Liverpool hires Giovanni van Bronckhorst as assistant coach to Arne Slot
His most recent role was as coach of Turkish team Besiktas.
Slot has made changes to his backroom staff after winning the Premier League title in his first season in charge at Anfield. As well as Van Bronckhorst, Liverpool also confirmed the arrival of Xavi Valero for his second spell at the club. He will take over the role of head of first team goalkeeper coaching.
ALSO READ | Gonzalo nets winner as Real Madrid edges past Juventus to reach quarters
Goalkeeper coaches Fabian Otte and Claudio Taffarel will leave the club, Liverpool said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
United News of India
4 hours ago
- United News of India
Kartal reaches Wimbledon last 16 with Parry win
London, July 4 (UNI) British wildcard Sonay Kartal continued her dream campaign at Wimbledon today, reaching the fourth round for the first time with a composed 6-4, 6-2 victory over France's Diane Parry on No.1 Court. The 23-year-old London-born player, of Turkish descent through her father, overcame a shaky start as Parry surged to a 3-0 lead. Kartal steadily clawed back, taking the first set and then dominating the second to seal her spot in the last 16, where she will face Russia's Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. Kartal's rise has been as understated as it is inspiring. Often overshadowed by compatriot Emma Raducanu, she has quietly built momentum with a focused and resilient approach. 'I'm super disciplined. I'm super determined. When I set my mind to something, I want to achieve it,' she said after the match Coached since age six by Julie Hobbs (formerly Julie Pullin), Kartal trained at the Pavilion & Avenue Tennis Club in Hove, following her family's move from Sidcup. Despite playing many matches as a junior against Raducanu, Kartal admitted she wasn't among the top-tier prospects early on and missed out on Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) funding due to inconsistency and injuries. That experience, however, may have helped forge her independence. 'I did quite a lot of tournaments on my own just 'cause I couldn't afford to pay a coach week in and week out,' she recalled. 'It helped me grow up super fast, made me much more mature.' The LTA began supporting her at 19, a crucial time when she began to string together consistent wins. That backing, Kartal said, gave her access to vital equipment and training facilities that propelled her development and ranking surge. An all-round sports talent, Kartal was also gifted in football and cricket growing up, and is ambidextrous—playing cricket and golf left-handed. 'I was always a batter,' she said with a laugh, adding that her power came from her tennis-trained swing. With her grounded mindset, strong family support, and growing confidence on the court, Kartal is now making the most of her moment in the spotlight—and relishing every step of it. UNI BDN ARN
The Hindu
6 hours ago
- The Hindu
Sesko Gyokeres Rodrygo Eze Arsenal missing puzzle pieces premier league
When Mikel Arteta took charge of Arsenal in December 2019, the club was in a bleak period: after three successive seasons of finishing outside the top four, it was languishing in tenth place. But having left his role as Pep Guardiola's Manchester City assistant to replace the sacked Unai Emery, Arteta — in his first managerial job — began turning things around. Arsenal won the 2019-20 FA Cup under the stewardship of its former captain. But it was Arteta's success in changing the culture around the club while simultaneously rebuilding the squad that stood out. The biggest step The Spaniard transformed the Gunners into serial Premier League title contenders and a force to be reckoned with in Europe. Arsenal pushed City in 2022-23 and 2023-24, operating at a 100-point pace for large stretches in both seasons. In the summer of 2024, Arsenal confronted the biggest challenge every contending club faces: taking the final step. The distance between finishing second and winning the championship is small on the league table. However, it requires an almighty, co-ordinated effort to bridge. Arsenal has had the Premier League's tightest defence, but even though it scored 91 goals in 2023-24, it was clear that it did not have the ruthless cutting edge in attack possessed by elite European teams. The only forward signing Arsenal made in the 2024 summer transfer window was a desperate, last-minute loan deal for Chelsea winger Raheem Sterling, who wasn't the player he once was. Long-term injuries to Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus during the 2024-25 campaign compounded the club's problems up front. There simply wasn't enough firepower. Arteta publicly called for reinforcements in the January window to sustain a challenge both at home and in Europe. But the club, which was without former sporting director Edu, who resigned in November, did not sign an attacker. A move for Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins broke down, forcing Arteta to use midfielder Mikel Merino as a makeshift No. 9. Arsenal still managed to finish second in the Premier League, but Liverpool's title charge was never really threatened. As Arteta's men showed with statement wins over Real Madrid on their way to the Champions League semifinals and in a 5-1 demolition of City in the league, they aren't far from the promised land. But they lack the resources to complete the journey. Arteta admitted to feeling disappointed at the lack of transfer activity when it was needed. 'We talked very openly about the intention to improve the squad if we had the capacity. With players with injuries, we've been impacted and we haven't achieved it,' he said. 'We are disappointed but … we couldn't do it for certain reasons and we have to accept it.' Plenty to do This has left Arsenal with a lot to do this summer. In fact, without the emergence of academy boys Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri, who offered immediate solutions, the Gunners would have been in an even more complicated situation. In addition to signing top-end attacking talent, the club has several holes to fill in a squad that was desperately thin last season. Signing experienced goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga for just £5 million, to back up Golden Glove winner David Raya, is smart business. But the task of replacing veteran central-midfielders Thomas Partey and Jorginho and finding cover for the overworked centre-back pairing of William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes is considerable. Spain's Martin Zubimendi, a No. 6 coveted by Europe's top clubs, and Brentford captain Christian Norgaard are set to join the midfield next season while several young defenders, including Valencia's Cristhian Mosquera, are on Arsenal's radar. But new sporting director Andrea Berta's first transfer window in North London will be defined by the attacking signings. The Athletic reported this week that Arsenal was in the market for a No. 9, a left-winger and a versatile attacker. This would require a significant financial outlay, especially for a club not known for spending as much as many of its rivals. It appears, however, that Arsenal's ownership is aware that the risk of not investing this summer — given how competitive the league already is and how committed other big teams are to strengthening — is substantial. 'If you want to win major trophies, you have to be the best in the market,' Arteta said. 'The teams that win have the best players, always, at this level. What is clear with the injuries we had in the front line is that we need threat, we need firepower. We cannot rely just on the numbers we had before. We have to add goals, we have to add creativity, we have to add numbers.' For the centre-forward position, Arsenal has been linked with Newcastle hitman Alexander Isak. The Magpies, however, have a strong hand in terms of the contract situation and are unlikely to listen to offers lower than £150 million. RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko and Sporting Lisbon's Viktor Gyokeres are reportedly the names Berta has done the most work on, but neither deal will be inexpensive. Besides, there are caveats with both strikers. The 6'5' Sesko has incredible physical gifts: a freakish vertical leap and a rapid top speed. At 22, he has a high ceiling and is a good stylistic fit at Arsenal, given his ability on the ball. But he isn't the finished product yet. And Arsenal will be aware that 'project' centre-forwards have struggled to find their feet in England's top flight. The 27-year-old Gyokeres has scored a staggering 97 goals in 102 matches for Sporting, powering the club to back-to-back Primeira Liga titles. There are, however, questions about the quality of the Portuguese league and how well those numbers will translate to the Premier League. There are also doubts about whether Arsenal's game-model platforms his strengths — Gyokeres' best work comes when running into large spaces and there isn't always space to run into with the Gunners because of how often they deal with lowblocks. Market opportunities Real Madrid's Rodrygo is reportedly Arsenal's top left-wing target. Played out of position on the right by Carlo Ancelotti, because of the presence of Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr., Rodrygo wasn't always able to showcase his best. He also hasn't had a starting role in new coach Xabi Alonso's set-up at the Club World Cup, a situation that has attracted the attention of potential suitors, with Arsenal said to be leading the line. But a deal could prove complicated and potentially drag on until the end of the window. Arsenal is also reportedly interested in Crystal Palace's Eberechi Eze and Villa's Morgan Rogers, versatile players who operate in advanced areas, suggesting that the club wants to add dribblers with the ability to produce special moments. Getting three offensive players in is likely to necessitate a sale, however, adding to Berta's busy work-tray. But if Arsenal is to harbour ambitions of turning from contender to winner, this is a summer it can't afford to get wrong.
Economic Times
7 hours ago
- Economic Times
Former Arsenal star Thomas Partey charged with five counts of rape and sexual assault
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel In a dramatic development that has sent shockwaves through the football world, former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey has been charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault by the Metropolitan Police Service. The charges, announced on July 4, 2025, follow a three-year investigation and relate to incidents involving three separate women, allegedly occurring between 2021 and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) authorized the charges after what they described as a 'comprehensive file of evidence' was reviewed in close collaboration with the Metropolitan Police. Jas Narwal, the chief prosecutor for London North, stated, 'The Crown Prosecution Service has today authorized prosecution of Partey for multiple counts of rape after carefully reviewing a comprehensive file of evidence'. The breakdown of the charges includes two counts of rape involving one woman, three counts involving a second woman, and one count of sexual assault involving a third 32, is a Ghanaian international who was a key figure at Arsenal after joining the club from Atlético Madrid in 2020 for £45 million. Over five seasons, he made 167 appearances for the Gunners and played a pivotal role in their midfield, contributing to three consecutive title challenges and a Champions League semi-final run. Despite his initial arrest in July 2022, Partey continued to play for Arsenal while the investigation was ongoing, making 52 appearances in the 2024-25 footballer's contract with Arsenal expired on June 30, 2025, just days before the charges were made public. As of the announcement, Partey is no longer under contract with the club, although his profile and replica shirts remained available on the club's website after the news has strenuously denied all allegations. His lawyer, Jenny Wiltshire, issued a statement: 'Thomas Partey denies all the charges against him. He has fully cooperated with the police and the CPS throughout their three-year investigation. He now welcomes the opportunity to finally clear his name. Given that there are now ongoing legal proceedings, my client is unable to comment further'.The Metropolitan Police began their investigation in February 2022 after receiving the first report of rape. Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy, who is leading the investigation, emphasized, 'Our priority remains providing support to the women who have come forward. We would ask anyone who has been impacted by this case, or anyone who has information, to speak with our team'. The CPS and police have also urged the public and media to avoid any commentary that could prejudice the ongoing legal is scheduled to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on August 5, UK law, victims of sexual offences are granted lifelong anonymity, and it is a criminal offence to publish any information that could identify them.
