After a summer bursting with unexpected plot lines, a familiar story. As a host of intriguing new characters are added to the cast list, the main man reasserted his dominance. As the Premier League returned, so did Erling Haaland. Perhaps it was the most crushingly predictable start to a season imaginable. For now, Manchester City are top of the table and Haaland is the top scorer. Fast forward nine months and each statement may remain true. There was, though, something devastatingly awesome amid the sense of the normal. Haaland’s defence of his Golden Boot began within 185 seconds of the opening whistle. He is a fine first-time finisher, but this was a different kind of first touch: his first of the top-flight campaign entered the Burnley net. His second goal arrived before half-time, too, a goal with a devastating blend of power and accuracy. None of which spared him an animated tongue-lashing from Pep Guardiola as they made their way off at half-time but, along with a Rodri goal, it proved too much for Burnley. Champions of the Championship lost to champions of the Premier League and, indeed, Europe. None of which may surprise Vincent Kompany – a man with a statue outside the Etihad Stadium was a regular visitor to the ground last season – or the Turf Moor faithful. There are one-sided rivalries and then there is Burnley against City: Guardiola’s 12th consecutive win against the Clarets took the aggregate score in that time to 43-1. Each has an added dimension: it was Burnley, but not as the Premier League last knew them, with the passing principles Kompany has borrowed from Guardiola, but undone by the Haaland factor. City effected a swift transition from a team who excelled at sharing the goals around to one who were comfortable relying on one potent individual. They were not at their superlative best at Turf Moor: but with a finisher of Haaland’s calibre they did not need to be. His debut campaign in England yielded 52 goals, the best by a top-flight player for almost a century, and 36 in the Premier League, a divisional record. It was exceptional, but perhaps not a one-off. Normal service was soon resumed: Haaland may deem a quiet Community Shield as a lucky omen, given he has now started successive Premier League campaigns with a brace. Turf Moor, even refurbished to add some hints of gleaming modernity, can prove an unpleasant place to visit and a missile was thrown at Rico Lewis, leading to a fan being removed by police, while the substitute Anass Zaroury got an injury-time red card for an ugly lunge at Kyle Walker. Yet its intimidatory powers were diminished when Haaland swept City into an early lead. Kompany started with three centre-backs and Burnley conceded after three minutes. The Norwegian’s longest goal drought in a City shirt had spanned six games in four competitions, three of them finals. It was ended so swiftly and calmly to suggest he had not spent the summer fretting about a rare barren spell. Kevin De Bruyne crossed, Rodri headed the ball back across the box and Haaland slotted in a low shot. It was a reminder that his greatest asset may not be height or pace, even though they give him a physical advantage over most opponents, but the uncanny ability to get the ball in a crowded box. He is, too, much more than just a poacher, as his second goal showed. A left-foot curler, whipped with power, in off the underside of the bar, after Julian Alvarez found him was the sort of goal De Bruyne might have scored, albeit with his other foot. But the City captain had departed by then: much like in his previous start, the Champions League final, the Belgian limped off in the first half. He may miss the European Super Cup but his departure had a more immediate impact, with Guardiola bringing on Mateo Kovacic and shuffling Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden and Alvarez around to restore a little control during Burnley’s best spell of the game. They were muted thereafter, conceding a third when Rodri lashed in after Burnley failed to clear Silva’s free kick. But there had been an enterprising element to Kompany’s team. The Swiss striker Mohamed Zeki Amdouni was a livewire on his debut, indicating he has the verve to trouble plenty of teams. He tested Ederson with one shot, but it remained Burnley’s lone shot on target. It helped that City could bolster its defence with the £77m signing Josko Gvardiol, whose late bow came as a substitute left-back. A previous City defender, Kompany, had shown his boldness. He selected six summer signings in his starting 11, picking a team with an average age of just 23 years and 306 days. It was the youngest Burnley have named in the Premier League and featured a lone survivor, Connor Roberts, from their last game at this level. They have been reinvented during their exile in the Championship. It coincided with Haaland’s arrival and, if he never had the air of a one-season wonder, Burnley got unwanted evidence his second year at City could be just as productive as his first. Read More The Premier League is having an identity crisis – but one thing can save it Pep Guardiola expects Man City’s standards ‘to drop’ this season Premier League 2023/24 predictions: Champions, top four, relegation, best signing, top scorer and more Kevin De Bruyne faces ‘few weeks out’ after suffering another hamstring injury ‘Not my decision’ whether I get time to transform Chelsea – Mauricio Pochettino Erling Haaland at the double as Manchester City kick off new campaign in style

Pep Guardiola confirmed Kevin De Bruyne will be out for “a few weeks” after being forced out of Manchester City’s opening-day win at Burnley. City launched their defence of the Premier League title by cruising to a 3-0 win at newly-promoted Burnley as Erling Haaland struck twice in the first half before Rodri slammed home a third midway through the second. Victory over former City captain Vincent Kompany’s Burnley was tainted by De Bruyne’s 23rd-minute withdrawal, with Guardiola revealing his talisman had injured the same hamstring that had kept him out at the end of last season. Guardiola said: “Hamstring again. Same position. It depends on the magnitude of the injury, but will be a few weeks out.” De Bruyne returned from a similar problem in time to start in the Champions League final in June but lasted only 36 minutes. Asked if the Belgium midfielder had returned too soon to start against Burnley, Guardiola said: “Maybe. Maybe it was my mistake, but when he is injured after 15-20 minutes it is not something wrong, when it is 65 it is the fatigue of the muscle. “We have to talk with the doctors and him. He was one year a long time injured, he came back from that position. “He is down. He fought a lot. The final of the Champions League. He felt really good. I prefer to start and make 50-55 minutes. He is disappointed, but he is strong and will be back.” Guardiola appeared to be involved in a furious bust-up with Haaland as the players left the pitch at half-time and the Spaniard explained why both were so animated. He added: “We discuss a lot. Erling wanted the ball immediately and Bernardo (Silva) don’t give it, it was one minute left and 0-2. “A minute earlier (the ball went) to Mateo Kovacic and we lost it. We have to finish at 0-2 and go to the second. I understand Erling, he wanted the ball, but Bernardo took the right decision.” Kompany, who won four Premier League titles at City, steered Burnley to the Sky Bet Championship title in his first season in charge and handed five summer signings their debuts. The Belgian said his new-look side will only get better and there were positives to take from their performance. He said: “It is progress again. This team has to be the worst it is ever going to be this season, at this moment in time. “You want to get a result, that is a given, but there are other things which create a foundation for the season – tackling, pressing, running at defenders one-on-one.” Second-half substitute Anass Zaroury was sent off in the closing stages after his yellow card for a challenge on Kyle Walker was changed to a red after referee Craig Pawson watched a replay on the pitch-side moniter. Kompany added: “The crowd has always been behind us. I wish we could’ve turned the momentum again in the last 20 minutes and created some more danger, but with the red card the game kind of settled. “We had enough today to get something. I am not saying a result, but to get on the score sheet.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live ‘Not my decision’ whether I get time to transform Chelsea – Mauricio Pochettino Erling Haaland at the double as Manchester City kick off new campaign in style Anthony Joshua focused only on Robert Helenius amid Deontay Wilder speculation

Erling Haaland’s brilliant brace helped Manchester City kick off their quest for an unprecedented fourth straight top-flight title with victory at promoted Burnley. Just two months on from winning the Champions League to become the second treble winners in English football history, Pep Guardiola’s men returned to competitive action with a bang at Turf Moor. Star man Haaland’s excellent first-half double and a close-range Rodri effort did the damage as City ran out 3-0 winners in the Premier League curtain raiser at Vincent Kompany’s Burnley. The 23-year-old frontman swept the visitors ahead 184 seconds into the new campaign and, with his side having lost skipper Kevin De Bruyne to injury, struck a stunning second off the underside of the bar. That display was not enough to avoid being chided by Guardiola as the teams made their way off at half-time, with the City boss pushing away a TV camera as he berated the striker. Rodri completed the scoring and Burnley substitute Anass Zaroury received a contentious late red card, with Community Shield runners-up City now turning their attention to Wednesday’s Super Cup clash against Sevilla. Both sets of players took the knee before kick-off and initial boos were drowned out by cheers at Turf Moor, where the hosts were behind after just three minutes and four seconds. De Bruyne took a short corner and, following a couple of passes, lifted a cross to the far post, where Rodri headed back across goal for Haaland to direct home impressively. It was a gut punch that De Bruyne tried to add to from distance, but the champions of the Championship stuck to Kompany’s principles. Burnley penalty appeals fell on deaf ears when Zeki Amdouni went down under pressure from Manuel Akanji before Luca Koleosho missed the target after fine, composed build-up. Amdouni wriggled free to get a shot on Ederson’s goal as Burnley continued to threaten City, whose youngster Rico Lewis was hit by an object thrown from the stands. The Lancashire club later confirmed the individual responsible had been identified and removed from the ground by police and now faces a banning order. Lewis was all right to continue, but De Bruyne soon had to leave the field. The skipper recently returned from a hamstring injury and, seemingly out of nothing, signalled to the bench that he had felt something, leading to Mateo Kovacic’s introduction. Burnley quickly attempted to capitalise. Amdouni was stopped by Rodri before the midfielder saw a pass cut out and Lyle Foster bent narrowly wide. But the hosts’ hopes of a comeback were short-lived as Haaland scored an incredible second in the 36th minute. Kyle Walker raced down the right and cut back to Julian Alvarez, who laid off for the Norwegian sharpshooter to sweep a first-time strike in off the underside of the bar. Haaland may have been on course for a hat-trick, but something had upset Guardiola, who pulled him back and scolded him before pushing the away a camera. The striker remained on as the visitors began the second half on top, with James Trafford – signed from City in the summer – tipping over a Rodri effort from distance and then saving a header from the Champions League final matchwinner. Alvarez fired off target after a show of strength by Haaland before City struck a third in the 75th minute as the match appeared to be petering out. Burnley failed to effectively clear a crossed free-kick and Rodri lashed home from five yards after Nathan Ake was blocked out. Alvarez saw a shot blocked before Josko Gvardiol came on for his City debut, with Haaland booed by the Burnley faithful when withdrawn as part of a triple City change. Guardiola made a point of getting up to give Haaland a warm greeting after their earlier exchange. Stewards reacted quickly as a fan attempted to get on the pitch towards the end of a night that had seen Burnley impress against mightily tough opposition. Things got worse for the promoted Clarets. Substitute Zaroury was sent off in stoppage time after his tackle on Walker was judged serious foul play after referee Craig Pawson watched the incident back on the VAR’s instruction. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Anthony Joshua focused only on Robert Helenius amid Deontay Wilder speculation Harry Kane arrives in Germany to seal Bayern Munich move Ally Ewing out to emulate Brian Harman with Open win

Mauricio Pochettino acknowledged it will not be for him to decide what constitutes success in his debut season as Chelsea manager ahead of Sunday’s meeting with Liverpool. The Argentinian will be the fifth coach to lead the team in a Premier League match since Todd Boehly’s Clearlake Capital consortium bought the club last May and is tasked with picking up the pieces of a disastrous campaign that saw Chelsea finish 12th last season. As with Boehly’s first two transfer windows, there has been a significant turnover of players this summer, with 10 first-team players released or sold and a further six brought in. That flux has been a feature of the American’s time at the helm, with a sweeping clearout of both playing staff and personnel behind the scenes during his first 12 months in control. The previous manager appointed by the ownership, Graham Potter, was sacked just seven months and 31 games into a five-year contract, with the club insisting up until days before he was removed that his job was safe. Pochettino pointed to the path taken by three of Chelsea’s Premier League rivals – Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool – all of whom had to wait for success to arrive under their current managers. Since their appointments, Pep Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp and Mikel Arteta have helped their respective clubs recover from states of relative uncertainty, but the Chelsea coach accepted it will ultimately not be up to him whether he is afforded the same window of time. “I celebrate that these managers can be in place for a long period,” he said. “I was explaining my situation in Paris St Germain and how I knew that we weren’t going to be there the next season (after losing to Real Madrid in 2021), because it was all about winning the Champions League. “It was difficult, because it was a different pressure. We knew about that. I’m not going to complain. We need to work and then it’s not my decision if Chelsea want to be in a similar situation like Liverpool or Arsenal or Manchester City. “I need to work, we need to give our best. Then if the owner is happy with us, then everyone is happy. But it’s not my decision. “But I celebrate when I see coaches like Arteta, Klopp and Pep have a very good run, a nice process at the same club, even when they finish a cycle and they have the opportunity to restart the cycle. “There’s no doubt they are fantastic coaches, it’s only that sometimes you need to renew the team. If they believe in you, fantastic.” Pochettino was asked whether he agreed with the impression of Chelsea as a club in chaos that had been created by a tumultuous last year. The team’s league finish was their worst since 1994, while their goal return was the lowest by a Chelsea side in almost a hundred years. Eliminated from the FA Cup by Manchester City in the third round, they were soundly beaten over two legs by Real Madrid in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, an exit confounded by Boehly’s ill-judged declaration that the team would beat the then-European champions 3-0. He was also criticised for entering the dressing room to address the players after defeats, most notably immediately after the loss to Brighton in April when he described the season as “embarrassing”. “If that (chaos) is the impression people have on social media or the fans or people outside of Chelsea, then we need to change the impression,” said Pochettino. “My impression from the outside was that this is a club with the capacity to win. “We talk about Chelsea and Manchester United in the last 10, 15 years. Winning the Premier League, the Champions League. That was my (view). We need to create a different vision and for people to trust the club again Mauricio Pochettino “But of course, (there has been) a difficult situation for the people here, for the fans, for the players, when there is a big change. They need time to settle here. People need time to settle in a big club like this. “For me now it’s about work. We need to create a different vision and for people to trust the club again, to get the result and to try to play good football for the fans. We are selling entertainment. “(The owners) didn’t say to me, ‘If you don’t win the Premier League, we will sack you’. What I want to achieve is everything. To fight for the three competitions we are going to play, the Premier League and the cups. “We need to create this good environment for the players to perform in the best way and then I’m not going to spend energy thinking, ‘If we don’t achieve this…’. “After many years working in different clubs, I’m more relaxed, more mature, more experienced. We’ve improved a lot. One of things we’ve improved in is to be more relaxed. It’s not to think too much when you cannot affect the decision of the people.”

Tottenham’s record goal-scorer Harry Kane has landed in Germany to complete his move to Bayern Munich in a deal that could rise to £120million. Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou confirmed on Friday afternoon that Kane’s transfer to the Bundesliga champions was “imminent” after a breakthrough in negotiations between the clubs was reached on Wednesday night. It left the ball in Kane’s court and he decided on Thursday to leave his boyhood club for Bayern, who will pay an initial £100m, with add-ons potentially taking the deal up to an overall fee of £120m, the PA news agency understands. Reports on Friday morning initially suggested Spurs had refused to give Kane permission to travel to Germany, but they were squashed by Tottenham and hours later he set off for Munich via a private jet from London Stansted airport. Kane landed at his soon-to-be new home city on Friday night to complete his medical ahead of a landmark move. Postecoglou, speaking before Spurs’ trip to Brentford on Sunday, said: “Fair to say I don’t have a blow-by-blow account, but my understanding is it has progressed to the point where it looks like it will happen. “From that perspective, at least it gives us some clarity and we move forward without Harry. “From my perspective it is just about understanding where we are at and the information I have at the moment is the deal is imminent but, like with all these things, you leave yourself some leeway. “But moving forward and training today preparing for Brentford, we are doing it without Harry. “It is best Harry speaks for himself in terms of the decision, but no doubt he is one of the greats of this football club and that never changes. “I am only new in the building, but (it is) fairly evident Harry Kane will always be one of the greats for this football club.” Kane faces a race against time to officially sign early enough to feature in Bayern’s DFL-Super Cup match with RB Leipzig on Saturday night. However, with the clash taking place at Bayern’s Allianz Arena home, England captain Kane could well be unveiled to supporters before kick-off, even if the paperwork is not completed in time. This is not the first summer in which Kane’s future has dominated headlines after Manchester City had a failed pursuit in 2021. Kane sat out the first match of that season – coincidentally against City – but Pep Guardiola’s side never got close to agreeing a fee with Tottenham for the forward. With Kane now into the last 12 months of his contract at Spurs, speculation over his future this time always felt more significant. Bayern saw bids reportedly turned down in June and July but made their intentions clear, with honorary president Uli Hoeness and president Herbert Hainer speaking openly in the media about Kane’s desire to join the Bundesliga champions. A third bid was submitted last Friday and Spurs spent all weekend deliberating before chairman Daniel Levy rejected the offer on Monday. With noises coming out that Kane, who scored four goals in a friendly win over Shakhtar Donetsk on Sunday, had enjoyed working with Postecoglou, confidence started to grow that he could spend the season with his boyhood team. But Bayern’s latest bid proved enough for an agreement to be reached and, after Kane took his time to weigh up the decision, he decided it was the right time to end his 19-year stay at Spurs. It means Kane’s pursuit of Alan Shearer’s Premier League goal-scoring record will be put on hold, with the Tottenham forward still 47 goals off equalling Shearer’s tally of 260. He will leave N17 as the club’s leading marksman after he surpassed Jimmy Greaves’ 266-goal record in February with the winner against Manchester City. Kane will also get the chance to fulfil his career-long ambition of winning trophies at Bayern, while remaining in the Champions League. Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel has been a long-term admirer of Kane, but he was coy when asked about the forward ahead of Saturday’s match with Liepzig. Tuchel told a press conference: “We are working with full pressure on this deal. “I understand there are a lot of ifs and whens. All options are open. The first is to have him as a player and at the moment he is not yet that. “This is a big deal. We are trying to take the England captain away from the Premier League.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live ‘One step at a time’ – Anthony Joshua shuts out Deontay Wilder comparisons Ally Ewing out to emulate Brian Harman with Open win ‘Honorary Welshwoman’ Shabnim Ismail brings international spirit to Welsh Fire

The Premier League is back! The new season gets underway tonight with newly-promoted Burnley hosting the reigning champions Manchester City at Turf Moor. It’s been two months since the conclusion of the 2022/23 season saw City defeat Inter Milan and claim a treble of trophies in the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup. Pep Guardiola will be hoping to repeat that success in this new campaign but City have been updating their squad this summer. Captain, Ilkay Gundogan, has moved to Barcelona, and Riyad Mahrez has joined Saudi Pro League club Al-Ahli. Mateo Kovacic and Josko Gvardiol have since joined up with the champions and could feature in their first league game for the club this evening. Get all the latest Premier League betting sites offers Burnley, meanwhile, are hoping to build on an outstanding season in the Championship under boss Vincent Kompany. They notched up 101 points in 46 games, scoring the most goals (87) and conceding the fewest (35) after a successful rebuild in the second tier. As Kompany prepares to face off against his old team he’ll be hoping that the Clarets bring this form and skill into the Premier League. Follow all the action as the Premier League returns with Burnley hosting Manchester City: Read More The Premier League is having an identity crisis – but one thing can save it Premier League 2023/24 predictions: Champions, top four, relegation, best signing, top scorer and more Pep Guardiola expects Man City’s standards ‘to drop’ this season

Manchester United have agreed to sell midfielder Fred to Fenerbahce for €15 million. The Brazil international will end his five-year stay at Old Trafford and join the Turkish club, providing he passes his medical, agrees personal terms and gets international clearance. Fred, who had also attracted interest from Galatasaray and Fulham, has scored 14 goals in 213 games for United, was a first-choice under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and, even as a squad player, made 56 appearances under Erik ten Hag last season. Fenerbahce will pay an initial €10 million plus a further €5 million in add-ons. The 30-year-old only had one year left on his contract and, while Fred cost £52 million in 2018, United believe it is a good deal for a player who could have left on a free transfer next summer. He joins Anthony Elanga and Alex Telles among their summer sales as United look to raise funds after spending around £170 million this summer. United could also sell Harry Maguire, after accepting a £30 million offer from West Ham, while they are in talks with Nottingham Forest about Dean Henderson and Real Sociedad for Donny van de Beek. Read More Manchester United delay decision over Mason Greenwood’s return David Moyes: Man City bid for Lucas Paqueta was nowhere near our valuation Erik ten Hag has no regrets over Harry Kane ahead of Bayern Munich move

Eight additional criminal complaints were filed Thursday in connection with an investigation into alleged student-athlete gambling at Iowa State University and the University of Iowa, court records show.

Manchester United have delayed their announcement of whether Mason Greenwood has a future at the club as they consult with members of their women’s team, among others, until after the start of the season. United have conducted a thorough investigation into the forward over the last six months and had intended to announce their decision at some point before Monday’s opening game against Wolves. The Carabao Cup holders intend to talk to stakeholders including the club’s commercial partners, fans and the women’s team – three of whom, Mary Earps, Ella Toone and Katie Zelem, are at the World Cup, which finishes on 20 August– and explain their findings. United believe it is important to take more time to reach and describe the right decision amid concerns about a sensitive issue. Greenwood has been suspended by the club since January 2022, when he was arrested on suspicion of raping and assaulting a woman. He was charged in October 2022 with rape, assault occasioning actual bodily harm and controlling and coercive behaviour, which he denied. Those charges were dropped by the Crown Prosecution Services in February 2023 because key witnesses withdrew their involvement. Greenwood has not played for United since January 2022 and has two years left on his current contract. Read More David Moyes: Man City bid for Lucas Paqueta was nowhere near our valuation Erik ten Hag has no regrets over Harry Kane ahead of Bayern Munich move Can Arsenal better Man City? Talking points as the Premier League kicks off

Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith explained why the Big Ten was eventually able to add Oregon and Washington, resulting in the hostile takeover and eventual death of the Pac-12.Mo money, mo problems...It was all a dream. I used to watch Pac-12 After Dark! Now we are left with a Pacific...

Liverpool have agreed a British record transfer fee with Brighton for Moises Caicedo, but the Reds face a battle to land the Ecuadorian amid fierce competition from Chelsea. Jurgen Klopp confirmed on Friday morning a deal has been struck which could see Liverpool pay in the region of £110million for the midfielder, who has attracted intense interest from Chelsea this summer. Chelsea’s third and most recent offer for Caicedo was £80m, substantially below Brighton’s valuation of a player who they signed for £4m from Ecuadorian side Independiente del Valle in February 2021. However, while Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi is resigned to losing Caicedo, Chelsea are not yet out of the running and will be mulling over whether to make a fresh bid as it is understood the 21-year-old Ecuador international would prefer a switch to Stamford Bridge. Klopp wants to reinforce his options in the middle of the park with Jordan Henderson and Fabinho going to the Saudi Pro League last month while Naby Keita and James Milner also recently left the club. They signed Caicedo’s ex-Brighton team-mate Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai from RB Leipzig but missed out on Jude Bellingham, who joined Real Madrid in June in a deal that could rise to £115m. “I can confirm the deal with (Brighton) is agreed, whatever that means because we want the player and not any kind of agreement, we will see,” Klopp said. “We are a club that doesn’t have endless resources, we didn’t expect a couple of things happening in the summer, like Henderson and Fabinho (leaving), stuff like this. “We didn’t think about that before the summer, to be honest, and then it happened. We gave (attempting to sign Bellingham) a go and the club was really stretched. We will see (what happens with Caicedo).” As for whether Caicedo will undergo a medical in Merseyside on Friday or if signing the youngster would be Liverpool’s final business of the summer window, Klopp was tight-lipped. “I’ve said what I know,” he added. “Let’s do it step by step, let’s see what happens in the next hours or days.” The Caicedo fee is upwards of the previous British record of £107m that Chelsea paid for Enzo Fernandez in January and dwarfs Liverpool’s own highest transfer payment of £75m for Virgil van Dijk in 2018. De Zerbi said on Friday: “I would like to answer only one time (on Caicedo). I’ve already forgotten Moises. Moises is leaving and is not important for me now.” Chelsea head coach Mauricio Pochettino was coy when asked about Caicedo but the tug-of-war between the Blues and Liverpool is an intriguing subplot ahead of their showdown on the opening weekend of the Premier League season on Sunday in west London. “I never talk about players that don’t belong to us,” the Argentinian said. “I am so respectful. “What I can tell you is we are working really hard to try to add more players to the squad, to add quality. When we have some update to be made for you, the club will do. “It’s obvious, when you look at the squad compared with last season, too many midfielders leave the squad. We have different options, we are working hard to try, to see.” Klopp, whose side missed out on Champions League qualification after finishing fifth last season, was reminded of his critical comments on paying nine-figure sums for players six years ago. After Manchester United signed Paul Pogba for a then-world record £89m, Klopp said: “If you bring one player in for £100m and he gets injured, then it all goes through the chimney. The day that this is football, I’m not in a job anymore, because the game is about playing together.” However, Klopp accepted he was mistaken for questioning the wisdom of such fees on Friday and admitted prices for players will only increase with Saudi Arabia muscling in as a rival to Europe’s top leagues. “Everything changed,” Klopp said. “Do I like it? But did I realise I was wrong? Definitely. That’s the way it goes, it will not go the other way around again, Saudi Arabia will not help with that. “I’m not blaming anybody, it’s just the market with a lot of money. “In the end, we as a club have just to try to make sure that with our resources, we get the best possible team together. We really try everything to get the best squad for us. “We are not in a dreamland so we can’t just point on players and bring them in, there’s a lot of work to do these kinds of things. Sometimes one door closes then the other door opens up. “If people want to throw my quotes from five or six years ago, absolutely no problem. I realise now I was wrong, it’s easy to admit that.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Saudi spending won’t compromise owners’ aims for Newcastle, says Mapgies CEO Today at the World Cup: Spain and Sweden set up semi-final clash Dewi Lake puts injury troubles behind him to lead out Wales at Twickenham

Newcastle chief executive Darren Eales is convinced eye-watering Saudi Arabian investment in domestic football will not derail their mission on Tyneside. The Gulf state’s Public Investment Fund, which owns an 80 per cent stake in the St James’ Park outfit, bought majority holdings in four of the nation’s biggest clubs – Al Nassr, Al Hilal, Al Ahli and Al Ittihad – in June, sparking a transfer flurry which has taken some of the game’s biggest names to the Saudi Pro League in return for vast pay packets. Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo and French counterpart Karim Benzema are among those to have headed for the Middle East, while the Magpies have themselves benefited – to raised eyebrows in some quarters – with Allan Saint-Maximin’s move to Al-Ahli, having unlocked a Financial Fair Play conundrum with what is understood to have been a £30million cash injection. Asked to explain the difference between that and the more modest approach adopted on Tyneside, where the total transfer spend over the four windows since the new owners took charge currently amounts to around £350million, Eales said: “An investment was made and Financial Fair Play is the regulation, so within those parameters everybody knew what the guard rails are in terms of what you can spend and how you can spend it. “Our job is to try to now grow Newcastle United to where we want it to be within the regulations which every club has to follow.” While Newcastle’s spending has been huge in comparison to that under previous owner Mike Ashley, PIF’s investment in the club, which has prompted repeated accusations of sportswashing, has been relatively modest for a sovereign wealth fund worth in the region of £514billion. However Eales, who admitted the success or otherwise of the Pro League could spark pressure for a change to spending regulations in Europe, insists the owners are not frustrated by their inability to throw money at the Premier League club as they have been able to do at home. He said: “The reality is they came in and it has been incredible, fighting relegation to finishing 11th, then finishing fourth. We have very shrewd operators in our ownership group. “We have got a great skill-set and set of people who have experience in various businesses. They understand it is a long-term plan not short-term.” Summer swoops for Sandro Tonali, Harvey Barnes and Tino Livramento had bolstered Eddie Howe’s squad for a campaign in which the club will look to build upon last season’s top-four finish while at the same time renewing their acquaintance with the Champions League after a 20-year absence. However, the arrivals of Barnes and Livramento were eased by Saint-Maximin’s departure amid questions over a PIF-backed club buying from another within the fund’s sporting portfolio. We are trying to build the plane while we are flying it Newcastle chief executive Darren Eales However, sporting director Dan Ashworth, who confirmed there was no other formal bid for the Frenchman despite interest elsewhere, insisted the undisclosed fee represented the player’s market value. Ashworth said: “We are absolutely convinced it is fair market value and without going into the actual price it was, there is plenty evidence of players of similar age, similar position, similar ability, similar CV that are moving for similar amounts outside the Saudi league.” The trajectory since Amanda Staveley’s consortium took up the reins at St James’ in October 2021 has been inexorably upwards, and the plan is to continue that resurgence both on the pitch and off it, where £10million has been invested in the training ground and a feasibility study commissioned to look into ways in which the 52,000-capacity stadium could be expanded. Commercial revenue and global supporter engagement are also major focuses for a club which has high hopes for sustained success. Eales said: “We are trying to build the plane while we are flying it. We won’t always get everything right. For us, it’s about getting Newcastle United rightfully back to where it should be.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Today at the World Cup: Spain and Sweden set up semi-final clash Dewi Lake puts injury troubles behind him to lead out Wales at Twickenham Roberto De Zerbi insists Brighton retain their ‘soul’ despite star departures