
Txiki Begiristain leaves role as Manchester City director of foootball
The 60-year-old joined City back in 2012 and saw the club achieve 21 trophies during his reign, including seven Premier League titles, two FA Cups and their first Champions League.
City will celebrate Begiristain's achievements around the Manchester derby on September 14, where he will be the special guest for the match.
Begiristain spent seven years as Barcelona's technical director between 2003 and 2010 before joining City and played an important role during Pep Guardiola's time in Spain as well as in England.
Guardiola previously said a part of him will leave when Begiristain decides to walk away.
He said: 'Part of me is leaving, I would say.
'A friend of mine and one of the architects of one of the best teams ever from Barcelona, and now here.'

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Evening Standard
11 minutes ago
- Evening Standard
Transfer news LIVE: Arsenal FC get Eze boost; Liverpool Isak decision; Man Utd suffer Sesko blow; Chelsea latest
The new Premier League season is now less than two weeks away and the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United are showing no signs of slowing down their wheeling and dealing. With £64million man Viktor Gyokeres finally wrapped up, the Gunners are expected to step up their interest in Eberechi Eze, whose £68m release clause expires on the opening day of the campaign.


Daily Mirror
12 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
How much every Premier League club charge for shirts as eye-watering prices rocket
Premier League clubs, including Manchester United and Arsenal, are charging a staggering £85 for their latest kit, with fans facing another hike - and families hit hardest Millions of football fans are facing a hike in the cost of replica shirts this season - with families hardest hit. Premier League giants including manchester -united-fc> Manchester United and Arsenal, are charging a staggering £85 for their latest kit. The mega wealthy clubs have both slapped £5 on to the price of their shirts, amid calls to stop pushing fans' loyalty. Man City, Newcastle Utd, Liverpool and Aston Villa have also increased prices by the same amount, the equivalent of six per cent. Tottenham froze its shirt price at £85, while Chelsea froze prices at £84.99. In total, 11 clubs have hiked prices of adult shirts this season, according to official club websites. Everton, Brighton, Brentford and Crystal Palace raised prices by £5, while Wolves added a modest £2 to their shirts. Wolves and Premier League new boys Burnley and Sunderland are charging fans the lowest amounts for shirts, all priced at £60. Everton, Tottenham and Chelsea are selling the most expensive kids' shirts. Everton increased the junior price by £10, taking the cost to £65, the equivalent of an 18 per cent price rise. Tottenham froze prices at £65, while Chelsea froze this season's child shirt price at £64.99. Arsenal, Aston Villa, Man Utd, Leeds United and Crystal Palace have all increased prices by £5. At the other end of the spectrum, Brentford and Wolves have the cheapest shirts, priced at £45. The average price of a Premier league kids shirt has reached £56.25 .Inflation-busting price rises are fuelling a black market in fake shirts. They are sold openly via social media, including one site called DHGate. Newcastle Utd fan James Smith, 37, of Consett, Co Durham, was at St James Park with children Freddie, 10, and Elsie, eight, this weekend. He said: "I don't know many people who are willing to pay £70 or £80 for a shirt when you can get a fake one for £15. "I think most fans would be prepared to pay £50 for a shirt and maybe £35 for a junior kit. Many people get the retro shirts these days but even more are going to DHGate. They are selling them for £15 and there is still a margin for profit for them. "The only way you get a genuine one these days is as a gift for Christmas or birthdays. They are just too much for ordinary fans, especially if you have kids. People also buy the away or third choice kit as they don't change as often." Claire Nicholl, a university education manager, has just bought the new Newcastle United kit for her son Jack, 17. Both are loyal season ticket holders but Claire said: "You pick them up and think 'I am not paying that'. If you get a name of a player on the back then it is even more. "But we have done that before and it is no good when the players are sold. We are true Newcastle supporters and season ticket holders. It would be different if the money for the shirts was going to the club to improve the stadium, or to sign players. But it is not." Brentford's new kit has a one year-cycle, after previously running a two-year cycle, the only club in the Premier league to do so. This year, the club's home kit celebrates 100 years of red and white, and the club's partnership with front of shirt sponsor, Hollywoodbets, will end after 2025/26, in line with the Premier League's voluntary ban on front-of-shirt gambling sponsors. It is understood the club intends to return to a two-year cycle, to keep their kits affordable and sustainable, subject to partnership agreements. Stadia Agency, a sports digital PR company, has spent months researching the black market in football shirts for Casino Kings, betting partners of Wigan Athletic and Hartlepool Utd. They found the average discount is 82.7 per cent on this season's adult shirt, or £62 off, and 76.1 per cent or £43 on the kids' version. Several clubs, including Man City Newcastle, now sell the version of the shirt worn by players on the pitch; it costs £120 for the Toon top. It costs another £38 for the shorts, and £20 for the socks in the official Newcastle Utd club shop. The Magpies' green away shirt with the Premier League badge added is £95; it is £111 with a player's name on the back; the women's team replica shirt is £85. One seller told would-be buyers on DHGate: "Only £14. Don't pay Spurs £85!" Fake Manchester United shirts were being offered online for 15 US dollars, the equivalent of £11.63. One fan posted a Red Devils shirt with the name on the back, selling for £140. He told his followers: "And you wonder why people go to other sites." Newcastle is donating £5 from every adult shirt sold via official channels before the end of August to the Newcastle United Foundation, to boost grassroots and social impact initiatives across the North East. The Premier League has no control over pricing at individual clubs; their spokesperson declined to comment as did a spokesperson for Newcastle United. Shirt prices Adult 2025-26 2024-25 Change Arsenal £85 £80 +£5 (+6%) Aston Villa £85 £80 +£5 (+6%) Fulham £85 £80 +£5 (+6%) Liverpool £85 £80 +£5 (+6%) Man City £85 £80 +£5 (+6%) Man Utd £85 £80 +£5 (+6%) Newcastle £85 £80 +£5 (+6%) Tottenham £85 £85 - Chelsea £84.99 £84.99 - Everton £80 £75 +£5 (+7%) Forest £75 £75 - West Ham £75 £75 - Brighton £70 £65 +£5 (+8%) Leeds £70 £70 - Bournemouth £65 £65 - Brentford £65 £60 +£5 (+8%) Palace £65 £60 +£5 (+8%) Burnley £60 £60 - Sunderland £60 £60 - Wolves £60 £58 +£2 (+3%) AVERAGE £75.50 £72.64 Kids 2025-26 2024-25 Change Everton £65 £55 +£10 (+18%) Tottenham £65 £65 - Chelsea £64.99 £64.99 - Arsenal £60 £55 +£5 (+9%) Aston Villa £60 £55 +£5 (+9%) Fulham £60 £60 - Liverpool £60 £60 - Man City £60 £60 - Man Utd £60 £55 +£5 (+9%) West Ham £60 £60 - Bournemouth £55 £55 - Brighton £55 £55 - Leeds £55 £50 +£5 (+10%) Newcastle £55 £55 - Burnley £50 £50 - Palace £50 £45 +£5 (+11%) Forest £50 £50 - Sunderland £50 £50 - Brentford £45 £45 - Wolves £45 £45 - AVERAGE £56.25 £54.50


Daily Mirror
12 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Chelsea star questioned why they hadn't paid him – only to be told he was SOLD
Ryan Bertrand made history as the first player to make his Champions League debut in the final, but he may not have got the chance as Chelsea plotted to sell him behind his back Ryan Bertrand was so close to joining Nottingham Forest from Chelsea that he had his pay mistakenly stopped. The former England international began his career at Gillingham before making a move to Chelsea's youth academy, graduating in 2006. From there, the 2012 Champions League winner went on loan multiple times to the likes of Norwich City, Reading and Forest, who wanted to sign him permanently in January 2011. During an appearance on the Business of Sport podcast, the 35-year-old explained a situation where Chelsea were ready to accept a deal from Forest for his services - although he was none the wiser. Bertrand said: "The most pivotal point was, I think I was at Nottingham Forest, a great club, had a great time there. January came and Billy Davies was the manager, and he pulled me into the office. He was like, 'Ryan are you staying? What's going on?' "I said, 'What do you mean? and he said 'Well, we're trying to buy you this window, they're saying everything's done but we're just waiting for you.' I said to him, 'Sorry, I have no idea about any of this, nobody's spoken to me about anything, let me come back to you.' It was on a Friday, like we got a game the next day, so I just said, 'Let me get back to you.'" The defender decided to end the loan deal and return to his parent club in order to fight for a starting position with the Blues. He said: "So I leave training, go through a few things over the next week and then made a decision. What happens in clubs is, directors come in, directors change things, directors bring players in, they want their players to play. "So when they bring their players in, they try and push their player because if they're going to spend £2million on this player, but they've only spent £200,000 on you from Gillingham, then he's going to push this £2m player because his neck's on the line. "That's just the reality of what you have to understand, unless you excel so, so much. But he's always going to give his player the element of doubt. I'm not going to name the man or the player I was in competition with, it was another left back at the time. "And I remember coming back and I thought, 'No, I'm going to go back to Chelsea.' So I cancelled the loan at Nottingham Forest, I went back to Chelsea." He added: "I was training and then the other left back was there and I was training with the first team as well. And I remember doing a warm up and I looked over - there was this director, that left-back, another player with the manager, [Carlo] Ancelotti at the time. "And they're all laughing at the side of the pitch and I'm like over here, doing the warm up, trying to give the best account of myself. But one of my competitions [in the position] is just over there with the director laughing and joking with the manager. So, I was thinking, 'What chance are you [giving me]? "This is a bit off balance, but I took it as this is the director trying to push this left back in there. Okay, so that's just the nature of the beast." However, things only got worse for Bertrand, as the deal between Chelsea and Forest was that far forward that the Blues had taken him off the payroll. He continued: "I cancelled the loan, come back to the first team and at the end of that month, the funniest thing was I didn't actually get paid. "I told my mum, said I didn't get paid. She called the club. The club said, 'Oh, sorry, we've got him down as he's left.' She was like 'No, no, he's still here.' So I don't know factually, but I think that the deal was that advanced behind my back that I was actually down as I've left the club." After a few more loan deals, Bertrand eventually made a £11.5m move to Southampton in 2015, making 152 appearances for the club during a six-year tenure. He ended his footballing career with Leicester City, spending two years with the Foxes - only making four appearances - before retiring in 2023. Across his 17-year career, Bertrand won the Champions League, Europa League and FA Cup with Chelsea, as well as an FA Community Shield with Leicester City. He shone the brightest during the 2014/15 season, where he was named in the PFA Team of the Year while on loan to Southampton.