Category Sports News

The vacant position at Gtech Community Stadium is open to Brentford set-piece coach Keith Andrews.

The club’s representatives are understanding that the appointment is being discussed in good faith, and BBC Sport is aware of this.

Since Thomas Frank left for Tottenham Hotspur this month, the Bees have been searching for a replacement manager.

After joining Sheffield United’s backroom team in July 2024, Andrews, 44, was hired as Brentford’s coach. The Irishman would take over as manager in this capacity.

After winning 35 caps for the Republic of Ireland between 2020 and 23, Andrews served as Stephen Kenny’s assistant manager.

He also played for Hull City, MK Dons, and Blackburn Rovers before beginning his career with Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1999.

Ange Postecoglou, Kieran McKenna, and Francesco Farioli are other candidates who have been linked to the Brentford job.

Crystal Palace part-owner John Textor has signed an agreement to sell his stake in the club to New York Jets owner Woody Johnson.

The deal is believed to be worth close to £190m, but it is yet to be announced whether it boosts Palace’s fight to be cleared to play in European football next season.

A statement from the Premier League club said: “Crystal Palace Football Club can confirm that Robert Wood Johnson, ‘ Woody’, an American businessman and co-owner of the New York Jets, has signed a legally binding contract to purchase Eagle Football’s holding in the club.

” Whilst the completion is pending approval from the Premier League and Women’s Super League, we do not envisage any issues and look forward to welcoming Woody as a partner and director of the club.

“We would like to go on record to thank John Textor for his contribution over the past four years and wish him every success for the future”.

BBC Sport reported on Thursday that a deal was close for Johnson to purchase the 43% stake in Palace belonging to Eagle Football Holdings – the multi-club company owned by Textor.

Johnson, like any such major investor, will have to pass the Premier League’s owners ‘ and directors ‘ test.

It is understood that he indicated he can transfer the funds quickly, which is believed to have been a crucial factor in why his offer was viewed as the most favourable ahead of two other interested parties, given the predicament Palace find themselves with Uefa regarding their entry into next season’s Europa League.

Palace could lose their spot in Europe, earned by winning last season’s FA Cup, on the basis of Textor’s perceived involvement at Selhurst Park.

It remains to be seen whether the process of Textor selling his stake in Palace influences Uefa’s final decision.

Johnson, 78, is a former United States ambassador to the United Kingdom who bought the NFL’s New York Jets in 2000.

He is one of the heirs of the Johnson family that founded the Johnson &amp, Johnson pharmaceutical company.

The Bloomberg Billionaires Index estimated his wealth at about £6.8bn ($9.18bn) in 2024.

“I will retire Jon Jones without even fighting him.”

Tom Aspinall’s prediction from 10 months ago resurfaced on Sunday as it was announced Jon Jones had retired from MMA.

The UFC elevated Aspinall to full champion but a question mark remains over who the Mancunian will face in his first defence.

There are several contenders, including the left-field option of former light-heavyweight and middleweight champion Alex Pereira.

France’s Ciryl Gane is the leading contender. The 35-year-old will soon be confirmed as the number one challenger once the rankings are updated.

With two unsuccessful world title tilts already under his belt, Gane is one of the best fighters in the division.

But Gane was far from convincing in his last outing against fellow top contender Alexander Volkov and the UFC may prefer a more exciting option.

This is the dark-horse option. Pereira has repeatedly said he would be interested in a title shot at heavyweight.

Talk of a potential match-up has cooled since Pereira lost the light-heavyweight title to Magomed Ankalaev in March, but the Brazilian remains a very interesting option for Aspinall.

Pereira is a two-weight world champion and it does not appear an immediate rematch with Ankalaev is on the cards.

Jailton Almeida is number six in the current rankings and we skip down to him because Aspinall had recent wins over Sergei Pavlovich (third) and Curtis Blaydes (fourth).

The Brazilian has just one loss since 2018 and that was to American Blaydes.

Almeida bounced back from that with back-to-back stoppage wins over Alexander Romanov last June and then Serghei Spivac in January.

Like Almeida, Russia’s Volkov was mentioned by Aspinall in a recent training post, leading to speculation both men are being considered.

Volkov was swept aside by Aspinall in 2022, but has been on an excellent run since with victories over Tai Tuivasa, Pavlovich and Jairzinho Rozenstruik.

Liam Delap was one of this summer’s most-wanted strikers.

The 22-year-old scored 12 goals in 37 Premier League games for Ipswich, with his tantalising £30m release clause attracting numerous suitors after the club was relegated back to the Championship.

He was given permission to speak to clubs in May, with Manchester United, Everton, Newcastle and Nottingham Forest all showing serious interest while Manchester City also held a buy-back option on their former player.

But it was Chelsea who won the race for his signature and, speaking before the Blues’ final Club World Cup group game against Es Tunis on Wednesday, Delap has revealed why – including the pull of Europe and rejoining some familiar faces.

“You never know if it is going to be the right decision but you’ve just got to go with your gut and hope it works out,” he said. “You’ve got to take your time. I took a few days to speak to people and decide my future.”

One of those people he consulted was Chelsea’s star attacker Cole Palmer, who he first played with at Manchester City at the age of 15.

Delap added: “I asked him what I needed to ask him, he told me what I needed to know. But I don’t like too much information. Ultimately it was my decision so I kind of just want my head to be clear.”

Palmer has become the poster boy for Chelsea after two sensational seasons and Delap was asked if he hopes to emulate his former academy team-mate.

“Yeah, of course, that’s the goal,” he said. “I think we both had similar positions and he’s gone and smashed it so hopefully I can also.”

Reports in May suggested Manchester United were front runners to sign Delap but their Europa League final defeat by Tottenham, and a poor league campaign, left them without European football next season – with Chelsea’s Champions League qualification playing a part in Delap’s decision.

“It wasn’t the be all and end all because I was also looking towards future seasons but also it helps,” he said.

The son of former Stoke City and Derby County midfielder Rory Delap launched his career at Manchester City under now-Chelsea manager Maresca. He scored 20 goals and won the PL2 player of the season – as he fired the Italian’s Under-21s squad to the title in 2020/21.

“I’ve got a good relationship with the manager,” he said of Maresca. “I know how he plays. I’ve played in this system before. It’s very similar now but with little tweaks. I know a lot of the players here and the project of the club, how they see the future. That’s what excited me.”

Maresca has previously revealed it was Delap’s decision to take the club’s so-called “cursed” number nine shirt.

When asked whether he believes in the curse, which counts Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Romelu Lukaku, Gonzalo Higuain, Alvaro Morata, Radamel Falcao and Fernando Torres among its supposed victims, Delap replied: “No, I’m not that type of person.

Maresca said before the Club World Cup he has no doubt that Delap will become “England’s number nine”.

Yet, Delap’s move forced him into a club versus country dilemma: either play in the Club World Cup with Chelsea, or the Under-21s European Championships with England.

“I had my sights set on the Euros all season and I was really looking forward to that,” he admitted. “But I signed here and they wanted me to be here. I want to be here as well.

“I need to get to know everyone so that’s why I’m here.

“I’m with the boys all the time, it helps me settle in really fast and we can prepare and work on things that we want to use in the season to come.”

England manager Thomas Tuchel has already been to watch Harry Kane play for Bayern Munich and could come to see Delap line up for Chelsea against ES Tunis, or in the knockout stages against potentially Bayern Munich and then Paris Saint-Germain.

Alternative striker Nicolas Jackson is suspended after being sent off in the 3-1 defeat by Flamengo but Delap said: “I was right in front of it when it happened. It was so unlucky. He has obviously not meant to do it; these things happen in football and I am sure he will get over it.”

One of the most sought-after strikers for this summer was Liam Delap.

Ipswich’s 22-year-old scored 12 goals in 37 Premier League games, and his enticing £30m release clause attracted numerous suitors after their relegation to the Championship.

In May, he was given permission to speak with clubs, with Everton, Newcastle, Nottingham Forest, and Manchester United all showing signs of interest, and City also offered to buy back their ex-player.

Chelsea, however, won the search for his signature, and Delap has explained why, including the pull of Europe and joining some well-known faces, in a statement released before the Blues’ final Club World Cup group game against ES Tunis on Wednesday.

You can never tell whether a decision will be the right choice, he said, but you can always trust your gut and hope it turns out. You must take your time, I tell you. I had a few days to plan my future and speak with people.

Cole Palmer, a star attacker for Chelsea who he first played for at Manchester City at the age of 15, was one of those players that he consulted.

Delap continued, “I told him what I needed to know, and he told me what I needed to know.” However, I dislike consuming a lot of information. I kind of want my head to be crystal clear in the end because that’s ultimately my choice.

After two phenomenal seasons, Palmer has become the club’s poster boy, and Delap was asked if he hopes to emulate his former academy team-mate.

He responded, “Yes, of course, that’s the goal.” He has since broken his arm, so I hope I can at least see what we both had in common, and we both had similar positions.

Delap’s choice was reportedly based on reports from May that Manchester United would be the front-runners to sign him, but their Europa League final defeat at Tottenham and a subpar season prevented them from playing European football next season, with Chelsea’s Champions League qualification factoring in Delap’s decision.

He said, “I was also anticipating upcoming seasons, so it wasn’t the end all.”

Rory Delap, the son of the late Stoke City and Derby County midfielders, started his career with Chelsea under current Chelsea manager Maresca. As he led the Italian under-21s squad to the title in 2020-21, he scored 20 goals and won the PL2 player of the year award.

He described Maresca as having a good relationship with the manager. I am aware of his style. This system has previously been used by me. It’s very similar, but it’s still a lot of work. I am aware of the club’s goals and the players’ vision for the future with many of them. That was what piqued my interest.

Maresca has previously claimed that Delap chose to wear the team’s infamous “cursed” number nine shirt.

When asked if he believed in the curse, which names Radamel Falcao, Romelu Lukaku, Gonzalo Higuain, Alvaro Morata, Romelu Lukaku, Gonzalo Higuain, and Fernando Torres as its purported victims, Delap replied, “No, I’m not that kind of person.

Delap’s move, however, caused him to choose between competing for clubs in the Under-21s European Championship with England or the Club World Cup with Chelsea.

He said, “I had my sights on the Euros all season, and I was really looking forward to that.” However, I agreed to be there because they wanted me. I’d like to attend as well.

I need to know everyone, so I’m here.

I can get settled in really quickly with the boys, and we can work on things we want to use in the coming season.

Harry Kane has already been to Bayern Munich, and England manager Thomas Tuchel may see Delap line up against ES Tunis or, potentially, Bayern Munich and Paris St-Germain in the knockout stages.

Nicolas Jackson, who was sent off in the 3-1 defeat by Flamengo, is now suspended, but Delap remarked, “I was right in front of it when it happened. It was so difficult. I’m confident that he will move past these things that happen in football, which he obviously did not mean to do.

Former Chelsea midfielder-turned-pundit John Obi Mikel, who serves as an illustration of the pressure cooker Delap himself is entering, harshly criticized Jackson, but he insisted: “I don’t really like to look at everything from the outside.

The club’s new American owners have approved of their proposed investment of $ 20 million, with new chairman Andrew Cavenagh stating that they will stay at Ibrox “for the long haul.”

The four resolutions were approved by the shareholders at a special meeting in Glasgow with 98% support.

One of those was for Cavenagh and his consortium, which includes the San Francisco 49ers’ investment arm, to be permitted to enter the Scottish Premiership club with additional funds.

Cavenagh cited three factors in his decision to invest in Rangers: the “supporters’ passion,” the stadium, which he claimed “gives the team an advantage,” and the competitions they compete in, including the league, the cups, and Europe.

Rangers, who finished second last season, have won the Scottish Premiership once in 14 years under the control of rival city Celtic.

According to Cavenagh, the controlling group’s goal is “to put the club in a position to win the league, win cups, and be more competitive in Europe.”

He added that he and his fellow investors are concentrating on building the club rather than making any profit.

He said, “We have a growth plan but no exit strategy.” After growth, “We’ll figure out an exit strategy.”

Russell Martin, a former Southampton manager, soon became the squad’s head coach and Kevin Thelwell took over as Everton’s sporting director this summer.

When asked how the $ 20 million will be spent, Cavenagh responded, “We will be transparent wherever we can be, but we will be opaque elsewhere, and this is one.”

Martin’s first competitive game is scheduled to be against Panathinaikos in Champions League qualifying next month, with the Rangers squad arriving for pre-season on Monday.

Marathe, who also serves as a senior executive with the San Francisco 49ers, said he would manage Ibrox through a period of transition.