Category Sports News

With the announcement of Mary Earps’ international retirement, England’s preparations for the European Championship this summer have been hampered.

The 32-year-old had been the Lionesses’ undisputed starting goalkeeper since 2021, but Hannah Hampton recently let her down.

Earps announced her immediate retirement on Tuesday, just five weeks before the tournament’s debut, with Hampton anticipated to start in goal at Euro 2025 in Switzerland this summer.

Nobody, not even Wiegman, was predicting Earps’ retirement at this time.

The England manager acknowledged that she was disappointed by Earps’ decision despite wishing she would play an “important role” this summer.

Only their team-mates from Earps’ release on Monday made the announcement when they had reported for upcoming Nations League games against Portugal and Spain. She left the house without going to the gym.

“I don’t believe any of us anticipated that.” Ellen White, the winner of Euro 2022, told BBC Radio 5 Live’s Women’s Football Weekly, “I’m in shock really.”

It is “very close to the Euros.” Because it is so crazy, I have no idea what to say. The timing and degree of integration with the Euros surprise.

She will be a big loss because she is a very strong character and a team leader, White said.

England midfielder Keira Walsh remarked, “She brings a lot of energy when it’s needed,” adding that “one thing I know about her is that when the team is at a low point or in a tournament where the emotions sometimes dip.

Earps, who has 53 caps, twice received the award for the world’s best female goalkeeper, helped England win Euro 2022, reach the final of the 2023 World Cup, and has twice been named the best female goalkeeper, among other things.

She is a fantastic goalkeeper, according to her. Without her, the Lionesses would not have won the Euros, according to fellow Euros-winner Jill Scott.

One thing is certain about Earps’ retirement: Hampton is England’s number one. There are still unanswered questions.

The 24-year-old has only had 13 caps since making her senior debut in 2022, partly because of concerns about attitude and Earps’ form, which led to her being expelled from the squad later that year.

Hampton has started England’s final three games before Earps, including an impressive 1-0 win against Spain at Wembley, while she also contributed a significant part to Chelsea’s domestic treble this season.

There is no denying that she is England’s number one, according to White.

“I believe that now she is under a lot of strain,” she said. Hannah has that quality in her, and she definitely has that quality now.

She is an incredible goalkeeper, and she has a lot of [club] experience.

Earps “would have challenged Hannah,” in Scott’s opinion, irrespective of whether or not they had started England’s Euros opener against France on July 5.

“I’ve known her since she was 16 at Birmingham,” White remarked.

What should Wiegman do in the event Hampton is injured or suspended during the Euros is the obvious concern?

Keating, who has had a disappointing season and has yet to earn a senior cap, is most likely the player to follow.

The 20-year-old shared game time with summer signing Ayaka Yamashita after winning the WSL Golden Glove award and starting all 22 of City’s 22 previous seasons’ women’s super league games.

Keating made a number of errors, including two, in her 4-2 home defeat against Manchester United, which significantly reduced her performance.

She distributes in the WSL among the strongest, just like Hampton.

The other goalkeeper in Wiegman’s squad is Moorhouse, who is also uncapped.

Since never playing for England at a youth level, the 30-year-old Orlando Pride goalkeeper was called up for her first senior call-up in July.

If Wiegman wants to expand her goalkeeping group, Ellie Roebuck might be a wildcard.

After falling out of favor with Gareth Taylor at Manchester City, Roebuck suffered a stroke after agreeing to join Barcelona. The 25-year-old underwent a turbulent couple of years.

Roebuck is recovering fully, but she has only made two league starts since joining the Catalan club last summer.

Even though her most recent call-up was in October 2023, she has more experience than Keating and Moorhouse, with 11 England caps.

Before making his move to Arsenal, Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi will undergo a medical.

The deal is about to close, and reliable sources have confirmed to BBC Sport that all necessary paperwork regarding the Spain international’s switch to the Emirates has been signed.

All parties are relaxed about the timing of the medical appointment because Zubimendi’s switch paperwork has been completed, but there is a desire to finish the formalities quickly.

Arsenal will be able to announce Zubimendi’s signing once the 26-year-old has completed the medical.

According to reports, Zubimendi has a release clause of £51 million, with all of Sociedad and Arsenal’s payment terms already in place.

Zubimendi has been a long-term favorite of Arsenal’s management and has been putting pen to paper on his signing.

The Gunners want to sign a new center-forward, with Viktor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko as potential targets, in addition to Zubimendi’s imminent arrival.

Former Arsenal captain Thierry Henry claims that the club has performed poorly under Mikel Arteta’s guidance in the past three years.

Since leaving Manchester City for the club in 2019, Arteta, 43, has transformed the Gunners, making them regular title contenders.

The club hasn’t, however, won a single silverware since beating Chelsea in the FA Cup final in Arteta’s first year in charge in 2020.

Arsenal finished second in the previous three Premier League seasons, and this year they were eliminated in the Champions League and Carabao Cup semi-finals.

“I am aware that you arrive first, and not your team,” he said. To change everything you want, you need at least three or four transfer windows.

You must give a manager time to put what they want into practice.

Arsenal should have at least brought one cup or [reached] a final for the past three years.

Over the last three Premier League seasons, Arsenal has scored 82 points on average each season.

However, Henry compared Manchester United to who has won two trophies and reached five finals in the last five years.

Everyone finds Manchester United to be the United that they have won five championships in the last five years, but Arsenal has not, according to Henry, reached a final in their final three years of development.

After serving a four-week ban for a dangerous tackle during the club’s European Challenge Cup final victory against Lyon, Flanker Sam Underhill will miss the rest of Bath’s season.

In the 26th minute, Underhill collided head-on-head with Lyon full-back Davit Niniashvili, and he received a yellow card.

An independent panel upheld the complaint that it warranted a red card and gave the England international a Monday citation for the incident.

Bath’s Saturday game against Saracens and their Premiership semi-final on Friday, June 6 will miss Underhill.

Before the collision, which was deemed a mitigating factor, the incident was downgraded from red to yellow, the tackle was reviewed by referee Hollie Davidson and the television match officials during the game.

Underhill admitted to doing it but did not think it was appropriate for him to receive a red card at a disciplinary hearing on Tuesday.

Due to Underhill’s regrets, the committee downgraded it to four and determined it was a mid-range offence that required a six-week ban. Due to his previous experiences, they were unable to further reduce it.

Following Davidson’s dismissal in Bath’s Challenge Cup round of 16 victory against Pau in April, the 28-year-old received a three-week ban in April.

Ronan Kpakio, a teenager from Cardiff City, will be in his squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Liechtenstein and Belgium in February, according to Wales head coach Craig Bellamy.

Kpakio, who turned 18 this week, is the first time he has participated in a training camp for Wales in Spain earlier this month.

Kpakio, a product of the Cardiff Academy, has only made six senior Bluebird appearances. Before making his first league start on the last day of the Championship season, he made his EFL Cup debut in August of last year.

Ethan Ampadu and Harry Wilson return to Bellamy’s squad for games against Liechtenstein on Friday, June 6 at the Cardiff City Stadium, and Belgium in Brussels on Monday.

Ampadu, the captain of Leeds United, and Wilson, the 28-year-old attacking midfielder, were both hurt during the league’s first two games in March.

After winning 3-1 against Kazakhstan and drawing 1-1 against North Macedonia, Wales are now second in Group J.

Following a successful club-level season, several players will return to play abroad.

In the Europa League final, Connor Roberts, Karl Darlow, Joe Rodon, Ampadu, Daniel James, and Chris Mepham all won promotion to the Premier League with their respective clubs, while Ben Davies and Brennan Johnson each scored the only goal for Tottenham, who also had Ben Davies in their squad.

On goal difference, North Macedonia is currently in the top 20 while Belgium is just beginning their campaign.

The group winners advance to the World Cup, while the 12 group runners-up and four nations from the previous year’s Nations League will battle it out in play-offs.

Defenders: Joe Rodon, Chris Mepham, Ben Davies, Ronan Kpakio, Connor Roberts, Jay Dasilva, and Neco Williams.

Josh Sheehan, Charlie Crew, Ethan Ampadu, Jordan James, Ollie Cooper, Harry Wilson, David Brooks, Sorba Thomas, and others.