Related items

• Schmeichel reunites with Rodgers at Celtic

  Kasper Schmeichel has signed a one-year deal with Celtic, while reuniting with former Leicester City boss Brendan Rodgers.

  The Denmark goalkeeper joins the reigning Scottish Premiership champions as a free agent after his departure from Belgian side Anderlecht, where he spent a single season.

  Schmeichel, who also spent a year with Ligue 1 outfit Nice in 2022-23, brings plenty of experience to Celtic Park, following his 11-year stint with Leicester.

  The 37-year-old helped the Foxes to their fairy-tale Premier League triumph in 2016, along with their FA Cup success five years later.

  Rodgers was Schmeichel's coach in his final three years at the King Power Stadium, and both are excited to renew that working relationship.

  "I am absolutely delighted to join Celtic and can't wait to get started," Schmeichel told the club's official website.

  "Celtic is one of the world's proper football clubs, a massive name and a place of real passion and success. Celtic is what football is all about. 

  "I know Brendan very well, too. He is a top manager and someone I can't wait to work with again. 

  "I'm really looking forward to meeting up with the boys [on their pre-season tour] in America and starting our work and then, of course, meeting our fans who bring so much to Celtic.

  "I will be doing all I can to keep Celtic on top and bring these brilliant supporters more and more success."

  "I am really pleased to bring Kasper to Celtic," Rodgers added. "He is a real quality keeper and someone with the ability and personality to be great for us.

  "He is a guy I trust and someone who knows how to win. He lives for football, and he is coming to a club where he will feel the same passion that he has for the game.

  "I know he will feel right at home at Celtic, and we look forward to working with him as we all aim for more success."

• Man Utd announce signing of 18-year-old defender Yoro

  Manchester United have announced the signing of highly rated 18-year-old centre-back Leny Yoro from Lille.

  United are reported to have paid the French club an initial £52.2million (€62m), a fee that could rise to £58.9m (€70m).

  The move, which is subject to registration, sees Yoro sign a five-year contract at Old Trafford, with the option for a further year.

  "Signing for a club with the stature and ambition of Manchester United so early in my career is an incredible honour," Yoro said.

  "Since my first conversations with the club, they set out a clear plan for how I can develop in Manchester as part of this exciting project and showed a lot of care for me and my family.

  "I know about the history of young players at Manchester United and feel it can be the perfect place to reach my potential and achieve my ambitions, together with my new team-mates. I cannot wait to get started."

  Yoro made just 46 appearances in Ligue 1, 38 as a starter, and had only a year remaining on his Lille contract, but Real Madrid were said to be keen on the exciting young defender.

  So United, who have been looking to sign at least one centre-back in this transfer window, have made their move, pipping Madrid and other potential suitors.

  Erik ten Hag's side have also been linked with moves for Jarrad Branthwaite and Matthijs de Ligt and could yet return to the market to further bolster their defence.

  For now, United manager Ten Hag can look forward to pairing Yoro with Lisandro Martinez, who missed a large part of last season due to injury.

  What will Yoro bring?

  Martinez's absence impacted United's ability to play out from the back, having replaced long-standing goalkeeper David de Gea with Andre Onana in a bid to improve their build-up play.

  Despite his inexperience, Yoro should be able to have an immediate impact in that regard, showing his ability on the ball last season as he completed 92.1% of his passes in Ligue 1.

  Among United players to attempt multiple passes in the Premier League in 2023-24, only Martinez himself (92.2%) could top that mark.

  Harry Maguire, who made more starts than any other centre-back (18) for an injury-ravaged team, trailed considerably in that metric, completing just 83.1% of his passes.

  Yoro does not yet dominate physically like Maguire or Raphael Varane in a defensive sense, but he has been compared to the France World Cup winner by Lille's academy director Jean-Michel Vandamme.

  Dan Ashworth, United's sporting director, said on Thursday: "He possesses every attribute needed to develop into a top-class centre-back."

• Vieira leaves Strasbourg after one season

  Strasbourg have announced the departure of head coach Patrick Vieira by mutual consent.

  Vieira was in charge of the Ligue 1 side for just a single season, having signed a three-year deal at Stade de la Meinau last July.

  The 2023-24 campaign was one of transition for Le Racing, who finished 13th in the French top flight, with Vieira introducing several younger players into the side.

  Strasbourg, who begin their 2024-25 season against Montpellier on August 18, will now seek a successor to the former New York City, Nice and Crystal Palace boss.

  "We would like to express our gratitude and thank Patrick for the work he has accomplished during this first phase of the project, and we wish him much success in the future," club president Marc Keller on the club's official website. "He will always be welcome at the club."