Man City's future looks bright - and Shaw's role is key

Manchester City's domestic double is the start of what they hope will be a hugely successful period for the club - and Khadija Shaw is at the centre of it.

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Havertz fires Arsenal into early lead against PSG

Kai Havertz fires Arsenal into an early lead in the Champions League final against Paris St-Germain in Budapest.

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Podcast: Scotland head to World Cup in buoyant mood

Reaction to Scotland's send-off win at Hampden over Curacao.

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Atletico mock Barca's Alvarez move with joke Lamine Yamal bid

Atletico Madrid aim a tongue-in-cheek dig at La Liga rivals Barcelona on Friday over their "smear campaign" in pursuit of Argentine forward Julian Alvarez.

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Man Utd still planning serious move for £100m Man City target after Ederson transfer

United still hope they can convince him to choose Old Trafford (Picture: Getty)

Manchester United have not given up hope of signing Elliot Anderson ahead of their neighbours Manchester City this summer.

Anderson has been United’s top target for their midfield rebuild this summer, enhancing his reputation further this season with performances that will likely guarantee him a place in Thomas Tuchel’s England XI at the World Cup.

United’s hopes of bringing him to Old Trafford have been hampered by City’s interest.

City’s own engine room is in need of strengthening with Bernardo Silva moving on.

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Anderson is said to favour a move to the blue half of Manchester with the iPaper reporting a deal to sign him is ‘well advanced’ with Pep Guardiola’s departure doing little to disrupt proceedings.

However, the report adds United still intend to make a ‘serious play’ for the England star who is valued at over £100m by Forest.

With Casemiro set to leave Old Trafford when his contract expires this summer, United want to sign at least two new midfielders – possibly three if Manuel Ugarte also moves on.

Club legends Gary Neville, Rio Ferdinand and Paul Scholes have all named Anderson as the man who can be a long-term solution in the middle of the park.

Anderson is expected to leave Forest this summer (Picture: Getty)

‘I see too many crabs playing central midfield,’ Neville said. ‘You can’t have too many people who play five-yard passes back and sideways. You need to put players in there who are going to look forward and punch passes through the lines and have their head up.

‘Elliot Anderson can do that. He can take set pieces. So for me, he would be an outstanding candidate to come here.’

Ferdinand said last month: ‘Elliot Anderson, he seems to have jumped to the front of the queue. I think he’s a wonderful player.

Ederson has agreed a move to United (Picture: Getty)

‘I think Elliot Anderson is the right type not only of player but character, I thin he’d be a good addition to the squad.’

United are exploring other options however and are close to a deal to sign Ederson from Atalanta.

The 26-year-old Brazilian, left out of Carlo Ancelotti’s squad heading to the World Cup, has agreed personal terms over a £38million move that could be finalised by the end of the week.

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Arsenal's Timber fit to start Champions League final

Mikel Arteta says that Dutch defender Jurrien Timber is fit to start the Champions League final after more than two months out with a groin injury.

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Fan violence in football 'shrugged off', says police chief

Chief Constable Jo Farrell says clubs whose supporters cause trouble should face tougher sanctions.

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Ignore the critics – compelling characters and plot twists made this the best Premier League season yet

Arsenal outlasted their competition to win their first Premier League title in 22 years (Picture: Getty)

It’s been five days since the 2025-26 Premier League season ended and I’m already nostalgic for it.

Of course, the football world has already moved on – we have a Champions League final on Saturday, and anyway it’s all been preamble to the biggest, baddest, best-ever World Cup™.

But I think in a very short time we’ll be considering this season of top-flight football to have been one of the greats. It’s not a season of consistent quality that has set me alight – though Manchester City’s 2-1 win against Arsenal at the Etihad last month had me cooing. The thrillingly tight contest, the duels, the incisive passing and Rayan Cherki’s fittingly stunning opener; I melt.

People will complain about what we saw on the pitch, argue that Arsenal bitched and grappled their way to the title in an unbecoming manner. But they were the best team in England and they won it. It may have been a slog towards the end, but at times in their campaign they were irresistible.

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I loved 2025-26 because every club got to have their own, gripping narrative arc. There was, and I mean this literally, something for everyone. Tales of greatness – both sudden and long-planned – and of absolute, breathtaking incompetence.

There was a real title race, so nearly to the final day. And there was a relegation scrap that ran into the final minutes of Sunday afternoon, between two clubs whose financial might should make this impossible – but instead made it spectacular.

Bournemouth finished sixth and will play in Europe for the very first time. A club with a stadium capacity of 11,000, like Luton Town, they were bottom of League Two in 2009. Andoni Iraola’s approach to management should be being taught.

Arsenal won a title race that twisted and turned throughout the season (Picture: Getty)

Might Chelsea redistribute funds to a lesson? Four places below, with nothing meaningful to show for £1.5billion spent in four years of BlueCo ownership, the club’s coked-up uncle vibes have been largely amusing, unless they’re your team.

Aston Villa, meanwhile, built from their stint in the Championship to earn their Champions League place twice this season. Algorithm fans’ favourite club Brighton return to Europe for only the second time, earning Conference League football. Depending on how they manage their inflated match schedule, this is a tournament they could win. It’d be their first-ever major trophy. They should talk to Crystal Palace, who are making a habit of them.

Bournemouth were one of the surprise packages this season (Picture: Getty)

And how about Sunderland? After promotion from the Championship via the play-offs had started to look as though it was a one-season thing, the Black Cats put together a season almost without precedent. They qualified for Europe in seventh and, perhaps more importantly for their fans, finished above Newcastle.

The neat wrapping of narrative threads is so strong, it feels like the end of a very successful Netflix series. One a few seasons down the line, perhaps the sixth, beginning after Leicester won the league.

Manchester City is the troubled, brilliant lead embodied by their manager Pep Guardiola, the passionate hero who changes all around him, winning success beyond all others except season four’s Scottish daredevil Sir Alex.

Pep’s the headline but in case you missed the era-defining nature of his departure, John Stones and Bernardo Silva go too: the latter the perfect Pep player, the former the last remaining starter from his first City team.

The 115 charges must be the narrative thrust for season seven, episode one at least – and they might mean another character grabs the spotlight. Could it be Arsenal?

Title-winners they may be, but they’ve not been driving the plot. Their role is as a slightly evil Neville Longbottom. Hard-working, long the butt of the joke, they got fit in sixth form. Have they got main-character energy? Shooting begins in August.

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Spurs needed 'complete reset', says under fire CEO

In a wide-ranging exclusive interview with BBC Sport, Tottenham chief executive Vinai Venkatesham talks about a number of issues the club needs to address.

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Why Putellas to London City would be biggest signing in WSL history

Barcelona icon Alexia Putellas is moving on this summer, so BBC Sport investigates the impact of a potential switch to London City Lionesses.

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Norwich's Cordoba in Panama's World Cup squad

Norwich City defender Jose Cordoba is the only UK-based player in Panama's squad for the 2026 World Cup.

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Celtic chase winger Breum, Rangers want Windass return - gossip

Celtic linked with trio of targets, while Rangers want to bring back a familiar face...

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Why does Liverpool's new kit not match?

Liverpool's new kit caused plenty of discussion on social media and here's why the shirts and shorts deliberately do not match

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From amateurs to SWPL champions - how Olid transformed Hearts

Eva Olid led Hearts to the Scottish Women's Premier League title, but she departs now after a five-year transformation of the team.

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Barcelona thrash Lyon to win Champions League

Barcelona secure their fourth Champions League title in six seasons as Ewa Pajor and Salma Paralluelo each score twice to thrash Lyon in the final in Oslo.

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Celtic see off second-tier Dunfermline to win Scottish Cup

Watch highlights as Celtic beat Dunfermline Athletic 3-1 at Hampden to win the Scottish Cup.

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The Wayne Rooney Show

Wayne Rooney on how Tuchel got Maguire, Foden and palmer decisions WRONG.

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Football Daily

John Murray, Ian Dennis & Sami Mokbel react to Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad.

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Chelsea trio to miss out on England World Cup squad as Thomas Tuchel’s picks emerge

Cole Palmer and Levi Colwill (Picture: Getty)

Chelsea trio Cole Palmer, Trevor Chalobah and Levi Colwill appear set to miss out on Thomas Tuchel’s 26-man England squad for the World Cup, according to reports.

Palmer has had his least productive season since joining Chelsea from Manchester City in 2023, scoring just nine Premier League goals.

Those numbers are in part down to persistent injuries, which have seen the 24-year-old miss large swathes of the campaign.

But Palmer has also not scored in his large 12 matches in all competitions towards the end of this season, and that form appears to have cost him a spot in Tuchel’s England squad, which is due to be announced on Friday.

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According to widespread reports, Palmer’s teammates Levi Colwill and Trevor Chalobah will also not be handed a call-up to the squad as potential cover at centre-backs.

Chalobah was given his England debut by Tuchel against Senegal last year and has featured heavily this season for the Blues.

Colwill, meanwhile, has only just returned to first-team action in recent weeks, having picked up an ACL injury during pre-season.

Trevoh Chalobah is also expected to miss out (Picture: Getty)

With Chalobah and Colwill set to miss out, Dan Burn and John Stones look poised to get spots alongside Marc Guehi and Ezri Konsa as England’s centre-back options.

Reece James could, therefore, be the sole Chelsea representative in the England squad if he is picked at right-back.

Elsewhere, Phil Foden is expected to be another casualty in forward areas after a below-par season with Manchester City.

In midfield, Adam Wharton is also not expected to be named in Tuchel’s squad, with Kobbie Mainoo set to be included instead.

Earlier on Thursday, Harry Maguire confirmed that he won’t be in England’s squad despite his impressive form with Manchester United following the arrival of Michal Carrick.

Posting on Instagram, the 33-year-old said: ‘I was confident I could have played a major part this summer for my country after the season I’ve had.

‘I’ve been left shocked and gutted by the decision. I wish the players all the best.’

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'Underdogs bite' - Dunfermline boss Lennon gives Celtic cup final warning

Neil Lennon warns former club Celtic that "underdogs bite" as his Dunfermline Athletic side aim to cause a Scottish Cup shock in Saturday's final.

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Southampton's Eckert authorised spying, panel says

Southampton's spying was authorised by head coach Tonda Eckert and was a "contrived and determined plan from the top down to gain a competitive advantage", an independent disciplinary panel says.

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Casemiro close to agreement with next club after Manchester United

America looks like Casemiro’s most likely next destination (Picture: Getty Images)

Casemiro wants to join Inter Miami when he departs Manchester United, but there is a stumbling block in front of any deal.

The Brazilian midfielder is leaving Old Trafford when his contract comes to an end this summer.

The 34-year-old has become a popular figure with the Manchester United faithful, racking up 160 appearances and scoring 26 goals in his four seasons with the club.

After impressive performances this season many fans would like to see him stay, but his contract is coming to an end and he confirmed in January that he would be leaving.

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While he has been a key player under Michael Carrick, Manchester United will not be unhappy to chop Casemiro’s wages from their books, with the Brazilian reportedly earning around £350,000-a-week.

The former Real Madrid man is still playing at a very high standard in Europe and is in the Brazil squad for the World Cup this summer, but it appears that Major League Soccer will be his next destination.

The Athletic report that the midfield general wants to move to Inter Miami, the David Beckham-owned club which boasts Lionel Messi as its star player.

Casemiro wants to join Lionel Messi and David Beckham at Inter Miami (Picture: Getty Images)

The report states that the glamorous MLS outfit is ‘closing in’ on an agreement for Casemiro, but there is an issue due to interest from another American side.

In MLS there is the unusual custom of a Discovery List, with clubs naming five non-MLS players they want to sign, putting them at the front of the list to negotiate a move.

The first club to put a player on their Discovery List has their Discovery Rights and LA Galaxy have beaten Inter Miami to the punch when it comes to Casemiro.

Casemiro will play his final game for Manchester United on Sunday (Picture: Getty Images)

LA Galaxy have reportedly already made multiple contract offers to Casemiro, but his eyes are fixed on Miami.

Clubs have previously paid their rivals for the Discovery Rights in order to get the player they are after, so it is not a problem Inter Miami can’t solve.

They have all the designated players they are allowed, meaning any new signing would have to be on a salary at a tiny fraction of the one Casemiro was earning at Old Trafford, at under $2m (£1.48m), unless one of Messi, Rodrigo De Paul or German Berterame leaves.

Lionel Messi has scored 90 goals in 103 games for Inter Miami (Picture: Getty Images)

It seems that Inter Miami will find a way round these issues, as Casemiro prepares to leave Manchester United behind, where he has developed a great affinity with the fans.

‘It’s incredible, just incredible,’ Casemiro told United We Stand of the Old Trafford support. ‘My son (five-year-old Caio) is a Manchester United fan. He knows the songs and sings them at home. When the team loses, he cries.

‘Our box is right on top of where the noisy United fans are. They feel this spirit.

‘The most important thing about this club are the fans. Many times, we lose a game but in the next game they support us more. For me, that’s incredible. I’ve never experienced that in my career.’

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