List of All Articles with Tag 'ball'

Chelsea have completed the signing of Moises Caicedo from Brighton for an initial £100million, possibly rising to £115m after add-ons. A deal for the midfielder was finally agreed late on Sunday night after a lengthy saga that saw Brighton knock back three bids for the 21-year-old. He underwent a medical and agreed personal terms on Monday and has signed an eight-year contract with the club. Caicedo said: “I am so happy to join Chelsea! I am so excited to be here at this big club and I didn’t have to think twice when Chelsea called me, I just knew I wanted to sign for the club. “It’s a dream come true to be here and I can’t wait to get started with the team.” It is understood Chelsea have won the race to sign Romeo Lavia from Southampton after the midfielder picked Stamford Bridge over a move to Liverpool. Though a fee is yet to be agreed, the 19-year-old has indicated his desire to join Mauricio Pochettino’s side and negotiations will now take place over personal terms, with the deal likely to be worth in excess of £50million. It is the second time in less than 24 hours that the club have beaten Liverpool to a key transfer target following Caicedo’s capture. Belgium international Lavia has played just 29 Premier League games since joining Southampton from Manchester City last summer but was a standout performer last season despite Saints’ relegation to the Championship. Liverpool had reportedly agreed a deal worth £60m to sign Lavia as Klopp looks to reinforce his midfield following a clutch of departures, but look set to miss out again in an echo of their failure to lure Caicedo, for whom a £111m fee had been agreed before Chelsea stepped in. Read More How does Moises Caicedo’s Chelsea transfer compare to previous big-money deals? Last season is a long time ago – Mauricio Pochettino looks forward with Chelsea Key talking points as the new Premier League season gets under way

A 26-year-old worker has died during construction work at Everton’s new stadium. Merseyside Police confirmed that an injured man later died at hospital “after an incident” at Bramley Moore Dock on Monday afternoon. They said that “his next of kin have been told and an investigation is under way”. Everton tweeted that everyone at the club is “heartbroken” by the news a male worker had died following an incident at the site. They said: “The thoughts and condolences of everyone connected with Everton are with his family, friends, and colleagues at this unimaginably sad time.” Stadium contractor Laing O’Rourke said they were “shocked and saddened” by the death. Work at the site has been suspended “until further notice” with both the police and the Health and Safety Executive in attendance, the contractors said. In June, Everton said the club would consult with fans as part of their considerations over whether to move into the new stadium midway through the 2024-25 season. A police spokesman said: “We can confirm that a man has died after an incident at Bramley Moore Dock this afternoon. “At around 1pm it was reported that a man, aged 26, had been injured. “He was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead. His next of kin have been told and an investigation is under way.” A Laing O’Rourke spokesman said: “We can confirm that earlier today a member of our team, who was carrying out work for one of our sub-contractors, was seriously injured in an incident. “He was taken to hospital via ambulance, where he sadly died. “We are shocked and saddened by today’s tragic incident and our thoughts are with the family and friends of the deceased man and our wider project team. “The police and the Health and Safety Executive are on site and we have suspended work until further notice. We will co-operate fully with any investigation that follows.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live How does Moises Caicedo’s Chelsea transfer compare to previous big-money deals? Majid Haq ‘disgusted and horrified’ following racial abuse while umpiring Mings vows to bounce back as Kane settles in – Monday’s sporting social

Chelsea have completed the signing of Moises Caicedo from Brighton for an initial £100million, possibly rising to £115m after add-ons. A deal for the midfielder was finally agreed late on Sunday night after a lengthy saga that saw Brighton knock back three bids for the 21-year-old. He underwent a medical and agreed personal terms on Monday and has signed an eight-year contract with the club. Caicedo said: “I am so happy to join Chelsea! I am so excited to be here at this big club and I didn’t have to think twice when Chelsea called me, I just knew I wanted to sign for the club. “It’s a dream come true to be here and I can’t wait to get started with the team.” The PA news agency also understands Chelsea have won the race to sign Romeo Lavia from Southampton after the midfielder picked Stamford Bridge over a move to Liverpool Though a fee is yet to be agreed, the 19-year-old has indicated his desire to join Mauricio Pochettino’s side and negotiations will now take place over personal terms, with the deal likely to be worth in excess of £50million. It is the second time in less than 24 hours that the club have beaten Liverpool to a key transfer target following Caicedo’s capture. Belgium international Lavia has played just 29 Premier League games since joining Southampton from Manchester City last summer but was a standout performer last season despite Saints’ relegation to the Championship. Liverpool had reportedly agreed a deal worth £60m to sign Lavia as Klopp looks to reinforce his midfield following a clutch of departures, but look set to miss out again in an echo of their failure to lure Caicedo, for whom a £111m fee had been agreed before Chelsea stepped in.

Erik ten Hag will be hoping to improve on Manchester United’s third place finish in the Premier League last season and get the new campaign off to a winning start when his side host Wolverhampton Wanderers tonight. United have been busy this summer with the manager deciding to overhaul the squad ahead of the new season. David De Gea, the last player remaining from Sir Alex Ferguson’s era, has been released with the likes of Fred, Alex Telles, Anthony Elanga and Phil Jones also moved on. FOLLOW LIVE: Teams and all the action as Man United face Wolves The arrivals of Andre Onana, Mason Mount and Rasmus Hojlund should bring an extra layer of dynamism and creativity to the team which should in theory help them close the gap on rivals Manchester City. Wolves, meanwhile, are hoping that a change of manager will not hinder their progress. The midlands team comfortably finished 13th last year but key players like Ruben Neves and Adama Traore have left the team. New boss Gary O’Neil kept Bournemouth in the top flight last year and may have a relegation battle on his hands again this term unless Wolves get off to a good start. Get all the latest football betting sites offers here and get the latest Manchester United vs Wolves tips here. Here’s everything you need to know. When is Manchester United vs Wolves? Manchester United vs Wolves is due to kick off at 8pm BST on Monday 14 August at Old Trafford in Manchester. How can I watch it? Viewers in the United Kingdom will be able to watch the match live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League with coverage from 6.30pm BST. Subscribers can stream the game via the Sky Go app. Team news Manchester United’s new striker, Rasmus Hojlund, will not feature in their opening match as he fights off a niggling injury while there are doubts over Tyrell Malacia, Amad Diallo and Kobbie Mainoo. Andre Onana will make his Premier League debut for the club as goalkeepers Tom Heaton and Dean Henderson are definitely ruled out. Wolves have confirmed that they do not have any injury concerns ahead of the game with defender Matt Doherty primed to start after returning to the club this summer. Predicted line-ups Manchester United XI: Onana; Dalot, Varane, Martinez, Shaw; Casemiro, Mount, Fernandes; Antony, Rashford, Garnacho. Wolves XI: Sa; Doherty, Dawson, Kilman, Ait-Nouri; Lemina, Joao Gomes; Nunes, Sarabia, Neto; Cunha. Odds Manchester United win 2/9 Draw 4/1 Wolves win 17/2 Prediction Manchester United will open their campaign with a hard-fought for victory against a Wolves side that tend to play well against the Red Devils. Manchester United 2-0 Wolves Read More Sandro Tonali inspires Newcastle to stunning Premier League start in Aston Villa thrashing Sean Dyche hopes Everton are close to solving their goalscoring problems Man United vs Wolves LIVE: Latest Premier League updates How Sandro Tonali and his Italian predecessors fared on Premier League debuts Football rumours: Manchester United weighing up approach for Amadou Onana

Welcome, Professor Peyton Manning.Imagine walking into your Monday morning 8 A.M. class and hearing Peyton Manning yell out “Omaha!!”.Well, next month, you might just be able to at the University of Tennessee.At Tennessee, Manning will join certain classes, bringing with him ...

Midfielder Kevin De Bruyne was the most notable absentee from the travelling party for Manchester City’s UEFA Super Cup clash with Seville after being struck down by a hamstring injury. De Bruyne limped out of Friday night’s 3-0 Premier League win at promoted Burnley with a recurrence of the problem which prompted his early withdrawal from last season’s Champions League final, and City boss Pep Guardiola later revealed the 32-year-old Belgium international would be sidelined for “a few weeks”. The club is yet to provide an update on the severity of the damage, but the midfielder’s name was conspicuous by its absence from the 22-man squad list for Wednesday night’s game in Athens when it was published on City’s official website on Monday afternoon. De Bruyne has been one of City’s key performers since his £55million arrival from Wolfsburg in August 2015, and is widely regarded as one of the most accomplished midfielders in world football. There was no place either for midfielder Bernardo Silva, the only other member of the matchday squad at Burnley who was not included, or central defender Ruben Dias, who was not involved in the opening league fixture under concussion protocols. Kalvin Phillips and Jack Grealish, who were unused substitutes at Turf Moor, did make it, as did the versatile John Stones, who sat out on Friday evening through injury. Squad (in number order): Kyle Walker, Kalvin Phillips, John Stones, Nathan Ake, Mateo Kovacic, Erling Haaland, Jack Grealish, Aymeric Laporte, Rodrigo, Stefan Ortega Moreno, Julian Alvarez, Sergio Gomez, Josko Gvardiol, Manuel Akanji, Ederson, Maximo Perrone, Scott Carson, Phil Foden, Oscar Bobb, Cole Palmer, Rico Lewis, James McAtee. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

Spain take on Sweden and England face co-hosts Australia in the Women’s World Cup semi-finals. Here, the PA news agency looks at what the tournament statistics can tell us about the games ahead. Spain v Sweden The two top-scoring semi-finalists meet in Auckland on Tuesday, with Spain having scored 15 goals – matching eliminated Japan for the tournament high – and Sweden 11. The Scandinavians have actually had the fewest attempts on goal of any of the last four, just 62, but have the best conversion rate, having scored with 18 per cent of their shots. Four-goal defender Amanda Ilestedt is also the unlikely leading challenger to current Golden Boot leader Hinata Miyazawa, whose Japan side Sweden knocked out in the quarter-finals. Ilestedt aside, the statistics heavily favour Spain. Among the semi-finalists, they rank first and Sweden fourth for total shots and shots on target, ball progressions both attempted and completed, line breaks attempted and take-ons completed. Some hope for Sweden comes from Spain’s defensive record – their six goals conceded is at least twice as many as any of the other remaining teams. Japan scored four of those, and Miyazawa two, in a surprisingly one-sided final game in Group C – but having beaten the Nadeshiko, Sweden will be confident. They will also know they can respond if, as the statistics point to, they fall behind – Spain have scored nine goals in the first half of games but seven of Sweden’s 11 have come after the break. The two teams have each used 22 of their 23 available players, with only their respective third-choice goalkeepers Enith Salon and Tove Enblom yet to play a single minute in the tournament. Australia v England England and Australia, by contrast, have used only 17 players apiece and fatigue could be a factor in the second semi-final in Sydney. England’s 553 minutes played is the most in the tournament, closely followed by their opponents with almost 548 minutes. Five Australians and three England players have played every one of those minutes, with Australia naming nine of the same 11 starters in every game – goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold and the back four of Ellie Carpenter, Clare Hunt, Alanna Kennedy and Steph Catley, plus Hayley Raso, Katrina Gorry, Kyra Cooney-Cross and Caitlin Foord – and England six. Working in England’s favour in that regard could be the distance the respective teams have covered. Their 562.3km is 2.5km lower than any other semi-finalist, with Australia once more ranking second in that regard, and England also have the lowest proportion of that spent sprinting or “high-speed running” at 27 per cent, according to FIFA’s official statistics, and the highest proportion of walking at 39 per cent. England have scored 10 goals to Australia’s nine and are the most accurate shooters of the remaining teams, with 44 per cent of their efforts on target, while Australia are least accurate at 30 per cent. The co-hosts have had more total shots, 76 to England’s 68, but have allowed 64 at the other end compared to just 52 on Mary Earps’ goal. Expect England to have the bulk of the possession – they have attempted and completed over 1,000 more passes than Australia, 2,691 of 3,100 compared to 1,584 of 2,061. Australia are only the second country to reach the semi-finals of a World Cup as host nation, following the United States who won the 1999 final at Pasadena’s Rose Bowl and were also semi-finalists in 2003. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Kevin De Bruyne left out of Manchester City’s UEFA Super Cup squad Tom Pidcock says he is an ‘outsider’ on mountain bike circuit Will Jacks looking to force his way into England’s World Cup plans

Newcastle new boy Sandro Tonali announced himself in the Premier League with a stunning debut in Saturday’s 5-1 demolition of Aston Villa. However, the £52million former AC Milan midfielder is not the first Italian to make an early impact, for better or for worse, in England’s top flight. Here, the PA news agency takes a look at how he and some of his predecessors fared in their first appearances. Sandro Tonali Newcastle invested heavily in 23-year-old Italy international Tonali this summer and he wasted little time in starting to pay off his fee. He scored six minutes into his competitive debut at St James’ Park and went on to produce a fine individual display to inspire the Magpies to a victory which suggested they picked up where they left off at the end of the previous campaign. Fabrizio Ravanelli Former Juventus frontman Ravanelli made perhaps the most eye-catching debut of all the Premier League’s Italian stars after swapping Turin for Middlesbrough in a £7million move. The man known as “The White Feather” plundered a hat-trick in a thrilling 3-3 draw with Liverpool at the Riverside Stadium on the opening day of the 1996-97 season, in the process unveiling his trademark shirt-over-head celebration to a new audience. Attilio Lombardo Promoted Crystal Palace raised eyebrows with the £1.6million swoop for Lombardo, who had played a key role in Juventus’ Serie A title win the previous season, during the summer of 1997. Dubbed “The Bald Eagle” by Palace supporters, he made his Premier League bow on August 9 in a 2-1 victory at Everton in which he scored the opening goal and swiftly endeared himself to the Eagles faithful with an inspirational display. Massimo Taibi Goalkeeper Taibi’s arrival at Manchester United came amid an injury crisis following the departure of treble-winning Peter Schmeichel with Mark Bosnich and Raimond Van Der Gouw both unavailable. The £4.5m signing from Venezia endured mixed fortunes on his debut at Liverpool in September 1999, his error allowing Sami Hyypia to drag the home side back into the game before he made late saves to deny Vladimir Smicer and Robbie Fowler and secure a 3-2 victory in which Jamie Carragher scored two own goals. Bernardo Corradi Former Inter Milan, Lazio and Valencia striker Corradi arrived at Manchester City during the summer of 2006, but his career in England got off to a bad start and went downhill from there. He made his debut in a 3-0 defeat at Chelsea in which he was sent off for two bookable offences – and took 13 games to score the first of just three goals for the club before eventually being released with a year of his contract remaining.

Spain face Sweden in the first Women’s World Cup semi-final on Tuesday as both nations go in search of their first tournament crown. Sweden produced their best performance of the World Cup to defeat Japan 2-1 in the quarter-finals, knocking out the team of the tournament with a display of high-tempo pressing while continuing to take their chances at set-pieces. Centre-back Amanda Ilestedt is Sweden’s top-scorer with four goals so far, with the defender in the race for the World Cup golden boot. Spain required Salma Paralluelo’s extra-time goal to defeat Netherlands and have navigated a player mutiny under head coach Jorge Vilda to reach their first ever World Cup semi-final. The winner will play either England or Australia in Sunday’s World Cup final. Here’s everything you need to know. When is Spain vs Sweden? The first World Cup semi-final kicks off at 9am BST on Wednesday 15 August at Eden Park, Auckland. How can I watch it? It will be shown live on BBC One and the BBC iPlayer, with coverage starting from 8:30am. What is the team news? Spain have not started two-time Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas in their last two games, but La Roja did not need the Barcelona star in their victories over Switzerland and the Netherlands. Salma Paralluelo, the match-winner in the quarter-finals, may return to the starting line-up but Vilda may also decide to keep the Barcelona winger as asubstitute. Sweden were unchanged in their win against the USA and coach Peter Gerhardsson confirmed he has a fully fit squad to choose from, with winger Sofia Jakobsson expected to be available after recovering from a cold this week. How did both teams reach the quarter-finals? Spain (runners-up Group C) 3-0 vs Costa Rica 5-0 vs Zambia 0-4 vs Japan 5-1 vs Switzerland 2-1 vs Netherlands (after extra time) Sweden (Winners Group G) 2-1 vs South Africa 5-0 vs Italy 2-0 vs Argentina 0-0 vs United States (Won 5-4 on penalties) 2-1 vs Japan Read More Women’s World Cup LIVE: England news as Lionesses prepare for Australia semi-final Who and when do England play next? Lionesses’ route to the World Cup final How many games will Lauren James miss at Women’s World Cup after red card? England not focused on spoiling Australia’s World Cup party, says Keira Walsh Women’s World Cup TV schedule: How to watch every match today Women’s World Cup golden boot: Who’s leading the top-scorer standings?

Aston Villa and England defender Tyrone Mings is facing a long spell on the sidelines as he is set to undergo an operation on a “significant knee injury”. Mings was carried off on a stretcher in some distress in the first half of Villa’s season-opening 5-1 defeat at Newcastle after a seemingly innocuous tangle of legs with striker Alexander Isak. Villa have not put a timescale on Mings’ recovery but expect a “lengthy rehabilitation”, with his setback coming days after the club lost Emiliano Buendia to a knee ligament injury for up to eight months. The club said in a statement on Monday: “Aston Villa can confirm that Tyrone Mings has sustained a significant knee injury. “The England international was stretchered off from the field after damaging his knee during the first half of Villa’s match at Newcastle United on Saturday. “The defender has undergone scans and will unfortunately require surgery ahead of a lengthy rehabilitation process.” Newcastle posted on Twitter in response to Villa’s update: “Wishing you a speedy recovery, @TyroneMings”. Newcastle boss Eddie Howe signed Mings for Bournemouth in 2015 only to lose the centre-back for 15 months when he suffered an anterior cruciate ligament on his Cherries debut. Howe said at the weekend: “I have to say he faced that period out with incredible courage and resilience, and what he’s done since that moment, to go on and play for his country and be outstanding in the Premier League, is testament to that resilience. “We certainly wish him well and I send him all my love.” Read More Eddie Howe reveals his admiration for Newcastle star Sandro Tonali Sandro Tonali inspires Newcastle to stunning Premier League start Women’s World Cup LIVE: Latest news as England prepare for Australia semi-final

Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga has completed a season-long loan move to Real Madrid. The 28-year-old Spain international, who joined the Blues in a £71.6million switch from Athletic Bilbao in August 2018, is contracted at the Bernabeu until June next year. Real needed a new keeper after Thibaut Courtois was ruled out for the majority of the season with an ACL injury. A statement on Real’s official website said: “Real Madrid CF and Chelsea FC have agreed on the loan of the player Kepa Arrizabalaga, who is linked to the club this season, until June 30, 2024. “In his five seasons at Chelsea, he has won one Champions League, one Club World Cup, one European Super Cup and one Europa League. “This year, he has received the award for the best save in the Premier League for the 2022-2023 season. “Kepa is an international with the Spanish team, with which he has been proclaimed champion of the 2023 Nations League. With Spain, he also won the U19 European Championship in 2012.” Kepa will be formally presented as a Real Madrid player on Tuesday afternoon. His return to Spain follows the arrival of 25-year-old compatriot Robert Sanchez at Stamford Bridge. Sanchez made a £25million switch from Brighton earlier this month and started Sunday’s 1-1 home draw with Liverpool as youngster Lucas Bergstrom provided the back-up on the bench. Kepa has 163 Chelsea appearances under his belt and was handed the captaincy last season. However, he has become surplus to requirements under new boss Mauricio Pochettino and will now work for a season under former Chelsea head coach Carlo Ancelotti. A statement on the club’s official website said: “Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga has completed a season-long loan move to LaLiga side Real Madrid. “The club wish him well for the season ahead in Madrid, where he will work with former Chelsea head coach Carlo Ancelotti.”

Neymar’s move to Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal is set to be completed in the next 48 hours, the PA news agency understands. Sources close to Paris St Germain say the club are set to receive up to 100 million euros (£86.3m) from Al Hilal for the 31-year-old Brazilian as they rebuild their squad around younger, up-and-coming players. The deal has been sanctioned by PSG because Spanish coach Luis Enrique was open to letting Neymar leave. Selling Neymar would also shift his 25m euro annual wage off the club’s books, with his existing contract due to run until the summer of 2025. News of Neymar’s imminent exit comes less than 24 hours after the club confirmed striker Kylian Mbappe had been reinstated to first-team training. Mbappe is understood to have indicated his commitment to the club, who have offered him a contract with a “guaranteed sale” clause in it allowing him to seal a move to Real Madrid next summer for a fee. The club had been convinced Mbappe was preparing to let his current deal run out, which would have allowed him to leave Paris and join Real on a free transfer next year. The club acted by omitting the player from the pre-season tour of Japan and South Korea and forcing him to train away from the main first-team group, until the thaw in relations confirmed on Sunday. They had also granted Mbappe permission to talk to Al Hilal after receiving a world record £259m bid for the player in July, but it was reported the 24-year-old refused to even meet with a delegation from the Saudi club. The imminent exit for big money of Neymar and the news on Mbappe marks a major and positive turnaround for PSG. The French champions are consciously moving away from what their president Nasser Al Khelaifi has called their “bling bling” era, with Argentina playmaker Lionel Messi also exiting the club earlier this summer. Neymar’s signing for a world record £200m fee in 2017 arguably marked the start of that era, but the club’s incomings this summer indicate a difference in approach, with the likes of 22-year-old Portugal striker Goncalo Ramos changing the profile of the team. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live