Three ways Liverpool FC could line up with Alexander Isak in new-look attack alongside Hugo Ekitike
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Scottish Sun
30 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Marcus Rashford gets into the action on Barcelona debut as he comes on at half time – but gets subbed after 33 minutes
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) MARCUS Rashford gets into the action on his Barcelona debut yesterday — after coming out at half-time for just 33 minutes. The Three Lions striker, on a season-long loan from Man Utd, became the first Englishman to play for the Spanish giants since Gary Lineker between 1986 and 1989. 3 Marcus Rashford takes a shot at goal on his Barcelona debut 3 The Three Lions striker is on a season-long loan from Man Utd Credit: Getty 3 He is the first Englishman to play for the Spanish giants since Gary Lineker Credit: Getty Legend Lineker said: 'I expect Marcus will do well.' Rashford, 27, helped Barca to a 3-1 victory in a friendly in Japan against local team Vissel Kobe. We recently revealed how Rashford has has rekindled his relationship with former fiancée Lucia Loi. She was with him when he signed for FC Barcelona. The Three Lions ace, 27, and childhood sweetheart Lucia, 26, were together during a photoshoot before he was unveiled as the Catalan giants' latest signing at the Camp Nou stadium. She took his photo, then moved behind him to take another and seemingly checked his shirt before the Man United exile posed beside a traditional red British phone box. Rashford was later seen emerging from the kiosk in a post on FC Barcelona's social media, captioned: 'Hello? Barca? For sure, I'm coming.' The Sun understands that Rashford has asked calming influence Lucia, who works in PR, to help him settle in to life in Spain so he can focus on his football. But they were not seen together until they were unwittingly snapped preparing for his phone box stunt. A source said the pair have stayed close, despite their 2022 engagement fizzling out, and have grown close again of late.
Metro
2 hours ago
- Metro
Alexander Isak rejects £96m transfer offer after Liverpool talks
Newcastle United striker and Liverpool transfer target Alexander Isak has rejected a stunning contract offer worth £600,000-a-week. Isak informed Newcastle last week that he wants to explore his options this summer despite having three more years on his current contract. Newcastle spent £63m on the Sweden international in 2022 and have seen Isak develop into one of the best strikers in the world. Isak scored 27 goals in all competitions last season to help Newcastle win the Carabao Cup and qualify for the Champions League. Despite tentative transfer rumours earlier in the year, Isak was expected to stay at St James' Park this summer – but he dropped a bombshell last week by telling Newcastle he was open to leaving. 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. Isak is yet to join up with his Newcastle teammates on their pre-season tour in southeast Asia as he is reportedly managing a minor thigh injury. Liverpool have expressed interest in signing Isak since he revealed he was open to a summer move but Newcastle still want well over £100m for the striker. Arne Slot sanctioned Liverpool's £69m move for Eintracht Frankfurt forward Hugo Ekitike earlier this month but the Premier League champions are also interested in bringing Isak to Anfield. Isak has also attracted interest from the Saudi Pro League, with Al Hilal offering the forward a contract worth a stunning £32m-a-year tax-free with lucrative bonuses on top. As well as pocking £600,000-a-week over three years, Isak has been promised a further £3.6m for winning the Saudi Pro League and £1.75m for finishing as the division's top scorer, according to The Sun. Al Hilal finished second in the Saudi Pro League last season and recently poached Simone Inzaghi from Champions League finalists Inter Milan. Despite the incredible sums on offer, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano says Isak has rejected the approach from Al Hilal and informed the club he intends to remain in Europe. Liverpool will not come close to matching Al Hilal's contract proposal but can offer Isak the chance to win major trophies under Arne Slot. As well as signing Ekitike, Liverpool have bolstered Slot's Premier League champions with the signings of Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez. Newcastle boss Eddie Howe addressed the speculation over Isak's future ahead of the club's pre-season friendly against Arsenal on Sunday. 'He is now in Newcastle getting his injury assessed. Hopefully he will be back soon and playing in the black and white shirt, that's what we want to see,' Howe said. 'Of course there are things going on behind the scenes. Conversations that happen between Alex and ourselves and Alex and the club will stay private. 'He is very popular in the dressing room and would love him to continue his journey at Newcastle. There are no contract talks taking place, that will be for a later date, potentially. 'I certainly hope he stays. It's football, who knows what the future will bring.' Speaking after the game, which Arsenal won 3-2, Howe said there was 'no chance' that Isak would join the pre-season tour for Newcastle's final two games in southeast Asia. Ex-Liverpool striker Stan Collymore has predicted Isak will end up at Anfield and believes the club have been pursuing him behind the scenes for 12 months. 'I can only see Alexander Isak joining Liverpool if he does leave Newcastle, which is now expected,' he wrote in his column for CaughtOffside. 'I think this has been something that's been ongoing probably for 12 months or more. I think the expectation from Newcastle was that it was going to be next season that other clubs were going to bid. More Trending 'A lot of fans will want him to be sold abroad, but it doesn't work like that. If the player says that they're going to down tools unless you let me go to this specific club, it's very, very difficult for the club.' Arsenal and Manchester United have previously been linked with Isak but the Gunners have just spent £64m to sign Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting. Isak would likely have major reservations about joining a United team who finished 15th in the Premier League last season. Ruben Amorim is keen to sign a new striker, however, and has discussed two targets after missing out on his former Sporting star Gyokeres to Arsenal. For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. MORE: William Saliba provides major update on Arsenal future amid fresh Real Madrid transfer links MORE: Liverpool agree Luis Diaz transfer with £65.5m exit imminent MORE: Ruben Amorim explains why Man Utd fans must wait for Bryan Mbeumo debut
Scotsman
4 hours ago
- Scotsman
Scotland's trio deserve chance for sporting immortality with Lions - and one man deserves place in sun
Sign up to our Rugby Union newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... After one of the greatest British and Irish Lions Test matches, it is safe to assume that a few drinks were consumed by the tourists in Melbourne over the weekend. The 29-26 victory in front of 90,000 spectators at the MCG clinched the series against Australia with a game to spare in the most dramatic of circumstances, with Hugo Keenan scoring a try right at the death. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The Lions at one point in the first half trailed a rejuvenated Wallabies outfit 23-5. They produced their greatest fightback of all time, which had previously stood at toppling South Africa when 10 points behind in 1938. Keenan's score is now etched into folklore. Scotland's Finn Russell signs a flag after the Lions overcame Australia. | Getty Images The squad and the tens of thousands of Lions fans who flocked to Melbourne surely celebrated long into the night. Winning tours are the exception, not the rule, and regardless of Wallabies' well-documented issues, they put up a serious fight in the second Test. Some will argue that the hosts were hard done by when Italian referee Andrea Piardi stuck to his guns and refused to rescind Keenan's try amid Australian complaints that Jac Morgan had taken out Carlo Tizzano illegally in the build-up. It was a big call for Piardi and his team of officials, but Morgan did not do enough to concede a penalty. No doubt the ref enjoyed his post-match pint after such a stressful moment, even if the Australians were unhappy. The foundations of this Lions team have been been built in Ireland - nine starters on Saturday night came from that nation. But amidst the Guinness, there is whisky. Scotland can rightfully claim a tangible part in this victory, even if only two Scots were in the first XV in Melbourne. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Jones has his moment in the sun Finn Russell pulled the strings at stand-off and while his goal-kicking was wayward - he only landed two from five - his general play was strong, especially in the second half. He spotted gaps in behind the Australian defence and held his nerve at the death to make sure the ball eventually found its way to Keenan. Huw Jones would not have kept his place at centre had Garry Ringrose not self-certified his concussion 48 hours before kick-off. Ringrose is undoubtedly a world-class 13, but so is Jones. This match was further evidence of his capabilities. He scored a try yet again, displayed his pace and power while defending diligently. From a Scottish perspective, it was a shame that his usual partner, Sione Tuipulotu, was unavailable due to injury after the first Test. He has been the poster boy of Scottish rugby over the past 12 months, but Jones rightly has his moment in the sun. Blair Kinghorn made his Lions Test debut on 60 minutes when replacing James Lowe and he played an important part in a vital period of the match. His searing running nearly brought a try and it was telling that the Lions wrestled control away from the Wallabies when they called for reinforcements off the bench. Kinghorn - the third Scot in this momentous win - continued his remarkable rise to the very top of world rugby. Since moving to Toulouse in December 2023, he's won the French Top 14 twice, the European Cup once and is now a Lions tour winner. Not bad at all. Blair Kinghorn came off the bench and helped the Lions land victory. | Getty Images There could be more for these Lions. Immortality awaits in Sydney next Saturday. A series whitewash beckons at the Accor Stadium and with Australia clearly shattered by events in Melbourne, history is there for the taking. Even the classes of 1971 and 1974 were unable to produce 100 per cent records, achievements that also eluded the 1997 and 2013 vintages from the professional era. Becoming the greatest Lions team of all time was the aspiration when arriving Down Under and, while the strength of the Wallabies may mitigate against that being a realistic claim, 2025 will at least be in the conversation. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Russell, Jones and Kinghorn will want to be part of that. Russell is the Lions' undisputed stand-off and it would be madness to take him out of the firing line next weekend, but Jones' and Kinghorn's positions are less nailed-on. Head coach Andy Farrell may want to turn to Ringrose if he has recovered from his concussion in time, or his son Owen Farrell, who came on in Melbourne. Tuipulotu could also be in contention. Pre-tour, many saw Kinghorn as the first-choice full-back. Has he done enough to push back in front of Lowe? Farrell and Co know the significance of one final win. Ahead of travelling down under, many rugby experts believed the Lions may never have a better chance of going undefeated on tour and while some of the pre-Test matches were tough watches, the team was never in any real danger. You can only defeat what is put in front of you and the Lions, so far, have pounced upon their prey. Do other Scots have a chance? Could any other Scots enter calculations? Prop Pierre Schoeman is down the pecking order and winger Duhan van der Merwe, despite scoring a hat-trick of tries against an Invitational XV, hasn't yet troubled at Test squad. Lock Scott Cummings and scrum-half Ben White have been more impressive when called upon and would be in with a shout should Farrell wish to switch things up. Then again, the coach may stick with the guys that have so far proved their worth. They deserve to finish the job. That includes Jones, one of the stars of this tour. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad What do Australia have left? Returning forward Rob Valetini and Will Skelton, both back from calf injuries, were magnificent and lifted everyone around them in Melbourne, but their team was clearly undercooked for the first Test. While pride is at stake, the Wallabies have a Rugby Championship starting next month to focus on.
