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Daily Mirror
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Danny Dyer explains why Jarrod Bowen is the right man to marry his daughter Dani
EXCLUSIVE" Actor Danny has nothing but praise and love for Jarrod ,Bowen who is set to become his new son-in-law this weekend, when he marries reality star Dani Dyer Some men might be worried about meeting their father-in-law and rubbing shoulders with him on the wedding day. But footballer Jarrod Bowen can be pretty sure lifelong West Hame fan Danny Dyer will have his back in his speech on Saturday. West Ham star Jarrod, 28, will marry TV star Dani in a fairytale day for the couple. And speaking ahead of the ceremony, film and TV actor Danny couldn't wait to have the footballer as part of his family. He praised him and also said his other daughter Sunnie, 18, has an impossible task bringing home another boyfriend who could ever compare. Danny said: 'I have met every single boyfriend that has walked through my door - and then she brings home the West Ham captain. 'I have gone from the lying scum, and I hate them, to a man who I would not mind tonguing myself! A strong man. If he lent in I would put my lips on this geezer. He is just, as a father and joking aside, he took her on with a 14 month old son and that says a lot about a man I will tell you. 'He is amazing. I can't wait to give her away. What a touch. But if he was to make a move on me before… I think I'm in love with him, slightly.' Jarrod joined West Ham in 2020 and has regularly been the best player on the pitch, including when he scored the winning goal to give West Ham their first trophy in 43 years during the 2023 Europa Conference League final. Danny added: 'Okay. He plays for West Ham. He's one of West Ham's hot ones. He's the captain of West Ham. And he's unbelievable, this guy. I mean, he comes in my house. I take his shoes off for him. 'And I give him the remote control. And I say, 'Mate, this is your house now'. But he's an incredible person. I just want someone to love my daughters the way I do. I want them to worship them and look after them. Let me tell you that. I love him.' Dani and Jarrod are marrying this weekend after high profile hen and stag parties. Dani headed to Ibiza whilst Jarrod had been to Vegas. Dani's trip included a boozy brunch, a boat trip and a raucous night in the lavish nightclub Ushuaia. Danny added: 'I feel sorry for my other daughter, who's nearly 18, because she could never bring home a man to ever match what that man's done for me. 'She could bring home a heart surgeon or, you know, somebody who cures cancer. And I go, 'Well, really?' I mean, he's got the winning goal in Prague in a European final. I mean, it's just incredible. I couldn't have written a better script. He's just such a beautiful man.' In the lead up to the wedding this week Dani was seen visiting a salon in Essex on Thursday on route to her pampering session She has also spoken about her big day. Speaking to Heat magazine, she said: 'I have finally done my table plans now. Until you are in there writing names out, making sure you have tables of 10, it's the most stressful experience ever - that's the only thing I've not enjoyed.' Dani also revealed she will take on a double-barrel surname after the wedding, becoming Dyer-Bowen. She said: 'I am going to keep the Dyer - I am going to do Dani Dyer-Bowen just because of my work. I feel like if I am Dani Bowen, it takes that thing away from me. We are double-barrelling it.' Yesterday she was also posting photos on social media of skincare products she and her bridesmaids had been gifted. In February Dani spoke about how she first met her fiancé in 2021 - because he was her neighbour and took in her parcels for her. The couple are now engaged and have twin daughters, Summer and Star, both one. Dani also has son Santi, four, from a previous relationship. "Jarrod was my neighbour", Dyer told the Happy Mum Happy Baby podcast as she recalled the unusual story of how they met. "I've never really spoken about this. I moved into the house I was in with Santi and he was only a few months old. It was a really small, cute little neighbourhood. I loved that house. People were like 'oh, Jarrod Bowen lives next door' but I didn't follow football at the time, just wasn't interested in football. "Then he knocked on my door a couple of times because my parcels went there. I remember the first time I opened the door... You know what it's like, slicked-back hair... and I opened the door and I didn't know it was Jarrod Bowen and he was hot. Blue eyes, blonde hair, a bit of me. "I was like 'ohh, thanks!' Then there was a few times I'd see him I used to know when he was leaving for football because I'd hear his car go and he'd reverse out and I was like, oh I can go put the bins out. "There was once I knew I looked OK because I had a shoot that day and I remember walking back round and then I put the key in the door and he came out and I thought 'I know I look good today'. So then he said 'Have you got a meter reading key?' Once, a meter reading key for your gas or something. "But I did not think nothing of it and said 'no, no I don't' and then he was like 'oh I'm moving house' and I was like 'oh good luck with everything'." Dyer said after he moved out Bowen messaged her on her birthday to say 'happy birthday' and following that 'they never stopped speaking'. She said she didn't expect anything serious. She said: "When he first messaged me, I thought he's very fit, I don't mind having a little bit of fun with you, but I'm a mum now, you're a footballer, you can go off and have your Gigi Hadids. "I'm happy to have a little bit of fun with you if that's what you want. You're probably the first guy I've had with a six-pack.' But Jarrod stayed with her and much to the delight of Dani - and Danny - they will be married this weekend.
Daily Mail
19 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Chelsea player Jadon Sancho fuels dating rumours with rapper Saweetie after exposing his lock screen during Chelsea's Conference League trophy-winning celebrations
Jadon Sancho 's secret love life may have been betrayed by one the assets he thought he could trust the most - his mobile phone. The Chelsea star has set tongues wagging after it emerged American rapper Saweetie has pride of place as his phone's lock screen photograph. Sancho was celebrating Chelsea's Europa Conference League final win on Wednesday night and held his phone aloft as he made merry with Trevoh Chalobah. Eagle-eyed fans spotted the picture of Saweetie on his phone and the speculation about his love life has now gone viral. Adding fuel to the fire is the fact that the duo shared a hug at Stamford Bridge earlier this season. 'Jason Sancho and Saweetie dating rumours? Could this say get any better? Literally my 2 favs,' wrote one rather excited fan on X. 'Bro knew exactly what he was doing holding the phone in front of thousands of cameras like that,' said another on Instagram. 'I love thatttt,' another said. But some fans brought a cynical eye to the table and suggested Sancho is just a distant admirer. 'She doesn't even follow him back,' one pointed out. 'Maybe he is just a fan?' another said. Regardless of his status off it, Sancho did himself every favour on Wednesday night as he struck a stunning goal during Chelsea's 4-1 win over Betis. The winger came off the bench and found the top corner with a curling strike as the Blues completed the set of European trophies. Enzo Maresca's side won't ever want to be in the Conference League again but lifting the trophy and finishing fourth marks a successful campaign. Next season, they will attack the Champions League as they look to get back among Europe's elite. Chelsea have been absent from Europe's premier competition for the last two seasons but were champions as recently as 2021 under Thomas Tuchel. It is still unclear where Sancho will end up. His loan to Chelsea included a condition that obliges the Blues to sign him permanently for £25million after finishing higher than 14th in the Premier League. However, Chelsea can renege on that if they pay a £5m penalty. Asked about Sancho's future, Blues boss Enzo Maresca said: 'I don't know. I said that when in the last weeks you asked me about different players, I always said the same. And the reason why is because it's the truth. 'It's not the moment, we have the final. Then in 24 hours, 48 hours, we're going to start to talk about the future. But at this moment, there is not any thought or any decision made on Jadon or any different players.'
New York Times
21 hours ago
- Business
- New York Times
Did Conference League victory signify a coming-of-age moment for Chelsea?
Chelsea's Europa Conference League triumph on Wednesday night was a landmark moment for the club. Not only did they become the first team to claim all of UEFA's major trophies, but it was also their first major honour since the BlueCo takeover in 2022. The win also capped off a pivotal week, coming just three days after Chelsea secured Champions League qualification with a 1-0 victory away at Nottingham Forest — ending their two-year absence from Europe's top competition. Advertisement Together, both achievements signalled the most significant progress the club have made under their new ownership. On the latest episode of The Athletic FC Podcast, Ayo Akinwolere was joined by Simon Johnson and Tomas Hill Lopez-Menchero to discuss whether Wednesday night's victory marked a coming-of-age moment for this young Chelsea side. A partial transcript has been edited for clarity and length. The full episode is available on YouTube below or in The Athletic FC Podcast feed on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Ayo: Simon, let's talk about Enzo Maresca, because the Conference League was the cherry on top for Chelsea after securing Champions League football. I don't think many people saw them qualifying for the Champions League, but now they've also won a trophy. How big were these last two victories for Maresca? Simon: I don't think it's just about the last two games, the last six weeks were massive for Maresca when you consider he was under a lot of criticism from all quarters, perhaps no more so than the fan base. Everyone recognised that Chelsea's run-in for the Champions League positions was the toughest, and very few said they were going to do it, and I probably have to count myself as one of them. Ahead of the last two games, I had genuine concerns, hence why I wrote a piece about Chelsea's dismal away form. I thought they would lose both games against Nottingham Forest and Real Betis and be back in the Conference League, and part of me was fearing it for my own sanity. As much as it's been fun to cover this competition, anyone who's covered Chelsea or supports Chelsea is used to more glamorous games in Europe. Obviously, you take what you can get, but it came to the point where enough was enough, and everyone wanted to be back at the big boys' table. So it's huge for Maresca. Advertisement From what I've been told, he really drummed home the message after the Forest game and in the build-up to the final, of the team continuing to push. You might say that's stating the obvious, but he wanted two wins out of two. He wasn't thinking, 'We've qualified for the Champions League, so it's OK if we lose the Conference League final now.' I think he recognised how significant this could be for the group. When I asked him after the game in the post-match press conference about how significant the last six weeks have been for this group going forward into next season, he talked about the steel and how they've now found a way of winning ugly. And when you think about Chelsea in their pomp, we're talking about the Mourinho era and so on, as good as they were, they had this ability of winning ugly. I'm not saying that they're going to go on to win the Champions League and Premier League next season, but it's a significant step. And if they are going to go on and achieve those things, they're a step closer now than if they'd fallen short in either of those two must-win games. Ayo: Tomas, what do you make of how Chelsea have built their squad with such a focus on youth from an outside perspective? Because after the energy that went into that Nottingham Forest game and then coming into this, you could probably understand them being a bit tired and playing quite badly in that first half, couldn't you? Tomas: Yeah, the difference in the two halves was pretty stark, but when that young group of players suddenly all gelled in the second half, you really saw the makings of a good side. We were talking last summer about them signing so many players at once and having so many players. But now when you look at that starting 11, there are lots of players there who haven't even reached the prime of their careers yet, and that's a really exciting prospect for Chelsea fans. There was also that stat about how it was only the second time in a UEFA final that a team had started without a player aged 27 or over. And again, for fans that is really exciting because you want those young players who have this huge potential ahead of them. So I'm sure it's an exciting time to be a Chelsea fan. Advertisement Ayo: Was it a coming-of-age moment for Chelsea, Simon? Simon: I think they would believe that, but there's still a lot for them to prove. The club actually acknowledged that there's a lot of work to do to get to the next level. But the combination of the Premier League run-in and adding a trophy to the cabinet proved to themselves that they are actually making strides. It showed they are a team on the up, and some of the negativity surrounding them has to be lifted off their shoulders now. But, of course, this is Chelsea, so if they lose a couple of games early on next season, it'll be 'Maresca Out,' and you'll be getting me on here to talk about where it's all going wrong. Let's also not forget that the Club World Cup is going to have a huge impact, and there are genuine concerns over player fatigue. Maresca has already said, 'We could get more injuries next season.' So I don't think that should be underestimated. But when you think they've got players like Estevao Willian coming in, who's the exciting young talent from Brazil, Chelsea do look in good shape. They've been accused of having no plan, but now people are starting to see that there may be something in this. Of course, the best is still to come, because they haven't invested over £1billion in players to win Conference Leagues and finish fourth, they want the big prizes. So until they do that they'll still be questioned, and quite rightly so. But some of the scrutiny has been taken away, for now at least. You can listen to full episodes of The Athletic FC Podcast for free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and watch on YouTube. (Top Photo:)
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Chelsea unwilling to match Jadon Sancho salary
Chelsea remain undecided on whether to sign Jadon Sancho on a permanent deal with negotiations ongoing. Sancho joined Chelsea on loan from Manchester United last summer with the obligation to make the move permanent for a fee of £25. The West Londoners hold an option to cancel the transfer, if a compensation fee of £5m is paid to Manchester United. Sancho has scored five goals and provided 10 assists in all competitions for Chelsea this season. He netted a brilliant goal in Chelsea's comeback win over Real Betis on Thursday, as the Blues won the Europa Conference League. Advertisement Fabrizio Romano has revealed that talks are ongoing between Chelsea and Sancho's representatives to gauge the cost of a deal. The player's salary demands are being discussed, with Chelsea unwilling to match Sancho's salary at Manchester United. A decision on whether to pursue a permanent deal is expected in the coming days. Following Chelsea's win in the Conference League final, head coach Enzo Maresca told TNT Sports that he was keen to decide on Sancho's future. He said the winger's inconsistency was 'normal' throughout a campaign. 'From now on we are going to sit with the club and decide what happens for next year,' the Italian said. 'If we finish fourth it is also because of Jadon, if we win tonight it is also because of Jadon. It is normal in a season to go a little bit up and down, it is part of the game.' Advertisement Read – Chelsea 'agree' Liam Delap transfer as Ipswich Town eye replacement See more – The English clubs with the most European trophies as Chelsea make history Follow The Football Faithful on Social Media: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube | TikTok
Irish Times
a day ago
- Business
- Irish Times
Shamrock Rovers' return to the top driven by era-defining trinity of Burke, Lopes and Watts
Shamrock Rovers is a club of contradictions. Four league titles in succession were followed, last season, by the club's best ever European campaign. The Hoops achieved this despite a boardroom in open conflict since co-owner Dermot Desmond questioned the actions of 'some' directors. The situation made Rovers manager Stephen Bradley consider his own future . 'It's draining,' said Bradley in April, 'but over time you learn to manage it and realise what is important – family, health and the football.' Last year's second-place finish on 61 points was Rovers' lowest total since 2017 (excluding the shortened season of 2020). And yet, they banked €6.4 million in Uefa prize money for making it beyond the league phase of the Europa Conference League. READ MORE At the halfway stage in 2024, just before the international break, a six-point gap from eventual champions Shelbourne was extended to nine when Will Jarvis slotted two penalties at Tallaght Stadium as Pico Lopes was dismissed with two yellow cards. Dan Cleary, Trevor Clarke and Josh Honohan all limped off that night and Rovers seemed to be coming apart at the seams. The squad looked old as it faced into the 2025 season. Johnny Kenny's return to Celtic, after a 20-goal loan season, had people questioning Bradley's decision to fast-track a 16-year-old named Michael Noonan. In February, Noonan scored on his debut in a 1-0 win over Molde of Norway, but 10 more appearances failed to yield another goal as the manager's decision-making was put under the microscope. Only Bradley and Rovers' sporting director Stephen McPhail could see the wood for the trees. The Hoops were tracking John McGovern , a prodigious Gaelic footballer from Down, but Dungannon Swifts were not willing to sell the 22-year-old mid-campaign. McGovern finished the season with 20 goals, including a thumping header in the Irish Cup final victory over Cliftonville. 'We could have moved in on other players in the previous window, but we wanted to wait for John,' Bradley revealed this week. 'We really like what he's about.' Roberto 'Pico' Lopes has been a rock at the heart of Shamrock Rovers' defence for several seasons. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho By waiting for McGovern, Rovers took a risk as Noonan shared minutes with veteran forwards Aaron Greene and Rory Gaffney. Despite a combined age of 70, Greene and Gaffney contributed nine goals between them and Noonan has three in the last three victories over Waterford, St Pat's and Derry City. Rovers have gone undefeated since the 3-2 loss to Bohemians on Easter Monday. It got lost in the shock of Rhys Brennan's 96th-minute winner for Bohs, but Noonan scored his first league goal that day – a gliding 40-yard dribble and cool finish. The Rovers academy is producing a stream of talent since Gavin Bazunu was sold to Manchester City in 2019. The imminent sale of 16-year-old Victor Ozhianvuna, potentially to Arsenal, could involve a seven-figure fee. Both Ozhianvuna and Noonan were among the five Hoops named in Colin O'Brien's Republic of Ireland under-17 squad ahead of November's World Cup in Qatar. The kids are flying. However, throughout this decade of groundbreaking success, there have been three constants on the pitch: Lopes, Dylan Watts and Graham Burke. Others made significant contributions, like Dan Cleary and Danny Mandroiu, while Jack Byrne constantly struggled with calf and knee issues. This season, however, Byrne has six assists in eight games, proving that his technical excellence is permanent. But it is Lopes, Watts and Burke who define this Shamrock Rovers era. Galway United's Vincent Borden (right) jumps for a header with Dylan Watts of Shamrock Rovers during a league match this season. Photograph: Evan Logan/Inpho Lopes has been so defensively solid over the past five years that his father's country, Cape Verde, took him to the 2021 and 2023 Africa Cup of Nations Cup. Watts is the midfield glue, playing all 18 matches during the Covid-restricted 2020 title-winning season. He maintained a remarkable level of consistency to be voted the PFAI Players' Player of the Year in 2024. Burke is another ever present. The 31-year-old's silky style covered the wait for McGovern and injury to Mandroiu, with six goals and five assists putting him on course to better 2018, his best statistical season, when he had 16 goals and six assists (numbers that earned him three senior caps). Rovers' return to the top of the Premier Division has them six points clear of Drogheda United while Shelbourne are nine points adrift in sixth. That's an 18-point swing away from Damien Duff's team in 12 months. Bradley has turned the tide at a critical juncture. A domestic cushion is needed ahead of, possibly, eight Conference League qualifiers from early July to late August. Mid-season, Rovers are in fine fettle. The rest have lacked consistency although Drogheda, under Kevin Doherty, backed up their FAI Cup success by showing the value of becoming a fully professional squad. After this stage last season, the Drogs languished in the relegation play-off spot with 15 points. Currently, they are second on 29 points. Moses Dyer, Galway United's New Zealand international, leads the scoring charts on eight goals, one clear of Sligo Rovers teenager Owen Elding. Burke is joined on six by Derry City winger Michael Duffy, Drogheda revelation Warren Davis and the Tottenham Hotspur-bound Mason Melia. Like Noonan, Melia recently found his groove with four goals in four games for St Patrick's Athletic, including a bullet header against Cork City that might become his calling card.
