Linfield hero backing old team-mate Jamie Mulgrew to stay cool and live Euro dream
The Premiership winners are ready to wrestle with Shelbourne in the first round of Champions League qualifying.
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Daily Record
9 minutes ago
- Daily Record
Jimmy Thelin confirms key Aberdeen duo will miss Europa League playoff as he opens up on Pape Gueye exit
The Dons will discover who stands between them and the league phase of the competition on Monday Jimmy Thelin has confirmed Krister Tobers and Emmanuel Gyamfi will miss Aberdeen's Europa League playoff. The Latvian international and new signing are both out injured and will be out until next month or could even be pushed back to September. The Dons will find out their play-off opponents on Monday with the games scheduled for August 21st and 28th and so Thelin has written their chances off. 'Kristers Tobers and Emmanuel Gyamfi are both still out,' Thelin admitted. 'I think it's going to be late August, early September, before they're available to play. 'They are set to miss the European games. 'No, right now it seems like they are not going to be ready for that one. Thelin is likely to have to leave senior players out of his European squad and the defenders won't be registered for that first tie. Central defender Tobers has been struggling since he hurt himself away on international duty with Latvia. It is a blow because he was a key player last season. Thelin confirmed: 'Tobers suffered the injury when he was away with the national team.' Gyamfi arrived from Schalke but picked up an injury over the summer. It has meant that Thelin has still to see his new signing in action. The Dons manager acknowledged it was a testing time for the 21-year-old. 'He's a good guy and he gets a lot of support,' the Swede added. 'But of course if you sign for a new club, a new adventure and then you arrive injured it is hard. 'He's got positive energy and he's doing really well with the rehab and as I said he gets a lot of support. 'I also tell him that we trust him. 'He has to keep doing his thing and his time will come. 'Yes, he is frustrated but he handles it quite well.' Thelin has admitted his main transfer focus is to try and bring in a replacement for Scottish Cup hero Pape Gueye, The Dons sold the big striker to Turkish side Kasimpasa in a deal that is in excess of £850,000. It sees Aberdeen make a decent profit although it leaves the Dons down in strikers, with youngster Alfie Bavidge also going back out on-loan to Inverness. Thelin explained: 'I think in this window we always have ideas and plans, but it's an open market and you're not alone in the market. 'This has to be the right one, not just someone. 'We have a good squad already, we trust the players who are here, but we're always trying to improve either through recruitment or training and developing players. 'It's both parts and try to do the right things, not just things. 'We are focused on the squad we have, but we're always trying to see what we can do.' Aberdeen are in talks with AC Milan over a deal for Marko Lazetic but this is proving difficult as the Italian look to try and claw as much of the £3.5 million they paid for him, via a transfer fee and add-ons. Thelin refused to go into detail about Lazetic. He said: 'I don't want to comment on players that aren't ours. 'It's not respectful." The Swede admitted that the time was right for Gueye to go. It was a deal that suited all parties. The move is also part of the club's policy to sell players. Thelin explained: 'Yes, he's a big personality and a good player for us, but this is a normal process in a football club. 'Sometimes it's time to take another step in another direction with his career. 'This time the time was right. 'It was right for both clubs and him. 'So this happened and we are so thankful for the time he was here, but it was the right time and we keep working with our things.' Gueye's time at Aberdeen looked up after he was sent out on loan to Kristiansund but Thelin came in and revived his career. 'He's done well,' his manager stated. 'Pape did really well when he came back and then he got this injury and came back and did well again. 'The injury was tough for him, but it was a good year in total. 'He did a lot of important things on the pitch also and also in the final. 'But sometimes as a manager you know that you can't keep every player forever and it's a normal process that's happening. 'Sometimes players go on and both parties are happy.' Aberdeen begin their Premiership campaign away to Hearts on Monday evening. It will see former Aberdeen boss Derek McInnes go up against Thelin. Hearts have stormed through their Premier Sports Cup group with a 100% record and will go in confident of extending their impressive home record against the Red. Thelin acknowledged: 'First of all, hearts are prepared well. 'They're doing well in the games they've played so far. 'They look stable and clear. 'It's a challenge for us, but we also think that we have been a little bit better and focus on the things we have to do. 'Hopefully, we can prove that on Monday and then keep going from there.' The away form cost Aberdeen in the league and their boss wants to see them dig out more results. He said: 'I think it's a different reason. 'Again, there's consistency and finding a way. (Like we did in the semi-final and the final, sometimes when the game is not perfect, you stay in the game and give yourself a chance to win a game. 'That was a good experience for us in the semi-final and the final in that way. 'Even if it's not always fluent and everything is perfect, you can still win football games."
Daily Mirror
10 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Arsenal's stance on Eberechi Eze transfer revealed as date release clause expires is confirmed
Arsenal have been heavily linked with a move for Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze this summer, but it remains to be seen if the Gunners can strike a deal for the 27-year-old Arsenal are interested in Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze, but want to offload a forward before making a formal approach. The Gunners have made six new signings so far this summer, with Viktor Gyokeres, Martin Zubimendi, Noni Madueke, Cristhian Mosquera, Christian Norgaard and Kepa Arrizabalaga all joining the club. Eze is another player that has been heavily linked with a move to the Emirates and he does have a £68million release clause in his contract. However, multiple reports have stated that the clause expires on Friday. And BBC Sport are reporting that Arsenal have 'shown no inclination of triggering the forward's release fee', with the Gunners looking to sell before they make any more new signings. The report adds that Arsenal value Eze at less than £68m and 'want to negotiate a deal beneath the agreement'. Palace have so far been unwilling to negotiate a lower fee, but it is claimed that may change later in the window. When asked about Eze's future back in May, Palace boss Oliver Glasner said: "I don't want to comment on individual players. "We could talk about Marc Guehi, we could talk about Dean Henderson, we could talk about Adam Wharton, we could talk about Jean-Philippe Mateta, Daniel Munoz, Ismaila Sarr who played an incredible, outstanding season for us. We won't sell all of them." And Glasner has been left frustrated with Palace's lack of business so far this summer, having only spent £3m on a backup goalkeeper and a left-back. "Even though all the players are still here, we haven't made the most of the transfer window so far," Glasner admitted. "I was promised that we would be more active and bring in the new players earlier this year. As of now, I have 17 outfield players. "I hope we don't lose any more. If that happens and we get four new ones on deadline day like last year, another false start is possible." Palace's business has been complicated by the fact that they are still waiting to find out which European competition they will be playing in next season. Palace qualified for the Europa League after winning the FA Cup last season, but have been demoted to the Conference League by UEFA. UEFA ruled that they had breached their multi-club ownership rules, but Palace have lodged an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport and a decision is expected before August 11.
BBC News
10 minutes ago
- BBC News
'We back ourselves' - Gordon eyes Rangers scalp to ignite Askou era
Motherwell defender Liam Gordon is excited to put Jens Berthel Askou's "fresh ideas" into practice in the Premiership opener at home to manager Askou's clear vision of possession-based attractive football has been evident in the Steelmen's successful League Cup group-stage campaign and pre-season draw with Hertha Berlin."We've learned lots of new ideas and we're really enjoying it, I'm just exited to take the new style into the league campaign," said Gordon."I think you can see from the first few games against Hertha and then the League Cup games we're focusing much more on possession and controlling the game on and off the ball."The manager has given us a good structure to build from and we all know our jobs. It's been very detailed personally and collectively. He's brought a nice fresh idea to Motherwell and hopefully it will be successful."Gordon believes the visit of Rangers on Saturday is the perfect test, adding: "I get that it's tough right at the start of the season, but I think it's a great game to kick us off. Especially at home to one of the biggest teams in the country."You can always be better but we take confidence from the Hertha game, who were a very good opposition and probably a similar standard to Rangers."So I don't see why we can't do the same again, we're under no illusion it will be easy but we back ourselves."Askou has not ruled out the possibility of Lennon Miller featuring on Saturday and Gordon praised the teenage star's mentality amid fervent transfer speculation."He just handles his business, I sometimes feel I'm a young player speaking to him the way he carries himself but honestly he's been brilliant," he said."So much noise around him but you'd never know, just takes it in his stride. I'd be a nervous wreck so credit to him."
