Latest news with #Kirkby
Forbes
15 hours ago
- Business
- Forbes
Wirtz Signing Proves Liverpool Is Now England's Most Attractive Club
KIRKBY, ENGLAND - JUNE 20: (THE SUN OUT, THE SUN ON SUNDAY OUT) Florian Wirtz is unveiled as a ... More Liverpool player after his signing at AXA Training Centre on June 20, 2025 in Kirkby, England. (Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images) Florian Wirtz could have joined any of Europe's biggest clubs this summer. The German playmaker was wanted by Bayern Munich, Manchester City and Real Madrid. He had his pick, but instead decided to join Liverpool in a transfer that is reportedly worth a Premier League-record $160m. Liverpool surged to the Premier League title last season, leaving rivals such as Arsenal and Manchester City in its dust. Arne Slot's team played a brand of exciting, dynamic soccer and so it's unsurprising Wirtz wants to be a part of the project at Anfield. Nonetheless, this is a transfer that confirms Liverpool's newfound status. LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - MAY 25: Arne Slot, manager of Liverpool lifts the Premier League trophy with ... More his team after the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Crystal Palace FC at Anfield on May 25, 2025 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by/Getty Images For The Premier League) As things are, Liverpool is the most attractive club in the Premier League. It plays the best soccer and, as last season proves, win the most matches and trophies. To someone like Wirtz, the Anfield club is where the best players in the world want to play. The Reds can continue to build on the platform they gave themselves in Slot's first campaign in charge. 'I just thought that it was the right point in my career to make the next step,' said Wirtz. 'I wanted to get to a club that is from the top three in the world, and in my opinion Liverpool was one of them. I just saw myself in the best hands in Liverpool. I was really convinced by the people here, by the idea, and everything what the club offers me was really good. And in the end [it was]In a past era, Manchester United sat at the top of the Premier League food chain. With Sir Alex Ferguson at the helm, the best soccer players in England invariably ended up at Old Trafford. Then there was a shift in the power balance and Manchester City surpassed its rivals as the strongest and most attractive in the land. STUTTGART, GERMANY - JUNE 08: Florian Wirtz of Germany runs with a ball during the UEFA Nations ... More League 2025 third place match between Germany and France at Stuttgart Arena on June 08, 2025 in Stuttgart, Germany. (Photo by Stefan Matzke - sampics/Getty Images) Now, that crown has been passed to Liverpool with the Merseyside outfit going from strength to strength. While Manchester City is in the midst of a squad rebuild this summer, the Premier League champions are improving from a position of strength. With Wirtz added to the team, the Reds will take some catching next season. Of course, Trent Alexander-Arnold departed Liverpool to join Real Madrid and so there might still be bigger fish than the Reds in the European soccer pond. In English soccer, though, Liverpool is setting the standard. Wirtz is one of the best players of his generation and he has chosen Anfield as the perfect stage for the next, and best, phase of his career.
BreakingNews.ie
2 days ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Man who was banned from Ireland for 20 years to face fitness to plead hearing
A man charged with breaching a court order which banned him from visiting Ireland for 20 years is to face a fitness to plead hearing next week. Matthew Notman of Laburnam House, Laburnam Avenue, Kirkby in Nottingham in the UK, appeared before a sitting of Skibbereen District Court in west Cork in January of this year. Advertisement His appearance in court followed an alleged breach of an order made at Cork Circuit Criminal Court on June 30th, 2022. The order was that Mr Notman was prohibited from communicating directly, or indirectly with a woman living in West Cork. He was also ordered to stay out of Ireland for two decades. Sgt Tom Mulcahy previously told Skibbereen District Court that the accusation was that Mr Notman communicated with the woman on Facebook Messenger on November 13th and 14th, 2024. It was also alleged that Mr Notman entered Ireland by ferry from the UK on November 10th, 2024. The case was sent forward to Cork Circuit Criminal Court. Advertisement World Champion Irish jockey (29) charged with drink driv... Read More Thursday a sitting of Cork Circuit Criminal Court heard from defence barrister, Paula McCarthy, BL. Ms McCarthy said that a report from the Central Mental Hospital found that Mr Notman is not fit to enter a plea. A fitness to plead hearing will take place on July 3rd next at Cork Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Helen Boyle was told that the State accepted the findings of the report from the Central Mental Hospital. Judge Boyle said that she was willing to hear evidence from witnesses via video link next week if such a need arises. Free legal aid was previously granted to the accused.
BBC News
2 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Kirkby residents at unsafe flats 'set to lose everything'
A woman who has been told she must leave her flat after the building was ruled unsafe said she is "set to lose everything".Arunee Leerasiri bought her flat in a Willow Rise in Kirkby, Merseyside in 2023 and works from this year the flats, along with another block Beech Rise, were declared unsafe after failures by the building's management companies and agents to carry out required works led to Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service issuing an enforcement notice against the buildings' Responsible as the prospect of eviction hangs over her, Ms Leerasiri said she is "broken" and overwhelmed by the crisis. Residents at the flats, which are comprised of both rental tenants and homeowners, were told they must leave in a private development, Knowsley Council had stepped in to fund a "waking watch" service, where the flats were patrolled 24 hours a day to keep residents safe - at a cost of £3,000 a leader Graham Morgan said the council had little control over the building and the cost to the council was has now asked the government for financial help for flat owners who were at risk of losing half of the 160 households had already left, 80 flats were still occupied, mostly by people who owned them or had mortgages on them. "I am losing both my home and my work place" Ms Leerasiri said."I feel unsafe being here, but I don't know what to do and I don't know what the future holds."It's hard not knowing when I will have to move out and who is going to cover my costs."I have home insurance but they say because the problem is not with my flat but with the communal areas, I am not covered." 'Traumatic' Ms Leerasiri said she invested her life savings into the property."The stress has been overwhelming. I am not classed as homeless yet so it's hard to find help. How are we expected to live like this?" she said."Everything is being taken away from me. Being told to leave so suddenly without any guarantees is traumatic."Speaking on BBC Radio Merseyside Mr Morgan said it was an "absolutely horrendous situation" and said the council had met with the Minister for Housing, Communities and Local Government Alex Norris who was "very sympathetic" and was assessing the said a multi-agency meeting was set to take place this week after which residents would be updated. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
'I am losing both my home and my workplace'
A woman who has been told she must leave her flat after the building was ruled unsafe said she is "set to lose everything". Arunee Leerasiri bought her flat in a Willow Rise in Kirkby, Merseyside in 2023 and works from home. Earlier this year the flats, along with another block Beech Rise, were declared unsafe after failures by the building's management companies and agents to carry out required works led to Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service issuing an enforcement notice against the buildings' Responsible Persons. Now as the prospect of eviction hangs over her, Ms Leerasiri said she is "broken" and overwhelmed by the crisis. Residents at the flats, which are comprised of both rental tenants and homeowners, were told they must leave in June. Although a private development, Knowsley Council had stepped in to fund a "waking watch" service, where the flats were patrolled 24 hours a day to keep residents safe - at a cost of £3,000 a day. Council leader Graham Morgan said the council had little control over the building and the cost to the council was unsustainable. He has now asked the government for financial help for flat owners who were at risk of losing everything. While half of the 160 households had already left, 80 flats were still occupied, mostly by people who owned them or had mortgages on them. "I am losing both my home and my work place" Ms Leerasiri said. "I feel unsafe being here, but I don't know what to do and I don't know what the future holds. "It's hard not knowing when I will have to move out and who is going to cover my costs. "I have home insurance but they say because the problem is not with my flat but with the communal areas, I am not covered." Ms Leerasiri said she invested her life savings into the property. "The stress has been overwhelming. I am not classed as homeless yet so it's hard to find help. How are we expected to live like this?" she said. "Everything is being taken away from me. Being told to leave so suddenly without any guarantees is traumatic." Speaking on BBC Radio Merseyside Mr Morgan said it was an "absolutely horrendous situation" and said the council had met with the Minister for Housing, Communities and Local Government Alex Norris who was "very sympathetic" and was assessing the situation. He said a multi-agency meeting was set to take place this week after which residents would be updated. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Merseyside on Sounds and follow BBC Merseyside on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230. 'Becoming homeless from unsafe flats catastrophic' Tower block flats costing £3k a day to keep safe Flats evacuated after firework sparks blaze Knowsley Council
Forbes
4 days ago
- Sport
- Forbes
Florian Wirtz Is A Statement Deal For Liverpool's Present And Future
KIRKBY, ENGLAND - JUNE 20: (THE SUN OUT, THE SUN ON SUNDAY OUT) Florian Wirtz is unveiled as a ... More Liverpool player after his signing at AXA Training Centre on June 20, 2025 in Kirkby, England. (Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images) Liverpool FC via Getty Images Throughout their barren decades in the 1990s and 2000s, Liverpool were often ridiculed as a club living in the past. With success on the pitch proving frustratingly elusive, reflecting on the glory days was all there was left at Anfield. There were, of course, notable exceptions. The Reds won the FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup - the precursor to the Europa League - under Gerard Houllier in 2001 and lifted the second of those trophies again in 2003. Two years later, under Rafael Benitez Liverpool won the Champions League in the most dramatic of circumstances, beating AC Milan on penalties after trailing 3-0 at half-time. Another FA Cup followed a year later, again on penalties and again after a late comeback. But those exceptions were exactly that, exceptions. After winning the old First Division in 1990 for the 18th time, Liverpool came second just five times in the next three decades, until they finally got their hands on the league title again in 2020. Nostalgia has since been replaced by success, with trophies coming almost as regularly as they did during the club's dominant run in the 1970s and 1980s. The Premier League title the Reds lifted in May was their eighth major trophy since they won the Champions League in 2019 under Jurgen Klopp. The current iteration of Liverpool is very much a team living in the present and planning for the future, as underlined by the signing of Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen last week. Florian Wirtz is a statement signing for Liverpool LEVERKUSEN, GERMANY - MAY 18: Florian Wirtz of Bayer Leverkusen lifts the Meisterschale of ... More Bundesliga trophy after their team's victory in the Bundesliga match between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and FC Augsburg at BayArena on May 18, 2024 in Leverkusen, Germany. (Photo by) Getty Images At up to £116m ($158m) - £100m in transfer fee with a potential £16m in add-ons - the German is both a club record signing and the most expensive player ever signed by a British club, beating the record set by Chelsea's deal for Moises Caicedo two years ago. The price tag is unlikely to face Wirtz, who has dealt with attention from the moment he became the youngest player in Leverkusen's history aged 17. Less than a month later, he wrote his name in the history books as the club's youngest goalscorer. By the time Leverkusen won their maiden German title 12 months ago after going unbeaten in the Bundesliga, Wirtz was a pillar of Xabi Alonso's side, which also won the German Cup and reached the Europa League final. Wirtz was named Bundesliga player of the season for the 2023-24 season, after scoring 18 goals and registering 20 assists in 49 matches in all competitions. Last season, he scored 16 goals and registered 15 assists in 45 games as Leverkusen finished second to Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga and were knocked out in the Round of 16 of the Champions League. 'I feel very happy and very proud. Finally it's done and I was waiting for a long time,' Wirtz told Liverpool's website. 'I'm really excited to have a new adventure in front of me. This was also a big point of my thoughts: that I want to have something completely new, to go out of the Bundesliga and to join the Premier League. 'I will see how I can perform. I hope I can do my best. I spoke also with some players who played [at Liverpool] and they told me that it's perfect for me and every pitch is perfect, you can enjoy every game. I'm really looking forward to playing my first game. 'I would like to win everything every year. First of all, we have to do our work, I have to make my work. In the end, we want to be successful. "Last season they won the Premier League so my goal is for sure to win it again and also to go further in the Champions League. I'm really ambitious.' A modern No10, the Germany international is a high-intensity player and should fit seamlessly into Arne Slot's brand of fast, attacking football. Liverpool remained over-reliant on Mohamed Salah last season, but Wirtz's arrival will immediately upgrade their front three and broaden the range of options at Slot's disposal. The German's arrival also underlines a significant change in dynamic for Liverpool, who have been outside of the top 10 spenders on player signings in the Premier League since 2019. Salah, Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Alexis MacAllister have all proved hugely successful buys, but they all fell in the 'Moneyball' category, albeit to various degrees. The Reds last spent big on elite players seven years ago when Virgil van Dijk signed for Southampton for £75m in January 2018, with Alisson arriving from Roma for £65m seven months later. Both signings proved to be transformative and Slot will hope Wirtz can have a similar impact. A busy summer for Liverpool KIRKBY, ENGLAND - MAY 30: Jeremie Frimpong new signing of Liverpool at AXA Training Centre on May ... More 30, 2025 in Kirkby, England. (Photo by Nikki Dyer - LFC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images) Liverpool FC via Getty Images The 22-year-old's arrival on his own would be a major statement of intent from the reigning Premier League champions, but even more so coming alongside the signings of fellow Bayer Leverkusen wing-back Jeremie Frimpong and Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez. Liverpool activated Frimpong's £29.6m release clause and have reached an agreement with the Cherries to sign Kerkez for around £40m. The Hungary international has established himself as one of the best defenders in the Premier League after joining Bournemouth from Dutch side AZ Alkmaar for £15m two years ago. Kerkez made 67 appearances for the Cherries in two seasons and started all of his team's 38 league fixtures last term, scoring six goals and providing two assists. Like Wirtz, Frimpong was a key player for Leverkusen under Alonso, scoring 30 goals and recording 44 assists in 190 appearances in all competitions after joining the Bundesliga side from Celtic in January of 2021. The Dutch international is expected to be a direct replacement for Trent Alexander-Arnold, who joined Real Madrid ahead of the Club World Cup. Federico Chiesa was the Reds' only major signing last summer, along with Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, who stayed with the LaLiga club for another season. Slot, however, made clear he wanted the club to build on the Premier League title. "It will be just as tough or even tougher next season because the clubs we've competed with this season have always invested a lot of money and they will probably do so this summer as well," he said in May. "We just want good players. Ideally you sign them as soon as you can but it is not always easy." Next May, it will be 42 years since Liverpool last retained the title, claiming the old First Division for the third time in a row. Defend their crown successfully and they will move one clear of Manchester United and onto a record 21 league titles. History, at long last, appears to be again a source of inspiration rather than a burden at Anfield.
