Wednesday's briefing: Liverpool linked with Isak and Henderson joins Brentford
The build-up to England's Euro 2025 quarter-final against Sweden also ramped up in Switzerland.
Newcastle ward off Liverpool interest in Isak
Newcastle have put a value of around £150million on star striker Alexander Isak in an attempt to ward off potential suitors.
Liverpool have been linked with the 25-year-old Sweden international and a report on Tuesday suggested the Reds are prepared to pay £120m for his services.
The PA news agency understands there has been no formal contact between the two clubs over the player, although sources on Merseyside have indicated Isak is among a series of forward options being considered by Liverpool this summer.
Newcastle's majority owners, Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, have the financial clout to resist any approach should they remain steadfast in their determination to hang on to a player who is understood not to be agitating for a move.
Both Newcastle and Liverpool have been linked with Eintracht Frankfurt forward Hugo Ekitike, who is understood to be valued around the £85m mark by the Bundesliga club.
Henderson has Premier League buzz again
📨 (1) New Message: Jordan Henderson pic.twitter.com/k1wgYlIugR
— Brentford FC (@BrentfordFC) July 15, 2025
England midfielder Jordan Henderson is back in the Premier League after joining Brentford on a free transfer.
The 35-year-old left Liverpool in 2023 and has spent the last two years at Al-Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia and with Ajax in the Netherlands.
'After a couple of years away I still have that fire to come back and play in the Premier League again,' Henderson told Brentford's social media.
'Obviously it's the best league in the world, with the best players. So it's a big challenge but one I'm keen on doing.'
On a busy day at Brentford, the Bees also welcomed fresh investment as businessman Gary Lubner and filmmaker Sir Matthew Vaughn become minority shareholders of the club.
Mamma Mia! England stick with Abba for Sweden tie
England captain Leah Williamson joked she will not 'banish Abba' in the dressing room ahead of their Euro 2025 quarter-final clash with Sweden.
The Swedish band's 'Does Your Mother Know' became a key track on the Williamson-curated dressing room playlist during England's triumphant Euro 2022 campaign, where they beat Sweden 4-0 in the semi-final.
The two meet again in Zurich on Thursday and Williamson said: 'I don't think that will be on the playlist, but it worked in 2022 so I don't want to banish Abba completely.'
Protest at the Palace
Crystal Palace fans protested outside Selhurst Park following UEFA's ruling to demote the Eagles to the Conference League.
Hundreds of supporters marched from Norwood Clocktower to Palace's stadium carrying banners, with one at the front declaring 'UEFA: MORALLY BANKRUPT. REVOKE THE RULING NOW'.
Palace qualified for this season's Europa League by beating Manchester City in the FA Cup final in May, which secured a historic first major trophy.
But Palace were demoted after missing a March 1 deadline to demonstrate that American co-owner John Textor, also a part-owner at Lyon, had no control or influence over more than one club in the same competition.
What's on today?
4⃣ huge quarter-final ties to look forward to 🤩#WEURO2025 pic.twitter.com/t6TTNRFJ3n
— UEFA Women's EURO 2025 (@WEURO2025) July 14, 2025
Italy and Norway meet in Geneva to determine the first semi-finalist at Euro 2025.
The winners will play either England or Sweden in the last four.
Northern Ireland's Linfield host Shelbourne in a Champions League qualifier seeking to overturn a 1-0 deficit from last week's first leg in Dublin.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Reuters
20 minutes ago
- Reuters
Liverpool fans, Dalglish pay tribute to Jota in Hong Kong
HONG KONG, July 26 (Reuters) - Liverpool supporters and their former forward and manager Kenny Dalglish led tributes to Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva before a pre-season friendly against AC Milan in Hong Kong on Saturday. Ahead of kickoff, supporters raised a mosaic depicting "DJ 20" and Dalglish laid a wreath in memory of former Liverpool forward Jota, who died along with his brother in a car accident in Spain this month. The Liverpool players wore "Diogo J 20" patches on their shirts and black armbands. AC Milan winger Rafael Leao paid tribute to his Portugal teammate by making a "2" and "0" sign with his fingers after scoring an early goal in the Italian team's 4-2 win. Liverpool fan Zoe Leung and her family made a placard in Jota's memory. "I think Jota's death is sad and I was really shocked when I watched the news. I made this with my family to show some respect to Jota," the 24-year-old Leung said. Liverpool players will wear a "Forever 20" emblem on their shirts during the next Premier League season. Supporters can have "Diogo J. 20" printed on shirts in club stores, with the profits going to LFC Foundation, the club's official charity. Liverpool fans vastly outnumbered AC Milan supporters at the 50,000 capacity Kai Tak Stadium, many bringing placards, scarves, flags and banners to cheer on their team. Liverpool travel to Japan next to take on Yokohama FM in the J League World Challenge on Wednesday. They begin their Premier League title defence at home to Bournemouth on August 15.
The Independent
21 minutes ago
- The Independent
Arne Slot leaves Luis Diaz out of AC Milan friendly due to ongoing speculation
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot left Luis Diaz out of their 4-2 friendly defeat to AC Milan in Hong Kong due to ongoing speculation about his future. Bayern Munich are understood to have reopened dialogue with the Premier League champions, having had an initial offer of 67.5million euros (£59m) dismissed last week. Liverpool have maintained they do not want to sell the forward – who has also attracted interest from Barcelona – and the Bundesliga champions' bid was way below their own valuation of 100m euro (£87m) for an elite forward in the global market. Diaz turns 29 in January and has two years left on his current deal but has not yet had an offer of a new contract. 'In Lucho's (Diaz's) situation, there's a lot of rumours around him lately and I cannot go into that,' said Slot. 'He's training really well with us but we have decided for now not to play him yet. 'I'm used to talking to most of my players on a regular basis. I cannot comment much more about that.' Asked whether Diaz wanted to leave, Slot added: 'That is not the person to ask, me.' Striker Darwin Nunez, whose own future appears to lie away from Anfield, and midfielder Wataru Endo missed the game with minor fitness issues. Club-record signing Florian Wirtz made his first start as a false nine, with latest signing Hugo Ekitike left out of the squad, having only arrived on Thursday after completing his arrival in a £79m deal on Wednesday. Slot played two different starting XIs in each half, with midfielder Ryan Gravenberch and left-back Kostas Tsimikas both required to fill a centre-back role after Joe Gomez returned home for treatment on an Achilles injury. 'We thought it was better to assess it back in England and for him to work on him to come back to the team, probably in more ideal circumstances for him,' added Slot, who denied Gomez's absence left him dangerously-short in the position after selling Jarrell Quansah to Bayer Leverkusen. 'I don't think we have a concern at centre-back. I think Ryan (Gravenberch) showed today that he can play in that position. He did it last season as well. 'Although we all know we favour him as a number six, Wata (Endo) can play there. Joe Gomez only has a minor injury, he has been good for us last season as well. 'We have enough options left but it's true that Jarell Quansah left and we haven't replaced him yet.' Dominik Szoboszlai and Cody Gakpo scored the goals for Liverpool, who paid tribute to forward Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva after their deaths in a car crash earlier this month. Players wore shirts bearing a logo with the Portugal international's name and number and a heart, and Sir Kenny Dalglish laid a wreath in front of supporters who held up a DJ 20 mosaic.
Scotsman
21 minutes ago
- Scotsman
Hearts 3-0 Sunderland: match report & player ratings as clubs honour Craig Gordon
Hearts will head into the new Scottish Premiership season on the back of a convincing win over Premier League Sunderland as the men in maroon ran out 3-0 winners. The day was all about Craig Gordon though as both clubs honoured his service. Unfortunately, the 42-year old was only able to take his place in the starting XI for ten seconds before being replaced by Zander Clark. Hearts opened the scoring after ten minutes with a superb cross from Osin McEntee which was headed past Sunderland stopper Simon Moore in front of the visiting fans by Claudio Braga, bringing his total to four goals for the Jambos since joining this summer. A second change for the hosts came 20 minutes in when Calem Nieuwenhof picked up a knock and was taken off with Blair Spittal his replacement. The Australian's reaction when coming off suggested the move may have been precautionary more than anything especially with his injury history. Hearts had a big opportunity to go 2-0 up on 35 minutes when the ball came to Braga at the back post but the strier, in acres of space, couldn't get it under control and his first touch took it away from him and into the visiting keeper's arms. The first half had very much been played at preseason tempo and neither keeper was given anything other than routine attempts from long range to deal with other than the goal. That being said, Hearts were going toe-to-toe with an English Premier League side and were the better team in the first half. Hearts made two more changes at the break with James Wilson and Michael Steinwender replacing Claudio Braga and Frankie Kent. The hosts came out all guns blazing in the early stage and peppered the Sunderland box with crosses and through balls with Lawrence Shankland eventually flashing an angled shot across the face of goal. Sunderland then had their best chance of the match with a free kick from around 25 yards out. Jenson Seelt was the player who stepped up and got the ball up and over the wall but Clark watched it all the way past the wrong side of the post. The game had become a bit more balanced but Hearts still looked far more likely to get another goal than the Premier League side and so they did when the ball fell to Lawrence Shankland at the edge of the box and the skipper drove it into the far bottom corner with pinpoint accuracy. A superb finish leaving Moore with no chance. Sunderland rang the changes on 70 minutes with nine substitutions all at once while Hearts had opted for a more gradual approach in emptying their bench. Alexandros Kyziridis had replaced Adam Forrester moments before with the young full back having put a decent shift in. Derek McInnes responded to the raft of changes with three of his own as Elton Kabangu, Stephen Kingsley and Alan Forrest replaced Shankland, Spittal and Harry Milne. Forrest almost made an immediate impact after a super run and turn by Kyziridis picked him out at the back post but his shot was deflected behind for a corner which Oisin McEntee got on the end of but drove wide. The game was dying down as the final whistle approached but Hearts managed to put the cherry on top of an excellent pre-season performance when Kyziridis pounced on an error at the back to slot home the Jambos' third. 1 . Craig Gordon - 10 Ten out of ten not for the ten seconds of action the man of the moment was on the pitch on his special day but for a stellar career which is hopefully far from over. | SNS Group Photo Sales 2 . Adam Forrester - 7 Got up and down the right wing well in attack, posing a threat, and dealt with Sunderland's pacy attackers when the came into his channel | SNS Group Photo Sales 3 . Harry Milne - 7 Equally solid on the left side where Sunderland were attacking more often but dealt with their threat well when called into defensive action. | SNS Group Photo Sales 4 . Frankie Kent - 7 Solid defensive performance along with the rest of the back three, stood up against Sunderland's attacking threat well. Subbed off at HT. | SNS Group Photo Sales
