Linfield board at 'wits' end' after Uefa fine
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
22 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Rangers transfer latest as Mikey Moore could be first of THREE wingers to join club – and why he was compared to NEYMAR
RANGERS' quest to reach the Champions League ramps up a notch this week as they face Panathinaikos again. Alongside that, the quest to bolster the squad at Ibrox continues on as well! Advertisement 6 Russell Martin is busy adding to his squad Credit: Willie Vass 6 Mikey Moore is close to joining Rangers Credit: Getty 6 SunSport broke the news of the Gers' interest in Jesurun Rak-Sakyi Credit: Getty 6 One Rangers target has been compared to NEYMAR Credit: Getty Rangers are in Athens to take on Panathinaikos in the second leg of their second qualifying round encounter. Advertisement The Gers have a 2-0 lead from the first leg thanks to Findlay Curtis and Djeidi Gassama striking a couple of crackers last week. Russell Martin will, of course, be hoping to lead his team to the next around and he'll be hoping to call upon some new faces if he gets them there. The Light Blues are in the market for wingers and they're currently chasing THREE players in that position. The Gers boss will also be keen to move players OUT of his bloated squad - and there could be movement right around the corner. SunSport's sports content editor David Friel and reporter Andy Devlin - on location in Greece - have all the latest. Advertisement MIKEY MOORE Andy Devlin It's pretty close. I think the issue Rangers had in the last 48 hours was just convincing Spurs that Ibrox was the right place for him to go to. Spurs until eight hours ago weren't entirely sure whether they wanted the young lad to go out on loan anywhere, he's so highly rated. He's only 17, there will be a lot of expectation, a lot of pressure. Major Mikey Moore Rangers loan doubts & 'strange situation' at Celtic + transfer news Go Ballistic You just look at the testimonies about him, his ability, Ange Postecolgou rates him so highly. Advertisement There's been a lot of interest from Championship clubs in him as well but it's looking like Rangers are in the box seat to secure his signature which would be on a season long loan with no option to buy because the boy has an obvious future at Tottenham, it's another exciting signing for the Ranges support. The lad himself is wanting the move to Rangers. Championship wont give him European football, Rangers will do that. He's had some appearances last season for Spurs in run to the Europa League Final, 21 in total, so not as if he hasn't played first team football. He's used to that environment. He is one that despite his age, he will be ready to come in and play a part in the Rangers team. David Friel Advertisement It looks as if it'll be Rangers, he's a really interesting player, a special talent. As Andy says, you only have to see how much Ange Postecoglou admired him. After a game in Europe, James Maddison compared him to Neymar in terms of his dribbling skills. With certain players, their development comes at different times. I think Spurs feel his development is fast tracked to the extent there's no point in him coming on for five/ten minutes here and there every other Premier League game. They want him to play meaningful football, at a good level, under scrutiny and he'll get that at Rangers. Advertisement I get the risk - it's a first loan for him, he's a young player, sometimes it's eays ot burst onto the scene and make that impact. I wouldn't expect absolute miracles from Mikey Moore immediately but he can help Rangers and Rangers can help him. Russell Martin has a track record of working with young players. I think it's a good fit. 6 Oliver Antman is another Rangers target Credit: Getty OLIVER ANTMAN David Friel Advertisement He's got an interesting background, good experience, has been playing really well in Holland. He has taken a bit of a strange route, he's had a couple of knock-backs in his career, he's gone for moves, he's a product of Nordsjaelland system - Diomande, Nygren, they're really good at developing players. He went to Groningen on loan, he's come back and ended up going to Go Ahead Eagles for just over £1million which for Go Ahead Eagles is a lot of money, at that time I think he was one of their record signings. He's really done well, good experience with the Finnish national team as well. He's a player who I think would be a shrewd one, it'd be a permanent move as well. Advertisement If Rangers can get the balance between getting these loans in they can feel benefit the team but then getting the long-term signings that you want to build your team around for the next few years and that one ticks the box. JESURUN RAK-SAKYI David Friel I think it might be one Rangers need to be a bit patient with. Crystal Palace's stance, by all accounts, is that they are probably somewhere down the line open to a loan move for him but they would rather just sell him now. If the money being talked about - £10million - I can't really see Rangers sanctioning that for Rak-Sakyi. Advertisement I don't think any of the noises coming from Rangers is that they would entertain that or even try to go to that. I wonder if it's a bit of wait and see with Rak-Sakyi. Clearly Russell Martin has been talking about how much he admires him, he clearly wants him in. I don't think this is dependent on the other wings that we've spoken about - Gassama's in the door, they want Antman, they're very close to Mikey Moore - but I think it's just another winger that Russell Martin wants. Clearly he wants options. If you look at the modern game, the front three tends to change after an hour. Advertisement You basically use six forwards in every game and Rangers have got so many games. Rak-Sakyi is one Rangers have clearly targeted but they might need to be a bit patient with how it pans out and what other interest comes in. If Palace do get the permanent bid he'll probably go elsewhere but Rangers are clearly in the conversation and all the noises are that he'd be quite keen to come to Rangers, I think he's excited about what Russell Martin is doing. I'd never, ever rule that out. I think Rangers are right in the mix but it might depend on what other clubs go. Advertisement I think Russell Martin will look at the formation he plays, you would want four strong wingers. That's before we even talk about guys like Oscar Cortes who's still there. I think he's looking at it and being quite ambitious, for me. It might even end up being two loans - for Moore and Rak-Sakyi. 6 Advertisement KIERAN DOWELL David Friel I think there's a wait and see element with Rangers being successful being in that attacking area. I think Russell Martin's been quite clever in the sense that he's looked at the squad, looked at Dowell's experience and clearly knows the player, and he's thinking 'I'm going to need him for these qualifiers at the very least.' I think he's been quite clever to say to Kieran Dowell 'let's just see how things go, do as well as you can, I'm going to give you a pivotal role for these next few weeks, I really need you.' Long term, do I think Kieran Dowell is the answer for Rangers? Advertisement No, I think the last few years have probably just damaged his reputation with the fans because it's never really worked out. He'll always start on that negative point. He would probably say he's not had that many chances, or a prolonged run in the team. He's just got so much to prove and he'd have to play so well to win the fans over that long term I don't think he's going to be the answer. In the short term, Rangers probably need that experience. Advertisement CONOR COADY It's not looking likely but I would never say never on it. We spoke about moving parts, it's probably the same with what are Leicester going to do? It goes back to wages, the fee, all sorts of stuff. I'd never say never but the longer it goes on I wonder if Rangers really are starting to look elsewhere. Have YOU got a point for Kris Boyd? Kris Boyd and Roger Hannah chew over the big talking points each week SOMETHING you've just got to get off your chest from the weekend action? A burning Scottish football talking point you can't wait to bring up with Kris Boyd and Roger Hannah? SunSport's GoBallistic show wants to hear from you! So why not help set the Scottish football agenda for the week ahead! Have your say on the game's big topics by emailing us on: GoBallistic@ It's YOUR turn to Go Ballistic! Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
Daily Mail
22 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Chelsea bag remarkable fee for Joao Felix as £42.7m misfit seals Saudi Arabia transfer after making just 20 appearances
Joao Felix has left Chelsea to join Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr on a permanent deal. The 25-year-old Portugal international moved to Stamford Bridge from Atletico Madrid last summer, having had an earlier spell with the Blues on loan in 2023. He made 20 appearances for Enzo Maresca 's side in the first half of the season - but started only three Premier League games - before leaving for AC Milan on loan in January. 'We thank Joao for his efforts across his two spells at the club and wish him well for the future,' Chelsea said in the statement. Felix has signed a two-year contract with his new club. Al-Nassr have reportedly paid an initial £26million transfer fee, although add-ons could see that rise as high as £43million - close to the sum Chelsea paid Atletico for his services last summer. He joins his Portugal team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo at Al-Nassr, who announced his arrival with a short video on social media in which Felix said: 'I am here to spread joy. Let's win together.' Felix had been linked with a return to his boyhood club Benfica, but a move didn't materialise. Chelsea are also believed to be open to offers for Ben Chilwell and Raheem Sterling, who are surplus to requirements under Enzo Maresca. Meanwhile the Blues have been edging closer to the completion of a move for RB Leipzig's 22-year-old attacking midfielder Xavi Simons. He's expected to leave the German side after they failed to secure Champions League football for the upcoming season. Simons only joined Leipzig on a permanent basis last summer in a deal worth an initial £43m, with a further £26m possible in add-ons. He had previously spent two seasons on loan at the club from French giants PSG, while the former Barcelona academy prospect had also spent a year at PSV. The 22-year-old is believed to be open to a move to Chelsea this summer, with the Blues having held initial talks with his representatives. Chelsea have already strengthened heavily in attacking areas during the transfer window, with strikers Joao Pedro and Liam Delap joining for £60m and £30m respectively. They've already sold Noni Madueke to Arsenal in a £52m deal earlier his month. Chelsea boss Maresca admitted last month that Christopher Nkunku may leave the club this summer. The west London side appear open to his departure despite signing the 27-year-old on a six-year deal for a hefty £52.7million just two years ago. Striker Nicolas Jackson has too been linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge after the arrival of Delap from Ipswich Town.
Metro
an hour ago
- Metro
When is the next Women's World Cup and where is it being held?
England are celebrating becoming back-to-back European champions after beating Spain in the Euro 2025 final. The Lionesses have enjoyed an open-top bus parade in London, with thousands of supporters lining The Mall to welcome home their heroes. But already, attention is turning to the next tournament: the World Cup. The Lionesses came so close to winning the biggest trophy in football in 2023, losing in the final to Spain. Victory in Switzerland will give them renewed hope that they can go one better next time. Here's everything you need to know about the next Women's World Cup, including when and where it's taking place: The Women's World Cup is held every four years, with the next tournament to take place in 2027. It is currently slated to begin on June 24, with the final a month later on July 25. Brazil will host the 2027 Women's World Cup, the first time the tournament will be held in South America. They won the hosting rights after beating a joint-bid from Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands. Eight venues in as many cities will be used, the largest of which is the Estadio do Maracana in Rio de Janeiro with a capacity of 73,139. We also know the hosts for the following two editions of the Women's World Cup, with the competition heading to the USA and Mexico in 2031. Then in 2035, football comes home to England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. While not official yet, the UK was the only country to submit a valid bid to host the tournament. 32 teams will battle it out for glory at the 2027 Women's World Cup. As per usual, there will be eight groups of four teams, with the top two in each group progressing to the knockouts. This will be the last Women's World Cup to use this format, with the competition expanding to 48 teams for 2031. Hosts Brazil are the only team guaranteed to be at the next Women's World Cup at the moment, with qualifying to be done in two phases. More Trending Each confederation will have their own qualifying process, with England hoping to be among the 11 teams from Europe to make it. The best ranked teams who don't qualify from each confederation will however get a second chance at glory through the inter-confederation play-offs, which will take place just a few months before the tournament kicks-off. The draw for UEFA qualifying will take place on November 4, with the matches to be played from February to December 2026. Shortly after England's triumph at the Euros, Ian Wright named his favourite to win the 2027 World Cup. 'USA are the favourites, they're the ones to beat. They're so good, they're so good!' the Arsenal legend said on ITV. 'If we get anywhere near them I'd be really happy because they're the ones, they're major favourites. 'You can't ignore France either, they seem to be really close. 'Spain as well. If they can get that centre-forward to finish it off then Spain will be a problem.' For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. MORE: FA chief speaks out on Sarina Wiegman's England future beyond next World Cup MORE: Lionesses enjoy Downing Street reception as Euro 2025 celebrations continue MORE: Lioness hero reveals tragic loss two days before Euro 2025 with heart-breaking message
