Bryan Mbeumo opens up on decision to join Man United over rivals

 Relaxing in the swanky Waldorf Astoria hotel on Chicago's Magnificent Mile in his new training kit, Bryan Mbeumo looks every inch a Manchester United player.

He has yet to make his debut for the club, but that could come in the final game of United's US tour against Everton in Atlanta this weekend.

In the meantime, Mbeumo continues to play catch-up in his pre-season preparation, often working with United's younger players and focusing on sprint work at Chicago Fire's impressive training facility a few miles from United's downtown base.

There were times this summer when a place in Ruben Amorim's squad seemed far from guaranteed for Mbeumo, however. When United and Brentford haggled for weeks on end over his transfer fee, and his old boss Thomas Frank tried to sign him for Tottenham.

The boyhood United fan made it clear there was only one club he wanted, and stayed in touch with his Cameroon team-mate Andre Onana, the United goalkeeper.

A deal worth a total of £71million was eventually struck but United accused Brentford of trying to push Mbeumo towards Spurs, and Brentford blamed United for trying to lowball them with two unsuccessful opening offers.

All the while, the 25-year-old kept his cool on holiday and then asked to stick to gym work on his return to the West London club, which explains why he is still behind in his fitness programme.

'I trust my people and I was convinced that it was going to happen,' says Mbeumo. 'I always trust my people around me. The transfer window can be long, it can be short, so you have be patient and just try to keep thinking positively about things

'I was obviously on my holidays so I just wanted to think about resting mentally and physically. If it was going to happen, it was going to happen.

'I think I'm someone who likes a challenge. There is a very good project in Manchester, and I wanted to be part of it.

'You want to play on the greatest stages in the world and Old Trafford is one of them. So being able to play there every two weeks is just big.

'Of course, I spoke to some other managers because I wanted to hear their projects, but the Manchester United one was very good for me.

'I've spoken with Ruben. It was a very friendly conversation and a constructive one. He explained his project to me, what he wanted to do, and I really clicked with that.

'He said "we are people who like winning and we want to be the best team". Of course, that's what we will try to do.'

Like United's other big summer signing, Matheus Cunha, Mbeumo met Amorim's criteria of having played in the Premier League. In fact, over the past three seasons, only Erling Haaland, Mo Salah Alexander Isak and Ollie Watkins have scored more league goals than Mbeumo, an achievement that is all the more impressive because predominantly he has played off the right wing and for a Brentford side punching well above their weight.

He is set to fill a similar role as one of two No.10s in Amorim's 3-4-2-1 system, but is ready to play anywhere – including as a striker if needed as United weigh up another move into the transfer market for a centre-forward.

'I think now, in football, you have to be adaptable and be able to play in a few other positions than what you'd say is your best,' he adds.

'Obviously I've played as a winger mainly at Brentford, but I don't have one specific position where I feel I can do the best. With Brentford, I used to also play as a No 10 in the pocket or even as a No 9. I can play all those positions. Whatever position the gaffer wants to put me out, I will play there.

'I always want to be better than I was yesterday. I'm very demanding of myself and I always try to do the best. I don't like to put limits on myself as well.'

Playing football is by no means the limit of Mbeumo's capabilities either. Much has been made of his love of chess and the piano.

Strangely for a man who is comfortable performing in front of tens of thousands of fans inside a stadium and a worldwide TV audience, he is shy to sit down and play the piano even for a few close friends.

'It's funny, but it's so different,' he says. 'The thing is, I don't really like to play in front of people. Even if I play in front of a couple of friends at home, I'm not exactly shaking, but it's 'oh guys, this is kind of hard for me'.

'The piano is nothing really linked to football. It just makes me take time for me and relax myself in my free time.'

Mbeumo doesn't flaunt his chess skills either, playing online anonymously. 'I have a username,' he says. 'You choose a nickname and just play against random people online, and I use my own chessboard against them. I'm not that crazy good. But if you know the rating, I'm like 800 on chess.com.

'There was a one period where I was really into it. I was watching videos on YouTube and doing training on the app. I watched Queen's Gambit, it was really good. I've not watched the Magnus Carlson thing (documentary) yet. Maybe I should.

'I've been told that Josh (Zirkzee) plays, so I might need to play against him and bring in the chess board.

'I think even for the brain, it's really, really good. You can develop new skills. Obviously, you're doing football most of the time, every day, so you sometimes you don't really have time to develop on other skills. I like creativity and stuff.

'But chess, even if it's not physical, there is a lot of thought. When you play football, you have to think as well. Playing chess, you can see some moves ahead because it is a strategy game. In football, you have your strategy as well so you can link them together.'

Having ended the stalemate with Brentford, Amorim will be hoping it is only a matter of time before he can set Mbeumo loose on United's opponents.

Ukrainian forces repel Russian assault in Zaporizhzhia, causing major losses in hours

 Recently, the Russian army attempted an assault on the Orikhiv axis in the Zaporizhzhia region. However, their plan failed, according to Dmytro Pelykh, head of the communications department of the 118th Separate Mechanized Brigade, speaking during a national telethon broadcast.

According to him, the Russian offensive is currently being felt along the entire line of contact. In particular, the enemy recently launched a mechanized assault on the Orikhiv axis.

"At first, the enemy began pressing our neighboring units and then recently launched a mechanized assault on the positions of the 118th Separate Mechanized Brigade with the aim of breaking through and entering the settlement of Mala Tokmachka," Pelykh said.

However, the Russians' plan failed thanks to the work of aerial reconnaissance, which detected the assault in advance. In coordination with all units, the enemy was then destroyed.

He noted that Russian forces are now recovering from the crushing defeat.

"This is no exaggeration — within just a few hours, they lost a very significant force... Now the enemy operates only during dark or low-visibility hours," Pelykh stated.

Situation in Zaporizhzhia region

Earlier, media reports suggested that Russian President Vladimir Putin had indicated to US President Donald Trump his intention to launch an offensive in eastern Ukraine over the coming months.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Russian forces have fallen significantly behind the offensive plans they had set for this summer.

Recently, units of the 210th Separate Assault Regiment of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported successful advances in the Zaporizhzhia region.

Lewis Hamilton gives blunt response to Christian Horner question after ruthless Red Bull sacking

 Lewis Hamilton offered an icy dismissal of Christian Horner's departure from Red Bull during a press conference before the Belgian Grand Prix.

The seven-time champion's response was stark and uncompromising when asked about Horner, who was relieved of his duties as team principal earlier this month.

"It doesn't change anything in my life," Hamilton stated with an emotionless expression when questioned about the development.

His terse comment created an uncomfortable pause amongst those present.

PA

Lewis Hamilton offered an icy dismissal of Christian Horner's departure from Red Bull during a press conference before the Belgian Grand Prix

The Mercedes driver, who recently joined Ferrari, appeared unmoved by the significant shake-up at his rival team.

When journalists sought additional commentary on the surprising development, Hamilton maintained his detached stance, indicating the news held no personal significance for him.

Red Bull terminated Horner's position as team principal earlier this month after a series of disappointing performances by the racing outfit.

The decision came around 12 months after an independent inquiry had twice exonerated him regarding allegations of unsuitable conduct with a female staff member. He always denied the allegations.

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Christian Horner oversaw great success at Red Bull during his time in charge prior to his dismissal last Wednesday

Horner had been with Red Bull since 2005, arriving two years prior to Hamilton's Formula One debut.

During his tenure, he guided the team to eight drivers' championships and six constructors' titles.

Laurent Mekies, who previously led Racing Bulls, assumed control of the team with immediate effect from Wednesday.

The leadership change marked the end of Horner's nearly two-decade association with the Austrian racing team.

Hamilton revealed their professional relationship stretched back two decades, recounting an early encounter when he was competing in Formula Three and considering GP2.

"I sat with Christian in his office back in 2005," Hamilton recalled. "He was with Arden."

The British driver acknowledged they hadn't immediately connected during that initial meeting. However, Hamilton recognised Horner's subsequent accomplishments, describing his career trajectory as "remarkable" and praising his ability to lead such a substantial operation.

"To run an organisation that big and that well takes talent and skill and that is what he brought to the team," Hamilton stated, before extending his best wishes to his former rival.

Hamilton's current struggles with Ferrari have been evident, having secured only fourth place at Silverstone in his most recent outing and failing to reach the podium since switching to the Italian outfit.

The Scuderia's championship drought extends back to their 2008 constructors' triumph, whilst their most recent drivers' crown came through Kimi Raikkonen in 2007.

Ukrainian soldiers cut off from Musk’s Starlink after blackout

 Soldiers on Ukraine’s front line suffered a communications blackout for more than two hours last night following a major outage on Elon Musk’s satellite internet service Starlink.

In a post on Telegram, the Ukrainian army said Starlink terminals were down across the front line, disrupting combat work and reconnaissance.

It added that the outage, which lasted for 150 minutes, was the longest in the war against Russia so far.

Starlink, which is part of Mr Musk’s SpaceX, provides satellite broadband services that beam down signals from space, helping to provide coverage in remote areas. It has played a crucial role in supporting Ukraine’s campaign.

Mr Musk initially provided Starlink terminals to Ukraine for free in the wake of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, though the Pentagon has since handed a contract to the company to ensure continued coverage.

In addition to its military use, hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian civilians also depend on the service, which has been deployed to restore internet connections in hospitals, schools, businesses and aid organisations.

In total, there are around 42,000 terminals in use across Ukraine.

Over-reliance fears

However, Ukraine’s dependence on Starlink has been a continued source of tension given the erratic nature of Mr Musk’s behaviour.

In March, the Tesla billionaire boasted that Starlink was the “backbone of the Ukrainian army”, adding: “Their entire front line would collapse if I turned it off.”

The comments fuelled concerns about Mr Musk’s influence over the war, especially after Donald Trump halted military aid and intelligence-sharing with Ukraine following a disastrous meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky earlier this year.

Mr Musk’s post also triggered a row with Poland, which pays for roughly half the active Starlink terminals in Ukraine at a cost of approximately $50m (£37m) a year.

Radosław Sikorski, Poland’s minister of foreign affairs, has said the country will look for alternative suppliers if Mr Musk proves to be unreliable.

OneWeb, the UK government-backed subsidiary of French satellite company Eutelsat, has said it is ready to “swiftly deploy” equipment in Ukraine if needed.

The Ukrainian army appeared to acknowledge its over-reliance on Starlink in the Telegram post, saying the outage showed there were “bottlenecks” and calling for the need to “diversify communication”.

Ukraine’s forces provided an update shortly before 1am stating that connectivity had been restored.

Michael Nicolls, Starlink’s head of engineering, wrote in a post on X: “Starlink has now mostly recovered from the network outage, which lasted approximately 2.5 hours.

The outage was because of the failure of key internal software services that operate the core network.

“We apologise for the temporary disruption in our service; we are deeply committed to providing a highly reliable network, and will fully root cause this issue and ensure it does not occur again.”

Mr Musk added: “Sorry for the outage. SpaceX will remedy root cause to ensure it doesn’t happen again.

£70m Chelsea star responds to Man Utd interest with INEOS ‘advancing’ on transfer

 Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson is open to joining Premier League rivals Man Utd in the summer transfer window, according to reports.

Ruben Amorim is looking to sign a new striker this summer after the Red Devils only managed a 15th-placed finish in his first season in charge.

Only four Premier League sides scored fewer goals than Man Utd last term with Joshua Zirkzee and Rasmus Hojlund coming in for lots of criticism.

One of Hojlund or Zirkzee is likely to leave this summer, paving the way for a new addition to help Man Utd score more goals next campaign.

RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres are amongst the players linked with a move to Old Trafford as INEOS look to back Amorim in the transfer market.

Man Utd have already brought in Matheus Cunha for £62.5m from Wolves and Paraguayan youngster Diego Leon, while Bryan Mbeumo is on the verge of joining from Brentford

The arrivals of Joao Pedro and Liam Delap at Stamford Bridge this summer is likely to see Jackson, who Chelsea value at £70m, drop down the pecking order under Enzo Maresca next term.

It is understood that ‘talks are underway between the Red Devils and the player’s representatives over personal terms’ and ‘although a formal agreement has not yet been reached, Ruben Amorim’s side are advancing in negotiations with Jackson’s camp’.

Former Man Utd chief scout Mick Brown – who is still well-connected at Old Trafford – insists that Hojlund could have to be sold before they bring a new centre-forward in.

Royal Antwerp braced and expecting Man Utd bid to arrive for their star player

 Royal Antwerp are now expecting Manchester United’s offer for their star man to arrive soon after already holding contacts over the weekend, according to a new report.

Man Utd chasing multiple striker targets

As the Red Devils finally complete their deal for Bryan Mbeumo, the Premier League side are already turning their attention to their next targets. But while United do plan to make more signings, it is expected that departures are needed before they can spend more money. Marcus Rashford is now close to joining Barcelona on an initial loan deal, and the hope is that Anthony, Alejandro Garnacho and Jadon Sancho soon follow.

Should they do so, United look set to try and sign a new striker this summer, as a lack of goals at the top end of the pitch cost the Premier League giants a lot last season.

In their search for a new striker, there are four names on United’s shortlist. One is Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins, who is said to be keen on a move to Old Trafford. Meanwhile, United have made contact with PSG over signing Randal Kolo Muani and have held talks with the agent of Nicolas Jackson over a move this summer. United have also now intensified their interest in signing Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig.

As well as signing a new striker, United appear to be in the market for a new goalkeeper.

Club expecting Man Utd bid to arrive soon for £17m ace

According to Belgian outlet HLN.BE, via SimplyUTD, Royal Antwerp are now expecting Man United to submit a bid to sign Senne Lammens.

United’s interest in the 23-year-old is becoming increasingly concrete, and the Belgian side are open to selling their goalkeeper for a fee between £13–17 million. This comes after it was reported on Sunday by Fabrizio Romano that United had made contact to get an understanding of a deal to sign Lammens, who is on the list of options the Red Devils are considering.

The Belgian has been at Royal Antwerp since 2023, and last season he enjoyed a "superb season" according to scout Jacek Kulig, as he finished the campaign having kept seven clean sheets and conceded 32 goals in 30 Jupiler Pro League games. Lammens is under contract until 2027, but Antwerp are ready to cash in on their goalkeeper.

As well as United, both Leeds United and Sunderland are interested in signing Lammens this summer, but the opportunity to move to Old Trafford and potentially become United’s number one ahead of Andre Onana may be too good to turn down. Lammens’ potential arrival at United could either see him replace Onana or replace Altay Bayindir, who has also been linked with a move away.

Man United wonderkid’s comments spark quick response from Ruben Amorim ahead of pre-season tour

 A Manchester United youngster caught the eye of Ruben Amorim early on, after a comment made in the Old Trafford corridors reached the new manager.

Players started arriving at Carrington last Monday, giving Ruben Amorim a chance to work with both senior players and some of the younger prospects from the academy.

More players joined later in the week as preparations began for United’s summer tour.

The Red Devils have been out of action since May, following a disappointing 2024-25 Premier League season and a short two-match tour of Asia.

This year’s pre-season will kick off in Europe, with United set to face Leeds United at Strawberry Arena in Sweden on Saturday. The match offers fans an early look at how Ruben Amorim is shaping his squad ahead of his first full campaign.

Ruben Amorim responds to Diego Leon’s six-word message during Old Trafford pre-season training

Diego Leon, the 18-year-old Paraguayan defender, has officially joined up with Manchester United for pre-season under Ruben Amorim.

The Red Devils finalised a deal for Leon back in January with Cerro Porteno, but the move was only announced earlier this month.

Now part of the first team, Leon hasn’t wasted any time settling in. Early signs from training suggest he’s already catching the eye at Old Trafford.

Amorim’s setup could be a good fit for Leon, who is comfortable both at left-back and as a wing-back.

According to Manchester United’s official website, it wasn’t just his play that stood out – it was also what he had said. The club reported that Amorim took notice when Leon spoke up during his first session.

“I’m going to give my everything,” said Leon.

Diego Leon shares his thoughts on Old Trafford after signing with Manchester United

Diego Leon will have another opportunity to catch Ruben Amorim’s eye during United’s pre-season tour across the United States and Europe this July and August.

The five-match tour is expected to see Amorim rotate his squad, giving fans their first real look at how Leon fits into the setup.

Leon, who joined from Cerro Porteno, was taken aback by the scale of Old Trafford during his initial visit, something he spoke about to club media.

“It’s like a maze,” he said.

The match against Leeds will be held in Solna, with kick-off scheduled for 2pm UK time on Saturday.

Putin reeling after NATO states deliver deadly blow to Russian sabotage group

 Western intelligence agencies have dismantled a pro-Russian hacker group that has caused wide spread havoc in Europe. The group - NoName057(16) - is responsible for numerous cyber attacks on critical infrastructure, including electricity and public transport across the continent.

Although the hacker collective originally targeted Ukraine, its activities have increasingly centred on Western allies of Kyiv - many of whom are NATO members. In 2023 and 2024, the criminal network took part in attacks against Swedish authorities and bank websites. Since November 2023, Germany has experienced 14 separate waves of attacks targeting more than 250 companies and institutions.

Most recently, the Dutch authorities confirmed that an attack linked to this network was carried out during the latest NATO summit in the Netherlands. Law enforcement and judicial officials from several European countries and the US carried out a joint operation dubbed Eastwood between July 14 and 17.

The participating countries included the Czech Republic, France, Finland, Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands and the United States. The operation successfully disrupted an attack-infrastructure consisting of over one hundred computer systems worldwide, while a major part of the group's central server system was taken offline.

National authorities have issued seven arrest warrants, including for six Russian nationals, for their involvement in the NoName057(16) criminal activities. Investigators say the group was an ideological criminal network that supported Russia's war aims in Ukraine.

The hacker collective is believed to have around 4,000 supporters and not only lunched repeated DDoS attacks, but was also able to construct their own botnet made up of several hundred servers.

Participants were paid in cryptocurrency, which incentivised sustained involvement and attracted opportunists. Europol has warned that state actors like Russia are driving an increase in politically motivated cyber-attacks and sabotage of infrastructure and public institutions in the EU.

An 80-page report released in March by the agency outlined how "hybrid threat" actors have established a "shadow alliance" with organised criminal gangs in Europe to try to destabilise the functioning of the EU and its member states.

The EU commissioner for internal affairs and migration Magnus Brunner said at the launch of the report: "Criminal networks that work on behalf of foreign powers - that is something new.

"Some threats enter our union in less than a second as an encrypted message, for instance, ordering an assassination of a rival drug dealer. Some threats enter in a few days, like a bus full of migrants, paid by the Russians."

Trump says Club World Cup trophy will remain in Oval Office after tournament’s end

 US president Donald Trump has claimed that the Club World Cup trophy that has featured prominently in the Oval Office will stay there, and that Fifa made a copy of the trophy that was awarded to Chelsea after their win in the tournament’s final on Sunday.

Trump attended the final along with numerous members of his cabinet and Fifa president Gianni Infantino. The pair of presidents jointly presented the trophy to Chelsea captain Reece James, with Trump staying front-and-center despite the apparent confusion of Chelsea players and the pleading of Infantino.

The incident is just the latest in a long series of intersections between the US president and the world of Fifa, which began in earnest this year soon after Trump started his second term in office. Infantino unveiled the Club World Cup trophy for the first time in an event at the Oval Office in March, and the trophy has stayed there for all subsequent events in the historic space since.

Related: Trump’s presence at Chelsea’s trophy lift was a fitting coda to a misguided tournament | Jonathan Wilson

“I said, When are you going to pick up the trophy? [They said] ‘We’re never going to pick it up. You can have it forever in the Oval Office. We’re making a new one,’” Trump said in an interview with official Club World Cup broadcaster Dazn on Sunday. “And they actually made a new one. So that was quite exciting, but it is in the Oval [Office] right now.”

The exact differences between the trophies are unknown, if there are any. Fifa has been approached for clarification.

At other points in the interview, Trump suggested he could put forth an executive order decreeing that soccer be called football in the United States, and said leaders of other countries have called the US “the hottest country in the world,” in reference to economic activity and political positioning.

“It’s about unity,” Trump said of Fifa’s bringing of the Club World Cup and the men’s World Cup to the United States. “It’s about everybody getting together and a lot of love between countries. I guess this is probably the most international sport, so it can really bring the world together.”

Planning for next year’s World Cup has faced a few hurdles presented by the second Trump administration, including travel bans on countries that would impact fans hoping to travel to the United States to see the games (though there are exceptions for athletes and staff), threats of Ice raids at games, and long wait times for visas to get into the country.

Transfer latest: Arsenal agree £16.5m deal for Mosquera, Wolves poised to sign Arias

 Arsenal are hoping to complete the signing of Cristhian Mosquera from Valencia this week in a deal that could take their summer spending past £200m.

Negotiations with Valencia over the 21-year-old defender have been taking place since an initial offer of £14m including bonuses was rejected this month. It is understood an agreement has been struck for Arsenal to pay an initial £13m plus up to £3.5m in bonuses.

Mikel Arteta’s squad are due to fly to Singapore for the first leg of their Asian tour on Saturday and there is a chance that Mosquera – who represented Spain at this summer’s European Under-21 Championship but is also eligible to play for Colombia – could complete his move in time to join his new teammates. Mosquera was identified as Arsenal’s main target to provide competition for William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães after establishing himself as a first choice for Valencia over the past two seasons.

His deal means Arsenal have committed to spending potentially more than £200m on players since March’s appointment of the sporting director, Andrea Berta. They are also poised to announce the signing of Noni Madueke from Chelsea for up to £52m and have agreed a deal with Sporting for Viktor Gyökeres, with the total package for the Sweden striker potentially worth £64m.

Arsenal have confirmed the arrivals of Martín Zubimendi from Real Sociedad for about £55m, Christian Nørgaard from Brentford for up to £12m and Kepa Arrizabalaga from Chelsea for £5m. They remain interested in Eberechi Eze of Crystal Palace but have yet to make an official approach for the England forward, who has a £67.5m release clause.

It is understood Arsenal are hoping to offload some fringe players as Arteta continues to shape his squad, with Leandro Trossard attracting interest from Bayern Munich and Fenerbahce. Jakub Kiwior – who deputised for the injured Gabriel at the end of last season but could find himself down the pecking order given Mosquera’s arrival – Fábio Vieira, Reiss Nelson and Oleksandr Zinchenko are among others facing uncertain futures.

Wolves are poised to sign one of the stars of the Club World Cup in Fluminense’s Jhon Arias. The Colombia winger, who impressed as the Brazilian club exited in the semi-finals to the eventual winners Chelsea, will cost about £15m. Arias will boost Vítor Pereira’s attacking ranks after the £62.5m departure of Matheus Cunha and is in line to become Wolves’ third summer signing after the £19.5m arrival of Fer López from Celta Vigo.

Jørgen Strand Larsen, who scored 14 Premier League goals last season, has also signed from Vigo after his loan move was made permanent.

Aston Villa have agreed to sign the experienced goalkeeper Marco Bizot, with the club thought to be paying a six-figure fee to take the Dutchman from the Ligue 1 side Brest, for whom he played in the Champions League last season.

The 34-year-old has played regularly as a No 1 over the past four seasons in France and before that impressed in the Eredivisie and Belgian Pro League with AZ and Genk respectively. He is expected to be joining Villa as a backup goalkeeper, though uncertainty surrounds the long-term future of Emiliano Martínez. Bizot began his career at Ajax and won his sole Netherlands cap in 2020, playing in a friendly against Spain while with AZ.

‘Something to be proud of’: Maresca delighted as Chelsea reach Club World Cup final

 Enzo Maresca did not hide his pride after Chelsea set up a final against either Real Madrid or Paris Saint‑Germain after defeating Fluminense with two brilliant goals from João Pedro.

Maresca’s team encountered few problems as they maintained their push for Club World Cup glory after producing an impressive performance to defeat the last non-European team left in the competition.

Chelsea took huge satisfaction from seeing João Pedro mark his full debut by scoring twice against his boyhood club. The forward joined from Brighton for £60m last week and was pivotal in his new team moving to within one win from being crowned club world champions.

“We are very happy, very proud to play the final on Sunday,” Maresca said.“The reason why is because this is the first edition of the Club World Cup. The best clubs in the world are here. For us to be in the final is something to be proud of.

“I know how difficult it is with all the games. Premier League top four, we won the Conference League and now a final here – it is fantastic.”

Maresca was delighted with João Pedro’s impressive display after coming in for the suspended Liam Delap. “I am very happy for João,” the head coach said. “He has quality to decide the game like today. We know he is a good player against teams that defend deep.”

There was concern for Chelsea after Moisés Caicedo limped off with a twisted ankle during the closing stages. The midfielder wanted to shake off the knock but had to admit defeat. “He felt he could try even though I told him we could play with 10 players,” Maresca said. “He tried and felt pain. So hopefully he can be fit for Sunday.”

Maresca said that Dário Essugo, a possible replacement for Caicedo, will miss the rest of the tournament after sustaining an injury in training. The Italian also looked ahead to facing either PSG or Madrid, who meet on Wednesday in the second semi-final.

“They are both top teams,” Maresca said. “One won the Champions League this season, the other one last season. They are top teams but we are proud to be there.”

Steven Gerrard: ‘Liverpool Signed Player I Hated Instead of PL Hero - It Angered Me’

 Steven Gerrard was by some distance the greatest Liverpool player of his generation. Not only was he one of the Reds' top performers, but the Englishman is perhaps the best midfielder ever to grace the Premier League.

As the most talented player to never win the Premier League, Gerrard was often let down by his teammates at Anfield failing to reach his level. Always the man dragging an average football side over the line, he never quite achieved the biggest honour in English football.

One of the many factors that played into that lack of success is the transfer recruitment, which left a lot to be desired at times. One instance of poor decision-making by the higher-ups at the Merseyside club that particularly annoyed 'Stevie G' came in the summer of 2002.

Steven Gerrard on Liverpool's Nicolas Anelka Mistake

'We should have taken Anelka'

French striker Nicolas Anelka spent 12 months on loan at Liverpool during the 2001/02 season, and impressed despite only netting five goals in 22 appearances. More importantly, the electric forward left a strong impression on Gerrard.

Speaking to Sky Sports in 2008, the Liverpool captain spoke of his disappointment at his club deciding against the signing of Anelka on a permanent deal. The retired England international said: "Every club makes a couple of mistakes in the transfer market, and we made one when we didn't sign Nicolas Anelka in 2002. Nicolas was top class for us and I thought he'd done enough to stay. He was a good lad around the dressing room as well.

"I've always thought it was a shame he's not still with us. What made it doubly disappointing was that I knew how desperate he was to sign on a permanent deal at the time. Unfortunately, these decisions are taken, and it's only when you look back later that you can make a judgement. I don't think anyone will deny we got that one wrong."

It's not the only time Gerrard has been vocal about his discontent at Anelka being snubbed by the Reds' transfer team. Per talkSPORT, the 114-cap Englishman expressed his dissatisfaction at Liverpool signing El-Hadji Diouf instead:

"I think at the back end of the treble season, I was like if we get the next two or three signings right then we can compete for it, but we never, and we got them drastically wrong.

"El-Hadji Diouf wasn’t the right signing, we should have taken Anelka. Salif Diao stiffened us up but never took us to the next level. But I think the signings at that time never went in our favour."

Gerrard and Diouf Never Saw Eye-to-Eye at Liverpool

He even called the striker 'the biggest waste' of money

It's no secret that Gerrard and Diouf were never best friends while sharing a dressing room, and even after both hanging up their boots. The Senegalese forward was signed ahead of Anelka after an impressive 2022 World Cup campaign, but turned out to be a disaster at Anfield.

Gerrard hasn't been shy about going on record to express his dislike for the retired forward. Labelling the ex-Sunderland and Blackburn Rovers man a 'waste' of money, he even went as far as calling Diouf the signing he 'liked least' throughout his Liverpool career: "I don’t really want to waste time thinking about El Hadji Diouf highlighting his wasted seasons as an example of how it can all go wrong.

"We had finished as runners-up to Manchester United the season before and a combination of Diouf, Salif Diao and Bruno Cheyrou was supposed to drive us to the title. It was probably the biggest waste of £18m in Liverpool’s history.

"We finished the season in fifth place and Diouf had sealed his place at the top of the list of Liverpool signings I liked least."

Rugby-Ford drives depleted England to surprise win over Argentina

 England winger Tom Roebuck scored two tries and veteran flyhalf George Ford delivered a virtuoso performance in a 35-12 win over Argentina in the first test in La Plata on Saturday.

Freddie Steward and substitute Cadan Murley also touched down as 32-year-old Ford, celebrating his 100th cap, kicked two penalties, a drop goal and three conversions.

With 14 internationals away on British & Irish Lions duty in Australia, a depleted England side started as underdogs against the Pumas, who beat the Lions in Dublin two weeks ago.

A gutsy defensive display, however, was complimented by Ford’s astute leadership in a performance that will add to the debate over whether he, rather than Owen Farrell, should been called up as a Lions’ injury replacement.

England showed resolute defence in the first half, three times holding up the ball to deny Argentina tries as the hosts crossed the visitors’ goal line but could not dot down.

Yellow cards for lock Alex Coles and debutant Seb Atkinson within six minutes left England down to 13 men but despite this disadvantage, they took the lead from their first foray into Argentina territory when Ford sent over a 20th-minute drop kick for the only points of the first half

After the break, England went on the attack and scored three tries in the first 10 minutes of the second half to build a commanding 22-0 lead, to a cacophony of jeers for the home side from their supporters.

Roebuck, in only his second international, went over in the corner one minute into the second half, followed four minutes later by a try for Steward on his return to the England line-up as Ford’s pass allowed him to burst through a gap in the home defence.

Roebuck strolled in for his second try after Ford again pulled the strings in a simple move down the line.

The jeers turned to cheers of hope as Argentina attempted a fightback with a 53rd-minute try for veteran flanker Pablo Matera, marking a record-equalling 110th appearance for the Pumas, and a forward inspired break finished off by lock Pedro Rubiolo.

That reduced the deficit to 10 points but Argentine mistakes handed England penalties at key moments and Ford slotted over two penalties to keep the tourists’ comfortably ahead before Murley’s late try made sure of victory.

The second test is next Saturday in San Juan.

The rules of heatwave dressing: what to wear to the office (and what to avoid)

 The spreading casualisation of the office might have transformed our working wardrobes, but there are still style lines that we should not cross, pretty much all of which can be seen in the average office during a heatwave. So how do you navigate workwear on a 30 degree day?

Wear lightweight fabrics, carry a folding fan on the tube, and remember that once you get to the office, you’ll be treated to the air-conditioning that work from home-ers can only dream of, the temperature set by a man who wears a full suit every day of the year and likes things < brisk >. As for the rest, here are the answers to your burning questions.

How short is too short?

Currently under discussion amongst Gen Z and millennial staffers, with Gen Z firmly on the side of the short short. Paul Mescal, who pairs his with a blue shirt, loafers and socks for ‘best’, is the man who launched a thousand bare legs, all lime-biking to an office near you. And who can blame them?

But what’s good for a powerhouse actor is not, unfortunately, good for a day of meetings with the MD. If you’re going to wear shorts (and truly, they’re not much cooler than trousers, which I wore out for a day of meetings yesterday) they should be tailored, in a not-too-flimsy fabric that won’t wilt by the end of the day. As for length, the rule of thumbs is that if any part of your bare leg touches the ergonomic office chair (or worse, the upholstered tube seat: have you forgotten last year’s bed bugs already?) then they’re too short. The same rule applies to women, with the addition that skirts need to be long enough that any wafting breeze won’t flash the coffee hut barista making your morning flat white.

Sleeves or no sleeves?

When it comes to bare arms, design is more important than coverage: right now the high street is full of button through women’s waistcoats, which are completely sleeveless but definitely office appropriate.

But take away that tailoring context, and a cotton vest with the same amount of coverage wouldn’t be formal enough. Ribbed stretch cotton vests might be fashionable, but they also still transport some of us older ones back to forgetting out gym kits at school, and running laps in vest and knickers. They’re under-things, in short, even if you bought yours from Prada for £720 (truly. It’s 100 per cent cotton). Men can’t pull these off as workwear either, as proven on a friend’s zoom meeting yesterday. If you are Pedro Pascal, however, disregard this, and wear your sleeveless t-shirt as often as you want.

If your office allows for T-shirts, then make it a plain one, Sunspel if you can afford it, in white or black (grey is a practical joke played on the sweaty), no slogans or logos or vintage band merch.

What’s ok on Zoom?

Not the aforementioned white vests, certainly. If you’re riding out the heatwave in your back garden, good for you: take the laptop inside for any Zooms, though, and keep a pressed shirt to hand to chuck over your bizarre at-home-workwear (written by a woman who is currently working from home with no audience, bar the scaffolders over the road, and is therefore wearing crocs, gym shorts and a sports bra). Just be careful what’s in the frame: a colleague’s short shorts were noted when she stood up during a call.

Are open toe shoes allowed?

Nothing that makes a sound as you walk should be heard slapping along the corridors of an office building. Flip flops are doubly wrong because of the rubber, but leather and suede sandals are ok, so long as you’ve cut your toenails. Look for smarter shapes that show a bit less foot, like fisherman sandals.

Only the all leather Birkenstocks pass muster, not the ones with the pale insole so easily marked by sweaty feet. Socks and loafers look good too. And preferably not a boat shoe, though if your office is in the west of london, you can probably disregard this one.

What about fabrics?

When it comes to cotton, linen and silk, lightweight often means sheer, and men aren’t exempt from this one. If I can see dark chest hair, or - and I’m sorry to go there - the shape of a nipple, you need a thicker fabric or a darker colour. For women, bright white bras under white shirts can be the most visible - look for a shade closer to your skin tone, or - counterintuitively - dark reds work well. Summer lace is a spectrum, running from prim and a bit old fashioned to risque, depending on the size of the holes, so exercise caution or add a slip underneath.

Liverpool transfer news: Reds confirm wonderkid deal as seven stars depart Anfield

 Liverpool have had a stunning summer so far. Having lifted the Premier League title, Arne Slot has wasted no time in bolstering his squad.

Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong have arrived from Bayer Levekusen, while Milos Kerkez has been drafted in from Bournemouth. Young goalkeeper Armin Pecsi has bolstered the club’s goalkeeping ranks alongside Freddie Woodman, who is set to complete a free move from Preston North End.

That is without even mentioning the imminent arrival of Giorgi Mamardashvilli, who was signed last summer from Valencia before returning to the La Liga side on loan. And the Reds might not even be done there.

A striker is on the club’s shortlist, while Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi is closing in on a move to Anfield. But will Liverpool get everything that they need before the window closes in September?

There’s still plenty of work to do so get up to date with all of the latest transfer news and rumours from the red half of Merseyside:

Nyoni pens new contract

Liverpool wonderkid Trey Nyoni has signed a new long-term deal at Liverpool after his breakout. The midfielder was signed from Leicester in 2023 and went straight into the Reds’ youth ranks.

But Nyoni got his chance last season under Arne Slot, making five senior appearances last term and becoming Liverpool’s youngest ever player in Europe in the process. And it has now been confirmed that he has signed an extended deal at Anfield after turning 18.

“It means a lot, obviously supporting the club from young as well,” said Nyoni. “So, it’s a great feeling. But now I have to go out and show why I’ve earned this contract. I think it’s just step by step, day by day, just becoming better every day, just improving as a player.

“I’m still young, there’s a lot of improvement. That’s the most important thing. I just have to repay them in that way.”

Reds confirm exits

While Nyoni is going nowhere, seven of his first-team colleagues have officially left Anfield at the end of their deals. Academy stars to have left include Jakub Orjzynski, Dominic Corness, Reece Trueman, Lee Jonas, Louis Enahoro-Marcus, Harry Evers and Jacob Poytress.

All of their contracts expired on Monday. Fellow academy graduate Trent Alexander-Arnold would have been included on that list but sealed an early move to Real Madrid after Liverpool struck a deal with the Spanish giants.

The defender has since been playing for his new side at the Club World Cup in the USA.

Bayern eye Diaz

Another player who could potentially be on the move is Luis Diaz. Barcelona have already been linked with the Colombian forward but it appears that they could face competition.

As per Sky in Germany, Bayern Munich are also keeping tabs on Diaz. The Bundesliga giants gave reportedly gathered all relevant information on him, while Liverpool would be open to him leaving should they receive a satisfactory offer.

Talks are yet to be opened between the two clubs but Liverpool are already on the hunt for a new winger.

King Charles to receive £132m next year after crown estate makes £1.1bn profit

 King Charles is set to receive official annual income of £132m next year, after his portfolio of land and property made more than £1bn in profits thanks to a boom in the offshore wind sector.

Profits at the crown estate – which partly funds the monarchy – were flat at £1.1bn in its financial year to the end of March but more than double their level two years ago, at £442.6m.

The crown estate, as the legal owner of the seabed around England, Wales and Northern Ireland, is responsible for auctioning offshore wind rights. It has benefited from the huge growth in the industry, demanding hefty option fees from renewable energy developers to secure areas of the seabed to build their windfarms.

The monarchy receives 12% of crown estate profits to fund its work, as well as the 10-year £369m renovation of Buckingham Palace. This fee was lowered from 25% in 2023 to offset the rise in profits from offshore wind projects.

According to the new calculation, King Charles is poised to receive official income of £132m from the estate, at the same level as last year. The grant had remained flat at £86.3m for the four years prior.

Dan Labbad, the chief executive of the crown estate, said the increase in profits in the past two years was a “short-term” phenomenon. “We expect this year to be the high point of these returns … before profits normalise,” he said.

Michael Stevens, the king’s Keeper of the Privy Purse, said last year the expected significant increase in the sovereign grant would be used to fund the final stages of the renovation of Buckingham Palace. Once this is accomplished, he said “a reduction in the absolute amount of the sovereign grant will be sought as part of the royal trustees review in 2026-27, through primary legislation”, to ensure that the work of the royal family “continues to be funded at an appropriate level”.

Overall the crown estate, which also includes a portfolio of London properties and rural real estate, is now worth £15bn, down from £15.5bn last year. The valuation for the marine part of the business dropped by £1bn this year to £3.4bn.

The property assets in London were valued at £7.1bn, compared with £6.9bn the year before. Much of its portfolio in the capital is concentrated around Regent Street and St James’s, and includes Victory House, home to London’s oldest Indian restaurant, Veeraswamy.

The crown estate also said it was redeveloping about 93,000 sq metres (1m sq ft) of commercial space in London as part of a £490m pipeline, via a partnership with Westminster city council to transform Regent Street, Haymarket and Piccadilly Circus.

In May, the crown estate agreed to a 50/50 conditional joint venture with the construction company Lendlease in a project that could build up to 26,000 homes and create 100,000 jobs. Overall, the estate thinks it can build up to 56,000 new homes across its portfolio, with planning applications already under way for more than 5,000.

A National Audit Office report last year revealed that the Buckingham Palace renovation project had been well managed but structural damage and the discovery of asbestos, which led to cost increases, “could have been foreseen”.