List of All Articles with Tag 'football'

Martin Odegaard says Arsenal must use the pain of last season’s near-miss to fuel a renewed push for the Premier League title. The north Londoners enjoyed a campaign to remember under Mikel Arteta, only for perennial champions Manchester City to pip them to top spot at the death. It was a galling end to a promising season for Arsenal, whose captain Odegaard says the ultimate disappointment will spur them on as they look to topple Pep Guardiola’s men. “We have to use it,” he said. “The end of the season was tough for us and very painful after leading for so long. “That is always going to hurt but we have to use it in a good way to come back stronger and be even more motivated and even hungrier. “That’s what we did last year after we missed the Champions League the year before. We came back stronger and that’s what we’re going to try to do.” Asked if it was hard to erase last season, Odegaard said: “It was difficult to be honest. We were very close and had the big dream and goal to win something. You have to deal with it in a good way and move on and that’s what we’re going to do as a team Martin Odegaard “To be so close to doing it with this team is always going to hurt but you have to deal with it in a good way and move on and that’s what we’re going to do as a team. That is the only way.” Arsenal have not wallowed in self-pity since falling short in the title race. Instead, they have gone on an eye-catching spending spree bringing in Kai Havertz, Jurrien Timber and £105million Declan Rice. “Every time I played against him I saw the quality,” Odegaard said of the former West Ham skipper. “He’s a leader as well so it’s great for me to work together and hopefully we can help each other a lot. “Every time I played him it was a tough one. We had some tough battles so I’m happy to have him on the team and hopefully we can find a good connection very quickly. “I think his presence in the game (stands out). He’s good on the ball, he can take it forward and physically he’s very strong. “He’s good in many areas, is physical and is a leader so a lot of areas.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Heather Knight proud of England’s Ashes fightback No fitness concerns over Declan Rice, says Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta Wayne Rooney hopes Marcus Rashford builds Man Utd legacy after new deal

Mikel Arteta allayed concerns over star signing Declan Rice’s fitness ahead of a potential first Arsenal appearance against the MLS All-Stars on Wednesday. The 24-year-old midfielder completed his British record £105million move from West Ham to the Emirates Stadium at the weekend. Rice travelled with his new team-mates to the United States but was unable to train in Washington DC on Monday, working on an exercise bike by the pitch. “We just wanted to manage him,” Arsenal boss Arteta said of the England international. “Obviously a lot has happened to him in the last five or six days. “He had a very hectic schedule and he had a few training sessions that went really good, but prior to that, he didn’t do much before he joined us. “So we wanted to just manage him. He trained today with us. He was in good form and he’s fine.” Wednesday’s match kicks off Arsenal’s pre-season tour of the USA and Arteta is looking forward to facing the Wayne Rooney-coached All-Stars at Audi Field. “It’s going to be a special, unpredictable game obviously because we are going to play and change a lot of players as well,” the Spaniard said. “It’s great to be invited and be part of this and hopefully we can give something back to the fans to cheer.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

Wayne Rooney hopes “incredible talent” Marcus Rashford can help bring titles back to Manchester United and put himself at the same level as the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland. The 20-time league champions have now not won a Premier League crown for a decade, with neighbours Manchester City establishing themselves as the dominant force during that period. United have endured a topsy-turvy time since Rooney helped Sir Alex Ferguson’s side lift the 2012-13 title but things are looking up under Erik ten Hag. Mason Mount has joined from Chelsea and Inter Milan goalkeeper Andre Onana is set to follow him to Old Trafford as the Dutchman looks to build on last season’s Carabao Cup triumph and third-place finish. United have been further boosted on Tuesday by tying down homegrown star Rashford, who has signed a new five-year deal after breaking the 30-goal barrier for the first time last season. “I think Ten Hag has done really well since he came in last season,” Rooney, the club’s all-time top scorer, said. “You can see he’s trying to create a squad and a mentality with the signings he made last season and also again what they’re trying to do this year. “I think Marcus Rashford is an incredible talent. I am delighted he signed a new deal. I think the next five years for him is going to be real important in his legacy, if you like. “Because he can score a lot of goals but if he really wants to go to that level which Mbappe and Haaland are at, I think he has to be the man to get Manchester United back to winning trophies and league titles. I hope he can do that.” City – basking in the afterglow of their treble triumph – are some hurdle to overcome, with up-and-coming manager Rooney full of praise for Pep Guardiola. “I think Manchester City have certainly raised everything,” the DC United boss said. “You look at Liverpool for a couple of seasons were really challenging them. “They’ve set a challenge for Manchester United, for Arsenal, for Chelsea, for Liverpool and all the teams, really. “Guardiola has been, for me, one of the best things to happen to English football – not just in terms of the league but actually the England national team too. “Some of the coaching he’s given the young English players, before with (Raheem) Sterling, John Stones, Kyle Walker, has really helped them develop as players. “I know they were senior players in the England set-up, to pass that knowledge onto some of the other players well. “Yeah, there’s a challenge there. I think it goes in cycles – we’ve seen it throughout the years with Manchester United, Arsenal having dominance, Chelsea having dominance. “Unfortunately it’s Manchester City’s time of dominance but I’m sure the teams that are challenging are going to be coming back over the next few years, that’s for sure.” Rooney was speaking ahead of managing the Major League Soccer All-Stars against Arsenal, whose manager Mikel Arteta is another coach he admires. “I think he’s done incredible, really, to go in at Arsenal and he won the FA Cup in the first season and really pushed Manchester City last season,” the England great said. “Still as a young coach, it’s great to see. Everyone coaches in their own ways, styles and identities. “He’s been fantastic and I’m sure working with Guardiola helped him massively as well. “That’s where you want to get to as a young coach, into the top teams obviously, being English, in the Premier League. “I’m going through the steps to try and do that where Arteta has already been through those steps and had probably the best training he could have working alongside Guardiola.” Rooney and Arteta shared a warm embrace between the press conferences in Washington DC, where new boy Declan Rice could make his first Arsenal appearance since joining for £105million from West Ham. “I think he’s a huge signing for Arsenal,” Rooney said. “He’s a fantastic player with a great mentality, young. “Arsenal have got a player at the top of his game but I think he’ll bring a great character into the dressing room. “He’s a captain, he could be captain of Arsenal. I think he’s a player who Arsenal needed and they’ve certainly got a top player.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Heather Knight proud of England’s Ashes fightback No fitness concerns over Declan Rice, says Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta Tiger Woods: Winning 2006 Open at Royal Liverpool ‘most gratifying’ of my titles

Here is a forecast into what college football teams could be playing in New Year's Six Bowls.For one last college football season, we will be dealing with the College Football Playoff in the four-team format with the New Year's Six rotating in a three-year cycle as national semifinals....

Brighton have rejected a second bid from Chelsea for star midfielder Moises Caicedo. The Blues’ latest offer for the Ecuador international is believed to be around £70million. Caicedo requested to leave Albion in January amid interest from Arsenal but in March signed a new contract until 2027. The 21-year-old, who last season helped the Seagulls qualify for Europe for the first time and reach the semi-finals of the FA Cup, remains of interest to a number of Premier League rivals. Caicedo joined Brighton from Ecuadorian club Independiente del Valle for a reported £4.5m in February 2021 before being loaned to Belgian side Beerschot. He made his top-flight debut in April 2022 and has played 53 times during his time at the Amex Stadium, scoring two goals. Chelsea and Brighton are scheduled to meet on Saturday in Philadelphia in a six-team Premier League pre-season tournament. New Blues manager Mauricio Pochettino is in the process of overhauling his squad following the club’s worst season in almost 30 years. Forwards Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson have already arrived at Stamford Bridge this summer, while Mason Mount, Kai Havertz and Mateo Kovacic are among a host of departures. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

Marcus Rashford has signed a new five-year contract to stay at Manchester United and carry on living his dream. United have rewarded their 30-goal top scorer with a pay rise and Rashford agreed to stay at Old Trafford until 2028 after a successful end to months of talks. Rashford has been rejuvenated under Erik ten Hag, after only scoring five times in 2021-22, and while his previous deal was due to expire next summer, the Dutchman was long confident about keeping him. Rashford, who had attracted interest from Paris Saint-Germain, scored in the final as United won the Carabao Cup, their first trophy for six years, and set his sights on securing more silverware. He said: “I joined Manchester United as a seven-year-old boy with a dream. That same passion, pride, and determination to succeed still drives me every time I have the honour of wearing the shirt. I’ve already had some amazing experiences at this incredible club, but there is still a lot more to achieve and I remain relentlessly determined to win more trophies in the years ahead. “As a United fan all my life, I know the responsibility that comes with representing this badge and feel the highs and lows as much as anyone. I can assure you that I will give everything to help the team reach the level we are capable of, and I can feel the same determination around the dressing room. I couldn’t be more excited for the future under this manager.” Rashford’s new deal is a third key part of United’s summer business, along with buying Mason Mount and the imminent signing of Andre Onana, after a fee with agreed with Internazionale and the goalkeeper accepted personal terms. He has scored 123 goals in 359 games since debuting in 2016 and director of football John Murtough believes Rashford can become one of the best forwards in the world. He said: “Ever since he joined our academy 18 years ago, Marcus has epitomised what it takes to succeed as a Manchester United player. He is a brilliant talent but also humble, dedicated and driven. As he enters his prime years, we know there is still so much more to come from him, and we can see the hunger that Marcus feels to achieve the highest levels of success here at Manchester United. “Working with Erik ten Hag and his coaches is the perfect environment for Marcus to continue to develop into one of the best attacking players in the world.” United have also temporarily re-signed Jonny Evans on short-term deal that only covers pre-season. The former Leicester captain, who made 199 appearances before leaving Old Trafford in 2015, is in the squad for Wednesday’s friendly against Lyon in Edinburgh. The 35-year-old is also set to feature in the academy team who will face Wrexham in San Diego. Read More Jonny Evans returns to Manchester United on short-term deal for pre-season tour Man Utd reach breakthrough in Marcus Rashford contract talks Fury announces next fight and Messi relaxes – Tuesday’s sporting social Brighton reject second Chelsea bid for midfielder Moises Caicedo

Former Manchester United winger and Wales boss Ryan Giggs is hoping to revive his career in the game after being cleared of domestic violence allegations made by his ex-girlfriend. Giggs, who left the Wales job in the run-up to the last World Cup while facing trial, has “unfinished business” in football, a source close to the former player said. The 49-year-old was said to be “relieved” at being found not guilty of domestic violence allegations made by his ex-girlfriend Kate Greville after prosecutors offered no evidence and withdrew the prosecution on Tuesday at Manchester Crown Court. A source said: “His intention is to resume his managerial and coaching career. He’s got unfinished business in the game. He’s been found not guilty and wants to get back into the game. He’s football through and through “The last three years his life has been put on hold, but he’s a huge football man. “He’s been found not guilty and wants to get back into the game. He’s football through and through.” Greville told police and lawyers she did not want to go through the ordeal of a second trial after jurors failed to reach verdicts in the high-profile first trial last year, the court heard. Lawyers said there was no longer any realistic prospect of conviction and it was not in the public interest for Giggs to go on trial for a second time over allegations made by Ms Greville and her sister Emma. Peter Wright KC, prosecuting, offered no evidence against Giggs, who was not present for the 20-minute hearing as the allegations were formally dropped. Judge Hilary Manley entered “not guilty” verdicts on the charges of coercive and controlling behaviour and assault against Kate Greville and common assault of her sister. Giggs had been accused of controlling behaviour over a three-year period involving Greville. He was also accused of assault by “losing control” and headbutting Kate Greville and the common assault of Emma Greville by elbowing her in the jaw, during a row at his home in Worsley, Greater Manchester, on November 1 2020. Giggs denied the offences and underwent a month-long trial, ending last August when the jury failed to reach any verdicts, and a retrial was scheduled to begin on July 31. But on Tuesday, Wright told Manchester Crown Court that the case had been considered at the highest levels at the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and a decision had been made not to proceed with a second trial. Wright said Giggs’ ex-girlfriend Kate Greville had “indicated an unwillingness” to give evidence in a retrial as giving evidence in the first trial had “taken its toll” on her and her sister Emma. Wright said: “This is not a decision taken lightly.” Chris Daw KC, defending Giggs, said: “Mr Giggs is deeply relieved the prosecution has finally come to an end after almost three years in which he’s been fighting throughout to clear his name. “He has always been innocent of these charges – there’s been very, very many lies told about him in court.” At a series of hearings earlier this year, the court was told of difficulties the prosecution had faced in proceeding with the retrial. These included Kate Greville’s reluctance to now go through with a second trial. Earlier this month, Wright, at a court hearing which could not be reported at the time, said: “What she (Greville) has indicated is a wish not to give evidence by reason of her own mental and physical wellbeing, so seriously affected by the process. “You may recollect at the previous trial for example she gave evidence over a considerable period of time, cross-examined for what was three days, and during the course of that process she was both visibly distressed, weary, and expressed the view that she had felt violated by the defendant’s conduct and in giving evidence while maintaining her account, demonstrating a growing frustration in terms of the process.” Wright added: “What is underlying this is the further general principal consideration of the prosecution of the alleged abusive men so far as coercive and controlling behaviour is considered, the wearing down of complainants, is not to be interpreted by the public and by men as a passport to an acquittal – is that underlying question of considerable public interest that we are continuing with.” But Daw, defending Giggs, told the hearing: “As it stands, the prosecution has no case. “The position we submit is: what matters is the interests of justice. “What we have here is an attempt to cobble together a case built on hearsay and an unwilling witness almost three years after the event. “This is not about the public interest.” A spokeswoman for the CPS said: “It is not the function of the CPS to decide whether a person is guilty of a criminal offence, but to make fair, independent and objective assessments about whether it is appropriate to present charges for the criminal court to consider.” During Giggs’ time at Old Trafford, Manchester United won 13 Premier League titles, two Champions League trophies, four FA Cups and three League Cups. Giggs stood down as Wales manager following a period of leave since November 2020. He won 64 caps for Wales and is co-owner of Sky Bet League Two side Salford. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live New 17th hole set to divide opinion during Open Championship at Royal Liverpool Commonwealth Games organisers happy to listen to any UK offer to host 2026 event Likes of Hannah Cockroft and Jonnie Peacock can inspire ‘talent coming through’

As women’s soccer teams around the world prepare for the World Cup kicking off later this week, Scotland are focused on looking ahead to a big set of matches in the autumn.It’s not long now until the 2023 Women's World Cup starts in New Zealand and Australia. The opening match f...

Northern Ireland defender Jonny Evans has signed a short-term deal with Manchester United and will be in the squad for their upcoming pre-season fixtures. Evans, 35, came through the ranks at United after joining as a youngster, and had been training with the club in recent days while considering his options after leaving relegated Leicester. Speculation had linked the veteran centre-half with Everton, but Evans has now signed a deal which will allow him to take part in United’s pre-season friendly against Lyon in Edinburgh on Wednesday before heading to San Diego with United’s academy while the first-team squad are in New York. Evans, capped 102 times by Northern Ireland, made 198 appearances for United before leaving for West Brom in 2015. During his Old Trafford career, Evans won the Champions League, Club World Cup, three Premier League titles and two League Cups. United have also revealed that Tyrell Malacia and Rhys Bennett have been ruled out of the Lyon match and the United States trip through injury. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

Manchester United are set to sign Andre Onana after agreeing a €51m (£44m) fee with Internazionale and personal terms for a five-year deal with the Cameroon international goalkeeper. The 27-year-old will undergo a medical and is then due to link up with his new teammates for pre-season, when he is likely to make his first appearance on the tour of the United States. Onana, who will be reunited with manager Erik ten Hag after their time together, will be the replacement for David de Gea, who left earlier this month after making 545 appearances in 12 years at Old Trafford. United have a club option to extend Onana’s contract for a further year, until 2029. He will become United’s second summer signing, after Mason Mount, and the Carabao Cup winners were determined to bring in new recruits early in pre-season. Onana’s fee could rise by a further €4m in add-ons and he is another key player to leave Inter after their Champions League final defeat, with Edin Dzeko moving to Fenerbahce and Marcelo Brozovic to Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia. United are expected to sell Dean Henderson after Onana’s arrival, with Nottingham Forest interested in the England international, who had a loan spell at the City Ground last season. Ten Hag’s next target would be to get a centre-forward, with Atalanta’s Rasmus Hojlund the likeliest candidate. Read More Onana, that’s his name – the lowdown on Manchester United’s new goalkeeper Ryan Giggs hoping to ‘rebuild life’ after domestic abuse charges are dropped Manchester United agree deal with Inter Milan for goalkeeper Andre Onana

Chelsea defender Wesley Fofana has undergone reconstructive surgery on his anterior cruciate ligament. The 22-year-old centre-back begins his rehabilitation at the Blues’ Cobham training ground while the squad travel to the United States on a pre-season trip. Fofana, who joined the Londoners from Leicester in 2022 for £75million, featured just 15 times for Chelsea in the Premier League last season as he suffered a number of injury setbacks. This latest problem comes two years after the Frenchman broke his leg in a pre-season friendly for Leicester against Villareal which saw him miss a large part of the 2021-22 campaign. Thiago Silva, Trevoh Chalobah, Levi Colwill, Alfie Gilchrist and Bashir Humphreys are the remaining centre-back options at Mauricio Pochettino’s disposal in the US as he prepares for Thursday’s opening pre-season clash against Wrexham. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

Republic of Ireland midfielder Ruesha Littlejohn believes footballers cannot shy away from the spotlight if they want to escalate the growth of the women’s game. The 33-year-old is one of 23 women selected by manager Vera Pauw to represent the Republic in their first World Cup, a monumental moment that has drawn unprecedented attention to the team and individual players. The full World Cup experience comes with corresponding changes off the pitch – more photo shoots and social media followers among them – a fact of life Littlejohn encouraged the players at this Australia and New Zealand-hosted tournament to embrace like England’s Lionesses after their Euro 2022 victory blasted them into their country’s consciousness. Speaking at the Girls in Green’s team hotel in Brisbane, she said: “It’s full on. The other day we were doing pictures and I was shattered, and I kind of felt sorry for the camera guy because I was just dead tired. Hopefully the pictures look OK. “But look, this is it, we wanted to be here and now we’re going to need to embrace the change and manage all the way. I’m not a superstar so I think it’s going to be different for me but it could be different for the likes of Denise [O’Sullivan] and Katie [McCabe]. “Look at other teams. Like, you see the Lionesses, how their lives have probably changed massively. It’s probably been a big adjustment for some of them and I’m sure it’s not always easy. “I’m sure there’s moments where they’re like, ‘oh, leave me be’. Let me go and get a Nandos and leave me in peace please’. But look, that’s where the game’s going and we kind of need to embrace that and learn now to deal and manage situations.” The effects of England lifting the European trophy last July were keenly felt throughout the following 2022/23 domestic Women’s Super League (WSL) season, which according to a league report saw attendances up 173 per cent compared to the previous campaign. All but one of the WSL’s 12 sides broke a club or stadium record during a season that also set the three highest attendance records in the English top flight, including the league record 47,367 who turned out for the North London Derby between Arsenal and Tottenham at the Emirates. Littlejohn’s side are now just two sleeps away from their World Cup opener, when they will face Group B rivals and tournament co-hosts Australia in Sydney, and says “you know it’s on party mode back home”. It will be some time before the legacy of the World Cup in the Republic of Ireland crystallises, but ex-Aston Villa player Littlejohn is already starting to notice a shift. The native Glaswegian, who swapped allegiances through her Irish grandparents after representing Scotland at youth level, added jokingly: “It was the Euros last summer. Obviously deep down I’m gutted that England won. “I’m just about over it. It was great for the game there, the WSL. It’s only going in one direction and I think the change that they’ve made is massive, and now you can see the change that hopefully we can all make on this world stage. “It’s just exciting to see. You can even see that, round about the hotel, there’s a few young girls running about with Ireland tops on. I mean I would have never been taken anywhere to a different country to watch a game of football. “I don’t know how these people are getting to do it, but that’s amazing that there’s so many people tuning in and it’s a reality for people now. This can become a job for you. You can go and do this too if you want to do it.”