Wolves have confirmed the departure of captain Ruben Neves to Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal for a club record £47million.

The Portugal midfielder scored 30 goals in 253 appearances during six seasons at Molineux.

Neves wiped away tears in an emotional video posted on the Premier League club’s Twitter account, saying he had made “thousands of memories which will last forever”.

Wolves sporting director Matt Hobbs told his club’s website: “Ruben is the embodiment of everything you look for when trying to bring players into a football club: a leader, a humble man and an extremely talented footballer who took Wolves to a different level.

“He was part of a great era for this club and will go down as one of our best ever players.

“We are grateful for everything he has done for Wolves and wish him and his family the very best for the future.”

Neves, who had one year remaining on his contract, was part of the Wolves team which won the Sky Bet Championship title in 2018 following his move from Porto.

The 26-year-old then helped Wanderers to two consecutive seventh-placed finishes in the top flight, in addition to an FA Cup semi-final in 2019 and the Europa League quarter-finals in 2020.

He becomes the latest high-profile player to move to Saudi Arabia.

Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kante have already completed free transfers to Al Ittihad this month, while Cristiano Ronaldo moved to Al Nassr in December.

Shortly before announcing the deal, Wolves posted a video on social media in which Neves sobbed and struggled to contain his emotions.

“Wolves, six seasons, 253 games, champions of the Championship, five years of Premier League football, an FA Cup semi-final, our European adventure and some huge wins,” he said.

“And thousands of memories which will last forever, what an unbelievable journey. I’ve worked with so many great people along the way.

“Every single moment was unforgettable.”

Brendan Rodgers is relishing the opportunity to build on the “great foundation” left by Ange Postecoglou at Celtic.

The Northern Irishman has returned to take charge of the Hoops on the back of a campaign in which his predecessor won five of the six domestic trophies available, including a treble last season, before leaving earlier this month to become manager of Tottenham.

Rodgers admits it is rare for him to take on a new job when the team is already in such a position of strength and he feels the fact he shares similar ideas to Postecoglou about how the game should be played can help ensure a smooth transition.

“I come to a club for one of the very few times in my career where it has an upward feel to it,” he said. “A lot of the jobs I’ve gone into, the teams have been suffering and I’ve gone in to pick it up.

“Here I’ve come in with a great foundation on the back of the great work Ange has done over the last couple of years.

“I’ve not spoken to Ange, but I’ve exchanged messages with him. I’ve spoken in depth to John Kennedy who has been a pivotal person at the club and who will be my assistant.

“I’ve obviously watched Celtic as well. The football philosophy is not too different in terms of how we would work and how a Celtic manager is perceived to work with his team.

“It’s an attacking club. You have to win and you have to win stylistically in a certain way. Ange has obviously done that and hopefully in my period to follow we’ll be able to continue doing that. It’s a continuation of that and hopefully building on that.”

Rodgers is “excited” about the squad he has inherited but is keen to make quality additions over the coming months ahead of the Champions League, which gets under way in September.

“It’s a good time to strengthen whenever you’ve done so well,” he said. “A team coming off the back of a treble, I’ve been in that position before and we were able to do another treble, so I understand the feeling now over the course of the summer and what it is you need over this period, and that will be about strengthening.

“I’m also really excited to work with the players here because it’s a young squad and there is still a lot of growth within that. I’m really looking forward to getting to see them over the course of pre-season.

“There’s only a few players that were here from when I was here. It’s an exciting squad and now is a really good time to add to it.”

Newcastle chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan says the club are now aiming to be “number one” after their transformation from relegation strugglers to Champions League participants.

The Magpies finished fourth in the Premier League and reached the Carabao Cup final last season, just over a year they had been battling to get out of the bottom three.

The catalyst for the improvement was the club’s takeover by the Saudi-led consortium headed by Al-Rumayyan and Amanda Staveley in 2021.

“It is a great achievement to start with,” Al-Rumayyan told NUFCTV in an interview reflecting on his first full season at the helm.

“Did we expect to do that? Yes. We have the ingredients for success. We have the will. We want to achieve the best positions we can.

“(We) have the right people in management – the technical director (Dan Ashworth), the manager (Eddie Howe) – and we have the right players. To top it all, we have a great fanbase.

“If you have the right people and the will, and the right processes and funds, if you put all these together I think it is a great recipe for success and that is what we are achieving right now.

“Finishing in the top four, our revenue is increasing. Remember, you have to work within the financial fair play framework, so the more revenue we will have, the more players we will have ready.

“Then the Champions League will add more revenue for us. The sponsorship is improving and that’s more funds and more revenue.

“If you put all these things together, I think we should have an ambition and aspiration to be number one.”

Al-Rumayyan, who was wearing a suit lined with black and white stripes and the club crest, described his first visit to St James’ Park as “one magical, electrical moment for me.”

He added: “We have one of the best fanbases in the EPL and potentially the world.”

Rafael Benitez is to become the new manager of Celta Vigo, the Spanish club have announced.

Celta have confirmed an “agreement in principle” has been reached for the former Liverpool, Newcastle and Real Madrid boss to take charge at the Balaidos Stadium from the start of pre-season training July.

Benitez, 63, has been out of management since he was sacked by Everton in January last year.

The Spaniard boasts considerable experience having also had spells at other clubs including Chelsea, Napoli, Inter Milan and Valencia. His successes include winning the Champions League, LaLiga twice, the Europa League, UEFA Cup, Club World Cup, FA Cup and Coppa Italia.

A statement from Celta described Benitez as a “formidable leader” and “one of the most successful coaches in our country’s history”.

It added: “The Madrid coach has extensive experience on the bench with a career that is difficult to match.”

He will succeed Carlos Carvalhal, who left after narrowly avoiding relegation last season.

Manchester United have made another improved bid for Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount, the PA news agency understands.

With Mount’s contract at Stamford Bridge set to expire next summer, United have made the England international one of their transfer targets.

After an initial bid was rebuffed last week, United returned with an offer of £45million plus £5million in add-ons.

It is understood that was also rejected. United’s latest proposal, believed to be in the region of £55m, has now been received by Chelsea, but is yet to be considered.

Chelsea are reportedly holding out for higher fee, closer to £65m, but there is a limit as to how far United are willing to go, given the player is soon out of contract and they also need to strengthen in other areas this summer.

Completing a deal for Mount would certainly help bolster the options for United boss Erik ten Hag in a key midfield area.

Mount came through the ranks at Chelsea, scoring 27 goals and providing 22 assists in 129 Premier League appearances.

The 24-year-old – a Champions League winner with the Blues – has won 36 England caps and started the Euro 2020 final defeat to Italy.

Brendan Rodgers admitted he regrets the “hurt” he caused Celtic supporters when he walked out for Leicester as he “guaranteed” he will see out the duration of his three-year contract this time round – unless he is sacked first.

The Northern Irishman returned to take charge of the Parkhead club on Monday, almost four and a half years after leaving for the Foxes in a move that sparked a backlash from a significant number of Hoops fans who felt betrayed that he left midway through a season when the team were chasing a treble-treble.

While many supporters have accepted Rodgers’ return to the club, the manager is hopeful he can win over those who still hold lingering resentment.

“Listen, I understand how supporters would feel,” he said as he faced the media at Parkhead on Friday for the first time since his appointment.

“It was an emotional time, the club was going for 10 in a row and there was a lot of emotion around.

“For the people I’ve had lots of support from since I left and now that I’ve come back, I really thank them for that. And for the people that maybe don’t want me here, hopefully I can shift their opinion with the football we play and the success we can have.”

Rodgers insists he has no regrets about taking the Leicester job but he is pleased to have an opportunity to try to make amends with the Hoops fans.

“I hope I can still have (a good relationship with the supporters),” he said. “It’s natural that when I left, it was a sad moment.

“I certainly don’t regret it but what I do regret is the hurt it caused people. And that’s the very reason I’m sat here today.

“As a Celtic supporter, I understood what it meant, and probably even more so when I left. That was my regret, that I hurt people who were Celtic supporters, and that was a big part of coming back.”

Rodgers’ previous Celtic reign lasted just over two and a half years. Asked if he envisages himself remaining for the long haul on this occasion, he said: “Well, hopefully. I signed for three years and I guarantee I will be here for three years unless I get emptied before that, as they say up here!

“That will be the plan. Then we can look at it from there.”

Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville believes if Sir Jim Ratcliffe is successful in his bid for the Old Trafford club it has to come with a defined exit strategy for the Glazer family.

The British billionaire’s offer for United involves buying a controlling stake and allowing brothers Joel and Avram Glazer to remain part-owners.

Ratcliffe’s main rival for the club is Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani, who is proposing a full buy-out.

Neville said whomever is successful in a process which is currently in its ninth month the removal of the Glazers, hugely unpopular with fans, had to be a priority.

Asked for his preference of new owner Neville, speaking at the European Football Fans Congress in Manchester, said: “I genuinely don’t mind. I’d like the Glazers to leave in full.

“Even the way they are dealing with the sale process which means it ultimately just drags out as they can’t make a decision.

“There are other examples in the club at this time where they can’t basically deal with things which are difficult.

“I’m hopeful of a complete exit. The Ratcliffe bid, it has been suggested, looks like a part-exit with two of them staying and I don’t like the idea of that.

“If that bid is successful I’d like to think there is a fixed exit for the Glazer brothers say, in two years, so we know there is an exit for them which has agreed.

“So Jim Ratcliffe comes in, he has this level of money then he brings in another investor to take them out and do so within a couple of years.”

On what any new owner should prioritise once they were in place Neville added: “They would have to straightaway have to look at the football side of things because football clubs should be about football performance.

“But you can look at things simultaneously. Manchester United, 20 years ago when they came in and bought the club, had the best team, the best stadium and the best training ground.

“We are now second-rate in all those categories, we are nowhere near it.

“I don’t think Jim Ratcliffe would look at that straightaway. I think he’d look at the football side, getting that right and getting the fans on board.

“I think the Qatari bid, with all the money they have, they probably would look at all other things.”

Neville also believes United have to target higher-quality signings as opposed to “scrambling around for a £55million Mason Mount”.

“When I look at Real Madrid signing (Jude) Bellingham and others signing (Declan) Rice and the business others are doing in the market I just feel we are going to be scrambling around again for the top four. That’s my fear.

“We need two or three players that are really high quality. Two or three players of the Harry Kane-type-quality.

“Kane makes a massive difference as he guarantees goals and guarantees assists. Then you have to deal with the goalkeeping situation and then we need potentially and a full-back.”

In a wide-ranging 45-minute question and answer session at Manchester Metropolitan University Neville covered a number of subjects, from regulation in football through to his ownership of League Two club Salford, but the rivalry at the top of the Premier League was a recurring topic.

Neville was critical of Liverpool’s owners Fenway Sports Group, likening them to the Glazers, and admits Manchester City’s potential for growth scares him.

“The last seven or eight years Liverpool have been successful because of Jurgen Klopp,” he said.

“But you look at Liverpool’s net spend of, I think, £130million over the last five years and what he has done is what Sir Alex (Ferguson) was doing at Manchester United while the Glazers were there.

“He is sheltering the owners, he’s putting an umbrella over the overs to stop the rain falling on them.

“If Liverpool they were actually performing to the investment they have made they would be in trouble.

“I do think they (FSG) have similar traits to the Glazer family and I think it will uncover there in the next few years.”

On City Neville added: “What scares me a little bit about City (is) that the foundations they are building are deep.

“Not just with actual players they have signed but their weaponry around the world at attracting players to all those other feeder clubs they own and the academy players coming through.

“They could be a different level if they really wanted to in producing academy players. I think City are dangerous because the gave a very good academy.”

The United States will host FIFA’s new, expanded Club World Cup in 2025, football’s global governing body has announced.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino confirmed the 32-team tournament on the eve of the 2022 World Cup final.

It is set to feature 12 European clubs, including the last three Champions League winners Chelsea, Real Madrid and Manchester City.

The USA will co-host the 2026 World Cup alongside Canada and Mexico.

Canada-born defender Luke Singh is set to make his international debut for Trinidad and Tobago after being drafted as replacement for Daniel Phillips for the Concacaf Gold Cup, which gets underway on Saturday.

The Soca Warriors, who will bow into Group A action on Sunday against first-timer St Kitts and Nevis at the DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, lost the Scottish-based Phillips to an injury, which dealt somewhat of a blow to Angus Eve's squad that only includes two out and out strikers in Kadeem Corbin and Malcolm Shaw.

It is understood that Reports indicate Phillips, a midfielder, who represents Scottish Premiership outfit St Johnstone, sustained a Grade one quadriceps injury during the second half of the Soca Warriors practice match against Haiti recently and will be out of action for approximately three weeks.

As such, the 22-year-old Singh, who is currently on loan with Canadian Premier League club Atletico Ottawa from Toronto FC, found favour with the coaching staff and joined the team on Thursday with expectations high that the towering defender, standing over six-foot tall, will add value to the Soca Warriors charge.

Trinidad and Tobago will start favourites for Sunday's fixtures scheduled for 2:30pm, having defeated St Kitts and Nevis 2-0 in their lone meeting during the World Cup qualifiers in 2021.

Their group also includes reigning seven-time champion United States and title aspirants Jamaica, who will lock horns on Saturday at Soldier Field in Chicago at 8:30pm.

The twin island republic secured their spot in this year’s tournament after initial qualifiers Nicaragua, was booted for using an ineligible player during their 1-1 Nations League stalemate, which aided the qualification process.

Trinidad and Tobago squad: Marvin Phillip, Denzil Smith, Nicklaus Frenderup, Aubrey David, Sheldon Bateau, Luke Singh, Leland Archer, Kareem Moses, Shannon Gomez, Alvin Jones, Triston Hodge, Joevin Jones, Ryan Telfer, Ajani Fortune, Kevin Molino, Real Gill, Neveal Hackshaw, Andre Rampersad, Kaile Auvray, Molik Khan, Kadeem Corbin, Levi Garcia, Malcolm Shaw

Hibernian boss Lee Johnson is looking forward to working with Jojo Wollacott again after signing the Ghana international goalkeeper from Charlton on a three-year deal.

The 26-year-old has joined the Easter Road club for an undisclosed fee and will compete with veteran David Marshall following the departure of Kevin Dabrowski, who was released at the end of last season.

Johnson was manager of Bristol City while Wollacott was trying to break into the first team at Ashton Gate after coming through the academy.

After being unable to establish himself at City, the keeper joined Swindon, where he was number one throughout the 2021-22 season before moving on to Charlton last summer.

Wollacott, who has earned 11 caps for Ghana since his debut in October 2021, made 20 appearances for the Addicks last term and will now continue his career in the cinch Premiership.

“We’re delighted to bring Jojo to the club and I’m looking forward to working with him again,” Johnson told Hibs’ website.

“He’s a player I’ve known for some time and it’s great to see that he’s starting to fulfil his potential. He now has over 100 games under his belt and has played on the international stage with Ghana.

“He’s an athletic, brave and confident goalkeeper, and with big competitions coming up it’s important we’re strong in the goalkeeping department.”

Wollacott becomes the second Hibernian signing announced in successive days after they recruited 29-year-old left-back Jordan Obita on Thursday following his departure from Wycombe at the end of last season.

Bill Kenwright will stay on in his role as Everton chairman, the Premier League club have announced.

Following the departures of chief executive Denise Barrett-Baxendale, chief finance officer Grant Ingles and non-executive director and former striker Graeme Sharp last week, the future of long-serving chairman Kenwright had appeared in doubt.

However, Everton owner Farhad Moshiri revealed on Friday morning that Kenwright had accepted his request to remain at the club and help them through a period of transition.

The recent board changes came in the wake of numerous supporter protests, with Kenwright, who has spent 19 years in his current role and is understood to have been planning to step down, the main target for fans’ anger.

“I wanted Bill to remain as our chairman during this important period of transition for the club and I am delighted that he has accepted my request to do so,” Moshiri said in a statement on the Everton website.

“Bill’s knowledge and vast experience will be crucial for us as we look to reset, deliver on external investment and position Everton for a successful future.”

Everton also announced the appointment of Colin Chong as interim chief executive and director, while James Maryniak becomes interim chief finance officer.

Chong is currently the chief stadium development officer and has been focusing on the move to Bramley-Moore Dock, with Maryniak the club’s director of finance.

“In Colin and James, we have two experienced senior club professionals who have agreed to take on enhanced roles on an interim basis, and who we know can and will deliver immediately,” Moshiri said.

As part of the changes, majority shareholder Moshiri will also join the board as a non-executive director alongside John Spellman, an experienced chartered accountant and Everton supporter.

American investors MSP Capital are close to agreeing a deal to buy a stake in the club, possibly up to 25 per cent.

Everton are also facing a Premier League charge for breaching profit and sustainability rules, having made cumulative losses of more than £430million over the last four seasons.

Though he is still yet to fully absorb West Ham United's UEFA Europa Conference League triumph, Michail Antonio is hoping to add a bit more history to that club success, this time for his country by upsetting the apple cart at the Concacaf Gold Cup with Jamaica's Reggae Boyz.

The 16-team biennial championship for North America, Central America and the Caribbean gets under way at Soldier Field in Chicago on Saturday, with the Reggae Boyz set to open against reigning seven-time champion United States in Group A, which also includes Trinidad and Tobago and first-timer St Kitts and Nevis.

Antonio, who was instrumental in West Ham's successful run to their first major European honour since 1965 when they defeated Fiorentina 1-0 in the Europa Conference League final earlier this month, said the feeling is still somewhat indescribable, but lifting the Gold Cup would certainly help him snap out of his dreamlike state.

The 36-year-old was the Hammers's top scorer with 14 goals in the season, which he pointed out was the most enjoyable of his eight seasons at the club, and he is now aiming to bring that form to the fore on the international stage.

"Obviously, I know I won the Europa Conference League, but it hasn't set home as yet, but it was amazing feeling celebrating with the Jamaican flag, everyone there was celebrating their country, so I was definitely celebrating mine and the island where my mom grew up and the place where she always brought me from when I was young. 

"So, it (winning the Europa Conference League) was an opportunity for me to have the Jamaican flag around me and I was never going to miss that opportunity. But I'm here now with the Jamaican team and hoping to win another title," Antonio said.

He will have plenty more opportunities to celebrate the black, gold and green, provided all goes accordingly for the Heimir Hallgrimsson-coached Reggae Boyz throughout their campaign.

Should the Jamaicans come out successful at the end of this year’s Gold Cup, it would be their first title in the history of the tournament that started in 1991. They went close in the 2015 and 2017 finals which they lost 3-1 and 2-1 to Mexico and United States respectively. 

Aside from their 2015 upset semi-final win en route to the final, the Reggae Boyz have struggled in games against the United States in the tournament, losing five of their last six meetings, the most recent being in 2019 and 2021, when they went down 3-1 and 1-0 in the semifinals and quarterfinals.

By virtue of those statics, Saturday's opener will by no means be easy, but Antonio seems confident the Boyz will test the mettle of the B.J. Callaghan-coached United States team that is missing some key players, who factored in their recent Concacaf Nations League triumph. 

"It (our build up) has been good, spirits seem high, everyone seems confident, and the training went well. It was my first session with the team and I'm quite positive. Obviously, I've got one cup down and like I said, I am here for another," Antonio reiterated. 

"I am definitely enjoying coming here (into tournaments) and linking up with the boys, we have a good bond now, as the atmosphere and the camaraderie is always good. I enjoy it and we're going to keep going," he added.

With the Reggae Boyz team bolstered by other Premier League attacking talents such as Aston Villa's Leon Bailey, newcomer Demarai Gray of Everton and Fulham's Bobby Reid, Antonio believes the team has enough quality to not only end Hallgrimsson's seven-match winless streak, but more importantly, lay a solid foundation, as they build towards the 2026 World Cup. 

"One thing with the Jamaican team is that there is a lot of potential and quality out there and people are starting to turn up. Obviously quite a few Premier League players are now in the setup, Demarai Gray, Bobby Reid, Me, Bailey, so there are some quality players turning up here," Antonio said. 

"But it is not just the Premier League players, obviously there are a lot of quality players from the Island, Andre Blake, being named keeper of the year last year in the US, so it's a good squad being built," he ended.

Aston Villa have announced captain John McGinn has signed a new long-term contract.

The midfielder’s new deal keeps him at the club until 2027.

McGinn moved to Villa Park from Hibernian in 2018 and helped them earn promotion to the Premier League in 2019 with a goal in the Championship play-off final against Derby.

The 28-year-old was named club captain last summer and was a key part of the Villa set-up last season, making 34 Premier League appearances.

He helped the club secure European football for the first time since 2010 after a stunning turnaround under manager Unai Emery saw Villa finish seventh in the league.

McGinn also represents Scotland on the international stage, earning 56 caps for his country, and he recently featured in their Euro 2024 qualifying wins against Georgia and Norway.

Amber Barrett struck twice as Republic of Ireland came from behind to beat Zambia 3-2 at the Tallaght Stadium.

Zambia hit the front 18 minutes in when Courtney Brosnan put through her own net and held the lead at half-time.

The home side levelled things up from the penalty spot just after half-time through Barrett after Susan Katongo handled inside the area.

Ireland’s second-half fightback was complete just after the hour mark when Claire O’Riordan nodded in Megan Connolly’s delivery and they made it three with 20 minutes to go through Barrett’s second of the night.

Racheal Kundananji replied for the visitors late on but Ireland held firm to secure the victory as their preparations for the World Cup continue.

Brendan Rodgers has vowed he will not dwell on past glories after returning for a second spell as Celtic manager.

Following Ange Postecoglou’s departure for Tottenham after a Treble-winning campaign, Rodgers’ comeback was confirmed on a three-year contract.

Rodgers had himself suddenly left the Hoops to head to Leicester in February 2019 after winning seven out of seven domestic trophies.

The former Liverpool boss, though, maintains he still has plenty of hunger for more success on his return to Celtic Park.

“I’m very proud and obviously very happy to be here, I want to say a massive thank you to Dermot (Desmond) and the board for taking me back, and everything feels so natural, I’m really pleased,” Rodgers told Celtic TV.

“The nostalgia is great, but it’s the past and hopefully from that period, what we achieved is set in concrete and will always be there.

“But I’m here again to win and look forward and continue with that mentality and to look to see if we can do something in Europe.

“But there is no doubt that happiness of being here played a huge part both professionally and personally.

“From a football perspective, we achieved and created history while I was here and the aim will be to continue with that mentality going forward.

“But also outside of the field, my family and everyone associated with me had great happiness of their time here, so that made it pretty straightforward in terms of wanting to come back.

“Our life outside of football was incredible, and Scotland and Glasgow was amazing for us. So from a professional perspective and from a personal perspective there was a real happiness for us to come back.”

Rodgers admits he has a tough act to follow after the success achieved under Postecoglou’s tenure.

“It will be the first job that I’ve come into where the team and club is on a high,” said Rodgers, who is set to face the media at Celtic Park on Friday afternoon for the first time since he was appointed as Postecoglou’s successor.

“When I’ve gone into previous roles, it’s been different situations, so I think Ange has done a fantastic job here over the last couple of years, culminating in finishing with the Treble.

“It is a fantastic achievement. What you have is a young hungry squad who, if they keep that mentality, then they can continue to achieve.

“I think Europe is always a big factor for this club. Can we develop the team to do something in Europe?

“Domestic football is always important, it’s the bread and butter, being dominant here in Scotland, but, of course, it’s transferring that into Europe and seeing if we can achieve something in there.”

Earlier on Thursday, Celtic completed the first signing of Rodgers’ second spell in charge with the arrival of Norwegian midfielder Odin Thiago Holm from Eliteserien club Valerenga.

Rodgers is determined his side will continue to play on the front foot.

“What my commitment has always been is to attacking, aggressive football. In my last time here we were able to achieve that, especially playing so many games,” he said.

“My commitment is always to be an attacking team, to be an aggressive team and to be a winning team. That’s always the promise I make.”