Celtic CEO Peter Lawwell and his family are safe but "extremely shaken and shocked" after an explosion and fire at his home on Wednesday.
Lawwell, who will retire from his role at the club after 17 years next month, escaped unharmed after the incident in Glasgow, which Celtic described as "terrible".
But major damage was done to his property and cars in the immediate area, with eight fire engines required to respond as the blaze spread rapidly.
Police Scotland confirmed there had been an explosion and they are investigating the cause after reports a petrol bomb was involved.
A Celtic spokesperson said: "We can confirm that significant damage has been caused to Peter Lawwell's house and vehicles there, following an explosion and fire early this morning, forcing the family to leave the property.
"Clearly, Peter's family are extremely shaken and shocked by these terrible events, but thankfully all are safe.
"We understand that Police Scotland are currently undertaking a criminal investigation.
"Peter and his family will of course receive the full support and care of everyone at the club."
A widely reported statement from Police Scotland confirmed the investigation.
It read: "Around 1am on Wednesday 19 May, officers were called to a report of vehicles on fire outside a house on Peel Road, Thorntonhall.
"No one was injured and officers are currently working with the Scottish fire and rescue service to establish the cause of the fire."
Former Motherwell boss Steven Hammell joins Celtic as head of academy coaching
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 bid still on table as Manchester United takeover tests patience
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.”
England to face Portugal in Milton Keynes ahead of Women’s World Cup
England will face Portugal on July 1 in their final home warm-up match before flying to Australia for the Women’s World Cup.
Sarina Wiegman’s side are due to leave for the tournament four days after the meeting with their fellow finalists in Milton Keynes, with the game to kick-off at 3:15pm and be broadcast live on ITV.
Their opening game of the competition, which is being hosted jointly by Australia and New Zealand, is against Haiti in Brisbane on 22 July, before the team fly to Sydney to face Denmark then finish the group stage against China in Adelaide.
Wiegman finalised her squad for the World Cup, which England are looking to win for the first time following their Euro 2022 triumph last summer, in May with Arsenal’s Beth Mead a notable absence through injury.
Portugal are competing for the first time in the World Cup and are building on their first major tournament appearances at the last two editions of the European Championships.
Canada will be England’s final warm-up opponents in a behind-closed-doors friendly on July 14.
“I am really pleased to have a competitive game for our last home fixture,” said Wiegman. “We had two big games in April against Brazil and Australia where we learned so much.
“This will be another challenging match against a team that have performed well and are going to their first World Cup.
“Portugal will also want to show they can be a threat to teams in Australia, and they have very technical players with good ability. For us, it will be important to come together again as a team after the end of the club season and feel the support of our fans.
“We will do our best to give them a good performance. It will only be three weeks until our opening World Cup game so it will be such an important moment in our preparation.”
The Football Association and Women’s Super League clubs had been in a dispute over the release date for players called up to the squad.
The FIFA-sanctioned date by which clubs must make players available is July 10, just 10 days before the tournament kicks off.
It was reported last week that the FA had planned for the squad to meet up on June 19, though a formal agreement between parties took time to reach.
That date has now been confirmed by the FA, which said in a statement: “We are grateful for the mutual understanding of the clubs, as we have collectively worked towards a solution with the wellbeing of players at the heart.”
England beat Portugal the last time the sides met competitively, Toni Duggan and Nikita Parris scoring the goals in a 2-1 win for the Lionesses in the Euro 2017 group stage.
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