Arsenal star Jurrien Timber vs Aston Villa
Mikel Arteta hinted he is considering playing Jurrien Timber in a radical new position when Arsenal travel to take on Aston Villa on Saturday.
The former Ajax defender enjoyed a nightmare debut season in north London having suffered a cruciate knee ligament injury on the opening day of the Premier League season against Nottingham Forest.
Back fit, Timber came off the bench at the Emirates against Wolves on the opening day of the season but faces stiff competition if he is to force his way into the Gunners’ defensive line.
William Salbia and Gabriel Magalhaes have established a rock-solid partnership in central defence, while new summer signing Riccardo Calafiori offers a similar versatility to Timber, with the Italian able to play across the back line.
However, the 23-year-old could yet take his versatility to another level for Arsenal’s trip to Villa Park, with Arteta revealing he may deploy the Dutchman in central midfield.
When asked if Timber is capable of starting in midfield, the Spaniard responded: ‘Yeah he is. He can play in various positions. His versatility is one of his biggest strengths.
‘He played some quality minutes the other day. Having that capacity to find what the squad is needing in that minute is really valued.
‘Alex [Zinchencko] did as well, I think Alex was really good as well, especially in the first 60 minutes against Wolves.
‘Having the capacity in the squad to change things around and find other things that the team needs in that moment is something very valuable.’
Pressed if Timber was fit enough to play 90 minutes, Arteta responded: ‘He had a really good pre-season to a point, then we had to stop him because he had a little issue there and we didn’t feel like he was ready.
‘We have to build him up, we have to be cautious so I’m not sure.’
Arsenal lost on both occasions against Aston Villa last season and Arteta insisted the Gunners must be more clinical if they are to best Unai Emery’s side on this occasion.
‘In two games we had an enormous amount of chances to do that, and that was the big difference,’ he said.
‘There were other details for sure which we have analysed, and we will have to do better tomorrow because they are a really good side with a good coach.
‘They dominate every aspect of the game, when you give them space to run they are phenomenal, when there is no space and they have to find it they can do that. In any restarts or set-pieces, they are at it, and that’s why they did what they did.’
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Thursday, August 22, 2024
Leverkusen's Boniface resets after 'crazy' season
Nigeria striker Victor Boniface is eager to help Bayer Leverkusen reach new heights after going unbeaten to win a domestic double last season.
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Chelsea in talks with Premier League rivals over Raheem Sterling transfer
Aston Villa have opened talks with Chelsea over a deal to sign Raheem Sterling after the winger was told to leave Stamford Bridge.
Sterling’s time at Chelsea is coming to an end after a whirlwind few days with the player and club now working together to facilitate a quick exit before next week’s transfer deadline.
The former Liverpool and Manchester City star was left out of the squad for last week’s season opener, a decision which prompted a statement from the player’s camp demanding ‘clarity’ over his future.
Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca confirmed this week he had told Sterling he will struggle to get minutes this season, preferring ‘different kinds of wingers’ in his side.
Sterling is not interested in a move to Saudi Arabia while both Bayern Munich and Barcelona have ruled out moves for the 29-year-old.
Villa however are interested in keeping the England international in the Premier League, holding talks with the Blues on Thursday, according to The Times.
Unai Emery’s side are still hoping to bring in another attacking player having missed out on Joao Felix, who joined Chelsea on a permanent deal this week.
Both Chelsea and Sterling are keen on a permanent move over a loan but the situation is complicated by the fact he still has three years left on his contract – which is worth a substantial £325,000-per-week.
Chelsea and Villa have already done business this summer with Ian Maatsen leaving west London for the midlands with Omari Kellyman moving in the opposite direction.
Sterling, along with teammate Ben Chilwell, have almost certainly played their last game for the club with Maresca revealing this week he informed the winger of his decision before the City game.
‘They are Chelsea players. Until they are Chelsea players. But it’s possible to give them all minutes. Those who want minutes, they are better off to leave,’ Maresca said on Wednesday.
‘I try to be honest. I spoke with Raheem before the Man City game. I said he’s going to struggle to get minutes with us and this is the reason.
‘With Chilly, he is a lovely guy but he will struggle. If you define this as brutal, it’s up to you to decide. For me, it’s not brutal, it’s just honest.
‘I’m not saying Raheem is not a good player but I prefer different kinds of wingers and this is the reason why.
‘It’s not a comfortable situation. I know exactly the feeling but it’s good to know that if you stay you are going to struggle to get minutes.’
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Wednesday, August 21, 2024
Liverpool vs Brentford: Latest team news, predicted lineup and injuries
Arne Slot takes charge of his first Premier League game at Anfield as Liverpool take on Brentford this weekend.
The Reds secured a 2-0 win over Ipswich Town to get the new era up and running last Saturday with Mohamed Salah scoring and creating the other at Portland Road.
As was the case for that opening game, Slot has a fully fit squad to choose from although there could be a change at the back after Jarell Quansah was hauled off at half-time.
The 21-year-old was named alongside Virgil van Dijk in the starting XI but was hooked at the break with Ibrahima Konate brought onto replace him.
Slot explained post-match it was a tactical decision, feeling his side needed the Frenchman’s physicality having lost too many duels in the first period.
‘Not that Jarell [Quansah] lost every duel – many of us lost too many duels – but I think we needed Konate to win the long balls through the air from their number nine,’ the Liverpool boss explained.
Whether Konate or Quansah start will likely be his biggest decision ahead of the visit of Brentford – who also got off to a winning start thanks to a 2-1 win over Crystal Palace.
Diogo Jota is set to keep his place leading the attack after his goal against Ipswich, having been the manager’s first choice option throughout pre-season with Darwin Nunez likely having to wait for his opportunity.
Joe Gomez meanwhile was left out of the squad that travelled to Ipswich with the England international exploring his options amid transfer interest from Newcastle United, Aston Villa, Fulham and Chelsea.
Gomez could yet remain at Liverpool however with reports this week suggesting he will be in contention to return to the squad this weekend.
Predicted Liverpool XI to face Brentford
Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Konate, van Dijk, Robertson, Szoboszlai, Gravenberch, Mac Allister, Salah, Jota, Diaz
Where to watch Liverpool vs Brentford? Kick-off time and TV channel
Liverpool vs Brentford kicks off at 4:30pm on Sunday 25 August.
Live coverage is available on Sky Sports Premier League and Main Event.
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'Great chance for Larne to showcase NIFL on European stage'
Larne have a "great chance" of qualifying for the Uefa Conference League but their play-off against Lincoln Red Imps "won't be easy", says former Irish FA technical director Desi Curry.
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Aston Villa vs Arsenal: Latest team news, predicted lineup and injuries
Arsenal head to Aston Villa in an early test of their Premier League title credentials this weekend.
The Gunners eased to a 2-0 win over Wolves in their opening game of the new season last Saturday with Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka on target for the hosts.
Arsenal have a relatively clean bill of health ahead of their trip to Villa Park with Jurrien Timber returning to action on the opening weekend.
The Dutch defender missed Arsenal’s final two pre-season games but was introduced as a second-half substitute against Wolves.
Takehiro Tomiyasu is still a number of weeks away from his return having suffered a knee injury that ruled him out of Arsenal’s pre-season tour of the US. Kieran Tierney is also still out after his hamstring injury suffered at Euro 2024.
Fabio Vieira has been dealing with a hip injury but could return to the squad this weekend.
Mikel Arteta could name an unchanged XI for the meeting with Unai Emery’s side – although Leandro Trossard is an option to come in and replace Gabriel Martinelli on the left.
Summer signing Riccardo Calafiori is fit and available after remaining among the subs last Saturday and is an option to come in if the Gunners boss sees fit to make changes.
His regular centre-half partnership of William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães were among the five Arsenal stars named in the PFA Team of the Season this week alongside David Raya, Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard.
Arsenal are closing in on the signing of Mikel Merino from Real Sociedad but unless there are rapid developments in that deal over the next 24 hours, he will not arrive in time to play this weekend.
Predicted Arsenal XI to face Aston Villa
Raya, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko, Odegaard, Partey, Rice, Saka, Havertz, Martinelli
Where to watch Aston Villa vs Arsenal? Kick-off time and TV channel
Aston Villa vs Arsenal kicks off at 5:30pm on Saturday 24 August.
Live coverage is available on Sky Sports Premier League and Main Event.
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Tuesday, August 20, 2024
Real Sociedad issue new transfer demand to Arsenal over Mikel Merino deal
Real Sociedad are demanding a fee in excess of €40million (£35m) for Mikel Merino having rejected an initial offer from Arsenal.
The Gunners are eager to bring in the Spain international this summer to bolster their options in midfield and have had an initial offer of €25million (£21.4m) rejected by the La Liga side.
It was reported Real Sociedad were looking for a fee of around €35m to make the deal happen but Cadena Cope report they want more than €40m.
Merino is in the final year of his contract and the expectation is still that he will join Arsenal this summer. The midfielder’s representatives remain optimistic the deal will go through but he has also not ruled out the possibility of remaining in Spain for another year and seeing out the remainder of his contract.
Merino was left of the Real Sociedad squad for Sunday’s 2-1 defeat to Real Vallecano with head coach Imanol Alguacil confirming that decision was due to ongoing talks over the 28-year-old’s future.
‘Mikel Merino is not in the squad because I decided so,’ he told reporters on Saturday.
‘He was ready to help the team. We will see if he will be with us next week or not. There are open negotiations.’
Real Sociedad president Jokin Aperribay later warned his side would not be bullied into negotiating a fee that falls short of their valuation.
‘Merino was clear that he didn’t want to say he was renewing [his contract] and then leave. It wasn’t a surprise to us.
‘Unfortunately, one of the teams we didn’t want to show up showed up.
‘We will talk to Arsenal and defend the interests of La Real. When we consider that the offer is good, we will say yes.
‘We know what Merino’s wishes are, so we decided that he should not be called up [for the game against Rayo Vallecano on Sunday].’
While the Spanish side are holding firm, Cope report Merino’s future is expected to be resolved ‘in a matter of days’.
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Arsenal respond to Nottingham Forest’s £25,000,000 bid for Eddie Nketiah
Arsenal have reportedly rejected Nottingham Forest’s opening offer for Eddie Nketiah but talks are ongoing over a transfer.
Nketiah is expected to leave the Emirates this summer having come very close to joining Marseille in the last few weeks.
The striker had agreed personal terms with the Ligue 1 club but they failed to meet Arsenal’s valuation of the player.
A number of Premier League sides remain very interested in the one-time England international, who is open to a move in order to secure regular game time.
Bournemouth have pulled out of the race after signing Evanilson from Porto instead, but Forest, Crystal Palace and Everton are all still in the mix.
And Nuno Espirito Santo’s side are very much leading the race, with The Athletic reporting that Nketiah is their ‘priority’ as they look to sign a new No.9.
Forest have already made an opening offer worth £25million including add-ons but that has been rejected by the Gunners.
Negotiations between the clubs are ongoing, as are talks between Forest and Nketiah’s representatives.
It is said Arsenal want £30-£35m for their academy graduate who still has three years left on his contract.
Last season, Nketiah started just 10 Premier League games and only scored six goals in 37 appearances across all competitions, with the likes of Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus ahead in the pecking order.
He was an unused sub on Saturday as Arsenal kicked-off their season with a 2-0 win over Wolves, while Forest drew 1-1 with Bournemouth.
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Sunday, August 18, 2024
Marc Cucurella’s chant about Erling Haaland backfires just 18 minutes into Chelsea’s season
Marc Cucurella was made to eat his words after Erling Haaland netted early on against Chelsea to get Manchester City’s Premier League title defence off to the perfect start.
Hosts Chelsea got off to a promising start but City wrestled back the momentum and Enzo Maresca’s side were punished after some lacklustre defending in the 18th minute at Stamford Bridge.
Bernardo Silva picked up possession from Jeremy Doku and found Erling Haaland, who danced past Cucurella and dinked the ball over Robert Sanchez to break the deadlock.
The well-taken strike took the Norwegian’s extraordinary tally 91 goals in 100 games for City.
Shortly after the goal, a video – taken after Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph earlier in this summer – began circulating across social media showing Cucurella calling out Haaland.
‘Cucu, Cucurella, he eats paella, Cucu, Cucurella he drinks Estrella, Haaland you’d better tremble as Cucurella is coming,’ the Chelsea full-back was filmed singing during Spain’s celebrations in Madrid.
The left-back was also pictured belting out the chant in Spain’s hotel on the night of their win over the Three Lions in Berlin.
Cucurella’s day went from bad to worse as he was forced off with an injury in the 80th minute versus City. Summer signing Renato Veiga came on in the Spaniard’s place and was powerless as ex-Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic doubled the visitors’ lead at the death.
Chelsea fans could be heard chanting Conor Gallagher’s name following Haaland’s first-half goal, with the England midfielder left out of Maresca’s matchday squad in west London.
Atletico Madrid are pushing to sign Gallagher but the move has stalled and the England international has been training alone at Cobham in the build-up to Chelsea’s encounter with City.
The likes of Romelu Lukaku, Armando Broja, Ben Chilwell and Raheem Sterling also omited Chelsea’s 20-man group to take on Pep Guardiola’s City.
Lukaku and Broja are both expected to leave Chelsea before the transfer deadline, while Sterling had been expecting to make the squad against his former side.
As Chelsea’s team news filtered through, Sterling’s camp released a statement calling for ‘clarity’ over the forward’s situation.
‘He returned to England two weeks early to conduct individual training, and has had a positive pre-season under the new coach, who he has developed a good working relationship with.
‘He is committed, as ever, to delivering at the highest level for Chelsea FC and the fans, who he holds in high regard, and given his inclusion in official club pre-match material this week, our expectation was that Raheem would be involved in this weekend’s fixture in some capacity.
‘As a camp, we have always had positive dialogue with, and assurance from, Chelsea FC in relation to Raheem’s future at the club, so we look forward to gaining clarity on the situation.
‘Until then, we will continue to support Raheem’s desire to start the new season positively.’
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