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England Under-21s breezed into the Euro 2023 final to move to the brink of ending their 39-year drought. The Young Lions last won the competition in 1984 but eased past Israel 3-0 to reach Saturday’s final, where they will play Spain or Ukraine. Morgan Gibbs-White – after he missed a penalty – Cole Palmer and Cameron Archer netted to secure a final spot, England’s first since 2009, with Lee Carsley’s side yet to concede in Georgia. Having already beaten Israel 2-0 in the group stage, the Young Lions were confident with Levi Colwill nodding over Gibbs-White’s early free-kick. But they should have taken the lead when Gibbs-White missed from the spot after 17 minutes. It took four minutes for VAR to rule Anthony Gordon was fouled by Karm Jaber – after Emile Smith Rowe had a shot cleared off the line before hitting the post – only for Gibbs-White to fire wide. It boosted Israel’s belief with England frustrated but Carsley’s men maintained their composure and Gibbs-White atoned for his miss three minutes before the break. The Nottingham Forest midfielder ghosted in late to reach Palmer’s delivery and rose between two Israel defenders to nod the ball into the top corner from 12 yards. The half ended with Israel refusing to press and England keeping the ball, barely moving, and they remained in control after the restart. Smith Rowe scuffed a shot and Gordon saw an effort deflect wide but Palmer finally doubled the lead after 64 minutes. Gibbs-White found Smith Rowe, who crossed for Manchester City forward Palmer to convert – only for the goal to initially be ruled out for offside. Another long VAR check again went in England’s favour as Smith Rowe was adjudged to be onside and the goal stood. There was still time for substitute Archer to add a third in stoppage time when he smashed in Palmer’s pass. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Heather Watson suffers first-round exit against impressive Barbora Krejcikova Arthur Fery could turn pro after gaining confidence from playing Daniil Medvedev Richard Wigglesworth: England are more interested in winning than entertaining

Republic of Ireland Women’s manager Vera Pauw insists she “will never win from a lie” and will have to carry allegations she body-shamed players for the rest of her life. The Dutchwoman has previously strongly refuted the claims made in a report on misconduct in the National Women’s Soccer League relating to the period she was in charge of Houston Dash. Further allegations from former players emerged this week and have overshadowed the team’s preparations for the Women’s World Cup which will see them play France at Tallaght Stadium in their final game before departing. “I think it is the same story as in December. It is something from a few anonymous players and how can you defend yourself against a lie?” she told a press conference. “I will never win from a lie. That is clear now. I have to live with it and carry it with me for the rest of my life I’m afraid.” The original report claimed Pauw “shamed players for their weight” and “attempted to exert excessive control over eating habits”. “Go through the allegations and put Pep Guardiola, Louis Van Gaal or (Jose) Mourinho in that and you would laugh about it,” Pauw added. “It is all about coaching, it is not about anything else. I don’t want to go into details because it is nonsense and untrue. “There is great safety in the truth and that truth is with me. The people around me, the people who know me and the people who saw me working know that is not true. “We are going to a World Cup. We have done phenomenally with this team and I would never have been able to do that if our bond with each other had not been so strong or positive.” Ireland’s captain Katie McCabe admits she has had disagreements with Pauw but insists things have never crossed a line and they are both focused on doing the best for the team. “Vera has a style of management that we are used to over the last two years,” she said. “We’ve worked together, we’ve argued with each other as you’re never going to get on 100 per cent with your manager at times. She pushes me and I push her. I will never win from a lie. That is clear now. I have to live with it and carry it with me for the rest of my life I'm afraid. Vera Pauw “We have clashed many times but we are always professional enough to make sure we are fully focused for the team. “Both of our hearts are in the right place in terms of what is best for the Ireland women’s national team going forward. “This is such a massive time in Ireland for women’s football and it’s frustrating we can’t be here talking about our massive send-off game tomorrow and the fact we are heading to our first major tournament. “It takes the sting out of it from the team’s point of view.” The Football Association of Ireland issued a statement on Monday saying it was “fully focused on supporting Vera and the women’s team”. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Three people arrested after multiple protests take place at Wimbledon Katie Boulter and boyfriend Alex De Minaur team up for Wimbledon mixed doubles Jai Hindley wins Tour de France stage five to take yellow jersey

Former Spain and Barcelona boss Luis Enrique has been named as the new manager of Paris St Germain following the sacking of Christophe Galtier. The French club parted company with Galtier on Wednesday despite his success in leading them to a record 11th Ligue 1 title in his first season in charge. Enrique, who had been out of work since stepping down from his role with Spain after last year’s World Cup, has signed a two-year deal. A statement read: “Paris St Germain is pleased to announce the appointment of Luis Enrique as head coach of the professional team. The Spanish coach has signed a two-year contract.” Galtier’s position had been the subject of speculation since PSG exited the Champions League at the last-16 stage. His team went on to pip Lens to the domestic title by a single point but the 56-year-old’s eventual departure came as little surprise. His exit and replacement by Enrique is not the only change at the club this summer with seven-time world player of the year Lionel Messi having also departed. The future of another star player, Neymar, is also uncertain. Enrique, 53, will spearhead a renewed attempt to succeed on the European stage. The Spaniard said: “I am delighted to arrive in Paris to live a new experience there. It’s so exciting to meet new people, to live in this city, to learn a new language and above all to coach PSG.” Enrique, who had a distinguished playing career with Real Madrid, Barcelona and Spain, has also had spells coaching Roma and Celta Vigo. He led Barca to the Champions League in 2015 and also won LaLiga twice with the Catalan giants before spending four years with the Spanish national side. He is the fourth new coach at PSG in just over five years after Thomas Tuchel, Mauricio Pocehttino and Galtier. PSG said in a statement: “At the end of the 2022-2023 season, Paris Saint-Germain informed Christophe Galtier of its decision to terminate his contract as first-team coach.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Arthur Fery looks at home on Wimbledon stage in defeat to Daniil Medvedev Sheff Wed chairman Dejphon Chansiri hits out at critics at Xisco Munoz unveiling Arrests made after two Just Stop Oil protesters disrupt play at Wimbledon

Sheffield Wednesday chairman Dejphon Chansiri hit back at his critics when introducing new manager Xisco Munoz to the media. Former Watford boss Munoz, 42, was appointed on Tuesday as a replacement for Darren Moore, who surprisingly left the club by mutual consent last month – just three weeks after leading them to promotion back to the Championship. Chansiri has come under pressure from a section of fans over Moore’s departure, with former Owls player Carlton Palmer among his critics on social media. The Wednesday chairman felt compelled to reveal in a club statement last week that Moore had left Hillsborough after asking for a contract four times bigger than his previous one. Chansiri’s outburst cast a shadow over Munoz’s unveiling on Wednesday when he said: “Carlton Palmer came out and said something. I don’t understand why you say you love this club, but you try to damage it. “When we’ve done well in the past I’ve never seen him come out. I think he just wants to get attention. “If he thinks he tells the true story, I invite him to talk to me face-to-face in front of fans and media. Don’t hide behind social media.” Spaniard Munoz, whose 10-month spell in charge at Watford ended in the sack after he had guided them to promotion to the Premier League in 2021, stressed it was time to look to the future. The former Valencia winger, who lasted seven games as Watford boss in the top flight, said: “We need a new era. I don’t want to speak about three weeks ago. We are a massive club with massive fanbase. “Everyone knows what happened before. Now it’s about what we want, what we need. This is our focus.” Neither Wednesday nor Munoz declared the length of his contract and he confirmed he was happy to work with the club’s current backroom staff while keeping an open mind about bringing in new coaches. Munoz, tasked with ending the club’s 23-year Premier League exile and establishing them in the top flight, also stressed the club could only be successful if it remained united. The former Dinamo Tbilisi and Huesca head coach added: “We need the players, the training ground and the fans. “Our first goal is we arrive and try to improve on the training ground. Now is the moment for everybody to start pushing. “If we love the club I don’t need fighting. We need the fans to push us and stay together. “It’s important when you arrive at one place you need to know what the fans are demanding. Today I spoke to the players about that and starting work hard. We have a good group.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Arrests made after two Just Stop Oil protesters disrupt play at Wimbledon Ian Poulter believes changes need to be made for golf’s merger to succeed Jodie Burrage has Centre Court debut to forget against Daria Kasatkina

The Football Association is looking at whether the women’s game could be exempted from the Saturday afternoon television blackout, Baroness Sue Campbell has told MPs. Baroness Campbell, the FA’s director of women’s football, told the Culture, Media and Sport committee various options are being looked at to maximise coverage of the game on the back of the England team’s success at the Women’s Euros last summer. One of those is giving consideration to whether the women’s game could be removed from the restriction on live football coverage between 2.45pm and 5.15pm on Saturdays under Article 48 of the UEFA statutes, which the FA currently chooses to apply. Campbell said: “I think that consistent of opportunity to view the women’s game is important. It used to be, and it still is, a little bit random. We weren’t quite sure what time and what day you were going to be able to turn on and see it. “We need to get some consistency. We have been exploring Article 48, which when it was put in practice was there for men’s football, we’d like to see could the women have that slot on television? “But whatever we do we need a regular opportunity to view the game which people can access, and we need to recognise that we have a younger audience, so sticking it on in an evening might not be the best time.” The Saturday blackout will not be affected by the EFL’s new deal with Sky Sports starting in 2024-25, but the league did receive a rival offer from the streaming service DAZN which would have required the restriction to be lifted. The Premier League’s chief executive Richard Masters said in March that his organisation was a proponent of Article 48 and did not see that changing in the near term. The English top flight is set to begin its tender process for the next three-year domestic rights cycle starting from 2025-26 this autumn. Whatever we do we need a regular opportunity to view the game which people can access Baroness Sue Campbell Former England forward Ellen White agreed with Campbell that an innovative approach was required at the same hearing. “I think we need to look at grassroots football, when that’s being played, so we can maximise the amount of families and young people that are coming to games,” she said. “Sunday at 6.45 in the evening like Sue said, schools (open the next day), then again on a Saturday at 11am a lot of grassroots football teams play, so you’re destroying the viewership then, and also the amount of bums on seats in the stadium as well. “So I think we need to look at a good day and a good time to really maximise our audiences, to get bums on seats and to grow our fanbase.” White did not agree with the idea that one way to make the women’s game more financially sustainable would be to introduce a US-style closed league. “I wouldn’t agree with it because you’ve got clubs in the Championship or lower than that, and what have they got to strive for?” she said. “For me it’s really exciting and gives a lot of opportunity for the teams in the Championship and the pyramid to try and develop and prove and push themselves that they want to be part of the Women’s Super League. I don’t think the country would want to move away from that.” Campbell said the United States was able to operate that system because of its highly-developed high school and university programmes, and to replicate that in England would “cut the head off the body” of the women’s game. Meanwhile, the chair of a different parliamentary committee has written to boot manufacturers over the lack of products designed specifically for women and girls. Caroline Nokes, the chair of the Women and Equalities committee, has written to brands including Adidas and Nike after evidence was given to her committee about the disproportionate impact of anterior cruciate ligament injuries to female footballers. Campbell said ACL injuries accounted for two per cent of injuries female players suffered but accepted they could be “catastrophic” for the individual when they did occur. “I’ve asked repeatedly, ‘Can somebody tell me the cause of this?’ and of course it’s complex – is it wearing men’s shoes, is it the training surfaces, the over-stressed calendar with not enough rest? Is it the kind of physical conditioning that people are doing?” Campbell said. “We’re encouraging more research. We’re funding more research. If we haven’t got healthy, well looked after elite players then we’re failing the game.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Hostile Headingley awaits Australia after Bairstow row – Ashes talking points Leicester fined up to £880,000 over price fixing with JD Sports Paris St Germain sack Christophe Galtier

Millie Bright has called for work to be done with regard to scheduling in the women’s game, stressing players are “not robots”. Bright – captain of the England squad flying out for this summer’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand on Wednesday after regular skipper Leah Williamson was ruled out by an ACL injury, and recovering from a knee issue herself – says burnout is “always in the back of your mind” as a player. The 66-cap Chelsea centre-back, who helped England win the Euros last summer and played for Great Britain at the Olympics the summer before that, said: “It’s tough. “I’ve been doing it for several years now. Playing back-to-back tournaments, it’s hard, when you’re playing every single minute for your clubs. “That’s the demands of the game now, especially with how competitive it is getting. The quality has gone through the roof and the games are getting harder to win, especially when you’re competing for every trophy. “I still think there’s work to be done in terms of scheduling, making sure we can compete in every competition and do back-to-back tournaments, but also we are not robots, we need time to recover. “We want to perform, to be at the highest level. For me, I think the scheduling of everything needs to be looked at so we can keep the quality at the highest it can possibly be. “As a player, it is always in the back of your mind.” Injuries have been a major talking point of late in women’s football, with a particular focus on the amount of players suffering ACL damage – something that has left England heading into this summer’s tournament without not only Williamson but also Beth Mead, her Arsenal team-mate who was the Euro 2022 Golden Boot winner. I think the scheduling of everything needs to be looked at so we can keep the quality at the highest it can possibly be. Millie Bright Asked if more research was needed, Bright said: “I think there always needs to be more done. “We obviously know the (female) body is very different to the male, so the research needs to be done in that sense. “For me, it’s more than just one factor, it’s everything that comes with it, whether it’s facilities, pitches, the amount of games we are playing, the amount of rest we’re having. It’s everything together, and I think all elements need to align. “We want to be performing at the highest level but we can only do that if we are fully recovered. If you play under a lot of fatigue then you are bound to be picking up injuries. It’s just impossible to keep going. “We don’t want to see this amount of injuries. I guess it will be a topic where the conversation will never die really until we see change and something done.” Bright has not played in a match since sustaining a knee injury while in action for Chelsea in March, after which she underwent surgery. While she was not involved in the 0-0 World Cup warm-up draw against Portugal in Milton Keynes on Saturday, she has expressed her confidence that she will be ready for the Lionesses’ Group D opener against Haiti on July 22. The 29-year-old, who was “absolutely gutted” for Williamson after she got injured in April and has had “check-ins” with her, said of the prospect of captaining her country at this summer’s showpiece: “It’s a proud moment to even be going to a World Cup. “I feel really grateful to be selected to go, let alone to be put in a position to captain the girls. It is a massive honour. “But for me, nothing changes – I stay the same. I’d like to think everyone says they see the same Millie every day, no matter. I always think with or without the armband I lead for the team, I think that’s just natural to me.” On the chances of Sarina Wiegman’s team adding to their Euro glory Down Under, Bright said: “For us it’s making sure we keep two feet on the ground, which I think we’ve always done, and know the challenge ahead will be even harder than any other tournament. We will be prepared and ready to fight for the badge.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Paris St Germain sack Christophe Galtier Wimbledon schedule further affected as rain prevents play on Wednesday morning Keira Walsh fears injury ‘every time I go on the pitch’ due to increased load

Hannah Dingley’s historic appointment at Forest Green Rovers has “smashed the glass ceiling”, anti-discrimination charity Kick It Out has said. The League Two club announced Dingley as their caretaker head coach late on Tuesday night, making her the first woman to manage a professional men’s team in England. Dingley has been the head of the Gloucestershire club’s academy and succeeds Duncan Ferguson on an interim basis after his departure from the club was confirmed earlier the same day. Kick It Out welcomed the news in a tweet on Wednesday morning which read: “That’s the sound of a glass ceiling being smashed! “Congratulations Hannah on becoming the first woman to manage a men’s professional football team in England.” Dingley’s first match in charge will be the pre-season friendly away to Melksham on Wednesday evening. She said: “I’m really excited for this next step of my career. Pre-season has just begun, and the full season kicks off very soon. It’s an exciting time in football. “I am grateful for the opportunity to step up and lead such a progressive and forward-thinking club.” Rovers chairman Dale Vince has spoken previously about the club’s openness to breaking new ground, and said a female coach working in the Women’s Super League was the standout candidate to succeed Mark Cooper in 2021, but that her CV had been submitted without her knowledge. On Dingley’s appointment, Vince said: “Hannah was the natural choice for us to be first team interim coach – she’s done a fantastic job leading our academy and is well aligned with the values of the club. “It’s perhaps telling for the men’s game that in making this appointment on merit, we’ll break new ground – and Hannah will be the first female head coach in English (men’s) football.” Women In Football chair Ebru Koksal tweeted in response to the news, describing Dingley as “a very qualified, capable, well-equipped coach” who had broken “norms and barriers, hopefully not only as a caretaker, but as a permanent appointment”. The EFL’s head of equality, diversity and inclusion Dave McArdle described Dingley’s appointment as a “welcome moment for English football” and added: “With many highly skilled and experienced coaches across the game, it was only a matter of time before the ongoing positive development of female coaches led to an opportunity in the first team at an EFL club. “It has always been a key priority for the EFL to create an environment in which clubs consider qualified candidates from an ever-widening pool of coaching talent and select the best possible person for a role. “This represents another step forward as we strive to make our game representative of the communities we serve.”

Leicester are to be fined up to £880,000 after “colluding to restrict competition” alongside JD Sports in the sales of club clothing, including replica kit, according to the UK competition watchdog. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has said the Sky Bet Championship side and JD Sports have admitted to anti-competitive behaviour, which include “price fixing conduct”. The parties broke competition law between 2018 and 2021 with arrangements which limited competition in the sale of clothing, the CMA said it has provisionally found. Leicester and its parent companies have agreed to pay a fine up to the watchdog’s maximum penalty of £880,000. JD Sports will avoid a fine after reporting the illegal activity. In August 2018, JD Sports said it would stop selling Leicester-branded clothing online for the 2018-19 season, and in January 2019, JD Sports agreed it would not “undercut” the club in terms of online sales for the following season by applying a delivery charge to all orders, the CMA said. It said JD Sports continued the agreement to sell all Leicester clothing with the charge until at least January 2021. Michael Grenfell, executive director of enforcement at the CMA, said: “Strong and unimpeded competition between retailers is essential to consumers’ ability to shop around for the best deals. “Football fans are well-known for their loyalty towards their teams. In this case we have provisionally found that Leicester City FC and JD Sports colluded to share out markets and fix prices with the result that fans may have ended up paying more than they would otherwise have done. “Both parties have now admitted their involvement, allowing us to bring the investigation to a swift conclusion. “The fine that Leicester City FC and its parent companies have agreed to pay sends a clear message to them and other businesses that anti-competitive collusion will not be tolerated.” In response, Leicester stressed that no current club directors or senior management were involved in the arrangements. “These arrangements related to a limited number of bulk orders by JD Sports, which were accepted by the club’s retail sales team over the relevant period,” the club added. “There was no intention on the part of the club to unlawfully restrict the resale of the goods supplied and no material financial advantage to be gained from doing so, given the limited amount of kit supplied to JD Sports. “However, the club accepts the CMA’s findings and has taken steps to strengthen its training and compliance measures to ensure the club’s retail operations fully comply with competition law.” JD Sports also highlighted that current or former directors or senior management of JD were involved in the offending conduct and that it signed a leniency agreement with the CMA last month. The company added: “JD has taken a number of steps to strengthen its competition compliance programme and the board reaffirms its commitment to making the necessary resource available, internal and external, to ensure that this is embedded into its daily operations.” It comes almost a year after JD Sports, rival Elite Sports and Rangers were handed fines over price fixing on replica kits. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Paris St Germain sack Christophe Galtier Wimbledon schedule further affected as rain prevents play on Wednesday morning Keira Walsh fears injury ‘every time I go on the pitch’ due to increased load

Former England forward Rachel Yankey has warned that the Lionesses’ World Cup opponents will all want to be the side that eliminates the European champions when the tournament kicks off in Australia and New Zealand. Sarina Wiegman’s team are amongst the favourites as they seek to become the first England side to win a world title since 1966, particularly following last summer’s Euro 2022 success on home soil. They fly out this evening to begin preparations for their opening match against Haiti and will be sent on their way by a message of support displayed beneath the flightpath out of Heathrow reading “Lionesses, you’re our pride.” The gesture, arranged by the Football Association’s commercial partner Kind Snacks, is tagged with thousands of messages submitted by fans nationwide, and is a mark of how support for women’s football has been transformed since Yankey’s playing days. The former Arsenal player, who won 129 caps during a 16-year international career, believes that whilst the prospect of holding both the world and European crowns simultaneously will be a motivation for England, other sides will be motivated to topple them starting with their first opponents Haiti. “I don’t think anybody from our nation or any other would have said England were a favourite to win the World Cup when I was playing,” said Yankey, who won the last of her caps in 2013. “They are now. “That’s because we’ve won the Euros, but there comes a pressure with that because everybody wants to beat a winning side. The games become harder. It’s a chance to knock you off the stage. “Haiti will have nothing to lose. They’re expected to lose that game and that makes it dangerous. They go out there, if they got a goal or a win, they get plaudits. Our team need to set their own standards, they need to push each other on, they need to make sure every game they’re at the highest level. “The main thing is getting through the group. How you do it is kind of irrelevant. We’d all like to see fantastic football, but just make sure you get the wins. “The fact that they could become European and world champions has got to drive them on. We’ve got players there who are hungry for success and they’ll want more. “The players will also understand that the better they do, the more it will inspire the younger generation, whether it’s boys or girls. It’s a chance to change how we view women’s football.” After opening their campaign in Brisbane, Wiegman’s side move on to face Denmark in Sydney before concluding the group stage against China in Adelaide. They are looking to reach what would be a first final for the Lionesses, whose previous best were semi-final appearances in 2015 and 2019. Yankey hopes that the increased backing from the FA as well as commercial partners will continue to drive the exposure that the women’s game needs in order to grow. She explained: “It’s hugely different from 2009 (when England reached the European Championship final, losing to Germany). That’s why it’s important that commercial partners come on board, because they make a difference to the way people view the game. “In 2009 or any other year, you’re out there and fully focused, but once you’re out of the tournament you would come home and nobody knows about it. We don’t want that to happen. “We see now when the girls are going on holiday and people are wanting to take photos of them. The landscape of women’s football has changed. That’s because of engagement, companies look at women’s football as a business and thinking that this is the right thing to do, but because women should have the same opportunity in all sports, but also it’s a business opportunity, a change to engage.” ::KIND Snacks have created a giant message of support for the Lionesses as they head off to Australia for the first game in the tournament. The 100-metre wide sign was made out of thousands of messages of support from the public, including ex-Lionesses Rachel Yankey and Faye White. PA

Christophe Galtier has been sacked by Paris St Germain despite leading them to a record 11th Ligue 1 title in his first season in charge. PSG confirmed on Wednesday that they had parted company with their 56-year-old coach just weeks after Lionel Messi’s goal secured a 1-1 draw at Strasbourg and an unassailable lead at the top of the table. A statement on the club’s official website said: “At the end of the 2022-2023 season, Paris Saint-Germain informed Christophe Galtier of its decision to terminate his contract as first-team coach. “The club would like to pay tribute to his professionalism and commitment, which helped the Rouge et Bleu win a historic eleventh French Championship title and a Trophee des Champions. “The entire Paris Saint-Germain team would like to thank Christophe Galtier, as well as his assistants Thierry Oleksiak and Joao Sacramento, for their professionalism and commitment throughout the season, and wish them all the best for the rest of their careers.” Galtier’s departure comes after 36-year-old Messi’s exit for MLS side Inter Miami, with PSG still the dominant force in France but having once again failed in their mission to win the Champions League. The 2020 runners-up went out in the last 16 last season after a 3-0 aggregate defeat by Bayern Munich to prolong owner Qatar Sports Investments’ wait for European success. Former Spain boss Luis Enrique and ex-Bayern manager Julian Nagelsmann have been linked with the impending vacancy in recent weeks, although reports have suggested talks with the German broke down last month.

Manchester United have completed the signing of Mason Mount from Chelsea on a contract to 2028 with the option of a further year, the club have announced. The PA news agency understands the fee agreed for the 24-year-old England midfielder is an initial £55million. Mount – who came through the ranks at Chelsea and made 129 Premier League appearances for them, scoring 27 goals and providing 22 assists – said in a statement from United: “It’s never easy leaving the club where you grew up, but Manchester United will provide an exciting new challenge for the next phase of my career. “Having competed against them, I know just how strong a squad it is that I’m joining, and I can’t wait to be part of this group’s drive to win major trophies.”

Declan Rice is to undergo a medical at Arsenal following agreement on a fee with West Ham, the PA news agency understands. The signing of the Hammers captain for £100million plus £5million in add-ons will not only break Arsenal’s own transfer record but also see Rice become the most expensive Englishman in Premier League history. Arsenal launched their third and final bid last week with an offer which saw champions Manchester City pull out of the race to sign the 24-year-old. West Ham were not happy with the payment structure of the Arsenal deal but, after further negotiations, it is understood an agreement is in place and Rice is free to discuss personal terms and have his medical ahead of a move to the Emirates Stadium. Rice, who lifted the Europa Conference League title in what now looks set to be his final West Ham appearance, has been Arsenal’s top target this summer. He would become the second summer signing for Mikel Arteta’s side, following the addition of Germany forward Kai Havertz from Chelsea, as the Gunners look to go one better than their second-placed finish last season. Ajax defender Jurrien Timber also remains a priority for the Gunners, who head to Germany for a pre-season training camp later this month. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live