Diogo Dalot says everyone at Manchester United feels like they are “at the start of a special journey” after signing a new deal until at least 2028.
The 24-year-old right-back joined from Porto in 2018 and has gone on to make 107 appearances in all competitions for the club.
Dalot, who spent the 2020-21 season on loan at AC Milan, has now signed new terms at Old Trafford for the next five years, with the option of a further season.
“Playing for Manchester United is one of the highest honours that you can have in football,” the 11-cap Portugal international said.
“We have shared some fantastic moments over the past five years and I’ve grown so much and my passion for this incredible club has only increased since the day that I joined.
“As a group of players, we all feel like we are at the start of a special journey right now.
“I can assure you that I will dedicate myself relentlessly to helping this group to achieve our aims and make the fans proud of this team.
“That drive continues this week with everyone intensely focused on preparations for the FA Cup final.”
Dalot began the season superbly under Erik ten Hag, but much-improved Aaron Wan-Bissaka may get the nod to start Saturday’s FA Cup final at right-back.
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Irrespective of his role against Manchester City this weekend, United football director John Murtough is delighted by the strides the full-back has made.
“Diogo is an excellent defender, with a great combination of pace, strength and versatility,” he said. “He has consistently developed, improving year-on-year since joining the club in 2018.
“Diogo’s work ethic and professionalism is superb; the way in which he prepares himself every day in order to perform at his highest level is exactly what we all want from a Manchester United player.
“Diogo has a strong mentality, high standards and a great personality, and we are delighted that he will remain an important member of the squad for the coming years.”
Ederson lauds 'sometimes annoying' Guardiola
Ederson says it is an honour to be a part of Pep Guardiola's Manchester City, though admitted the manager can be "sometimes annoying".
The goalkeeper joined City in June 2017 and has since kept 113 clean sheets in 257 Premier League appearances, more than any other goalkeeper in the competition since his debut.
He has won 15 major trophies with City, including six Premier Leagues, two FA Cups and a Champions League title, as well as the UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup under Guardiola.
While on international duty with Brazil, Ederson attended an event for Children's Day and was asked if Guardiola was nice, annoying or angry by one child.
"You're going to get me in trouble," Ederson told ESPN Brasil. "He's all three.
"He's a nice guy, he's sometimes annoying, in the sense of [being] demanding, because he has to [be] demanding to a professional [player], and he's also angry when he has to be angry.
"So he has a mixture of all three. But he's a nice guy off the pitch, and he's a very, very demanding guy on it. And he's also a guy who gets angry like any other person, like any other coach, when things don't go well or when the team doesn't play well.
"Of course, we know that we're not going to be able to play 70 games at a brilliant level. Of course, in one game or another, there's going to be a dip."
Under Guardiola, City became the only English club in history to hold all five trophies – Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup, Super Cup and Club World Cup – in a calendar year (in 2023).
In the English top-flight, Guardiola has overseen 311 games since July 2016, winning 230 of those (D43 L38). He has a 73.95% win percentage in the competition and averages 2.36 points per game.
And Ederson believes the Spaniard, who has been named the Premier League manager of the season five times, has changed football in the competition.
"I've been able to play a big part in the project," he said. "You take everything Guardiola has built up with the group, with the squad and everything he's been able to reformulate practically.
"You see every Premier League game today, how the teams try to play more football, have more possession. It's completely different from when he arrived.
"So to be able to be part of this project and achieve everything I've achieved, I feel very honoured, it really is a childhood dream."
CONCACAF President to visit Jamaica next week
President of the governing body of football in the region, CONCACAF, Victor Montagliani, will be visiting Jamaica starting Wednesday October 16, 2024 for two days.
On his visit to Jamaica he will meet with the President of the Jamaica Football Federation, Michael Ricketts, the Prime Minister of Jamaica The Most Honorable Andrew Holness, and also the Minister of Sport, The Honorable Olivia Grange.
Montagliani will also watch some matches in the Jamaica Premier League.
“We are eagerly anticipating the arrival of CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani to Jamaica. This is a momentous moment for us,” Ricketts said.
“The last time he was here was for the FIFA Football Summit in Montego Bay in 2018. We look forward to strengthening our relationship with CONCACAF,” he added.
JPL outfit Dunbeholden FC partnering with Dinthill Technical High School to provide counselling to players involved in fracas with match official
In an unfortunate event this September, two players from Dinthill Technical High School were banned from taking part in any Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association (ISSA) competition for one year, while a third was suspended for three games following an incident involving match officials at the end of a daCosta Cup match against McGrath High.
Reports stated that players were involved in a confrontation with the referee after the game, and it was alleged one of them physically assaulted the official.
Maalick Whyte and Shamair Hutchinson have both been banned from participating in any ISSA-run competitions for one-year, effective September 26, 2024, while Tyrese Gowe, was hit with the three-match suspension.
The Linstead-based school was also placed on a three-year probation and faces the possibility of suspension should its players breach the disciplinary code of conduct within the period of probation.
This incident also led to the Jamaica Referees Association members taking strike action, resulting in the postponement of matches across both the Manning and Dacosta Cup competitions.
Jamaica Premier League outfit Dunbeholden FC, club of Tyrese Gowe, is one of the groups trying to find ways to prevent this from happening again and have acted through their partnership with Counsellors Corner.
“The Management of the Dunbeholden Football Club thought it prudent to get involved in finding solutions and ways to help student athletes to becoming future stars and role models for their peers," the club said in a statement on Friday.
“Dunbeholden Football Club does not condone such behaviors in any way and, while we sympathize with the Dinthill family, we, through our partnership with Counsellors Corner will be partnering with Dinthill Technical High School to offer counselling to the students involved and also other student athletes as well as the wider school community,” it continued.
The club also announced that they are in the process of partnering with other schools, churches and companies in St. Catherine to try and decrease incidents of this nature from happening again.
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