Latest news with #Spaniard
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Palace braced for Marc Guehi bid from Liverpool after identifying replacement
Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi is being eyed by a series of top Premier League clubs but Liverpool are now in the driving seat to land the 24-year-old England international Crystal Palace are expecting Liverpool to make a formal offer for club captain Marc Guehi as talks continue with Sporting CP over a potential deal for his replacement, Ousmane Diomande. Guehi is swiftly approaching the final year of his contract at Selhurst Park and the Eagles are ready to cash in on their beloved skipper following last month's historic FA Cup triumph to avoid losing him on a free transfer in 2026. Liverpool are not the only side interested in the 24-year-old but Arne Slot's Premier League champions are now emerging as clear favourites to land Guehi as Palace also step up their pursuit of Ivory Coast international Diomande. The highly-coveted 21-year-old is believed to have a £68million release clause written into his Sporting deal and while Palace are not prepared to put that kind of money on table, they are willing to smash their club-record to land the talented centre-back. They have already made progress on personal terms, Diomande is open to the move and Palace have good relations with the player's agency ROOF, who also represent left wing-back Tyrick Mitchell. Oliver Glasner has personally approved a swoop for Diomande as there is confidence he has big potential and crucially, there is belief he can play in multiple roles within the Austrian's three-man defensive line. Newcastle, who have long courted Guehi, are also among Diomande's admirers and Ruben Amorim's former starlet has also been linked with Manchester United in the past 12 months. Now Palace are working on an agreement and while club-to-club discussions have now taken place, there is still a notable gap in valuation between the parties at this moment in time. Selling Guehi would undoubtedly bolster the Eagles' spending power, though Liverpool have already intimated they would be prepared to wait 12 months to get their man on a free, if required. The Three Lions defender also has interest from Arsenal and former club Chelsea but Liverpool are expected to step up their pursuit of the player as Jarrell Quansah is close to joining German club Bayer Leverkusen in a £35m deal. The agreement is now in the final stages and is expected to be worth £30m upfront plus £5m in bonuses. Slot has been keen to bolster his defensive options and Liverpool had also looked at Dean Huijsen before the Spaniard opted to join Real Madrid in a £50m move. Ibrahima Konate is also set to enter the final 12 months of his contract next month and while further discussions over fresh terms are expected to take place, there is a high likelihood he could run down his Anfield deal amid interest from Los Blancos. The Reds are on course to announce the £116.5m British-record signing of Florian Wirtz, who is in the North West for his medical tests, and Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez is also poised to follow suit.
The South African
an hour ago
- Sport
- The South African
Orlando Pirates news: Mofokeng's father and new coach update
Talk about a present dad. The father of Orlando Pirates superstar Relebohile Mofokeng, Sechaba, has shared his burning desire to see his son leave the Betway Premiership. Expectations are high. Orlando Pirates and Betway Premiership superstar Relebohile Mofokeng has shown enough potential to move to Europe. According to his father, Sechaba, the 20-year-old Sharpville winger should not wear the Orlando Pirates tracksuit next season. Kaizer Chiefs news: West African keeper and Mbule Orlando Pirates star, Relebohile Mofokeng, and his father, Sechaba Mofokeng, shoot an ad for Adidas. Image: @soccerladuma/X 'My biggest wish is to see Rele overseas in 2025/2026,' the player's father, Sechaba, told Soccer Laduma . 'I'm praying every day. I don't want to see him in the Betway Premiership again this season. I know God will answer my prayers…Full story here. Kaizer Chiefs transfer update on Sipho Mbule It's nearly the end of June. Betway Premiership powerhouse Orlando Pirates have yet to confirm coach Jose Riveiro's replacement. Meanwhile, the clock is ticking towards the start of pre-season training. The legendary Spaniard Jose Riveiro, who won three MTN8 titles and two Nedbank Cup trophies in three seasons, left to join African giants Al Ahly. According to local reports, Rulani Mokwena and Pablo Franco Martin are some of the candidates leading the race…Full story here. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Rhyl Journal
3 hours ago
- Sport
- Rhyl Journal
We have our roots and we are proud of them – Manchester City CEO Ferran Soriano
City, now part of an international network of 12 clubs, are hoping to further broaden their reach with a strong run at the ongoing Club World Cup in the United States. Yet while City have been transformed radically since being taken over by Sheikh Mansour in 2008, Soriano maintains their ambitions will not come at the cost of tradition. Soriano told DAZN: 'We have our roots and we are proud of them. 'But you can be local and relevant and faithful to the history of the club, and the fans that support you, but you can also be global and show what we do – which we believe is beautiful football – to the world. 'It's a combination that works very well and we are proud.' City began their challenge in the US with a 2-0 win over Moroccan side Wydad AC in front of a crowd of 37,446 in Philadelphia on Wednesday. The tournament has faced plenty of criticism for a variety of reasons, including its positioning in the calendar and consequent player welfare concerns, ticket prices, poor attendances, kick-off times and venue choices. Yet Soriano has no doubt of the merits of the revamped competition, which has been expanded from the seven-team event won by City in 2023 to a month-long affair featuring 32 clubs. The Spaniard said: 'We are very excited by it. I think it's something that was very much needed. Soccer is a global sport and we have to make it global. 'You have to have teams like Manchester City playing teams from Morocco, Korea or wherever. That's part of the globalisation of the number one sport in the world. 'I think it's a great initiative and we are very happy to be here.' City have set their sights on victory having refreshed the squad following an underwhelming 2024-25 season. They signed four new players last week in Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Cherki, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Marcus Bettinelli, having also brought in Omar Marmoush, Nico Gonzalez, Abdukodir Khusanov and Vitor Reis in January. Soriano said: 'The ambition for City in any competition is to win it. That's the status of the club. 'Obviously it's not possible to win always, so we want to go as far as we can. 'The squad needs to be renewed. It's something that happens naturally. 'We are very happy, I'm happy, with the work that we did. 'Last summer we only bought one new player but this year between the winter and the summer it will be eight new ones. 'It's part of the annual cycle, the renewal of the squad. We accelerated some of it and now we are very happy with the squad we have.'
Daily Record
4 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
I spared Rangers blushes last time they faced Panathinaikos – here is what they can expect this time
Nacho Novo was the hero last time the two sides face so knows what Rangers can expect this time out Nacho Novo remembers having a close shave the last time Rangers squared off against Panathinaikos - and not just because his goal spared Walter Smith's side the UEFA Cup chop. The Ibrox cult hero was the saviour back in 2008 when Gers last visited the Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium. The Spaniard's late equaliser was enough to secure a 1-1 draw on aggregate and nudge the club a step closer to their brush with glory in that year's Manchester final. After a goalless draw at Ibrox, Smith's men were on the verge of going out when a screamer from defender Ioannis Goumas put the Greeks ahead in the last 32 showdown. But Novo - sporting a newly cropped barnet - provided the Light Blues with their hair-raising moment nine minutes from the end as he fired home the crucial finish that saw Rangers progress on away goals. The striker wasn't the only one who had taken a trip to the barbers having been joined by team-mates Barry Ferguson, Allan McGregor Kris Boyd and Charlie Adam for a pre-match trim. And Rangers' Hair Bear Bunch ensured it was Rangers who made the Euro cut as they scalped the Athens giants. Novo told Record Sport: 'The thing I remember about that game is that I had a new haircut. A few of us did. 'Me, Fergie, Greegsy, Boydy and Charlie all went to the barbers in the hotel the day before the game and got our hair shaved short. 'I'm not sure what made us do it but we went for it - and it worked! It must have been a good luck omen. 'It was a crucial goal that season because it was the first game in the UEFA Cup after we'd been knocked out of the Champions League - but it meant we could set off on that incredible journey to Manchester. 'We had a lot of possession but their centre-back scored a wonder goal to give them the lead. He turned and hit one from about 20 yards out, right into the top corner. 'We'd created a lot of chances but didn't put them away. However, we kept our patience and got the goal we needed from a great play. Fergie played the ball out to Chris Burke. His cross came to me and I just hit it.' Novo lapped up his strike with a raise the roof gesture - with Ibrox legend and then assistant boss Ally McCoist the unlikely inspiration! 'It was an amazing night - apart from the celebration,' explained Nacho. "I got some stick for that one but people don't know what it was about. 'I was actually copying Ally McCoist dancing to 50 Cent before the game! He had been jumping out the dressing room throwing his arms in the air, so that one was for Coisty! 'We were a happy camp in those days. You had Coisty and Durranty in those days and they were always making people laugh.' There's likely to be a more serious mood next month when Russell Martin's side kick off their Champions League quest against the Shamrock. The new gaffer will see his side host Pana on July 22-23 before the return in the Greek capital a week later. Novo has warned today's squad they can expect a red-hot reception at the 16,000-capacity Nikolaidis and it's notorious Gate 13 ultras section - and not just because of the expected 30 degree-plus conditions. He said: 'It was a loud atmosphere the night we played Panathinaikos, even though the ground isn't the biggest. The fans are right on top of you and make a lot of noise. 'I wouldn't say it was the most crazy atmosphere I experienced. That was at Red Star Belgrade, who we faced that season in the Champions League qualifiers. Their fans were so intimidating. But Panathinaikos was a tough place to go. 'It was a narrow pitch and the fans created a good atmosphere. But we never feared those places because we always took a lot of Rangers fans with us. We had our back-up with those guys behind us.' And Novo reckons Rangers will need that same passionate support this time round as they face the first of three qualifying hurdles that need to be crossed on the way to the league phase. He added: 'The new manager won't have much time to get his team ready for such a big game. But everybody needs to get behind Russell. 'He's a young manager and will want to do well at Ibrox. He has the hunger you need to succeed at a club like Rangers. Obviously he knows the demands you get at Ibrox because he served here for a short period as a player. 'It will be a tough game but these qualifiers are always tough. That's when you need to show a strong mentality on the pitch. But I think with everybody working together, we can get a positive result.'
Leader Live
4 hours ago
- Sport
- Leader Live
We have our roots and we are proud of them – Manchester City CEO Ferran Soriano
City, now part of an international network of 12 clubs, are hoping to further broaden their reach with a strong run at the ongoing Club World Cup in the United States. Yet while City have been transformed radically since being taken over by Sheikh Mansour in 2008, Soriano maintains their ambitions will not come at the cost of tradition. Soriano told DAZN: 'We have our roots and we are proud of them. 'But you can be local and relevant and faithful to the history of the club, and the fans that support you, but you can also be global and show what we do – which we believe is beautiful football – to the world. 'It's a combination that works very well and we are proud.' City began their challenge in the US with a 2-0 win over Moroccan side Wydad AC in front of a crowd of 37,446 in Philadelphia on Wednesday. The tournament has faced plenty of criticism for a variety of reasons, including its positioning in the calendar and consequent player welfare concerns, ticket prices, poor attendances, kick-off times and venue choices. Yet Soriano has no doubt of the merits of the revamped competition, which has been expanded from the seven-team event won by City in 2023 to a month-long affair featuring 32 clubs. The Spaniard said: 'We are very excited by it. I think it's something that was very much needed. Soccer is a global sport and we have to make it global. 'You have to have teams like Manchester City playing teams from Morocco, Korea or wherever. That's part of the globalisation of the number one sport in the world. 'I think it's a great initiative and we are very happy to be here.' City have set their sights on victory having refreshed the squad following an underwhelming 2024-25 season. They signed four new players last week in Tijjani Reijnders, Rayan Cherki, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Marcus Bettinelli, having also brought in Omar Marmoush, Nico Gonzalez, Abdukodir Khusanov and Vitor Reis in January. Soriano said: 'The ambition for City in any competition is to win it. That's the status of the club. 'Obviously it's not possible to win always, so we want to go as far as we can. 'The squad needs to be renewed. It's something that happens naturally. 'We are very happy, I'm happy, with the work that we did. 'Last summer we only bought one new player but this year between the winter and the summer it will be eight new ones. 'It's part of the annual cycle, the renewal of the squad. We accelerated some of it and now we are very happy with the squad we have.'
