CAMA

Carrick ready to make first signing of the summer as he finds perfect Casemiro replacement

Brazilian midfielder Ederson is set to replace Casemiro at Manchester United in what looks like a simple summer deal.

Casemiro's Manchester United career has come to an end after Michael Carrick confirmed he won't be in the squad for the final game of the Premier League season this weekend.

The 34-year-old waved goodbye to Old Trafford on Sunday and will depart this summer as links to Inter Miami and the Saudi Pro League continue to grow.

Who will replace Casemiro is a hot topic and reports have stated this week that United had struck a £46M deal with Atalanta to sign Ederson who Michael Carrick sees as the perfect player to step in for Casemiro.

With Ederson’s contract in Bergamo expiring next year, the Italian side are reportedly ready to strike a deal this summer as the club do not want to lose him for free.

United have had several dealings with Atalanta in recent years with Amad Diallo back in 2021 and Rasmus Hojlund in a deal worth up to £72m just two years later.

Transfer expert Dean Jones revealed earlier this week that a deal could be completed before pre-season begins in what looks like a clear-cut transfer between the two sides who are already in agreement.

According to SportItalia, the Ederson deal is "almost closed" after months of speculation and fans will be eager to see how it progresses as the season comes to a close.

Salah: I will always love and support Liverpool

Mohamed Salah says he will always love Liverpool as he prepares for his final game with the club.

The Egyptian is set to make his last appearance for the Reds when they host Brentford at Anfield on Sunday.

Salah has played 441 games for Liverpool in all competitions, scoring 257 goals and providing 119 assists.

He has seven Premier League goals this season, and could become just the second Golden Boot winner to score 20+ fewer goals than the previous campaign (29 last season), along with Alan Shearer (25 in 1996-97, two in 1997-98).

Salah has featured in just 26 league games this term after falling out of favour with Liverpool boss Arne Slot, with the 33-year-old claiming he was "thrown under the bus" earlier in the season.

Nevertheless, Salah won nine major trophies with Liverpool, including two Premier League titles and one Champions League.

Ahead of his Anfield farewell, Salah expressed his gratitude to the fans after nine years on Merseyside.

"The club means everything. The people mean everything, the city means everything. I will always love this club. I will always support it," he said in the Liverpool-produced film, Salah: Farewell to the King.

"It means everything to me. You live in the club, you feel the love and appreciation from the fans.

"This is the most important thing. People appreciate what you have done and appreciate everything you've done for them and for yourself.

"It feels special. I'm blessed. Not too many people have had the opportunity to play here nine years and perform how I performed or just enjoy or go through the process that I've been through.

"So, it's a blessing and something I don't take for granted."

Real Madrid confirm Alaba departure

Real Madrid have confirmed David Alaba will leave the club as a free agent at the end of the season, following five years in the Spanish capital.

Alaba joined Madrid on a free in 2021, having spent 13 years with Bayern Munich and helped the German giants win 25 trophies.

The Austria international helped Madrid win two LaLiga crowns and two Champions League titles, in addition to a Copa del Rey, a Supercopa de Espana, a UEFA Super Cup, a Club World Cup and an intercontinental Cup.

Alaba was a regular in his first couple of seasons at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu and started their 2022 Champions League final win against Liverpool, but injuries have hampered him in recent seasons.

He spent 13 months on the sidelines after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament in December 2023, missing Madrid's next Champions League final triumph, over Borussia Dortmund, as well as Austria's participation at Euro 2024.

Alaba was restricted to 17 appearances in 2023-24, across all competitions, then made 14 in 2024-25 and 15 in 2025-26.

He only played 600 minutes in 2024-25 and has been limited to a mere 505 this campaign, with both of those campaigns ending without silverware.

Now, the club have confirmed the defender will depart following Saturday's LaLiga finale against Athletic Club, having also announced head coach Alvaro Arbeloa will not be kept on for next season, when Jose Mourinho is widely expected to return.

President Florentino Perez said: "David Alaba carries with him the affection of all Madridistas for his dedication, his work, and an iconic image in our journey toward the 14th [Champions League title], symbolising the celebration of a victory that is now a part of our club's history.

"Real Madrid will always be his home."

Arteta saw Arsenal's Premier League title coming in March
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Mikel Arteta claims he could visualise his Arsenal side winning the Premier League back in March after coming close in previous seasons.

The Gunners had finished second in each of the last three campaigns, but they managed to win their first league title in 22 years this time around.

Their success was sealed on Tuesday, when Bournemouth held Manchester City to a draw, leaving a four-point gap between the top two sides heading into the final day.

Only Liverpool and Manchester United (20) have won more English top-flight titles than Arsenal (14), while no side has won it in more different decades than the Gunners (eight).

The Gunners had their fair share of nervy moments, especially after losing back-to-back league games against Bournemouth and City in April.

However, Arsenal managed to get over the line and will lift the trophy on Sunday after their fixture against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

"I imagined winning it many times," Arteta told actor Tom Hiddleston in an interview with Sky Sports. "Especially because we've been very close in a few seasons.

"But this time, especially, there was something. I've done a lot of visualisation over the last few months.

"I could close my eyes and I could get to that picture immediately, and that was different to the other seasons.

"Not from the beginning of the season, it was more around March and April when I started that.

"I knew that was the moment that was going to define the season.

"And, okay, what are the things that you can learn from the past that we didn't have, or things I did that can be done in a different way to help the players to get over the line?"

The Gunners' season will not be over after their trip to Palace, as they face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final on May 30.

Arsenal could become the 25th different team to win the Champions League or European Cup, and the third first-time winner of the competition over the last four editions, after Manchester City in 2023 and PSG in 2025.

Barca's Fermin suffers fracture to fifth metatarsal in right foot & will undergo surgery

Barca confirm Fermin suffers fracture to fifth metatarsal in right foot and will undergo surgery

Barcelona Official Injury Announcement
First team player Fermín López fractured the fifth metatarsal in his right foot during the match against Real Betis. The player will undergo surgery. (End of announcement)

Fermín López started in the La Liga Matchday 37 game against Real Betis on May 18 and was replaced by Balde in the second half due to injury.

Fermín is currently 23 years old. This season, he has played 48 official matches for Barcelona, starting 34, scoring 13 goals, and providing 17 assists.

Barcelona only has one match left this season, the final La Liga match away against Valencia, which will be played on May 24.

On May 25, De La Fuente will officially announce Spain's World Cup squad. Spain's first World Cup match will be held on June 15, against Cape Verde.

Man Utd vs Nottingham Forest: PGMO admits error in allowing Matheus Cunha goal after Bryan Mbeumo handball

The PGMO has admitted Manchester United's second goal against Nottingham Forest should not have been given.

Referee Michael Salisbury decided to overrule VAR having been sent to the pitch-side monitor after the ball struck Bryan Mbeumo's arm in the build-up to Matheus Cunha's strike, which put United ahead in their 3-2 win on Sunday.

PGMO chief refereeing officer Howard Webb spoke to Forest and Man Utd on Monday to acknowledge the misjudgement.

The refereeing body regularly engages with clubs to maintain positive dialogue around refereeing matters.

English football tends to operate a more lenient approach to the handball rule after feedback from clubs, players, managers and fans.

On this occasion, however, the decision expected was to deem Mbeumo's contact as handball, hence the acknowledgment by the PGMO.

Real Madrid confirm Carvajal will leave the club at end of the season

OFFICIAL: Real Madrid announce 34-year-old captain Carvajal will leave the club on a free transfer at end of the season

Real Madrid have officially announced that their 34-year-old captain Dani Carvajal will leave the club on a free transfer when his contract expires at the end of the season, bringing an end to his 24-year spell with Real Madrid.

Real Madrid Official Statement
Real Madrid has reached an agreement with our captain Dani Carvajal to end his wonderful journey as a player of our club at the end of this season.

Real Madrid wishes to express its gratitude and all its affection to one of the greatest legends in the history of our club and world football.

Carvajal is one of only five players in football history to have won 6 European Cups, and he was part of the team that created one of the most glorious eras in our history.

He joined Real Madrid in 2002 and has defended our shirt for 23 seasons: 10 seasons in the youth academy and 13 seasons in the first team, winning 27 titles with the team: 6 Champions Leagues, 6 Club World Cups, 5 UEFA Super Cups, 4 La Liga titles, 2 Copa del Rey titles and 4 Spanish Super Cups.

On an individual level, Carvajal was named in the FIFPro World XI 2024, won the FIFA FIFPro Men's World XI 2024 award, and was named the 2024 UEFA Champions League Final Player of the Match, scoring a goal in that final.

Carvajal has made 450 appearances for our team, scoring 14 goals.

For the Spanish national team, he has made 51 appearances, winning the European Championship in 2024 and the UEFA Nations League in 2025.

Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez said: "Dani Carvajal is a legend, a symbol of Real Madrid and its youth academy. Along with our beloved and remembered Alfredo Di Stéfano, he is an image of the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium that will forever remain in the hearts of all Madridistas and in the history of our club. Carvajal has always represented the values of Real Madrid in an exemplary manner. This is his forever home."

Real Madrid wishes Dani Carvajal and his family all the best in this new stage of his life.

This Saturday, during our team's final league match, the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium will host a tribute ceremony in his honour.

Dani Carvajal is currently 34 years old. He came through the Real Madrid youth academy and joined the Real Madrid first team from Bayer Leverkusen in 2013. This is his 13th season with the Real Madrid first team.

Carvajal has made 450 appearances for Real Madrid, contributing 14 goals and 65 assists as a right-back. He has helped Real Madrid win numerous honours including 6 Champions Leagues, 5 Club World Cups, 4 La Liga titles and 2 Copa del Rey titles.

Barcelona complete contract extension with head coach Flick

Barcelona completes contract renewal with head coach Hansi Flick, per official announcement.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Flick's new contract with Barcelona runs until June 2028, with an option to extend until June 2029, meaning the coach could stay for three more seasons.

In his first season in charge, Flick led the team to a domestic treble of La Liga, Copa del Rey and Spanish Super Cup. This season, Barcelona won the Spanish Super Cup again and retained the La Liga title, bringing his total to five trophies in two seasons.

Mourinho future to be decided soon amid Real Madrid links

Jose Mourinho said his future should be decided this week, with the Benfica boss reportedly set for a shock return to Real Madrid.

The 63-year-old has been heavily linked with a return to Santiago Bernabeu, where he won LaLiga, the Copa del Rey and Supercopa de Espana during his first spell between 2010 and 2013.

Mourinho won 87 of his 114 LaLiga games in charge of Madrid (D16 L11), averaging 2.4 points per game while his side scored 326 times across those matches.

The two-time Champions League winner completed an unbeaten Primeira Liga season with Benfica, who beat Estoril Praia 3-1 on Saturday.

However, Mourinho's side had to settle for a third-place finish behind Sporting CP and champions Porto, while it was also not enough to secure Champions League football next season.

It appears highly likely, though, that was his final game in charge of Benfica, with widespread reports speculating he is set to replace Alvaro Arbeloa in the Madrid dugout.

"My future should be decided this week," Mourinho told reporters during his post-match press conference.

"I need time. I need space. I need time to make my decision. This week, I think, will be very important.

"I don't have a proposal from Real Madrid. But to hide, to say there is nothing, I cannot do that. There is something. But not with me directly."

Despite the lack of silverware, Mourinho also spoke of his pride at achieving an unbeaten domestic season with Benfica, something he had never previously achieved during his glittering managerial career.

"It's a great thing," he added. "It's the first time in my career. Being invincible, I never did it. I would change that for the title. No doubt about that. But it's something that reflects the mentality and togetherness of the team.

"It's something to make me proud as the leader of the group."

Fernandes eyes outright record

Bruno Fernandes provided his record-equalling 20th assist of the Premier League season as Manchester United beat Nottingham Forest 3-2.

A thrilling contest at Old Trafford featured a controversial goal and a slice of history, as Fernandes matched the single-season record for assists.

Luke Shaw got the ball rolling when he struck on five minutes, marking United's earliest league goal at Old Trafford since January 2024.

Bryan Mbeumo should have doubled United's lead, only to strike the post after rounding Matz Sels on the break, and the Cameroon forward then skied over early in the second half.

United were made to pay when Elliot Anderson's wicked delivery was nodded in by Morato in the 53rd minute, yet the Red Devils were swiftly back ahead in contentious fashion.

Matheus Cunha side-footed home following a bit of pinball in the Forest box, but it was clear that Mbuemo had handled in the build-up. The VAR advised referee Michael Salisbury to go to the screen, but he insisted the goal should stand, citing an accidental handball.

Fernandes' record-equalling moment came in the 76th minute, as his drilled cross was turned in by Mbeumo.

Morgan Gibbs-White's exquisite first-time finish dragged Forest back to within a goal, but the best chances then fell to Man Utd, with Fernandes teeing up three opportunities.

Patrick Dorgu could not beat Sels, Diogo Dalot hit the post, and Joshua Zirkzee saw a shot blocked before he forced a fantastic stop out of Forest's goalkeeper on the rebound.

Fernandes eyes outright record

Fernandes has joined Kevin De Bruyne (2019-20) and Thierry Henry (2002-03) in assisting 20 goals in a Premier League season.

If he provides one assist when United visit Brighton next week, he will not only set a new Premier League record, but equal the best single-season haul across Europe's top five leagues. As it stands, Thomas Muller and Lionel Messi hold that record jointly, on 21 (as far as Opta's records go).

United finished with a whopping 29 shots, and Fernandes had five of them, trailing only Mbeumo (six). The Portugal playmaker created eight chances, the joint-most he has managed in a league game this term, as the Red Devils tallied up 4.19 expected goals.

Gibbs-White's strike, meanwhile, marked the 1,000th goal in the Premier League this term.

Since the start of March, no player has more goal involvements in the Premier League than Gibbs-White (10).

Robert Lewandowski has confirmed to leave Barcelona

Robert Lewandowski has confirmed he will leave Barcelona when his contract expires at the end of the season.

Lewandowski joined Barcelona in 2022 and has made 191 appearances in all competitions, netting 119 goals.

Across his four seasons in LaLiga, the Pole has won three LaLiga titles, including this season, as well as the Copa del Rey and the Supercopa de Espana three times.

Lewandowski has started just 15 of his 29 LaLiga appearances this season, but is still Barcelona's second-highest scorer in the competition this season, having netted 13 goals.

"After four years full of challenges and hard work, it's time to move on," Lewandowski said in a video posted to Instagram.

"I leave with the feeling that the mission is complete. Four seasons, three championships.

"I will never forget the love I received from the fans from my very first days. Catalonia is my place on earth.

"Thank you to everyone I met along the way during these beautiful four years.

"A special thank you to President Laporta for giving me the chance to live the most incredible chapter of my career.

"Barca is back where it belongs."

In each of his first three seasons at Barcelona, Lewandowski finished as the club's top scorer and won the Golden Boot in 2022-23, netting 23 times.

His most prolific season in LaLiga was last term, when he netted 27 goals.

Lewandowski will play his final game at Camp Nou on Sunday, when Barcelona face Real Betis, while his last match for the club will come away to Valencia on May 23.

The 37-year-old's next destination is unclear at this stage; he has been linked to clubs in the Saudi Pro League and MLS.