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Tom Brady's Birmingham join transfer race for Nottingham Forest midfielder but will have to stump up £8million

Tom Brady's Birmingham join transfer race for Nottingham Forest midfielder but will have to stump up £8million

The Sun5 hours ago

NOTTINGHAM FOREST have set their price for in-demand midfielder Lewis O'Brien amid interest from a slew of Championship clubs.
Southampton, Hull and Tom Brady-owned Birmingham City are all keen on the 26-year-old this summer.
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Forest want £8million O'Brien, a figure that could cool the interest of those monitoring him.
O'Brien shone on loan at Swansea last season, where he made 16 Championship appearances after making the switch in the winter window.
But his eye-catching performances may have worked against him as Forest now chase a bigger fee big fee.
Hull have already launched an approach at £5m and may up their offer to land him.
O'Brien is in the last year of his deal at Forest having joined the club back in 2022.
His time at The City Ground has been a frustrating one, making just 17 first-team appearances since arriving from Huddersfield Town.
Instead, O'Brien has had to settle for minutes elsewhere - heading on loan to four separate clubs since his move.
Those temporary switches have included spells in the Championship with Middlesbrough and Swansea, as well as two forays to the USA with MLS clubs LA FC and DC United.
O'Brien left the door open for a return to Swansea at the end of last season.
He said: "I have really enjoyed my time here. It's never out of the question [returning], but sometimes it's not in my hands, especially having to go back to my parent club.
"We will see what the summer holds. It's never say never really."
Meanwhile Swans manager Alan Sheehan also made it clear he would love O'Brien back in South Wales.
He said: "The effect he has had on the place, he has been exceptional. I cannot speak highly enough about him and I make no secret of that.
"If he is available, should you try to re-sign him? I think that's quite an obvious answer."
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From mascot to matchwinner - the making of a new England hero
From mascot to matchwinner - the making of a new England hero

BBC News

time30 minutes ago

  • BBC News

From mascot to matchwinner - the making of a new England hero

When a nine-year-old Jonathan Rowe was walking out alongside England and Brazil at a packed Wembley he was living every football-mad child's AFC Wembley youth player, he was picked to be mascot for the visit of the five-time world champions in 2013. He later watched on as Frank Lampard's second-half goal gave the Three Lions a memorable 2-1 forward 12 and a half years, it was now Rowe's turn to be England's Marseille forward came off the bench to give his country a dramatic 3-2 extra-time win over Germany in the final of the European Under-21 Championship.A senior call-up may yet be some way off, but this was a night the 22-year-old will never England boss Thomas Tuchel watching on from the stands, Rowe told Channel 4: "I came into the game with [the mindset of] anything I could do to help the team."I'm so happy I managed to do that in front of some important people tonight."But who exactly is England's new U21 hero - and how did he end up in France at Marseille? Caring for his mum aged 11 & impressing for Norwich According to his coach at AFC Wembley, Rowe "didn't know how good he was" - but everyone else did."That's what we liked about him, he was good but he also had that humble side," Gary Graham told Sky Sports."A lot of boys in our team were good, but didn't have that humble side and that's why they weren't able to step up to the next level."Rowe joined Norwich City's academy in 2014 - but the move wasn't entirely straightforward. He spent three hours a day commuting from London to East Anglia in between caring for his ill mother and helping raise his sister. He was still only 11 at this came the injuries during his developmental years, having to tackle Osgood-Schlatter disease - a common cause of knee pain - before eventually making his first-team debut for the Canaries in spent the next two seasons in and out of the Norwich side before establishing himself in their 2023-24 run to the Championship play-off semi-finals, scoring 13 with other clubs circling, Rowe decided it was time to move having several previous bids rejected, Marseille managed to sign the forward on a season-long loan deal with an obligation to buy - the fee a reported £ were unhappy with the way the transfer played out, with Canaries boss Johannes Hoff Thorup saying Rowe had declined to play in their 2-0 opening-day defeat at Oxford United amid interest from the Ligue 1 club. The move to Marseille - but it's been 'difficult' Rowe is one of three players in England's U21 Euros squad to play their club football abroad, along with Toulouse defender Charlie Cresswell and Genoa's Brooke Norton Cuffy. Jobe Bellingham, now at Dortmund, was also named in the squad are plenty of other recent success stories of young English players moving away from the UK, too, such as Angel Gomes at Lille and Conor Gallagher at Atletico the move away for Rowe hasn't been started just six league games last season, with 22 more appearances coming from the bench."It's been difficult for me personally, the whole season has been difficult," said Rowe. "The change coming from Norwich, where I was a key player in the team and then coming here was a big challenge with the expectation to perform."I have embraced it, and it's been difficult. I have been left out of the starting XI a lot of times, and it has obviously affected me a bit, I think everyone could see that. I carried on going, though, and that's the main thing."Even though I was down some days, I had to look at the bigger picture, which is that collectively as a team we have a goal, and I have got to do as much as I can." 'He's made a real impact, his enthusiasm is infectious' Speaking after the win over Germany, Rowe said again that this season had been "up and down" and acknowledged he wasn't even picked for the last England U21 he also said that "I always back myself" - and his international coach Lee Carsley will have played a part in that."The point we make to all of the players, regardless of how much they play for their clubs, we watch them all of the time," Carsley told BBC Sport's Nick Mashiter. "I keep in touch with the players, mainly when they're not playing, to keep them motivated and keep them going."To move abroad takes a different kind of character. Jonathan's done so well when he has had the opportunity at Marseille - he fully deserves to be in our squad."He probably thought at some point that he was out of selection, but he more than deserves to be part of it."He's made a real impact and his enthusiasm around the hotel and training has been infectious."And, on Saturday, he made the biggest impact of all - a winning goal for his country in a tournament final.

How to get last-minute tickets for Euro 2025 in Switzerland
How to get last-minute tickets for Euro 2025 in Switzerland

BBC News

time38 minutes ago

  • BBC News

How to get last-minute tickets for Euro 2025 in Switzerland

Euro 2025 will bring a summer of fierce competition and fantastic football. Sixteen teams are set to play across eight venues in Switzerland from 2 to 27 July. In the group stages, defending champions England take on Wales - who are playing in their first international are still available for a range of matches and there's a host of activities outside the games - including fan zones in Switzerland and the you fancy a last-minute trip or want to watch the games at home, here's a complete guide to all the action. Can I still get tickets? Yes, but secure your spot for high-demand matches go on sale daily at 10:00 BST via UEFA's ticketing site, with a limit of 10 tickets per person per game. Prices start at 25 CHF (about £22) and go up to 90 CHF (about £81) for the can access your tickets via the UEFA Mobile Tickets app, which can be downloaded for free by Android and iPhone users. There's also a resale platform where fans can safely resell any tickets purchased - but it's best not to rely on this for the big games. Where in Switzerland? The tournament will take place across eight Swiss cities: Basel, Bern, Geneva, Zurich, St Gallen, Lucerne, Sion, and Thun. The action kicks off in Thun on Wednesday 2 July at 17:00 BST. Expect a breathtaking backdrop of idyllic lakes and mountains. England matches in the group stages will be held across two cities - Zurich and St Gallen. The Lionesses take on France in Zurich on Saturday 5 July and the Netherlands in Zurich on Wednesday 9 we're off to St Gallen for the crunch England v Wales match on Sunday 13 first game will be in Lucerne against the Netherlands on Saturday 5 July, followed by their second game against France in St Gallen on Wednesday 9 July. How do I get there? Flights from London to Zurich start at around £50 to £70 for one person on a one-way ticket on 2 July. Tickets get more expensive over the weekend rising to about £150 plus for a direct one-way flight. From Manchester prices for the most direct flights on 5 July start at about £200. For Cardiff, the cost is even is the best destination for England and Wales fans heading to the games, because Lucerne and St Gallen are a short train ride away. There's also the option of going to Bern or Geneva and travelling on from the car, it's about an 11-hour drive from London to Zurich. The car ferry from Dover to Calais for two people starts at about £85 on 2 July and £100 on 5 July for a one-way trip. If you take the Eurotunnel from Folkestone to Calais, prices range from about £140 to £270 on 2 and 5 via Paris or Brussels cost about £310 to £530 and take between seven-and-a-half and 10 hours. Coaches are cheaper, with some routes starting at about £70. But the journey takes more than 20 hours.A very long bike ride from London to Zurich takes about 52 to 60 hours. It costs about £23 to £30 to take your bike on the ferry, not counting the toll it will take on your citizens can travel to Switzerland without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period if the visit is for tourism and sporting events. But double check that the expiry date on your passport is dated at least three months after the day you plan to leave. Where do I stay? Switzerland is known for being a pricey holiday pick. But there's a range of accommodation options for different one of the tournament's main hubs, Zurich is in high demand. Hotel prices start around £210 to £300 per night for two people on key match nights like Saturday 5 July. If you're on a tighter budget, Airbnb prices start from £70 to £200 per night although lots of options involve staying in a room rather than renting a whole St Gallen, hotels for Sunday 13 July range from about £200 to £600. Lots of places are already booked up. The town also offers a variety of Airbnb accommodation, with prices ranging from £50 to £800 for the same dates. Accommodation is still available slightly outside the town, so it's worth checking these spots hotels and Airbnbs stretch your budget, camping is one alternative. Campsites near Zurich and St Gallen offer scenic views and you could look into renting a car or bike to get around. The average cost for an overnight stay at a Swiss campsite is about £20 - £35, though prices vary between locations. How do I get around? Switzerland has good public transport networks, with fast and reliable services between major cities. On match days, public transport is free for ticket holders. Every ticket will be valid on the match day for a second-class round trip between any Swiss locality and the stadium. Switzerland's vast network of trains offer an efficient and scenic way to travel. The SBB (Swiss Federal Railways) has a range of different tickets on their website. There's also Postbus, a bus service connecting rural areas to urban centres, which offers hundreds of journeys via several apps or you can purchase tickets from stations and drivers. If you're planning on staying for a longer break, a Swiss Travel Pass offers unlimited travel by train, bus and boat, and is available for three, four, six, eight or 15 consecutive you're feeling more adventurous, there are also plenty of iconic cycle routes across Switzerland. Where do I find fan zones? There will be city centre fan zones across the eight cities where Euro 2025 games are taking place. Organisers have planned a "packed schedule of activities for all ages" with live screenings of matches, concerts, workshops and child-friendly football Zurich, the ZüriFanzone will be right by the main station – with screenings of all the matches, concerts, and workshops. In St Gallen, Marktgasse in the old town will host the fan zone with lunchtime panel talks, street football and live music. In Lucerne, the fan zone is located at Europaplatz next to Lake Lucerne and will offer a range of music, concerts and football zones open on 2 July, the day of the first game. Double check their closing dates on the UEFA event guides. Anything else I should know? The Swiss Franc (CHF) is the official currency in Switzerland. For every pound, it's roughly 1.10 Swiss Francs. In most cases, you can also pay in Euros. A pound is worth roughly € has four official languages: German, French, Italian and Romansh. German is the most widely spoken but English is a common second language for many Swiss is not part of the EU so mobile roaming charges could differ from rates in European countries. Check with your network provider before you travel. One solution is buying a local eSIM to cover you for the tournament. Where to watch in the UK? For fans at home there are events taking place across England and will be watch parties of each England match in the group stages in Birmingham, London and Wales, there will also be lots of watch parties and concerts, including in Swansea, Newport and out for events on social media in your local area as the tournament goes on. How can I watch the games from home? Every match in the UK will be shown either on BBC or ITV, with the final available on both will be live coverage of 16 matches on BBC One, BBC Two and iPlayer with Gabby Logan, Alex Scott and Jeanette Kwakye presenting across the tournament. This includes Wales v Netherlands and England v Netherlands on BBC One. France v England, France v Wales and England v Wales will be on Radio, there will be 25 live match commentaries on Radio 5 Live, Radio 5 Sports Extra and BBC Sounds across the tournament. BBC Radio Wales and BBC Radio Cymru are covering Wales' games, providing commentary in English and BBC Sport website, app and social media will cover every moment with live match reports, clips, highlights, interviews and there are lots of podcasts to help you get your football fix including Football Daily, featuring interviews with players and managers, and Feast of Football, bringing you all the latest news from Euro 2025.

England retain Euro U21s title with extra-time win over Germany
England retain Euro U21s title with extra-time win over Germany

BBC News

timean hour ago

  • BBC News

England retain Euro U21s title with extra-time win over Germany

Update: Date: 23:30 BST Title: Over to you, Tuchel Content: England 3-2 Germany It's official. England's Young Lions have won back-to-back European Under-21 Championships - an impressive achievement. And all in front of Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel. This time next year Tuchel's England are expected to be competing at the World Cup. Will he be taking any of Lee Carsley's Class of 2025 with him? Goodnight. Update: Date: 23:27 BST Title: 'Carsley believed in his squad' Content: FT: England 3-2 Germany Nigel Reo-CokerFormer England U21 captain on BBC Radio 5 Live Lee Carsley believed in the squad that he assembled, to give the players that don't have as much experience the chance to go and get the job done. And they stood up to the mark. Update: Date: 23:26 BST Title: 'What an achievement for Elliott and Cresswell' Content: FT: England 3-2 Germany Conor CoadyFormer England defender on Channel 4 It's incredible. These players will remember this moment forever. I think it is something that will stay with them forever in their future careers - no matter what they do or what clubs they go on to play for. But for them two boys [Harvey Elliott and Charlie Cresswell], to have experienced it twice, what an achievement. To win anything once is remarkable. To go and do it twice at a tournament of that size is absolutely sensational. Update: Date: 23:24 BST Title: Post Content: FT: England 3-2 Germany England This was Lee Carsley's reaction at full time. Update: Date: 23:22 BST Title: 'A great achievement' Content: FT: England 3-2 Germany England England boss Lee Carsley, speaking to Channel 4: "I'm so proud, not of myself but of the players and the commitment that they have shown the last 28 days. All the instruction we have tried to give to them, they have taken in on board so quickly. They have so much belief, this squad believe that they can win. And that is the kind of players we need. "To be European champions for a second time is a great achievement and I supposed the challenge now is to do it again in two years." On the challenges during the tournament: "Yes any setback that has come they have just got on with it. I told them that the longer we stay in the tournament, the better we play. I don't think we played great tonight. We sat a little too deep and didn't have as much control as we wanted but we won't remember that in a couple of days." Update: Date: 23:20 BST Title: Champions of Europe Content: FT: England 3-2 Germany England Update: Date: 23:18 BST Title: 'An even bigger feat than last time' Content: FT: England 3-2 Germany Conor CoadyFormer England defender on Channel 4 What might Lee Carsley be feeling now? This is an even bigger achievement than last time. That team had many players who went on to play for the senior team. But this group has gone onto become a team during this tournament. That's a fantastic feeling. Update: Date: 23:15 BST Title: 'Now let's celebrate' Content: FT: England 3-2 Germany England England's Jonathan Rowe, speaking to Channel 4: "Everyone has been exceptional. The minute I came into the camp, everyone had the same mindset. Everyone wanted to win. And we have done that now." On scoring the winning goal: "I am happy to make a difference tonight and get the team over the line. And I am happy to have done that in front of some important people tonight. Now let's celebrate." Update: Date: 23:13 BST Title: Post Content: FT: England 3-2 Germany Qualifying for the 2027 tournament starts in September. The likes of James Beadle, Archie Gray, Jack Hinshelwood and Ethan Nwaneri will be eligible to take part. England's opponents in qualifying include Kazakhstan, Moldova, Andorra, the Republic of Ireland and Slovakia. Update: Date: 23:10 BST Title: 'England found what they needed' Content: FT: England 3-2 Germany Stephen WarnockFormer England defender on BBC Radio 5 Live at Stadion Tehelne pole Wow. Just brilliant from England. They were poor in the group stages, they struggled and then found their feet. They have managed to find their rhythm at the right time and managed to find what they needed as a team and a unit. Lee Carsley tinkered back and forth and found the solution. Update: Date: 23:08 BST Title: Get Involved Content: #bbcfootball, WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply) It's just so great. Unbelievably grit, borne out of St George's park. Believe in the process - it'll happen Russell, Haringey Update: Date: 23:07 BST Title: 'Well done England' Content: FT: England 3-2 Germany John MurrayBBC football correspondent on BBC Radio 5 Live at Stadion Tehelne pole The players on the pitch almost disappear from sight as they lift the trophy because there is so much white and blue confetti out there. Well done England. Update: Date: 23:06 BST Title: Get Involved Content: #bbcfootball, WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply) In this decade so far the men's, women's and u21 games have seen eight major finals, and England have been involved in six of them: won 3 and lost 3. For all the criticism we level ourselves as a nation, no decade previous even comes close. Our last final of any kind was in 1984. We should celebrate where we are going as a nation, and that the 2020's are only half way through. Lee, London Update: Date: 23:05 BST Title: 'I love this job' Content: FT: England 3-2 Germany England England boss Lee Carsley, speaking to Channel 4 about his recent contract extension and what is next: "I'm not sure. I'm going to try to enjoy tonight. I love the job I do and I love working with the players. I've had a chance with the senior team as well and loved that and the best thing I can do is to try and help the pathway to the senior team." On celebrations: "We go back to the hotel for a couple of hours and then we fly back to Birmingham at 03:30, so a quick turnaround. The players will be on holiday tomorrow, their time off is very important too. It is important that they maybe have a shandy or two tonight." Update: Date: 23:03 BST Title: Post Content: FT: England 3-2 Germany England Remember, Lee Carsley recently signed a new contract with the Football Association to run until 2027. England's young guns are in safe hands. Update: Date: 22:59 BST Title: Get Involved - Sir Lee Carsley? Content: #bbcfootball, WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply) Knighthood for Carsley! Results AND entertainment! What else!? Stan Incredible job by Carsley. So pleased for him. He's got to be next in line for the top job, surely Ben, Canada Update: Date: 22:59 BST Title: Champions of Europe Content: FT: England 3-2 Germany England It's approaching midnight in Bratislava and England's players are still celebrating on the pitch. Update: Date: 22:55 BST Title: 'What a night! What an effort!' Content: FT: England 3-2 Germany Joe HartFormer England goalkeeper on Channel 4 What a night! What an effort form these Young Lions. They should be so proud of themselves. It's been an excellent performance. They started really well. They ebbed and flowed against a good German side. They had their backs against the wall in the closing stages but they need to be proud of this performance. Update: Date: 22:53 BST Title: History makers Content: England 3-2 Germany England James McAtee lifts the trophy into the Bratislava night sky. Blue and white ticker tape fills the air. There's a decent number of England fans who have travelled to Slovakia for this final and they're giving the players a standing ovation. Update: Date: 22:51 BST Title: Elliott named player of the tournament Content: FT: England 3-2 Germany England Harvey Elliott has just been named player of the tournament - and not just for his five goals. He's been such an important presence. I don't think anyone is going to argue with that.

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