In light of uncertainty surrounding Thomas Partey’s future, Arsenal are interested in Brentford midfielder Christian Norgaard.
The Gunners are reportedly looking into a deal worth an initial £10 million and a potential £5 million in performance-related add-ons for the 31-year-old Danish international, according to sources.
Norgaard, who hasn’t been a long-term target for the Gunners, is now on the club’s radar as they look for midfield experience. Partey, 32, has so far failed to agree terms regarding an extension to his contract.
Partey will leave the Ghana midfielder if a deal is not reached by the end of the week.
Norgaard, who left Brentford in 2019 and became a key player under former manager Thomas Frank, who has since assumed the role of manager at Tottenham, is set to expire in 2027.
What would Norgaard bring to the UAE?
BBC Sport’s Matthew Hobbs
The 31-year-old just finished his sixth consecutive season at Gtech Community Stadium, including all four of the Bees’ Premier League campaigns.
Norgaard has made 201 interceptions since making his top-flight debut in 2021, which is the most of any Premier League player this year. He also ranks third overall in recoveries (844) and third in tackles won (189).
On Wednesday, Wales made the trip to Japan, hoping to end their painful run of humiliating international defeats.
Wales will face Eddie Jones’ Japan side in Kitakyushu on Saturday, July 5, with the second Test taking place in Kobe a week later.
Wales lost their 17th successive Test defeat to England in March, 68-14, which is a record for a tier one nation.
Wales has fallen to the lowest position in the world, ranking 12th overall, with Japan just one place further down the miserable stretch.
Six uncapped players make up the Lake-coached squad.
Picture agency for Huw Evans
The traveling party includes six uncapped players, with hooker Dewi Lake serving as captain.
In addition to Gloucester scrum-half Tomos Williams and flanker Jac Morgan, who is with the British and Irish Lions in Australia, Lake leads the 33-man squad.
The latest additions to Japan include Scarlets back Macs Page, Cardiff captain Liam Belcher, and Dragons prop Chris Coleman, Garyn Phillips, Keelan Giles, and Reuben Morgan-Williams.
After missing the Six Nations with an injury, Dragons second row Ben Carter, Scarlets flyhalf Sam Costelow, and Bath tight-head prop Archie Griffin have all been called back, along with Kieran Hardy, Alex Mann, Josh Macleod, James Ratti, Johnny Williams, and Cameron Winnett.
Taulupe Faletau, the player who defeated the squad that won the 2019 World Cup in Japan, along with Josh Adams, Nicky Smith, Aaron Wainwright, and Elliot Dee, will provide experience.
Dafydd Jenkins, Adam Beard, Will Rowlands, Henry Thomas, Ellis Mee, Gareth Anscombe, Max Llewellyn, Nick Tompkins, James Botham, Evan Lloyd, and Morgan Morse are among the notable absentees who have been injured, rested, and not selected.
Forwards: Nicky Smith, Gareth Thomas, Garyn Phillips, Keiron Assiratti, Chris Coleman, Keiron Assiratti, Chris Coleman, Archie Griffin, Liam Belcher, Elliot Dee, Ben Carter, Teddy Williams, Freddie Thomas, James Ratti, Taine Plumtree, Aaron Wainwright, Alex Mann, Taulupe Faletau, Tommy Reffell, Josh Macleod.
The coaches are who?
Picture agency for Huw Evans
After suffering a Six Nations defeat to Italy in February, Wales are still looking for a permanent replacement for Warren Gatland.
Sherratt was appointed as the caretaker of Japan after being asked to take charge of the tournament’s final three games.
Gethin Jenkins, the Cardiff defense coach for Sherratt, the Harlequins duo Danny Wilson and Adam Jones for the backroom, and Gloucester’s Rhys Thomas as the assistant forwards coach.
Wilson and Jenkins are just two weeks apart before their clubs return, and former full-back Leigh Halfpenny has taken on what the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) calls a skills coaching position.
This includes Neil Jenkins’ nearly 20-year-long commitment to kick with the senior squad.
How is the opposition doing?
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Since their first meeting in 1973, Wales have won 13 of their 14 matches against Japan.
Australia’s mastermind, Australian Jones, who is now back in charge of the Cherry Blossoms, led Japan to its sole victory in Tokyo in 2013.
In the wake of the 2023 World Cup, Jones led an Australia side that was dumped out in the group stages. He then made his comeback to Japan.
Their mediocre performance at that tournament included a 40-6 defeat of Gatland’s Wales in Lyon.
Since Jones’ re-appointment, Japan has won four games and lost seven, and they were beaten by New Zealand, France, and England last year by at least 40 points.
A Maori All Blacks side from New Zealand will take on them on Saturday, June 28 in Tokyo, after they haven’t played a game since November 2024.
Jingo Takenoshita, a university student, was one of 16 uncapped players in Jones’ 37-man training squad.
Only one player, Michael Leitch, a Brave Blossoms veteran with 87 caps, was selected for the training camp, making him likely to be well-known to Welsh fans.
Chief Cornelius Olatunji Adebayo, a former governor of Kwara State and a former minister of communications, has passed away.
He had a brief illness that led to his passing on Tuesday morning.
A family source confirmed the news to Channels Television via phone pending an official statement, requesting anonymity.
Adebayo, who was born on February 24, 1941 in Igbaja, who is now a resident of Kwara State’s Ifelodun Local Government Area, had a distinguished academic and political career.
Before enrolling at Barewa College in Zaria (1962–1963), he attended All Saints Anglican School in Oke-Onigbin and Provincial Secondary School in Ilorin.
He later studied at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (1964–1967), and the University of Ghana, Legon (1967–1969).
Read more about Alia’s order to have the killers of the Kano Indigenes in Benue.
He began lecturing at the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) in 1969 and assumed the position of head of the Kwara State College of Technology’s English department in 1973.
From 1975 to 1978, Adebayo served in Kwara State as commissioner for education and later as commissioner for information and economic development.
He was elected to the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) as a senator in 1979, and he became the governor of Kwara State in 1983.
The military coup led by Major General Muhammadu Buhari on December 31, 1983, cut short his tenure.
Under President Olusegun Obasanjo’s leadership, Adebayo became the country’s communications minister in 1999, where he spearheaded significant reforms in the telecoms industry.
Centre Hunter Paisami and hooker Matt Faessler have been released by Australia to play for Queensland Reds against the British and Irish Lions next week.
However, six other Reds players – including Wallabies captain Harry Wilson and key back row Fraser McReight – have instead stayed with Australia to prepare for their warm-up Test against Fiji on 6 July.
Lions chief executive Ben Calveley had warned holding back Test players for the fixtures was contrary to an agreement with Rugby Australia and risked the tour being devalued.
However Schmidt has argued it is counterproductive to release all Wallabies back to their provincial sides as he attempts to prepare for the three-Test series.
He also pointed out the Lions will not put out a first-choice line-up for every match, with a Test team and midweek side – which will comprise fringe squad members – invariably emerging.
Calveley and Rugby Australia counterpart Phil Waugh met on Wednesday to discuss the issue, before Schmidt opted to release Faessler and Paisami.
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“Yes and no”, he said when asked if he regretted not being able to turn out for the Perth-based side.
“Obviously it is out of the players ‘ control – we do what the coaches want, we get the schedule and we come into camp.
” There are four Force boys here]retained by the Wallabies], five back there, so there is a good share back there ready to rip in this weekend.
“It would have been awesome to play – any game you get to play against the Lions is pretty cool – but we are in camp, preparing for Fiji next week and we are really excited to watch the Force boys play at the weekend”.
Donaldson is one of three fly-halves in the Wallabies squad, competing with Tom Lynagh to back up first-choice Noah Lolesio. If selection goes against him, he could miss out on facing the Lions at all.
Force finished ninth in this season’s Super Rugby Pacific table, the lowest of any of the Australian sides.
“Yeah, they will win I reckon”, Donaldson said with a smile when asked about the outcome of Saturday’s match.
“It is an awesome experience for them and a great challenge, you saw the Brumbies win 12 years ago so it is not impossible”.
Lions assistant coach Andrew Goodman said he expects all the Super Rugby sides to raise their game considerably for a meeting with the Lions that only comes around once every 12 years.
“If you watch a Force team or a Reds team during Super Rugby, it’s not an indication of what you’re going to get against a Lions team”, he said.
Bridgerton star Jonathan Bailey has joined forces with drinks brand MARTINI to encourage brits to break from their regular routine.
Jonathan Bailey is encouraging Brits to be more spontaneous (Image: MARTINI)
Recent findings revealed that British adults are stuck in a rut, especially when it comes to food, fashion, and holidays. A survey of 8, 000 adults from across Europe showed a third of people feel compelled to conform to popular trends. Four in ten believe their peers and the people they follow on social media are also pressured to follow trends, whether that’s regarding travel or other lifestyle choices.
In an era where platforms like X, Instagram, and TikTok shape our choices, over half confess to being swayed by social media buzz when making personal decisions, impacting everything from fashion choices to what they drink.
The Bridgerton star is this summer’s ‘MARTINI Man’(Image: MARTINI)
Cultivating the call for spontaneity, MARTINI has brought in Jonathan Bailey, known for his role on Bridgerton, to encourage the public to be more spontaneous.
The Laurence Olivier Award winner said: “Going off script is the ultimate way to allow space for fun, and new experiences. Unplanned moments end up being the most unforgettable”.
The majority of people wish they didn’t feel the need to follow trends and could ‘ go off script, claiming being intentionally spontaneous is a positive trait.
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Two thirds of people reckon that making personal choices which deviate from the norm is a crucial form of self-expression. As such a third fancy doing something unique, having a laugh or being more playful, and steering clear of monotony in their lives.
Most also believe that not following trends helps them feel more in control of their lives as they’re deciding what to do rather than being influenced by others.
Other top reasons for shunning trends include curiosity, a yearning for new experiences, and to discover something new about themselves.
According to the research, those in the UK and Spain felt that their daily choices have become more predictable than any other country. While folks from Poland felt the pressure to conform more than any others surveyed.
Jonathan Bailey, who is also this summer’s ‘ MARTINI Man’, chimed in: “This summer, I invite everyone to take a breath, dive in, swerve off-piste and be playful.
Glastonbury headliner The 1975’s star Matty Healy and Taylor Swift’s romance took fans by a surprise, but their love story spans back over 10 years. Here’s how it all unfolded
While their public relationship was finished before it started, the flirting started years ago(Image: GC Images)
The whirlwind fling between Taylor Swift and Matty Healy, The 1975’s frontman, left fans scratching their heads with more questions than answers after a series of sneaky backstage sightings and intriguing lyrics. But while the public watched every move, the short-lived romance seemed tumultuous, possibly even messier than what met the public eye.
After her split from long-term boyfriend Joe Alwyn, Taylor was suddenly linked to The 1975’s Matty Healy – a man whose chaotic reputation couldn’t be more different from her understated ex. Matty’s presence became immediately noticeable at Taylor’s Eras Tour concerts, lip-syncing words like “This one is about you,” while fans tried to decode glances and gestures between the pair that seemed way too deliberate to be random.
Matty’s presence became immediately noticeable at Taylor’s Eras Tour concerts(Image: Getty Images)
Denise Welch’s son Matty, now 36, and singer Taylor, now 35, didn’t make it Instagram official, they were far from secretive. In between dinner dates they were snapped by paparazzi and frequent departures from her New York City apartment – and he even performed with Phoebe Bridgers – one of Taylor’s close friends – mid-tour. Online, the Swiftie timeline went into overdrive: some were shipping it and some were in total denial.
Taylor Swift and Matty Healy: From flirtation to fallout
It may have only been public for a blip in 2023, but Taylor Swift and Matty Healy’s connection reaches back 10 years. Fans are convinced her heartbreak album – The Tortured Poets Department is all about him.
The stars first met in 2014(Image: Getty Images for iHeartRadio)
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2014 – 2015: Flirty Beginnings
They first met in November 2014 at one of his shows. By December, rumours were swirling they were seeing each other but Healy quickly shut it down as “fake”, insisting they’d only exchanged numbers. “As much as it’d be amazing for me if it did, unfortunately it didn’t,” he said.
In 2016, he downplayed their connection again, calling the idea of dating Swift “emasculating.” After backlash, Healy clarified he meant being seen as a pop star’s boyfriend before being recognised for his own music and stressed he had “a lot of respect and admiration for her.”
They confirmed their relationship in public appearances(Image: Claude Yao Sahi @hijoshotit / Shutterstock)
READ MORE: What Taylor Swift’s dad said about her ex-boyfriends to shocked plane passenger
2023: Taylor ‘madly in love’ with Matty
Things went quiet until early 2023 – then Swift shocked fans by performing a surprise set at The 1975’s London show in January. By April, she had split from long-term boyfriend Joe Alwyn. Just weeks later, it appeared she and Healy were on.
Healy jetted in to watch her Eras Tour shows, with fans spotting both of them mouthing “This one’s about you… I love you” on stage. They were pictured holding hands, cuddling at NYC hotspots, and kissing at members-only club Zero Bond.
Sources claimed Taylor was ‘madly in love’ with Matty(Image: Getty Images)
READ MORE: Truth behind Charli XCX’s feud with Taylor Swift as she prepares from Grammys performance
“She and Matty are madly in love,” claimed a source at the time. “It’s super-early days, but it feels right.”
While dating reports swirled, Taylor gushed about her happiness during a concert, telling her Eras tour fans in May: “I’ve just never been this happy in my life, in all aspects of my life, ever before,” adding that “it’s not just the tour.”
Why did Matty and Taylor split?
But by June, it was over. A source close to Taylor confirmed she was “single” and not in contact with him anymore. It was claimed the pair broke up due to busy schedules and incompatibility.
A source told Entertainment Tonight at the time: “Taylor and Matty broke up. They are both extremely busy and realized they’re not really compatible with each other.
“Taylor’s friends want what’s best for her and aren’t shocked that their relationship fizzled out since she recently got out of a long-term relationship.”
As the pair began dating, Healy wasn’t touring but he later set off on a mammoth European tour which meant he was no longer able to visit Taylor for dates in between her Eras tour gigs. However a source insisted on their brief romance to People: “They were never boyfriend-girlfriend or exclusive.”
2024: Tortured Poets and Lyrical Fallout
When Swift’s album The Tortured Poets Department dropped in April 2024, fans immediately clocked apparent references to Healy – especially on “Guilty as Sin?”, “The Black Dog,” and “But Daddy I Love Him.” She seemed to paint their short fling as chaotic, obsessive and misunderstood.
Taylor Swift to fans insisting the album is far from a revenge album
When asked about being the subject of a diss track, Healy shrugged: “Oh, I haven’t really listened to that much of it, but I’m sure it’s good.”
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Later that year, he told a podcast he wouldn’t be writing about her, saying: “I would kind of just be lying if I made a record about my casual romantic liaisons just because I was famous.”
2025: Matty’s subtle nods to Taylor in upcoming music
Despite his previous remarks, whispers are now circulating that The 1975’s forthcoming sixth album might contain subtle nods to Swift. Whether he’s preparing to respond or maintain his silence, one thing is certain – their story might not be over just yet.
READ MORE: Matty Healy breaks silence after claims new The 1975 music is about Taylor Swift romance
