Related items

• Jude Bellingham to become the eighth Brit to play for Real Madrid

  Jude Bellingham looks set to become a Real Madrid player after the Spanish club agreed an £88.5million fee with Borussia Dortmund.

  The England international will join a small but esteemed set of British players to play for Los Blancos.

  Here, the PA news agency takes a look at those players from these shores to have played at the Bernabeu.

  Laurie Cunningham

  England international Cunningham was the trailblazer for those that followed him after becoming the first Englishman to play for Real Madrid after signing from West Brom in 1979. The left winger brought plenty of excitement to the fans and after scoring on his debut, went on to win the league and cup double in his first season. His time at the Bernabeu was hampered by injuries and he left to join Marseille in 1984, having scored 20 goals in 66 appearances. He was sadly killed six years later in a car crash, aged just 33, while playing for Raya Vallecano.

  Steve McManaman (1999-2003)

  View this post on Instagram

  A post shared by SteveMcManaman (@stevemcmanaman17)

  Twenty years after Cunningham, Steve McManaman followed as he joined from Liverpool. The floppy-haired winger played in one of the great Madrid teams alongside the likes of Raul, Ronaldo, Luis Figo and Zinedine Zidane, winning two LaLiga titles and two Champions League titles, scoring in the 2000 final against Valencia. He made over 150 appearances and moved to Manchester City in 2003, where he spent two years before retiring in 2005.

  David Beckham (2003-2007)

  View this post on Instagram

  A post shared by David Beckham (@davidbeckham)

  Already a global superstar, David Beckham’s footballing image went to the next level when he signed for Madrid in 2003. Although his time in the Spanish capital was not the silverware haul he enjoyed at Manchester United, winning just one league title, he was a fan favourite. He made 155 appearances, scored 20 goals and notched 59 assists before moving to LA Galaxy in 2007.

  Michael Owen (2005-2006)

  View this post on Instagram

  A post shared by Michael Owen (@themichaelowen)

  Given Michael Owen’s relationship with Beckham for the England national team, an £8million move for the striker seemed good business in 2005. But Owen never really took off in Madrid and spent the majority of his one season at the club on the bench. He was able to score when he was on the pitch, most memorably a fine goal in a 4-2 win over Barcelona. He left for Newcastle in 2006.

  Jonathan Woodgate (2005-07)

  The fact that Woodgate has been voted as Real Madrid’s worst signing of the 21st century by readers of a Spanish newspaper tells you how his time at the club went. He joined Owen in swapping England for Spain in the summer of 2004 but was injured at the time and did not make an appearance until September 2005. That went about as well as expected as he scored an own goal and was sent off. He managed just 14 appearances in three years due to more injury woe and he left the Bernabeu being remembered for all the wrong reasons.

  Gareth Bale (2013-2022)

  Bale was the hottest property in Europe when he joined Madrid from Tottenham in 2013 and his career at the Bernabeu speaks for itself. He won four Champions League titles, one LaLiga title, one Copa Del Rey, two Spanish Super Cups and three European Super Cups. He scored 106 goals in 258 appearances, often vying for the spotlight with Cristiano Ronaldo, before it turned sour at the end of his stay, where his relationship with boss Zinedine Zidane and the fans was frosty at best.

  Caroline Weir (2022-Present)

  Weir became the first British woman – and first Scot – to play for Real Madrid when she signed on a free transfer from Manchester City last summer. The attacker enjoyed a successful debut season in the Spanish capital, scoring 15 goals, while also knocking her former side out of the Women’s Champions League.

• Leeds charged with failing to control crowd after Eddie Howe confronted

  Leeds have been charged with failing to control their crowd after a fan confronted Newcastle boss Eddie Howe at Elland Road during a recent Premier League game.

  The fan was charged with assault by West Yorkshire Police and banned for life by Leeds after he entered the technical area to remonstrate with Howe during last month’s 2-2 draw.

  The FA said on its spokesperson Twitter site: “Leeds United has been charged with misconduct in relation to crowd control that occurred during its Premier League game against Newcastle United FC on Saturday 13 May 2023.

  “It’s alleged that the club failed to ensure its spectators and/or supporters – and anyone purporting to be its supporters or followers – conduct themselves in an orderly fashion and don’t use words or behave in an improper, offensive, violent, threatening, abusive or insulting or provocative way.

  “Leeds United FC has until Wednesday 14 June 2023 to provide a response.”

  Howe said after the game that his confrontation should act as a wake-up call for those responsible for the safety of players and staff.

  “I actually can’t remember whether he pushed me or not, I’ve got no idea, it’s such a strange thing because you’re concentrating on the game and you don’t expect it to happen,” Howe said.

  “He confronted me, said something that I can’t repeat and was then led away.

  “I’m OK, moments like that do make you think about the safety of staff and players is paramount for me at any matches in the Premier League and Football League. We need to be mindful, security is so important.

  “I don’t know if I had time to be fearful because it was over in a flash but it certainly makes you think ‘what if’ and I think it is moments like this that should make people look and analyse how we can improve safety for staff and players.”

  West Yorkshire Police later confirmed that the man had been charged with assault and will appear before magistrates on July 21.

• Postecoglou appointment at Tottenham marks 'golden era' for Australian football

  Tottenham's appointment of Ange Postecoglou is part of "a golden era" for Australian football, according to James Johnson.

  Postecoglou was handed a four-year deal at Spurs on Tuesday, leaving Scottish champions Celtic after two successful years which culminated in a domestic treble.

  Football Australia CEO Johnson believes Tottenham fans are wrong to hold concerns over Postecoglou – who has been hired to replace Antonio Conte – even if the 57-year-old was not one of the biggest names available.

  Johnson feels Postecoglou's track record speaks for itself and is certain he will succeed in the Premier League in an era of rapid progress for figures connected with Australian football.

  "Australian football is in a golden era right now," Johnson said to Stats Perform.

  "It is a really extraordinary development and Australian football is very proud of Ange. 

  "Ange has gone through every level of Australian football. He's played in the NSL. He's coached in the NSL with South Melbourne. 

  "He's coached in the A-League with Brisbane Roar and Melbourne Victory. He's coached all our national teams from the youth national teams, all the way up to the Socceroos. 

  "He's had success at Celtic and now to land a job in the biggest league in the world with one of the biggest clubs in the world is extraordinary for Ange and for Australian football.

  "The Ange appointment is another example of the many great waves that Australian football is pushing out at the moment.

  "We are seeing a lot of our Matildas [Australia women's national team players] who are playing at some of the biggest clubs in the world from Chelsea to Tottenham to Arsenal to Lyon to Manchester City.

  "We are seeing players re-enter the Premier League again, like Harry Souttar did at Leicester. We are seeing many players who are transferring from the A-League into Europe.

  "And we are seeing our Socceroos coming off the best performance at a World Cup that they have ever had. 

  "Then we are hosting the biggest tournament in women's sports, the Women's World Cup, in only six weeks’ time, so it is a fantastic time for Australian football." 

  Postecoglou will take charge of a Spurs team that struggled to eighth place in the Premier League and will not play in Europe next season, with star striker Harry Kane facing an uncertain future.

  Conte was sacked in late March, with Cristian Stellini and then Ryan Mason taking temporary charge. Johnson is convinced there will now be a rapid improvement and an attacking style of play.

  He added: "Ange is someone who understands football from top to bottom, he's coached that youth team level. So at Tottenham, he's going to have a great connection with the youth team. 

  "He's competed at the European level. So he's going to understand what it's like to juggle players who were playing both domestically and European football which a club like Tottenham do. 

  "He's going to understand the friction between national team football and club football. 

  "Ange is a total package as a coach and Tottenham are very smart to hire him. 

  "He plays very attacking football. He's one of these people that he won't have restrictions put on him, he'll go out and play his style against any opposition.

  "I think that kind of positivity and energy is exactly what a club like Tottenham need at the moment when they probably haven't done as well, in the past 12 months, as people would have expected them to."

  Johnson continued: "I think people particularly in Europe need to understand the Australian football is coming quickly. 

  "Ange at the forefront of that movement and will be successful in the Premier League. I'm absolutely sure about that."

  Spurs have friendlies against West Ham, Leicester City and Roma lined up in July.