Latest news with #Loftus-Cheek
Daily Mirror
07-08-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Newcastle dressing room could be 'getting a fighter' after Benjamin Sesko rejection
Newcastle United have been heavily linked with a move for AC Milan centre-half Malick Thiaw, and the Germany international has been praised by England midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek Newcastle United transfer target Malick Thiaw has been labelled a 'fighter' by AC Milan team-mate Ruben Loftus-Cheek. The Magpies are in desperate need of some good news after a major setback in their pursuit of striker Benjamin Sesko. It emerged on Wednesday that the RB Leipzig forward prefers a move to Old Trafford over St James' Park this summer. This would deal a blow to Newcastle's hopes of replacing Alexander Isak, who is keen to join Liverpool. Sesko's decision marks yet another near-miss in the market for Eddie Howe and his recruitment team as their Premier League opener against Aston Villa draws ever closer. However, there is some good news yet for the Newcastle faithful. The club have been seeking a central defensive partner for Sven Botman for some time, with Dan Burn and Fabian Schar being relied upon to step into the role until now. Following last summer's unsuccessful pursuit of Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi, the Magpies have set their sights on German international Thiaw. The 23-year-old joined Milan in 2022 but found himself out of favour towards the end of the last season. Even so, former Chelsea and England midfielder Loftus-Cheek, who has previously also been on Howe's wishlist, gave him a glowing review. In an interview with SportWeek, Loftus-Cheek faced a series of rapid-fire questions about his Rossoneri team-mates. When asked to name which of his peers he believes fights the most, he didn't mince his words and swiftly replied: "Malick Thiaw." Although Loftus-Cheek highlighted goalkeeper Mike Maignan as the team's most outspoken leader in the dressing room, it's clear that Thiaw is seen by his peers as a respected and committed personality, traits that could serve him well on Tyneside. Standing at 6ft3in, Thiaw's commanding presence is as noticeable off the pitch as it is on it. Yet he struggled for playing time last season and looked certain to move on from San Siro this summer. However, despite Serie A side Como coming close to sealing a £21.7million deal for the defender earlier in the window, Thiaw channelled that characteristic Loftus-Cheek praised him for, and fought for his first-team place under new manager Massimiliano Allegri. It was reported that Thiaw arrived back from his pre-season break early to impress and did not want to commit to a move away. Allegri has used him plenty in pre-season, including in recent clashes against Arsenal and Liverpool. Despite nearly leaving the club for around £20m, this dramatic change in circumstances now means that a reported fee of £30m or higher would be needed to prise him away. Yet, Sky in Germany claim that personal terms have been settled between Thiaw and Newcastle. Regardless of whether he becomes a Newcastle player, Loftus-Cheek's glowing comments reflect the calibre of player they would be getting should they splash the cash, and manager Howe is another who has heaped praise on him. When asked about the defender last summer, Howe said: "There's no updates on that. I'm always reluctant to comment on these things, but he's a player I know about. Of course I do, from our games in the Champions League against Milan and yeah, he's a very good player, but that's it." Newcastle might have some financial flexibility should the Isak transfer saga end with the Swede leaving the club, and an alternative to Thiaw could be Palace's Guehi, despite the Magpies being unsuccessful in their pursuit of him last summer. The Times reports that Liverpool will not make a third bid for the defender in the transfer window after having two offers turned down. Guehi, whose contract is set to expire next year, is believed to be valued at nearly £50m by the Eagles, with rumours suggesting he could potentially be snapped up for £40m.
Yahoo
31-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Three things learned from Milan's 9-0 win over Perth Glory
Massimiliano Allegri used a four-man defence for the first time against Perth Glory, while Ruben Loftus-Cheek proved he'll be more than just a mere substitute this season, despite not scoring. Milan ended their pre-season friendly tour of Asia with a scintillating 9-0 victory against Perth Glory: here are the three things we learned. Approach Allegri used a 3-5-2 system in previous games against Arsenal and Liverpool, but this time around he picked a four-man defence and a 4-3-3 system in the first and second half. Milan dominated the game, which wasn't hard to predict, yet the result and performance surely pleased Allegri, who had demanded a 'serious' performance and an 'improvement' in 'respecting the opponents.' Milan dropped many points against so-called small teams last season, but finished the campaign unbeaten against city rivals Inter and even beat Real Madrid away in the Champions League. Allegri is aware that Milan's fortunes in 2025-26 will largely depend on their commitment in games against teams from the bottom half of the table, and today's win was indeed a very good starting point. PERTH, AUSTRALIA – JULY 31: Pervis Estupinan of AC Milan in action during the match between Perth Glory and AC Milan at HBF Park on July 31, 2025 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by) Beware of Loftus-Cheek Luka Modric will only join the team in Milanello in the coming days, while Milan remain interested in Ardon Jashari. There is, however, a player who seems like a new signing for the Serie A giants: Loftus-Cheek. Yet again, it's not entirely surprising because Igli Tare spoke highly of the ex-Chelsea midfielder before the start of the pre-season, calling the Englishman 'one of the most complete midfielders in the European panorama.' Loftus-Cheek has started three games from three in the pre-season and even scored against Liverpool this past Saturday. Today, he confirmed to have the skill sets Allegri wants to see from a central midfielder, with late runs, physicality and smart passes that will make him a contender for a starting spot week in, week out. PERTH, AUSTRALIA – JULY 31: Noah Okafor of AC Milan in action during the match between Perth Glory and AC Milan at HBF Park on July 31, 2025 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by) Who needs strikers? The Rossoneri travelled to Asia without their centre-forward Santiago Gimenez, who was given extra holidays after international duty with the Mexico national team in July. Furthermore, the Rossoneri are also looking for another centre-forward who will compete with Gimenez for a starting spot next season. Meantime, however, Allegri has made the most of the strikers at his disposal. Leao has scored three goals as a centre-forward in three pre-season friendlies in Asia, while Okafor has managed even more with four. Despite lacking a classic central striker, wingers and midfielders have put Milan forwards in the best conditions to score during pre-season friendlies in Asia. Alex Jimenez was particularly efficient down the left flank today. Allegri is accustomed to using a centre-forward in his teams, so expect more tweaks up front this summer, but the early signs suggest the whole team is moving well and creates chances relatively easily, regardless of the top man in attack.
Japan Today
26-07-2025
- Sport
- Japan Today
Liverpool beaten 4-2 by AC Milan in Hong Kong pre-season friendly
Liverpool's Harvey Elliott (L) defends against AC Milan during their friendly at the Kai Tak Stadium in Hong Kong soccer By Daniel HICKS Former Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek scored as Premier League champions Liverpool were beaten 4-2 by AC Milan on Saturday in a pre-season friendly in Hong Kong. Liverpool, with record signing Florian Wirtz making his first start, controlled large parts of the match under a closed roof at Kai Tak Stadium, but a shaky defense was punished on the break for all four Milan goals. Rafael Leao opened the scoring for the Italian side on 10 minutes with Dominik Szoboszlai's superb strike equalising 16 minutes later to make it 1-1 at half-time. But Loftus-Cheek and two goals from substitute Noah Okafor, either side of Cody Gakpo's late header, gave AC Milan victory. Liverpool manager Arne Slot said there were positives to take from the game but admitted his side needed to improve before their first competitive match, the Community Shield against Crystal Palace on August 10. "I saw a few good things," he told reporters, referring especially to the first half when a largely first-choice Liverpool created a host of chances but only converted one. Slot made nine changes at the break and a largely makeshift defence was caught out time and again. "We wanted to give 20 players some playing time. So as a result of that, too many players didn't play in their own position. We were a bit too open. "We have to improve in certain areas, because we were counter-attacked too much today." Loftus-Cheek, who also had spells at Crystal Palace and Fulham, said it was special to score against Liverpool. "It's nice to play against a Premier League team again," said Loftus-Cheek, whose side had lost 1-0 to Arsenal in a friendly on Wednesday. "Liverpool are one of the best teams in the world. It was a good test for us tonight. "It's just about feeling better physically, gelling as a team, and there's a lot for us to improve. "So we'll take that and move on." Liverpool's Hong Kong fans vastly outnumbered those supporting AC Milan in the 49,704 sellout crowd. They paid a heartfelt tribute to Diogo Jota, who passed away this month in a car crash. Flowers were laid by Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish in front of fans, who responded by holding up a mosaic spelling out "DJ20" in honour of Jota's number 20 shirt, which has been retired by the club. Leao, too, remembered his fellow Portuguese player Jota as he offered a silent prayer and formed the number 20 with his fingers after scoring the opener. Wirtz played 45 minutes and looked comfortable directing operations, showing hints of why Bayer Leverkusen were paid a reported British transfer record $150 million for the German playmaker. Other new Liverpool signings, defenders Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong both came on as substitutes at half-time. Another defender, Joe Gomez, has flown home for treatment of a minor Achilles problem. Striker Hugo Ekitike, who was signed from Eintracht Frankfurt for a reported $92 million, was not ready to take part, having only flown in to join his new teammates two days earlier. Liverpool started without a recognised central striker as Darwin Nunez, who was injured, and Luis Diaz, linked with a move away from Anfield, were left out. Liverpool will now fly to Japan to face Yokohama F-Marinos on Wednesday. © 2025 AFP
News18
26-07-2025
- Sport
- News18
AC Milan Beat Liverpool 4-2 In Hong Kong Pre-Season Friendly
Last Updated: Rafael Leao opened the scoring for AC Milan while Noah Okafor struck twice while Loftus-Cheek once. Former Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek scored as Premier League champions Liverpool were defeated 4-2 by AC Milan on Saturday in a pre-season friendly in Hong Kong. Liverpool, featuring record signing Florian Wirtz in his first start, dominated much of the game under the closed roof at Kai Tak Stadium, but their shaky defence was exposed on the break, leading to all four Milan goals. Rafael Leao put the Italian side ahead in the 10th minute, and Dominik Szoboszlai's superb strike equalised 16 minutes later, making it 1-1 at half-time. However, goals from Loftus-Cheek and substitute Noah Okafor, along with Cody Gakpo's late header, secured victory for AC Milan. Liverpool manager Arne Slot acknowledged there were positives to take from the match but admitted his team needs improvement before their first competitive match, the Community Shield against Crystal Palace on August 10. 'I saw a few good things," he told reporters, referring to the first half when a predominantly first-choice Liverpool created numerous chances but only converted one. Slot made nine changes at the break, resulting in a makeshift defence that was repeatedly caught out. 'We wanted to give 20 players some playing time, so too many players didn't play in their own position. We were a bit too open. We must improve in certain areas because we were counter-attacked too much today." Loftus-Cheek, who has also played for Crystal Palace and Fulham, said it was special to score against Liverpool. 'It's nice to play against a Premier League team again," said Loftus-Cheek, whose team had lost 1-0 to Arsenal in a friendly on Wednesday. 'Liverpool are one of the best teams in the world. It was a good test for us tonight. It's just about feeling better physically, gelling as a team, and there's a lot for us to improve. So we'll take that and move on." Liverpool's Hong Kong fans vastly outnumbered those supporting AC Milan in the sellout crowd of 49,704. They paid a heartfelt tribute to Diogo Jota, who passed away this month in a car crash. Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish laid flowers in front of fans, who held up a mosaic spelling out 'DJ20" in honour of Jota's number 20 shirt, which has been retired by the club. Leao also remembered his fellow Portuguese player Jota, offering a silent prayer and forming the number 20 with his fingers after scoring the opener. Wirtz played 45 minutes and looked comfortable directing operations, showing hints of why Bayer Leverkusen were paid a reported British transfer record of $150 million for the German playmaker. Other new Liverpool signings, defenders Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong, both came on as substitutes at half-time. Another defender, Joe Gomez, has flown home for treatment of a minor Achilles problem. Striker Hugo Ekitike, signed from Eintracht Frankfurt for a reported $92 million, was not ready to take part, having only flown in to join his new teammates two days earlier. Liverpool started without a recognised central striker as Darwin Nunez, who was injured, and Luis Diaz, linked with a move away from Anfield, were left out. Liverpool will now fly to Japan to face Yokohama F-Marinos on Wednesday. With AFP Inputs Location : Hong Kong First Published: July 26, 2025, 21:26 IST News sports » football AC Milan Beat Liverpool 4-2 In Hong Kong Pre-Season Friendly Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Wales Online
08-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
'Best looking Premier League player' stunned Laura Woods when he said she'd be his dream date
'Best looking Premier League player' stunned Laura Woods when he said she'd be his dream date Laura Woods has done many things throughout her career in sports broadcasting, but fans always enjoyed her segments where she discussed the dream dates of several sports stars One of Laura Woods' go-to questions on the radio was to ask sports stars who their dream date would be (Image: Photo by James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images ) Before Laura Woods got engaged to ex-Love Island star Adam Collard, former Chelsea and Premier League midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek said he would like to go on a date with her. With a strong following on social media, Woods has captured the hearts of many fans and sports personalities throughout her career. While she has established herself as a top television presenter, many of her admirers will always refer to her classic segments on talkSPORT, where she and Ally McCoist enjoyed asking their interview subjects who they would like to take on a first date. In an interview with Loftus-Cheek, who now plays for AC Milan, the ex-England international took her by surprise when he chose Woods herself. Considering her comments in the months after that interview, Loftus-Cheek may have felt like he should have made a serious offer. In another interview, she was reminded about that particular moment, which amused many football fans. Woods went on to describe him as one of the most handsome players in the Premier League. In an interview with the Staying Relevant podcast in 2023, she said: "On talkSPORT, we love anything like that if it's a great opportunity to talk about sex. Someone had asked Anthony Joshua who his dream date was and he said Beyonce. "So we all did our dream dates and tried to get a date off the back of it. I said [actor] Leo Suter, he is amazing. Ally [McCoist] said Claudia Schiffer. After that I had to do an interview with Ruben Loftus-Cheek and asked him the same thing and he said me. Article continues below "I was like, 'Good god.' Ruben is probably the best looking player in the Premier League. I didn't mind that at all! That is the quote for my wall. It is excellent to have an association with someone who looks like he has been carved by Jesus." Loftus-Cheek made his thoughts perfectly clear on Woods (Image: Photo by Image) Loftus-Cheek wasn't the last British athlete to pick her on the segment. Former heavyweight boxing champion of the world Anthony Joshua also followed Loftus-Cheek's lead when he was asked to choose somebody to go for a date with. He told the presenter: "You. I know Loftus-Cheek has beaten me to it," to which Woods responded: "It's fine, there's no competition!" Woods and Collard's relationship has accelerated ever since they confirmed they were dating in October 2023. Just under 12 months after they announced they were an item, Collard got down on one knee at a beach in Cornwall and asked Woods to marry him. Woods opened up about the difficulty she had working at Euro 2024 while pregnant (Image: 2024 Simon Stacpoole/Offside ) Woods would go on to announce that she had given birth to their son, Leo Ernie Collard, in January 2025. In August 2024, before she went into labour, she spoke to The Times and revealed that she was battling morning sickness while she was working at the 2024 European Championships. She said: "It was constant, the morning sickness was quite difficult to battle and I was exhausted all the time. At least there were rest days when I was able to just chill out in my [hotel] room. Article continues below "I would have liked to keep it quiet for a little bit longer but I really felt like I couldn't any more and now I've done it it's a relief."
