English clubs still want to join a European Super League, says Barcelona chief March 22, 2023 Leading English football clubs are still interested in joining a European Super League despite renouncing the project, says Barcelona president Joan Laporta. Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur all backed out of the breakaway shortly after it was announced in April 2021. Barcelona, Real Madrid and Juventus remain keen to press [...]
Qatar’s Sheikh Jassim emerging as favourite to buy Manchester United ahead of new deadline March 21, 2023 Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Qatari Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani are expected to make second offers for Manchester United this week. The Raine Group, which is running the sale for United’s owners the Glazer family, has set a deadline of Wednesday for revised bids. Both Ratcliffe and a party acting for Sheikh Jassim visited [...]
Chelsea yet to make formal approach over playing matches at Twickenham Stadium March 20, 2023 Chelsea are yet to make a formal approach about playing matches at Twickenham Stadium while Stamford Bridge is rebuilt, Morning Wire understands. The Blues are reported to have drawn up a shortlist of possible venues at which to play home fixtures should they demolish their ground and build a new 60,000-seater arena. Twickenham, seven miles [...]
Chelsea could move to Premier League rivals and rugby stadium while Stamford Bridge is rebuilt March 19, 2023 Chelsea could ground-share with west London rivals Fulham and play big games at Twickenham Stadium while the club’s new owners press ahead with plans to rebuild Stamford Bridge. Blues chairman Todd Boehly has informally approached his fellow American Shad Khan, the Fulham chairman, about moving the majority of home games to Craven Cottage, according to [...]
Five live sporting events to watch on TV this weekend March 17, 2023 The sporting world this week sees the conclusion of the Six Nations, a domestic rugby final and the return of the FA Cup and Formula 1. Here’s what you should put into your diaries ahead of this weekend. Football: Forest vs Newcastle – Friday The Premier League returns this evening with a crunch battle between [...]
Manchester United bidders heading for Old Trafford talks this week March 15, 2023 Sir Jim Ratcliffe, one of Britain’s richest men and a hopeful buyer of Premier League outfit Manchester United, is set to appear at Old Trafford tomorrow to receive a presentation on the potential sale of the club. In addition to Ratcliffe’s appearance tomorrow, representatives of Shaikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani – the man behind [...]
Women in Football will ‘probably’ write to Culture Secretary over White Paper diversity concerns March 15, 2023 Campaign group Women in Football says it is likely to raise concerns with Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer about the White Paper on football governance. Women in Football director Jane Purdon said the blueprint for an incoming football regulator appeared to have “stripped out all mention of diversity” targets for a sport already lagging behind. “I [...]
Why Fifa’s 2026 World Cup U-turn risks a fresh player welfare row March 14, 2023 Fifa is set to risk a new player welfare row by redesigning the format of the next men’s World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico, according to reports. Football’s world governing body had planned to divide the 48 teams at the expanded 2026 tournament into 16 groups of three, in order to allay fears [...]
Pep Guardiola makes Manchester City Champions League admission March 13, 2023 Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has admitted that their Champions League clash with RB Leipzig on Tuesday will help to shape his legacy at the club. Guardiola has delivered nine trophies in six and a half years in Manchester but success in Europe’s top competition has eluded them, despite reaching the final in 2021. The [...]
Newcastle United’s Saudi takeover won’t be re-examined by Premier League, says lawyer March 9, 2023 The lawyer who represented Newcastle United in a battle with the Premier League over the club’s Saudi Arabian takeover expects top-flight chiefs to reject calls to re-examine the deal. A US legal case has raised questions about the influence wielded by the Saudi state over the Tyneside football club, leading to fresh pressure on the [...]