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Chelsea ace Marc Cucurella admitted he "wet his pants" after handling the ball during Spain's Euro 2024 quarter-final win over Germany.

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• Spain beat Germany in Euros
• Went onto win the tournament
• Cucurella "wet his pants" after handball in quarter-final

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Spain left-back has reflected on what he felt when referee Anthony Taylor did not award Germany a penalty after Jamal Musiala's shot struck his outstretched arm with their quarter-final at 1-1 in extra time. Luis de la Fuente's team went onto win the contest 2-1 thanks to Mikel Merino's last-gasp header, much to Cucurella's relief.

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  WHAT MARC CUCURELLA SAID

  The 26-year-old told Gazzetta dello Sport: "Mamma mia, what a shock. I wet my pants. I looked at the referee and saw him say firmly: 'No penalty!' I told myself, 'Relax', but I couldn't do that until the game resumed."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Spain went onto win the Euros this summer but it could have been very different if Taylor had pointed to the spot or VAR Stuart Attwell had intervened. It was later ruled by UEFA's Referee Committee that Germany should have been awarded a penalty – something Cucurella that left bemused.

  “And now they come and say it was a penalty. Who benefits from that?" he added.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Cucurella could feature for Spain in their next Nations League match on Tuesday at home to Serbia. The Blues defender was an unused substitute in Saturday's 1-0 victory against Denmark.

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca says captain Reece James is "finally available" again following his latest injury nightmare.

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• James had torrid time with injuries
• Maresca confirms he is fit again
• Reveals plan to ease him back in

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The England international is yet to play this term after picking up a hamstring injury in pre-season. However, Chelsea head coach Maresca says the 24-year-old is back again after training with the first-team squad over the international break. The Italian also wants to ease him back in to hopefully prevent further setbacks.

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  WHAT ENZO MARESCA SAID

  He told reporters: "He [James] is finally available. He worked with us over the international break. It's good news, especially for him because being injured is not a good feeling. Finally, he is back.

  "It's complicated when you get injury, injury, injury again. It's not easy so you are always looking for a solution. Probably the solution with Reece is the same solution we are using with Romeo [Lavia] and Wes [Fofana] in terms of using them just once a week, in one game, because probably in this moment, for different reasons, Reece's body cannot play twice a week. One of the solutions is probably to try and manage him in the same way we are doing with Wes and Romeo."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  James has endured a torrid year or so, with various hamstring injuries keeping him on the sidelines. Last season, he made just 11 appearances as the Chelsea skipper spent more time off the pitch than on it. Now, he and Maresca will hope the right-back can get back playing as soon as possible and stay fit for the foreseeable.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  While it remains to be seen when James will be back playing for the Blues' first-team, Maresca's side travel to table-topping Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday afternoon. Chelsea sit fourth in the table, four points adrift of Arne Slot's men.

When it comes to prestigious football tournaments, other than the World Cup, there isn’t really anything that gets close to the prestige of the European Championship.

England have been semi-regular participants over the years, and whilst the team has never been crowned champions, they have experienced their fair share of ups and downs along the way.

Euro 2024 saw England reach a second successive final, with Spain inflicting similar heartbreak to Italy three years prior.

But how does their overall record at the tournament shape up? Football FanCast has looked back at all of England’s past campaigns for you to reminisce about.

England’s record at the European Championship
Year	Stage reached
1960	Did not enter
1964	Failed to qualify
1968	Third place
1972	Failed to qualify
1976	Failed to qualify
1980	Group stage
1984	Failed to qualify
1988	Group stage
1992	Group stage
1996	Semi-finals
2000	Group stage
2004	Quarter-finals
2008	Failed to qualify
2012	Quarter-finals
2016	Round of 16
2020	Runners-up
2024	Runners-up

Euro 2024 tournament guide: Teams, matches, dates, TV channels, odds & more

Football FanCast has put together a guide for all things Euro 2024, with venues, fixtures, tables, stadiums and more all covered here.

By
Stephan Georgiou

Jun 11, 2024

Euro 1968

World champions finish third in first European Championship

Eight years on from refusing to partake in the inaugural Euros, we finally got our first look at England at the European Championship, with the Three Lions having failed to qualify for the 1964 edition.

The tournament finals were held in Italy and featured just four teams after two years of qualifying and quarter-finals. The teams that made it were Italy, the USSR, Yugoslavia and England.

The Three Lions were going into the finals as world champions, so there was an understandable expectation that they would make it to the final at a minimum – yet they did not.

Instead, the world champions had to settle for third place after they lost their semi-final 1-0 to Yugoslavia, though they did win their third-place play-off 2-0 against the USSR.

England results at Euro 1968
Round	Opponent	Result	Goalscorers
Semi-final	Yugoslavia	L 0-1	Dzajic
Third-place play-off	USSR	W 2-0	Bobby Charlton, Hurst

Euro 2024 Group C: Teams, players, fixtures and venues

Everything you need to know about Slovenia, Denmark, Serbia and England ahead of Euro 2024.

By
Charlie Smith

Jun 9, 2024

Euro 1980

England finally qualify again but fall at first hurdle

It would be 12 long years of European failure for England between their appearances in 1968 and 1980, and when the Three Lions finally made their much-awaited return to the tournament, they did not last long.

The finals were once again held in Italy and were the first to feature eight teams, meaning there was to be a group stage before the knock-out games.

England were placed into a group alongside Spain, Belgium and hosts Italy. Only the winners advanced to the final (no messing around back in the day), so each team would have to perform from the off to stand a chance of winning the tournament.

The opening game against the Belgians started well enough, with Ray Wilkins giving the Three Lions the lead on 26 minutes with a superb finish. However, it took just three minutes for England to concede an equaliser.

England’s second game saw them lose 1-0 to the Italians, and even though they won their final match against the Spanish 2-1, a draw between Italy and Belgium sealed their fate and sent them home early.

England results at Euro 1980
Round	Opponent	Result	Goalscorers
Group stage	Belgium	D 1-1	Wilkins / Ceulemans
Group stage	Italy	L 0-1	Tardelli
Group stage	Spain	W 2-1	Brooking, Woodcock / Dani (p)

Euro 1988

Woeful England lose every game in West Germany

It was another eight-year wait to see England compete in another European Championship, and the same wait resulted in the same outcome: an early exit.

The 1988 edition of the tournament was held in West Germany and was actually the last European tournament to see West Germany and the USSR take part.

Once again, eight teams were taking part in the finals, and England were placed into a group with the Republic of Ireland, the Netherlands and the USSR.

Although there were at least a few positives to take from the 1980 finals, the same could not be said for the 1988 edition.

England kicked their campaign off with a shock 1-0 defeat to the Irish and followed that up with 3-1 losses to the Dutch and the Soviets. The Three Lions finished rock bottom of the group with no points and a goal difference of minus five.

England results at Euro 1988
Round	Opponent	Result	Goalscorers
Group stage	Republic of Ireland	L 0-1	Houghton
Group stage	Netherlands	L 1-3	Robson / Van Basten (3)
Group stage	USSR	L 1-3	Adams / Aleinikov, Mykhaylychenko, Pasulko

Next England manager: Who could replace Gareth Southgate?

It’s over for Gareth Southgate – here’s who England could turn to next following his resignation.

By
Stephan Georgiou

Jul 16, 2024

Euro 1992

Euro woes continue as Three Lions bow out early again

Well, at least there was no eight-year wait this time. England had managed to qualify for back-to-back European Championships for the first time with their appearance in 1992.

However, once the team got to the finals, the result – as was always the case – was an embarrassing group stage exit.

Sweden hosted in 1992, and as was becoming the norm by this point, the tournament finals featured eight teams split into two groups of four before the knockout rounds.

England’s group featured Sweden, France and Denmark. The inclusion of the Danish was a surprise as it was supposed to be Yugoslavia that qualified in their place, but the country’s breakup meant that they obviously couldn’t play, so the Danes were chosen to replace them.

Of course, Denmark then went on to win the whole thing, defeating Germany in the final to become the only team to have won the European Championship despite not technically qualifying.

England had to play the Danish side in their first game, and neither team looked great as they played out a 0-0 draw. Up next was the French, and what followed was yet another goalless bore draw.

England’s final group game was against the hosts, and the maths was simple: win and go through.

It all started so well as David Platt gave the Three Lions the lead in the fourth minute, but as the English so often do, they snatched defeat from the jaws of victory and conceded two goals in the second half to lose and crash out of the group stage.

England results at Euro 1992
Round	Opponent	Result	Goalscorers
Group stage	Denmark	D 0-0	None
Group stage	France	D 0-0	None
Group stage	Sweden	L 1-2	Platt / Jan Eriksson, Brolin

Every England penalty shootout at major tournaments

A chance to relive all of the Three Lions’ penalty shootouts at major tournaments.

1

By
Stephan Georgiou

Jul 6, 2024

Euro 1996

Southgate misses as home tournament ends in heartbreak

With England now qualifying for European Championships fairly regularly, did the team start delivering improved results? Surprisingly, yes, yes they did.

The 1996 edition of the tournament was held in England, and with it being thirty years on from England’s World Cup triumph on home soil, there was a genuine belief that despite their previous failings, this time would be different. And they were right, sort of.

The size of the competition had been doubled for the 1996 edition to include four groups of four for the first time. England were placed in a group with the Netherlands, Switzerland and the Auld Enemy, Scotland.

The hosts kicked off the tournament with a tepid 1-1 draw with the Swiss, but followed that up with a now iconic game against the Scots at the old Wembley. Alan Shearer opened the scoring in that encounter, but it was Paul Gascoigne’s goal and celebration that has been ingrained into English football folklore.

The final group game saw Terry Venables’ men put four past the Dutch and qualify from the group in a comfortable first place.

The quarter-finals saw England take on Spain, and with the score 0-0 after extra time, penalties were needed to decide a winner. The hosts scored all four of their spot kicks, while the Spanish scored just two of theirs, meaning England’s party would carry on going – for the moment.

The semi-finals saw the hosts take on Germany, and despite a lot of nervousness beforehand, Shearer gave England an early lead when he opened the scoring in the third minute. However, the Germans quickly fought back and levelled the score in the 16th minute, and with neither side able to score again, the game went to penalties.

After both sides had scored their opening five penalties, Gareth Southgate stepped up to take the sixth, but he saw his attempt saved. Andreas Moller then scored his, and the hosts were out.

England results at Euro 1996
Round	Opponent	Result	Goalscorers
Group stage	Switzerland	D 1-1	Shearer / Turkyilmaz (p)
Group stage	Scotland	W 2-0	Shearer, Gascoigne
Group stage	Netherlands	W 4-1	Shearer (2, 1p), Sheringham (2) / Kluivert
Quarter-final	Spain	D 0-0 (4-2 on pens)	None
Semi-final	Germany	D 1-1 (5-6 on pens)	Shearer / Kuntz

Euro 2000

Keegan's England fall flat on Euros stage once more

England made their way to Euro 2000, hosted in the Netherlands and Belgium, with one mission: go one step further than 1996. Unfortunately, this was an objective that was very much not met.

The Three Lions were drawn into a group with Portugal, Romania and Germany. England’s first game of the tournament was a thoroughly exciting 3-2 defeat to Portugal, which they put behind them pretty quickly as they ended up winning the following game against Germany 1-0.

The final group game was against Romania, and it was once again a simple equation: win and go through, or lose and go home.

That said, simplicity didn’t guarantee results, and the Romanians stunned the footballing world when they ran out 3-2 winners. Phil Neville conceded a late penalty when a draw would have seen England through.

England results at Euro 2000
Round	Opponent	Result	Goalscorers
Group stage	Portugal	L 2-3	Scholes, McManaman / Figo, Joao Pinto, Nuno Gomes
Group stage	Germany	W 1-0	Shearer
Group stage	Romania	L 2-3	Shearer (p), Owen / Chivu, Munteanu, Ganea (p)

Euro 2004

Golden generation fall short after penalty drama

Euro 2004 was held in Portugal and once again featured four groups of four. England were placed in Group B alongside France, Croatia and Switzerland.

The first game of the tournament ended in heartbreak for Sven-Goran Eriksson’s side, as despite leading for most of the game through a 38th-minute Frank Lampard goal, they ended up losing after the French scored in the 91st and 93rd minutes.

Game two saw them take out these frustrations on the Swiss as they stormed to a 3-0 victory, and they played out another victory in their third game against Croatia as they won 4-2.

The quarter-finals saw England face off against the hosts in one of the tournament’s best games. Michael Owen opened the scoring in the third minute to give the Three Lions the lead, but an 83rd-minute goal from Helder Postiga ensured the game would be heading to extra time.

Portugal took the lead themselves in the 110th minute thanks to a Rui Costa strike, but Lampard levelled the scores with a goal of his own in the 115th minute to take it to penalties.

It was the hosts who won out on spot kicks after David Beckham and Darius Vassell both saw their attempts saved. Oh, what could have been.

England results at Euro 2004
Round	Opponent	Result	Goalscorers
Group stage	France	L 1-2	Lampard / Zidane (2, 1p)
Group stage	Switzerland	W 3-0	Rooney (2), Gerrard
Group stage	Croatia	W 4-2	Scholes, Rooney (2), Lampard / Niko Kovac, Tudor
Quarter-final	Portugal	D 2-2 (5-6 on pens)	Owen, Lampard / Postiga, Rui Costa

Euro 2012

Penalties send England home yet again

England failed to qualify for the 2008 edition of the tournament, so they had to wait eight years to try and move past their heartbreak in Portugal, though given how this one went, we aren’t too sure they did.

England were placed in Group D alongside France, Sweden and co-hosts Ukraine. Things got off to a reasonable start as Roy Hodgson’s men played out a 1-1 draw with the French. They did even better in the second game, beating Sweden 3-2, despite surrendering a 1-0 lead midway through the second half. A 1-0 win over Ukraine in the final group game saw them advance to the quarter-finals, where they would face Italy.

The game was dreadfully dull and ended 0-0 after extra-time. It was once again a penalty shootout that stood between success and failure for England, and it once again ended in heartbreak as both Ashley Young and Ashley Cole missed their spot kicks to hand the Italians the win.

In fairness, Andrea Pirlo’s spot-kick was worthy of winning the game by itself.

England results at Euro 2012
Round	Opponent	Result	Goalscorers
Group stage	France	D 1-1	Lescott / Nasri
Group stage	Sweden	W 3-2	Carroll, Walcott, Welbeck / Johnson (og), Mellberg
Group stage	Ukraine	W 1-0	Rooney
Quarter-final	Italy	D 0-0 (2-4 on pens)	None

Euro 2016

England suffer humiliating exit to minnows Iceland

The Hodgson era was not the greatest time for the English national team, and no tournament encapsulates that better than the 2016 European Championship, which featured 24 teams for the first time.

England were placed in a group with Russia, Slovakia and Wales. In their opening game, England managed to throw away a 1-0 lead in the 92nd minute to draw with Russia, while the second game saw them score in the 92nd minute to beat Wales. The final match saw them play out a tedious 0-0 draw with Slovakia to qualify in second.

Despite this, they were given a ‘dream’ draw, as Iceland were set to play them in the round of 16. Even though Iceland had beaten Austria and drawn against Portugal and Hungary, there was an overwhelming expectation that England would come away comfortable winners from the clash.

Wayne Rooney gave the Three Lions the lead when he scored a penalty in the fourth minute, but a sixth-minute equaliser from Ragnar Sigurðsson and an 18th-minute goal from Kolbeinn Sigthórsson flipped the game on its head.

England looked toothless for the rest of the game and came away as deserved losers. It’s fair to say that this result represented a real low point for English football.

England results at Euro 2016
Round	Opponent	Result	Goalscorers
Group stage	Russia	D 1-1	Dier / Vasili Berezutski
Group stage	Wales	W 2-1	Vardy, Sturridge / Bale
Group stage	Slovakia	D 0-0	None
Round of 16	Iceland	L 1-2	Rooney (p) / Ragnar Sigurdsson, Sigthorsson

Ranking the ten biggest upsets at the European Championships

With Euro 2024 fast approaching, Football FanCast has created a list of the biggest upsets in the tournament’s history…

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Jun 14, 2024

Euro 2020

Football nearly comes home

The most recent edition of the European Championship is by far and away England’s most successful tournament.

The competition kicked off a year later than planned due to the pandemic and was played across multiple European nations, including England.

Gareth Southgate had just led his side to a World Cup semi-final three years prior, and so while the Three Lions weren’t favourites, there was an element of expectation among fans.

The team were placed in Group D alongside Croatia, the Czech Republic and Scotland. Things got off to a decent start as Southgate’s men played out a 1-0 win over Croatia, but the following 0-0 draw against Scotland tempered people’s expectations somewhat.

The final group game played out much like the first; Raheem Sterling scored England’s only goal as the side beat the Czechs 1-0. Two wins and a draw from the group was enough to qualify as winners, which meant a last-16 tie against Germany.

Goals from Sterling and Harry Kane saw the Three Lions finally get the better of Die Mannschaft in a knockout game for the first time since the World Cup final in 1966.

The quarter-finals saw the team put four past Ukraine to set up a nervy semi-final with Denmark. The game took place at Wembley Stadium, so there was an eerie silence when the Danes took the lead through Mikkel Damsgaard in the 30th minute.

Luckily for the home crowd, Simon Kjær put the ball in the back of his own net just nine minutes later to level the scores. It would take extra-time to find a winner, but England finally took the lead when Kane scored in the 104th minute. It was just Italy that now stood between England and footballing greatness.

Luke Shaw opened the scoring just two minutes in, creating bedlam at Wembley. However, once they were ahead, England seemed to shrink into their shells, and after defending for most of the game, Italy finally levelled the score through Leonardo Bonucci. Extra time came and went, and it was once again – as it always seems to be – a penalty shootout that stood before the English national team. Unfortunately, we all know what happened from here.

Kane and Harry Maguire scored their penalties, but Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, and Bukayo Saka all had to endure the soul-crushing feeling of missing theirs. Jordan Pickford performed wonders between the sticks, but it just wasn’t to be, and Italy claimed the title on English soil.

England results at Euro 2020
Round	Opponent	Result	Goalscorers
Group stage	Croatia	W 1-0	Sterling
Group stage	Scotland	D 0-0	None
Group stage	Czech Republic	W 1-0	Sterling
Round of 16	Germany	W 2-0	Sterling, Kane
Quarter-final	Ukraine	W 4-0	Kane (2), Maguire, Jordan Henderson
Semi-final	Denmark	W 2-1 (aet)	Kjaer (og), Kane / Damsgaard
Final	Italy	D 1-1 (2-3 on pens)	Shaw / Bonucci

Josko Gvardiol has revealed Lionel Messi is is "idol", while lifting the lid on how he has become a goalscoring threat for Manchester City.

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• Gvardiol admits Messi is his hero
• Becoming goal threat for Man City
• Explains his mixed duties under Pep

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Croatian international has admitted that he grew up idolising Argentine legend Messi, and got to play against him in the 2022 World Cup, while also explaining the various defensive and attacking roles he performs for Pep Guardiola's City. The 22-year-old says he is happy to get forward and try his luck after scoring two goals in his last three Premier League games.

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  WHAT JOSKO GVARDIOL SAID

  He told: "My idol was Messi. When you are a defender for 10-15 years you get sick of it!"

  He added: "To be fair I didn't expect that from me. All I wanted before I joined City was to be a solid defender next to Ruben [Dias], John [Stones], Manu [Akanji] and [Nathan] Ake, no matter who you play with, and then the manager decided to turn me into a number 10, a left winger!

  "When I was younger, I used to play everywhere on the pitch, even a striker, winger, holding midfielder, attacking midfielder. I feel comfortable no matter where I play, and I find myself many times in this left pocket because the manager wants me to be there.

  "What do you think that I don't want to take the ball and dribble, drive and shoot? Score a great goal? Of course, but our job is to defend the goal firstly, and then to make a build-up. If the manager wants you to go a bit higher then you can do it as I do, but I need to know that… when we finish the action I need to run back, because my responsibility is for the opposite right-winger so I need to take care of him as well."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Gvardiol has proven to be a good and versatile acquisition since swapping RB Leipzig for City in the summer of 2023. Initially, the former Dinamo Zagreb star struggled to live up to his hefty £77 million ($97m) price tag but now he has become an important player for the English champions.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Gvardiol's City side – who sit second in the table – host lowly Southampton in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon, before rounding off October against Tottenham in a last 16 Carabao Cup tie. Gvardiol will hope to add to his goalscoring tally in these fixtures.

Following last season's seventh placed finish in the Premier League, Newcastle United are set to bring in defensive reinforcements in order to aid their quest to break back into the top four next year.

Newcastle use summer to bolster defence

Owing primarily to a slew of unfortunate injuries, Newcastle struggled to settle on a nailed on back four for much of last season. In order to avoid this issue going into the next campaign, the Magpies have looked towards a number of defensive players.

"Hugely important" 20-goal winger is Newcastle's top Almiron replacement

He could be the perfect complement for Gordon.

By
Tom Coates

Jun 26, 2024

One player already making the move to St James' Park is Lloyd Kelly. The defender is set to formally join Newcastle on the 1st July after becoming a free agent upon the expiration of his contract at Bournemouth.

In addition to Kelly, the Magpies have been linked to a host of new defenders. Recent reports suggest that Newcastle have made a player-plus-cash offer for Wolves centre-back Max Kilman. The Tyneside outfit reportedly offered Elliot Anderson and cash for the English defender, however Wolves turned this bid down.

A new name between the sticks is also a target in the Toon's mission to sure up their defence. Burnley shot stopper James Trafford has been Newcastle's long term target in this area but both Aaron Ramsdale and Juan Musso have emerged as other names that PIF are looking at.

With deals for these targets yet to be agreed, Newcastle are now expected to step up their pursuit of a well-regarded European centre back.

Toon target move for Juventus defender

As first reported by Sport Witness, the Italian press are claiming that Newcastle could shortly formalise an offer for Juventus' Federico Gatti.

The Serie A giants are supposedly not interested in selling the Italian centre back, however the report states that they could be won over by a bid in excess of £25million owing to Juventus' ongoing financial problems.

Gatti featured 32 times for Juventus as his side clinched Champions League football by finishing third in Serie A. The central defender also managed to get on the scoresheet on four occasions during the campaign, an impressive feat for a player in his position.

Based on his stats from last season, Gatti is everything that you would want in a modern defender. The 26-year-old ranks highly for his progressive output as well as his previously mentioned goal-scoring prowess.

Federico Gatti stats last 365 days	Total per 90	Ranks vs centre backs in comparable leagues
Non-penalty goals	0.14	95th percentile
Shots total	1.19	99th percentile
Progressive carries	1.17	98th percentile
Progressive passes received	1.47	97th percentile
Touches	1.60	92nd percentile

For any of the Toon faithful fearful about Gatti's defensive abilities, the 26-year-old has also earned plaudits for his more old school assets. Speaking back when he joined the Turin outfit in 2022, former Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri branded Gatti as "the strongest defender in Serie B and he has everything to do well at Juve".

If Newcastle are to get a deal for Gatti over the line, they would be getting a modern centre back that rarely shies away from doing the dirty work associated with his position.

Setting their sights on the future, Manchester United are reportedly looking to beat Newcastle United in the race to sign a rising star for Erik ten Hag in this summer's transfer window.

Man Utd transfer news

Even without any confirmed arrivals as of yet, it's been a hectic start to the summer for the Red Devils, with Sir Jim Ratcliffe eventually deciding to keep hold of Ten Hag rather than look towards the likes of Thomas Tuchel and Gareth Southgate. Now, in some twist, the Dutchman is reportedly close to putting pen to paper on a new contract at Old Trafford, as per Fabrizio Romano.

With Ten Hag's future almost sealed, reports suggest that Ratcliffe has now turned his attention towards potential incomings, including one player who the Red Devils must beat Newcastle United to sign this summer.

Man Utd now ready to go above and beyond in £46m move for "fantastic" ace

The Red Devils aren’t messing around.

By
Tom Cunningham

Jun 28, 2024

According to The Daily Mail, Manchester United are looking to beat Newcastle to sign Yahya Idrissi-Regragui from Chelsea's academy in the coming months. The Blues are, however, reportedly keen to tie the 16-year-old down to a new contract at Stamford Bridge in order to fend off interest from fellow Premier League clubs.

The Premier League saw just what Manchester United's academy can offer last season, as Kobbie Mainoo emerged to become one of few bright sparks in a campaign to forget. Now, Idrissi-Regragui could complete a move to take a similar path, before eventually even partnering Mainoo in midfield.

"Wonderkid" Idrissi-Regragui can follow Mainoo path

Mainoo's recent rise has been quite the watch. From United's academy to then being thrown into Ten Hag's side as the unlikely solution to their midfield problems, the midfielder was called up to Gareth Southgate's England squad for Euro 2024, in which he could still have an important role to play. If any young player at Old Trafford wanted a path to follow, then they should look straight towards the 19-year-old.

Described as a "wonderkid" by The Daily Mail, Idrissi-Regragui certainly has a decision to make this summer when it comes to signing his first professional contract. The young attacking midfielder isn't short on options either, given the interest of Manchester United and Newcastle.

It's those at Old Trafford who will hope to put together the most convincing pitch, however, by using the likes of Mainoo as the perfect example of what they can offer young players. Whilst they have struggled to return to the top of English football in the last 11 years, United, to their credit, have consistently awarded academy graduates with opportunities.

Sporting CP captain Morten Hjulmand has opened up on coach Ruben Amorim's departure to Manchester United, as he sees the 'positive' side to his move.

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• Amorim to leave Sporting for Man Utd
• Hjulmand opens up on the coach's exit
• Sporting captain sees the 'positive' side

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  United announced the signing of Amorim from Sporting last week and clarified that the Portuguese manager will only take over at Old Trafford on November 11. Amorim has been with Sporting since 2020 and has led the side to their first Primera Liga title in 19 years before doing the same last season.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Sporting captain Hjulmand has now opened up on Amorim's departure as the club prepare for life without him. The Danish midfielder also revealed that the Portuguese coach was one of the reasons he made the switch to Sporting as he praised the manager's vision.

• AFP
  

  WHAT HJULMAND SAID

  Speaking to the media, Hjulmand said: "I see it as a positive challenge to try to be champions without Ruben, which is the main objective of this season. Life goes on and we want to show that we no longer need him. It was difficult for me to know that he is leaving. I was sad. That he was going to leave me too. But in football, opportunities like these happen to players and coaches. It's part of football and I hope Ruben is proud to receive an offer of this kind."

  He added: "Ruben was one of the reasons why I came to Sporting. When you are coached by him, you get a clear idea of the way he sees football and how he sees us being part of the team. It's a very important image for the player, to know what his role is, what he can contribute to the team. It was very important when I joined Sporting. The way he sees the players, how he manages the team on and off the field… It's something I've never seen in my career. Manchester United will be in good hands with Ruben."

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• WHAT NEXT FOR HJULMAND?

  The Sporting captain will be in action next when Amorim's side take on Manchester City in the Champions League on Tuesday, November 5.

England's interim boss Lee Carsley has told Thomas Tuchel that he will face a tough job picking his squad from the pool of players available.

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• Lee Carsley leaves a good problem for Thomas Tuchel
• Set to leave a deep Three Lions squad for the German
• Will aid Tuchel with his takeover over the next months

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Carsley officially undertook his final match on the touchline as England's interim boss as the Three Lions battered Ireland in a 5-0 win at Wembley Stadium. Tuchel will soon take charge as the head coach of the side when he begins his stint at the turn of the year, and Carsley has warned the German that picking a squad from the pool of players available to him will be a difficult job.

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  WHAT CARSLEY SAID

  When asked about Tuchel taking over, Carsley said: “It’s a job that deserves an elite coach with a track record of winning and Thomas has got that. The bonus would be we’ve increased the pool of players. The next squad will be a real challenge to pick, I’m sure. Exciting times ahead.

  “We spoke about not only gaining promotion from the Nations League but to potentially increase the pool of players Thomas has got to choose from.

  “The challenge now for the players that have been involved for the last three camps is to be in and around the March squad. A lot of them have done themselves a lot of good. Gaining a cap is no mean feat.”

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Carsley is now set to return to his original job as the head coach of England's U21 side, and the 50-year-old has said that he is going to be available to aid Tuchel with his takeover and will leave a dossier for the German. He also revealed that he is likely to meet the former Chelsea boss over the next few weeks in person.

  Casley told the media: “I’m trying to put together, with the rest of the staff, a debrief on all three camps. I will put together a document, then hopefully meet him and present what we think and what we’ve found.

  "The job for us as an under-21 staff is to support the senior manager as much as we can, find out what he needs and how we can help. I’m really comfortable with that role. I’m looking forward to meeting him now in the next few weeks.

  “One of the most pleasing things is the way that the senior players have reacted to a new coach, even though it was from a short-term point of view. We’ve tried to change the style. There’s been no resistance to that.”

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• WHAT NEXT FOR CARSLEY?

  The 50-year-old has been asked multiple times over the course of his stint as England manager whether he has plans to return to the senior management side of the national team, and the same was the case this time. He replied: “I think the positive thing is that we’ve shown as a staff that we can do it. It’s always a positive thing when you have coaches in the building that are capable. The relief of getting promotion is a big thing, so maybe in a couple of days I’ll look back at it and think it’s been quite enjoyable.”

A member of Mikel Arteta's squad at Arsenal is said to have already agreed to join West Ham, and they're pushing to completely seal a deal by the end of this week.

Players who could be sold or loaned out by Arsenal

A quartet of senior first team squad players in Cedric Soares, Mohamed Elneny, Albert Sambi Lokonga and Nuno Tavares have already departed the Emirates Stadium, but many more could well follow them.

Arteta sees £51k-per-week ace as a potential bargain signing for Arsenal

The Spaniard thinks he represents good market value.

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Emilio Galantini

Jul 16, 2024

Soares and Elneny waved goodbye to London Colney after their contracts expired on June 30, with both men yet to find a new club. Meanwhile, Arsenal agreed a deal with Sevilla to loan them Lokonga for a season, which includes a £10 million option to buy him outright next summer.

Tavares joined Lazio on an initial loan deal as well, but the Portuguese has already put pen to paper on a five-year deal due to the fact his purchase will become mandatory next year for around £7.5 million.

Arsenal's best performers in the Premier League last season
Player	Average match rating
Bukayo Saka	7.67
Declan Rice	7.38
Martin Odegaard	7.37
Kai Havertz	7.16
Gabriel Magalhaes	6.99
WhoScored

These transfers have freed up more space in Arteta's squad and provided some relief for the wage bill, though it remains the case that Arsenal could offload a few more interesting names before summer deadline day on August 30.

Emile Smith Rowe, Eddie Nketiah, Thomas Partey, Aaron Ramsdale and Kieran Tierney are all being regularly tipped to leave the club as well, with Arsenal reportedly open to selling for the right offers.

Partey has entered the final 11 months of his contract and played just 14 Premier League games last season, while Arteta has decided Tierney is not in his plans after the Scotsman spent last season on loan at Real Sociedad.

Another player attracting interest, and who finds himself on the fringes of Arteta's squad, is Arsenal winger Reiss Nelson. The 24-year-old started just one top flight match last season, making 14 out of his 15 league appearances off the bench.

Nelson agrees to join West Ham as they chase imminent Arsenal deal

The £100,000-per-week ace will find it difficult to secure regular game time ahead of the likes of Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard and any potential new forward signings – so perhaps the time is right for him to find a new home.

According to TEAMtalk, that landing spot could well be across London at West Ham. Julen Lopetegui's side are believed to be pursuing the forward with real intent, and have made the best offer to him out of any other interested side.

They add that Nelson has agreed to join West Ham from Arsenal, and the Hammers are pushing to seal a deal for him by the end of this week. There is no mention of a price tag in the report, but other media sources have claimed Nelson could cost around £25-30 million.

Arteta has called Nelson a "special" player before, and he's seriously impressed in flashes. However, given the competition for minutes at Arsenal, a move to West Ham could be ideal given the player gets to remain in the English capital.

The 49ers Enterprises have reportedly made a move to sign an "outstanding" player for Leeds United in a potential £4m deal, with the club receiving a reply.

Leeds transfer news

It looks set to be a busy summer at Elland Road, with both incomings and outgoings meaning Daniel Farke's squad could look very different by the time the opening game of the Championship season rolls around.

Glen Kamara is set to join Ligue 1 Rennes side after only one season in a Leeds shirt, with the club seemingly happy for the Finland international to move on to pastures new. It looks as though Tottenham midfielder Oliver Skipp has been lined up as his direct replacement, in what could be an eye-catching summer addition.

The Whites are also reportedly interested in signing Sheffield United defender Jayden Bogle, as Farke looks to bolster his quality and depth at the back. The 23-year-old started 32 matches in the Premier League last season but was powerless to do anything about his side making a quickfire return to the Championship.

RB Salzburg forward Petar Ratkov has also been linked with joining Leeds, being looked at as an alternative option to Daniel Jebbison, who plies his trade at Bournemouth. Now, a new update regarding one of the aforementioned targets has emerged.

Leeds make bids for "outstanding" right-back

According to a new update from Football Insider, 49ers and Leeds have submitted two offers for United defender Jayden Bogle, with both reportedly around the £4m mark with different payment structures.

The Whites have been unsuccessful in their attempts to date, however, with the Blades rejecting both bids, but the player himself "has told friends he is keen on joining Leeds", also informing his current club that he "will not be signing an extension beyond the summer of 2025."

At this point, it could be a surprise to some if Bogle didn't end up at Leeds this summer, considering he wants the move to happen, and the fact that he only has one more year remaining on his current deal. Granted, the Blades are being stubborn for the time being, but they may not want to lose him on a free transfer this time next season.

The Englishman could be an excellent signing for the Whites, possessing Premier League experience and also winning three caps for England's Under-20s in the past, and Blades manager Chris Wilder has spoken of his admiration for him recently, saying:

"Yes, hopefully [Bogle will stay]. He's been outstanding. We knew a lot about him when we brought him into the building, him and Max. “It was arguably one of the club's best deals, in terms of the numbers."

Jayden Bogle's 2023/24 Premier League stats	Total
Appearances	34
Starts	32
Goals	3
Assists	0
Clearances per game	2.5
Tackles per game	1.9
Aerial duel wins per game	1.5

At 23, Bogle remains a young player with long-term potential, as well as being capable of thriving at right-back or on the wing, with such versatility likely to appeal to Farke. It is now a case of possibly upping the offer and hoping Sheffield United accept it, reaching a point where all parties are on the same page.