Manchester City are riding higher than they ever have, winning the European Cup for the first time to secure the treble. That has unlocked the chance to win the UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup, and the Blues finally have the trophy they have long desired.

Look online, though, and there is a degree of restlessness at the lack of transfer activity at the Etihad. Mateo Kovacic has come in, Ilkay Gundogan has left, and Declan Rice will join Arsenal.

"When we don't like a deal, we walk away and we don't panic," said CEO Ferran Soriano this week. As Pep Guardiola often reminds fans in the opening months of the season that titles are not won early on, City's bosses will say that transfer windows are not 'won' or 'lost' in the first week of July.

Look at City last season, who began the campaign without Manu Akanji or Sergio Gomez. Both arrived late in the window, and Akanji in particular proved essential in winning the treble. City won't be panicking at their transfer activity so far.

However, a look around the Premier League shows that other sides are acting quicker to strengthen their squads. Liverpool moved swiftly to sign Brighton's World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister on an initial £35m deal, and now look like taking their summer spend close to £100m with the expected arrival of Dominik Szoboszlai from RB Leipzig.

The Liverpool Echo and others report the Reds will trigger the £60m release clause for winger Szoboszlai to continue their attacking rebuild after Roberto Firmino's departure. They will be looking to avoid a repeat of last season's struggles and attempt to challenge for the title again.

Their early activity in the transfer window suggests they will look to offer more of a threat next season after dropping out of the Champions League, and are willing to spend money to do that. 

Arsenal ended just five points adrift of City in second last season and know that despite their end of season collapse, they were ultimately not too far away from the Blues, and will rue the six points lost in the two head-to-head matches. With European football back on their schedule, they also need to add depth.

Kai Havertz has arrived from Chelsea for £65m to offer an alternative to Gabriel Jesus in attack, while Declan Rice looks set to join after City dropped out of the race. He will cost £105m, including add-ons, so Arsenal will throw at least £170m at their summer rebuild to catch City.

With Liverpool and Arsenal's spend approaching £265m on just four players, they are not the only sides looking to get stronger and stop City winning the treble again. Tottenham have spent £40m on James Maddison, while Manchester United will put £60m towards Chelsea's Mason Mount. Newcastle are set to spend a reported £52m on AC Milan midfielder Sandro Tonali as they prepare for the Champions League. Chelsea's unpredictable and extravagant business has also continued this summer, with their preferred starting XI for next season anyone's guess at this point.

Compare those spends to City's current outlay of £25m on Mateo Kovacic - although they will surely increase that should a current player leave or someone like Josko Gvardiol become available.

City won't panic, as Soriano said, although they will also expect all of their rivals to improve next season. As brilliant as City were, they were aided by Chelsea, Spurs and Liverpool in particular being fairly poor all season.

Guardiola always says the next season will be harder than the previous one, and the early signs this summer suggest he will be proved right again in 2023.

[manchestereveningnews]

David de Gea is reportedly being targeted for a reunion with Cristiano Ronaldo by Al-Nassr after his Manchester United contract expired.

Goalkeeper De Gea, 32, became a free agent on Friday (June 30). Talks with the Old Trafford hierarchy over a new deal broke down last week.

It was claimed he agreed to revised terms which saw his £375,000 weekly wage reduced to £200k before United withdrew that offer and proposed an even lower salary.

Now he's become the latest star lined up for a move to Saudi Arabia, according to The Sun, with Al-Nassr tabling a £250,000-a-week contract for him.

However, it's also reported De Gea would ideally stay in Manchester if he can reach an agreement once and for all with the Red Devils. He's currently not in contact with them as he got married to long-term partner and singer Edurne, 37, on Saturday (July 1).

But face-to-face negotiations are set to resume in the not too distant future. United are looking to replace him with a new No. 1 for next season.

Losing him for good would mean they'd need to sign two shot stoppers this summer, though, with second-choice Dean Henderson already headed for the exit door.

Nearly 20 full years since his first senior appearance, Cesc Fabregas has called time on a storied career.

The Spanish international was just 16 years old when he became Arsenal's youngest ever player, enjoying a cup outing during the famed 'Invincibles' season. Two decades on, and a few weeks after his 36th birthday, the Como midfielder confirmed he has played his final game.

"It is with great sadness that the time has come for me to hang up my playing boots," he said in a statement. "From my first days at Barca, Arsenal, Barca again, Chelsea, Monaco and Como, I will treasure them all.

"From lifting the World Cup, the Euros, to winning everything in England and Spain and nearly all the European trophies, it has been a journey that I’ll never forget," he added. Theveteran will now become a full-time member of Como's coaching staff, having admitted to falling in love with the Italian team.

Over the years, there have been too many memorable Cesc Fabregas moments to count. Here, Mirror Football takes a look back at some stand-out moments which show why so many have so much fondness for him.

1. Putting Spurs to the sword

 

 

Cesc Fabregas had some memorable games against Spurs ( Image: Getty Images)

There's nothing like a goal in a North London Derby to win over Arsenal fans. Fabregas had already won their hearts several times over before the autumn of 2009, but he added some gloss in a Halloween triumph. 

It was Robin van Persie who scored Arsenal's first, but Fabregas doubled the lead just 11 seconds after the restart. Capitalising on a giveaway from Wilson Palacios, Fabregas burst through a number of challenges before beating Heurelho Gomes from the edge of the box.

A goal and two assists in a White Hart Lane win in 2007 was another highlight in Fabregas' Arsenal career. This one, though, had an extra celebratory note to it.

2. Putting his body on the line

By the time Arsenal played Barcelona in 2010, Fabregas was wearing the captain's armband for the Gunners on the grandest of stages. After a Zlatan Ibrahimovic double looked to have sent Barca through, Arsene Wenger's side rebounded to draw 2-2 with their skipper equalising from the penalty spot.

 

 

Few Arsenal fans will forget Fabregas' penalty against Barcelona ( Image: Getty Images)

What we didn't know at the time, however, was that Fabregas was seriously injured at the time. His decision to play through the pain barrier wasn't enough to see his team through, despite Nicklas Bendtner putting them in front at Camp Nou, but it was still the kind of thing all fans will remember.

"Some people think I may have even broken the leg against Birmingham a week earlier - and, to be honest, I just don't know," the midfielder said. "Yes, it's exactly the same spot but I didn't go into the game against Barcelona thinking 'My leg's broken'.''

3. An unbelievable assist

When Fabregas returned to the Premier League in 2014, it was for Chelsea rather than Arsenal. Some had questions - surely if he still had elite quality then Arsenal would have brought him back - but they were answered just 20 minutes into his debut.

Nearly a decade on, fans still talk about the pass for Andre Schurrle's goal against Burnley. The calm first-time delivery, and the control of the pace on the ball when others might have thumped it into touch.

 

 

The midfielder had a great evening against Burnley in 2014 ( Image: Getty Images Europe)

That season ended with Fabregas becoming a Premier League champion with Chelsea. It's something he never managed in Arsenal red, but it's undoubtedly something he deserved.

4. Showing where his heart lies

There were still some who weren't delighted to see him move across London, even if there was a spell back at Barcelona in the middle. Some also let their feelings become clear when Fabregas pointed to his chest while taking on his former club.

A section of the Gunners support booed their former captain during the game. He responded by pointing at his chest, and some interpreted this as him pointing to the Chelsea badge, but the truth was rather different.

"If you think I’m capable of doing what you are suggesting I did, you don’t know me at all and my feelings towards all of you what so ever," he told one fan. "I was actually telling the fans they will always be in my heart, but of course your interpretation must be miss guided [sic] by a simple image."

5. Ending Spain's misery

 

 

Cesc Fabregas helped Spain to Euro 2008 success ( Image: AFP/Getty Images)DON'T MISS

When Euro 2008 rolled around, Spain had gone more than 40 years without a major tournament win. Without Fabregas, the wait might have gone on even longer.

Luis Aragones' side won three out of three in their group, with Fabregas on target against Russia, but quarter-final opponents Italy presented a tougher task. The reigning world champions took the game to penalties after a goalless draw, and Spain had lost three of their previous four shootouts - including against England at Euro 96.

Spain led 3-2 when Fabregas stepped up for their fifth kick, knowing the significance and recognising he had Gigi Buffon to beat. He sent the keeper the wrong way, paving the way for Spain to kick on and beat Russia (again) and Germany to become champions of Europe.

6. Achieving international immortality

 

 

He put away crucial Euros penalties in two tournaments ( Getty Image)

Two years after that Euros triumph, there was a World Cup win. Two years after that came Euro 2012 and a change for an unprecedented three in a row.

Once again, penalties were needed - this time in the semi-final against Portugal. Xabi Alonso missed with Spain's first-kick, but failures from Portugal pair Joao Moutinho and Bruno Alves gave Fabregas another shot at glory.

Once again, he made no mistake, and he followed it up with an assist in the final as Italy were put to the sword. Cesc Fabregas will forever be associated with one of Spanish football's finest ever eras.

7. A favourite off the pitch

 

 

 

The midfielder has also impressed as a pundit ( Image: BBC)

 

Even before hanging up his boots, Fabregas has dipped his toe into punditry. His insight from the studio has won him plenty of fans, and it wouldn't be a huge surprise to see him combine his coaching work with more trips to the sofa.

Not only that, but he took aim at the UK government to win more fans among those who weren't huge fans of Boris Johnson et al. In March 2020, before the UK went into Covid lockdown, Fabregas' response to a Boris Johnson press conference showed he had no qualms about giving his opinion.

"So, you’re saying and admitting the disease will spread so much over the next weeks/months but you’re not closing schools “just yet”..." he asked on Twitter. "You will have to close them eventually anyway. Why not do it now and avoid more trouble? #LetsBeResponsable."

[mirror.co.uk]

 

Roma boss Jose Mourinho has established contact with forgotten Manchester United ace Mason Greenwood over a potential summer switch to Italy. According to The Sun, the ‘Special One’ is willing to hand the troubled forward a ‘football lifeline.’

Mourinho is familiar with Greenwood’s qualities from his time at Old Trafford. Even though the 21-year-old was only a teenager during the Portuguese coach’s managerial stint at Man Utd, the latter knows what he can expect from the left-footed attacker. And he is keen to revive the youngster’s declining career.

Greenwood saw charges of attempted rape, assault, and coercive and controlling behavior dropped in February. But even though the Crown Prosecution Service dismissed all allegations against the homegrown Man Utd star, he’s still on the sidelines.

Indeed, Man Utd suspended Greenwood until further notice, with the Red Devils chiefs investigating his conduct following his January 2022 arrest. Since the Premier League giants are open to letting their infamous forward leave on loan, Roma are ready to pounce. Mourinho has reached out to the player to offer him a fresh start in Serie A.

Considering it’s been over a year since Greenwood last grasped a football pitch, his signing carries a certain amount of risk. But if Mourinho thinks he’s a gamble worth taking, there’s no doubt Roma would intensify talks to take the unsettled Man Utd starlet to the Stadio Olimpico.

As it seems, Erik ten Hag’s employers won’t stand in their way. However, the Roma boss should think twice before making such a risky move. Meanwhile, the Giallorossi have also brought Paris Saint-Germain’s Renato Sanches back to their shopping list.

[cultofcalcio]

Mikel Arteta and Edu Gaspar can plan for the remainder of Arsenal's summer transfer window in the knowledge that two key deals have been completed and a verbal agreement is in place for another.

Whilst new signings to improve the first-team squad are, of course, important for the Gunners to challenge for the Premier League title once again next season, it's equally imperative to tie down their best players. Already this calendar year, Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka have put pen to paper on new deals.

William Saliba is expected to follow suit shortly as football.london understands the Frenchman has verbally agreed to sign a new four-year contract, keeping him at the Emirates Stadium until 2027 at the latest and all that remains is for his signature and therefore an official announcement.

With the trio aged either 22 or younger, it is safe to say they will play a huge part in the club's quest for success in the present and in the future, although they all must be registered in Arsenal's 25-man Premier League squad in order to be eligible for the competition next season.

This marks a change from last season when they were classed as 21 or under which allowed them to be part of the separate list. But Under-21 players for the 2023/24 campaign must be born on or after 1 January 2002, Saka, Martinelli and Saliba will be considered 'homegrown' along with Benjamin White, Emile Smith Rowe, Eddie Nketiah, Rob Holding, Aaron Ramsdale, Reiss Nelson, Arthur Okonkwo and Folarin Balogun.

As this ruling will result in a minimum of three new names being registered in the Gunners' Premier League squad for next season, what impact will it have amid talk of an imminent double announcement with regard to Declan Rice and Jurrien Timber joining to push the club's spending past the £200million mark?

Well, Rice would be considered homegrown taking the overall number to 11 but this scenario would only allow for 14 overseas players to be named - usually 17 is the limit - and as things currently stand, the Gunners will have to make space in order to register Timber and two others.

This is because Gabriel Magalhaes, Mohamed Elneny, Gabriel Jesus, Fabio Vieira, Jorginho, Jakub Kiwior, Martin Odegaard, Thomas Partey, Kieran Tierney, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Leandro Trossard, Matt Turner, Granit Xhaka, Oleksandr Zinchenko, new signing Kai Havertz, Runar Alex Runarsson, Cedric Soares, Nuno Tavares, Auston Trusty, Albert Sambi Lokonga, Nicolas Pepe fall into the overseas players' category.

Having said that, Arsenal have already begun the process of avoiding a squad registration issue as football.london understands Xhaka, Balogun, Pepe and Trusty are all expected to depart this summer as could Okonkwo, Runarsson, Cedric, Tavares and Lokonga with regular first-team football by no means a guarantee next season.

So assuming Rice and Timber sign but the aforementioned nine players are let go, the Gunners would be left with nine homegrown and 15 overseas players thus successfully adhering to the Premier League rules when permitted to name a 25-man squad when the summer transfer window closes at the beginning of September.

[football.london]

Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka could complete his long-awaited move to Bayer Leverkusen this week as Declan Rice’s arrival nears.

Bayer Leverkusen may finally snap up Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka in the coming days with a £20million deal close. 

That is according to The Mirror, who report that there is real hope that Xhaka’s move will finally go through.

Xhaka has been linked with Leverkusen for months now and had something of a farewell on the final day of the Premier League season.

That was more than a month ago now and there has been little movement on Xhaka’s expected departure.

However, it’s now thought that Xhaka could be just days away from completing his return to Germany.

The former Borussia Monchengladbach star has been identified as a key target for Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso – a former midfielder himself.

A £20million deal now seems to be nearing completion with Xhaka bringing his seven-year spell at Arsenal to an end after joining for £30million in 2016.

Arsenal may be waiting for Declan Rice arrival to green-light Granit Xhaka deal

Arsenal are on the verge of adding another midfielder this summer with Declan Rice set to join from West Ham United.

The Gunners do have Kai Havertz on board from Chelsea and the German may well be deployed in a midfield role at times.

Rice is the key though, giving Arsenal an option to play deep but also in a box-to-box role – just like Xhaka.

Arsenal getting closer to signing Rice and rumours of Xhaka’s deal being close again don’t feel like a coincidence.

The Gunners would hate to lose Xhaka without having Rice either on board or on the verge of arriving.

This really signals a new era for Arsenal’s midfield, and Xhaka at least leaves as an Arsenal favourite – something which didn’t seem likely back in the 2019-20 season.

[hitc]

Completing a successful loan spell at Osasuna, Ez Abde is set to return to Barcelona with newfangled motivation and an increased reputation. The Catalan’s need for a direct left-wing profile has been well documented by now, with attempts previously being made for Carrasco.

However, owing to drained finances, Abde is expected to fill that void in the squad. Mundo Deportivo has come out to share Abde’s official departure from Osasuna as the Moroccan leaves a heartfelt message, recollecting memories from his time in Pamplona.

“Thank you. I have felt at home and I have enjoyed myself like a small child“, the 21-year-old speedster wrote on Instagram, a public platform where he has amassed nearly two million followers.

Abde morphed into a regular team player, chiming in with important contributions on an array of occasions. He particularly thanked his teammates and the coaching staff, led by Jagoba Arrasate, “for having received me as one of the family. I just have to say thank you again.“

The Moroccan sensation has appeared in 35 league games and contributed four goals to Osasuna’s seventh-place finish. Abde was instrumental in the Copa del Rey with his two goals against Athletic Bilbao and Sevilla, which provided the squad with the opportunity to play in their second final after a whopping duration of 18 years.

He now leaves with a positive atmosphere accompanying him as fans of Osasuna appreciate his short but memorable spell. As the Catalans gear up for a crucial season, they will look forward to retaining Abde, unless an offer worth studying comes their way. Interest from the English and Spanish League certainly lingers in the background.

[Barcanewsnetwork]

Arsenal are set to follow up the signing of Declan Rice by launching a surprise move for his West Ham team-mate Ben Johnson as Mikel Arteta continues to look for ways to improve his squad. The Gunners are expected to complete a record transfer for Rice in the coming days after finally agreeing a fee with their London rivals, and reports suggest they are not finished raiding David Moyes' squad with another move in the pipeline.

Rice has agreed to sign a long-term contract ahead of his £105million transfer, with Arsenal paying £100m up front and a further £5m in add-ons. It would represent the highest fee spent on a British player and the second-most expensive deal in English history behind Chelsea's signing of Enzo Fernandez.

And he could be joined by a familiar face in swapping one side of London for the north, with reports suggesting Johnson is a shock target for Arsenal.

The 23-year-old made 17 appearances in the Premier League last season, nine of which were starts, as he was used intermittently by Moyes throughout the season.

However, he has had to settle for a deputy role behind first-choice right-back Vladimir Coufal and has been tipped to leave the club this summer.

But according to The West Ham Way, Arsenal have joined Everton in the race to sign the defender, who can play as a full-back or centre-back. His current deal is set to expire in 2024 and the academy graduate is yet to agree terms on a contract extension, with his wage demands too high in comparison to regular starters.

That could force West Ham to sell him this summer for a cut-price fee, with interest from elsewhere in the Premier League. The Guardian reported recently that Everton were keen on the youngster, but Arsenal could now rival them for his signature.

Johnson may be regarded as a backup option by Arteta with Gabriel, William Saliba and Ben White all regarded as important members of the squad. He may be needed as Rob Holding is likely to leave the club, with Express Sport exclusively reporting the centre-back is in talks over a loan to Besiktas.

Arteta has wasted no time in identifying improvements for his squad after narrowly missing out on the Premier League title to Manchester City. They finished second behind Pep Guardiola's men, having led the treble winners by eight points before collapsing in the final weeks of the campaign.

And with the £65m signing of Kai Havertz from Chelsea already confirmed and Rice and Jurrien Timber set to join him at the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal's spending is set to soar past £200million.

[Express.co.uk]

Fresh facts have emerged that the governors and National Assembly members elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are putting pressure on a former Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, to accept to lead the party in the capacity of national chairman, THISDAY has learnt.

A Benue High Court had sacked Dr. Iyorchia Ayu as the national chairman, leaving the leadership of the main opposition party in the hands of Ambassador Illya Umar Damagun, who is in an acting capacity.

The PDP, it was learnt, is planning for a total reorganisation of the party, if the presidential election tribunal did not favour its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

A member of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) told THISDAY that:  “Those mounting pressure on Saraki are visiting his Maitama, Abuja; and Ikoyi, Lagos, homes under the guise of discussing the future of the main opposition party. While some make it a single-person visit, others come as small groups.”
The source stated further that the various individuals have been expressing worry that the opposition party will die under the Tinubu presidency if not led by a person who can pull every member or group back into the fold and build a strong party.

Another member of the NWC said that with the current situation of the party, which has left the national secretariat as a graveyard with no activity, the only solution is a reorganisation with somebody like Saraki at the helm of affairs.

According to him, Saraki is a natural unifier who enjoys wide acceptability and goodwill among all groups including the G-5 Group, Atiku’s acolytes, the non-aligned members, and others, such as the members of the NWC.

Saraki, he said, did very well when in 2021 he handled the reconciliation assignment of the party that brought life back into the party when it was hemorrhaging after the 2019 loss of the presidential election.

“Saraki also enjoys the support of elder statesmen like Generals Ibrahim Babangida, Aliyu Gusau, and the rest of them. His acceptance by the youths is also a strong factor”, the NWC member said.

However, it was gathered that the former Senate President has continued to rebuff the overtures.

A source close to the former Senate president told THISDAY that he has insisted that the discussion about the next executive should not come up until after the litigation over the presidential election result has been finally resolved.

The source added that Saraki has cautioned those who spoke to him about the need to avoid opening a fresh crisis by trying to terminate the tenure of the present NWC members.

The source said that Saraki also said to have made it clear that he would rather operate from the background to help the party than to take a formal party position.

It is, however, believed that those close to the former Senate President within the party are unrelenting about getting him to lead the party.

Those mounting the pressure on him, it was learnt, are said to be planning to involve his associates in the business world in the move to get him to help rebuild the party.

When contacted, some chieftains of the PDP said that they would not be drawn into the discussion as the time was not ripe for it.
 

“We are in the tribunal now. I won’t be a party to this discussion. We are still in the tribunals for now,” a member of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party, told THISDAY.

[ThisDay]

Senator Adams Oshiomhole (APC-Edo) has said that if he had lost his senatorial ambition, his blood pressure would have risen to 360 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg).

Oshiomhole said this yesterday during the post inauguration/thank-you party hosted in his honour by friends and well-wishers at his country home, Iyamho, Etsako, Edo State.

“If you had not voted for me, my blood pressure would have now been 240/0360; that is if I was still alive. This is because jubilation by the opponent would have been such that they would come and lock my small door and break my small bones, but you said no,” Oshiomhole told his audience, adding that it would have been a shame if he lost like some former governors.

He thanked the people of Edo North for voting for him to represent them in the National Assembly after leaving office as governor.

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He also thanked the people for voting for Bola Tinubu at the presidential election, adding that Edo North district was the only district where Tinubu won in Edo.

He pledged his commitment to represent Edo North very well, adding that he has an obligation to ensure that the state benefits more from the President Tinubu administration.