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Manchester United remain in contract talks with David de Gea, whose deal expires at the end of the month. However, they are also looking at the goalkeeper market, with Diogo Costa, David Raya and Andre Onana among their targets.

Tottenham have told David Raya they could walk away from negotiations with Brentford due to their £40m asking price. They are considering other targets such as Giorgi Mamardashvili and Robert Sanchez.

In 2023, as in 2022, a marathon season ended for England’s players in June, north of their Wembley home, against eastern European opposition. And there, it is fair to say, the similarities ended. A year ago came the historic low, the 4-0 loss to Hungary at Molineux that was England’s heaviest home defeat since 1928, the night Gareth Southgate was told he did not know what he was doing and when both he and many another concluded his reign was nearing an undignified end. Twelve months and five days later, a 7-0 thrashing of North Macedonia at Old Trafford capped a restorative spell. Euro 2024 beckons, a broadly positive World Cup has been followed by a quartet of qualifying wins and the feel of Southgate’s reign, of youthful progressiveness, has largely been restored. The torrid June of 2022 has started to look like the anomaly, not the start of the slide. The encouraging June of 2023 has more in keeping with most of Southgate’s tenure. “We look back at last summer, with four matches, [playing] behind closed doors for two and we needed to look at new players,” he reflected. “There were a lot of circumstances around those.” A year on, England could have been forgiven for suffering from a similar tiredness. Yet if the fixtures were easier now, there was a relish and a sharpness. Southgate fielded a forward line with three of the outstanding players of the Premier League campaign, in Harry Kane, Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford: they scored six of the seven goals to take their combined tally to 96 goals for the season for clubs and country. They were emblematic of a side who still showed a sharpness. “Post World Cup, we have hit a sweet spot,” Southgate said. The most seismic result of England’s season was actually the victory over Italy in Naples but, after the 6-2 demolition of Iran in the World Cup, North Macedonia can testify that teams with the ability to get excellent results can find themselves eviscerated by England. “We have a hunger to go further than we’ve been and keep pushing forward, confidence from big nights we’ve been involved in,” Southgate said. “It’s a good place but we have to keep pushing. We have set a standard in the last four games where anything possible. There is a brilliant feel around the squad and that creates a strong team.” Few players are better at engendering a positivity feeling than Saka with his infectious enthusiasm. “He’s talented, he’s humble, he’s incredibly popular,” said Southgate. There was a certain symbolism to Saka’s hat-trick. There has seemed something of a changing of the guard over the last year. Southgate has been a loyalist to the core of the team who gave him breakthrough tournaments in 2018 and 2021 but he has also recognised talent when it has emerged. England’s player of the World Cup was Jude Bellingham. Even though he missed their June fixtures, Real Madrid’s newest signing may have been their outstanding individual of the season. But if not, then Saka has a compelling case. When the campaign began, perhaps neither was an automatic choice. Now each is. Bellingham shifted the equation in the World Cup, to the detriment of Mason Mount; if Southgate plays 4-3-3 – as he does now, though last summer it still felt as though he wanted the security blanket of a third centre-back – then the Bundesliga player of the year suits the role as the most attacking midfielder. In attack, if Raheem Sterling used to be the guaranteed starter on the flanks now it should be Saka; it helps that he has become a regular scorer. A third player of rare gifts may yet join them in the strongest side. Trent Alexander-Arnold had felt the conundrum Southgate could not solve; until Jurgen Klopp gave him a helping hand, anyway. The Liverpudlian’s end-of-season shift into midfield for his club led to two encouraging performances for his country. A remarkable pass for Saka’s terrific second goal, the kind of 50-yard ball that invokes mentions of quarterbacks, was an illustration of his passing range. It was nevertheless notable that Southgate singled out another Liverpool player for praise. “Our senior players set a brilliant tone. [Jordan] Henderson won’t get the headlines but the way he set the tone, mixing the game up was really important.” Yet the thought of a midfield trio of Bellingham, Alexander-Arnold and Declan Rice is tantalising. A department where England felt short of options in the 2018 World Cup could be one where they boast enviable class. It helps, too, to have players on the rise. Saka, Rashford and Bellingham have just had the best seasons of their careers so far. Five of their England teammates did a treble for their club. If a theme of Southgate’s reign has been to give the national team back a feelgood factor and a sense of optimism, it has been a feature of the last year, too. Southgate won’t be defined by the summer of 2023, but nor will he be by the summer of 2022. But now he can get for the summer of 2024 with renewed hope of a defining achievement. Read More Bukayo Saka cements his place as England’s next leading man with first career hat-trick ‘Exceptional’ Bukayo Saka lauded by Gareth Southgate after England hat-trick England vs North Macedonia LIVE: Euro 2024 qualifier result and reaction Bukayo Saka cements his place as England’s leading man with first career hat-trick Marcus Rashford’s complicated England relationship could be at turning point

Adam Idah is confident the Republic of Ireland have a shock result in them after belatedly igniting their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign. Monday night’s 3-0 victory over Gibraltar was their first in three attempts and came three days after a disappointing display in defeat by Greece in Athens. They sit third in the group having played a game more than the Netherlands, whom they face in September after the little matter of beaten World Cup finalists France in Paris, but Norwich striker Idah is refusing to give up hope. Asked if the big wins they need are possible, the 22-year-old said: “Of course, I think everyone saw it last time we played France. We were outstanding. “I know we didn’t win, but we showed we can put up a test against these big teams. It’s up to us at the end of the day to finish that. “I believe – and I think everyone else believes – we can go and do it. The next step is to go and show what we are about.” I believe - and I think everyone else believes - we can go and do it Republic of Ireland striker Adam Idah If victory over Gibraltar, who are ranked 201st in the world by FIFA, was expected, it did not come easily with the sides heading for the dressing rooms at half-time with the deadlock unbroken. However, the introduction of Celtic winger Mikey Johnston and the switch to a back four after the break paid dividends, Johnston opening the scoring with his first goal for Ireland within seven minutes of his arrival before Evan Ferguson doubled the advantage. There was relief too for late substitute Idah, who finally opened his account at the 16th attempt in stoppage time, in the process ending talk of matching the feat of former Ireland frontman John Aldridge, who broke his duck in his 19th appearance. Idah said: “It’s tough when you haven’t scored and played a lot of games. But I’ve spoken to people and the main thing was to stay patient, goals will come. “My job is to score goals and that’s probably the toughest part about it, not scoring. I’ve scored and got off the mark and now I’ll try to keep scoring.” For manager Stephen Kenny, who went into the game under extreme pressure as a result of the defeat in Greece, Idah’s exploits represented reward for the faith he has invested in a player promoted from the Under-21 ranks. The frontman said: “I have been with Stephen since 18 years old. He has shown great faith in me. “I haven’t scored in a lot of games. For him to keep playing me and bringing me on gives me great confidence and belief. I’m delighted to score and to repay him for all he’s done for me. I’m very appreciative for what he has done.” James McClean, who became the seventh man to win 100 caps for Ireland, had voiced his support for Kenny during the build-up to the game, and 18-year-old Ferguson insisted afterwards the players remain firmly behind the manager. The Brighton striker, who described his last six months for club and country as “mad”, said: “I don’t think anyone’s going against the manager. We’re all behind him and we’ve all got trust in him.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Football rumours: Marcus Rashford set to sign long-term Man United deal Day five of first Ashes Test: Thrilling finale in store at Edgbaston Stephen Kenny says ‘nothing is impossible’ ahead of France and Netherlands tests

An overview of the media in Morocco, including links to broadcasters and newspapers.

By Brenda Goh and Casey Hall SHANGHAI (Reuters) -Alibaba Group on Tuesday said its CEO and chairman Daniel Zhang will

Provides an overview of Morocco, including key dates and facts about this north African country.

Alibaba Group said on Tuesday its CEO and chairman Daniel Zhang will step down from those roles to

By Melanie Burton MELBOURNE Automakers and other consumers of critical minerals should invest in Australia's materials processing industry

The family of a 31-year-old father who died after being tased by Los Angeles police officers is suing the city and members of the department over his death, their attorneys announced on Monday.

UBS Group AG faces hundreds of millions of dollars in regulatory fines over Credit Suisse Group AG’s dealings

Arsenal have launched a bid for Ajax defender Jurrien Timber. The Netherlands international is ready to move on, with the Gunners lodging an offer of €35m.