Tivoli Gardens defeated Highgate United 3-1 in Premier League. The fixture is part of the Regular Season - 6 stage in the 2012 season. The full-time result capped a Tivoli Gardens vs Highgate United meeting in Premier League with detailed post-match statistics available on Sportra. This match centre covers lineups, live events, player ratings, team statistics, xG, head-to-head history, and related news for Tivoli Gardens and Highgate United. On Sportra you can view xG, lineups, match statistics, events, player ratings, predictions, head-to-head history, and related news for this fixture.
Premier League
Highgate UnitedRecorded meetings: 3 (available previous meetings, not necessarily all-time).
Tivoli Gardens defeated Highgate United 3-1 in Premier League. The fixture is part of the Regular Season - 6 stage in the 2012 season. The full-time result capped a Tivoli Gardens vs Highgate United meeting in Premier League with detailed post-match statistics available on Sportra. This match centre covers lineups, live events, player ratings, team statistics, xG, head-to-head history, and related news for Tivoli Gardens and Highgate United. On Sportra you can view xG, lineups, match statistics, events, player ratings, predictions, head-to-head history, and related news for this fixture.
Premier LeagueHighgate UnitedRecorded meetings: 3 (available previous meetings, not necessarily all-time).
Former Coventry City striker Max Biamou says the Premier League will "be tough" for the Sky Blues but he is confident that they can avoid relegation. Biamou, who scored 33 goals in 116 appearances for Coventry between 2017 and 2021, regularly returns to watch his former club and was at Saturday's friendly against Espanyol.
In a mailbag edition of his newsletter, Jonathan Wilson answers questions about Michael Carrick, VAR and the Premier League’s new teamsSign up for our free newsletter hereManchester United finally seem to have something that resembles stability in the dressing room under Michael Carrick. I feel with quality signings in defence and midfield, they could mount a decent challenge for the Premier League next season. How do you feel they will fare? – Sterling.There’s an odd sense that Michael Carrick’s level of achievement last season was at precisely the most awkward level for the board. United didn’t produce indisputably brilliant football under him but equally 12 wins and three draws in 17 games was good enough that they pretty much had to give him the job. But it’s one thing to turn out those kinds of results when the pressure’s off, you’re already out of both cup competitions and you don’t have any European football; it’s quite another to do it in the heat of a full season. United don’t have to have an especially amazing season to play 15 more games this season than they did in 2025-26.This is an extract from Soccer Desk, a newsletter from the Guardian US. Subscribe for free here. Continue reading...
Jayden Bogle doesn’t expect a calm affair when Leeds play Manchester United (Picture: Getty Images) Manchester United face Leeds at Croke Park on Wednesday and the Red Devils have been told that it will not be the friendliest friendly. The rivalry between the two clubs goes back decades and has been one of the most heated in English football. On the field it has been one-sided in Manchester United’s favour for a long time, but Leeds did pick up a memorable win at Old Trafford last season. After a 1-1 draw at Elland Road in January, Leeds won the reverse fixture 2-1 in April, with Noah Okafor scoring both goals for the Yorkshire side. Get the latest transfer news every morning Sign up to our daily football newsletter for personalised updates on who your team is trying to sign and who won't be around next season. Jayden Bogle started in that victory for Leeds and he is looking forward to a very competitive pre-season contest in Dublin this week. Asked if anyone can truly call this fixture a friendly, he told LUTV: ‘No, you can’t. ‘Even though it is pre-season, it is not going to be a friendly. We will recover now and then prepare for that one next.’ Leeds have won friendlies this summer against RB Leipzig, Liverpool and Sunderland (Picture: Getty Images) Red Devils boss Michael Carrick was not looking to spice things up so much, just saying he is looking forward to a trip to Ireland. It has been a typically globe-trotting pre-season for United, having played inHelsinki, Trondheim, Solna and Goteborg already this summer and with fixtures in Ireland and Wroclaw in Poland, against AC Milan, to come. ‘I’m looking forward to it,’ Carrick said of the Ireland trip. ‘It’s been, a little bit, different chapters through pre-season and we’ll get everybody together, when we get to Dublin over the next couple of days. ‘It’ll be great, two more games this week and, again, I’m looking forward to seeing the group develop.’ Man Utd drew with PSG on Saturday (Picture: Getty Images) The Red Devils’ last two friendlies have been encouraging, with a win over Atletico Madrid and a 1-1 draw against European champions PSG. Marcus Rashford has joined up with the rest of the Manchester United squad in Ireland, as his reintegration at the club continues. The England winger has been handed a new squad number – 14 – and could feature against Leeds on Wednesday. Marcus Rashford is back after a season on loan at Barcelona (Picture: Getty Images) Michael Carrick has already confirmed that Rashford will be part of the squad for their final two pre-season friendlies, saying: ‘We have a full squad next week in Dublin. ‘We fly straight there and meet Leeds on Wednesday. We have a few days in Dublin where we have the whole squad, including Marcus, Kobbie [Mainoo] and Lisandro [Martinez]. ‘I’ve played with him [Rashford]. I played in the game he made his debut, so we have a history.’ Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source
Joaquin Seys is catching the eye of a lot of big clubs (Picture: Getty Images) Arsenal and Manchester United are among the many admirers of Club Brugge left-back Joaquin Seys and they now know how much he will cost. The 21-year-old has become a regular for his club side, already racking up 97 first team appearances in all competitions. 23 of those games have come in the Champions League, so he has been competing at the elite level, also picking up six caps for Belgium and playing at the World Cup this summer. There is little surprise that big clubs have come calling and the Red Devils and Gunners are not the only ones who have taken note. Get the latest transfer news every morning Sign up to our daily football newsletter for personalised updates on who your team is trying to sign and who won't be around next season. The Sun report that Newcastle United and Aston Villa have also been tracking his progress, while Porto and Benfica have also been touted as interested parties. The pull of Manchester United and Arsenal might give them a head start in the race for the full-back’s signature and they are both believed to have made enquiries over his availability. Club Brugge are realistic that they are unlikely to keep hold of the defender amid such heavyweight interest and have set an asking price of €35million (£30m) for him. Seys has won six caps for Belgium at just 21 years old (Picture: Getty Images) That price is not going to put off the Premier League sides, but it is yet to be seen whether any will choose to make the move. Seys has shown great promise, but stepping up to competing for clubs challenging for the Premier League title will be a huge test. Both Manchester United and Arsenal have other options at left-back, so it would be unlikely that the Belgian would be thrown straight in as first choice, but would be brought in to compete for a place in the starting XI. Seys faced the test of Lamine Yamal at the World Cup (Picture: Getty Images) Aston Villa are looking for a new left-back after Lucas Digne departed for Paris Saint-Germain in an £8.5m deal. They have Ian Maatsen in that position, but will want to replace Digne as they prepare for a return to Champions League action after winning the Europa League last season. A statement from the Villains on Digne’s exit read: ‘A consummate professional, who was highly regarded by his fellow players and staff alike, Lucas leaves Aston Villa with the very best wishes of everyone at the football club.’ Seys is under contract at Club Brugge until 2029, so they are under little pressure to sell the player who doesn’t turn 22 until March next year. Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source
Ashley Young is ‘gutted’ Danny Welbeck didn’t rejoin Manchester United (Picture: Sky Sports) Ashley Young says he is ‘gutted’ Danny Welbeck made a transfer move to Chelsea rather than former club Manchester United this summer. Chelsea have moved away from their purely youth-led transfer policy to add some much-needed experience to their dressing room ahead of Xabi Alonso’s debut season at the helm. After beating Arsenal to a £117million deal for Morgan Rogers, the Blues turned their attentions to Welbeck, a move that took many fans by surprise given the forward is set to turn 36 in November. Welbeck would go on to leave Brighton for Chelsea for a fee in the region of £5million, with the veteran attacker putting pen to paper on a two-year deal in west London. Get the latest transfer news every morning Sign up to our daily football newsletter for personalised updates on who your team is trying to sign and who won't be around next season. Just two days later, it was announced that 36-year-old Jordan Henderson had decided to terminate his contract at Brentford to follow Welbeck through the doors at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea supporters got a first glimpse of Welbeck in their colours last week as the ex-England international was given a 45-minute run-out in the side’s pre-season clash with Juventus. Young, who played alongside Welbeck for four years at Manchester United, has been impressed by Chelsea’s transfer business and is confident his old team-mate can make a big impact both on and off the pitch. Welbeck has put pen to paper on a two-year deal at Stamford Bridge (Picture: Getty) The veteran forward made his unofficial Chelsea debut against Juventus (Picture: Getty) ‘Chelsea have made some good signings and they need some experience in that squad,’ Young told talkSPORT. ‘He’s a really good friend of mine, Welbs is. ‘I’ve been speaking to him the last couple of weeks.’ Welbeck should have been in England’s World Cup squad, says Young (Picture: Getty) Asked if Welbeck is excited for the season ahead at Chelsea, Young replied: ‘Yeah, of course he is. He’s delighted to be signing for Chelsea, especially at this stage of his career. ‘He’s proved himself time and time again. ‘Could he have been on the plane going to the World Cup? For me, I’m probably being biased in saying he should have, but he wasn’t. ‘He’s been fantastic and I’m gutted he hasn’t gone back to United, to be honest.’ {"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Xabi Alonso says Chelsea are 'thrilled' to have Mykhailo Mudryk back with the squad","contentUrl":"https:\/\/videos.metro.co.uk\/video\/met\/2026\/08\/04\/3201686063122201576\/480x270_MP4_3201686063122201576.mp4","description":"Chelsea's new head coach Xabi Alonso says he wants to 'fight for important things' this season. This comes as he spoke to the media ahead of a friendly against Juventus in Hong Kong.","duration":"T4M44S","height":270,"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/i.dailymail.com\/1s\/2026\/08\/04\/18\/110436895-0-image-m-12_1785863746233.jpg","uploadDate":"2026-08-04T18:15:03+0100","width":480} To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Up Next Previous Page Next Page window.addEventListener('metroVideo:relatedVideosCarouselLoaded', function(data) { if (typeof(data.detail) === 'undefined' || typeof(data.detail.carousel) === 'undefined' || typeof(data.detail.carousel.el_) === 'undefined') { return; } var player = data.detail.carousel.el_; var container = player.closest('.metro-video-player'); var placeholder = container.querySelector('.metro-video-player__up-next-placeholder'); if (placeholder) { container.removeChild(placeholder); container.classList.add('metro-video-player--related-videos-loaded'); } }); Earlier this month, Old Trafford great Gary Neville – another of Welbeck’s former team-mates – criticised United for allowing the striker to leave for Arsenal back in 2014. According to Neville, the 2012/13 Premier Leag
Could Michael Carrick pull off a major transfer coup for Man Utd (Photo: Getty) Manchester United have been told to consider signing Real Madrid striker Endrick, with the Brazil wonderkid looking to join a Premier League club. Real paid Palmeiras £50million to sign Endrick when he was just 16 and since then, the hype around the young forward has been immeasurable. But while tipped to be the future talisman of both Los Blancos and the Brazil national team, the now 20-year-old has struggled to make an impact at Madrid, with Kylian Mbappe firmly ahead in the pecking order. Endrick spent the second-half of last season on loan at Lyon and it has been reported that the player will seek another temporary transfer if he is not guaranteed regular minutes by Jose Mourinho. Get the latest transfer news every morning Sign up to our daily football newsletter for personalised updates on who your team is trying to sign and who won't be around next season. Spanish outlet AS has claimed that Roma and Aston Villa have expressed interest in signing the striker, with the latter looking to replace Morgan Rogers following his record £117m transfer to Chelsea. It would present a major coup for Unai Emery’s side, but MLS icon turned pundit Ale Moreno thinks that Endrick would be a great fit at Old Trafford. ‘I really do think that Real Madrid could use Endrick this season. So, if I were Endrick, I actually would consider staying at Real Madrid,’ the former Venezuela international told ESPN. Endrick has struggled for first-team football at Real Madrid (Photo: Getty) ‘But if the question is about where he would go, where he should go, where he may end up… we’ve talked a lot about Manchester United. The more you think about it, the more it makes sense to have a player with a profile of Endrick. ‘He is different than anything else they have in the attack in a central position. So, I’m thinking that perhaps that could be a place that could think about Enrick as a possibility. ‘I would stay at Real Madrid if I were him but I’m looking at it from the perspective as to what team near the top of the Premier League could use a player like Endrick.’ Endrick recorded 16 goal contributions in 21 games for Lyon last season (Photo: Getty) Aside from Benjamin Sesko, United don’t have another natural No.9 in their squad, though Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and the returning Marcus Rashford can all play centre-forward. It is said that Endrick’s preference is to play Champions League football, something United, Villa and Roma can offer, with Moreno adding: ‘It wouldn’t feel like such a demotion [joining United from Real] if you will. ‘And after the season he had last year being out on loan and how well he did he must be thinking, “Alright, let’s keep it going. Is that going to happen at Real Madrid? Well, probably not. Let me go somewhere else that I can do that”. Unai Emery’s Aston Villa are interested in signing the Brazil wonderkid (Photo: Getty) ‘I don’t know where that place can be. I’m just thinking that Manchester United could use a player like Endrick.’ On the contrast, Steve Nicol believes Endrick, who recorded eight goals and eight assists in just 21 appearances for Lyon, must join a club where it is certain he will start week-in, week-out. ‘I was thinking more along the lines of a Fulham where he’s 100 per cent going to play,’ the former Liverpool defender said. ‘Fulham are going to play attacking football. They’re not going to win all the time [but] they’re going to win a fair share, they’re going to create chances. ‘Somebody like Endrick has to go somewhere where he’s going to play all the time, otherwise what’s the point of moving away from Real Madrid?’ For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source
Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs (Picture: Getty) Ryan Giggs ‘tried to persuade’ England World Cup star Elliot Anderson to join Manchester United before his £116m move to Manchester City. Anderson signed a five-year deal at the Etihad Stadium last month after Man City briefly made him the most expensive British player in history. Manchester United were interested in beating their local rivals to a deal but pulled out of the race once Nottingham Forest’s demands went above £100m. Anderson became arguably Forest’s most important player following his £35m move from Newcastle United, helping the club finish seventh in the Premier League and qualify for Europe. Get the latest transfer news every morning Sign up to our daily football newsletter for personalised updates on who your team is trying to sign and who won't be around next season. The 23-year-old was an integral member of Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad, featuring in all of England’s games as they reached the semi-finals before a heartbreaking defeat to Argentina. Ex-Manchester United defender Phil Bardsley has revealed he and club legend Giggs bumped into Anderson earlier in the summer and tried to ‘persuade’ him to move to Old Trafford. After pulling out of the race to sign Anderson, Michael Carrick welcomed two new midfielders to Manchester – bringing in Andrey Santos from Chelsea and Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa. England World Cup star Elliot Anderson (Picture: Getty) ‘Signing Youri Tielemans for £35m is a great bit of business,’ Bardsley told Casinolyze. ‘I think Manchester City and Tottenham certainly overpaid for Elliot Anderson and Sandro Tonali. ‘I knew it was getting to a stage with Elliot Anderson where he’d be £100m plus and I just didn’t feel comfortable about going to that sort of price for him as a player. ‘Listen, he’s outstanding. I really like him. I was in Portugal earlier in the summer playing golf with Ryan Giggs and we saw Anderson on the golf course and had a chat with him to try and persuade him to join United. https://www.instagram.com/p/DbJFR9ajQwN/?hl=en&img_index=1 ‘He was still unsure what he wanted to do but north of £100m for a defensive midfielder like him? If I’m spending that money, I want a player who will add 30-40 goals to my team a season. ‘That’s what I’m looking for at that fee. That’s value for money. Compare that sum to what United have paid for Tielemans and it’s a steal. ‘He’s a proven Premier League player, he’s captain of Belgium, he can deliver and he’s won trophies. He won the Europa League with Aston Villa last season. Manchester United summer signing Youri Tielemans (Picture: Getty) ‘He brings an element of calm and real class on the ball too but he’s also not afraid to get stuck into the ugly side of the game too so I think he’s a really good signing, even leaving aside the price but I’ve been really impressed with the deal.’ Manchester City have been the dominant team in English football over the past decade but said goodbye to legendary manager Pep Guardiola at the end of last season, with ex-Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca taking over at the Etihad Stadium. Following his huge move to Man City, Anderson said: ‘As soon as I knew [City] wanted me, I was absolutely determined to make this move happen. ‘You want to test yourself at the highest level. Being at City means I have that opportunity. ‘As soon as I arrive in Manchester after a break, I will be doing everything I can to establish myself in the City team. ‘They’re winners, they’re relentless, and that’s the sort of team I want to be a part of – champions and people who win trophies. Over the last 10, 12 years, they’ve dominated, so that’s why I wanted to join.’ Man City face Arsenal in the Community Shield next weekend before their Premier League opener at home to Bournemouth. For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add a
Liverpool have taken a major step forward in their pursuit of Bradley Barcola, with the Paris Saint-Germain winger now giving the Reds the green light over personal terms. That removes one of the biggest potential obstacles in what could become one of the most expensive transfers of the summer. Want more CaughtOffside coverage? Add us […] The post Romano drops Barcola bombshell and issues update on what Liverpool need to do next appeared first on CaughtOffside.
Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris says recruitment this summer preparing for a Europa League campaign is "much harder" than it was before last season's Premier League return. Defender Thomas Meunier is the only player to arrive on a permanent deal to the Black Cats so far this window, on a free transfer after his departure from Lille. The transfer window is still unpredictable but we are working behind the scenes to strengthen the squad.
Inter Milan could sacrifice Davide Frattesi before the transfer deadline as Cristian Chivu continues pushing for Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones. The Serie A champions have identified Jones as a priority addition, but completing the deal appears closely connected to creating both financial and squad space. Want more CaughtOffside coverage? Add us as a preferred source […] The post Club ready to sell midfielder in order to make place for Liverpool star Curtis Jones appeared first on CaughtOffside.
Mikel Arteta is keen to bolster his Arsenal squad further (Picture: Getty) Arsenal have been backed to hijack Liverpool’s move for PSG winger Bradley Barcola after completing a £75m deal for Bruno Guimaraes. Brazilian midfielder Guimaraes was unveiled to Arsenal fans at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday following his move from Newcastle United. Guimaraes became Mikel Arteta’s third signing of the summer following Greek winger Christos Tzolis and French goalkeeper Illan Meslier. Arsenal were also hoping to welcome Vinicius Junior to north London in one of the biggest transfers in Premier League history but the Brazil icon ended up signing a new contract with Real Madrid. Get the latest transfer news every morning Sign up to our daily football newsletter for personalised updates on who your team is trying to sign and who won't be around next season. Arteta remains interested in signing another winger, however, and have been linked with Juventus’ Kenan Yildiz and Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford since missing out on Vinicius. PSG and France forward Barcola is another possible transfer option and former Arsenal striker Perry Groves has given the Gunners real hope of beating Liverpool to a stunning deal. Liverpool have identified Barcola, 23, as their top target this summer and are reportedly ready to pay £100m for the Frenchman, although PSG are holding out for an offer closer to £150m. PSG and France superstar Bradley Barcola (Picture: Getty) Barcola, who has won two Champions League titles at PSG, is expected to leave the Ligue 1 champions after stalling over signing a new contract. Liverpool were thought to be leading the race to secure Barcola’s signature but Groves says he has been told that the winger would rather move to London. Asked whether Barcola would be better suited to Arsenal or Liverpool, Groves told talkSPORT: ‘I’ve got no dog in the fight, but I would say the Gooners because Liverpool are a team that are in transition. New Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola (Picture: Getty) ‘Andoni Iraola going in there, imposing his own philosophy, his own style with all the new signings coming in. ‘If you were Barcola and you thought, what out of those two sides have got the most chance of winning the Premier League or Champions League, at the moment you’d say it was Arsenal. ‘So it’s whether Arsenal want to go in, if they go in for him, then there would have been advances being made to his people. https://www.instagram.com/p/Db0h7JeEszv/ ‘Because they don’t want to be seen losing out on Vinicius Junior being played like a little kitten with a ball of wool, but Arsenal have to be in for those sorts of players. That’s the level Arsenal are at now.’ Groves, who won two league titles at Arsenal, added: ‘I’ve got a source that says he [Barcola] wants to live in London. ‘I can’t tell you (who), I can’t divulge my sources. I’ve got a source. I’ve got a mole. Barcola wants to live in London.’ Former Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Frimpong wants Arteta to turn his attentions to Barcola after wrapping up a deal for Guimaraes. Arsenal tried to sign Vinicius Junior from Real Madrid (Picture: Getty) ‘Mikel [Arteta] and the boys have finally got it over the line, which I’m very happy about,’ he told Ladbrokes. ‘But they shouldn’t just win it once and be satisfied with that. ‘They have to keep on winning it now and dominate just like how Man United and Man City have in the past. ‘We’ve got the players, we’ve got a deep squad and hopefully this summer, the board are going to strengthen further, because I still think we need a couple of wingers and a proper number eight. ‘I feel like Declan Rice is playing in a position which isn’t natural to him, so we need a proper number eight alongside him. ‘For me, when it comes to realistic signings this summer, with those positions in mind, I feel like Bruno Guimaraes is someone I’d love to see at Arsenal. ‘And also Bradley Barcola… I think he would be very good for Arsenal. Barcola and Bruno Guimaraes would
Michael Carrick during Manchester United’s pre-season camp (Picture: Getty) Manchester United have been told they have already secured one of the signings of the summer ahead of the new Premier League season. Michael Carrick has welcomed Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans and Karl Karl Darlow to his first-team squad at Old Trafford this summer. Tynan Thompson, Kit Margetson and Cristian Orozco have also arrived at Manchester United but will join the club’s academy. United made Brazilian midfielder Santos their first signing of the summer in a £48m move from big-spending Chelsea. Get the latest transfer news every morning Sign up to our daily football newsletter for personalised updates on who your team is trying to sign and who won't be around next season. The Red Devils raided another Premier League rival in Aston Villa to sign Belgium international Tielemans for £35m. Hundreds of millions has already been spent on midfield reinforcements this summer, with the likes of Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali, Elliot Anderson and Mateus Fernandes all sealing lucrative moves. John Obi Mikel rates Manchester United’s deal for Tielemans as the pick of the bunch, however, describing the signing as a ‘f****** steal’. Man Utd summer signing Youri Tielemans (Picture: Getty) ‘For me, it’s Youri Tielemans,’ the Chelsea legend said on The Obi One podcast when asked for his take on the most impressive midfield signing of the summer. ‘Honestly, how the f*** did Manchester United get him for £35m? That’s a f****** steal. I watched him before and during the World Cup, and you can see that this is a player. ‘Obviously, we all know how Tielemans plays, he can play as a six, an eight or a ten and when you have a player that can play anywhere, it gives you the variety to change the way you want to play. Tielemans is that guy. Tielemans during Man Utd pre-season (Picture: Getty) ‘He scores goals, he’s dangerous from set pieces, he’s brilliant on the ball, and he rarely gives it away. The only thing people can say is that he’s not the quickest, but he reads the game so well. ‘He is very intelligent with and without the ball. When I look at all the midfielders that have transferred to different clubs [this summer], the best one is Tielemans.’ Former Tottenham defender Toby Alderweireld has also praised Manchester United’s move for Tielemans. https://www.instagram.com/p/Dbdvh2TAoys/?hl=en ‘The problem with modern football is that sometimes we look too much at stats like assists and goals,’ he told Hajper. ‘Of course, Youri Tielemans creates assists and scores goals, and can shoot from outside the box and score free kicks, but he is so much more than that. ‘Tielemans is a link up player, and you have to watch him to understand why he is so important to his teams, not just look at his stats, because he is always trying to play the ball forward. Former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel (Picture: Getty) ‘You have some midfield players who have a pass success rate of 98% but they are always playing the ball backwards. Tielemans is a guy who turns, opens up and plays the ball between the lines, and that’s very important for a club like Manchester United who need to break other teams down. ‘Even when he’s playing in a deep role, he’s playing it in an attacking way. He’s thinking about going forwards, always. ‘Sometimes he will lose the ball but that’s what happens when you take some risks in games to make things happen, and I think that’s something United need, and he has the mentality to be brave and positive under the big pressure of the shirt. ‘He will put in ultra big effort and say to his team mates, give me the ball and let me change the game for you. He will take the responsibility to take Manchester United forward.’ Carrick is still interested in bringing a third new midfielder to Old Trafford this summer before the transfer window shuts. United drew 1-1 with European champions PSG in a pre-season friendly on Saturday night. Manchester United have two more tun
While addressing why he decided to step back from Italy's sporting director role after the president blocked Andrea Pirlo's signing, Paolo Maldini revealed that the money wasn't the reason why Pep Guardiola rejected the coach offer. Paolo Maldini was the central figure behind Italy‘s attempt to hire Pep Guardiola as the next manager of the Azzurri, though the Spanish tactician ultimately passed on the opportunity. While opening up about his departure from the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), the legendary defender explained why Guardiola chose not to take charge of the national team. In his former role as Italy‘s sporting director, Maldini was tasked by federation president Giovanni Malago with spearheading the search for a new head coach. While Carlo Ancelotti reaffirmed his commitment to Brazil, Guardiola, who had recently departed Manchester City, emerged as a viable candidate, leading to promising initial discussions. In an interview with Corriere della Sera, Maldini reflected on how negotiations with Guardiola unfolded: “He is the manager who most embodies technical, attacking play. Through a few mutual friends, he had expressed an interest in managing a national team. We went to visit him in Barcelona, had lunch together, and talked for an entire day. He was very tempted. He came very close to accepting. He even started writing line-ups down on paper.“ Maldini and technical advisor Leonardo traveled to Barcelona for face-to-face talks with Guardiola, who had recently stepped down after a decade at Manchester City. Although reports suggested Guardiola demanded a €20 million annual salary (roughly $22 million USD), Maldini clarified that money was never a barrier. “Financial terms were never an obstacle. Pep made it clear: give me one euro less than the previous manager, and I am satisfied,” Maldini revealed. Mikel Arteta (L), head coach of Arsenal, and Pep Guardiola (R), head coach of Manchester City. (Michael Regan/Getty Images) When asked about the deciding factor behind Guardiola’s refusal, Maldini was candid: “Out of fatigue. Guardiola is coming off ten grueling years in the Premier League. He had back surgery. He wants to rest. But it was a very serious discussion; we went over the rosters, from the under-17s on up… So we went with Andrea. Malago knew everything; we kept him informed step by step.“ Since making his top-flight managerial debut with FC Barcelona in 2008, Guardiola took a single sabbatical year between 2012 and 2013 before taking over at Bayern Munich, followed by a ten-year reign at Manchester City from 2016 to 2026. While managing a national team remained a career goal, the Spaniard ultimately decided the timing was not right to take the helm of the Azzurri. Maldini’s brief tenure and sudden resignation An institutional crisis following Italy’s third consecutive missed World Cup prompted Malago to appoint Maldini as sporting director. However, after assuming the role on July 11, Maldini resigned just 16 days later on July 27 after the federation president blocked the hiring of Andrea Pirlo over alleged ties between the former midfielder and a Russian betting firm. When asked whether those reported ties influenced the decision to override Pirlo’s appointment, Maldini defended his choice while addressing the controversy: “That definitely played a role. We didn’t know about it. The media did its job. But legally speaking, there was nothing that could have prevented Andrea from becoming the National Team head coach.“ Maldini emphasized that no legal impediments existed to block Pirlo’s appointment, arguing the situation was sensationalized beyond proportion. However, the disagreement prompted Malago to unilaterally alter the administrative structure, leading to an ultimatum that the AC Milan legend found unacceptable. “He (Malago) called me and Leonardo to say: ‘In my view, we can no longer hire Pirlo. From today on, I decide the manager. From today, the rules change: I choose the head coach, and you e
Delap scores twice from spot in 3-3 draw with JDTManager made 11 changes against Malaysian championsChelsea’s problems mounted as their pre-season tour came to an end in a strangely fiery draw against the Malaysian champions Johor Darul Ta’zim. The omens do not look promising with a bloated choice of forwards, echoes of their inexperience and indiscipline last season, and fewer than two weeks for the new manager, Xabi Alonso, to reintegrate key players and work with the entirety of his squad before they kick off the Premier League season against Fulham – managed by his old friend Álvaro Arbeloa – on 24 August.Alonso, tasked with transforming a club that finished 10th in the Premier League last season into Champions League qualifiers, made 11 changes for the friendly against JDT. He rested players after beating Milan with a strong lineup only 24 hours earlier, 600 miles away. Continue reading...
Arsenal lose 3-2 to Borussia Dortmund in Emirates CupMan City’s wide players shine in 3-2 win against AtléticoThe Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta, has backed “warrior” Bruno Guimarães to “ignite something different” in the Premier League champions. The Brazil midfielder was introduced to fans ahead of Sunday’s 3-2 defeat by Borussia Dortmund in the Emirates Cup after completing his £75m move from Newcastle.The 28-year-old, who has signed a four-year deal, bolsters a midfield which already includes Declan Rice, Martin Ødegaard, Mikel Merino, Martín Zubimendi and Eberechi Eze. Continue reading...
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Former Coventry City striker Max Biamou says the Premier League will "be tough" for the Sky Blues but he is confident that they can avoid relegation. Biamou, who scored 33 goals in 116 appearances for Coventry between 2017 and 2021, regularly returns to watch his former club and was at Saturday's friendly against Espanyol.
In a mailbag edition of his newsletter, Jonathan Wilson answers questions about Michael Carrick, VAR and the Premier League’s new teamsSign up for our free newsletter hereManchester United finally seem to have something that resembles stability in the dressing room under Michael Carrick. I feel with quality signings in defence and midfield, they could mount a decent challenge for the Premier League next season. How do you feel they will fare? – Sterling.There’s an odd sense that Michael Carrick’s level of achievement last season was at precisely the most awkward level for the board. United didn’t produce indisputably brilliant football under him but equally 12 wins and three draws in 17 games was good enough that they pretty much had to give him the job. But it’s one thing to turn out those kinds of results when the pressure’s off, you’re already out of both cup competitions and you don’t have any European football; it’s quite another to do it in the heat of a full season. United don’t have to have an especially amazing season to play 15 more games this season than they did in 2025-26.This is an extract from Soccer Desk, a newsletter from the Guardian US. Subscribe for free here. Continue reading...
Jayden Bogle doesn’t expect a calm affair when Leeds play Manchester United (Picture: Getty Images) Manchester United face Leeds at Croke Park on Wednesday and the Red Devils have been told that it will not be the friendliest friendly. The rivalry between the two clubs goes back decades and has been one of the most heated in English football. On the field it has been one-sided in Manchester United’s favour for a long time, but Leeds did pick up a memorable win at Old Trafford last season. After a 1-1 draw at Elland Road in January, Leeds won the reverse fixture 2-1 in April, with Noah Okafor scoring both goals for the Yorkshire side. Get the latest transfer news every morning Sign up to our daily football newsletter for personalised updates on who your team is trying to sign and who won't be around next season. Jayden Bogle started in that victory for Leeds and he is looking forward to a very competitive pre-season contest in Dublin this week. Asked if anyone can truly call this fixture a friendly, he told LUTV: ‘No, you can’t. ‘Even though it is pre-season, it is not going to be a friendly. We will recover now and then prepare for that one next.’ Leeds have won friendlies this summer against RB Leipzig, Liverpool and Sunderland (Picture: Getty Images) Red Devils boss Michael Carrick was not looking to spice things up so much, just saying he is looking forward to a trip to Ireland. It has been a typically globe-trotting pre-season for United, having played inHelsinki, Trondheim, Solna and Goteborg already this summer and with fixtures in Ireland and Wroclaw in Poland, against AC Milan, to come. ‘I’m looking forward to it,’ Carrick said of the Ireland trip. ‘It’s been, a little bit, different chapters through pre-season and we’ll get everybody together, when we get to Dublin over the next couple of days. ‘It’ll be great, two more games this week and, again, I’m looking forward to seeing the group develop.’ Man Utd drew with PSG on Saturday (Picture: Getty Images) The Red Devils’ last two friendlies have been encouraging, with a win over Atletico Madrid and a 1-1 draw against European champions PSG. Marcus Rashford has joined up with the rest of the Manchester United squad in Ireland, as his reintegration at the club continues. The England winger has been handed a new squad number – 14 – and could feature against Leeds on Wednesday. Marcus Rashford is back after a season on loan at Barcelona (Picture: Getty Images) Michael Carrick has already confirmed that Rashford will be part of the squad for their final two pre-season friendlies, saying: ‘We have a full squad next week in Dublin. ‘We fly straight there and meet Leeds on Wednesday. We have a few days in Dublin where we have the whole squad, including Marcus, Kobbie [Mainoo] and Lisandro [Martinez]. ‘I’ve played with him [Rashford]. I played in the game he made his debut, so we have a history.’ Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source
Joaquin Seys is catching the eye of a lot of big clubs (Picture: Getty Images) Arsenal and Manchester United are among the many admirers of Club Brugge left-back Joaquin Seys and they now know how much he will cost. The 21-year-old has become a regular for his club side, already racking up 97 first team appearances in all competitions. 23 of those games have come in the Champions League, so he has been competing at the elite level, also picking up six caps for Belgium and playing at the World Cup this summer. There is little surprise that big clubs have come calling and the Red Devils and Gunners are not the only ones who have taken note. Get the latest transfer news every morning Sign up to our daily football newsletter for personalised updates on who your team is trying to sign and who won't be around next season. The Sun report that Newcastle United and Aston Villa have also been tracking his progress, while Porto and Benfica have also been touted as interested parties. The pull of Manchester United and Arsenal might give them a head start in the race for the full-back’s signature and they are both believed to have made enquiries over his availability. Club Brugge are realistic that they are unlikely to keep hold of the defender amid such heavyweight interest and have set an asking price of €35million (£30m) for him. Seys has won six caps for Belgium at just 21 years old (Picture: Getty Images) That price is not going to put off the Premier League sides, but it is yet to be seen whether any will choose to make the move. Seys has shown great promise, but stepping up to competing for clubs challenging for the Premier League title will be a huge test. Both Manchester United and Arsenal have other options at left-back, so it would be unlikely that the Belgian would be thrown straight in as first choice, but would be brought in to compete for a place in the starting XI. Seys faced the test of Lamine Yamal at the World Cup (Picture: Getty Images) Aston Villa are looking for a new left-back after Lucas Digne departed for Paris Saint-Germain in an £8.5m deal. They have Ian Maatsen in that position, but will want to replace Digne as they prepare for a return to Champions League action after winning the Europa League last season. A statement from the Villains on Digne’s exit read: ‘A consummate professional, who was highly regarded by his fellow players and staff alike, Lucas leaves Aston Villa with the very best wishes of everyone at the football club.’ Seys is under contract at Club Brugge until 2029, so they are under little pressure to sell the player who doesn’t turn 22 until March next year. Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source
Ashley Young is ‘gutted’ Danny Welbeck didn’t rejoin Manchester United (Picture: Sky Sports) Ashley Young says he is ‘gutted’ Danny Welbeck made a transfer move to Chelsea rather than former club Manchester United this summer. Chelsea have moved away from their purely youth-led transfer policy to add some much-needed experience to their dressing room ahead of Xabi Alonso’s debut season at the helm. After beating Arsenal to a £117million deal for Morgan Rogers, the Blues turned their attentions to Welbeck, a move that took many fans by surprise given the forward is set to turn 36 in November. Welbeck would go on to leave Brighton for Chelsea for a fee in the region of £5million, with the veteran attacker putting pen to paper on a two-year deal in west London. Get the latest transfer news every morning Sign up to our daily football newsletter for personalised updates on who your team is trying to sign and who won't be around next season. Just two days later, it was announced that 36-year-old Jordan Henderson had decided to terminate his contract at Brentford to follow Welbeck through the doors at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea supporters got a first glimpse of Welbeck in their colours last week as the ex-England international was given a 45-minute run-out in the side’s pre-season clash with Juventus. Young, who played alongside Welbeck for four years at Manchester United, has been impressed by Chelsea’s transfer business and is confident his old team-mate can make a big impact both on and off the pitch. Welbeck has put pen to paper on a two-year deal at Stamford Bridge (Picture: Getty) The veteran forward made his unofficial Chelsea debut against Juventus (Picture: Getty) ‘Chelsea have made some good signings and they need some experience in that squad,’ Young told talkSPORT. ‘He’s a really good friend of mine, Welbs is. ‘I’ve been speaking to him the last couple of weeks.’ Welbeck should have been in England’s World Cup squad, says Young (Picture: Getty) Asked if Welbeck is excited for the season ahead at Chelsea, Young replied: ‘Yeah, of course he is. He’s delighted to be signing for Chelsea, especially at this stage of his career. ‘He’s proved himself time and time again. ‘Could he have been on the plane going to the World Cup? For me, I’m probably being biased in saying he should have, but he wasn’t. ‘He’s been fantastic and I’m gutted he hasn’t gone back to United, to be honest.’ {"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Xabi Alonso says Chelsea are 'thrilled' to have Mykhailo Mudryk back with the squad","contentUrl":"https:\/\/videos.metro.co.uk\/video\/met\/2026\/08\/04\/3201686063122201576\/480x270_MP4_3201686063122201576.mp4","description":"Chelsea's new head coach Xabi Alonso says he wants to 'fight for important things' this season. This comes as he spoke to the media ahead of a friendly against Juventus in Hong Kong.","duration":"T4M44S","height":270,"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/i.dailymail.com\/1s\/2026\/08\/04\/18\/110436895-0-image-m-12_1785863746233.jpg","uploadDate":"2026-08-04T18:15:03+0100","width":480} To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Up Next Previous Page Next Page window.addEventListener('metroVideo:relatedVideosCarouselLoaded', function(data) { if (typeof(data.detail) === 'undefined' || typeof(data.detail.carousel) === 'undefined' || typeof(data.detail.carousel.el_) === 'undefined') { return; } var player = data.detail.carousel.el_; var container = player.closest('.metro-video-player'); var placeholder = container.querySelector('.metro-video-player__up-next-placeholder'); if (placeholder) { container.removeChild(placeholder); container.classList.add('metro-video-player--related-videos-loaded'); } }); Earlier this month, Old Trafford great Gary Neville – another of Welbeck’s former team-mates – criticised United for allowing the striker to leave for Arsenal back in 2014. According to Neville, the 2012/13 Premier Leag
Could Michael Carrick pull off a major transfer coup for Man Utd (Photo: Getty) Manchester United have been told to consider signing Real Madrid striker Endrick, with the Brazil wonderkid looking to join a Premier League club. Real paid Palmeiras £50million to sign Endrick when he was just 16 and since then, the hype around the young forward has been immeasurable. But while tipped to be the future talisman of both Los Blancos and the Brazil national team, the now 20-year-old has struggled to make an impact at Madrid, with Kylian Mbappe firmly ahead in the pecking order. Endrick spent the second-half of last season on loan at Lyon and it has been reported that the player will seek another temporary transfer if he is not guaranteed regular minutes by Jose Mourinho. Get the latest transfer news every morning Sign up to our daily football newsletter for personalised updates on who your team is trying to sign and who won't be around next season. Spanish outlet AS has claimed that Roma and Aston Villa have expressed interest in signing the striker, with the latter looking to replace Morgan Rogers following his record £117m transfer to Chelsea. It would present a major coup for Unai Emery’s side, but MLS icon turned pundit Ale Moreno thinks that Endrick would be a great fit at Old Trafford. ‘I really do think that Real Madrid could use Endrick this season. So, if I were Endrick, I actually would consider staying at Real Madrid,’ the former Venezuela international told ESPN. Endrick has struggled for first-team football at Real Madrid (Photo: Getty) ‘But if the question is about where he would go, where he should go, where he may end up… we’ve talked a lot about Manchester United. The more you think about it, the more it makes sense to have a player with a profile of Endrick. ‘He is different than anything else they have in the attack in a central position. So, I’m thinking that perhaps that could be a place that could think about Enrick as a possibility. ‘I would stay at Real Madrid if I were him but I’m looking at it from the perspective as to what team near the top of the Premier League could use a player like Endrick.’ Endrick recorded 16 goal contributions in 21 games for Lyon last season (Photo: Getty) Aside from Benjamin Sesko, United don’t have another natural No.9 in their squad, though Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and the returning Marcus Rashford can all play centre-forward. It is said that Endrick’s preference is to play Champions League football, something United, Villa and Roma can offer, with Moreno adding: ‘It wouldn’t feel like such a demotion [joining United from Real] if you will. ‘And after the season he had last year being out on loan and how well he did he must be thinking, “Alright, let’s keep it going. Is that going to happen at Real Madrid? Well, probably not. Let me go somewhere else that I can do that”. Unai Emery’s Aston Villa are interested in signing the Brazil wonderkid (Photo: Getty) ‘I don’t know where that place can be. I’m just thinking that Manchester United could use a player like Endrick.’ On the contrast, Steve Nicol believes Endrick, who recorded eight goals and eight assists in just 21 appearances for Lyon, must join a club where it is certain he will start week-in, week-out. ‘I was thinking more along the lines of a Fulham where he’s 100 per cent going to play,’ the former Liverpool defender said. ‘Fulham are going to play attacking football. They’re not going to win all the time [but] they’re going to win a fair share, they’re going to create chances. ‘Somebody like Endrick has to go somewhere where he’s going to play all the time, otherwise what’s the point of moving away from Real Madrid?’ For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source
Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs (Picture: Getty) Ryan Giggs ‘tried to persuade’ England World Cup star Elliot Anderson to join Manchester United before his £116m move to Manchester City. Anderson signed a five-year deal at the Etihad Stadium last month after Man City briefly made him the most expensive British player in history. Manchester United were interested in beating their local rivals to a deal but pulled out of the race once Nottingham Forest’s demands went above £100m. Anderson became arguably Forest’s most important player following his £35m move from Newcastle United, helping the club finish seventh in the Premier League and qualify for Europe. Get the latest transfer news every morning Sign up to our daily football newsletter for personalised updates on who your team is trying to sign and who won't be around next season. The 23-year-old was an integral member of Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad, featuring in all of England’s games as they reached the semi-finals before a heartbreaking defeat to Argentina. Ex-Manchester United defender Phil Bardsley has revealed he and club legend Giggs bumped into Anderson earlier in the summer and tried to ‘persuade’ him to move to Old Trafford. After pulling out of the race to sign Anderson, Michael Carrick welcomed two new midfielders to Manchester – bringing in Andrey Santos from Chelsea and Youri Tielemans from Aston Villa. England World Cup star Elliot Anderson (Picture: Getty) ‘Signing Youri Tielemans for £35m is a great bit of business,’ Bardsley told Casinolyze. ‘I think Manchester City and Tottenham certainly overpaid for Elliot Anderson and Sandro Tonali. ‘I knew it was getting to a stage with Elliot Anderson where he’d be £100m plus and I just didn’t feel comfortable about going to that sort of price for him as a player. ‘Listen, he’s outstanding. I really like him. I was in Portugal earlier in the summer playing golf with Ryan Giggs and we saw Anderson on the golf course and had a chat with him to try and persuade him to join United. https://www.instagram.com/p/DbJFR9ajQwN/?hl=en&img_index=1 ‘He was still unsure what he wanted to do but north of £100m for a defensive midfielder like him? If I’m spending that money, I want a player who will add 30-40 goals to my team a season. ‘That’s what I’m looking for at that fee. That’s value for money. Compare that sum to what United have paid for Tielemans and it’s a steal. ‘He’s a proven Premier League player, he’s captain of Belgium, he can deliver and he’s won trophies. He won the Europa League with Aston Villa last season. Manchester United summer signing Youri Tielemans (Picture: Getty) ‘He brings an element of calm and real class on the ball too but he’s also not afraid to get stuck into the ugly side of the game too so I think he’s a really good signing, even leaving aside the price but I’ve been really impressed with the deal.’ Manchester City have been the dominant team in English football over the past decade but said goodbye to legendary manager Pep Guardiola at the end of last season, with ex-Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca taking over at the Etihad Stadium. Following his huge move to Man City, Anderson said: ‘As soon as I knew [City] wanted me, I was absolutely determined to make this move happen. ‘You want to test yourself at the highest level. Being at City means I have that opportunity. ‘As soon as I arrive in Manchester after a break, I will be doing everything I can to establish myself in the City team. ‘They’re winners, they’re relentless, and that’s the sort of team I want to be a part of – champions and people who win trophies. Over the last 10, 12 years, they’ve dominated, so that’s why I wanted to join.’ Man City face Arsenal in the Community Shield next weekend before their Premier League opener at home to Bournemouth. For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add a
Liverpool have taken a major step forward in their pursuit of Bradley Barcola, with the Paris Saint-Germain winger now giving the Reds the green light over personal terms. That removes one of the biggest potential obstacles in what could become one of the most expensive transfers of the summer. Want more CaughtOffside coverage? Add us […] The post Romano drops Barcola bombshell and issues update on what Liverpool need to do next appeared first on CaughtOffside.
Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris says recruitment this summer preparing for a Europa League campaign is "much harder" than it was before last season's Premier League return. Defender Thomas Meunier is the only player to arrive on a permanent deal to the Black Cats so far this window, on a free transfer after his departure from Lille. The transfer window is still unpredictable but we are working behind the scenes to strengthen the squad.
Inter Milan could sacrifice Davide Frattesi before the transfer deadline as Cristian Chivu continues pushing for Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones. The Serie A champions have identified Jones as a priority addition, but completing the deal appears closely connected to creating both financial and squad space. Want more CaughtOffside coverage? Add us as a preferred source […] The post Club ready to sell midfielder in order to make place for Liverpool star Curtis Jones appeared first on CaughtOffside.
Mikel Arteta is keen to bolster his Arsenal squad further (Picture: Getty) Arsenal have been backed to hijack Liverpool’s move for PSG winger Bradley Barcola after completing a £75m deal for Bruno Guimaraes. Brazilian midfielder Guimaraes was unveiled to Arsenal fans at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday following his move from Newcastle United. Guimaraes became Mikel Arteta’s third signing of the summer following Greek winger Christos Tzolis and French goalkeeper Illan Meslier. Arsenal were also hoping to welcome Vinicius Junior to north London in one of the biggest transfers in Premier League history but the Brazil icon ended up signing a new contract with Real Madrid. Get the latest transfer news every morning Sign up to our daily football newsletter for personalised updates on who your team is trying to sign and who won't be around next season. Arteta remains interested in signing another winger, however, and have been linked with Juventus’ Kenan Yildiz and Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford since missing out on Vinicius. PSG and France forward Barcola is another possible transfer option and former Arsenal striker Perry Groves has given the Gunners real hope of beating Liverpool to a stunning deal. Liverpool have identified Barcola, 23, as their top target this summer and are reportedly ready to pay £100m for the Frenchman, although PSG are holding out for an offer closer to £150m. PSG and France superstar Bradley Barcola (Picture: Getty) Barcola, who has won two Champions League titles at PSG, is expected to leave the Ligue 1 champions after stalling over signing a new contract. Liverpool were thought to be leading the race to secure Barcola’s signature but Groves says he has been told that the winger would rather move to London. Asked whether Barcola would be better suited to Arsenal or Liverpool, Groves told talkSPORT: ‘I’ve got no dog in the fight, but I would say the Gooners because Liverpool are a team that are in transition. New Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola (Picture: Getty) ‘Andoni Iraola going in there, imposing his own philosophy, his own style with all the new signings coming in. ‘If you were Barcola and you thought, what out of those two sides have got the most chance of winning the Premier League or Champions League, at the moment you’d say it was Arsenal. ‘So it’s whether Arsenal want to go in, if they go in for him, then there would have been advances being made to his people. https://www.instagram.com/p/Db0h7JeEszv/ ‘Because they don’t want to be seen losing out on Vinicius Junior being played like a little kitten with a ball of wool, but Arsenal have to be in for those sorts of players. That’s the level Arsenal are at now.’ Groves, who won two league titles at Arsenal, added: ‘I’ve got a source that says he [Barcola] wants to live in London. ‘I can’t tell you (who), I can’t divulge my sources. I’ve got a source. I’ve got a mole. Barcola wants to live in London.’ Former Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Frimpong wants Arteta to turn his attentions to Barcola after wrapping up a deal for Guimaraes. Arsenal tried to sign Vinicius Junior from Real Madrid (Picture: Getty) ‘Mikel [Arteta] and the boys have finally got it over the line, which I’m very happy about,’ he told Ladbrokes. ‘But they shouldn’t just win it once and be satisfied with that. ‘They have to keep on winning it now and dominate just like how Man United and Man City have in the past. ‘We’ve got the players, we’ve got a deep squad and hopefully this summer, the board are going to strengthen further, because I still think we need a couple of wingers and a proper number eight. ‘I feel like Declan Rice is playing in a position which isn’t natural to him, so we need a proper number eight alongside him. ‘For me, when it comes to realistic signings this summer, with those positions in mind, I feel like Bruno Guimaraes is someone I’d love to see at Arsenal. ‘And also Bradley Barcola… I think he would be very good for Arsenal. Barcola and Bruno Guimaraes would
Michael Carrick during Manchester United’s pre-season camp (Picture: Getty) Manchester United have been told they have already secured one of the signings of the summer ahead of the new Premier League season. Michael Carrick has welcomed Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans and Karl Karl Darlow to his first-team squad at Old Trafford this summer. Tynan Thompson, Kit Margetson and Cristian Orozco have also arrived at Manchester United but will join the club’s academy. United made Brazilian midfielder Santos their first signing of the summer in a £48m move from big-spending Chelsea. Get the latest transfer news every morning Sign up to our daily football newsletter for personalised updates on who your team is trying to sign and who won't be around next season. The Red Devils raided another Premier League rival in Aston Villa to sign Belgium international Tielemans for £35m. Hundreds of millions has already been spent on midfield reinforcements this summer, with the likes of Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali, Elliot Anderson and Mateus Fernandes all sealing lucrative moves. John Obi Mikel rates Manchester United’s deal for Tielemans as the pick of the bunch, however, describing the signing as a ‘f****** steal’. Man Utd summer signing Youri Tielemans (Picture: Getty) ‘For me, it’s Youri Tielemans,’ the Chelsea legend said on The Obi One podcast when asked for his take on the most impressive midfield signing of the summer. ‘Honestly, how the f*** did Manchester United get him for £35m? That’s a f****** steal. I watched him before and during the World Cup, and you can see that this is a player. ‘Obviously, we all know how Tielemans plays, he can play as a six, an eight or a ten and when you have a player that can play anywhere, it gives you the variety to change the way you want to play. Tielemans is that guy. Tielemans during Man Utd pre-season (Picture: Getty) ‘He scores goals, he’s dangerous from set pieces, he’s brilliant on the ball, and he rarely gives it away. The only thing people can say is that he’s not the quickest, but he reads the game so well. ‘He is very intelligent with and without the ball. When I look at all the midfielders that have transferred to different clubs [this summer], the best one is Tielemans.’ Former Tottenham defender Toby Alderweireld has also praised Manchester United’s move for Tielemans. https://www.instagram.com/p/Dbdvh2TAoys/?hl=en ‘The problem with modern football is that sometimes we look too much at stats like assists and goals,’ he told Hajper. ‘Of course, Youri Tielemans creates assists and scores goals, and can shoot from outside the box and score free kicks, but he is so much more than that. ‘Tielemans is a link up player, and you have to watch him to understand why he is so important to his teams, not just look at his stats, because he is always trying to play the ball forward. Former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel (Picture: Getty) ‘You have some midfield players who have a pass success rate of 98% but they are always playing the ball backwards. Tielemans is a guy who turns, opens up and plays the ball between the lines, and that’s very important for a club like Manchester United who need to break other teams down. ‘Even when he’s playing in a deep role, he’s playing it in an attacking way. He’s thinking about going forwards, always. ‘Sometimes he will lose the ball but that’s what happens when you take some risks in games to make things happen, and I think that’s something United need, and he has the mentality to be brave and positive under the big pressure of the shirt. ‘He will put in ultra big effort and say to his team mates, give me the ball and let me change the game for you. He will take the responsibility to take Manchester United forward.’ Carrick is still interested in bringing a third new midfielder to Old Trafford this summer before the transfer window shuts. United drew 1-1 with European champions PSG in a pre-season friendly on Saturday night. Manchester United have two more tun
While addressing why he decided to step back from Italy's sporting director role after the president blocked Andrea Pirlo's signing, Paolo Maldini revealed that the money wasn't the reason why Pep Guardiola rejected the coach offer. Paolo Maldini was the central figure behind Italy‘s attempt to hire Pep Guardiola as the next manager of the Azzurri, though the Spanish tactician ultimately passed on the opportunity. While opening up about his departure from the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), the legendary defender explained why Guardiola chose not to take charge of the national team. In his former role as Italy‘s sporting director, Maldini was tasked by federation president Giovanni Malago with spearheading the search for a new head coach. While Carlo Ancelotti reaffirmed his commitment to Brazil, Guardiola, who had recently departed Manchester City, emerged as a viable candidate, leading to promising initial discussions. In an interview with Corriere della Sera, Maldini reflected on how negotiations with Guardiola unfolded: “He is the manager who most embodies technical, attacking play. Through a few mutual friends, he had expressed an interest in managing a national team. We went to visit him in Barcelona, had lunch together, and talked for an entire day. He was very tempted. He came very close to accepting. He even started writing line-ups down on paper.“ Maldini and technical advisor Leonardo traveled to Barcelona for face-to-face talks with Guardiola, who had recently stepped down after a decade at Manchester City. Although reports suggested Guardiola demanded a €20 million annual salary (roughly $22 million USD), Maldini clarified that money was never a barrier. “Financial terms were never an obstacle. Pep made it clear: give me one euro less than the previous manager, and I am satisfied,” Maldini revealed. Mikel Arteta (L), head coach of Arsenal, and Pep Guardiola (R), head coach of Manchester City. (Michael Regan/Getty Images) When asked about the deciding factor behind Guardiola’s refusal, Maldini was candid: “Out of fatigue. Guardiola is coming off ten grueling years in the Premier League. He had back surgery. He wants to rest. But it was a very serious discussion; we went over the rosters, from the under-17s on up… So we went with Andrea. Malago knew everything; we kept him informed step by step.“ Since making his top-flight managerial debut with FC Barcelona in 2008, Guardiola took a single sabbatical year between 2012 and 2013 before taking over at Bayern Munich, followed by a ten-year reign at Manchester City from 2016 to 2026. While managing a national team remained a career goal, the Spaniard ultimately decided the timing was not right to take the helm of the Azzurri. Maldini’s brief tenure and sudden resignation An institutional crisis following Italy’s third consecutive missed World Cup prompted Malago to appoint Maldini as sporting director. However, after assuming the role on July 11, Maldini resigned just 16 days later on July 27 after the federation president blocked the hiring of Andrea Pirlo over alleged ties between the former midfielder and a Russian betting firm. When asked whether those reported ties influenced the decision to override Pirlo’s appointment, Maldini defended his choice while addressing the controversy: “That definitely played a role. We didn’t know about it. The media did its job. But legally speaking, there was nothing that could have prevented Andrea from becoming the National Team head coach.“ Maldini emphasized that no legal impediments existed to block Pirlo’s appointment, arguing the situation was sensationalized beyond proportion. However, the disagreement prompted Malago to unilaterally alter the administrative structure, leading to an ultimatum that the AC Milan legend found unacceptable. “He (Malago) called me and Leonardo to say: ‘In my view, we can no longer hire Pirlo. From today on, I decide the manager. From today, the rules change: I choose the head coach, and you e
Delap scores twice from spot in 3-3 draw with JDTManager made 11 changes against Malaysian championsChelsea’s problems mounted as their pre-season tour came to an end in a strangely fiery draw against the Malaysian champions Johor Darul Ta’zim. The omens do not look promising with a bloated choice of forwards, echoes of their inexperience and indiscipline last season, and fewer than two weeks for the new manager, Xabi Alonso, to reintegrate key players and work with the entirety of his squad before they kick off the Premier League season against Fulham – managed by his old friend Álvaro Arbeloa – on 24 August.Alonso, tasked with transforming a club that finished 10th in the Premier League last season into Champions League qualifiers, made 11 changes for the friendly against JDT. He rested players after beating Milan with a strong lineup only 24 hours earlier, 600 miles away. Continue reading...
Arsenal lose 3-2 to Borussia Dortmund in Emirates CupMan City’s wide players shine in 3-2 win against AtléticoThe Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta, has backed “warrior” Bruno Guimarães to “ignite something different” in the Premier League champions. The Brazil midfielder was introduced to fans ahead of Sunday’s 3-2 defeat by Borussia Dortmund in the Emirates Cup after completing his £75m move from Newcastle.The 28-year-old, who has signed a four-year deal, bolsters a midfield which already includes Declan Rice, Martin Ødegaard, Mikel Merino, Martín Zubimendi and Eberechi Eze. Continue reading...
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