Arsenal agree fee for Christian Norgaard which could rise to £15m
Arsenal have agreed a deal to sign Brentford captain Christian Norgaard, according to reports.
Gunners boss Mikel Arteta is looking for a potential replacement in midfield for Thomas Partey, whose contract expires next week, while Jorginho left the club earlier this month.
A fee of around £10million, with a possible further £5m in add-ons, has reportedly been agreed for Norgaard.
The 31-year-old Bees skipper, who moved to west London from Fiorentina in 2019, has played more than 120 Premier League games since helping Brentford to promotion in 2021.
He helped the club to a 10th-place top-flight finish last campaign in what turned out to be Thomas Frank's last season as manager.
Norgaard was a member of the Denmark team that reached the semi-final of the European Championship in 2021, losing 2-1 to England at Wembley.
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Irish Times
4 hours ago
- Irish Times
What comes next for Damien Duff could be as enigmatic as the man himself
Damien Duff has always been a man of contradiction . First there was the big-noise teenager who turned out to be quite quiet, actually; a wide-eyed winger focused on sleep. Then there was the foreseeable yet unstoppable elusiveness. Opposition defenders knew Duff would drop a shoulder and jink, yet even armed with this knowledge, were invariably unable to prevent him going past them. Then there was Damien Duff the manager who, despite his name and fame, took over at just-promoted Shelbourne at closure-threatened Tolka Park. In the League of Ireland. It looked a mismatch. But the golden child met the problem child with a sincerity of conviction that swept Shelbourne and the League itself along. Of course, there were other factors, including the post-Covid rise in interest and attendances, as well as improved results by some clubs in Europe. But Duff helped the League onto the back pages and then, when Shels clinched the title at the Brandywell last November, onto the front pages. In terms of sporting culture, this was a step-change. READ MORE It wasn't just about Damien Duff, some said. It was all about Damien Duff. We are still scrambling to comprehend last Sunday's walkout , but those who believe the latter, that Duff is me-me-me, have to reckon with the fact that if Duff had this selfish managerial career-path strategy, the 100-cap Irish international and former Chelsea Premier League winner would hardly have chosen Shelbourne as his starting point. Tolka Park has its charms, but have you seen Celtic's Lennoxtown training ground? Did you notice that vacancy at QPR on the green borders of Fulham and Chelsea? Duff, moreover, would not have stayed 3½ years at Shelbourne had his commitment not been total – 'always on', '24/7' as he and everyone at Shels said. Damien Duff resigned as Shelbourne manager last Sunday, following a home defeat to Derry City two days earlier. Photograph: Dan Clohessy From stability to a cup final to Europe and then to Shelbourne winning the title for the first time in 18 years, Duff worked. He worked hard. And now, here we are at the point where all that work has produced a Champions League qualifier. Five days after the draw brought an all-island, All-Ireland tie against Linfield, Duff exited. His departure was in keeping with his arrival in late 2021 – unforeseen – but the timing is, again, contradictory. Scanning the print editions of nine English newspapers on Monday morning, there was only one mention of Duff leaving Shelbourne It is possible to decry the Champions League as an entity, its continental economics growing ever-more domestically distorting, but for clubs of Shelbourne's scale it can be transformational. It offers a route into the Europa League and Conference League as well as the prestige, and money, of this Champions League round. For an ambitious Irish manager, it also offers profile; for an ambitious Irish manager with an alert agent, it is success in Europe that changes perspective in the British market. Doing good things at Sligo Rovers or Shamrock Rovers may be evidence of ability, but it is an unexpected victory in Europe that provokes boardroom intrigue elsewhere. Stephen Kenny's arrival at Dunfermline in 2006 came three months after his Derry City team had won 5-1 at Gretna in the Uefa Cup. That came after Derry had knocked out IFK Gothenburg in the previous round. When Derry then drew 0-0 with Paris St Germain in the next round, Dunfermline, in Scotland's top-flight, were sure they had their man. Damien Duff on the sideline next to St Patrick's Athletic manager Stephen Kenny during a recent Dublin derby at Richmond Park. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho Kenny had demonstrated capabilities to an audience beyond the Brandywell or Dalymount Park. When he repeated European progression at Dundalk, ultimately it led to Kenny becoming manager of Ireland. When Michael O'Neill guided Shamrock Rovers into the group stage of the 2011-12 Europa League via the elimination of Partizan Belgrade, he turned heads beyond Tallaght and was soon manager of Northern Ireland. From there O'Neill went to Stoke City in the Championship and back to Northern Ireland. His coaching reputation is established. Stephen Bradley should be in a similar situation at Rovers today. If he wants it. If a job across the water was Duff's real desire, he would be in the dugout adjacent to Linfield's David Healy in a fortnight. He would know the importance of being seen. But there is a difference in ego between local swagger – Duff in Dublin referring to 'Duffer' – and a calculated careerism that views Dublin football as barely a stepping stone to bigger and better across the water. On Monday, about 24 hours after Shelbourne's shock confirmation of Duff's abrupt decision, there was a rush of rumour linking him with a move to Brentford. As a motivation for departing Shels, it sounded a bit far-fetched and someone at Brentford said it was definitely not happening. It was a verdict as emphatic as it was swift, because contrary to Ireland, neither the Premier League nor English football was consumed by the Duff news. Scanning the print editions of nine English newspapers on Monday morning, ranging from The Guardian to the Daily Star, there was only one mention of Duff leaving Shelbourne. It was in The Sun, 52 words long, beneath a story about a Wolves player possibly joining Birmingham City. So while we may all know and understand what Duff has done at Shels, and in turn for the league, there's a Test match at Headingley and Arsenal still have not signed a centre-forward. When the question of 'what happens next?' arises, Duff heading off on the boat needs consideration. He has always said he wants to remain at home. [ Stephen Bradley sad to see Damien Duff depart Shelbourne despite rivalry Opens in new window ] What's next should be Duff's Shelbourne v Healy's Linfield in a fixture likely to be more competitive than Shamrock Rovers v Larne last season. But that won't be happening, which is sad. Those close to the situation say it is irretrievable. From 24/7 to 0/7. Perhaps, indeed, too much has been said by Duff to his squad, even if much praise was given out along the way too. There is a decent argument that says it should not be irreversible. It is not a sin to think again. It is not weakness. It is the passing of time, the dawning of a reality that might not have been the intended outcome. Did the relentless personal energy Duff spoke of morph from inspiring to intimidating? It would require reflection and generosity from all quarters, but that should not be impossible. An about-turn may be the ultimate contradiction, but it's also human. In this world of fixed opinion it might not seem so, but you are allowed to change your mind.
Irish Examiner
5 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Harvey Elliott hopes knee-slide celebration knock will not rule him out of U21 Euros final
England Under-21s hero Harvey Elliott hopes he has not ruined his chances of leading his country to European Championship glory after a goal celebration went wrong. Elliott scored twice as the Young Lions beat Netherlands 2-1 in the semi-final in Bratislava. The Liverpool midfielder attempted a knee slide after he opened the scoring just after the hour, but he got stuck in the dry conditions. He played on through the pain and moved England to one win away from becoming back-to-back champions when scored an 86th-minute winner after Noah Ohio levelled for the Dutch. "I don't know what I've done to my knee, but it's bloody hurting," he told Channel 4. "So hopefully it's nothing too silly. It's a silly decision from me, to be honest, but it's just one of them, live in the moment. "You do these things, but I forgot the pitch was ridiculously dry and it is the price I have got to pay." England will play Germany in the final on Saturday, when they will aim to defend the crown they won two years ago. "It's amazing," Elliott added. "A really tough game, but bloody hell, to win it, it's incredible. "I can't put it words. Another final, I know I keep saying it, but we need to rest, recover and go again, because it's not over yet. "Tonight was another amazing experience, really tough conditions once again. But the way the lads dug deep, I think we deserve this final. It's just about recovering, resting and going again. "It's been really tough preparation wise. We had many players that had to drop out because of the Club World Cup, transfers and things like that. "It's just one last push and hopefully we can be crowned champions again." Boss Lee Carsley, who is aiming to follow in Dave Sexton's footsteps of winning the tournament twice, declared the victory "outstanding". "The team were outstanding. The way we started the game was exciting and disappointing to come in at half-time without scoring," he told Channel 4. "Second half we played with real resilience. We stood up and got over the line. We can really look forward to the final. "Harvey Elliott and Charlie Cresswell didn't play a lot of minutes in the last campaign. We knew how important they would be - they have taken that on board, the responsibility of driving the rest of the squad. "Harvey has been outstanding. He is one of many who have stood up. They're developing as a team and a squad. I think this team is outstanding."
The Irish Sun
5 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Aston Villa's £100m stadium upgrade will create HUGE beer hall, welcome rival sport and be built in rarely-seen way
THESE are exciting times to be an Aston Villa fan - and they are about to get even better. The club tasted Champions League football for the first time this season, with memorable victories at Villa Park over Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain. Advertisement 39 Villa Park is set to undergo a major renovation project Credit: Reuters 39 Aston Villa have played at Villa Park since 1897 Credit: Getty 39 Fans will be hoping the increased capacity can create an even better atmosphere Credit: Getty 39 Planning permission was approved for the refurbishment of the North Stand Credit: PA:Press Association Now they are progressing with plans to renovate their iconic stadium, bolstering the capacity to rival the Premier League elite while creating a giant beer hall and even hosting another sport. THE VILLA PARK STORY Villa Park opened in 1897 and has been The stadium was built in the grounds of the Aston Hall stately home, owned by Sir Thomas Holte, whose name is used for the famous stand behind one goal. The pitch now sits where an ornamental pond once took pride of place. Advertisement READ MORE ON FOOTBALL The original stadium took three years to build at a cost of £16,733, approximately £1.8m today, with a capacity of 40,000. In its early years, the pitch had a cycling track around the perimeter to host cycling and athletics events. Various renovations have taken place over the years, including an £887 terrace covering. Plans were drawn in 1914 to fit in 120,000 fans but never materialised. Advertisement Most read in Football Latest CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS Everton's Goodison Park inspired the two-tier design before further updates in the 1970s once Doug Ellis became chairman. Inside Chelsea's new £1.6BILLION stadium plans with Stamford Bridge project set to rival Tottenham's The most recent renovation work was the rebuilding of the Trinity Stand in 2000, officially opened by King Charles, whose grandfather George VI opened the previous version 77 years earlier. Advertisement The current capacity is 42,918 - making Villa Park the tenth-biggest football stadium in England. 39 The stadium was built in the grounds of Aston Hall, with the pitch now where an ornamental pond once was Credit: Getty 39 The Holte End is named after former Aston Hall owner Sir Thomas Holte Credit: Getty 39 The ground has undergone several expansions and updates over the decades Credit: Getty Advertisement 39 There were designs to take the capacity up to 120,000 in the 1910s Credit: Getty 39 King Charles, then the Prince of Wales, opened the Trinity Stand in 2000 Credit: AFP 39 The official capacity in 2024-25 is 42,918 Credit: Alamy WHY NOW? There have been long-term hopes to increase the size of Villa Park for years. Advertisement But they turned into genuine plans when the new V Sports owners took over from Tony Xia for good in 2019 and the club enjoyed promotion back to the Premier League. Villa received planning approval from Birmingham City Council for their new development in December 2022, prompting the expansion ideas to go public. The following year, though, the proposals to demolish the North Stand and completely rebuild it were shelved by president of business operations Chris Heck as a 'bad idea' that would see the stadium's capacity drop to 36,000 for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 seasons. But in December 2024, Villa announced new grand designs with artists' impressions of what the updated Villa Park could look like with a modernised North Stand. Advertisement The timing could not have been better, coming in the year the club celebrated their 150th anniversary. And it also coincided with the 39 Villa are planning to modernise the North Stand as part of a £100m project Credit: Getty 39 The current North Stand holds 5,000 fans Credit: Aston Villa FC Advertisement 39 The expanded update could accommodate 12,000 - a massive increase Credit: Aston Villa FC 39 The new capacity would help Villa Park rival some of the biggest stadiums in the country Credit: Aston Villa FC WHAT ARE THEY PLANNING? First and foremost, the standout plan is to redevelop the North Stand. Villa confirmed in April 2025 that the stand will be refurbished and expanded from 5,000 to more than 12,000 seats. Advertisement The three other stands are also getting minor upgrades, too, which However, eventually the hope is to bolster that total to 52,000 in the coming years. Ironically, even with the increases, Villa will slip down the Premier League pecking order because of 39 Advertisement 39 39 Villa are also developing the area outside the ground, with a new 'plaza' complex on the site of the current car park in front of the North Stand. That will feature Advertisement A brand-new two-storey club shop is also in the works for fans to stock up on all their Aston Villa merchandise. And, as part of the condition of the This is to accommodate double the number of passengers to 10,000 fans on a matchday. 39 A new facade would give the historic ground a fresh appearance Credit: Aston Villa FC Advertisement 39 The overall capacity is set to exceed 50,000 Credit: Aston Villa FC 39 Fans will hope to see more big European nights Credit: Aston Villa FC 39 Villa released artists' impressions of what it may look like Credit: Aston Villa FC 39 The current car park would be replaced by a new plaza complex Credit: Aston Villa FC Advertisement 39 A new multi-storey fan store is part of the development plans Credit: Aston Villa FC 39 The Warehouse will become the Premier League's biggest beer hall come Christmas this year Credit: Aston Villa FC 39 The indoor venue would be used by fans on matchdays but also stage gigs Credit: Aston Villa FC 39 Boxing fight nights are also on the card for The Warehouse Credit: Aston Villa FC Advertisement HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE? Villa expect the construction work to take around 24 months to complete - and are hoping it will all be done by the end of 2027. The Warehouse is set to be ready to open by Christmas 2025, though. Crucially, Villa are NOT planning to reduce Villa Park's capacity while the new North Stand is built in a rarely-seen move. The likes of Liverpool and Fulham saw their maximum attendances drop as a result of the building work. But Villa proudly announced their 'robust design process' found a way to modernise the existing North Stand 'without losing any seats during the season', meaning a full house can continue to roar the Villans on. 39 Villa hope to make The Warehouse a leading West Midlands arena Credit: Aston Villa FC Advertisement 39 The whole project should generate £120m annually and 1,700 full-time jobs Credit: Aston Villa FC 39 An open-plan area will be a space for supporters to gather before kick-off Credit: Aston Villa FC 39 A new stand would no doubt feature a fully-equipped concourse Credit: Aston Villa FC 39 The development zone outside the stadium is in front of the North Stand Credit: Aston Villa FC Advertisement HOW MUCH WILL IT COST? As expected, the whole project will not come cheap. Aston Villa have estimated the cost will be a minimum of £100m for the improvements to Villa Park. The large bulk of that will go into the brand-new North Stand. IS IT WORTH IT? That is the big question - and it is hard to see this redevelopment being anything other than a positive for Aston Villa and the local area once the obtrusive building work is all done. Advertisement A bigger ground has two key, fundamental benefits - more fans creating a better atmosphere and more money made from selling extra tickets, refreshments and merchandise. Villa also predict the renovation will help pump £120m annually into the local economy and create 1,700 full-time equivalent jobs. But there are a few other major benefits. The Warehouse will double up as a key indoor arena in the West Midlands, staging high-profile music gigs and even boxing fight nights in the new indoor arena. Advertisement Lastly, and most importantly for all football fans, the work is scheduled to be done by the end of 2027 - in time for Euro 2028. 39 Witton railway station looks on course for a rebuild Credit: Getty 39 Liverpool had to reduce their capacity while Anfield was renovated Credit: Getty Advertisement 39 Fulham also endured a similar issue but Villa have managed to avoid it Credit: Getty 39 Everton's new stadium will be fractionally bigger than Villa Park - even after all the improvements Credit: Getty 39 The Everton ground becomes the Toffees' home venue from the 2025-26 season Credit: Getty 39 Villa Park is one of the nine stadiums put forward to host Euro 2028 matches Credit: Reuters Advertisement 39 Villa Park has seen plenty of memorable moments - including this season's Champions League run Credit: Getty 39 Aston Villa beat Bayern Munich at their raucous home ground Credit: Getty
