Barcelona could buy Rashford for around £30m
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The Guardian
31 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Football transfer rumours: Sesko or Aghehowa to replace Isak at Newcastle?
If anyone spots Eddie Howe appearing to be rehearsing lines on the steps of St James' Park over the next few days, there's an obvious explanation. It was from said vantage point 30 years ago that another Newcastle boss, Kevin Keegan, had to explain to angry and bewildered fans why they had sold Andy Cole to Manchester United. The modern-day version, of course, is Howe having to talk his way out of why the club could be letting Alexander Isak go to Liverpool. To be honest, it doesn't seem a very Howe thing to do, although rumours suggest the current Magpies manager wouldn't be averse. And, if Howe knows his history, he might benefit, just as Liverpool once did, from the Coutinho Effect – flogging a player at peak value and rebuilding key parts of the squad with the hefty proceeds. Isak going to Liverpool (anything from £125m to £150m appear to be the latest quotes) would spark a different sort of effect, one involving dominoes. So if the Swedish striker topples towards Anfield, what other currently static deals might fall into place as the chain reaction spreads? Let's start with Newcastle. If Isak does move on, several sources are suggesting Leipzig's 22-year-old forward Benjamin Sesko is top of Howe's wishlist. He'd cost £70m and upwards. The Slovenian's Leipzig teammate Loïs Openda has also been linked while it seems pretty obvious that Brentford will want way more than the £25m that Newcastle are believed to have offered for frontman Yoane Wissa. The Congolese international is 28 so another, more youthful, option for Howe could be prolific Porto striker Samu Aghehowa (Howe and Aghehowa has nice symmetry; the equivalent of Pep Guardiola signing Josko Gvardiol, maybe). Aghehowa is just 21 although he has a reported release clause of €100m (£87m). Liverpool's financial house seems to be in excellent order so it appears there's no desperate sell-to-buy necessity when it comes to Isak. That said, the astute bean counters at Anfield know that funds could be raised. A chunk could come from Harvey Elliott, who is reported to be on West Ham's radar. He struggled to get minutes under Arne Slot last season although Elliott has stressed he would love to develop his career at Liverpool. The last reported rumour of Darwin Núñez leaving was in mid-July after Napoli apparently said no, but the Luis Díaz speculation won't go away and Bayern Munich's £70m bid for the Colombian could get the green light if Isak is brought in. Arsenal rumours now and maybe turn away if you're a Newcastle fan already resigned to losing Isak. The Gunners want an elite left-sided attacker and Newcastle wideman Anthony Gordon is on a select list of three. Crystal Palace's Eberechi Eze and Real Madrid's Rodrygo (another supposed Liverpool target) are the others. Gordon would cost around £80m. Aston Villa seem keen to rebuff Manchester United's approach for striker Ollie Watkins but want to take Alejandro Garnacho away from Old Trafford. United want to sell but only at the right price. They also want rid of Antony, a flop at United but a hit at Real Betis. The Spaniards can't afford turning their loan deal into a permanent one so several teams in Europe are keeping a close eye on the Brazlian winger. The very latest? Two Saudi Arabian Premier League sides are ready to swoop. Chelsea have dominated transfer land in recent times but there's not too much happening down at the Bridge right now. João Pedro and Liam Delap have beefed up the attack and there's no great desire to sell Nicolas Jackson: Manchester United are sniffing. Sign up to Football Daily Kick off your evenings with the Guardian's take on the world of football after newsletter promotion But the Blues, despite being stacked in that department, can't help themselves when it comes to a creative No 10 type. Leipzig attacker Xavi Simons is the main target while they still have eyes for Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers.
BBC News
31 minutes ago
- BBC News
'I'll always back myself' - Mount aims to force way in at Man Utd
Mason Mount is backing himself to force his way into Manchester United's starting line-up this signing what club sources have stressed were head coach Ruben Amorim's top two summer targets - Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo - United seem to have sealed off the two number 10 slots Mount seems ideally suited skipper Bruno Fernandes, striker Joshua Zirkzee, wide man Amad Diallo and midfielder Kobbie Mainoo also providing competition, and no European football meaning substantially fewer games, Mount knows the pressure is on to get on the pitch at despite the £55m signing struggling with injuries and a loss of form since his arrival from Chelsea two years ago, Mount retains enough confidence in his ability to believe he can find a role."Yes, 100%," he said from the club's pre-season training camp in Chicago."Any time you get that opportunity to be on the pitch, you want to do something, you want to affect the game. That's always the way I've looked at it."I mean, I'll always back myself. I know what I can do."Obviously the new signings are going to elevate us to another level and we all need to be at that level to really perform."Find and follow your Premier League team on BBC Sport
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Why England and Spain's unique rivalry goes beyond the Euro 2025 final
At kick-off in the Euro 2025 final, England and Spain will be rivals. But before and after, many will be friends and allies, united by a common cause. Keira Walsh is determined to win on Sunday, to become a two-time European champion as part of the first-ever England team to defend a title at a major international tournament. But Walsh also wants Spain to enjoy their moment, to make up for what was lost. Spain will undoubtedly enjoy the occasion more if they beat England to add to their World Cup triumph, but Walsh was aware of the wider meaning. England's players were hurt after their World Cup final defeat to Spain in 2023; though what followed in Sydney was the greater injustice. Spain's victory was overshadowed by Luis Rubiales kissing Jenni Hermoso without her consent during their trophy celebrations. 'I don't think, for them, there was enough spotlight on how incredible they played and how incredible some of their players were,' Walsh said. 'It was all about the other stuff that had gone on.' Spain's stars lamented that there was not enough change in the country after winning the World Cup, now the focus is solely on them and the unique control they can bring to the pitch. 'They play incredible football and they deserve to be there,' said Walsh. 'As a human being I just want them to go out and just enjoy the game.' Walsh's two and a half years with Barcelona mean she has a deeper connection with several members of the Spain squad. When she felt homesick, the Spain captain Irene Parades would invite the midfielder to her family home for dinner. She grew close with many of their stars, such as Aitana Bonmati and Mariona Caldentey. But England stood as a collective with Spain after the World Cup final, even if they had not shared a dressing room or spent time as teammates. The Lionesses felt Spain were robbed of the boost they received by winning the Euros in 2022. There is respect and admiration on both sides, in understanding that their role as players is not just what happens on the pitch but in leaving the game in a better place from where they found it. England used their platform to call for social change after winning the Euros, while Spain have made sacrifices to fight for what they deserve. Patri Guijarro sat out of the last World Cup in protest of unequal treatment. Now Spain's players have seen improvements off the pitch, Guijarro is back and has been the best holding midfielder at the Euros. Sarina Wiegman has previously spoken of the relationship between England and Spain as an example of the 'special community' in the women's game, where both sides are aware of their higher purpose. After the Rubiales scandal, Spain took a stand with Se acabo, a #MeToo movement in Spanish football and beyond. Wiegman has similarly empowered England to use their voices, as seen during the Euros by the defiant response of the team following the racist abuse suffered by Jess Carter. England have supported Spain even as they have emerged as the dominant force and their battles on the pitch have grown. After the World Cup, Spain learnt their talent was not enough to stop what happened to them with Rubiales, but the changes within the Spanish Football Federation mean there is now nothing to hold them back from expressing their joyful, flowing passing. It is on the pitch and in their respective playing styles where there is the clearest contrast between Spain and England, who embraced 'proper England' for the first time in a rugged, disciplined 1-0 win at Wembley in February – the last time the world champions lost a match. The blueprint Arsenal used to dethrone Barcelona in May's Champions League final in Lisbon is one that England may need to replicate. Arsenal were organised off the ball and committed to frustrating the world's best players, while they took their chance when it came. There was also a bit of needle in the heat of the moment, with Chloe Kelly involved as she pushed Alexia Putellas off the ball. Barcelona's stars will also remember that pain, with Bonmati particularly devastated after the defeat. There will be many of the same players involved in Basel, with the links between England and Spain also illustrated by the success of Arsenal and Barcelona in growing the game domestically and across Europe. Arsenal and Barcelona have become the two best-supported women's teams in the world, and in Switzerland during Euro 2025 there have been as many 'Williamson' and 'Russo' or 'Aitana' and 'Alexia' club shirts as some national sides. There may as well be two other teams in the Euro 2025 final, to go along with England and Spain. Within that, there is also the connecting influence of Caldentey, who swapped Barcelona for Arsenal last summer and ended up taking the Champions League with her from Catalonia to north London. Caldentey's winning mentality, forged at Barcelona, influenced an Arsenal team who had consistently failed to win the biggest prizes. It was said Caldentey brought a 'contagious' mindset that 'moved the culture forward' - that feeling is still fresh in the England squad, through its sizable Arsenal contingent. Walsh and Lucy Bronze, meanwhile, can bring insight into the opposition after their time at Barcelona. When playing in midfield with Bonmati and Putellas, Walsh was expected to play short passes all the time, to the extent that she experienced something of a reverse culture shock when she returned to England and signed for Chelsea in January. She admitted she had 'lost' her ability to play long but it has returned at the Euros, where most of England's success has come when they have mixed it up and gone direct. The Lionesses are technical and can play too - but not like Spain, no one can. Instead, England have taken pride in their resilience throughout the Euros, in knowing they are never beaten. 'They can do the same,' Walsh said, after Spain also came through extra time in their semi-final to beat Germany. It is another reason for England to admire Spain, as well as another hurdle to overcome when they meet as rivals on Sunday.
