Pep Guardiola wants to bring AC Milan midfielder Tijjani Reijnders to Manchester CIty, Liverpool winger Luis Diaz pledges his future to the Reds, while Manchester United are set to keep faith with boss Ruben Amorim.
Manchester City will target a summer move for 26-year-old Netherlands midfielder Tijjani Reijnders from AC Milan, who will only consider a bid in excess of club record £57m. (Telegraph – subscription required)
Manchester United’s hierarchyhave no immediate plans to replace Ruben Amorim as manager. (Talksport)
Colombian winger Luis Diaz, 28, has pledged his future to Liverpool despite having previously been linked with Barcelona. (Express, via Telemundo)
Real Madrid have not yet made Liverpool a formal offer to sign England right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold early, a week after asking the Premier League club if the 26-year-old could play for them in next month’s Club World Cup. (Sky Sports)
Liverpool could look to replace Alexander-Arnold with Bayer Leverkusen and Netherlands right-back Jeremie Frimpong, 24, who has a £29.4m-33.6m (35-40m euros) release clause. (Sky Germany – in German)
Newcastle defender Sven Botman wants to stay at at the club despite interest in the Netherlands international, 25, from Paris St-Germain. (The I)
Napoli have held talks with Kevin de Bruyne’s camp about signing on a free transfer when his contract expires with Manchester City in the summer. (Sky Switzerland – in French)
Atletico Madrid are set to hold talks with Manchester United over a deal for Brazil winger Antony, who is on loan at Real Betis, with Juventus and Villarreal also keen on the 25-year-old. (Football Espana)
Real Madrid are interested in re-signing France left-back Theo Hernandez, 27, from AC Milan, six years after he left them. (Calciomercato – in Italian)
EXCLUSIVE: Former TOWIE star Jessica Wright spoke to the Mirror about her brother Mark Wright becoming a parent with Michelle Keegan whilst on the BAFTA red carpet
Jessica Wright praised her brother Mark Wright at the BAFTAs over the weekend
Reality TV star Jessica Wright has opened up about her brother Mark Wright becoming a parent. Jess praised her younger sibling and teased why she isn’t yet offering to babysit her newborn niece, Palma, for the presenter.
Mark, 38, and his wife Michelle Keegan, 37, announced the birth of their “little girl” Palma, who is now two months old, in March. Jess, 39 – who is a parent herself to son Presley, two – later described the couple as “incredible parents”.
The Mirror caught up with Jess at the BAFTA Television Awards with P&O Cruises. She was among the guests on the red carpet at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall in London yesterday ahead of the TV awards ceremony.
Asked what it’s been like seeing her brother Mark take on his new role as a parent, Jess told us: “It’s been amazing.” The former the Only Way is Essex star went on to gush over him and her newborn niece Palma in our interview.
Whilst talking about her sibling, she said on the red carpet: “He’s taken to it like a duck to water. He’s brilliant. He’s amazing. He’s really a great dad already.” Jess shared that she wasn’t surprised though, adding: “I had no doubt.”
Mark Wright welcomed his daughter Palma with his wife Michelle Keegan earlier this year(Image: Instagram/wrighty_)
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Speaking about Mark’s daughter, she said: “She’s amazing! The best little girl.” Jess – who has two nephews through her youngest brother Josh Wright, 35 – then added about the new arrival of the family: “I’m so happy I have a niece.”
When asked if she’s offering to babysit Palma, Jess laughed. She then teased: “Not quite!” She went on to share that her son – who turns three later this month – keeps her busy enough. She said: “Presley keeps me on my toes enough.”
Her brother Mark previously teased that he enjoyed his “first night out” with his wife Michelle since Palma’s arrival at Jess’ Have A Heart Gala last month. Jess also spoke to us about the recent fundraising event on the BAFTAS red carpet.
His sister Jessica Wright spoke to the Mirror about Mark becoming a parent at the BAFTA TV Awards yesterday(Image: Wiktor Szymanowicz/Future Publishing via Getty Images)
The gala was held at the Savoy on April 24 in support of the Brompton Fountain, which supports the care of seriously ill children. It was shared prior that Jess was collaborating with the charity to raise awareness and funds to provide support for children with severe heart and lung conditions.
Jess previously announced that her own son, Presley, had been diagnosed with congenital heart disease, Bicuspid Aortic Valve. She shared the news last year and has since spoken about the condition, including having revealed that Presley will need open-heart surgery at some point.
Jess, who also spoke to us about her recent charity gala, teased that she isn’t offering to babysit her niece Palma yet as she has her hands full with her son Presley(Image: Instagram)
Reflecting on the gala, she told us on the weekend: “It was absolutely incredible. The build up to it was pretty intense but I’m so pleased we did it because we raised a quarter of a million pounds, which is pretty epic for a small charity like the Brompton Fountain – so [I’m] absolutely over the moon!”
Asked what it means to be involved with an event like the Have A Heart Gala and raise so much money, given her personal connection to the cause, Jess shared her pride. She also expressed hope over its potential impact.
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She said: “I’m just really proud that I can use my platform to make some good out of some really awful, tragic stuff which is basically, essentially, open-heart surgery on children and other complications within the heart. So yeah, I’m just really, really happy that I can make a change, hopefully in a positive way with the platform that I have so gratefully been given.”
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READ MORE: Mum-of-two loses more than 11 stone doing ‘wall pilates’ at home
A group of 59 white Afrikaners from South Africa has arrived in the United States as part of a refugee programme set up by the administration of US President Donald Trump to offer sanctuary from what Trump has depicted as racial discrimination against white people.
In a press conference on Monday, Trump mirrored the claims of a myth popular on the far right that white people in South Africa have been subjected to systematic violence since the end of white minority rule in that country.
“It’s a genocide that’s taking place,” Trump told reporters at the White House, a claim that has drawn criticism from government officials, news media, and even some Afrikaners themselves.
The move comes as the Trump administration blocks nearly all refugee admissions from non-white countries and leans into rhetoric about an “invasion” of immigrants from poor countries.
While people fleeing widespread violence and persecution in countries such as Haiti and Afghanistan have found a closed door, Al Jazeera correspondent Patty Culhane says that the Trump administration “has made a priority of getting these people [white South Africans] into the United States and paying for them to get here”.
‘Wrong end of the stick’
The South African government has called Trump’s claims that Afrikaners face persecution “completely false”, noting that they have remained among the richest and “most economically privileged” groups, even after the end of the apartheid system that upheld white minority control of the political, economic, and military resources of the country and denied basic rights to the Black South African majority.
South African whites still own about three-quarters of all private land in the country, and have about 20 times the wealth of the Black majority, according to the international academic journal the Review of Political Economy.
“We think that the American government has got the wrong end of the stick here, but we’ll continue talking to them,” South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, himself a veteran of the struggle to end apartheid, said on Monday.
Tensions between the Trump administration and the government of South Africa have been high, with the US expelling South Africa’s ambassador over previous criticism of Trump and at odds with the African nation’s prominent position in a case before the International Court of Justice accusing US ally Israel of genocide in Gaza.
The Trump administration offered in February to resettle Afrikaners, descendants of Dutch settlers in South Africa, stating that they face discrimination and violence against Afrikaner farmers.
“I want you all to know that you are really welcome here and that we respect what you have had to deal with these last few years,” Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau told the group of Afrikaners who arrived in the US on Monday. “We respect the long tradition of your people and what you have accomplished over the years.”
Bill Frelick, refugee policy director with Human Rights Watch, said the fast-track process of bringing Afrikaners into the US was unprecedented.
A former hotel security officer has told a court that disgraced rapper Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs offered him money in an attempt to silence him following his attack on Cassie Ventura
Diddy denies all allegations made against him(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs offered hush money to a hotel security officer, a court has heard. Israel Florez, who attended a hotel after the disgraced music mogul attacked his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura in 2016 told the court how he found the 55-year-old musician wearing nothing but a towel and sitting in a chair, ” slouched down, like with a blank stare … like a devilish stare, just looking at me,” he said.
Prosecutors showed the jury two mobile phone videos and three hotel surveillance videos related to the attack by Combs on Cassie at the Los Angeles hotel. Florez testified that he recorded the hotel’s video of the attack on his cellphone because he wanted to describe what he saw to his wife and feared she wouldn’t believe him.
Jurors were shown video surveillance footage of an attack by Combs on Cassie at a Los Angeles hotel in March 2016 that prosecutors have maintained is a key piece of evidence in their case against him. The video depicts Cassie with a bag at the hotel’s elevators just before Combs rounds a corner, strikes her and throws her to the ground before kicking her and then dragging her back toward their hotel room.
Diddy previously attacked his ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura(Image: AP)
Florez responded to the call of a woman who was in distress on the sixth floor of a Los Angeles hotel. He said that the hotel’s floor display was ruined and told the rapper it would be charged to the room. But as he escorted Combs and Cassie to the room, Cassie is said to have suggested she wanted to leave.
“You’re not going to leave,” Combs allegedly said. Florez recounted to the court that he replied: “If she wants to leave, she’s going to leave.” After Cassie had left, Florez claims that when he was getting ready to leave, the rapper called him back and held out a stack of money, with a $100 note on top, saying: “Don’t tell nobody.”
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Considering it a bribe, Florez told the court he said to Combs: “I don’t want your money, just go back into your room.” Prosecutors were using Florez’s testimony to introduce recordings of Combs beating his then-girlfriend, the singer Cassie, at the hotel in March 2016.
Defence lawyers had unsuccessfully tried before the trial to get the video banned from the trial on the grounds that a recording that aired on CNN last year was unfair because it was edited and incomplete. Prosecutors say they are not airing the recording that CNN aired. Instead, they plan to show the jury recordings taken within the hotel.
The first witnesses are set to testify following an hour-long lunch break. Meanwhile, Diddy’s defence team are arguing that the prosecutor’s evidence may show other crimes that he committed, but it is not proof of the sex trafficking and racketeering crimes he has been charged with. Combs continues to deny all allegations against him.
Diddy allegedly offered Florez money to keep quiet(Image: Getty Images)
Attorney Teny Geragos, who is defending Diddy, called the beating “horrible, dehumanising violence,” but told the jury that it “is not evidence of sex trafficking. It is evidence of domestic violence.” She went on to add that all of Diddy’s sexual liaisons were part of his swinger lifestyle, involving consenting adults.
She acknowledged that some jurors might not condone “his kinky sex and his preferences for sex”, but she urged them to judge the case with an open mind. Those sexual predilections, she said, do not equate to sex trafficking. Geragos conceded Combs is extremely jealous and “has a bad temper,” telling jurors that he sometimes got angry when he drank alcohol or “did the wrong drugs.”
But “domestic violence is not sex trafficking,” she said, and being mean is not running a racketeering enterprise. Geragos took a relaxed tone, telling jurors they may end up thinking: “I think he’s a jerk and I think he’s kind of mean.” But she said he’s not charged “with being mean or a jerk.”
She said he is physical and a drug user and has “a bit of a different sex life.” She added: “We’ll fight for his freedom throughout the next eight weeks. Sean Combs is a complicated man.. But this is not a complicated case. This case is about love, jealousy, infidelity and money,” his attorney began in her opening statement.
Prosecutors, she said, are trying to turn sexual relations between consenting adults into a prostitution and sex trafficking case. “There has been a tremendous amount of noise around this case over the past year,” Geragos told jurors, noting immense news media coverage and social media chatter. “It is time to cancel that noise.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Johnson told jurors that they will see Diddy’s violence for themselves, including videos of Cassie and Jane, who is identified by a pseudonym, “pretending they enjoy themselves during Freak Offs”, and will see Diddy “brutally beating Cassie during a Freak Off at an LA hotel.”
After the video of Combs assaulting Cassie in the hotel aired on CNN last year, Combs apologised and said he took “full responsibility” for his actions. “I was disgusted then when I did it. I’m disgusted now.” The trial continues.
For confidential support, call the 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Freephone Helpline on 0808 2000 247 or visit womensaid.co.uk If you or your family have lost a friend or family member through fatal domestic abuse, AAFDA (Advocacy After Fatal Domestic Abuse) can offer specialist and expert support and advocacy. For more info visit www.aafda.org.uk
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If you’ve been the victim of sexual assault, you can access help and resources via www.rapecrisis.org.uk or calling the national telephone helpline on 0808 802 9999
Love Island star Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu reportedly wanted to rub shoulders with the A-list stars at this year’s BAFTA TV Awards but was ‘humiliated’ as she was escorted out
Ekin-Su Culculoglu is said to have tried to sneak into the bash(Image: PA)
Ekin-Su Culculoglu is said to have tried her luck at entering the official BAFTA TV Awards afterparty but failed miserably. The Love Island star, 30, was hoping to rub shoulders with A-list stars including Damian Lewis, David Tennant, Billie Piper and James Corden.
She had already walked the red carpet at the annual event in celebration of the small screen. Ekin-Su was invited by the show’s sponsors P&O Cruises to attend the three-hour ceremony in the 2,700 seater venue.
However, Ekin-Su’s invite ended there as she reportedly was not on the list to be treated to an exclusive dinner following the ceremony.
The reality TV star, who found love with Curtis Pritchard on the latest All Stars series of Love Island, appeared not to give up hope as she attempted to sneak into the luxury dinner.
Ekin-Su headed to the BAFTAs without boyfriend Curtis (Image: Dave Benett/Getty Images for BAF)
Ekin-Su was allegedly forced to walk around the lavish venue while the stars tucked into their meal, as there was no seat waiting for her. “It was actually quite tragic to witness,” a source told Daily Mail.
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“She tried to blend in with the crowd, but was eventually spotted without a dinner invitation by BAFTA’s security team and was asked to leave. It was so humiliating.”
However, sources close to Ekin-Su told the publication she was trying to find her way out of the venue instead.
On the night, it was revealed some stars even snuck out of the award ceremony to hunt for food due to the lack available. Despite being offered drinks, there is said to have been very little food on offer for attendees.
Love Island All Stars contestants Gabby Allen and Ekin-Su are said to have tried to sneak out of the awards to grab a bite to eat. According to The Sun, the duo had hoped to run to a shop nearby to source snacks for the lengthy ceremony.
However, it has been claimed the reality TV stars were told in no uncertain circumstances that if they were to leave, there would be no option to return. It reportedly left the pair backing down from their quest.
Amid her antics on the night, Ekin-Su sparked concern for her love life as she attended the event without boyfriend Curtis. Ekin-Su walked the red carpet solo, despite being constantly seen with Curtis since their Love Island exit.
Ekin-Su won Love Island in 2022 with her ex, Davide Sanclimenti, but they split up on the outside following a rocky romance. She re-entered the Love Island villa in January for the All Stars spin-off and found love with Curtis.
They have been going strong ever since, however, Married At First Sight UK star Georges Berthonneau threw a spanner in the works as he has been dissing Ekin-Su. He alleged he was in a relationship with the brunette beauty while she was dating Curtis.
Speaking on Fubar Radio, George claimed: “On the day before my birthday, she was out with him that night, and they’d had an argument.
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“She was messaging me whilst he was asleep in bed with her being like, I need to see you. Blah, blah, blah, like, I’ve got the receipts on my phone.”
The Mirror has contacted Ekin-Su’s representatives for comment.
READ MORE: Mum-of-two loses more than 11 stone doing ‘wall pilates’ at home
Nick Mashiter & Sami Mokbel, BBC Sport, Nikos Papanikolaou, BBC News
As Evangelos Marinakis marched on to the City Ground pitch it was clear he is still very much the boss at Nottingham Forest.
After Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Leicester, and with Forest’s Champions League hopes slipping away, the Greek shipping magnate held a brief, animated and extremely public discussion with head coach Nuno Espirito Santo.
Marinakis’ standing at the City Ground has not changed. However, he ceased to be a “person with significant control” of Forest by putting his stake in the club into a blind trust.
Maybe nobody thought it wise to remind him of that on Sunday.
Forest can still qualify for the Champions League and that has led to the dilution of Marinakis’ control. Greek giants Olympiakos – another of Marinakis’ clubs – have secured a spot in the competition’s 2025-26 league phase, and Uefa rules state that clubs under the same ownership cannot compete in the same European competition.
There will be no official ramifications or consequences for Sunday’s on-field incident from the Premier League, as it is not viewed as a serious matter.
Internally at Forest the matter is considered closed. Sources have told BBC that everyone is moving on and recognising the achievement of returning the club to Europe for the first time since 1996, as they are assured of at least a Conference League spot.
Both Nuno and Marinakis played it down after the game as the confrontation briefly took the spotlight away from what has been a hugely successful season, following last year’s brush with relegation.
Sky Sports’ Gary Neville branded the incident “scandalous”, but Danny Murphy told Match of the Day 2 there was little point in dwelling on it.
‘Imposing, passionate, always has his phone in hand’
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Sami Mokbel, BBC Sport senior football correspondent
When I interviewed Marinakis 12 months ago in his London offices, I met an imposing figure, yet at times softly spoken and candid.
He loves the colour red, from his jewellery to the artwork on his walls.
Marinakis and his family may be worth an estimated £3bn, according to Forbes. But he cares. And he always wants to win.
At the time, he told me about the “more than 100” Forest matches – home and away – he had been to “without incident”, the £250m-plus he had invested in the club, and he spoke passionately about a range of football topics – including refereeing standards and pundit criticism.
He also confirmed his “dream” to move Forest to a new 50,000-seat stadium, with accompanying state-of-the-art training centre and academy – saying it would “change the history in years to come of the region and the team for our supporters”.
Some might say history is already changing, given Forest’s first European qualification for 30 years.
I’ve met him since that interview and I’ve seen the people he keeps around him almost physically stand to attention when he speaks. He’s usually got his phone in one hand and his headphones in another hand – like he’s always about to jump on a phone call to make orders.
He’s deeply passionate about the club, and he sets high standards. When those around him don’t adhere to those standards, I think he’s quick to let them know.
But the more I’ve dealt with him, you see the more personable side. If you get under that ‘death stare’ persona I think he can also be a nice guy.
Shipping, media, football – Marinakis background
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Marinakis is the founder and chairman of Capital Maritime & Trading Corp, an international shipping company, and was voted Greek Shipping Personality of the Year by British publication Lloyd’s List in 2017.
He has also invested in the media and his company, Alter Ego Media, bought two of Greece’s best known daily newspapers – Ta Nea and To Vima.
In 2019, he launched a new television channel, One Channel, in Greece. Earlier this year, his Alter Ego Media company, the largest media organisation in Greece, floated on the Athens stock market.
As well as owning Forest, Marinakis bought Olympiakos in 2010.
Under his ownership, the Greek side have won 11 domestic league titles and the Europa Conference League in 2024. Portuguese side Rio Ave also come under his portfolio.
Marinakis also confirmed in December he had been in talks to purchase Brazilian side Vasco da Gama.
“We have a multi-club ownership and a lot see it as business. I don’t necessarily see it this way,” he said. “It’s very difficult to combine business with football, especially with big teams when you need to win trophies, you need to participate in Europe.
“It doesn’t necessarily mean that you can make money – the opposite in a lot of cases. We don’t have an unlimited budget, we are not a state company or a company that can afford each year to lose money.
“We need to find the balance between what we spend and what we can achieve.”
As he looks to extend his football empire, Marinakis has tempted Edu away from Arsenal.
Edu is yet to be officially announced by Forest, but he is widely expected to become their new global director of football to oversee all Marinakis’ clubs. The former Brazil international left the Gunners after five years in November, having been sporting director since 2022 and technical director previously.
He was at Wembley in April to watch Forest lose their FA Cup semi-final to Manchester City.
Edu’s anticipated appointment is a signal of Marinakis’ intentions and desire to elevate Forest to another level, after buying them in May 2017 from Fawaz Al Hasawi.
Forest had just avoided relegation to League One on goal difference, and Marinakis stated his ambition was a return to the top flight by saying the club “belongs to the elite of the Premier League”.
Multiple investigations have named Marinakis
When Marinakis bought Forest eight years ago he faced accusations of match-fixing in Greece, despite passing the EFL’s owners’ and directors’ test.
It was a charge he denied and he was cleared in 2018.
The prosecution had accused him of fraud and blackmail and joining and running a criminal organisation, but these allegations were dropped.
At the time, Forest chairman Nick Randall said in a letter to supporters that Marinakis had made sure structures were in place, regardless of his “individual fortunes”.
He also faced no action over allegedly being involved in the bombing of a referee’s bakery.
The bombing happened a few days after a game between Xanthi and Olympiakos in 2012. Xanthi beat Olympiakos 1-0 and referee Petros Konstantineas claimed before the game he had received indirect threats to “ensure” Olympiakos won the game against Xanthi. Marinakis denied any involvement.
Marinakis was also named during the investigation of Greece’s most controversial drug trafficking scandals.
The ‘Noor 1’ case is widely regarded as one of the largest in Greek history, involving the smuggling of 2.1 tonnes of heroin into Greece in 2014.
Marinakis was never charged or convicted of a crime. His alleged connections to individuals involved in the smuggling network placed him under formal judicial investigation for a time. He denied the allegations.
Marinakis is being investigated in relation to civil misdemeanours. The investigation was prompted by the death of a riot police officer who was injured by a flare following an Olympiakos v Panathinaikos volleyball game in December 2023.
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Pitch invasion, spitting & questioning VAR
Sunday was also not the first time Marinakis has been under the spotlight for being on the pitch. In 2021, the Greek Super League banned him from entering the field of play for five months after he was found guilty of verbally abusing a referee.
While at Forest, disciplinary issues have also followed him.
In September he was found guilty of improper conduct for spitting on the floor as the match officials walked past following Forest’s 1-0 Premier League defeat by Fulham at the City Ground on 28 September. He was given a five-game stadium ban.
Marinakis denied the charge, but referee Josh Smith, assistant referee James Mainwaring and fourth official Tim Robinson submitted written statements saying they saw Marinakis spitting on the floor in their direction as they walked to the dressing room.
Three months later, he was a central character in Forest’s “attack on the integrity of a match official on an unparalleled scale” after a social media post made about VAR Stuart Attwell.
Marinakis said he had “no regrets” calling out “big mistakes” made by the official, but Forest were fined £750,000 for the post on X last season.
