England and Roma striker Tammy Abraham is recovering in a London hospital after surgery to repair anterior cruciate ligament damage.
Former Chelsea forward Abraham, 25, sustained the injury in Roma’s final game of the season last Sunday when a 2-1 home win against Spezia secured them a sixth-placed Serie A finish.
A Roma statement read: “Tammy Abraham underwent reconstructive surgery on the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee on Wednesday.
“The operation was performed by Dr Andy Williams at London’s Cromwell Hospital, with AS Roma head of medical Massimo Manara in attendance, and was a complete success.
“The player will remain at the London clinic for a few days before beginning the rehabilitation programme drawn up by the club’s medical staff. Wishing you a speedy recovery, Tammy!”
The Italian club, managed by former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho, signed Abraham from the Blues in August 2021 for £34million.
Jude Bellingham looks set to become a Real Madrid player after the Spanish club agreed an £88.5million fee with Borussia Dortmund.
The England international will join a small but esteemed set of British players to play for Los Blancos.
Here, the PA news agency takes a look at those players from these shores to have played at the Bernabeu.
Laurie Cunningham
England international Cunningham was the trailblazer for those that followed him after becoming the first Englishman to play for Real Madrid after signing from West Brom in 1979. The left winger brought plenty of excitement to the fans and after scoring on his debut, went on to win the league and cup double in his first season. His time at the Bernabeu was hampered by injuries and he left to join Marseille in 1984, having scored 20 goals in 66 appearances. He was sadly killed six years later in a car crash, aged just 33, while playing for Raya Vallecano.
Steve McManaman (1999-2003)
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Twenty years after Cunningham, Steve McManaman followed as he joined from Liverpool. The floppy-haired winger played in one of the great Madrid teams alongside the likes of Raul, Ronaldo, Luis Figo and Zinedine Zidane, winning two LaLiga titles and two Champions League titles, scoring in the 2000 final against Valencia. He made over 150 appearances and moved to Manchester City in 2003, where he spent two years before retiring in 2005.
David Beckham (2003-2007)
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Already a global superstar, David Beckham’s footballing image went to the next level when he signed for Madrid in 2003. Although his time in the Spanish capital was not the silverware haul he enjoyed at Manchester United, winning just one league title, he was a fan favourite. He made 155 appearances, scored 20 goals and notched 59 assists before moving to LA Galaxy in 2007.
Michael Owen (2005-2006)
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Given Michael Owen’s relationship with Beckham for the England national team, an £8million move for the striker seemed good business in 2005. But Owen never really took off in Madrid and spent the majority of his one season at the club on the bench. He was able to score when he was on the pitch, most memorably a fine goal in a 4-2 win over Barcelona. He left for Newcastle in 2006.
Jonathan Woodgate (2005-07)
The fact that Woodgate has been voted as Real Madrid’s worst signing of the 21st century by readers of a Spanish newspaper tells you how his time at the club went. He joined Owen in swapping England for Spain in the summer of 2004 but was injured at the time and did not make an appearance until September 2005. That went about as well as expected as he scored an own goal and was sent off. He managed just 14 appearances in three years due to more injury woe and he left the Bernabeu being remembered for all the wrong reasons.
Gareth Bale (2013-2022)
Bale was the hottest property in Europe when he joined Madrid from Tottenham in 2013 and his career at the Bernabeu speaks for itself. He won four Champions League titles, one LaLiga title, one Copa Del Rey, two Spanish Super Cups and three European Super Cups. He scored 106 goals in 258 appearances, often vying for the spotlight with Cristiano Ronaldo, before it turned sour at the end of his stay, where his relationship with boss Zinedine Zidane and the fans was frosty at best.
Caroline Weir (2022-Present)
Weir became the first British woman – and first Scot – to play for Real Madrid when she signed on a free transfer from Manchester City last summer. The attacker enjoyed a successful debut season in the Spanish capital, scoring 15 goals, while also knocking her former side out of the Women’s Champions League.
Steven Naismith will continue to lead Hearts after being handed a two-year contract following his term as interim manager.
Naismith has been named as technical director with Frankie McAvoy as head coach, in order to comply with UEFA regulations until the former Scotland international earns his Pro Licence coaching qualification. Gordon Forrest will remain as first-team coach.
The former Kilmarnock, Rangers, Everton, Norwich and Hearts player took charge of the final seven games of the season and kept the Jambos in fourth place in the cinch Premiership.
Chief executive Andrew McKinlay told the official Hearts website: “We are thrilled to confirm Steven, Frankie and Gordon as our coaching team.
“We received a number of excellent applications, and, after a robust recruitment process, we believe the three were the best candidates to lead us into next season while sharing our vision for the club’s future.
“Steven is an outstanding young coach with a strong track record of improving players whilst also displaying a commitment to blooding young talent through the ranks.”
Jude Bellingham is closing in on a move to Real Madrid after the Spanish side struck a deal with Borussia Dortmund worth an initial £88.5million.
The 19-year-old moved to Germany from boyhood club Birmingham in 2020 and has long dreamt of moving to the LaLiga giants.
England star Bellingham is now on the cusp of completing his move to Madrid.
Dortmund confirmed in a statement that the Spanish side have agreed to pay 103m euros (£88.5m), with an additional amount of around 30 per cent of that fixed fee agreed.
If those add-ons are achieved, the deal could reach 133.9m euros (£115m).
Lionel Messi is reportedly set to join Major League Soccer side Inter Miami with Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal understood to be out of the race.
The 35-year-old Argentina star had been strongly linked with a move to Saudi Arabia, a league which already features Cristiano Ronaldo and now Karim Benzema, with Messi’s two-year contract at Paris St Germain coming to an end this month.
However, the PA news agency understands a move to the Middle East is now no longer on the cards, placing Inter Miami in pole position for Messi.
The Major League Soccer side are co-owned by former England captain David Beckham and were founded in 2018, playing their first season two years later.
Miami recently sacked Beckham’s former Manchester United and England team-mate Phil Neville as coach and are currently bottom of the 15-team Eastern Conference, but they remain a fiercely ambitious club.
The PA news agency understands the Florida side have pulled out all the stops to sign Messi, tying up with various MLS partners like Apple.
A deal in principle has now reportedly been agreed that will see Messi head to the United States after PSG confirmed last week he would be leaving.
Adam Idah will head into Euro 2024 qualifier battle with Greece and Gibraltar grateful for both the help and competition provided by two strikers at opposite ends of their careers.
The 22-year-old Republic of Ireland frontman has spent much of the last four seasons fighting Teemu Pukki for a place in the Norwich starting line-up, and now faces a major challenge from Brighton’s teenage sensation Evan Ferguson on the international front.
However Idah, who made his Canaries debut as an 18-year-old and won his first senior cap for Ireland a little more than a year later, has not been daunted by either battle.
Asked about Pukki’s influence on his fledgling career as the 33-year-old Finland international prepares to leave Norwich this summer, he said: “Teemu was massive to me since I came in.
“When I first came to Norwich I wasn’t playing many games, and I was really frustrated, but he helped me through that.
“Looking back now, it was stupid of me to be frustrated as he was scoring all these goals, but even off the pitch he helped me, (showing me) what to do outside of football.
“On the pitch, he was fantastic. He’s a great player to look up to with all the goals he has scored in championships and the Premier League. He is a great professional.”
Pukki’s impending exit after scoring 88 goals in 210 appearances over his five years at Carrow Road presents Idah with an opportunity next season, with boss David Wagner needing to plug a sizeable gap, and it is one he is determined to take.
He said: “Every new season is a big opportunity for me. Obviously it was difficult – when he was at Norwich, he was the main man and next season is going to be a big one for me to try to get myself in the team.
“But I think me and the manager know it’s going to be a good opportunity for me to try to become the main striker at Norwich. I just have to be the best I can to get in.”
In the meantime, Idah’s task is to force his way into Stephen Kenny’s team for the trip to Athens on June 16 and Gibraltar’s visit to Dublin three days later, a process which has become more difficult as a result of Ferguson’s breakthrough season in the Premier League.
The 18-year-old made 19 league appearances and scored six goals as the Seagulls secured European football for the first time in the club’s history, and also opened his senior international account – something Idah is yet to do – in March’s 3-2 friendly win over Latvia.
Speaking from Ireland’s warm-weather training camp in Antalya, Turkey, Idah said: “He’s had an unbelievable season at Brighton. In every team, you need some friendly competition for all of us.
“There’s not just Evan, there’s five of us forwards all chasing for the same spot and I think we’re all doing everything in the right way. We help each other achieve in the right way to the best we can.
“Whoever starts in any game, I think we all support each other and try to do the best we can. That’s what so good about this team – there’s no ego in this team and we all try to help each other.”
Billy Bingham has been remembered as one of football’s greatest tacticians during a service in Belfast to celebrate his life.
A number of former Northern Ireland internationals gathered with fans for the thanksgiving service at St Anne’s Cathedral.
Delivering a personal tribute, former Celtic manager Martin O’Neill recalled how Bingham took the “monumental decision” to appoint him as the first Catholic captain of Northern Ireland at the height of the Troubles.
Bingham was diagnosed with dementia in 2006 and died a year ago aged 90.
As a manager he twice guided Northern Ireland to the World Cup finals, first in 1982 when they famously beat hosts Spain, and again in 1986.
Gerry Armstrong, Billy Hamilton and Jimmy Nicholl were among the other members of the 1982 team to attend the service.
Current Northern Ireland manager Michael O’Neill, Olympic gold medal-winning athlete Lady Mary Peters and several politicians were also among the congregation.
Martin O’Neill told the service that Bingham appointed him as captain in 1980.
He said: “This would be a big, monumental decision, the first Catholic to be in charge of Northern Ireland as a captain.
“I was very concerned about it because the Troubles were rife.
“He said to me, ‘I’ll take a bit of flak for it but that will dissipate if we win some football matches’.”
O’Neill said the decision was a sign of Bingham’s strength of character.
He added: “He was tactically as astute as any coach I’ve ever worked with.
“He would be up there today with anyone, you talk about (Pep) Guardiola, you talk about these great managers, Billy was a class apart tactically.”
Bingham’s son David told the service his father would have been “incredibly proud” of the turnout.
He added: “He would have been overjoyed, in fact.”
He compared the exploits of the Northern Ireland team in the 1980s to the Biblical story of David and Goliath.
He said: “The story of the Northern Ireland football team, particularly in the first six years of the 1980s, helped to show what happens when a story does not play out as expected.
“Against the backdrop of the Troubles, this was even more unusual at the time.
“I was wondering how best to describe the person responsible for guiding his players in these competitions, the architect of these events.
“What struck me the most was the quality of his absolute and indefatigable winning spirit.”
The memorial service was led by the Dean of Belfast, Rev Stephen Forde.
He said: “Everyone old enough to remember those (World Cup) campaigns remembers how they lifted the spirits of the Northern Ireland community during some of the darkest days of the Northern Ireland Troubles.
“Behind every hero there is an individual person of strengths and weaknesses, for even the most successful of players and managers will also know times of personal disappointment.
“Today we gather to celebrate a footballing giant in the land where giants are part of our folklore.”
Armstrong, who scored the winning goal against Spain in the 1982 World Cup, delivered a reading, as did one of Bingham’s grandsons, Patrick J Lawlor.
Music was provided by the Belfast Community Gospel Choir and pianist Ian Hannah.
Born in east Belfast, Bingham was capped 56 times as a player by Northern Ireland.
He came through the ranks of Glentoran before joining Sunderland in 1950 and going on to have spells with Luton, Everton, whom he later also managed, and Port Vale.
Bingham also played in the Northern Ireland side that reached the quarter-finals of the 1958 World Cup, only to lose to France.
He won the 1962–63 First Division title with Everton before moving into management.
Brad Lyons has signed a new two-year deal at Kilmarnock after helping the club escape relegation.
The Northern Ireland midfielder made 15 cinch Premiership appearances last season and scored in the decisive 3-1 win over Ross County on the final day, after coming into the team for the equally important 3-0 win at Dundee United days earlier.
The 26-year-old former Coleraine, Blackburn, St Mirren and Morecambe player told Killie’s website: “I love the club and community, so it was easy for me to re-sign.
“Towards the end of the season I think that I showed my true self, so I’m really glad the club offered me a new deal. The manager’s message to me is to try and be more consistent with playing levels.
“I’ve now shown what I’m worth, so that’s the level I need to hit every week.”
Leeds have been charged with failing to control their crowd after a fan confronted Newcastle boss Eddie Howe at Elland Road during a recent Premier League game.
The fan was charged with assault by West Yorkshire Police and banned for life by Leeds after he entered the technical area to remonstrate with Howe during last month’s 2-2 draw.
The FA said on its spokesperson Twitter site: “Leeds United has been charged with misconduct in relation to crowd control that occurred during its Premier League game against Newcastle United FC on Saturday 13 May 2023.
“It’s alleged that the club failed to ensure its spectators and/or supporters – and anyone purporting to be its supporters or followers – conduct themselves in an orderly fashion and don’t use words or behave in an improper, offensive, violent, threatening, abusive or insulting or provocative way.
“Leeds United FC has until Wednesday 14 June 2023 to provide a response.”
Howe said after the game that his confrontation should act as a wake-up call for those responsible for the safety of players and staff.
“I actually can’t remember whether he pushed me or not, I’ve got no idea, it’s such a strange thing because you’re concentrating on the game and you don’t expect it to happen,” Howe said.
“He confronted me, said something that I can’t repeat and was then led away.
“I’m OK, moments like that do make you think about the safety of staff and players is paramount for me at any matches in the Premier League and Football League. We need to be mindful, security is so important.
“I don’t know if I had time to be fearful because it was over in a flash but it certainly makes you think ‘what if’ and I think it is moments like this that should make people look and analyse how we can improve safety for staff and players.”
West Yorkshire Police later confirmed that the man had been charged with assault and will appear before magistrates on July 21.
Tottenham's appointment of Ange Postecoglou is part of "a golden era" for Australian football, according to James Johnson.
Postecoglou was handed a four-year deal at Spurs on Tuesday, leaving Scottish champions Celtic after two successful years which culminated in a domestic treble.
Football Australia CEO Johnson believes Tottenham fans are wrong to hold concerns over Postecoglou – who has been hired to replace Antonio Conte – even if the 57-year-old was not one of the biggest names available.
Johnson feels Postecoglou's track record speaks for itself and is certain he will succeed in the Premier League in an era of rapid progress for figures connected with Australian football.
"Australian football is in a golden era right now," Johnson said to Stats Perform.
"It is a really extraordinary development and Australian football is very proud of Ange.
"Ange has gone through every level of Australian football. He's played in the NSL. He's coached in the NSL with South Melbourne.
"He's coached in the A-League with Brisbane Roar and Melbourne Victory. He's coached all our national teams from the youth national teams, all the way up to the Socceroos.
"He's had success at Celtic and now to land a job in the biggest league in the world with one of the biggest clubs in the world is extraordinary for Ange and for Australian football.
"The Ange appointment is another example of the many great waves that Australian football is pushing out at the moment.
"We are seeing a lot of our Matildas [Australia women's national team players] who are playing at some of the biggest clubs in the world from Chelsea to Tottenham to Arsenal to Lyon to Manchester City.
"We are seeing players re-enter the Premier League again, like Harry Souttar did at Leicester. We are seeing many players who are transferring from the A-League into Europe.
"And we are seeing our Socceroos coming off the best performance at a World Cup that they have ever had.
"Then we are hosting the biggest tournament in women's sports, the Women's World Cup, in only six weeks’ time, so it is a fantastic time for Australian football."
Postecoglou will take charge of a Spurs team that struggled to eighth place in the Premier League and will not play in Europe next season, with star striker Harry Kane facing an uncertain future.
Conte was sacked in late March, with Cristian Stellini and then Ryan Mason taking temporary charge. Johnson is convinced there will now be a rapid improvement and an attacking style of play.
He added: "Ange is someone who understands football from top to bottom, he's coached that youth team level. So at Tottenham, he's going to have a great connection with the youth team.
"He's competed at the European level. So he's going to understand what it's like to juggle players who were playing both domestically and European football which a club like Tottenham do.
"He's going to understand the friction between national team football and club football.
"Ange is a total package as a coach and Tottenham are very smart to hire him.
"He plays very attacking football. He's one of these people that he won't have restrictions put on him, he'll go out and play his style against any opposition.
"I think that kind of positivity and energy is exactly what a club like Tottenham need at the moment when they probably haven't done as well, in the past 12 months, as people would have expected them to."
Johnson continued: "I think people particularly in Europe need to understand the Australian football is coming quickly.
"Ange at the forefront of that movement and will be successful in the Premier League. I'm absolutely sure about that."
Spurs have friendlies against West Ham, Leicester City and Roma lined up in July.
Ross McCrorie is looking to build on a momentous week in his career by winning his first Scotland cap during this month’s Euro 2024 qualifiers.
The versatile defender was called up to the Scotland squad on Monday in place of Celtic right-back Anthony Ralston.
The 25-year-old then completed a move from Aberdeen to Bristol City on Tuesday before flying out to Spain to join his international colleagues for a training camp ahead of games against Norway and Georgia.
The uncapped former Rangers player said in a City video: “It’s an honour for me to get called up.
“Personally I feel I have been playing at a high level for the last couple of years and it’s great to get that recognition now and get in the Scotland squad and become an international.
“Hopefully I can get a couple of appearances.
“It’s good coming down to Bristol City as an international.”
McCrorie, who has signed a three-year contract with the Sky Bet Championship club, added: “It was just a new challenge for me.
“I have been up in Scotland for a while now, I felt as if I knew the league inside out and I needed something to take me out of my comfort zone.
“They set out their plans and showed me a lot of ambition for the club. You see with the facilities it has got everything at the club to progress to the Premier League.”
Sheikh Jassim has submitted an improved fifth and final bid for Manchester United – and wants an answer by Friday, the PA news agency understands.
The club announced in November that the board was exploring strategic alternatives to enhance the club’s growth, with a full sale one option being considered.
Current owners, the Glazer family, are said to value United at £6billion and the Raine Group was brought in to oversee the process.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim both publicly confirmed initial offers after the February 17 soft deadline for expressions of interest, then another by the second deadline of March 22.
That was eventually extended by a few days and Raine asked interested parties for their third and final bids on April 28.
Talk has increased over the subsequent 40 days that Ratcliffe and INEOS have emerged as favourites to take over at United, despite Sheikh Jassim placing a fourth bid last month.
Now the PA news agency understands the Qataris this week lodged a fifth and final bid, along with sending a warning that patience is wearing thin.
The fifth offer remains for 100 per cent of the club and Sheikh Jassim’s bid team have set Friday as a deadline to make headway in discussions.
While Sheikh Jassim’s offer is understood to remain after that point, the end of the week would mark the end of their ongoing engagement in the process.
This is a crunch period on and off the field for United, who won the Carabao Cup, finished third in the Premier League and lost Saturday’s FA Cup final in Erik ten Hag’s first season in charge.
Co-owner Avram Glazer was at Wembley for Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to Manchester City and ignored questions about the takeover as he left through the interview area.
Asked about the potential takeover and summer improvements, United boss Ten Hag said: “I think in this moment I don’t want to discuss that.
“It’s about finalising the season. We have to be quiet, analyse the season, go into the depth, then set the right conclusions and then take action. It’s about that.
“Of course, during the season you continually make your considerations and already some actions are into process.
“But, yeah, now the season is finished and the conclusion all over is we played a brilliant season.”
Dundee boss Tony Docherty is “thrilled” by the recruitment of Scott Tiffoney as he gears up for the cinch Premiership next season.
The winger has agreed to join the newly-promoted Tayside club when his contract with Partick Thistle ends at the weekend.
Tiffoney was in the Jags side which lost to Ross County in the Premiership play-off final.
Docherty, who took over as Dundee boss last week, told the club’s official website: “I am thrilled that Scott will be joining the club. He is a player that I have monitored and admired for a long time and is a player that will get the fans off their seats.
“When he has the ball, he can make things happen, he can create chances for others, and he can create opportunities for himself.
“He has a tremendous work ethic and wants to improve as a player.
“He is committed to the club and will be moving up here and I’m really excited about having him at the club.”
Tiffoney began his career with Greenock Morton before moving to Livingston in 2018 and then to Partick Thistle.
He has also had loan spells at Clyde, Morton, Ayr and Partick Thistle.
What the papers say
Manchester United defender Harry Maguire, 30, has emerged as a target for Tottenham, according to The Daily Telegraph. The London club are hoping the signing could help persuade his England colleague Harry Kane to stay at the club as big-name clubs line up for his signature.
Maguire is one of eight players United are looking to move on this summer, reports the Daily Mirror. Striker Anthony Martial, 27, Scott McTominay, 26, fellow midfielder Fred, 30, and goalkeeper Dean Henderson, 26, are also on the list, along with defenders Eric Bailly, 29, Alex Telles, 30, and Brandon Williams, 22.
Brighton want more than £70 million for Manchester United target Moises Caicedo, says The Daily Telegraph. Chelsea and Arsenal are also chasing the 21-year-old Ecuador midfielder.
Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante, 32, is wanted by two clubs in Saudi Arabia, according to The Guardian. Al-Ittihad and Al-Nassr are keen on the France star with annual salary offers which could reach £86.2 million.
Social media round-upPlayers to watch
Levi Colwill: The Daily Mail reports Brighton are considering an increased bid of around £40 million for the Chelsea defender, who spent last season on loan at The Seagulls.
Gabri Veiga: Chelsea have joined Liverpool and Barcelona in tracking the Celta Vigo midfielder, 21, who has a £34.4 million release clause, says The Guardian.
Chelsea and Jose Mourinho reached a settlement with former team doctor Eva Carneiro over her claims that she was constructively dismissed by the club, and victimised by its former manager, on this day in 2016.
Carneiro had brought the claim at an employment tribunal, accusing Mourinho of victimisation and discrimination. She was due to begin giving evidence but after last-minute talks between the parties, a settlement was agreed.
Mourinho made a surprise appearance at the hearing at the London South Employment Tribunal centre in Croydon.
Addressing the tribunal, Daniel Stilitz QC, for Chelsea and Mourinho, said: “We are pleased to be able to tell the tribunal that the parties agreed a settlement on confidential terms.”
The case was expected to last seven to 10 days and could have led to potentially embarrassing witness statements and documents – including texts and emails – being made public.
It was revealed that Carneiro had refused £1.2 million to settle her claims with Mourinho and Chelsea. Details of the final deal between the parties were not released.
Carneiro had alleged she was sexually discriminated against after she went on to the pitch to treat Eden Hazard during the opening day of the Premier League season on August 8, 2015.
She claimed that, as she ran on to the pitch during the game with Swansea, Mourinho shouted “filha da puta” at her.
In a statement to the tribunal, Mourinho conceded that he used the term “filho da puta”, meaning “son of a whore”, but insisted he had been using it throughout the match.
Carneiro was removed from first-team duties at Chelsea shortly after the Swansea game and then parted company with the club the following month.
Chelsea said in a statement: “The club regrets the circumstances which led to Dr Carneiro leaving the club and apologises unreservedly to her and her family for the distress caused.
“We wish to place on record that in running onto the pitch Dr Carneiro was following both the rules of the game and fulfilling her responsibility to the players as a doctor, putting their safety first.
“Dr Carneiro has always put the interests of the club’s players first. Dr Carneiro is a highly competent and professional sports doctor. She was a valued member of the club’s medical team and we wish her every success in her future career.”
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