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Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Hugo Ekitike's nickname given by Lionel Messi said it all about next Liverpool signing
Liverpool are closing in on the signing of Eintracht Frankfurt forward Hugo Ekitike, who has a three-word nickname that was given to him by former PSG team-mate Lionel Messi At just 23 years old, Hugo Ekitike already holds the impressive distinction of having shared the pitch with some of the sport's biggest names - a trend set to continue at Liverpool. Following a dramatic few days of speculation, the Reds are close to finalising a deal which could rise to £79million for the Eintracht Frankfurt forward. Liverpool hijacked Newcastle's bid for the player when the Magpies refused to sell Alexander Isak. The Premier League champions then moved swiftly to agree a transfer, which, once completed, will push the club's summer spending to just under the £300m mark. Ekitike, who will become Liverpool's second-most expensive striker in history behind Darwin Nunez, is expected to sign a six-year contract at Anfield. The Frenchman found the back of the net 22 times and tallied 12 assists in 48 matches across all competitions last season, after making his move from Paris Saint-Germain to the Bundesliga permanent just one year ago. It was during his spell in the French capital that Ekitike lined up beside some of the sport's most elite talent, including Kylian Mbappe, Neymar and Lionel Messi. Messi, the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner, even gave Ekitike a nickname during their stint together - calling him "the iron rod." According to Get Football News France, the moniker was a nod to Ekitike's slim yet atheltic build - with the 6ft 3in striker towering over the 5ft 7in Messi - and how he could make sudden bursts of acceleration to leave his team-mates surprised. That tells Arne Slot all he needs to know about his latest signing, who will be tasked with making runs for the likes of Mohamed Salah and Florian Wirtz to find, while also offering a focal point in attack that they can build off of. Injuries hindered Ekitike's progress at PSG, leading the forward to enlist a personal trainer and physiotherapist to help him build the strength necessary for elite-level football. That commitment appears to have borne fruit, featuring in 48 games for Frankfurt last season. Liverpool will be eager to finalise the signing quickly as their pre-season campaign gets into full swing. The Reds have flown to Hong Kong ahead of their pre-season opener against AC Milan on July 26, and will later travel to Japan to face Yokohama F. Marinos on July 30. Afterwards, Liverpool will return home for back-to-back friendlies at Anfield against Athletic Bilbao on August 4, before heading to Wembley to meet Crystal Palace in the Community Shield on August 10. Ekitike's arrival signals a major statement of intent from Liverpool. The Reds barely spent a penny on players last season, but have added Florian Wirtz - for a potential British transfer record £116.5m fee - Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez and Giorgi Mamardashvili, who was signed last season but initially loaned back to Valencia, to their squad. The 2025/26 season already marks the most expensive campaign in Liverpool's history. Their previous highest outlay came in 2018/19, when they spent £166m on signings including Alisson, Naby Keita and Fabinho.
NBC News
4 days ago
- Politics
- NBC News
Landmark ruling on trans women by U.K.'s top court sparks heartbreak and confusion
LONDON — Soccer fans know it as 'hallowed ground,' so when Billie Sky Walker walked onto the field at London's Wembley Stadium two years ago, she achieved a dream held by players around the world. Before a Community Shield men's match between Manchester City and Arsenal in August 2023, she proudly donned an official shirt as a representative of the Football Association, the regulatory body for soccer in England, that read, 'The FA is for all. ' Today, the 28-year-old is barred from playing in FA-organized tournaments following a landmark judgment by Britain's Supreme Court in April that said the legal definition of 'woman' is based on biological sex — a huge blow to campaigners for transgender rights that could have far-reaching implications for a wide range of life in the U.K., be it admission to changing rooms, and decisions on hospital beds, equal pay claims and domestic violence shelters. After the judgment, a number of sporting governing bodies, including the FA, changed their rules so that only those born biologically female are allowed to play, excluding Walker and 28 other transgender players across England from the association. The Scottish Football Association followed suit, and Northern Ireland's Irish Football Association appears likely to do the same. Describing the ruling as 'confusing and upsetting,' Walker said she had been welcomed 'into this space' by her cisgender peers, or biological women. Calling the decision to bar Walker 'heartbreaking,' her former teammate Lucy Leiter, 24, said it was not the case that 'only trans women think they should play,' adding, 'The support has been unequivocal from everyone I've ever played with.' Walker, who said she felt that she was a girl from the age of 5 and transitioned at the age of 24, said that playing soccer on a women's team 'really established a huge essence of who I am, because it gave me the safety and comfort and knowledge that I'm enough.' Intense debate The Supreme Court ruling came amid intense and sometimes toxic public debate in the U.K. over the intersection of transgender and women's rights. The debate has also simmered in the U.S., where President Donald Trump has made it one of his signature issues by signing an executive order in February banning trans women from women's sports at the national level. In December 2022, Scottish lawmakers approved a bill that allowed anyone over the age of 16 to change their gender identity using gender certificates, removing the need for a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria, the medical term for the distress that results from the conflict between someone's gender identity and sex assigned at birth. The campaign group For Women Scotland later brought a legal case against the semiautonomous government, arguing that sex-based protections should apply only to people who were born female. And Britain's central government blocked the law the following year, invoking for the first time a section of the 25-year-old act that gave the Scottish Parliament control over most of its own affairs. The For Women Scotland case nonetheless worked its way through the court system, reaching the Supreme Court this spring. After the court's 12 justices ruled unanimously in the group's favor, the presiding judge, Lord Hodge, said the decision should not be seen as 'a triumph of one side over the other,' and emphasized that transgender people remain protected under the law. For Women Scotland campaigners celebrated the verdict with hugs, tears of happiness, and champagne as they left the courtroom. 'There was elation and disbelief and, yes, I was absolutely thrilled,' Susan Smith, one of the group's co-founders, told NBC News in a telephone interview last month. 'If people were entitled to say that their sex in law had changed, you can't control who applies for that.' For Smith and her group, the issue of legal gender recognition touches on who gets to make decisions about women's lives and bodies, including their access to spaces from hospital wards to rape crisis centers and prisons.
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Liverpool's pre-season tour: 5 things to watch out for as Reds head to the Far East
Arne Slot's team jet off to Hong Kong before heading to Japan for four friendlies across 10 days as they gear up for a defence of their Premier League title Liverpool are jetting off on their pre-season tour to Asia this morning with Arne Slot's Premier League champions playing four games before taking on Crystal Palace in the Community Shield in three weeks' time. And while the Reds continue to mourn the tragic passing of Diogo Jota earlier this month, anticipation of a strong title defence is building. Once they get used to the conditions and time difference, Liverpool will take on AC Milan next weekend before facing Yokohama Mariners and then take on Athletic Club in a double-header on the same day. Here are some of the things to look out for as the new campaign appears on the horizon. Wirtz debut The Germany star did not make his much-awaited debut against Preston North End last weekend so anticipation remains high ahead of his first appearance for the club following his record move. It will almost certainly come against Milan next Saturday (12:30pm BST) and considering the fee paid there will be pressure on Wirtz to adapt immediately. Ekitike offer Not content with spending £211m in the market already, Liverpool are now pushing on with a move for the Eintracht Frankfurt striker who could cost another £80m. Newcastle are out of the running, a bid is in the pipeline, personal terms are no issue and once a fee is agreed between the clubs the young France striker could be part of the second half of the tour. Nunez departure That would expedite the likely departure of striker Darwin Nunez, who will be part of the touring party but could well bid farewell before the rest of the squad returns to Merseyside. Inevitably he is now being linked with a switch to Newcastle but more realistically could head to the Saudi Pro League, with several clubs there keeping a keen eye on the Uruguayan. Youngsters' big chance A travelling squad is yet to be announced and there is an expectation that fewer academy players compared to this time last year will be given a look in because Slot's squad has so much more depth to it following the signings - joining Wirtz are Milos Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong and goalkeepers Giorgi Mamardashvili, plus youngsters Armin Pecsi and Freddie Woodman. But Trey Nyoni, Rio Ngumoha and Ben Doak could be among those set for some window of opportunity to impress. Jota tributes Diogo Jota's sad death continues to cast a shadow over everything and the respectful tributes will continue during the tour - not least from the thousands of passionate fans the club has across Asia. Supporters clubs in Hong Kong and Tokyo have confirmed they will mark his passing.
Daily Mirror
16-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Florian Wirtz about to answer key Jurgen Klopp question after 'insane' Liverpool decision
Florian Wirtz missed Liverpool's pre-season friendly against Preston North End but fans have now been given their first glimpse of the £116million signing with his new team-mates Florian Wirtz has been pictured training for the first time since Liverpool shattered the British transfer record to sign him. Wirtz, 22, moved to Anfield last month after Liverpool reached a £116million agreement with Bayer Leverkusen, beating both Manchester City and Bayern Munich to his signature. The Reds have agreed to pay an initial £100m plus £16m in potential add-ons. Wirtz put pen to paper on a five-year contract and has a huge amount of pressure on his shoulders thanks to his price tag. Fans had hoped to see the playmaker during Sunday's pre-season friendly against Preston North End. But unlike Liverpool's other new signings - Giorgi Mamardashvili, Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez and Freddie Woodman - Wirtz didn't feature in the 3-1 victory in order to manage his fitness after he played for Germany in the Nations League last month. When he does eventually make his bow in a red shirt, it'll be interesting to see where he fits in. Liverpool romped to the Premier League title during Arne Slot's first season as manager and improving their starting lineup is a tall order. Jurgen Klopp believes that Wirtz is good enough to break into Slot's first XI but just where he'll do that is a mystery to him. Asked whether the former Leverkusen star will be able to establish himself on Merseyside, Klopp replied: "Yes, although of course I don't know exactly which position Arne has in mind for Florian. "He's an outstanding player who can give any club something great. Whether he'll make the reigning English champions even better remains to be seen." Wirtz was seen smiling at Liverpool's AXA Training Centre in Kirkby on Tuesday, the first time that he's been spotted with his new team-mates. The 22-year-old already knows Frimpong, who he played alongside at Leverkusen. Liverpool will jet off for their pre-season tour of Asia next week, with Wirtz expected to be on the plane ahead of clashes with AC Milan and Yokohama F. Marinos. That's before Slot's squad face Athletic Bilbao in two fixtures on the same night back at Anfield next month. Wirtz's competitive debut is likely to come against Crystal Palace in the Community Shield on Saturday, August 10. The Germany international will have the spotlight on him after Klopp labelled his fee 'insane'. "There's no question about it, that's an insane sum," the former Reds boss admitted. "We all agree that we're talking about a great player here. I know I once said that I'm out if we pay 100m euros for a player. "But the world keeps changing. That is how the market is. My part of football will always remain the game itself, but if you want to play at the top level, you can't train all your players yourself. Sometimes you need to get hold [of players from] somewhere else."
Hans India
15-07-2025
- Sport
- Hans India
Brentford sign ex-Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson
London: Brentford have confirmed the signing of Premier League and Champions League winning Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson on a two-year contract. Henderson, an England international with 84 caps for the Three Lions, joins the Bees on a free transfer after departing Ajax this summer. As per reports, Brentford had wrapped the deal last week but Henderson asked for the announcement to be postponed following the passing of his former teammate Diogo Jota. The England midfielder joins the Bees as a replacement after Christian Norgaard joined Arsenal. The midfielder returns to the Premier League after short stints in Saudi Arabia with Al-Ettifaq and then in the Netherlands with Ajax. Prior to that, Henderson was with Liverpool where he spent 12 years and won the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, two League Cups, Community Shield, Super Cup and Club World Cup. Brentford head coach Keith Andrews said, 'When we became aware of Jordan's availability, it was a pretty simple decision. 'We did our due diligence around his recent games to see where he is: he's still phenomenally fit and he's still phenomenally motivated to achieve things in the game, having already achieved a lot. 'With the void of experienced players leaving the building - Christian Norgaard, Mark Flekken and Ben Mee - it was important to replace that." Henderson began his career with boyhood club Sunderland, where he made his Premier League debut as an 18-year-old and, after a loan spell in the Championship with Coventry City in 2008/09, he went on to make a further 70 top-flight appearances for the Black Cats. A move to Liverpool followed, where he played 492 games and scored 33 goals, before replacing Steven Gerrard as Reds captain in 2015. As skipper, he lifted six trophies, including the Champions League after victory over Tottenham Hotspur. Henderson was also named FWA Footballer of the Year at the end of the 2019/20 campaign and included in the PFA Team of the Year. At international level, Henderson has played 84 times for England after making his debut in 2010. He was also named England Senior Men's Player of the Year in 2019. The 35-year-old has featured at three World Cups, starting the Three Lions' semi-final defeat to Croatia in 2018, and scored in the 3-0 win over Senegal in the round-of-16 win in 2022. He has also played at three European Championships, with the most recent of those coming in 2021, when England lost the final to Italy at Wembley Stadium. Henderson was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2021 Birthday Honours for services to football and to charity.
