Latest news with #Milambo
Straits Times
a day ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
Brentford sign Dutch midfielder Milambo from Feyenoord
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Brentford have signed Feyenoord midfielder Antoni Milambo on a five-year deal with an option to extend for another year, the Premier League club said on Thursday. Milambo, 20, spent more than a decade at Feyenoord. He made his senior debut in 2021 when he was 16, becoming the youngest to play for the Eredivisie side. The Dutchman scored eight goals in 60 first team appearances for Feyenoord in all competitions. "Antoni has played a lot of football in the last 12 months and really shot to prominence," Brentford manager Keith Andrews said in a statement. "Now it's just a case of getting him used to the intensity and rhythm of the Premier League and our own intensity levels." Brentford, who finished 10th last season, kick off their 2025-26 league campaign at Nottingham Forest on August 17. REUTERS
BBC News
a day ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Brentford sign Feyenoord midfielder Milambo
Brentford head coach Keith Andrews believes Antoni Milambo can be a key player for the Bees after he joined from said the midfielder, who has signed a five-year contract with an option for a further year, will "complement the midfielders we have in the building"."Antoni has played a lot of football in the last 12 months and really shot to prominence," Andrews said."He's had experience in the Eredivisie, Champions League and most recently the Under-21 Euros with the Netherlands."The Dutchman made 60 appearances for Feyenoord, who finished third in the Eredivisie last season and made it to the knockout stages of the Champions League, before being knocked out by eventual finalists Inter Milan."I love the way that Antoni takes the ball and drives - he has the ability to go past players and he's a goal threat," said Andrews. "He will complement the midfielders we have in the building. "Now it's just a case of getting him used to the intensity and rhythm of the Premier League and our own intensity levels. I am looking forward to working with him."Brentford's technical director, Lee Dykes added that the club had been following Milambo "for a few years" and that he is a "skilful, forward-thinking player capable of scoring all types of goals".
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Brentford ‘agree deal' to sign 20-year-old midfielder
Brentford Lean into the Future with Milambo Arrival as Norgaard Exits for Arsenal A familiar rhythm of departures and rebirth There is something oddly poetic about Brentford's strategy this summer. No grand proclamations, no headlines stolen by glitzy unveilings, but rather the quiet, studied recalibration of a club acutely aware of its place in the food chain. The departure of Christian Norgaard to Arsenal, a midfielder once central to their press-and-pivot ethos, would have drawn panic elsewhere. In West London, it has triggered a £17 million answer: Antoni Milambo. According to the Mirror. Photo IMAGO Advertisement The Dutch midfielder, 20 years old and with the ink still fresh from a standout Under-21 European Championships in Slovakia, is not here as a like-for-like. Norgaard's game was laced with positional discipline and ball retrieval; Milambo is all timing and ambition, a flickering pulse of invention rather than a metronome. But Brentford are not interested in recreating what they lose. They evolve. Photo IMAGO A long courtship now close to conclusion Milambo's arrival, subject to a few final details, will be the first major move of the Keith Andrews era, assuming his appointment is confirmed. Yet this story is more Thomas Frank than it is Andrews. The Dane greenlit the Milambo deal in his final weeks, mapping out how the Feyenoord youngster would integrate into the Brentford midfield ecosystem. Photo: IMAGO Advertisement What Brentford offered was clarity and purpose. The pitch to Milambo's camp was structured and future-facing, appealing to a player who had already made history as Feyenoord's youngest debutant and had scored against Benfica in the Champions League. They showed him more than minutes; they showed him progression. 'Brentford presented a project that made sense,' said a source close to the deal. 'It wasn't just about the Premier League badge. It was the idea of growing with the club.' Milambo himself, while coy in interviews, had verbal terms in place by the end of May. A loss measured in structure, not sentiment Norgaard's move to Arsenal feels abrupt. Signed to a new two-year deal in March, rejecting offers abroad, and now heading across London for a fee of £10 million plus bonuses. For Brentford, the blow is softened by the financial logic. For the player, the timing makes sense. European competition, a title push, and a chance to play under Mikel Arteta were too good to ignore. Photo: IMAGO Advertisement But Brentford do not chase ghosts. Norgaard was an anchor, yes, but Brentford's recruitment strategy does not replace. It pivots. Milambo's profile is dynamic and forward-thinking, his ability to play as both a No.8 and No.10 giving Andrews (or whoever formally takes charge) a new set of tools. Identity shaped by evolution, not imitation There's a pragmatism in this that feels uniquely Brentford. They know when to sell. They know when to strike. And more often than not, they know when to bet on the future rather than cling to the familiar. Milambo, who scored three Eredivisie goals in 29 appearances last season, is not here to replicate Norgaard. He is here to become something different. Maybe even something better. Photo IMAGO Advertisement With Sepp van den Berg also in the fold and an identity already baked into the walls of the Gtech Community Stadium, Brentford are playing their hand with clarity. It may not feel loud. But it sounds like long-term planning. Our View – EPL Index Analysis For Brentford fans, this is the kind of move that generates real excitement. Not just because they're signing one of Europe's most promising young midfielders, but because they're doing it with purpose. Antoni Milambo isn't just a name plucked from nowhere. He's a product of smart scouting, of meticulous planning, and of a club that continues to outthink its peers. Losing Norgaard will sting — there's no pretending otherwise. He gave them structure, composure, and heart. But the timing feels right. Letting him go to Arsenal for £10 million with a solid plan already in motion feels like good business and even better foresight. Milambo has already shown flashes of brilliance, not least in the Champions League. He plays with a freedom and technical quality that could elevate their midfield in new ways. If he adjusts to the pace and physicality of the Premier League, Brentford could be looking at a player with elite potential — and a future they can build around.
Scoop
6 days ago
- Business
- Scoop
Sevilla Conference On Development Financing Shows Optimism For Multilateralism
Today, a $4 trillion financing gap is hindering progress toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by the end of this decade. In response, the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FFD4) will take place in Sevilla, Spain, beginning on 30 June, bringing together stakeholders to advance solutions to the financing challenges threatening sustainable development. 'We've seen mounting debt burdens and declining investment, and we've seen reduced aid and growing trade barriers. The current system is certainly not delivering for the people it was designed to support,' said Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed at a briefing on Wednesday about the conference. She was joined by Ambassador Héctor Gómez Hernández of Spain, and Ambassador Chola Milambo of Zambia. Role of stakeholders More than 70 heads of state and government will attend the Conference, along with leaders of international financial institutions, civil society, philanthropies and the private sector, including those from energy, food systems and digital industries. 'The collective presence alone, I believe, sends a good signal for multilateralism at a time when we're facing quite a bit of pushback,' said Ms. Mohammed. Seville Commitment On 17 June, Member States agreed on the Compromiso de Sevilla, or Seville Commitment, to adopt at the Conference. Ms. Mohammed stressed that the Commitment addresses the debt crisis in developing countries that are particularly vulnerable to financing shortfalls, as many spend more on debt interest than on essential services, straining the opportunity for sustainable development. Ambassador Milambo explained that this will be done through greater transparency, a global debt registry, and amplifying the voices of debtor countries. It also aims to catalyse investment by tripling Multilateral Development Bank (MDB) lending, doubling Official Development Assistance (ODA) to developing countries, leveraging private sector investment and ensuring the international financing system is more inclusive and effective. 'This is an agenda that world leaders can do something about. They do have the tools – and the political clout – to make it happen,' said Ms. Mohammed. Test of multilateralism Ambassador Hernández emphasised that the Conference comes at a critical time for multilateralism. 'This conference is an appeal to action, and we have the extraordinary opportunity to send a very strong message to defend the international community's commitment to the multilateral system,' he said. Ambassador Milambo later added that the consensus on the Seville Commitment 'sends a real message of hope to the world that we can tackle the financing challenges that stand in the way of the SDGs and that multilateralism can still work.' Despite the consensus, the United States recently announced it will not send a delegation to the Conference. Speakers urged observers to keep the broader picture in mind: 'It is regrettable, but it doesn't stop us from continuing to engage with that Member State' and urge a change in the course of action, said Ms. Mohammed. She concluded by noting that, especially given the recent agreement of the Commitment, the discussions the UN is having with other donors on how they are trying to use resources more efficiently will hopefully go a long way.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Brentford Rebuild Begins with Move for Dutch Talent
Brentford Eye Dutch Star as Andrews Era Begins New Midfield Era on Horizon Brentford are wasting no time in shaping their identity post-Thomas Frank. As reported by The Standard, the Bees are in advanced talks to sign Feyenoord midfielder Antoni Milambo, with negotiations stretching back to April. The highly rated 20-year-old is a product of Feyenoord's academy and is tipped to become a central figure in Keith Andrews' new-look side. Milambo's Rising Stock A versatile talent who can feature in central or attacking midfield roles, Milambo was pivotal for Feyenoord this season as they secured a third-place finish in the Eredivisie. 'Milambo, who graduated through Feyenoord's academy, can play as a central midfielder or attacking midfielder and was a key player for the side that finished third in the Dutch Eredivisie this season.' Advertisement His stock rose further with three Champions League goals and his inclusion in the Netherlands Under-21 squad that reached the semi-finals of the European Championships, only to be undone by Lee Carsley's England. Key Departures Prompt Swift Moves Brentford's intent to rebuild is urgent. 'The Bees intend to bolster their midfield and attacking options this summer, with captain Christian Norgaard set to join Arsenal for an initial £10million and talismanic forward Bryan Mbeumo is edging towards a move to Manchester United.' With two senior figures likely to depart, the capture of Milambo could provide the creativity and drive needed to reshape the side. Photo IMAGO Keith Andrews' First Test Following Thomas Frank's move to Tottenham, Andrews steps up as head coach. 'He will be replaced by set-piece coach Keith Andrews in his first head coach role.' A signing like Milambo would mark a statement of trust in youth and flair, and potentially the first of many under a new philosophy. 'If the club move decisively to complete a deal for Milambo, the Dutch youth international will become the first signing of Andrews's reign.' Our View – EPL Index Excited Brentford Fan Reaction There's a genuine sense of excitement about this one. Signing a player like Antoni Milambo shows ambition, particularly in a summer that could otherwise feel like transition. Losing Christian Norgaard and likely Bryan Mbeumo would be a blow for any club, but targeting a Champions League-proven youngster with international pedigree is a bold response. Advertisement Milambo's record is impressive for someone just 20. His versatility across midfield, combined with experience at Feyenoord and on the European stage, suggests he's more than just potential. He could walk into Brentford's starting XI and grow with the club. Andrews stepping up is a gamble, but this is the sort of transfer that says Brentford are backing him with real talent. Yes, there's risk. Milambo will need time to adapt to Premier League tempo, but if he clicks, Brentford fans could be watching the next breakout star. For a club so often praised for smart recruitment, this could be another feather in the cap. A new manager, new ideas, and possibly a new star in red and white. It feels like the dawn of something fresh at the Gtech.
