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Metro
an hour ago
- Sport
- Metro
Liverpool announce Hugo Ekitike signing from Eintracht Frankfurt
Liverpool have announced that they have agreed a deal to sign Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike, subject to international clearance. The Premier League champions will pay an initial fee of £69million – plus £10m in add-ons – for Ekitike, who scored 22 goals in 48 games for Eintracht last season. Though Liverpool held talks over a possible deal for Alexander Isak earlier this month, Newcastle made it clear the Sweden international was not for sale unless they received an astronomical offer for their prized possession. The Reds have confirmed that Ekitike successfully completed his medical and will jet out to Hong King to join his new team-mates on their pre-season tour of Asia later this week. Ekitike's squad number will be revealed later this summer. Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro's Football Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link we'll send you so we can get football news tailored to you. More to follow. MORE: Gary Lineker makes Marcus Rashford prediction after Man Utd forward joins Barcelona MORE: Jorrel Hato and Xavi Simons respond to Chelsea transfer approach after Arsenal interest MORE: Arsenal urged to sign free agent after £63m Viktor Gyokeres transfer
Metro
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Metro
Marcus Rashford's first words as a Barcelona player as club reveal squad number
Marcus Rashford says he is 'eager to get going' at Barcelona and already feels at 'home' after joining the club on a season-long loan from Manchester United. Barca brought weeks of speculation to an end this evening as it was officially confirmed that Rashford had put pen to paper on a 12-month deal at the Camp Nou. The temporary agreement includes an option for Barca to sign Rashford outright at the end of the 2025/26 campaign for a fee in the region of £30million. Taking over over the No.14 shirt, Rashford becomes only the second Englishman to play for Barca in the past 100 years, following in the footsteps of the great Gary Lineker. Rashford trained for the first time with Hansi Flick's squad earlier on Tuesday and is set to travel with his new team-mates on the club's pre–season tour of Asia on Thursday. Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro's Football Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link so we can send you football news tailored to you. The England international, a product of United's academy, will hope to pick up where he left off after enjoying an impressive loan spell with Aston Villa last season, in which he racked up four goals and six assists in 17 appearances. 'I'm very excited,' Rashford told Barcelona's media team upon his arrival in Catalonia. 'I think it is a club where dreams come true. They win big prizes and what the club stands for really means a lot to me as well. 'It feels like I'm at home and this is a big factor in my choice to come here. 'For me, it's a family club, people are comfortable here and it's a good place for good players to showcase their skills.' Asked what fans should expect from him over the coming months, Rashford replied: 'I always try to make decisive actions, fast, dynamic plays, and I always like good football. 'I've always been a fan of watching Barcelona play from a young age, like most football fans. 'It's going to be a joy for me to play here and I'm going to enjoy every minute of it.' Rashford is raring to get started in Barca's colours and hopes to be able to add a new dimension to Flick's squad, which finished last season with three pieces of silverware. 'I'm full of excitement and just hunger to go out and try to help this team win,' he added. 'They won so much last year and I can see the ambition of the club is to do better than last year. 'For a player, that's what you want to hear because it keeps you improving year on year and that's what you need to be the best version of yourself. 'I'm eager to get going, get the games playing, but I'm enjoying every minute of it.' Barca head coach Flick held several private conversations with Rashford before a deal was agreed, which proved a 'key factor' in convincing the winger to join. 'He's another key factor and reason I'm here. The conversations that I had with him were very positive,' Rashford explained. 'What he did last year, it was a terrific season. But not just last year, in his career he has proven that he's one of the top coaches. 'To lead such a young team to a very successful season and then to come back to pre-season and want to do more… it showed me everything that I thought I knew about the club. 'Now to be here, it's everything that I wished and thought so I'm, eager to get going and keep learning the Barcelona way as I go.' For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. MORE: Gary Lineker makes Marcus Rashford prediction after Man Utd forward joins Barcelona MORE: Jose Mourinho dismisses Chelsea win at Club World Cup MORE: Chelsea drop asking price by £22m for Manchester United to sign Christopher Nkunku
Metro
3 hours ago
- Sport
- Metro
Gary Lineker makes Marcus Rashford prediction after Barcelona move
Gary Lineker has tipped Marcus Rashford to shine on loan at Barcelona after leaving Manchester United in the summer transfer window. Rashford's loan deal will last for 12 months and includes an option for the Spanish top-flight champions to buy him at the end of the season. Barcelona reportedly must pay United €35m (£30.3m) to transform the loan spell into a permanent transfer in the summer of 2026. The Catalan club will cover Rashford's wages during his season-long loan after the 27-year-old forward agreed to take a 25 per cent pay cut. Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro's Football Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link so we can send you football news tailored to you. 'I think he will do great,' Lineker, who was the last male English player at Barcelona before Rashford, told Sky Sports about the move. 'I think it is a great challenge. Yes, they have got brilliant players, it will be tough to play regularly. But there are so many games that they play now. 'They have got a front three of Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski and Lamine Yamal but you can't play three players every game in and out. 'And Lewandowski (36) is past his best really now. It's remarkable for what he is achieving at this age. FC Barcelona and Manchester United have reached an agreement for the loan of the player Marcus Rashford until 30 June 2026. The agreement also establishes an option to buy the English forward. — FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) July 23, 2025 'I think this is a good signing for Barcelona as well, and Marcus at his best is unbelievable.' Lineker added: 'Let's look at what's happened to the players who have left Manchester United recently, the players who you thought are really struggling, they have done unbelievably well everywhere else. 'So, there is something at Manchester United at the moment that is a little bit wrong. The players who have got away from there have generally succeeded. 'Like we've seen at Villa, he was terrific. And I think he can do the same sort of thing for Barcelona. I very much hope so.' The move means Rashford may've already played his final game for United, following 426 appearances, after progressing through the club's academy. Rashford has spent the last 20 years at Old Trafford – joining the club at the age of seven from Fletcher Moss Rangers. He has registered 138 goals and 77 assists for the Red Devils but has struggled for form at United for around two years and was dramatically banished from the first team by Ruben Amorim in December. Rashford was subsequently sent out on loan to fellow Premier League side Aston Villa for the second half of the 2024-25 campaign. During his time at Villa, Rashford rediscovered his form, producing six assists and four goals (10 goal involvements) across 17 appearances. MORE: Jose Mourinho dismisses Chelsea win at Club World Cup MORE: Jorrel Hato and Xavi Simons respond to Chelsea transfer approach after Arsenal interest MORE: Arsenal urged to sign free agent after £63m Viktor Gyokeres transfer
Metro
8 hours ago
- Sport
- Metro
Arsenal hero makes confident goals prediction for 'machine' Viktor Gyokeres
Former Arsenal star Anders Limpar is very confident that Viktor Gyokeres is going to be a big hit with the Gunners. The lengthy pursuit of the Swede is nearly at an end, with a deal to bring him to north London from Sporting on the verge of completion. While the transfer saga has taken some twists and turns, reports emerged on Tuesday suggesting that a deal was imminent, much to the delight of one of his soon-to-be new teammates. Arsenal will fork out €63.5million (£54.8m), plus €10m (£8.6m) in add-ons for the 27-year-old, hoping that the former Coventry star will help them make the final jump to claiming the Premier League title. Limpar reckons he might just do that, rating his fellow Swede extremely highly, both on and off the field. Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro's Football Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link we'll send you so we can get football news tailored to you. The 59-year-old, who played for Arsenal from 1990-94 and won the First Division title in '91, reckons Gyokeres is going to grab 25 goals in his first season, which Gunners fans would surely be happy with. 'I know that pretty much all the Arsenal players are top professionals,' Limpar told fotbolldirekt. 'I've been to the training ground, spoken to Arteta. He's Mr. 100 percent professional. 'And that's what you get from Viktor. He's such a prospect when it comes to looking after himself, no scandals, he is a hell of a player. 'He's a No. 9, and can sniff a goal chance. He's going to be the perfect icing on the cake at Arsenal. 'And I don't have to look down on [Kai] Havertz, or [Gabriel] Jesus, but bringing in Viktor at this moment, at his best age and form. 'He's a goalscoring machine and with all the supply from the wings and from Odegaard, he's going to score 25 goals.' 2023/24Apps: 50Goals: 43 Titles: Primeira Liga, Primeira Liga top scorer 2024/25Apps: 52Goals: 54 Titles: Primeira Liga, Taca de Portugal, Primeira Liga top scorer Gyokeres enjoyed a wildly successful time in Portugal, scoring 97 goals in 102 games for Sporting over two seasons. This came after impressing for Coventry in the Championship, where he scored 21 goals in 46 league games in his final season with the club. He also spent time with Brighton and Swansea, but has not made a Premier League appearance in his career yet. Limpar is well placed to comment on Gyokeres as he worked with him early in his career at Swedish club Brommapojkarna. Speaking last year, the former Gunners star said: 'I know Gyokeres very well personally. I was a bit of a mentor for him when he played for Brommapojkarna. More Trending 'So, I've talked a lot about professional life with him. He's a fantastically hardworking forward who scores a lot of goals. 'If we at Arsenal buy Gyokeres, then he will definitely call me. But to see Gyokeres at Arsenal – that would be crazy. 'His work rate, he runs like a madman. When it doesn't work out Viktor, he works his way into the game with uncomfortable runs. 'When other top forwards aren't doing well, they don't work so hard for the team, they save their energy. Viktor never saves his energy. When things are a bit slow, he works his way into a game with runs – that's why it has gone so well.' MORE: Marc Cucurella weighs in on 'missed opportunity' of Noni Madueke's Arsenal move MORE: Arsenal vs AC Milan LIVE: Pre-season friendly latest score and goal updates MORE: Martin Zubimendi reflects on Liverpool snub and decision to join Arsenal
Metro
11 hours ago
- Sport
- Metro
Jose Mourinho sends warning to Arsenal over Viktor Gyokeres transfer
Jose Mourinho has suggested Viktor Gyokeres could struggle at Arsenal against 'stronger teams and better players' after hitting out at the 'lies' that surrounded one of the biggest transfer sagas of the summer. The Gunners are finally set to sign the Sweden international having agreed a deal worth €63.5million (£54.8m), plus €10m (£8.6m) in add-ons agreed earlier this month. The specific structure of those add-ons delayed proceedings but the move is now firmly back on track with confirmation imminent. Arsenal's need for a centre forward has been well-documented for a number of seasons with belief a prolific finisher up front can finally get them over the line in the Premier League and Champions League. Gyokeres arrives with a ruthless record in front of goal having scored 54 goals in 52 appearances last season. Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro's Football Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link we'll send you so we can get football news tailored to you. While rating the Swede as a 'great player', former Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham boss Mourinho believes he now faces a much sterner test in the Premier League. In a wide-ranging interview with Portugal's Channel 11, Mourinho noted at Sporting, Gyokeres had a team build to play around him under Ruben Amorim and his successor Rui Borges who 'adapted' the team to the striker's needs. 'He's a great player. I have no doubt,' Mourinho said. 'But Sporting had a way of playing very much around him, very adapted. I don't know what Hugo Viana and Ruben [Amorim] initially thought; he's a player with great potential. 'But in England, he'll play against stronger teams, better players. While Gyokeres has only had eyes for Arsenal, the 26-year-old has been strongly linked to a number of clubs. Manchester United have persistently been credited with interest along with Juventus, clubs in Saudi Arabia and even Mourinho's own Fenerbahce. A battle between Sporting, Gyokeres and his agent Hasan Cetinkaya was also fought out in the Portuguese media with the club accused of failing to deliver on transfer promises made last year. More Trending The end result was Gyokeres refusing to return for pre-season training with legal action also threatened during the bitter stand-off. Having watched it unfold from afar, Mourinho hit out a the 'lies' that became part of the transfer story, describing it as a 'war'. 'Unfortunately, of the 3,400 lies that have been told about the transfer market, one of them is that he's going to Fenerbahçe,' Mourinho said. 'Unfortunately… So many lies, so much interest, so many people working for agents, for clubs… It's a war that's not my own.' MORE: Will Arsenal's transfer pursuit of Eberechi Eze spell the end for one Gunners star? MORE: Myles Lewis-Skelly's priceless reaction as Arsenal close in on Viktor Gyokeres transfer MORE: Diogo Jota's wife shares heartbreaking message on one-month anniversary of their wedding
