Football news LIVE: ‘Extremely wild’ Grealish is ‘all partied out’, Mbappe takes fresh swipe at PSG, Rashford opens up on England controversy
talkSPORT.com brings you all the latest football news, views and transfer gossip from the Premier League and beyond.
Top stories:
- Jimmy Bullard reveals hilarious response from hungover Jack Grealish in text after congratulating him on treble
- Kylian Mbappe all-but confirms Paris Saint-Germain exit in 2024 and hits out at Real Madrid ‘lies’
- Transfer notebook: Manchester United reignite interest in cheaper Jordan Pickford and Andre Onana alternative
- Arsenal tell West Ham they will make Declan Rice most expensive British player in history
Kylian Mbappe called out Paris Saint-Germain for their ‘shortcomings’ in an explosive new interview.
The France superstar recently announced he will not sign a contract extension at the Parc des Princes, all-but confirming a free transfer in 2024 when his current deal expires.
Speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport , Mbappe said: “For a player like me, the goal is to win everything. And we knew that at PSG there were shortcomings that sooner or later we were going to end up paying for.
“I didn’t say I wanted to be sold to Real Madrid or want to leave, but only that I won’t activate the option on the extra year.
“With PSG, there has never been any talk of a renewal. [Lionel] Messi gone? Bad news now needs to be replaced.”
He added: “He’s one of greatest player in the history of football. It’s never good news when someone like Messi leaves.
“I don’t quite understand why so many people were so relieved that he was gone. He didn’t get the respect he deserved in France.”
Marcus Rashford says he is fully committed to England and does not care if onlookers criticise or question his dedication to the national team.
The 25-year-old is preparing for the Euro 2024 qualifiers against Malta and North Macedonia having withdrawn from March’s meet-up through injury.
Rashford has had to pull out of numerous camps over the years but his decision to head to New York while England were winning their Group C opener 2-1 in Italy sparked debate.
Boss Gareth Southgate defended the 51-cap forward’s decision to jet off to the United States at the time and the Manchester United forward says he was unmoved by critical voices.
“I didn’t see it, to be honest with you,” Rashford said. “I didn’t see it until I got home.
“I need time to switch off and recover, so I took a short trip, four days, then went back to do rehab and just try and get ready as soon as possible.
“With injuries, you can’t predict when they’re going to happen.
“Thankfully I have very few muscle strains and them type of injuries, but occasionally you do get impact injuries. The majority of my injuries have been that.”
Jack Grealish’s ex-Aston Villa teammate Tyrone Mings has been left entertained by the Manchester City’s star’s viral treble celebrations.
Mings said: “Jack’s had a great time, hasn’t he?
“But surely he’s all partied out now?
“The only thing he needs to do is to celebrate at the right time and he’s just won the treble, so I don’t think anyone can begrudge him taking that hairband off and letting down those luscious locks.”
Grealish joined up with Mings and the rest of the England squad on Tuesday night after a three-day bender following City’s Champions League triumph on Saturday.
Mings added: “A night out with Jack is extremely wild.
“I’ve bumped into him on holiday in the past but I’ve never put myself in the position where I’ve flown out with him.
“I’ve seen him in action abroad and many, many times in this country and it’s impressive, if that’s what you’re into.
“It’s good to see footballers enjoying themselves.
“Football is just a reflection of society and nobody can come down too harshly on you for celebrating your victories.
“And City have won everything.
“It’s important to be yourself in life, whatever that looks like. It adds to the game and to the dressing room.
“It adds to the culture and the authenticity — and that’s a tough trait to come across.
“The manager always talks about our club experiences and adding to the group — and we have a squad full of serial winners.
“When you look around the European and domestic competitions and the amount of England players involved in those finals, it can only help us.”
That’s it for today on talkSPORT.com’s football news blog.
We’ll be back in the morning for the latest on all the big football stories.
Levi Colwill must stay at Chelsea this summer, insists talkSPORT’s Rory Jennings.
Bayern Munich are out of the race to sign Declan Rice.
German publication Sport1 reports that the West Ham and England star has decided to remain in the Premier League.
talkSPORT understands Arsenal are the favourites to sign Rice, who’s signed off his West Ham career by helping them to Europa Conference League glory last week.
Jordan Henderson believes the Manchester City contingent will be ready for England’s second Euro 2024 qualifier this month.
The England players are back in training ahead of their clashes against Malta on Friday and North Macedonia on Monday, both live on talkSPORT.
However, Manchester City stars Jack Grealish, John Stones, Kyle Walker, Kalvin Phillips and Phil Foden have been delayed due to their involvement in last Saturday’s Champions League final – and the wild celebrations afterwards.
The £2.3billion from the sale of Chelsea which was pledged to Ukraine war victims is in limbo after the EU made demands about how the money should be spent.
When Roman Abramovich sold the football club in May 2022, he agreed with the government that the money would be used for ‘all victims of the war in Ukraine.’
Abramovich is under sanctions after ministers accused him of having ‘clear connections’ to Vladimir Putin’s regime and being among a group of businessmen of having ‘blood on their hands.’
But the huge sum remains unused in a frozen account, the Daily Telegraph reports. The report adds that a significant cause for the delay is Government consultations with the EU. The bloc is insisting the money be spent in Ukraine directly, rather than on those affected by the conflict as agreed with Abramovich.
Jimmy Bullard has confirmed Jack Grealish is nursing the mother of all handovers.
A Tottenham fan has been banned from attending football matches for three years after being found guilty of mocking the Hillsborough disaster.
The Crown Prosecution Service said that Kieron Darlow, 25, from Welwyn, made the gestures at the Liverpool v Spurs Premier League game at Anfield on April 30.
Andrew Page, of CPS Mersey Cheshire, said: “Darlow admitted making a gesture towards the Liverpool fans and that this was a reference to the Hillsborough disaster.
“He admitted that this was to suggest that fans without tickets had pushed forward in the tragedy and had been partly to blame for the crush that led to so many deaths.
“He accepted at court that it was his intention that Liverpool fans should see this and that it would cause them harassment, alarm and distress. He admitted that his behaviour was unacceptable and regrets his actions.
“Darlow knew what he was doing and it was done knowing what an impact the Hillsborough tragedy had on Liverpool fans and the city of Liverpool but he did it anyway. This sort of behaviour is not only morally unacceptable, it is criminal.
“We hope this prosecution sends a message out to all football fans that their behaviour at football games is important and that, if it crosses into criminality, they will be met with the full force of the law.”
Ninety-seven Liverpool fans died as a result of a crush at Hillsborough in 1989. An inquest jury ruled in 2016 that they were unlawfully killed amid a number of police errors.
Norwich sporting director Stuart Webber is a contender to become director of football at Leeds, talkSPORT understands.
Webber is leaving Carrow Road after six years at the club.
Leeds, who were relegated from the Premier League this season, are on the lookout for a new director of football following the departure of Victor Orta in May.
Louis Saha has also tipped Sadio Mane to return to the Premier League from Bayern Munich this summer, saying be a superb signing for Newcastle.
Speaking about his former club, having played for the Magpies on loan in 1999, Saha told Betway:
“Newcastle United needs world-class players now, despite their amazing season, but they need players who have won titles and know how to win trophies.
“That’s the club’s next step, and players like Sadio Mane can definitely help and provide inspiration to the team to take them to the next level.
“It’s necessary to have players like Mane’s calibre to help them get through competitions. Newcastle United need to be careful because clubs like Leicester City did not bring in the right characters and look where they ended up.
“A signing like Mane would be bringing in the right character who can help win on the biggest stages.”
Ligue 1 will suffer hugely from the loss of Kylian Mbappe.
That’s the belief of former Manchester United and France striker Louis Saha, who says disrespect from PSG fans has opened the door for Mbappe to leave the giants and go to Real Madrid.
“If PSG loses Mbappe, Neymar and Messi, then they’re not the same club and lose their structure completely,” Saha told Betway.
“I’d be surprised if they attract any players with the same calibre. Even Ligue 1 will suffer if they lose all those superstars. I’m not saying no one will watch the French league, but it’s not going to be the same without them.
But if Real Madrid gets Mbappe, it’s a brilliant signing by them and he’s one of the few players who can replace Benzema.
“The fans who boo Messi and Neymar don’t realise that it invites Mbappe to leave the club alongside them.
“It seems like it’s now the perfect time for Kylian Mbappe to leave PSG and join Real Madrid now Karim Benzema has left.
I feel sorry for PSG, they’ve lost two of the biggest stars in the world, Lionel Messi and Neymar, but the way they were treated was disrespectful. That’s the nature of football, sometimes you have to move.
“It’s very important PSG now make the right choices, and one of them is to keep Mbappe.”
A Tottenham fan has been banned from attending football matches for three years after being found guilty of mocking the Hillsborough disaster.
The Crown Prosecution Service said that Kieron Darlow, 25, from Welwyn, made the gestures at the Liverpool v Spurs Premier League game at Anfield on April 30.
Andrew Page, of CPS Mersey Cheshire, said: “Darlow admitted making a gesture towards the Liverpool fans and that this was a reference to the Hillsborough disaster.
“He admitted that this was to suggest that fans without tickets had pushed forward in the tragedy and had been partly to blame for the crush that led to so many deaths.
“He accepted at court that it was his intention that Liverpool fans should see this and that it would cause them harassment, alarm and distress. He admitted that his behaviour was unacceptable and regrets his actions.
“Darlow knew what he was doing and it was done knowing what an impact the Hillsborough tragedy had on Liverpool fans and the city of Liverpool but he did it anyway. This sort of behaviour is not only morally unacceptable, it is criminal.
“We hope this prosecution sends a message out to all football fans that their behaviour at football games is important and that, if it crosses into criminality, they will be met with the full force of the law.”
Arsenal’s rich history of superstars and their talented group of current players makes the club an irresistible opportunity for Declan Rice.
That’s according to Gunners legend Ray Parlour, who believes the West Ham captain will be keen to join Mikel Arteta’s up-and-coming side due to their chances to win trophies in the future, plus it means he can stay in London.
Asked what makes Arsenal and attractive club for Rice to join, Invincibles legend Parlour told talkSPORT Breakfast: “I think the history, the players they’ve had, you go through the players who have played for Arsenal, Bergkamp, Henry, Wright, Adams, Vieira, some top, top players.
“A lot of it is down to the fact he’s very happy where he lives, his family are happy in London, so that gives Arsenal another opportunity.
“It’s the club with the youngest squad in the Premier League and they did push Man City for the title this season. In the end City were too good, but Arsenal did push them right until the end and were favourites to win it at one stage, and those young players are only going to get better.
“So I think Declan Rice will be looking at Saka, Martinelli, Saliba, Odegaard and saying, ‘I wouldn’t mind being part of this team going forward’.”
It appears Jack Grealish is yet to come back to earth from his treble-winning celebrations…
Newcastle are willing to make midfielder Bruno Guimaraes the highest-paid player in their history to tie him down to a new contract.
Guimaraes has become a cult hero at St James Park following a £40m move from Lyon in January 2022 and played a major role in their qualification for the Champions League.
Despite being backed by the Saudi Arabian millions, Newcastle have adopted a strict wage structure but are willing to break it for Guimaraes.
This story and more latest news on today's talkSPORT Transfer Notebook HERE
Liverpool full-back Calvin Ramsay has agreed to join Preston on loan for the 2023-24 season, the Premier League club have confirmed.
The 19-year-old managed just 93 minutes of football – across two matches in the Carabao Cup and Champions League in November – due to a back problem and then a knee injury which prematurely ended his maiden campaign.
Ramsay underwent surgery in February and is in need of regular first-team football, and it is understood the club feel his best short-term interests will be served by a loan spell with the Championship side, despite interest from a number of other clubs.
The Scotland international, who arrived at Anfield last summer from Aberdeen for an initial £4million, will complete the final stages of his rehabilitation with Liverpool when they return for pre-season early next month before joining Preston in mid-July.
Football’s elite clubs will now be set for the biggest free transfer battle the sport has ever seen, when Kylian Mbappe leaves PSG next summer.
The French ace has insisted he will play in Paris in the forthcoming season, but will not be extending his contract with the Ligue 1 champions beyond June 2024.
Real Madrid have long been linked with an interest in making Mbappe their latest Galactico star, but you can bet the Spanish giants will not be the only top club keen.
Real are looking to replace Karim Benzema with the club icon on his way to Saudi Arabia, but can they wait for a year without a star frontman before they can sign Mbappe? It seemingly puts their reported interest in Harry Kane in some doubt.
Manchester United will no doubt be linked, too. With a takeover in the works, it’s clear the Red Devils will have the finances to give Mbappe the money he will demand. And they have their famous No.7 shirt free as well, following Cristiano Ronaldo’s exit during the season.
It would certainly help United close the gap to Man City after matching their famous treble triumph this term.
And then there’s Chelsea, who also have the finances at their disposal to give Mbappe what he wants.
Do they still have the pulling power, though, after their dreadful campaign which saw them finish in the bottom half of the Premier League table?
New boss Mauricio Pochettino has worked with Mbappe before, of course, but it is widely claimed they weren’t the best of friends during the Argentine’s spell in charge in Paris.
Get used to seeing Mbappe in headlines over the next 12 months – this will be the talk of football.
Kylian Mbappe has now insisted he will play for Paris Saint-Germain next season.
But that means he WILL be leaving the club on a free transfer in 2024, having insisted he will not be extending his contract with the Ligue 1 champions.
“I have already said that I will continue next season at PSG where I am very happy,” said the star on Twitter.
Jude Bellingham is looking to harness the pain of England’s near misses as the talented teenager aims to help the Three Lions to European Championship glory next summer.
Bellingham’s first tournament ended in an agonising shoot-out defeat to Italy in the Euro 2020 final, and his maiden World Cup ended in a galling quarter-final exit to France in December.
But now attention turns to their quest for Euros glory in Germany next summer – a tournament England will take a giant step towards by winning June’s qualifiers against Malta and North Macedonia.
Bellingham, who is closing in on a move to Real Madrid after Borussia Dortmund accepted their offer, will play no part in those matches due to a knee injury, yet he still reported to St George’s Park as he continues rehabilitation.
“We’ve got to attack the qualifiers with the same mentality as we attack major tournaments,” Bellingham recently told PA.
“The last three tournaments, I’d say, we’ve been pretty successful. The last one was a bit disappointing, but we probably played a harder opponent than the previous ones.
“The way we went out was disappointing, but you take confidence in the fact that you can go toe-to-toe with one of the better teams in Europe.
“It stands you in good stead when you know there’s not many better teams on paper – you’d like to think – that are better than us.
“So, you take that confidence and you take the experience that we’ve gained from the last few.
“The goal is always to try and win it. That should be the goal for all of us going into it and that’s what we’ll try and do.”
There’s been an update on the Kylian Mbappe story this afternoon.
AFP News Agency has received a statement from the French star where he insists at no point has he ever discussed a possible contract extension with PSG.
“Kylian Mbappe tells AFP he never discussed extending his contract with Paris Saint-Germain beyond next year,” a post from the agency reads.
“His statement comes a day after he sent a letter to the club confirming he would not take up an option to remain at the French champions until 2025.”
Sheikh Jassim is still waiting to hear whether his fifth and final offer for Manchester United has been successful, according to sources close to the Qatari.
Recent reports within Qatar had indicated that the Sheikh’s bid – which is for 100 per cent of the club – had seen off the bid from Ineos founder Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
However, the Sheikh Jassim camp described those reports as pure speculation and say they remain in a ‘holding pattern’. They expect the next step will be for the United board to meet and consider both bids.
Sheikh Jassim’s fifth bid was made last week, but at the same time it was made clear to the Glazer family – who own the club – and to the Raine merchant banking group which is overseeing the sale that he would not engage with the process beyond last Friday.
The Qataris are eager to get the deal done with the summer transfer window about to kick into gear.
Sheikh Jassim’s bid is understood to be a fully cash deal for 100 per cent of the club, and that all United’s debts would be cleared.
Sources close to the Sheikh’s bid say that separate, additional funding would be made available for player recruitment, infrastructure and other investment needs.
The Glazers first announced their intention to consider a sale of the club in November last year, with the first bids from Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim tabled in February.
There have been reports that Ratcliffe’s offer is for 60 per cent of the club, with Avram and Joel Glazer retaining a combined 20 per cent stake, but sources close to Ratcliffe have not confirmed this.
Rob Page says Wrexham striker Paul Mullin will be considered for Wales selection if he scores regularly in League Two.
Liverpool-born Mullin qualifies for the Dragons through his Welsh-born grandmother and has said he would love to represent Wales on the international stage.
The 28-year-old has scored 78 goals in two seasons at Wrexham – helping the club owned by Hollywood actors Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds back into the English Football League – and won the 2022-23 FA Cup Golden Ball as the competition’s top scorer.
Mullin’s eligibility has been a big talking point among Wales supporters with many keen to see him given a senior call, but manager Page was reluctant to select someone plying his trade in the fifth tier of English football.
“Forget what he’s done up until now,” Page said ahead of Friday’s Euro 2024 qualifier against Armenia in Cardiff.
“If he is playing in League Two and he’s scoring goals, then we will look at him and consider him. But there is a massive gap from where he’s been up to League Two.
“We will keep monitoring him and if he keeps scoring goals as he goes up the levels he’ll prove himself.
“I watched him against Sheffield United [in the FA Cup] and I was very impressed by him, just from a work rate point of view. I wouldn’t want to play against him, he’s a pain in the backside.
“Forget his goalscoring and his eye for goal, I like him because he’s a pain to play against. He’s like a rat, and I want that.”
Mullin has already shone in League Two and won the division’s Golden Boot with a 32-goal season in Cambridge’s 2020-21 promotion campaign.
Chelsea are reportedly among the clubs interested in signing Kylian Mbappe this summer.
The French superstar dropped a bombshell last night with news he has told PSG he won’t be extending his contract, meaning he could depart for nothing when his deal expires in 2024.
It means the Ligue 1 champions could be forced to sell their star man, with Real Madrid thought to be frontrunners.
But The Times claim Chelsea are expected to register an interest, too, as Todd Boehly continues his mega-money overhaul of the Blues squad.
