Football news LIVE: Raheem Sterling sits out of England squad, Chelsea target £125m striker Victor Osimhen, Manchester United join race for Mason Mount, Real Madrid plot shock Andy Robertson move
talkSPORT.com brings you all the latest news from the world of football.
Top stories
- Transfer notebook: Chelsea make Osimhen top target, Ruben Neves to Barca, Noble’s future, Forest to raid Southampton
- Arsenal and Liverpool boost as Brighton boss admits in-demand duo could leave
- Everton's survival bid takes blow with injury fears
- Noel Gallagher pokes fun at ‘idiot Arsenal fans’ as he rubbishes Ilkay Gundogan transfer rumour
- Bukayo Saka says ‘I’m giving everything back’ as Arsenal star signs new long-term contract
- Hero West Ham fan who fought off AZ ultras given Conference Final ticket
- How Tottenham could line-up under Arne Slot
That’s it for today on talkSPORT.com’s football news blog.
We’ll be back in the morning with the latest on all the big football stories, including reaction to tonight’s Premier League action.
Speaking of which, we’ve got full commentary of Brighton vs Manchester City live on talkSPORT, kick-off 8pm. Catch the latest updates on our live blog.
Crystal Palace have confirmed captain Luka Milivojevic and midfielder James McArthur will leave at the end of the season.
The duo are two of the most experienced members of the Eagles’ squad with McArthur joining the club in 2014 while Milivojevic signed during the 2016-17 campaign.
Former Serbia international Milivojevic has played 198 times for Palace and scored 28 goals, which puts him third in the club’s all-time Premier League goal-scorer standings.
Milivojevic said: “It has been a privilege to spend almost seven years at such a special club. When I look at the club now compared to when I arrived, I see a team full of ambition to reach higher and higher – you can be sure I will be following the results from afar.
“To play in the Premier League is every player’s dream and to do it for so long at Crystal Palace has been an honour. I hope that I have made you all proud.”
While McArthur said: “If you’d have told me when I first came to Crystal Palace that I’d be here for nine seasons, I’d have found it hard to believe because it’s rare in football to spend so long at such an amazing Premier League club.
“The support that I’ve had personally and the support that they give the team is like at no other club. When times are tough, Palace fans really get behind the team, and that’s so important to all of us. I will always be a fan of the club.”
LaLiga president Javier Tebas has issued an apology to Vinicius Jr amid the racist abuse the Real Madrid forward has suffered.
Tebas came under fire for comments he directed at Vinicius Jr, suggesting the player should educate himself after he suggested that racism was normal in LaLiga.
“I did not want to attack Vinicius but if most people understood it that way I need to apologise,” Tebas said. “It was not my intention, I expressed myself badly at a bad time.”
Aston Villa are leading the race to sign Harvey Barnes from Leicester this summer, according to reports.
The English forward is in-demand with the Foxes facing losing some of their best players if they are relegated from the Premier League.
The Independent reports Leicester face losing their top stars regardless of whether they go down or manage to stay up, with the likes of James Maddison and Barnes the two most linked with an exit.
Their asking prices will be significantly affected by their status, though, with the club having the necessity to sell if they do drop into the second tier.
Tottenham have been linked with both players, while Newcastle have been strongly linked with an interest in Maddison, and have the financial clout to sign him, especially after qualifying for the Champions League.
But Villa are said the be in pole position to land Barnes with Unai Emery keen to bolster his side’s attacking options in the upcoming transfer window.
Frank Lampard has warned Chelsea they must move beyond being so reactive in their decision-making if they want to create a long-term vision for their future.
Co-owner Todd Boehly has sacked two managers this season in what has been the team’s poorest campaign of the Premier League era, with a record low number of points won and a first bottom-half finish since 1996 now certain.
Chelsea’s previously indifferent form has plummeted since Graham Potter was removed on April 2, with one win in 10 games in all competitions. The team has failed to score in six of those matches following Potter’s sacking.
Lampard takes his team to face Manchester United at Old Trafford on Thursday looking for only his second win in his 10th game since taking charge, having lost seven of the previous nine.
With Mauricio Pochettino expected to be confirmed imminently as the manager for next season, the outgoing interim coach suggested a resistance to modern trends must prevail if Chelsea are to challenge once more.
“That stat [11 clubs having sacked their manager] says it, I presume it’s a record,” said Lampard. “There are understandable factors, the Premier League brand and what it means to teams to stay in there.
“The first person that receives the blame is the coach, if you understand that going into the job that’s probably a good thing.
“Or course there’s lots of other factors. You wonder how successful always it is to changes those things. It’s clear it’s become that kind of a job and a situation and there are many teams that are fighting with expectations that might not be exactly stable.
“We’re in a very reactionary world anyway. In years gone by the reaction to one, two, three defeats might have been different. Now we have this explosion very quickly and you just have to understand it when you’re doing this job.”
Declan Rice even fuelled these links to Bayern Munich by speaking German in a West Ham social media post this morning.
But we’re not sure you should be reading too much into that…
Bayern Munich have joined the race for Declan Rice.
Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United have all been linked with a strong interest in the England midfielder, with the Gunners considered the current favourites for his signature.
But that may be about to change now that German giants Bayern have joined them.
That’s according to Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, who says he is wanted by boss Thomas Tuchel.
It is claimed Rice is ‘at the top of the list’ of their summer transfer targets and Bayern are willing to match West Ham’s asking price – thought to be close to £100million.
However, it is said discussions are not at an advanced stage and it’s still unclear where Rice wants to go.
Borussia Dortmund’s sporting director has insisted there is ‘nothing on the table’ from other clubs over a move for Jude Bellingham.
The England midfielder is currently out injured and working hard to be fit for Dortmund’s final game of the season, where victory will make them Bundesliga champions.
And BVB chief Sebastian Kehl insists Bellingham’s full focus is on his club and their quest for the German title, not on his future or a possible transfer this summer.
“Jude is doing everything to play on Saturday,” he said. “He’s a very important part of the season.
“Of course there are rumours, but there’s nothing on the table. No proposals.
“All focus is on Saturday. I’m sure Jude thinks about nothing else.”
Roberto Firmino prepared 200 special gifts for teammates, staff and other guests at his Liverpool farewell party on Sunday.
The specially created gift boxes featured a signed Liverpool shirt with his name and number on the back, plus ‘Si Senor’ – in reference to his fan-favourite terrace song – inside the neck and ‘with love Bobby’ on the front under the Liver bird club badge.
The Brazilian also created his own fragrance and included a bottle in each set.
What a classy guy!
The party at Anfield featured emotional speeches from manager Jurgen Klopp and captain Jordan Henderson.
Meanwhile, the entire Liverpool squad serenaded the striker with his ‘Si Senor’ song, after playing his final game at Anfield on Saturday – as he scored to rescue a point against Aston Villa.
Gareth Southgate hopes he can count on Marcus Rashford for England this time around.
The Manchester United star pulled out of the last squad with a knock as he chose to remain at this club.
When asked by talkSPORT if he thinks Rashford will turn up this time, Southgate laughed and said: “Well, I’m assuming he will.
“He is a super player who has had a good season. He’s an important player for us. We’ve not been blessed with having him to be able to put in the team too often.
“We are hoping that’s different and we are hoping to see him again.”
More on the Raheem Sterling situation – the Chelsea forward will sit out the upcoming England games following a private conversation with Gareth Southgate.
The Chelsea winger will instead focus on recuperating his body ahead of next season after a tough first campaign at Stamford Bridge.
The decision to leave Sterling out was a mutual decision between the player and Southgate.
It is understood that Sterling is still very much part of Southgate’s plans moving forward.
“I spoke with him a week or so ago – a general catch-up,” said the Three Lions boss.
“He’s not happy physically with his condition, having been carrying a hamstring problem. He really wasn’t in consideration.
“We didn’t get to the point of whether he should be in or out. He doesn’t think he is operating at the level he needs.”
Gareth Southgate says he has spoken to Ivan Toney over his eight-month ban from football after being forced to leave him out of his England squad.
The terms of his sanction means the Brentford striker is banned from all football-related activity, and so Southgate hopes their conversation wasn’t in breach of those rules.
But the Three Lions manager insists that is not how it should work anyway.
“I don’t know if that’s allowed,” Southgate said. “If it isn’t, they can ban me and not add to his.”
The England boss continued to say that Toney shouldn’t be ‘out of the football community’.
“That shouldn’t be how it works,” he added.
“That isn’t the best manner of rehabilitation.”
Gareth Southgate has named his England squad for next month’s Euro 2024 qualifiers against Malta and North Macedonia.
The big news is that Raheem Sterling does not feature, with the mutual decision made between Sterling and Southgate that the Chelsea ace would sit out after a difficult season for the Blues.
Meanwhile, Trent Alexander-Arnold returns following his return to form for Liverpool, while Brighton’s Lewis Dunk and Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi also make it.
Eagles teammate Eberechi Eze also gets a call up after his run of stunning form under returning Palace boss Roy Hodgson at the tail-end of the season.
Newcastle marksman Callum Wilson also gets a place among the forwards with Ivan Toney unavailable.
Ten Hag also batted away a question about the speculation linking Manchester United with Neymar.
Reports in France earlier this week claimed Paris Saint-Germain are open to selling Neymar this summer, and the Red Devils are already in early talks over a deal for the Brazilian superstar.
But when asked about the rumour, Ten Hag offered his stock answer on transfer rumours…
“When we have news, we will tell you.”
Erik ten Hag expects Marcus Rashford to be ready for tomorrow’s Premier League clash with Chelsea, but stopped short of confirming the striker will be fit to start.
Rashford has missed United’s last two fixtures, first with a leg injury and then through illness, but has returned to training this week.
“It looks like it,” Ten Hag said when asked if the 29-goal forward was fit. “Yesterday he returned to training, he looks quite fit but we have to see today what is the outcome of the training, how did we recover and then we will make our choices.”
United will secure a top-four place and a return to the Champions League for next season if they take a point from the match against Frank Lampard’s side.
“It’s clear. We want to win every game,” Ten Hag said. “That is what we do all season so tomorrow we want to do the same, we want to win the game, play dominant football and get the job done.
“First, we have to win the game tomorrow and get the job done. Then it’s about judgement from others if it’s a good, bad or normal performance.
“We are in a project, we want to go back and win trophies, we win one trophy but we want more trophies, compete with the best. We are still in a journey but we think we are in the right direction but it can always be better. Because good is not good enough.”
BREAKING NEWS: Southampton have confirmed Ruben Selles will leave the club at the end of the season.
It comes as the Saints are expected to announce Russell Martin as their new permanent manager later today.
A club statement reads: “Southampton Football Club can confirm that it has held conversations with Men’s First Team Manager, Ruben Selles, and decided that his contract will not be renewed when it expires at the end of the season.
“The club wants to place on record its thanks to Ruben for taking on the managerial position at a difficult time for the club and for giving his all as we attempted to stay in the Premier League.
“Ruben will take charge of the team for the final game against Liverpool on Sunday at St Mary’s.
“We wish him all the best for his future career.”
Chelsea have put Napoli striker Victor Osimhen at the head of their summer shopping list.
The Blues’ incoming manager Mauricio Pochettino believes a world-class No.9 can help Chelsea re-establish themselves at the top end of the Premier League table.
Pochettino would love a reunion with Harry Kane at Stamford Bridge, but knows Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy is highly unlikely to sell to their fierce London rivals.
talkSPORT revealed in February that Chelsea had joined Manchester United in the race for Osimhen – who lifted the Serie A title with Napoli this season.
With United’s future ownership still uncertain, the Blues are in a stronger financial position to meet the Italian champions’ £125million asking price.
READ MORE IN OUR LATEST TRANSFER NOTEBOOK
Todd Boehly is taking a step back at Chelsea after the Premier League giants’ worst season in 29 years.
Big things were expected at Stamford Bridge after the American billionaire’s takeover and mega-spending in two successive transfer windows.
However, it backfired hugely as Thomas Tuchel was sacked and Frank Lampard was unable to improve things, with the Blues consigned to finishing in the bottom half of the table.
And now, according to financial experts Bloomberg, Boehly has decided to dial back his direct involvement of the operation of the club.
The report claims he is now only spending 20 per cent of his time on day-to-day activities at the west London club, down from around 50 per cent, having handed more responsibility to Chelsea’s sporting directors.
Southampton are set to confirm Russell Martin as their new manager this afternoon, talkSPORT understands.
Relegated Saints will pay Swansea £400,000 in compensation to hire their head coach, plus an additional fee for his backroom team.
Southampton’s changes to the dugout did not work this season as they dropped from the Premier League to the Championship.
They sacked Ralph Hasenhuttl in November and replaced him with Nathan Jones, but that move backfired with coach Ruben Selles stepping up as interim boss for the rest of the season, but he was unable to steer Saints clear of the drop.
The Premier League has clarified the dates for the upcoming summer transfer window.
Transfer plans for many of the top flight’s sides are already in full swing, but there are always some late deals to be done with deadline day one of the biggest dates in the football calendar.
And Premier League chiefs have confirmed the window will open on Wednesday June 14.
It will then close on Friday September 1 at 11pm, giving clubs 11 weeks to do their business.
Former Chelsea midfielder Oscar has told talkSPORT it would be a ‘dream’ to return to Stamford Bridge.
Now 31, the Brazilian star still plays in the Chinese Super League for Shanghai Port – the club he left the Blues to sign for in 2017.
In an exclusive interview with talkSPORT, Oscar says he is happy playing in China and is thankful to Shanghai for everything the club has done for him since his arrival.
But he says harbours hopes of playing in a Chelsea shirt again before the end of his career.
“It’s a pleasure to play for this team,” said the Shanghai Port – formerly Shanghai SIPG – star.
“They’ve given me a lot of things, they’ve helped me and my family since I arrived here in 2017, so I really enjoy to play here.
“Now I’m just focusing on playing more games because last year I played just three of four games in the year because of COVID and the situation here.
“I stayed some months in Brazil, that’s why there was a lot of talk about me going to Flamengo, because I was in Brazil and maybe I could have gone to Flamengo just to keep fit, but this didn’t work.
“Of course it’s a dream to come back to Chelsea because everyone knows the passion I have for this club. It’s the same passion that I have for Shanghai, these are two clubs that I played for long periods, so I have a lot of good memories at Chelsea and also have good memories for Shanghai.
“But I have dreams to play for this team, so I would be happy if there was something that could be done to take me back to Chelsea, we’d have to talk.
“But for now I’m here so I try to win the title here again.”
Alex Crook joined talkSPORT Breakfast this morning to give us an update on Tottenham’s manager search.
He said Arne Slot is their top target and there is a meeting due to be held today between Slot’s representatives and his current club Feyenoord to determine how much it will take for Spurs to buy out his contract.
“There is a meeting taking place today that is going to be highly significant,” said the talkSPORT reporter.
“It’s between Arne Slot’s representatives and Feyenoord and they’re going to find out exactly how much it’s going to cost Spurs to get Slot out of his contract.
“I think we can say now, although Tottenham won’t admit it publicly, that Slot is their top target. He ticks their boxes, he’s a young up-and-coming manager and plays attractive football, which Daniel Levy in his programme notes on the last home game of the season over the weekend promised Spurs fans they would get with this appointment.
“He’s very good on the training ground at developing young players, too, so there are similarities in Spurs’ eyes between him and Mauricio Pochettino when he first joined the club.
“The tricky bit is there is a release clause in Slot’s contract, but that doesn’t kick in until the end of next season.
“If it was now, then Spurs would know that £6million would have him, but I think Feyenoord are going to hold out for a bit more than that, so there could be a compromise needed.”
Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi is backing Lewis Dunk for a recall into the England squad.
Three Lions manager Gareth Southgate will name his squad this afternoon for next month’s Euro 2024 qualifiers against Malta and North Macedonia.
Dunk was capped by Southgate in a 3-0 friendly win over the United States in November 2018 but has not featured again for his country.
“He deserves to play in the national team,” said De Zerbi.
“It’s not my work to decide the players of the national team but for us it should be a target.
“I hope he can play in the national team.”
De Zerbi says Dunk has played through the pain barrier to aid Brighton’s quest to seal European football at the tail-end of the season.
Dunk could start on the bench against champions Manchester City tonight evening due to ongoing calf and back issues.
“He’s playing with a lot of problems because he has calf and back problems but he is playing every game,” said the Seagulls head coach.
“Tomorrow he can start on the bench but I don’t know because if he can play with me in Brighton, he has to play always.”
Valencia have announced they will appeal against their five-game partial stadium closure and fine following the racist abuse aimed at Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior.
The Spanish club has called the sanction ‘unfair and disproportionate’.
Vinicius threatened to leave the pitch in the second half of Sunday’s LaLiga match at the Mestalla after being subjected to alleged monkey chants from the crowd.
Real Madrid, who said the incident constituted a hate crime, filed a complaint with the Spanish State Attorney General’s Office and in response, Valencia have been ordered to shut the Mario Kempes south stand, where the alleged abuse happened, for five matches and have also been fined €45,000 euros [£39,000].
Valencia said in a strongly worded statement: “Valencia CF wishes to show its total disagreement and indignation at the unfair and disproportionate penalty imposed by the competition committee on the club with the closure of the stand for five games.
“Valencia CF wants to publicly denounce that in this resolution of the RFEF competition committee they show evidence that contradicts what the national police and LaLiga say.
“In addition, this sanction is based on evidence that the club has not been able to see and without giving us a hearing.
“Valencia CF has condemned, condemns and will condemn in the most energetic way any act of racism or violence. These behaviours have no place in football or in society and we will continue to act in the most forceful way to eradicate this scourge.
“For this reason, Valencia CF is collaborating from the first minute with the police and all relevant authorities to clarify the events that occurred last Sunday.
“In addition, it has applied the maximum possible sanction with the expulsion for life from our stadium to the fans that the police have identified for their racist behaviour.
“For this reason we consider that penalising and depriving all the fans who were not involved in these unfortunate incidents from seeing their team is a totally disproportionate, unfair and unprecedented measure against which we will fight.
“The fight against racism requires the real commitment of all the parties involved without using it as a pretext to incur serious injustices.
“Valencia CF will appeal to the last instance the closure of the stand, a sanction that it considers totally unfair and one more offence in the latest disciplinary decisions that have been taken against the club. Valencia CF asks for the utmost respect and rigour for our institution and fans.”
Manchester United have joined Arsenal and Liverpool in the race to sign Mason Mount, talkSPORT understands.
Even though incoming manager Mauricio Pochettino wants him to stay, Mount is almost certain to leave Stamford Bridge this summer after failing to agree a new deal.
Chelsea have tried to revive negotiations since deciding on Pochettino as their new boss but the Mount camp are believed to see this as too little too late.
Liverpool have long been viewed as the front-runners to sign Mount but Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is also very keen to bring the England midfielder to north London.
United boss Erik Ten Hag is encouraging the Old Trafford hierarchy to get ahead of their top-four rivals by making the first formal bid for Mount.
United are prepared to offer around £50m but Chelsea are holding out for a fee of closer to £80m.
