Manchester City owner Sheikh Mansour will attend the Champions League final on Saturday evening.

Club sources have confirmed to the PA news agency that the sheikh will be present in Istanbul as City face Inter Milan bidding to win Europe’s top club prize for the first time.

It will only be the second game he has attended since his investment vehicle, the Abu Dhabi United Group, purchased City in 2008.

Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak was also due to be at the showpiece match at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium.

City have risen to become the dominant force in the English game under Mansour’s stewardship with the club having won seven Premier League titles in the past 12 years and five of the last six.

Victory in Turkey on Saturday would also see them become only the second English side to win the treble having already retained their domestic title and won the FA Cup.

City also now sit at the heart of a global network of 13 clubs known as the City Football Group.

Erling Haaland admits the pressure is on as he prepares for Manchester City’s Champions League date with destiny.

The Premier League winners face Inter Milan on Saturday night bidding to claim the European crown for the first time.

Victory would not only end years of frustration and near-misses in pursuit of the continent’s top club prize but complete a glorious treble.

City’s outstanding season, which has also included winning the FA Cup as well as a fifth domestic league title in six years, has been fuelled by the goals of Haaland.

The prolific Norwegian has scored 52 times in an outstanding first season at the Etihad Stadium and is well aware the club hope he proves the final piece in their jigsaw.

“Of course I feel pressure,” the 22-year-old said. “I would lie if I said I didn’t.

“It’s true – they won the Premier League without me, they won every trophy without me. So I’m here to try to do a thing that the club has never done before and I’ll do my best.”

Winning the Champions League is also the chief reason manager Pep Guardiola was brought to the club.

Victory for him would end a 12-year wait to reclaim the trophy since the second of his two triumphs as Barcelona boss.

“It’s absolutely a dream,” said the Catalan. “What has happened in the past is in the past. It’s an incredible competition.

“Inter Milan is bigger than us in terms of history but what’s important is at 10pm Istanbul time we do the best performance possible and that can make the difference.”

Playmaker Kevin De Bruyne, who left the field injured in City’s final defeat to Chelsea two years ago, admits winning the competition has become an obsession as well as a dream.

“Maybe it’s both,” said the Belgium international. “Every professional player wants to win the Champions League and be on top.

“If you can win the Champions League, you’ve reached one of the biggest things you can.”

City have a fully-fit squad for the clash at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium, which was also the venue for Liverpool’s remarkable victory in 2005.

Nerves and tension are likely to increase in the build-up to the match but defender Ruben Dias feels the team are ready to thrive in such circumstances.

“We love the pressure, we love it,” he said. “The pressure will make you run faster, jump higher, be more focused.

“That’s what these kind of games need and we need to embrace it. It’s another time for all of us to step up to the occasion.”

Sporting Kansas City are unlikely to make another move to try and sign Cristiano Ronaldo in an attempt to compete with Inter Miami bringing in Lionel Messi.

That is according to SKC coach Peter Vermes.

Sporting were interested in signing Ronaldo after the five-time Ballon d’Or winner left Manchester United late last year.

However, the MLS side could not make a deal work that would compete with the offer Ronaldo received from Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr.

It was confirmed this week that Messi would be joining SKC’s league rivals Miami, but Vermes shrugged off the chance of signing Ronaldo.

“No, he’s wrapped up for two years on a significant amount of money. I think the transfer fee would be a little out of our range,” he said ahead of SKC’s meeting with Austin FC.

“At the time when we were thinking about doing that deal, [Messi going to Miami] was in the back of our head, because there was talk of him going to Miami at the end of the world cup. It could have been – could have, should have, would have – those are all kinds of things in life. The fact that [Messi] is coming is tremendous.”

Vermes explained he is thrilled to see Messi come to MLS, comparing the Argentine to NBA icon Michael Jordan.

“I thought when David Beckham came to the league he had an incredible impact on our league, and the notoriety that got worldwide, he helped achieve a new bar in how people perceived our league,” he said.

“Messi’s the best player in the world, so to be able to have the best player in the world playing in the league that you’re involved in, that’s tremendous. It’s a huge opportunity for our league, it’s great in so many ways and from the fans’ perspective too. It’s like watching Michael Jordan play basketball – he’s from another planet that guy, when he plays.”

Leeds chairman Andrea Radrizzani has agreed a deal to sell his controlling stake in the club to co-owners 49ers Enterprises.

As a result the American investment group, owner of NFL franchise the San Francisco 49ers and a minority shareholder in Leeds since 2018, will take full ownership.

“Leeds United can confirm an agreement has been reached between Aser Ventures and 49ers Enterprises for the purchase of the club,” said a statement.

“Both parties continue to work through the details, and further updates will be provided soon.

“All of our focus remains on a quick return to the Premier League.”

49ers Enterprises increased its stake in Leeds to 44 per cent in 2021 with the option of buying Radrizzani’s remaining 56 per cent before January 2024.

The Americans had been keen to push through a full takeover this summer, but that agreement, which had valued Leeds at around £400million, was contingent on the club remaining in the Premier League.

Leeds’ relegation last month forced both parties back into intense negotiations and a valuation of close to £170m has been agreed.

The deal marks the end of Radrizzani’s six-year ownership of Leeds. He completed a full takeover from fellow Italian Massimo Cellino in 2017 and initially proved hugely popular.

Radrizzani bought back Elland Road stadium, which had been in private ownership since 2004, and brought in fresh investment when 49ers Enterprises purchased its first 10 per cent stake in 2018.

The appointment of Marcelo Bielsa soon after proved a masterstroke as Leeds won promotion back to the Premier League for the first time in 16 years.

49ers Enterprises has steadily increased its stake, while Radrizzani’s relationship with the Leeds fanbase began to sour when Bielsa was sacked in February 2022.

Leeds escaped relegation on the final day of the 2021-22 season under Bielsa’s successor Jesse Marsch and Radrizzani promised that the club would not be involved in another survival fight.

But results this past season failed to improve and after Marsch was sacked in February, his replacement Javi Gracia and then Sam Allardyce, appointed with four games remaining, failed to halt the slide.

When relegation was confirmed with a final-day defeat to Tottenham, Radrizzani was absent from Elland Road, opting instead to remain in Italy to finalise his takeover of Sampdoria.

He later admitted Leeds’ board had made mistakes and apologised for the club’s relegation in a personal statement posted on social media.

But after it emerged he had offered to use Elland Road as collateral when securing a £26m bank loan to buy Sampdoria – one of his companies and not Leeds owned the stadium – his legacy was further tainted.

Pep Guardiola and Kevin De Bruyne admit winning the Champions League has become both a dream and an obsession for Manchester City.

City stand on the brink of glory as they prepare to face Inter Milan in the final in Istanbul on Saturday.

Guardiola’s side are strong favourites for a game that could not only see them crowned European champions for the first time but complete the treble.

The Premier League winners are hoping to put years of frustration behind them after several near misses in their pursuit of the prize they covet most.

De Bruyne gave his feelings on the matter when he was asked if victory was a “dream” or an “obsession” as City held a pre-match press conference at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium on Friday.

“Maybe both, it depends who you ask,” said the Belgium playmaker. “Every professional player wants to win the Champions League and be on top.

“If you can win the Champions League, you’ve reached one of the biggest things you can.”

“To compete every year is amazing, and I’ve been able to compete against the best, but we’ve got a chance to close that if we are good enough.”

City have reached the knockout stages of the tournament in each of Guardiola’s seven seasons as manager but they are yet to fulfil their ambition.

Their runners-up finish two seasons ago, when they were beaten by Chelsea in the final, is the closest they have come.

Guardiola, who won the competition twice as Barcelona boss, said: “It’s absolutely a dream, yes.

“To achieve things you always have to have the correct proportion of obsession and desire.

“It’s a positive word for the desire and will to win it. It is of course a dream for us.”

City’s outstanding season has been fuelled by the goalscoring of Erling Haaland.

The prolific Norwegian has netted 52 goals in an outstanding first campaign at the Etihad Stadium.

Haaland admitted this week has was brought to City to win the Champions League and Guardiola – whose two previous successes came in tandem with Lionel Messi at Barcelona – hopes he proves the final piece of the jigsaw.

Asked what he would advise managers hoping to emulate his achievements, Guardiola said: “Have good players – have Messi, have Haaland. This is my success. I’m not joking.

“Every manager who has had success has had strong institutions and exceptional players. I’ve never scored a goal as a manager.”

Haaland actually goes into the game having scored just once in his last seven outings but this is not a concern for Guardiola.

“I don’t have doubts,” he said. “If you have doubts about Erling scoring you are a very lonely person.

“Tomorrow he will be ready to help us win the Champions League.”

Haaland has formed a potent attacking partnership with De Bruyne.

De Bruyne was cheekily asked at the press conference if it had been “love at first sight” between the pair.

De Bruyne said: “No. I’m happy with my wife!”

Elaborating more, he added: “You have a feeling with a player and I understand what he wants. It clicked really well. He’s scored at an incredible rate and settled really easily.”

De Bruyne has been chasing Champions League success with City since 2015.

He said: “We have been consistent, we have been good enough, but we need to find a way to win the first one. It would be immense for the club and the fans, something amazing.”

Ruben Dias is confident Manchester City will thrive on the pressure in the Champions League final.

The City defender has no doubt his team-mates will step up to the challenge as they face Inter Milan in Istanbul on Saturday.

City have already claimed the domestic double after an outstanding late-season charge and they now stand just one win away from becoming European champions for the first time.

Dias said: “We love the pressure, we love it. The pressure will make you run faster, jump higher, be more focused.

“That’s what these kind of games need and we need to embrace it. We enjoy the moment and we know what it means to our club, the fans, our families and we never forget to enjoy it.”

After an inconsistent spell either side of the World Cup, City hit form in the spring to reel in Arsenal at the top of the Premier League and retain their title.

They then powered through to the Champions League final with stunning victories over Bayern Munich and holders Real Madrid.

After beating rivals Manchester United to win the FA Cup last weekend, momentum seems very much to be on their side.

Dias said: “I’ve been saying this for a long time – when we get to February and the decisions come up, that’s the sweet spot.

“You can see the character of a team when you arrive on these stages, you can see whether a team wants to move forward or starts hiding.

“Since that moment we’ve been showing up every time and tomorrow will be no different. It’s another time for all of us to step up to the occasion.”

Republic of Ireland boss Vera Pauw has named a 31-player pre-World Cup training camp squad again to be captained by Arsenal’s Katie McCabe.

The Republic will face co-hosts Australia in their World Cup opener on July 20, a contest which proved so popular that in January it was relocated to the tournament’s largest venue, Sydney’s 83,500-capacity Stadium Australia.

Pauw’s World Cup debutants have three scheduled warm-up games before that fixture, beginning with a sold-out June 22 encounter against Zambia at Dublin’s Tallaght Stadium.

McCabe along with three US-based players – Denise O’Sullivan, Sinead Farrelly and Marissa Sheva – will link up with the squad after the Zambia game.

Manchester United defender Aoife Mannion is a notable absence after tweaking her knee in training for her club last month, but the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) on Friday confirmed she will continue to be monitored ahead of the final squad selection of 23 players, to be whittled down by June 29.

The training camp schedule will factor in when players finished their respective club seasons to determine workload and recovery time and ensure they will be in line with each other for the final stage of tournament preparation.

Other Women’s Super League players to make the training squad include Everton goalkeeper Courtney Brosnan, Brighton shot-stopper Megan Walsh, and Liverpool defensive duo Niamh Fahey and Megan Campbell, with their Reds team-mate Leanne Kiernan among the forwards.

Brighton’s Megan Connolly and Aston Villa’s Ruesha Littlejohn join McCabe in the pack of midfielders hoping to make Pauw’s final 23-player squad to travel to Australia, where they will also meet Canada and Nigeria in Group B.

Grace Moloney and Diane Caldwell represent recently relegated Reading, while Chloe Mustaki plays for newly promoted Bristol City.

Full Republic of Ireland pre-World Cup squad:

Goalkeepers: Courtney Brosnan (Everton), Grace Moloney (Reading), Megan Walsh (Brighton), Sophie Whitehouse (Lewes)

Defenders: Harriet Scott (Birmingham), Aine O’Gorman (Shamrock Rovers), Louise Quinn (Birmingham), Niamh Fahey (Liverpool), Diane Caldwell (Reading), Hayley Nolan (London City Lionesses), Claire O’Riordan (Celtic), Megan Campbell (Liverpool), Chloe Mustaki (Bristol City), Tara O’Hanlon (Peamount United)

Midfielders: Katie McCabe (Arsenal), Denise O’Sullivan (North Carolina Courage), Megan Connolly (Brighton), Ruesha Littlejohn (Aston Villa), Jamie Finn (Birmingham), Ciara Grant (Hearts), Lily Agg (London City Lionesses), Sinead Farrelly (NY/NJ Gotham), Lucy Quinn (Birmingham City), Erin McLaughlin (Peamount United)

Forwards: Heather Payne (Florida State University), Leanne Kiernan (Liverpool), Abbie Larkin (Shamrock Rovers), Kyra Carusa (London City Lionesses), Amber Barrett (Potsdam Turbine), Marissa Sheva (Washington Spirit), Saoirse Noonan (Durham WFC).

West Ham have been charged by UEFA following the behaviour of their fans at their midweek Europa Conference League final victory over Fiorentina.

The Serie A side’s captain Cristiano Biraghi sustained a cut head after being hit by one of several plastic cups hurled at him from the end containing Hammers supporters as he went to take a first-half corner.

West Ham have also been charged with an invasion of the field of play.

Fiorentina have landed two charges relating to the lighting of fireworks and throwing of objects.

UEFA’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body (CEDB) will decide on the matter in due course.

Pep Guardiola and Kevin De Bruyne admit winning the Champions League is both a dream and an obsession for Manchester City.

City are bidding to win the competition for the first time, and complete the treble, as they face Inter Milan in the final in Istanbul on Saturday.

Guardiola’s side have dominated the domestic scene in recent years but repeatedly fallen short chasing Europe’s top prize, the one the club covets most highly.

City playmaker De Bruyne and manager Guardiola both spoke at a pre-match press conference at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium on Friday.

De Bruyne was asked first if he felt victory was a “dream” or an “obsession”.

The Belgium international said: “Maybe both. It depends who you ask. Every professional player wants to win the Champions League and be on top.

“If you can win the Champions League, you’ve reached one of the biggest things you can.”

Guardiola was in agreement when asked the same question.

The Catalan, who guided Barcelona to victory in the competition twice, has taken City into the knockout stages seven times but their runner-up finish in 2021 is the closest they have come to success.

“Absolutely it’s a dream,” he said. “To achieve things you have to have correct portion of obsession and desire, it’s a positive word, and willingness to try to do it, but of course it’s a dream.”

Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez is determined to seize the moment as he looks to follow up his World Cup triumph with Champions League success.

The Italian side take on favourites Manchester City for Europe’s top prize in Istanbul on Saturday and Martinez is hoping to round off a memorable campaign that also saw him help Argentina to international success in December.

Martinez said at a press conference at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium: “These are the two major finals a footballer can play.

“It has certainly been a very positive season for me. I am pleased with how it has gone and how I have done. Now we hope to finish off in the best possible way.

“If you want to achieve your goal this is the very last step and we must be ready to take it. It will be a very important game for everyone at Inter and the club.”

Saturday’s match will see Martinez come up against his Argentina team-mate Julian Alvarez, with whom he shared glory in Qatar.

Martinez said: “I have not been in contact with Julian. I got married recently and invited him but he was unable to attend.”

Inter, who finished third in Serie A, are rated as the underdogs against a City side bidding to complete a treble.

Coach Simeone Inzaghi said: “After reaching the final we didn’t have time to think about it as we still had games to play.

“Only now are we realising what we have achieved but we are not relaxed. We are concentrating very much and we will fight for every inch of the pitch against an excellent team.

“We must be fully focused and make no mistakes.”

Stopping the prolific Erling Haaland, who has scored 52 goals for City this season, will be key to Inter’s hopes.

Inzaghi said: “We know who we have to play. We know Manchester City are probably the best in the world. They have proved that, they have been defeated very few times.

“We know what a player Haaland is. Clearly we will have a special eye on him.

“I have prepared something but it will be all of Inter that have to defend, trying to limit not only Haaland but all of City.”

Inter midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu, the Turkey international, hopes to have the locals in the crowd on his side even though City captain Ilkay Gundogan also has a proud Turkish heritage.

Calhanoglu said: “I think it will be a very special game for me. It is special for a Turk to play in Istanbul.

“I want to enjoy this moment and I don’t know if I will play another final. We will give it our very best shot.

“I know Turks will support me. Gundogan is on the other team but he plays for Germany, so for our people it is perhaps more important I win. That is my dream.”

Former Manchester United forward Henrikh Mkhitaryan has returned to training for Inter after a thigh injury but remains a doubt.

Inzaghi said: “We have a positive feeling but he is not 100 per cent. I will have to decide whether to field him from the beginning or send him on during the match.”

Former Liverpool midfielder Naby Keita has returned to Germany to join Werder Bremen after the expiration of his contract at Anfield.

The Guinea international’s £52million move to Merseyside from RB Leipzig in 2018 came with high expectations.  However,  he disappointed in his 129 appearances over five years as he struggled to get to grips with the physicality of the Premier League and missed large amounts of time with a series of injuries.

The 28-year-old featured just 13 times last season, was left out of the Champions League squad due to injury, and started only three Premier League matches.

Bremen will hope the midfielder’s return to the Bundesliga will bring a change of luck after scoring 14 goals and providing 14 assists in 58 matches for Leipzig before his move to Liverpool.

“A number of clubs are obviously going to be interested when a player like Naby Keita is available on a free transfer,” said Bremen head of scouting Clemens Fritz.

“We’re therefore really pleased that Naby has decided to join Werder, despite several other offers. His qualities will massively strengthen our team.

“We now want to get him back to his best.”

Erling Haaland has brushed off concerns about his form ahead of the Champions League final on Saturday.

Haaland has scored 52 goals in an astonishing first season for Manchester City but grabbed only one in his last seven appearances.

Coming just prior to one of the biggest games in City’s history, as they take on Inter Milan in Istanbul for Europe’s top prize, it is a run that has raised eyebrows.

Yet Haaland insists there is nothing to worry about and he is not feeling the effects of a long and arduous season.

“You can think of it as one goal in seven games or 52 goals in 52 games and eight assists,” said the Norway striker. “You can think of it in both ways. I’m not stressed. I feel really good.”

Haaland has had no trouble dismissing critics this season.

Prior to his arrival at City last summer there were claims he would need time to settle, suggestions that only increased after he spurned a gilt-edged chance on debut against Liverpool in the Community Shield.

Even after he bounced back in sensational style by scoring 27 goals before the end of December, it was reckoned his presence could be hampering City, as their results at that stage were inconsistent.

“I think often it’s a good thing when people start criticising you,” he said. “I scored every single game and then people started criticising me. That’s what happened basically.

“When people criticise you it’s normally a good thing. It’s just about trying to smile a bit and enjoy life.

“In the Community Shield I missed a couple of big chances. It can happen, it will happen again.

“What can you do? Nothing. We have to focus on the next thing, the next game and that’s what I did. I scored two goals in the next game, so it was still not a bad start.”

Haaland feels he has exceeded his own expectations in his first season at City but still feels he could have done better.

He said: “No, I didn’t expect to score this many goals but, again, I could have scored more.

“I’ve been missing a lot of chances, so I could have scored more. That’s the truth.”

Everton have offered new contracts to Seamus Coleman, Tom Davies and Andy Lonergan but Yerry Mina and Andros Townsend will leave the club this summer.

Coleman, 34, has made over 400 appearances for the Toffees, including 25 last season, and has been offered the chance to stay at Goodison Park.

Davies, who came through the youth system at the club, managed just 20 appearances last term but boss Sean Dyche wants him to be part of his squad, along with back-up goalkeeper Lonergan.

Mina, a £27million signing from Barcelona in 2018, will leave at the end of his current contract, having had a mixed time at the club, while Townsend did not play for the club after March 2022 and also departs at the expiry of his deal.

Goalkeeper Asmir Begovic will leave after turning down a fresh contract offer.

Director of football Kevin Thelwell said on the club’s official website: “Everyone at the club wishes to thank all departing players for their contribution throughout their time at Everton.

“We’re also grateful to our senior men’s players who are moving on, including Yerry – whose passion and determination for Everton was evident by how highly he was thought of by our fans – to Andros and Asmir who were consummate professionals during their two years at the club.

“We wish all of them the best with the next chapters in their careers.

“We have also offered new contracts to players and we will continue talking with them as we look to build a competitive squad for Sean Dyche and his staff for the new season.”

Celtic have appointed former Motherwell manager Steven Hammell as their new head of academy coaching.

The 41-year-old was academy director at Fir Park before being promoted to take charge of the first team at the start of the season just finished.

Hammell was sacked in February after just six months at the helm but he will return to football in a new role overseeing the development of the Hoops’ youth academy coaching at all levels

“It is a great honour to join Celtic and I am really excited about the opportunity that has been given to me,” Hammell told the Celtic website.

“It is a hugely successful and exciting time for the club at all levels and I am looking forward to making my own contribution to add to the fantastic ongoing work right across our academy.

“I know the club has a rich history of developing its own young players. It is an important area for the club and I can’t wait to get started to play my part in working with our coaches to bring our players through to make their own contribution to this great club at the highest level.”

Celtic head of academy Chris McCart – to whom Hammell will report – feels the former Well boss’ expertise in youth development will serve him well in his new position.

“Stevie has a great track record in achieving positive outcomes in the development of young players, and I know that through his talent and experience he will play a significant role in this area for the club,” said McCart.

“We are always looking to develop across all areas and his enthusiasm and energy will be hugely beneficial to us going forward.”

Sheikh Jassim’s fifth and final bid to buy Manchester United will remain on the table beyond Friday but the Qatari’s patience with the takeover process is wearing thin.

The Sheikh and his Nine Two Foundation, which is seeking to buy 100 per cent of the club, are understood to feel that by Friday United’s owners, the Glazer family, and the Raine banking group which is conducting the sale process will have had ample time to seek or request clarification and revision of the bid, and will therefore no longer engage with them on it beyond this date.

Some observers have interpreted the submission of two additional bids from Sheikh Jassim as an indication that the rival offer from Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Ineos is preferred by the Glazers.

However, sources close to the Qatari say he is simply keen to bring the matter to a swift conclusion with a crucial summer transfer window for United coming up.

The fifth and final bid was issued earlier this week, and Sheikh Jassim considers it an enormous premium on the current share price of the club, both now and at any stage of the club’s recent share price.

Ratcliffe is understood to have made an improved offer on April 28. It has been reported that his offer enables Avram and Joel Glazer to retain a 20 per cent stake in the club, something the Ineos camp has not confirmed.

The Glazers are reported to value the club at £6billion.

This is a crunch period on and off the field for United, who won the Carabao Cup, finished third in the Premier League and lost Saturday’s FA Cup final in Erik ten Hag’s first season in charge.

Co-owner Avram Glazer was at Wembley for Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to Manchester City and ignored questions about the takeover as he left through the interview area.

Asked about the potential takeover and summer improvements, United boss Ten Hag said: “I think in this moment I don’t want to discuss that.

“It’s about finalising the season. We have to be quiet, analyse the season, go into the depth, then set the right conclusions and then take action.”