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.

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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.”

David Moyes may stand just one match from writing his name into West Ham folklore, but he will not compare himself to the club’s two managerial greats.

If the Hammers overcome Fiorentina in the final of the Europa Conference League on Wednesday night, Moyes will become only the third manager, after Ron Greenwood and John Lyall, to guide the east London club to a major trophy.

Greenwood, who went on to manage England, was in charge when West Ham won their only previous European trophy, the Cup Winners’ Cup in 1964, while their last piece of silverware, the FA Cup, came under Lyall in 1980.

Yet Moyes insisted: “I don’t think of myself as any different to anyone else in this room.

“I’m really fortunate and privileged and thankful to be given an opportunity to be a football manager and to have the opportunity to go this far in my career and be on a stage like this.

“I think it’s really special. I don’t ever really think of myself as being a legend or any words like that.

“I’d just like to be known as a football manager and one who’s serious about his job and tries to do the best he possibly can, week-in week-out, try to prepare my teams to be competitive.

“I’d like to be known as much for that as much as I would the word ‘legend’, really.”

The final will hold special memories for West Ham’s Czech duo Vladimir Coufal and Tomas Soucek, who both played for Slavia Prague at the Eden Arena.

Midfielder Soucek said: “When I realised one year ago that the final was in Prague and we were in this competition, I was like, ‘come on guys, we have to go there’.

“And now we are here in the Eden Arena in Prague, I can connect with the two teams I love.”

Michael Beale is looking to the Rangers academy for players to play their part on and off the park.

The Gers manager is revamping his squad this summer in a bid to turn the tables on domestic treble winners Celtic, but saleable assets are in short supply.

Rangers sold youth product Nathan Patterson to Everton in January 2022 for a reported £12million.

Midfielder Joe Aribo, brought from Charlton in 2019, was sold to Southampton last summer for a reported fee of £6million while defender and fellow Nigeria international Calvin Bassey, recruited from Leicester in 2020, joined Ajax for a fee widely reported as around £20million.

Gers boss Beale told Sky Sports Scotland that the Ibrox club need to generate more wealth while keeping results positive.

He said: “Everyone just wants you to win. I need to win and put some stability into the club, some harmony, some players in it which I feel can grow for the next two or three years here.

“That there’s a value on their head as well if they do well that we can trade and start again in terms of bringing other players in.

“If we look at the last 12 to 14 months, Nathan Patterson left the building, (as did) Joe Aribo and Calvin Bassey for the outlay of which was probably under £500,000.

“For the finance that we brought in, it was great but it’s important you have a conveyor belt behind it.

“It’s important the links between me and the academy are really strong to open a pathway.

“We have had a number of academy players on the pitch this year but who’s going to stay in?

“Who’s going to be a mainstay? Who’s going to be a marquee player for Rangers?

“The fans and the outside media will just look every three to five days when you play.

“Win, lose or draw that’s how they’ll deem success. I need to win. The team need to win. My staff need to win. But we also need to make sure we build a really strong club moving forward.”

Karim Benzema has completed his move to Al-Ittihad, the Saudi Arabian club have confirmed.

The striker is leaving Real Madrid in the summer and has signed a three-year deal with the Saudi champions.

Benzema was allowed to leave the Bernabeu after 14 years after voiding the 12-month extension he had.

Earlier on Tuesday, the 35-year-old vowed he will never forget Real.

The France international scored 354 goals in 648 games and won a club-record 25 trophies during his time with the LaLiga side.

“I’ll never forget Real Madrid because it’s impossible,” he told a farewell press conference.

“It’s difficult to talk. There are so many emotions. I wanted to thank Real Madrid and my team-mates. It’s been a good journey in my life.

“I was lucky enough to fulfil my childhood dream thanks to the president, who a long time ago, when I was just 21 years old, went to my house, with my parents.

“When I saw you I said, he’s the man who brought Zizou and Ronaldo and now he wants me in his team. Thank you very much for that.

“I’ll never forget Real Madrid because it is impossible. It’s the best club in the world and in history, that’s as good as it gets. It’s time for me to leave today and to have another story, but the most important thing for me is what I’ve won here.

“It’s a little bit of a sad day, because I’m leaving this club and that pains me. My dream was in my head, I signed for Madrid and I wanted to finish at Madrid, but life sometimes gives you another opportunity and I’ve taken it with all my family.”

Benzema joined from Lyon in 2009 and won four LaLiga titles and five Champions League crowns. He also won the 2022 Ballon d’Or.

Real president Florentino Perez said: “Today is a very difficult day for me. It’s a day that brings back memories and the emotions of the last 14 years and it’s also a day of sentiment and emotions for all madridistas.

“A period of enormous anticipation began 14 years ago for all madridistas, one of the most impressive in our 121 years of history.”

Karim Benzema has vowed he will never forget Real Madrid.

The striker will leave the Bernabeu in the summer when his contract expires after 14 years at the club.

The France international scored 354 goals in 648 games, won a club-record 25 trophies and is now expected to move to Saudi Arabia to join Al-Ittihad.

“I’ll never forget Real Madrid because it’s impossible,” he told a farewell press conference.

“It’s difficult to talk. There are so many emotions. I wanted to thank Real Madrid and my team-mates. It’s been a good journey in my life.

“I was lucky enough to fulfil my childhood dream thanks to the president, who a long time ago, when I was just 21 years old, went to my house, with my parents.

“When I saw you I said, he’s the man who brought Zizou and Ronaldo and now he wants me in his team. Thank you very much for that.

“I’ll never forget Real Madrid because it is impossible. It’s the best club in the world and in history, that’s as good as it gets. It’s time for me to leave today and to have another story, but the most important thing for me is what I’ve won here.

“It’s a little bit of a sad day, because I’m leaving this club and that pains me. My dream was in my head, I signed for Madrid and I wanted to finish at Madrid, but life sometimes gives you another opportunity and I’ve taken it with all my family.”

Benzema joined from Lyon in 2009 and won four LaLiga titles and five Champions League crowns. He also won the 2022 Ballon d’Or.

Real president Florentino Perez said: “Today is a very difficult day for me. It’s a day that brings back memories and the emotions of the last 14 years and it’s also a day of sentiment and emotions for all madridistas.

“A period of enormous anticipation began 14 years ago for all madridistas, one of the most impressive in our 121 years of history.”

David Moyes admitted it was “surreal” to walk out at the Eden Arena in Prague preparing for his first European final, the “biggest moment” of his career.

Moyes’ West Ham face Italian side Fiorentina in the Europa Conference League final in the Czech capital on Wednesday night.

The 60-year-old, who began his managerial career with Preston in 1998, is yet to lift a major piece of silverware, the Community Shield with Manchester United in 2013 notwithstanding.

Moyes is looking to become the first British manager since Sir Alex Ferguson, the man he replaced at the then champions, to lift a trophy, and join the former United boss in the pantheon of great Scottish managers in the English game.

Moyes, who has attended plenty of European finals in his role on UEFA’s technical committee, and his players got a first look at the final venue on Tuesday evening.

“It is slightly surreal,” he said. “Today, to turn up and have your own dressing room is a big thrill for me. I really hope I can take it to the next level and win the game.

“I’ve had a really good career since I started coaching at 35. Over a thousand matches, been in some finals, had some promotions. But this is the biggest moment. To be a coach for as long as I’ve been, you’re obviously doing something right.”

Moyes also categorically denied suggestions that he could step down after the final, regardless of the result.

“It’s great to be sitting here in a European final, for any manager it’s a thrill, one of the pinnacles you can get in football as a coach,” he added.

“Hopefully it’s the start. I’ve always said the best years are still to come and I’m certainly enjoying the moment and being here.”

Moyes’ father, David Snr, has attended all their European away matches and will once again be in the crowd at the 20,000 capacity stadium – hopefully.

“I think he’ll be in the pub,” smiled Moyes. “But to be in this position is very good and good for my family, and I hope they can enjoy it. Hopefully I can give him something he can remember.”

Declan Rice will captain the Hammers in what will almost certainly be his final game for the club with Arsenal and Manchester United among those vying for his signature.

Rice, predictably, was not put up in front of the media, high in the home of Slavia Prague, after the on-pitch walkabout.

Instead, it was left to winger Jarrod Bowen to swat aside questions over the England midfielder’s future.

“As his team-mates we are excited to go out for a final tomorrow with him as our captain,” said Bowen.

“When I joined three years ago, never in my wildest dreams would I have thought we would be in the final.

“We are team-mates and friends and to win it for everyone would be so special. That’s what our focus is on.”

Moyes has a fully-fit squad, bar injured striker Gianluca Scamacca, as West Ham bid to end a trophy drought stretching back to 1980’s FA Cup win over Arsenal.

Cup goalkeeper Alphonse Areola will start but regular number one Lukasz Fabianski, something of a penalty-saving expert over the years, could still have a major role to play if the final goes to a shoot-out.

“We’ve got those thoughts,” said Moyes. “It’s about planning, I’ve got my thoughts – but won’t reveal them if you don’t mind.”

Michael Beale is looking to insert a “spine” of longevity into his Rangers squad which can help wrest the cinch Premiership title back from Celtic.

The Ibrox club ended the season trophy-less with their Old Firm rivals clinching the domestic treble to make it five trophies out of six in the last two campaigns.

Beale, who took over from Giovanni van Bronckhorst last November, brought in Todd Cantwell and Nicolas Raskin during the January transfer window and so far this summer he has added 25-year-old midfielder Kieran Dowell from Norwich and 23-year-old right-back Dujon Sterling from Chelsea, with goalkeeper Jack Butland due to join from Crystal Palace in July.

Asked how Rangers bridge the gap to Celtic next season, the former QPR boss told Sky Sports Scotland: “We start how we’re ending with our style being very clear, our energy being very strong on the pitch in terms of our pressing and the bits out of possession.

“Make sure that we’re really hard to beat then allow our quality to come through.

“We’ll look to recruit a spine that’s enabled to stay at Rangers for the next three to five years to build on.

“You’ve seen the start of that with Nico Raskin and Todd Cantwell coming in and Kieran Dowell. We’ll look to add to that with a little bit of experience but certainly in terms of quality in the final third.

“You’ll be able to tell by my face at the start of pre-season whether I’ve been successful in getting everyone that I want but either way we’ll come back into pre-season next year with a few new ideas that I’ve wanted to implement.

“We need to go and recruit a certain type of player for that. We’ll come back stronger.

“Our league form in the last 24 games would say if we can get to that stage where we are now, we’ll be in the mix.

“It’ll be about getting to the March international break where we need to be and then going for it.”

Beale, former assistant coach to Steven Gerrard at Rangers, started last season as boss of QPR before returning to Ibrox to take over the hot seat.

Assessing a first year in management, he said: “It’s probably everything I wished it to be in terms of being a natural transition from being an assistant for many years.

“My desire was to become a manager. Two different leagues in one season, a lot of drama in between but I’ve had a lot of experience in that.

“The size of the clubs are different. I loved my time at Queens Park Rangers with Les Ferdinand and the staff there. It was really important to me before coming back to Rangers.

“The opportunity to come here, I didn’t think would come anywhere as near as quickly as it did. This is a juggernaut of a club and everything that comes with it but I’ve been pleased with my staff and how they’ve handled it.

“I’ve been pleased with the support I’ve had from the club and everybody around the backroom team.

“There’s a tinge of disappointment because I felt we could have done better. We’ve won a lot of games but in the real key moments we’ve tended to shoot ourselves in the foot.

“That will be in the forefront of my mind going for the recruitment this summer.

“It’s a really important summer for me, the football club, the fans and ultimately for the players in the squad as well.”

Rangers have confirmed goalkeeper Jack Butland has agreed a four-year contract to join the club from Crystal Palace.

Butland, who has most recently been on loan at Manchester United, will officially move to Ibrox on July 1, subject to international clearance.

The 30-year-old has signed after first-choice goalkeeper Allan McGregor retired at the end of the season. Jon McLaughlin and Robby McCrorie remain under contract.

“I’m over the moon,” Butland told Rangers’ official website. “The club speaks for itself. No matter where you are in football, you know about Rangers Football Club. This is a huge opportunity for me, and I’m delighted to be here.

“I feel great and motivated at the age that I am, and I feel excited at what the future holds. Doing that at a club that is equally as passionate about winning and being at the top was huge for me.

“It’s an important summer for the club and we need to get off to a good start. Getting the work done early is hugely important, so that we’re settled and raring to go when we come back in.”

Butland joins Kieran Dowell and Dujon Sterling as new signings for Rangers and manager Michael Beale is happy to bring in a player of the goalkeeper’s experience.

Beale: “I am delighted that we have recruited Jack. It was clear from our first meeting that we have a strong alignment on football and his development moving forward.

“At 30, he is coming into the prime years of his career having already amassed huge experience with 300 appearances in senior football, including almost 90 in the Premier League.

“In addition, he has played for England at every level, including nine caps for the senior team and five for the Great Britain Olympic team.

“I feel that we have recruited an excellent goalkeeper and, importantly, a top person. We are delighted to have Jack and his young family arriving in Glasgow and look forward to seeing him excel in his time at Rangers.”

Manchester City right-back Kyle Walker has played down fears he could miss the Champions League final with a back injury.

The England international did not feature in an open training session on Tuesday as City continued preparations for Saturday’s clash with Inter Milan in Istanbul.

The 33-year-old looked in discomfort as he was substituted in the final minute of City’s FA Cup final triumph over Manchester United at Wembley.

But Walker was one of a number of players made available for media interviews later on Tuesday and he insisted the problem was not serious.

“I’m fine, I’m just getting old,” he told Sky Sports News. “I’m completely fine, it’s just an extra day of recovery.

“I’ve played a lot of minutes over the last number of weeks so the manager said, ‘Just stay inside and come Saturday you will be raring to go’.

“I’m fine, the minutes that I’ve played when everyone else was injured, I was there digging my heels in and getting through it. I won’t be missing the Champions League final for anything.”

Manager Pep Guardiola also said Walker’s absence from training was only precautionary.

“He has had a disturbance in his back,” said Guardiola at a press conference. “Yesterday he was not good, today he was a little bit better but we didn’t want to take any risks. We will see what happens in the next days.”

City are bidding to win the Champions League for the first time and complete a glorious treble after their Premier League and FA Cup successes this season.

They are also looking to erase the memory of their painful loss to Chelsea in the 2021 final.

As three-time winners, Inter boast the greater European pedigree but City will go into the match as firm favourites against the side that finished third in Serie A this term.

Guardiola, however, insists what has happened in the past – and even current form – counts for little now.

He said: “It’s really good to travel in a few days to Istanbul. We go together and it is a dream to be here.

“Two years ago we were there but in different situations with Covid.

“We’re going to try to do our best and we know the final is how you behave in that specific 95 minutes, not history.

“For history, they are better than us but it is about what you have to do to be better than the opponent in 95 minutes.

“It doesn’t count what you have done in the group stages or the Premier League or the FA Cup. We have to be better than them.”

Guardiola is comfortable with the tag of favourites.

“We are used to it,” he said. “Why should it be more dangerous? Accept the role and go out there knowing the quality of the opponents. We accept what people say, no problem.”

City’s form in the latter part of the season, when they reeled in Arsenal to win the Premier League and powered past Bayern Munich and Real Madrid to reach this weekend’s showpiece, has been outstanding.

Guardiola acknowledges confidence is high in the City squad but insists there will be no complacency.

He said: “It is a final against a top team and we have to do it. We are confident, I’m so optimistic, but at the same time I cannot deny the quality of the opponent.

“I have never done that and especially not in the final of the Champions League.”

Kyle Walker has given Manchester City an injury scare ahead of the Champions League final by sitting out training with a back problem.

The England right-back was not involved as the treble-chasing Premier League champions held a session open to media ahead of Saturday’s encounter with Inter Milan in Istanbul.

Walker was substituted in the last minute of City’s FA Cup final triumph over Manchester United at Wembley last weekend.

The 33-year-old was made available by the club for media commitments on Tuesday, suggesting the issue was not too serious, but manager Pep Guardiola said no chances were being taken.

“He has had a disturbance in his back,” said Guardiola at a press conference.

“Yesterday he was not good, today he was a little bit better but we didn’t want to take any risks. We will see what happens in the next days.”

City are bidding to win the Champions League for the first time in their history and complete a glorious treble after their Premier League and FA Cup successes already this season.

They are also looking to erase the memory of their painful loss to Chelsea in the final of 2021.

As three-time winners, Inter boast the greater European pedigree but City will go into the match as firm favourites against the side that finished third in Serie A this term.

Guardiola, however, insists what has happened in the past – and even current form – counts for little now.

He said: “It’s really good to travel in a few days to Istanbul. We go together and it is a dream to be here.

“Two years ago we were there but in different situations with Covid.

“We’re going to try to do our best and we know the final is how you behave in that specific 95 minutes, not history.

“For history, they are better than us but it is about what you have to do to be better than the opponent in 95 minutes.

“It doesn’t count what you have done in the group stages or the Premier League or the FA Cup. We have to be better than them.”

Guardiola is comfortable with the tag of favourites.

“We are used to it,” he said. “Why should it be more dangerous? Accept the role and go out there knowing the quality of the opponents. We accept what people say, no problem.”

City’s form in the latter part of the season, when they reeled in Arsenal to win the Premier League and powered past Bayern Munich and Real Madrid to reach this weekend’s showpiece, has been outstanding.

Guardiola acknowledges confidence is high in the City squad but insists there will be no complacency.

He said: “It is a final against a top team and we have to do it. We are confident, I’m so optimistic, but at the same time I cannot deny the quality of the opponent.

“I have never done that and especially not in the final of the Champions League.”

Jose Mourinho's behaviour and the subsequent abuse of Anthony Taylor by Roma fans has led to former Premier League referee Mark Halsey calling for stricter punishments.

Taylor and his family were verbally and physically targeted at Budapest airport in the wake of Roma's Europa League final defeat to Sevilla.

Both teams felt aggrieved by some of Taylor's decisions in the game, but Mourinho was particularly vehement, and was filmed shouting abuse at the official long after the final whistle had blown.

Halsey was infuriated by what he saw.

"Everybody that's seen the footage or watched the game, I thought both teams' conduct with their players and the coaching staff was appalling," Halsey told Stats Perform.

"On the night I thought Anthony [Taylor] and his team had a superb game under the most difficult of circumstances. When players don't want to listen, it makes it so very difficult for the referee.

"The referee can only referee what's in front of him. If I was being ultra critical, perhaps they should have removed team officials from the bench. But having said that, I thought they were outstanding on the night.

"Obviously, the criticism of him in the car park when [Mourinho] volleyed abuse again, I think it's appalling, and Roma fans having seen that, I think that's what led to the scenes that we saw at the airport. As much as everybody loves Jose Mourinho, you cannot do that. You cannot condone these actions. 

"I think in the cold light of day, when he sits back down and looks at himself and his family looks at the way he behaves, I think they will think that he deserve everything that's coming his way regarding punishments."

Now, Halsey wants governing bodies such as UEFA to crack down on the abuse by enforcing points deductions.

He continued: "That was a showcase. The Premier League, the Champions League, Europa League are watched around the world by millions and millions of people, including children.

"In England, we have a problem at a grassroots level, we have a problem with youth football, we have a problem with parents. They watch that, and think they can get away with it.

"This season we've seen over £1.5million worth of fines dished out for player and team officials' behaviour on the field of play. Out of the 92 clubs, 52 have been charged £1.5m in fines. What does that tell you? That tells you that the fines are not working. 

"So we've got to start with the points deduction right at the very top. In fact, that goes for if you're playing the Champions League.

"If Roma are in the Europa League next season, and Sevilla are in the Champions League, they've got to start with a points deduction. [They've] got to hit the clubs in the pocket, and take the points away.

"Those points could stop them qualifying for the knockout stages. They've really got to come down hard on them."

As for Mourinho, Halsey hopes the Roma boss faces a significant punishment.

He said: "I just think it was absolutely appalling. I've never seen a game like that and a referee treated like that anywhere.

"Even in my time as an official, I never ever got treatment like that, and I refereed all over the world. That's why I think that UEFA has got to come down extremely hard on Roma and José as well as Sevilla for their behaviour on the field of play."

Kyle Walker was not involved as Manchester City held an open training session on Tuesday ahead of the Champions League final.

The England full-back was substituted in the latter stages of City’s FA Cup final victory over Manchester United at Wembley on Saturday.

All other players were present as City continued preparations for the encounter with Inter Milan in Istanbul this weekend.

Pep Guardiola said at a press conference later in the afternoon that Walker had sat out the session to avoid aggravating a back problem.

The City boss said: “He has had a little bit of a disturbance in his back.

“Yesterday he was not good, today he was a little bit better but we didn’t want to take any risks. We will see in the next days.”

Tom Lockyer has reflected on his day of “mixed emotions” after being given the all clear following his heart scare during Luton’s Sky Bet Championship play-off final win over Coventry last month.

The 28-year-old defender fell to the floor early in the game and was subsequently taken to the Cleveland Clinic in London where he underwent an operation.

Lockyer is now planning a holiday before preparing for the Hatters’ new Premier League campaign having been assured by medical staff that there is no reason why he should suffer a repeat of the problem.

“I had an atrial fibrillation, which is basically the top part of my heart was beating four times faster than it should have been,” Lockyer told his club’s official website.

“There’s not really any reason to say why that happened, but I’ve had the operation to fix it and it shouldn’t happen again.

“I’ve been given the all clear, it is what it is and I just want to draw a line under it now and move on.”

Lockyer said he had few recollections of the incident, other than an over-riding emotion of sadness when he realised he would be unable to play any further part in the Wembley clash.

“It was a day of mixed emotions,” added Lockyer.

“It was crazy. All week I’d been visualising walking up those steps to that trophy and to end it in a hospital bed is not quite what I had in mind.

“I remember running backwards, and then I went really light-headed and my legs went really weak straight away. I remember stumbling back and then all I remember was (physio) Chris Phillips over the top of me, and he was saying, ‘Locks, you’re coming off’.

“I’m just really thankful that the lads were able to get the job done and we were able to complete our goal of getting promoted.

“It made those five days in hospital after a lot easier. I think if we had lost, those five days would have been horrendous, but they made it a lot smoother for me.”

Czech police have drafted in an extra 250 officers ahead of the Europa Conference League final between West Ham and Fiorentina in Prague.

Local police are working in conjunction with state police and UEFA to ensure the match passes off peacefully.

However, one officer told the PA news agency there had already been “a couple of incidents” involving West Ham fans, and added that they are “prepared for trouble”.

Around 20,000 Hammers fans are expected to travel to the Czech capital, but the majority are without tickets as both clubs only have an allocation of less than 5,000 each for the match.

Thousands had already arrived in Prague by Tuesday afternoon, the day before the final.

Fan parks will be set up in the city centre so those supporters without tickets can watch the match on a big screen.

A shuttle bus service has also been arranged to ferry fans straight from the airport to the parks.

West Ham’s semi-final victory at AZ Alkmaar was marred by a large group of Dutch fans attempting to storm a section full of the friends and family of West Ham’s players and staff.

Wednesday’s final is West Ham’s first in Europe since 1976, and they are bidding to win a first trophy since the FA Cup 43 years ago.