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• Birmingham investment approved by EFL

  The EFL has approved Tom Wagner’s imminent investment in Birmingham.

  The American financier and his company, Knighthead Capital Management, has agreed to purchase a 45 per cent stake in Blues under Shelby Companies Limited.

  Birmingham and Wagner still need the Hong Kong Stock Exchange to confirm the deal before it is officially completed with the club’s parent company, Birmingham Sports Holdings Limited, having been looking for investment.

  A club statement read: “The English Football League (EFL) has today approved the acquisition of 45 per cent in the Club by Shelby Companies Limited and is now awaiting approval in accordance with the rules of Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

  “This exciting announcement comes after the exchange of two signed Sale and Purchase Agreements (SPA) on Sunday, 7 May.

  “Shelby Companies Limited is managed by American financier, Tom Wagner, who was in attendance at Blues’ final game of the 2022/23 Sky Bet Championship season against Sheffield United.”

• New Cardiff boss Erol Bulut still haunted by Turkish earthquake

  New Cardiff manager Erol Bulut says he and his family are still affected by the huge earthquake that devastated parts of Turkey four months ago.

  Bulut was manager of Gaziantep until nine days before the destruction there on February 6, but he was still in the Turkish city – just 23 miles from the epicentre – when the 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit.

  “It was four in the morning and we were sleeping, I felt my house shake,” Bulut said of the earthquake which killed over 50,000 in Turkey and left nearly another 10,000 dead in neighbouring Syria.

  “My kids still have a thing about that, thinking that it’s shaking and shaking.

  “The small villages around Antep (Gaziantep) were totally destroyed. We couldn’t go out.

  “We couldn’t drive to Istanbul because the streets were destroyed. We made a plan to get out of there.

  “My squad was living on the 20th floor and they were shocked more. I called my squad together and they slept for one night in my house.

  “Thank God I arranged a private jet and we left from Antep the next day. An ex team-mate of mine, one from Fenerbahce, he died.

  “Also an ex-coach who was also with me, he died, too. It was not easy. If I think about this I don’t feel well. It was not easy for my country.”

  Former Turkey Under-21 international Bulut has signed a one-year contract with the option of another two should things go well in Wales.

  The 48-year-old has enjoyed success in Turkey by guiding unheralded Yeni Malatyaspor and Alanyaspor into the Europa League.

  He also had eight months in charge of Fenerbahce – during which time he signed Germany international Mesut Ozil from Arsenal – but was sacked in March 2021 with the Istanbul-based club third in the Super Lig.

  Bulut arrives in the Welsh capital on the back of Cardiff finishing 21st in the Sky Bet Championship and employing three managers – Steve Morison, Mark Hudson and Sabri Lamouchi – during a troubled campaign.

  But Bulut, who was approached by Cardiff in 2020 before becoming Fenerbahce manager, said: “I had a conversation with Vincent (Tan, club owner) two weeks ago via a Zoom call.

  “Vincent already got promoted two times to the Premier League. Why not a third time? We will make everything possible.

  “Last year was not so easy to keep in the league, but we don’t want to be in that position again. So we will have to work for that.”

  Cardiff are currently working under a transfer embargo with the EFL as they cannot pay transfer fees for players until May 2024.

  The club is challenging the EFL ruling but it is unlikely to be revoked during this summer’s transfer window.

  Bulut, who has targeted eight to 10 summer signings and will now run the rule over Cardiff’s out-of-contract players, said: “We have some players in our hand.

  “Some players we will have to discuss, I think seven have contracts finished. I have to see the players in training for the first 10 days.

  “I think around eight to 10 (signings) can be possible.”

• Udinese 0-1 Juventus: Chiesa strikes but Bianconeri miss out on top-six Serie A finish

  Juventus missed the chance to finish sixth in Serie A despite Federico Chiesa's strike sealing a 1-0 victory over Udinese at Dacia Arena.

  After Paulo Dybala's late penalty helped Roma to a 2-1 victory over Spezia, Massimiliano Allegri's side were unable to leapfrog the Giallorossi and were forced to settle for a seventh-place finish in the league.

  Chiesa's second-half strike was the difference for Juve, who were deducted 10 points for violating financial rules earlier in a rollercoaster campaign, but they suffered their lowest finish in Serie A for 12 years.

  Meanwhile, Udinese finished 12th in Serie A following their 10th defeat in 12 meetings with the Old Lady. 

  Udinese had lost their last three but went close after just four minutes when Beto somehow headed Florian Thauvin's cross over from inside the six-yard box.

  Federico Chiesa’s deflected effort hit the side-netting before Juve saw a headed opportunity go begging as Leonardo Bonucci nodded against the crossbar from seven yards out following Arkadiusz Milik's flick-on.

  Chiesa continued to cause Udinese problems down the left flank, yet the sides headed into half-time goalless after a profligate showing from both teams.

  Juve squandered a great chance to break the deadlock just after the hour mark, Adrien Rabiot firing wide despite being found by Milik in acres of space inside the box.

  But the visitors eventually opened the scoring in the 68th minute, Chiesa receiving the ball from Manuel Locatelli before bending a brilliant shot into the bottom-right corner.

  Locatelli and Angel Di Maria went close to extending the advantage and though the single goal was enough, former Juve forward Dybala was to snatch sixth place for Roma from under his old club's nose.