List of All Articles with Tag 'pg'

Raheem Sterling has been omitted from the England squad while Eddie Nketiah was handed a first senior call-up by Gareth Southgate for the games against Ukraine and Scotland. Sterling, who missed the summer internationals when he said he did not feel in the right condition to play, was a candidate for a recall after starting the season in fine form for Chelsea but Southgate preferred Eberechi Eze of Crystal Palace. Southgate said it was a tough phone call and Sterling was left annoyed to be omitted, revealing: “It was a difficult call and Raheem is not particularly happy about it.” The England manager, who also chose Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, Marcus Rashford, Bukayo Saka and James Maddison ahead of Sterling, explained that he wanted to stick with the players he used for the June wins over Malta and North Macedonia. “To bring Raheem back in we have to leave someone else out and on the basis of three games [of the league season] I don’t think anyone deserves to be left out,” he added. “It is really good to see Raheem start the season so well and he looks fit and hungry but in those attacking positions behind the No 9 we have a lot of competition.” Arsenal striker Nketiah, who has scored 16 goals for England’s Under-21 team, was selected ahead of Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins as the third specialist striker behind Harry Kane and Callum Wilson. “We want to have a look at him,” Southgate said. “He is a young player with a lot of pedigree, a really good finisher and the record goalscorer in the Under-21s.” The manager also kept faith with Harry Maguire and Kalvin Phillips, who have played no first-team football for Manchester United and Manchester City respectively, with defensive injuries a reason why he picked the former. Southgate said: “With Harry Maguire we have lost a lot of experience in terms of caps at centre halves, we are giving some less experienced players a chance to come into the squad but Tyrone [Mings] is out for most of the season, John Stones is out of this camp, Eric Dier is not in Tottenham’s squad, Conor Coady is in the Championship now so there is a space there. With Harry and Kalvin Phillips, it is not ideal they are not playing football. Declan Rice is the only English player to start this weekend as a single pivot and Kalvin is the next best option.” Jordan Henderson, who has moved to Al-Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia, retained his place in the squad with Southgate saying his international future could depend on the standard of the Pro-League. “The key as we move forward is the physical intensity of the league,” said Southgate. “Because of the heat as well, whether that will allow him to perform at the level we need; that is a huge consideration.” In a defence without the injured Stones, Mings and Luke Shaw, there were call-ups for Fikayo Tomori, Marc Guehi, Lewis Dunk and the uncapped Levi Colwill. “He is doing really well,” Southgate said of Colwill. “He is progressing. We really liked him at the end of last season with Brighton. He had a really good tournament with the Under-21s so he showed under pressure he could cope. He has started well with Chelsea in a slightly different position.” Full squad Goalkeepers: Sam Johnstone (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), Aaron Ramsdale (Arsenal) Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Ben Chilwell (Chelsea), Levi Colwill (Chelsea), Lewis Dunk (Brighton), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Fikayo Tomori (AC Milan), Kieran Trippier (Newcastle United), Kyle Walker (Manchester City) Midfielders: Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Conor Gallagher (Chelsea), Jordan Henderson (Al-Ettifaq), Kalvin Phillips (Manchester City), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace) Forwards: Phil Foden (Manchester City), Jack Grealish (Manchester City), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), James Maddison (Tottenham Hotspur), Eddie Nketiah (Arsenal), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Callum Wilson (Newcastle United) Read More Manchester United left with Luke Shaw injury dilemma Why are England wearing their blue kit against Spain? What time is the Champions League group stage draw today? What time is the Champions League group stage draw today? Champions League group stage draw LIVE: Man City, Man Utd and more discover fate Is the Champions League draw on TV? Channel, start time and how to watch

The transfer deadline is fast approaching - clubs have to wrap up all their deals by 11pm BST on Friday 1 September, meaning today and tomorrow will be chaotic and potentially exciting with a host of switches still pending. Among the biggest clubs, Man City could be set to sell Cole Palmer to Chelsea, while the latter could offload Callum Hudson-Odoi after his return from loan. Manchester United, meanwhile, are still looking for at least two more additions, with rivals Liverpool hoping to land another midfielder in Ryan Gravenberch, currently at Bayern Munich. Brighton look set to sign Ansu Fati on loan from Barcelona, while several other Premier League teams could also conclude deals late on before the window shuts. Follow all the latest news and transfer rumour updates below; get all the latest football betting sites offers here.

“I wouldn’t say I’m a masochist, no.” It’s a reassuring start from Chris Eubank Jr, as he reflects on his defeat by Liam Smith – the first stoppage loss of his career, and an experience he says he enjoyed. “Imagine being in a sport your entire life, thinking you’ve experienced every single thing there is, then something new happens at 33 years old,” the Briton explains to The Independent, as his rematch with Smith looms. “I’ve been fighting since I was 14, and I’ve never been buzzed like that, or had to get up, recuperate, march forward, then go back down again, get back up. I never would’ve imagined that I’d be in a position where a referee could stop a fight for me. “So, it was new, it was crazy. Looking back on it, it was exciting. It was a huge adrenalin rush, probably the same amount of adrenalin as I would get from knocking a guy out.” Twice Eubank Jr hauled himself off the canvas in the fourth round at Manchester’s AO Arena, his body moving almost gelatinously as his brain tried to recentre him, before Victor Loughlin waved off the bout. Eubank Jr will hope he does not have to feel that same canvas against his knees and elbows on Saturday when he returns to the AO Arena for a middleweight rematch with Smith. “It has to change how I think, feel, and how I approach fights,” he says. “You have to learn. I have a new mindset on going into fights and protecting myself at all times, making sure I don’t get hit flush. We have to do everything in our power to make sure we’re never in that position again.” That said, “I feel like I dealt with it well,” Eubank Jr adds. “A lot of fighters... when they get hurt, you see the real side of them. A lot back down, a lot look for ways out. Everyone saw that night, I was ready to go out on my shield. I was ready to die in there. ‘Let’s keep going,’ that’s what I said when the going got tough. I think the fans appreciated seeing that side of me.” Never before had Eubank Jr touched the canvas, let alone been stopped, and once the “excitement” subsided, he was left to deal with a different emotion. “I wasn’t upset, disappointed; I was pissed off,” he recalls. “It wasn’t like I got my ass kicked for three rounds and then got knocked out; I was dominating the fight, then I made a mistake and got caught. I was pissed off at myself, pissed off at the referee for not giving me the chance to continue. Whether he was right or wrong, as a grizzled veteran I don’t feel the need to be saved by a referee. “[But] when I watched the replay back in the changing room, I said to everybody: ‘I’ll take that.’ As in, if I was ever gonna get stopped, that’s the way I’d want it: on my feet, demanding they let me continue. I can accept that, I can sleep at night. I couldn’t sleep at night if I’m getting the 10 count and I can’t get up, or if I’m telling the referee, ‘No, [I can’t continue]’.” As well as mentioning referee Loughlin, Eubank Jr has cited an alleged elbow by Smith as proving decisive in the fight’s final sequence. Still, he maintains that these are not excuses, while Smith, 35, has revelled in his victory. “I enjoyed every bit of it,” Smith told The Independent in July. “It was a great week, I wish I could have that week back, it was a great week.” The Liverpudlian also said the prickly build-up to their first fight existed because the boxers just “wouldn’t get on” in normal life. But Eubank Jr, for his part, says: “Just because I fought him, doesn’t mean I know who he is as a man. He might be a great guy. I don’t know and I don’t need to know, that’s not part of my job; my job is to know who he is as a fighter and exploit that or deal with that. I think he is exploitable, he does get riled up, I can get into his head. I’m not here to be buddies or pals with people, I’m here to take guys out. I’m here to create a legacy, and he’s put a serious bump in that road for me; I need to smoothen it out.” That legacy has always been a complicated one, given the memories that Eubank Jr’s father gave to British boxing fans. Still, its ending is unwritten, and it is still in Eubank Jr’s control – for now. “There’s so many huge fights left for me to have,” he says. “There’s so much left for me to achieve. We have to see if I can do the things I say I can do. First and foremost, I have to beat Liam Smith; it’s not a great legacy if I finish my career with two losses to Liam on my record. That would for sure damage any type of ‘great’ legacy. Knowing that, it’s hugely important that I avenge this loss. I can explain a freak accident – it happens; I can get away with one loss to Liam, I can’t get away with two.” However Eubank Jr’s in-ring endeavours are ultimately judged, one thing seems certain: his personality and words outside the ring will see him remembered as one of the most divisive boxers of his generation. “It’s part of selling a fight, it’s part of beating your opponent,” Eubank Jr says. “You’ve got to win every fight – verbal, mental, physical. I’ve become very good at that over the years. I understand it’s part of the sport if you want to be ‘box office’. The guys that don’t talk, don’t have an opinion or aren’t able to express themselves to the fans and to their opponents, they don’t get airtime or headlines. You need those things to make money, I’ve learnt that from the very beginning, watching my old man. “As I got older, my old man took more and more steps back, and I was able to come forward and be my own personality. Now we’re at a stage where I’m comfortable in every situation. I can read the room very well, I can read my opponents well.” Eubank Jr will hope he has a good read of Smith on Saturday. Watch Smith vs Eubank Jr 2 on Sky Sports Box Office on Saturday 2 September, live from the AO Arena in Manchester Read More Eubank vs Smith 2 live stream: How to watch fight online and on TV this weekend Liam Smith: ‘Chris Eubank Jr is a nightmare – not for me, for other people’ Oleksandr Usyk remains heavyweight champion but where does he go from here? Adam Azim seeks Aram Fanyan ‘demolition’ in grandfather’s memory Who is fighting on Eubank vs Smith 2 undercard this weekend? What time does Eubank vs Smith 2 start this weekend?

With the transfer window close to closing, Manchester United go in search of a final few signings having already made a number of high-profile signings earlier in the window. The latest deal saw Atalanta’s Rasmus Hojlund sign for an initial £64 million to add to Erik ten Hag’s options up front. Mason Mount has also arrived from Chelsea, while Andre Onana from Inter has taken over from David de Gea in goal. With a takeover at Old Trafford still yet to be completed, there is still a degree of uncertainty over how much money Ten Hag has at his disposal, with the Glazer family still in control of the club. Manchester United finished in the top four and reached two cup finals last season, a big improvement on their competitiveness in previous campaigns - but more may still be required to challenge at the very top. LIVE: Follow all the latest transfer moves as deadline day approaches Here’s the latest news and updates concerning any transfers to and from Old Trafford: Sofyan Amrabat After his stellar performance at the World Cup in December last year, Sofyan Amrabat attracted interest from a host of top European clubs. The Fiorentina midfielder has not played for the Serie A club since the start of the season with his future still up in the air, and it now looks like a move to Manchester United is most likely if it can be agreed upon before the deadline. Despite their long-standing interest, United are struggling to raise the funds to buy him because of Financial Fair Play considerations and are looking at a loan instead. The Daily Mail has reported that Fiorentina have already rejected a £1.7m loan offer for the Moroccan, with the Serie A club keen to ensure that there is an obligation to buy clause inserted in any deal between the two clubs. Marc Cucurella United are also working on bringing in a left-back before the transfer window closes after Luke Shaw joined Tyrell Malacia on the treatment table, with Chelsea’s Marc Cucurella their preferred candidate. They have also considered Tottenham’s Sergio Reguilon and Lyon’s Nicolas Tagliafico. The left-back played 90 minutes in Chelsea’s 2-1 Carabao Cup win over AFC Wimbledon on Wednesday, with boss Mauricio Pochettino suggesting that the Spaniard remains in the club’s plans. “I don’t know anything (about Cucurella),” he said after the match. “All the players that are involved every day on the training ground with us are in our plans. Then, things happen, it’s the decision of both the club and the player, and if something happens in the next few days, we will communicate to you.” Dean Henderson Despite the departure of David de Gea, it would appear that Dean Henderson’s time at the Manchester club may be coming to an end after the arrival of Andre Onana earlier in the window. The goalkeeper spent last season on loan at Nottingham Forest and may yet depart again, with a deal with Crystal Palace set to be announced imminently. Altay Bayindir And another new goalkeeper may already be on their way in, with Altay Bayindir pictured at an Istanbul Airport preparing to fly to England and complete his move to Old Trafford. The Fenerbahçe stopper will join for a fee in the region of £5m. Read More Why Manchester United are no longer big spenders in the transfer market Manchester United made the right Mason Greenwood decision for all the wrong reasons Gary Neville slams ‘horrible’ Man Utd handling of Mason Greenwood case Manchester United receive interest in Mason Greenwood Uefa calls added time rules ‘absurd’ and refuses to follow suit Transfers latest LIVE: Premier League updates ahead of deadline day

Luis Rubiales’ family has turned on the beleaguered Spanish Football Federation president after his uncle gave an explosive interview accusing his nephew of being “obsessed with power, with luxury, and with women”. Rubiales remains in his post, however, and has sent new video to Fifa appearing to show Jenni Hermoso laughing over his infamous kiss, as he continues to desperately cling to power. In the video, Hermoso smiles as she shows her teammates a meme about the kiss to her teammates. Rubiales is still hoping to clear his name amid growing pressure to resign his post after Hermoso said the kiss was non-consensual and symptomatic of a broken culture in Spanish football. Rubiales’ mother has meanwhile ended her hunger strike and been admitted to hospital after locking herself in a church in protest over her son’s treatment and the “witch hunt” against him. A priest called Father Antonio said Angeles Bejar had been taken to hospital after feeling tired and unwell. “We have called the son. He’s in touch with her and they have decided that she needed to go to the hospital,” he said. Follow all the latest updates from the Luis Rubiales crisis: Read More Luis Rubiales is just the latest crisis in Spanish FA’s dark history

Liverpool continue to hunt reinforcements as they bid to put a difficult season last campaign behind them. Jurgen Klopp’s club entered the transfer window with a clear emphasis on bolstering their midfield, particularly considering the confirmed departures of James Milner, Fabio Carvalho, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, as well as the exit of Jordan Henderson. The club has been proactive in pursuing this objective, and still may not be done yet in the market. Meanwhile, one of Jurgen Klopp’s stars has been linked with a mega-money transfer to Saudi Arabia, with both Henderson and Fabinho already having moved to the Middle East. LIVE: Follow all the latest transfer moves as deadline day approaches Here are the latest news and transfer updates around Anfield: Mohamed Salah Mohamed Salah has emerged as a target for Saudi Arabian champions Al Ittihad as the Middle Eastern league continues to flex its financial muscles after significant backing from the country’s Public Investment Fund. The Saudi Pro League have already bought Fabinho, Roberto Firmino and Jordan Henderson from the Merseyside club this summer but are now said to have turned their attention to Jurgen Klopp’s star forward, who only signed a new contract at the start of last season. The Daily Mail have reported that the Saudi club are willing to pay as much as £118 million for the 31-year-old but, despite that, Liverpool’s stance remains clear. The player is not for sale under any conditions and especially this late in the window. Ryan Gravenberch Versatile midfielder Ryan Gravenberch has been once again linked with Liverpool late in the window, with the Anfield club reigniting their interest in the Dutchman after missing out on other midfield targets, including Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia. According to Sky Sports Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, the Dutch midfielder is keen to leave the German club having started just three games last season. Negotiations remain ongoing between the two clubs with the defending Bundesliga champions said to want around €30m for the 21-year-old who joined from Ajax last summer. Cheick Doucoure Should a deal for Gravenberch fail to materialise, Liverpool may turn their attention back to Crystal Palace’s Cheick Doucoure, with the central midfielder attracting long-standing interest from the club. According to The Indeependent’s Miguel Delaney, Klopp’s side remain interested in the 23-year-old, although they have so far been put off by Palace’s asking price - believed to be around £70m. Read More Jurgen Klopp wanted a midfield change at Liverpool – instead he got a revolution New signing Wataru Endo compared to ‘one of the biggest Liverpool legends’ by Jurgen Klopp Jurgen Klopp makes definitive statement on Mohamed Salah transfer saga Transfers latest LIVE: Premier League updates ahead of deadline day Rumours: Salah bid well over £100m; Chelsea winger set for exit Liverpool hold talks with Bayern Munich over deal for Ryan Gravenberch

Defending champions Manchester United will host Crystal Palace in the third round of the Carabao Cup while treble winners Manchester City face a tricky trip to Newcastle. In the three other all-Premier League ties, Brentford host Arsenal, Chelsea take on Brighton and Aston Villa meet Everton, who overcame Doncaster Rovers 2-1 on Wednesday night. The lowest ranked team left in the competition, Sutton United, face a trip to Port Vale. The ties will be played around 25 September. There have already been a few shock results in this year’s competition with Leeds United being dumped out of the tournament by Salford City and Ange Postecoglou’s Spurs losing to Fulham in the second round. Take a look at the full Carabao Cup third-round draw below. Read More Same old Spurs? Ange Postecoglou’s first trophy chance ends in penalty agony

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Defending champions Manchester United are among the sides to enter the Carabao Cup as it reaches the third round. Erik ten Hag’s side secured their first trophy under the Dutchman by beating Newcastle at Wembley in February. While most of the Premier League’s clubs were involved in second round ties, those who will be featuring in European competition this year are afforded an extra round off. Manchester City, Arsenal, Newcastle, Liverpool, Brighton and Aston Villa therefore join last year’s winners in the draw. Here’s everything you need to know. When is the Carabao Cup third round draw? The draw for the third round of the Carabao Cup will be held tonight, Wednesday 29 August, at 10.15pm, after the conclusion of Doncaster Rovers’ clash with Everton. How to watch Sky Sports are the competition broadcasters in the United Kingdom, and will have live coverage of the match and the subsequent draw. Viewers can also watch a free live stream of the draw on the Sky Sports Football YouTube channel. When will the third round fixtures be played? The Carabao Cup third round will be played in the week commencing Monday 25 September. When is the Carabao Cup final? The final of the competition is set to be played on 25 February 2024. Read More Points can’t mask Manchester United’s muddled start to Erik ten Hag’s second season Roberto Mancini appointed Saudi Arabia coach 2 weeks after quitting job in charge of Italy Police investigate after brick attack on Aston Villa bus after win at Burnley What time is the Carabao Cup third round draw tonight? Enzo Maresca hails Jamie Vardy as Leicester continue flying start to season Gary O’Neil expects Matheus Nunes to remain at Wolves with no fresh Man City bid

Britain’s largest budget airline will send “rescue flights” for passengers stranded abroad by air traffic control chaos. As hundreds of flights were cancelled on Tuesday, easyJet confirmed it would operate five repatriation flights to London Gatwick over the coming days. The rescue flights will operate from Palma and Faro on 30 August, Tenerife and Enfidha on 31 August and Rhodes on 1 September. More than 1,200 flights to, from and within the UK were grounded by the failure at the national air traffic provider Nats, with around 200,000 people sleeping at airports overnight. Earlier on Tuesday, easyJet grounded more than 80 flights, including three dozen at Gatwick, including those serving popular tourist destinations such as Athens and Venice. Confirming the rescue flights, an easyJet spokesperson said: “We have been providing customers with assistance and hotel accommodation and advising anyone who has needed to make their own hotel or alternative travel arrangements that they will be reimbursed. “During this traditionally very busy week for travel, options for returning to the UK are more limited on some routes and so easyJet will be operating five repatriation flights to London Gatwick over the coming days from Palma and Faro on August 30, and Tenerife and Enfidha on Thursday August 31 and from Rhodes on Friday September 1. “We are also operating larger aircraft on key routes including Faro, Ibiza, Dalaman and Tenerife to provide some additional 700 seats this week. “Although this situation was outside of our control, we are sorry for the difficulty this has caused for our customers and remain focused on doing all possible to assist and repatriate them. Customers will be moved onto repatriation flights and notified directly.” Meanwhile, National Air Traffic Services (Nats) confirmed that the air traffic control failure was caused by flight data received by the organisation, prompting both its primary and backup systems to suspend automatic processing. His statement appeared to confirm earlier reports from sources who told The Independent that a dodgy flight plan filed by a French airline may have sparked the major systems meltdown. “Very occasionally technical issues occur that are complex and take longer to resolve. In the event of such an issue our systems are designed to isolate the problem and prioritise continued safe air traffic control”, the statement from Nats CEO Martin Rolfe read. “This is what happened yesterday. At no point was UK airspace closed but the number of flights was significantly reduced. Initial investigations into the problem show it relates to some of the flight data we received. “Our systems, both primary and the back-ups, responded by suspending automatic processing to ensure that no incorrect safety-related information could be presented to an air traffic controller or impact the rest of the air traffic system. There are no indications that this was a cyber-attack.” Read More EasyJet lays on rescue flights as ‘dodgy French flight plan’ blamed for air traffic chaos – latest More travel chaos after 300,000 hit by cancellations – and French error blamed for air traffic mayhem Ask Me Anything: Put your questions to Simon Calder as flight cancellations cause mayhem across Europe Caught in the air traffic control nightmare? Your rights when flights go wrong Everything you need to know about air traffic control failure on Tuesday Travel chaos over bank holiday weekend as BA and easyJet cancel dozens of flights Train strikes and cancelled flights spell Bank Holiday travel chaos

Fulham are in talks with Monaco over the sale of Tosin Adarabioyo, after reluctantly accepting the defender will not sign a new contract. The Ligue 1 club will put a new bid in once a price is agreed, which is expected to be in the next 48 hours. Tosin and his representatives had been telling Fulham over the past few weeks that he would not sign a new contract, and this was reiterated in stronger terms since the 2-2 draw away at Arsenal at the weekend. With Fulham now risking losing the player on a free at the end of the season, they have entered more productive talks with Monaco. Tottenham Hotspur have had interest in Tosin but the French club can offer a more senior role in the team, and he is excited about a move abroad. A deal on personal terms was also some way off with the Spurs hierarchy. Monaco are meanwhile considering a move for Arsenal’s Folarin Balogun before the window closes.

It was, not for the first time in football, a Jose Mourinho call that proved persuasive. The Roma manager last week rang Romelu Lukaku personally to say he was exactly what they were missing. “We have a good team but we are missing a champion,” Mourinho said. The Portuguese also explained to Lukaku exactly how he would work with Paulo Dybala. The hope is that the loan move reignites Roma’s faltering start to the season, and Lukaku’s career. Staying at Chelsea, while something that manager Mauricio Pochettino at least toyed with, was never really on. The club want to go in a new direction based on younger players developing in their career and capable of going to higher levels. That will be a consideration as they look for a forward in the final days of the window, although there is an expectation they will eventually move for Brentford’s Ivan Toney. The entire Lukaku situation says a lot about this summer’s market, and how it was influenced by the chase for forwards and Saudi Pro League money. The Belgian had a huge offer from the newly disruptive league from the off, that would have more than quadrupled his current wages. Lukaku wasn’t prepared to go there, though, and leave the top end of the game. It had long been anticipated that he would stay at Internazionale, where he was on loan last season, but there were already doubts in his mind. Lukaku felt he was back in top physical condition from the spring, with the goals to prove it, which made it all the more surprising that he was so often left on the bench for big games. Edin Dzeko might have been enjoying a late career surge, but the very fact that Inter manager Simone Inzaghi knew the Bosnian was leaving made it surprising that he didn’t seek to use Lukaku more. Lukaku felt it was better to move on, which is where Juventus came in. As with Roma now, a huge attraction in Juventus wasn’t just the status of the club but also the status of the manager. Lukaku was convinced by Max Allegri. There was just one major problem, as it turned out: Juventus first had to sell Dusan Vlahovic before bringing in Lukaku. This is what took the move so long. In talking with Chelsea about Lukaku, Juventus assured them there was a market for Vlahovic, and it was just a matter of time. That didn’t prove to be the case, despite a series of top clubs wanting strikers – including Chelsea themselves. All of them had Vlahovic on their list, but quite far down. It is quite an unexpected development for a player who turned down Arsenal over a year ago, although unfortunate fitness issues haven’t helped. Either way, Bayern Munich were singularly focused on Harry Kane. Paris Saint-Germain are likely to get Eintracht Frankfurt’s Randal Kolo Muani, and Vlahovic isn’t seen as a good fit for new PSG manager Luis Enrique in any case. Manchester United were never interested, as they pursued Rasmus Hojlund. “There was no place for him on the chessboard,” in the words of one involved figure. It got to the point where Juventus even turned around and offered Vlahovic to Chelsea. It never happened, though, which left the forward frustrated. There was also the complication that Chelsea were at that point insistent on Lukaku moving on a permanent transfer rather than another loan. It was then that Roma and AC Milan came in, and delicate negotiation was required by Roc Nation’s Alan Redmond and Michael Yormark, as well as Belgian lawyer Sebastien Ledure. The former had the benefit of a good relationship with Chelsea, as Roma took the lead by having Mourinho speak to the player and eventually sending a party to London to do the deal over the weekend. The Portuguese was adamant they don’t come back without getting it done. Milan never went so far, although the interest from almost all of the country’s major clubs reflects Lukaku’s reputation in Italy, where has been hailed as “the king of Serie A”. After long negotiations, and a lot of details to be finalised, a deal on a loan fee was eventually struck. Roma and Lukaku will now press ahead seeking to fire their season. Chelsea will press ahead trying to bring in one more forward before the window closes. Another domino in this interconnected forward market has gone, though. Whether that clears the way or makes it harder to navigate remains to be seen. Read More Chelsea’s Academy stars can rise to Carabao Cup challenge – Mauricio Pochettino Roma set to sign Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku on season-long loan Roma officials fly to London for talks with Chelsea over Romelu Lukaku loan deal Chelsea transfer news: Balogun, Olise, Lukaku, Chalobah and more Football rumours: Manchester City turn attention to Palace’s Eberechi Eze Mauricio Pochettino says Chelsea and Romelu Lukaku must share blame for standoff