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Football news LIVE: Arsenal confirm new Bukayo Saka contract, Arne Slot open to Tottenham job, summer battle to sign Declan Rice, support for Vinicius Jr, Noel Gallagher on talkSPORT
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Top stories
- Noel Gallagher pokes fun at ‘idiot Arsenal fans’ as he rubbishes Ilkay Gundogan transfer rumour
- Bukayo Saka says ‘I’m giving everything back’ as Arsenal star signs new long-term contract
- Newcastle secure top four finish to end 20-year Champions League exile
- Arsenal want Mason Mount to be one of three marquee signings
- Vinicius Jr says LaLiga ‘belongs to racists’ after Real Madrid clash with Valencia stopped due to abuse
- Arne Slot open to Tottenham job but Julian Nagelsmann is not back in running
- MSP Sports Capital sign exclusivity agreement at Everton
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Arsenal have been warned Bukayo Saka’s new contract could hurt their chances of signing Declan Rice.
⚒️ “Declan Rice is probably more established in the game than Saka.”
👀 “He’s led his team to a Europe final. All Saka’s done is watch his team fall off a cliff.”
Andy Goldstein argues that Declan Rice could earn more with his next deal than Bukayo Saka has at Arsenal pic.twitter.com/Ty5uB48XSL
— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) May 23, 2023
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Everton have activated their option to extend the contract of midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure by 12 months.It represents quite a turnaround in four months for the Mali international who, in the latter days of Frank Lampard’s reign, was training away from the first-team squad after a disagreement with the then Toffees boss.Having been brought back into the fold when Sean Dyche was appointed in late January, the 30-year-old has scored four goals – ending a drought dating back to September 2021 – in his last nine games, including two in the crucial 5-1 win at Brighton earlier this month.”Everton can confirm the club has activated the option to extend Abdoulaye Doucoure’s contract until the end of June 2024,” read a club statement.
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Vinicius Jr has shared a video of the racist abuse former Real Madrid star Roberto Carlos faced during his days in Spain.
Quote-tweeting the clip, Vinicius Jr said: “1997. Racism in Spanish stadiums existed even before I was born.
“What has changed until today?”
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Blackpool have announced the return of Neil Critchley as their manager, signing a four-year deal.
The 44-year-old returns to Bloomfield Road 12 months after leaving to become Steven Gerrard’s assistant at Aston Villa.
He only held that job for four months as Gerrard was sacked. He was then appointed the manager of QPR, but was sacked after just three months having claimed only one win in charge at Loftus Road.
But that hasn’t stopped Blackpool returning for the coach.
“It feels special to be back and I’m thoroughly looking forward to the task that lies ahead,” Critchley said.
“Looking back on my departure 12 months ago, I didn’t handle that in the manner I should have done. I enjoyed a fantastic relationship with Simon previously, and I thank him for this wonderful opportunity to come back to this special football club.
“I look at the Club now, and it has had a bump in the road but there is no reason why we can’t get back on track. It’s up to us – and I include myself in that – to reset and become who we were as a group again.
“Collectively, the staff, players and supporters have shared some special moments together, and I know we all want to experience that again, which is what we will be working towards.”
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Callum Wilson is in line for a recall to the England squad, as Gareth Southgate prepares to name his latest team.
The Three Lions boss Southgate will at 2pm tomorrow reveal his squad for Euro 2024 qualifiers in Malta on June 16 and at home to North Macedonia in Manchester on June 19, with England top of Group C.
Newcastle striker Wilson has scored 11 goals since he was overlooked for the European Championship qualifying wins against Italy and Ukraine in March and helped spearhead the Magpies’ successful pursuit of Champions League football.
There is a spot available after Ivan Toney’s eight-month ban for betting offences was confirmed this month, and it appears Wilson is battling Aston Villa’s in-form star Ollie Watkins for the spot.
There are questions over Jude Bellingham’s fitness ahead of the announcement, though, and his knee injury could rule him out.
Meanwhile, Trent Alexander-Arnold is almost certain of a return after his improved form for Liverpool and with Reece James’ season having been ended by a hamstring injury in April.
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Arsenal Women star Gio Queiroz has just leaked Arsenal’s new home kit.
Previous leaks of the kit have claimed the new strip is inspired by the Invincibles, with the 2023/24 season falling on the 20th anniversary of the legendary unbeaten season.
It’s clear the style of the shirt is similar to the iconic O2-sponsored kit worn by Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, Sol Campbell and Co.
But isn’t gold trim on your shirt usually for when you win something?
Awkward.
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Noel Gallagher ‘doesn’t care’ about claims Man City’s title triumph this season could have a big asterisk next to it in the record books.
There are suggestions City’s third Premier League trophy in a row will forever be tainted by the club’s multiple charges for breaching FFP rules.
But as far as the ex-Oasis star is concerned, it does not change the way he – or any other Man City fan – feels about yet another English crown.
🤫 “It won’t be tainted to me, I don’t care!”
🤣 “The treble will only be tainted in the eyes of Hinge and Bracket, Carragher and Neville!”@NoelGallagher is adamant that #MCFC’s achievements won’t be tainted by FFP charges. pic.twitter.com/MgOIvACLDN
— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) May 23, 2023
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Liverpool are reportedly interested in signing Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi this summer.
talkSPORT pundit and former Premier League star Darren Bent says the 22-year-old England international would be a great signing for any top side this summer.
And he’d also look to get his Eagles defensive partner Joachim Andersen, too.
Arsenal and Manchester United are also linked with an interest in Guehi.
“I’m a fan,” said Bent on Drivetime about the centre-back.
“I like him and Anderson. I’d be happy with either of them, they’re both great players.”
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Roberto De Zerbi has admitted in-demand Brighton duo Moises Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister ‘deserve to play in another level’ and tomorrow’s game against Man City could be their last for the club.
But the manager hopes securing European football with the Seagulls can help convince them to stay.
Ecuador international Caicedo and Argentina World Cup winner Mac Allister have been heavily linked with moves away from the Amex Stadium this summer.
Brighton will almost certainly finish sixth and qualify for the Europa League next season due to their goal difference being significantly better than Aston Villa’s, but need one more point to banish any prospect of slipping into the Europa Conference League.
De Zerbi feels that may prove persuasive, but the boss says he doesn’t want to hamper the careers.
“It can be the last game but I don’t know,” said the Brighton head coach.
“They can have the possibility to change (clubs) because they deserve to play in another level.
“But now we can offer them the possibility to play in Europe because our level is bigger now. We can offer them one possibility more.”
Asked if a European place can make the difference, De Zerbi replied: “It can be. They can have more motivation. But they are very good guys.
“When I work, I think for myself, I think for my club but I think still for the players because the players have one career, one life and we can’t decide for them.
“I don’t know what Tony (Bloom, Brighton owner) can decide but if they want to leave, for myself, it’s right they leave.”
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Michael Beale admitted Scott Arfield’s departure ‘pulls at the heartstrings’ as he paid tribute to a quintet of Rangers players leaving Ibrox this summer.
Colombia striker Alfredo Morelos, winger Ryan Kent, veteran goalkeeper Allan McGregor and long-term injured defender Filip Helander will also depart at the ends of their contracts.
The Ibrox outfit also announced that veteran midfielder Steven Davis – another player soon to be out of contract – “’emains in discussions to continue working with the club’s medical team to support his return to full fitness following a long-term ACL injury suffered in December 2022′.
Arfield, 34, has become a fans’ favourite since signing from Burnley in 2018, although he has found regular starts hard to come by recently.
Ahead of the final home cinch Premiership game of the season against Hearts on Wednesday night, where the players leaving will be given the chance to say their goodbyes, Beale spoke about Arfield in the most glowing terms.
“Scotty Arfield – it pulls on the heartstrings, big time,” he said. “As a man and as a person, he has been absolutely fantastic around the place.
“He is adored by the fans as well, not only (by) his team-mates and staff.
“That was a real amicable conversation between the two of us over the last couple of months around playing time, how the squad will look and what Scott needs moving forward as well.
“You have to live the reality. He is a key player and gives a lot of energy to the building and his team-mates, but he needs to feel he will be involved and play from the start or have a significant involvement, and I can’t promise him that.
“A difficult decision to come to, but I think it is right for all parties.”
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Talks between the Wolves board and Julen Lopetegui about the summer transfer window and spending plans are ongoing, talkSPORT understands.
Reports have suggested that Lopetegui could walk away over the lack of signings and investment planned at the Premier League club.
However, there is no suggestion that he will leave before the end of his contract.
The 56-year-old joined the club in November and guided them away from the relegation zone. They currently sit 13th on 41 points.
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And there we have it – Arsenal have announced Bukayo Saka has signed a new contract with the club.
The terms of the new deal have not been disclosed by the Gunners, who say the England forward has penned a ‘long-term’ contract.
But it is understood his extension runs until 2027 and it has seen his wages bump up to around £200,000-a-week.
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Arsenal are on the verge of announcing Bukayo Saka has signed a new long-term contract, talkSPORT understands.
England star Saka has been in negotiations with the Gunners for several months.
Arsenal have already tied down Aaron Ramsdale and Gabriel Martinelli to fresh deals and are in negotiations with defender William Saliba.
But it appears Saka will be next to commit his long-term future to the north London club and extend his current deal, which runs until 2024.
FULL STORY
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Noel Gallagher has accepted an invitation to watch the Champions League final with a group of Man City fans in San Diego.
American local Christie, the chair of the San Diego branch of the official Man City Supporters’ Club, called into the White and Jordan show earlier to put her request to the Oasis star, who can’t be at the game in person as he’s on tour in the United States at the time.
Christie said: “I’ve been asked by our members to get up at 4:30am and call in to invite you to watch the final with us, if you’d be interested? I don’t know if you already have plans…”
And Noel replied: “I didn’t have any plans, but I do now. I’d love to watch it with you lot, that would be great.
“Give your details to one of the producers, they’ll pass it onto my guy, somebody will email somebody and that’ll be that .
“I will grace you with my presence!”
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Big news for Oasis fans – Noel has sent a message to Liam to ‘call me’ about a possible Oasis reunion.
But he doesn’t feel it will ever happen, despite his brother’s claims that one could be on the cards, because he feels Liam doesn’t really want to speak with him about it.
And he’s accused him of teasing fans of the band with his comments about the possibility of getting back together.
“I suspect that he doesn’t want to do it, he’s just saying he does,” Noel told White and Jordan.
“It feels disingenuous.
“I’m open to a phone call, to a conversation.
“But other than that, [to Liam] stop playing with the fans. It’s not fair on them.”
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Gallagher was more respectful towards rivals Manchester United. Yes, you read that right.
He insists winning the treble this season would put this Man City team ON PAR with Sir Alex Ferguson’s treble-winning side, it would NOT make them better.
“There’s this conversation about ‘who is the best?’ It’s just the best now. You’re not telling me that team that got 100 points is not special. I’d never seen anything like that team. The team that won the first league title with Aguero, that was amazing.
“So if this team wins the two next big games [for the treble] and we’re hoping they will do, then they will go down not as one of the best City teams but one of the best teams of this era and in British football.
“But they won’t be better than United. It’ll be the same as United.
“This talk about ‘who is better?’ and ‘what player is better?’, ‘De Bruyne is better than Scholes’ – there’s a level sportsmen and clubs get to and there is only a few in it.
“There’s a room where Man United sit on their own, they’re the proper treble winners, and if City win these two games they’re going to be in the room with them.
“Would United’s treble team stand up against City’s? We’ll never know! If Guardiola a better coach than Ferguson? We like to banter with United fans and all that, but you can’t prove it because the teams can’t play against each other.
“City are the best now, that’s all we know. It’s not better, because you can’t prove it.
“But the treble is not nailed on. Liverpool are one of the best teams we have ever seen and they were two games away from an unprecedented quadruple, and they fell at the final hurdle. So anything can happen.
“It’s such a rarity – it’s only happened once – but if it happens, we’ll be there forever.”
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First off the bat… Noel Gallagher thanked Arsenal for ‘handing’ Man City the Premier League title.
And he says the fact Gunners fans were ‘celebrating the title in January’ makes City’s win ‘even sweeter’.
Ouch.
“I didn’t actually go on Sunday [to see City lift the trophy] because I didn’t think Arsenal would hand it to us on Saturday!
“It’s great, to win it against is beyond everybody’s wildest dreams and the fact Arsenal handed it to us made it even sweeter because they were celebrating it in January.
“I think it might have been one of Pep Guardiola’s greatest achievements. He’s done a brilliant job having lost Cancelo and with Haaland still settling in, and congratulations to them all. It’s thoroughly deserved.
“It’s all about being there. Arsenal were top for most of the season but it’s the last six games that count.
“You could tell the air had gone out of Arsenal’s balloon after we beat them.
“I love it with that lot – their fans are idiots!”
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COMING UP!
British music royalty is in the house this morning, as Noel Gallagher joins White and Jordan in the talkSPORT studios.
The former Oasis star will talk all things Man City, their latest Premier League title win, treble hopes, rivalry with Arsenal and Liverpool and much more!
Stay tuned to talkSPORT or watch the live studio feed in the video above!
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Simon Jordan has gone from doubter to believer with Newcastle United and reckons they will be Man City’s long-term challengers at the top of the Premier League going forward.
Speaking on the White and Jordan show this morning, the pundit said: “This is not the peak. Whether there’s
a plateau for a period of time before they go again, it’s possible, but the Saudi’s do not do second-place. That is not the motivation or their aim.“They are going to, I suspect, become a force and part of my thinking is that out of the chasing pack of the clubs looking to unseat Man City, it may well be Newcastle.
“Not next year, I think they’ve still got a way to go, but I still think they are on their journey, and they are well on their journey.
“They have laid really good foundations. Everything they’ve done, despite my vitriol and criticism initially, has been pretty much right, from Eddie Howe coming in – i wasn’t an admirer of his and I have to eat all of those words.
“Jason Tindall has been a valuable member of staff and they have become a team unit. Amanda Staveley’s contributions in getting these guys in the door and then their recruitment policies, they go and buy a £70m footballer in Isak and Arsenal bought Nicolas Pepe for the same price – but when you put them side by side, who is the £70m footballer?
“Everything about the club at this moment in time has an irresistability about it.
“They are in the Champions League next season and they should go in there with zero respect for it and zero fear about playing in European football. It’s not a free hit but it is a huge opportunity and I think they’ll take it.
“I think they will inevitably be the side that challenges Man City because they have the economic resources to do so.
“I expect Newcastle to spend someone between £150million and £250million this summer, given the fact they’ve also got a £150m injection from being in the Champions League.”
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Brighton star Evan Ferguson has rejected suggestions he could switch his international allegiance to England.
The son of Irish ex-footballer Barry Ferguson, Evan has already made four senior appearances for Republic of Ireland, having played for the Boys in Green at Under-15s through to Under-21s.
Those appearances have only been in friendlies, though, meaning he could follow Declan Rice in switching to the Three Lions – his mum is English – if he wanted.
Alas, it appears he very much does NOT want to…
❌ England
✅ Republic of IrelandEvan Ferguson says he wouldn’t be allowed back in the country by his dad if he switched allegiances to his mother’s nationality. 🤣 pic.twitter.com/JdGp9S6U1M
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) May 23, 2023
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The big rumour coming out of France last night was that Manchester United are in talks over a deal for Neymar.
According to L’Equipe, PSG are ‘not opposed’ to the departure of the Brazilian.
It is claimed club bosses are keen to move their project on with ‘less flash and more discipline’, and Neymar’s exit would be a major step in that direction.
It is also said they want to build a ‘more balanced team’ around Kylian Mbappe, and so Neymar leaving would make the Frenchman their undisputed No.1 star.
And the French outlet claims United are frontrunners for his signature, although the fact there are two years remaining on his contract means he will not come cheap, despite PSG’s willingness to sell.
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Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher is attracting plenty of interest ahead of the summer transfer window.
The 24-year-old Repubic of Ireland international is the Reds’ No.2 behind Allison, but the Liverpool Echo claim he would ‘jump at the chance’ to become a No.1 at another club.
Jurgen Klopp does not want to lose him, but Tottenham, Brighton and Brentford have been linked with an interest, as well as several European clubs.
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Ilkay Gundogan is determined not to lose momentum as Manchester City aim to close out the season by winning the treble.
City claimed the first of the three trophies they are chasing by winning the Premier League title over the weekend.
Their sights are now set on adding the FA Cup and Champions League but, before they can switch thoughts fully to their two finals next month, they have to complete the league programme.
City, who are unbeaten in 24 games, wrap up their Premier League campaign by travelling to Brighton on Wednesday and Brentford next Sunday and Gundogan is wary of easing up in those matches.
The City captain said: “We haven’t lost any games for so many weeks and that’s the standard that we have to set for ourselves.
“We do nothing different – we do the same things that we’ve done in the last few weeks and hopefully it can be a really special end to the season.
“I love the club and being part of this amazing team.
“Obviously, we want to finish the season with two more trophies. We have two more big finals, and the last two games of the Premier League season are going to be preparation for that.
“We don’t want to drop anything. I would love to lift two more trophies.”
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Emi Martinez joked he has a plan to lure Lionel Messi to Aston Villa.
Messi is out of contract at Paris Saint-Germain this summer and looks likely to leave.
He has endured a difficult relationship with the PSG fans, who at times have booed and whistled him.
Villa goalkeeper Martinez told ESPN: “If they are whistling Messi, I would bring him here.. at Villa [laughs] … Hey, man, we’ll drink mate, we eat asados every week. I will cut my salary, we’ll do our best [laughing]..”
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Newcastle boss Eddie Howe has admitted Champions League qualification was not even in his thoughts as he embarked upon the new Premier League campaign.
The Magpies secured a top-four finish and a return to the big stage for the first time since the 2002-03 season with a 0-0 draw against Leicester on Monday evening to complete a remarkable turnaround.
They were in severe danger of relegation when Howe took the helm in November 2021 but will now rub shoulders with the continent’s elite next season.
A delighted Howe said: “This wasn’t in our sights at that moment. We had escaped relegation impressively, from the position we were in.
“We were hopeful of improving and staying away from danger and growing the team to a position where maybe we could compete for Europe in a couple of seasons, so we’ve shot ahead of schedule.
“With that comes big challenges for the future, but when you’re in these moments and there’s an opportunity of something like this, you have to take it.”
The club’s Saudi-backed owners have ploughed in excess of £250million in the squad since buying out Mike Ashley, but have received an earlier than anticipated return on their investment.
Newcastle reached the Carabao Cup final in February only to lose to Manchester United at Wembley, but were not to be denied a place at Europe’s top table.
Howe said: “The difficulty is there’s no trophy. It’s an amazing achievement, an amazing thing in terms of where we’ve come from in such a short space of time.
“But it feels difficult to celebrate it like you’ve won a league or something like that. It’s right up there, of course it is. It’s an amazing thing at a very special club.
Asked how he would celebrate, Howe added with a smile: “I don’t know how I’ll celebrate. I’ll wait and see. I hope it’s not with a tea and a biscuit.”
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