Callum Davis

Spain midfielder Pedri has been ruled out of the rest of the European Championship after suffering a left knee injury. The 21-year-old was forced off in the opening stages of Spain’s quarter-final win over Germany on Friday night following a heavy challenge from Toni Kroos. Pedri received treatment on the pitch and was subsequently replaced by Dan Olmo. The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) confirmed on Saturday that Pedri suffered a “grade 2 internal lateral sprain in his left knee” but that he will remain with the Spain squad throughout the rest of their tournament. Kroos, who...

West Ham United have completed the signing of Max Kilman from Wolverhampton Wanderers. Kilman, 27, joins the east London club for a fee in the region of £40million ($51.2m). He has signed a seven-year contract at the London Stadium through to 2031. The move sees Kilman reunite with new West Ham head coach Julien Lopetegui, who he worked under during the Spaniard’s 10 months in charge at Wolves during the 2022-23 season. “It’s an amazing feeling to be a West Ham United player,” said Kilman. “As soon as I was aware of the interest from the club, it was an opportunity I was keen to...

Everton have completed the signing of Iliman Ndiaye from Marseille on a five-year contract through to 2029. The Athletic reported in June that Ndiaye was set to undergo an Everton medical ahead of a £15million (€17.7m, $19m) move. “I am so pleased to be an Everton player,” he said upon completing the transfer. “The main reasons I wanted to join were how big the club is, its history and the part I can play in helping the team in the forward direction it is going in. I’m so excited and can’t wait to get going.” The forward scored four goals and provided five assists in 46...

Aston Villa have completed the signing of Luton Town midfielder Ross Barkley. Barkley, 30, leaves Luton for an undisclosed fee. The Athletic reported that Villa were in advanced talks to sign Barkley last month and the Englishman has now signed a three-year deal with his new side. He returns to Villa having spent the 2020-21 Covid-affected season at Villa Park on loan from Chelsea, scoring three goals in 24 appearances for the West Midlands club. Barkley made 232 appearances for his boyhood club Everton before joining Chelsea for £15m in 2018. He left by mutual consent at the end of 2022-23.

A man has been arrested for climbing onto the roof of Signal Iduna Park during Germany’s European Championship match against Denmark. Dortmund police released a statement on Sunday confirming the arrest of a 21-year-old man after “a person climbed onto the roof of the stadium” during Germany’s 2-0 victory in their round-of-16 tie. Local police said the man, who is from from the nearby city of Osnabrueck, is under investigation for alleged trespassing. The man was carrying camera equipment, police said, adding he allegedly said in questioning that he wanted to take...

Reading have withdrawn from the Women’s Championship for the upcoming 2024-25 season due to financial issues, the club confirmed on Sunday. A late takeover bid for the women’s arm of the financially-stricken club failed over the weekend. The 2019 FA Cup semi-finalists will now compete in the Southern Region Football League Premier Division, the fifth tier of English women’s football. The Football Association (FA) confirmed Reading’s demotion on Sunday after the club failed to “meet the ongoing compliance requirements needed to continue to operate in the Barclays...

The Belgian Football Association has apologised after a video published on one of its social media channels showed midfielder Amadou Onana saying he would kick France captain Kylian Mbappe. Belgium and France meet in the last 16 of the European Championship on Monday evening in Dusseldorf. In the now-deleted video, Belgian comedian Pablo Andres, who regularly features in social media content on behalf of the Belgian FA, asked: “Who will kick Mbappe’s shin?” Everton midfielder Onana then answered: “Amadou Onana.” Belgium’s media spokesman Stefan Van Loock apologised on...

USMNT international Sergino Dest has completed a permanent move to PSV Eindhoven from Barcelona. The 23-year-old defender joined the Eredivisie club on loan last summer in a deal that included a future option to buy. He made 25 appearances, scoring two goals and providing six assists, as PSV won the Dutch league title for the first time in six years. The Dutch side have now triggered the option to sign Dest on a free transfer. He joins on a four-year contract through to 2028. The transfer includes a sell-on clause that entitles Barcelona to a percentage of any future sale involving the USA...

Aston Villa Women have appointed Robert de Pauw as their new manager. De Pauw, 42, joins from Bayer Leverkusen where he led the club to two top-six league finishes during his two-year stay in Germany. “I’m very happy and very honoured that the club chose me as their women’s coach,” he said. “It’s a privilege to be here and I’m looking forward to the challenge.” “I saw the potential of the team with the young and older players, so the experience is there but also the talent. “The ambition of the club is to be in the top six and everything is in order to make the team...

Manchester United have confirmed England goalkeeper Mary Earps will leave the club following the expiration of her contract. Earps, 31, is out of contract at the end of this month and is expected to accept an attractive offer to join Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer, as previously reported by The Athletic. She wants to compete for trophies at this stage in her career with the financial side of the offer not a priority. A club statement on Saturday morning said: “Everyone at Manchester United would like to thank Mary for her fine service and wish her the best of luck in the next...

The Football Association (FA) has confirmed the date and kick-off time for this year’s Community Shield. Premier League champions Manchester City will take on FA Cup winners and local rivals Manchester United in a 3pm kick-off at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, August 10. The traditional curtain raiser to the new domestic season will take place six days before United begin their Premier League campaign against Fulham on Friday, August 16. Man City, meanwhile, begin the defence of their title on Sunday at Stamford Bridge in new Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca’s Premier League bow. The...

France captain Kylian Mbappe took part in training on Wednesday afternoon, two days after breaking his nose in his country’s European Championship opener. Mbappe fractured his nose in an aerial collision with Austria defender Kevin Danso and was subsequently replaced in the closing stages of the 2-1 victory over Austria. The 25-year-old — who will complete his move from Paris Saint-Germain to Real Madrid following the end of Euro 2024 — remains a doubt for France’s Group D game against the Netherlands on Friday. Mbappe, who has scored 47 goals in 80 appearances for his country,...

Arne Slot says he sought advice from his predecessor Jurgen Klopp before officially beginning his reign as Liverpool head coach. Slot, 45, was confirmed as Klopp’s Anfield successor in May, signing a three-year contract until 2027. In his first interview since officially taking charge on June 1, Slot — who joins Liverpool from Feyenoord — said the German coach had given him “tips” for his first job in English football. “I did the same in my former clubs when I started over there but I think if someone worked at a club for nine years [and had] been so successful, you...

Barcelona have completed the signing of England goalkeeper Ellie Roebuck on a free transfer. Roebuck, 24, joins Barcelona on a two-year deal until 2026 following the expiration of her contract with Manchester City. The Athletic reported in April that Roebuck had signed an agreement to join the Spanish club in the summer. The transfer means Roebuck becomes the Women’s Champions League holders’ third England international, joining midfielder Keira Walsh and right-back Lucy Bronze in the squad. She will now compete with Barcelona No 1 Cata Coll and reserve keeper Gemma Font for a...

A fan who was hospitalised by a wayward shot from Germany striker Niclas Füllkrug has recovered in time to watch his country face Hungary on Wednesday evening, according to the German Football Federation (DFB). Kai Flathmann was sitting behind the goal before kick-off in Germany’s 5-1 win over Scotland in the opening game of the European Championship when he was struck on the hand by a shot that missed the target during the warmup. “I have no words, crazy things,” he said on social media alongside a picture of him in hospital with his arm bandaged and in a sling. “Bild...