Arsenal keeper Martinez in emotional farewell ahead of reported Villa move

Aston Villa are interested in signing Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette in the summer transfer window, according to . Lacazette is out of contract at Arsenal at the end of the season, and Premier League rivals Villa are keen on securing the services of the 30-year-old France international striker on a free transfer.

Lacazette has been on the books of Arsenal since 2017 and has been an important player for the team over the years. The striker has scored 54 in 149 appearances in the Premier League so far in his career. Lacazette has made 16 starts and five substitute appearances in the Premier League so far this season, scoring four goals and providing seven assists in the process.

Villa are ninth in the Premier League table at the moment with 36 points from 28 matches.…

Wales manager Ryan Giggs will face trial on January 24 after being charged with assaulting two women.

Giggs appeared at a hearing at Manchester Crown Court on Friday, just over a month after the former Manchester United winger was charged with causing actual bodily harm to a woman in her 30s and common assault of a woman in her 20s.

The 47-year-old is alleged to have assaulted the two women in Worsley, Greater Manchester, on November 1 last year.

He was also charged with one count of coercive and controlling behaviour.

Giggs, who denies the allegations, will return to Manchester Crown Court early next year for the trial.

The Football Association of Wales (FAW) last month confirmed Giggs will not be in charge of the team for the upcoming Euro…

Darwin Nunez insisted his focus will remain on Benfica for the rest of this season after displaying his obvious potential in a Champions League quarter-final tie against Liverpool.

Along with Paris Saint-Germain, striker Darwin has been linked to a host of Premier League clubs, including Manchester United, Chelsea and Newcastle United.

Two matches against Liverpool were therefore seen as something of an audition – one Darwin passed with flying colours.

The 22-year-old scored in both legs as Benfica were beaten 6-4 on aggregate, putting the ball in the net three times in Wednesday s second leg at Anfield, only for the offside flag to twice intervene.

The two goals that did stand took Darwin to 32 in 37 matches in all competitions this season, a significa…

Arsenal have reached an agreement with Real Madrid over the signing of Martin Odegaard, according to . It has been reported that the Gunners will pay Spanish and European giants Madrid an initial transfer fee of €35 million with potential add-ons rising to around €40 million.

Odegaard, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Arsenal from Madrid, will sign a four-year contract until 2015. Premier League club Arsenal will have the option extend it for a fifth year. The 22-year-old Norway international attacking midfielder will undergo a two-part medical on Thursday.

The youngster made nine starts and five substitute appearances in the Premier League for Arsenal , scoring one goal and providing two assists in the process. Odegaard also made five starts and …

Mohamed Salah scored two penalties as Liverpool closed to within three points of Premier League leaders Manchester City with a 6-0 hammering of Leeds United at Anfield.

Salah netted either side of Joel Matip s superb strike to give Jurgen Klopp s team a comfortable advantage, before Sadio Mane added a late double of his own and Virgil van Dijk completed the scoring.

The stunning victory gives Liverpool renewed hope of catching Pep Guardiola s league leaders, who lost at home to Tottenham on Saturday and must still welcome the Reds to the Etihad Stadium.

City could have expected few favours from Leeds, however, with Marcelo Bielsa s men firmly in a relegation scrap with the league s most porous defence.

After a high-octane opening, Liverpool were awarde…

Manchester United have confirmed Jesse Lingard will leave the club after his contract expires.

Lingard s deal runs out at the end of June and the midfielder, who came through United s youth system, had long been expected to leave for pastures new.

On Wednesday, United confirmed the 29-year-old was departing, following Paul Pogba out of the exit door.

He reportedly pushed for a move away from Old Trafford in January, but United did not wish to sell the England international.

It was all a dream

— Manchester United (@ManUtd)

However, Lingard – who enjoyed a fruitful spell on loan at West Ham during the 2020-21 season, scoring nine league goals in 16 games as David Moyes team qualified for the Europa League – only started t…

Manchester City central defender Nathan Ake is open to a move to Chelsea in the summer transfer window, according to . The report has claimed that Chelsea are keen on signing Ake from Premier League rivals Manchester City and are optimistic about a deal, and the Netherlands international central defender himself is open to a move to Stamford Bridge.

Ake started his professional club football career at Chelsea, but the 27-year-old defender could not take a huge impact at Stamford Bridge and moved to Bournemouth on a permanent contract in 2017. The Dutchman joined City in the summer of 2020.

The defender has scored 15 goals and created 10 big chances in 170 appearances in the Premier League so far in is career.

…

Bayern Munich may always have an attraction to coaches but Carsten Ramelow does not expect Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann to return to the Bundesliga giants.

Nagelsmann was dismissed from his role as Bayern coach back in March 2023, as his former side were trying to make ground on Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga title race.

Thomas Tuchel was swiftly appointed as his replacement, leading the club to an 11th straight top-flight title last term, but the former Chelsea boss has failed to live up to expectations this season, and will leave at the end of the campaign.

Xabi Alonso rebuffed Bayern s interest to stay at Bayer Leverkusen, and it remains to be seen who the Bundesliga giants will go for as Tuchel s replacement.

Nagelsmann is preparing to lead Ger…

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Looking to extend their stay in the Champions League spots this weekend, Tottenham will travel to St. James’ Park when they meet Newcastle on Saturday lunchtime.

Newcastle

Starting with the hosts, snatching a late 1-0 victory away at Fulham last weekend, Newcastle know the importance of using that performance as a platform to build on. However, although the Magpies might still be dreaming of the chance to book another European ticket this season, Eddie Howe has found plenty of scrutiny over his long-term future at St. James’ Park. While the former Bournemouth boss might have seen his squad muster seven points from their previous three Premier League appearances, Newcastle have largely struggled with their constancy since opening th…

Leicester have sacked women’s first-team boss Willie Kirk after the club determined the Scot had “breached the team’s code of conduct to a degree that makes his position untenable”.

The 45-year-old last took charge of the Foxes when they lost 4-0 in the Women’s Super League to Chelsea on March 3, before the club subsequently announced that Kirk was “assisting the club with an internal process” and would not be on the touchline for their March 9 FA Cup quarter-final.

Kirk’s then-assistant Jennifer Foster, supported by first team coach Stephen Kirby, oversaw that 2-0 victory and have remained at the helm since.

Leicester City Football Club can confirm that Willie Kirk has been dismissed from his position as LCFC Women Manager.

— LCFC Women…