Cardiff have signed Greece defender Dimitrios Goutas on a two-year contract.
The 29-year-old most recently played for Sivasspor, making 84 appearances for the Turkish club and scoring five goals.
He joins the Sky Bet Championship side as a free agent ahead of the 2023-24 season and cannot wait to get going.
“I’m very excited to be here,” Goutas told Cardiff City TV. “From the first day I came here, I’ve felt warmth from everybody. I’m happy to join the team and I will give my best to achieve our goals.
“I can’t wait to train with the team and help with my experience. I will always give 100 per cent and try to help the young players – that’s why I’m here.”
Bluebirds boss Erol Bulut said: “He can organise from the back and he is a good size for the Championship. He also has good speed, so I think he will be a very useful player for our style.
“He is one of those people who is really dangerous in the air and can score goals from set-pieces, which will be very good for us.”
Declan Rice is to undergo a medical at Arsenal following agreement on a fee with West Ham, the PA news agency understands.
The signing of the Hammers captain for £100million plus £5million in add-ons will not only break Arsenal’s own transfer record but also see Rice become the most expensive Englishman in Premier League history.
Arsenal launched their third and final bid last week with an offer which saw champions Manchester City pull out of the race to sign the 24-year-old.
West Ham were not happy with the payment structure of the Arsenal deal but, after further negotiations, it is understood an agreement is in place and Rice is free to discuss personal terms and have his medical ahead of a move to the Emirates Stadium.
Rice, who lifted the Europa Conference League title in what now looks set to be his final West Ham appearance, has been Arsenal’s top target this summer.
He would become the second summer signing for Mikel Arteta’s side, following the addition of Germany forward Kai Havertz from Chelsea, as the Gunners look to go one better than their second-placed finish last season.
Ajax defender Jurrien Timber also remains a priority for the Gunners, who head to Germany for a pre-season training camp later this month.
Republic of Ireland defender Enda Stevens has completed a move to Stoke on a 12-month contract after his Sheffield United deal expired.
The 32-year-old, who twice helped the Blades win promotion to the Premier League during a six-year spell at Bramall Lane, has linked up with the Potters ahead of Saturday’s pre-season friendly at Notts County and will travel to Spain for the club’s Costa Blanca training camp.
Stevens told the Sky Bet Championship club’s website: “I am delighted to be here and really excited to work with the gaffer and the boys this week before heading out to Spain for the training camp.
“It feels like the club is at the start of an ambitious project and I see another chance to be successful.
“Stoke City is a club of strong stature and, if we can play in a similar way to the Alex Neil teams I’ve come up against in the past, I have a belief that we can be really competitive in the Championship this season.”
Stevens has more than 450 appearances under his belt and was ever-present as Sheffield United finished ninth in the Premier League in 2019-20.
Former England forward Rachel Yankey has warned that the Lionesses’ World Cup opponents will all want to be the side that eliminates the European champions when the tournament kicks off in Australia and New Zealand.
Sarina Wiegman’s team are amongst the favourites as they seek to become the first England side to win a world title since 1966, particularly following last summer’s Euro 2022 success on home soil.
They fly out this evening to begin preparations for their opening match against Haiti and will be sent on their way by a message of support displayed beneath the flightpath out of Heathrow reading “Lionesses, you’re our pride.”
The gesture, arranged by the Football Association’s commercial partner Kind Snacks, is tagged with thousands of messages submitted by fans nationwide, and is a mark of how support for women’s football has been transformed since Yankey’s playing days.
The former Arsenal player, who won 129 caps during a 16-year international career, believes that whilst the prospect of holding both the world and European crowns simultaneously will be a motivation for England, other sides will be motivated to topple them starting with their first opponents Haiti.
“I don’t think anybody from our nation or any other would have said England were a favourite to win the World Cup when I was playing,” said Yankey, who won the last of her caps in 2013. “They are now.
“That’s because we’ve won the Euros, but there comes a pressure with that because everybody wants to beat a winning side. The games become harder. It’s a chance to knock you off the stage.
“Haiti will have nothing to lose. They’re expected to lose that game and that makes it dangerous. They go out there, if they got a goal or a win, they get plaudits. Our team need to set their own standards, they need to push each other on, they need to make sure every game they’re at the highest level.
“The main thing is getting through the group. How you do it is kind of irrelevant. We’d all like to see fantastic football, but just make sure you get the wins.
“The fact that they could become European and world champions has got to drive them on. We’ve got players there who are hungry for success and they’ll want more.
“The players will also understand that the better they do, the more it will inspire the younger generation, whether it’s boys or girls. It’s a chance to change how we view women’s football.”
After opening their campaign in Brisbane, Wiegman’s side move on to face Denmark in Sydney before concluding the group stage against China in Adelaide.
They are looking to reach what would be a first final for the Lionesses, whose previous best were semi-final appearances in 2015 and 2019.
Yankey hopes that the increased backing from the FA as well as commercial partners will continue to drive the exposure that the women’s game needs in order to grow.
She explained: “It’s hugely different from 2009 (when England reached the European Championship final, losing to Germany). That’s why it’s important that commercial partners come on board, because they make a difference to the way people view the game.
“In 2009 or any other year, you’re out there and fully focused, but once you’re out of the tournament you would come home and nobody knows about it. We don’t want that to happen.
“We see now when the girls are going on holiday and people are wanting to take photos of them. The landscape of women’s football has changed. That’s because of engagement, companies look at women’s football as a business and thinking that this is the right thing to do, but because women should have the same opportunity in all sports, but also it’s a business opportunity, a change to engage.”
:: KIND Snacks have created a giant message of support for the Lionesses as they head off to Australia for the first game in the tournament. The 100-metre wide sign was made out of thousands of messages of support from the public, including ex-Lionesses Rachel Yankey and Faye White.
Yaya Toure has told Harry Kane to stay at Tottenham for the rest of his career.
The England captain’s future has come under constant scrutiny this summer and Kane has regularly been linked with a move to Manchester United or Bayern Munich.
Spurs are insistent they will not sell their star player, despite him entering the last year of his contract, and Toure thinks Kane should end his career at his boyhood club.
Toure has had the chance to witness Kane at close quarters during his spell on the academy’s coaching staff and recognises his star quality.
“Harry Kane is a brilliant player and a brilliant leader,” the 40-year-old, who has just taken a coaching job at Standard Liege, told the PA news agency.
“For me I hope he is going to stay at Tottenham. What he did last season was incredible.
“I hope he is going to stay, being involved with the staff I can see how familiar they are, they all believe in each other.
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“He came from the academy, he is different. He is not like (Sergio) Aguero, who came in from Atletico, he is at home.
“I hope he is going to stay because he is a good player. Why not retire there, like (Paolo) Maldini or Gerrard did at Liverpool, if he does that it is going to be very significant.”
Spurs’ inability to win a trophy over the last 15 years has been the main reason why Kane has been linked with a move away.
But Toure believes the club is set up for success and Kane is integral to that.
“Tottenham have everything to be successful, when you see the stadium and facilities, they are brilliant,” he added.
“What’s left now? Maybe change players, I don’t know.
“But the competitiveness of the league, you have to match that. “What Manchester City are doing, you have to match that if you want to win.
“That is what I learned when I was at top clubs, week in week out, try to improve the club to be successful.
“I hope and believe that if Harry Kane stays, new players will join, the club will be improving and better and they will be able to challenge for something.”
Before Toure heads to Belgium to begin at Standard Liege, he will first put his coaching skills to use on the launch of Amazon’s Prime Day, as a Prime customer can buy a private coaching session for them and three friends.
He said: “I couldn’t stay away from coaching in the UK for long, but this is a fun one.
“Amazon approached me because like them, I’m known for reliable delivery, so for Prime Day I’m going to be working with a group of football fans to give them a training session and show them a thing or two.
“With the new season coming up, I’ll look to put them through their paces with knowledge I’ve gained through my years at clubs such as Barcelona and Manchester City.
“It’ll be one last training session in England for a while.”
::Yaya Touré will give one lucky Prime customer and their three friends a football training session to learn perfect delivery this Prime Day. Prime Members should check out www.amazon.co.uk/primeexperiences throughout 11th and 12th July to purchase.
Mason Mount has confirmed that he will be leaving Chelsea after 18 years at the club.
The 24-year-old came through the ranks at Stamford Bridge and since making his first-team debut in 2019 has gone on to score 27 goals and provide 22 assists in 129 Premier League appearances.
The PA news agency understands that Manchester United have agreed a deal to sign the midfielder for an initial £55million.
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Mount, who won the Champions League with Chelsea in 2021 and has earned 36 caps for England, posted a farewell message to Blues fans on Instagram.
He said on Instagram: “Hi Chelsea fans, given the speculation over the last six months this may not come as a surprise to you, but it doesn’t make it any easier to tell you that I’ve made the decision to leave Chelsea.
“I feel you deserve more than just a written statement, so I wanted to tell you directly how grateful I’ve been for all of your support over the last 18 years.
“I know some of you won’t be happy with my decision, but it’s what’s right for me at this moment in my career.
“I joined Chelsea when I was six years old and we’ve been through a lot together.
“Winning the Youth Cup, my Player of the Year awards, the Super Cup, the Club World Cup and of course that unforgettable night when we won the Champions League.
“I want to say thank you to the academy, Jim and Neil for being so influential to me from such a young age.
“The managers I’ve worked under, Frank (Lampard), Thomas (Tuchel) and Graham (Potter), the backroom staff, the unsung heroes of Cobham, all of my teammates over the years that have become my brothers.
“My family for the continuous love and support and most importantly you guys for sticking with me throughout. Wish you all the best.”
Saudi Arabian side Al-Ahli have confirmed the signing of former Liverpool forward Roberto Firmino.
The 31-year-old left Anfield following the expiration of his contract after joining the Reds from Hoffenheim in 2015.
He joins former Chelsea goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, who joined the Saudi Professional League side last month.
Firmino was part of a ruthless attack alongside Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane, and in his eight years at Liverpool the Brazilian won the Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup and Club World Cup.
He was not the only player to leave the Reds this summer as James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita also left the club at the end of their deals.
Mason Mount has confirmed on Instagram that he will be leaving Chelsea after 18 years at the club.
The 24-year-old came through the ranks at Stamford Bridge and since making his first-team debut in 2019 has gone on to score 27 goals and provide 22 assists in 129 Premier League appearances.
The PA news agency understands that Manchester United have agreed a deal to sign the midfielder for an initial £55million.
View this post on Instagram
Mount, who won the Champions League with Chelsea in 2021 and has earned 36 caps for England, posted a farewell message to Blues fans on Instagram.
He said: “Hi Chelsea fans, given the speculation over the last six months this may not come as a surprise to you, but it doesn’t make it any easier to tell you that I’ve made the decision to leave Chelsea.
“I feel you deserve more than just a written statement, so I wanted to tell you directly how grateful I’ve been for all of your support over the last 18 years.
“I know some of you won’t be happy with my decision, but it’s what’s right for me at this moment in my career.
“I joined Chelsea when I was six years old and we’ve been through a lot together.
“Winning the Youth Cup, my Player of the Year awards, the Super Cup, the Club World Cup and of course that unforgettable night when we won the Champions League.
“I want to say thank you to the academy, Jim and Neil for being so influential to me from such a young age.
“The managers I’ve worked under, Frank (Lampard), Thomas (Tuchel) and Graham (Potter), the backroom staff, the unsung heroes of Cobham, all of my teammates over the years that have become my brothers.
“My family for the continuous love and support and most importantly you guys for sticking with me throughout. Wish you all the best.”
Hearts head coach Frankie McAvoy hailed an “excellent” warm weather training camp as the Jambos get ready for the new season.
The Gorgie squad are in Spain this week and have several training sessions in the fitness bank ahead of the friendly against Championship side Plymouth on Thursday.
Steven Naismith was handed a two-year contract following his term as interim manager at the end of last season but his title was changed to technical director. The former Scotland international is working towards his required Pro Licence coaching qualification.
Former Hearts academy director McAvoy was named head coach, with Gordon Forrest also remaining as first-team coach and all three are putting the Hearts players through their paces with a view to a positive start to the 2023/24 season.
McAvoy, who was quoted stressing that he would call the shots in terms of team selection next season – “ultimately I’ll decide who plays” – told Hearts’ official website: “The first few days have been excellent.
“The three of us have worked extremely hard with the players to bring them up to speed as quick as we can.
“We’re coming up against Plymouth on Thursday and we need to make sure they’re in the best shape that they can be in a short period of time.
“There’s been some tough sessions for them so far.
“A key consideration is building camaraderie within the group which is massive.
“These trips aren’t a holiday, far from it. We want a strong group that knows each other well. We want to identify areas where we’re strong, and areas where we need to improve.
“After the seven games at the end of last season, we can start to see that come to fruition.
“It’s early stages but we’re hopeful that we can kick on even further. The campaign we’re facing is going to be a marathon, not a sprint. Starting well, having a good pre-season, puts us in good stead.”
Swansea have signed versatile defender Josh Key from Exeter on an initial three-year deal.
The 23-year-old, who has spent the last eight years on the Grecians’ books, can play full-back, wing-back or as a winger and is Michael Duff’s second signing since taking charge of the Swans.
The Welsh club hold an option for another 12 months through to 2027 should Key impress.
As Key is 23, Exeter are due compensation, and negotiations are ongoing on a figure, Swansea said on their website.
Jacob Ramsey will miss the remainder of England Under-21s’ European Championship campaign with an ankle injury.
The Aston Villa midfielder, who featured in England’s first four games, was replaced after 67 minutes during their 1-0 victory over Portugal and will sit out Wednesday’s semi-final.
Lee Carsley’s side will look to maintain their flawless defensive record when they play Israel for the second time in as many weeks in the last four.
Anthony Gordon insisted England’s 2-0 victory over Israel in the group stage is in the past and called for a fresh approach going into the tie.
“The group stage games now don’t really matter,” Gordon said. “It doesn’t matter how we played against them or how we beat them.
“They played really well against Georgia and won the game ultimately so it’s win or go home and hopefully we can put on another good performance and win the game.”
Morgan Gibbs-White reiterated that message by highlighting Israel’s hunger to seek revenge after goals from Gordon and Emile Smith Rowe firmed England’s bid to qualify from Group C.
And the Nottingham Forest midfielder, who leads the competition’s assist chart with three, admitted rest and recovery should be at the forefront of England’s thinking.
“It’s a completely new game. [Israel] are even more hungry now they are in the semi-final. They are going to want revenge,” Gibbs-White said.
“We beat them in the group stage and now they are going to want to beat us, so we have got to make sure we are fully prepared, well rested, fully recovered and hopefully we can go again and get to the final.”
Burnley forward Michael Obafemi will miss the start of the Premier League season with a hamstring injury suffered while on international duty.
The 22-year-old tore his hamstring in the Republic of Ireland’s 3-0 win over Gibraltar and will undergo an operation later this week before beginning a rehabilitation process.
Obafemi joined the Clarets on loan from Swansea in January, and scored two goals in 14 appearances before making his move permanent earlier this month.
The injury will be a blow to Vincent Kompany’s attacking options as Burnley make their return to the Premier League.
The Clarets reportedly remain in talks to re-sign Nathan Tella from Southampton after he topped Burnley’s scoring charts with 19 goals last term.
Theo Bair has agreed to terminate his contract at St Johnstone by mutual consent.
The 23-year-old Canada international forward joined the Perth club from Vancouver Whitecaps in January 2022 for an undisclosed fee.
Bair scored one goal in 31 appearances for the McDiarmid Park club last season.
A statement on Saints’ official website confirmed Bair’s departure and added: “We would like to thank Theo for all his efforts while at McDiarmid Park and wish him all the best in his future.”
Jack Butland aims to follow in the footsteps of two Rangers goalkeeping greats as he settles into life with the Ibrox club.
The 30-year-old joined the Light Blues last month on a four-year contract after his release by Crystal Palace and is in line to take over from 41-year-old Allan McGregor, whose time at the Govan outfit came to an end last season.
Appearing at the Rangers Training Centre on Tuesday, two days after the one-year anniversary of the death of former Rangers keeper Andy ‘The Goalie’ Goram, Butland spoke about emulating two Ibrox heroes.
“That’s the plan,” the England international said. “You are talking about two goalies – ‘The Goalie’ and Greegsy (McGregor) – two guys who have an incredible history with the club.
“They knew what Rangers was about. Watching the memorial video to Andy Goram the other day, painted a picture of what he was like, what he meant to the club and what the club meant to him.
“I think that’s what this club is all about. It has a rich history of top goalkeepers and that is something that I will be looking to continue both on and off the pitch, trying to learn about the club, enjoy it, take it all in and hopefully follow in their footsteps which, of course, is a big ask because of what they have done.”
Butland, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Manchester United without playing, won the last of his nine England caps in a friendly win over Switzerland in 2018 and has not given up hope of a return to the international fold but insists it is not his priority.
“I am a patriotic guy,” he said. “My country has always been important to me. To have represented them in the past is an honour.
“Of course I would love to get back to that.
“It is not my sole focus. My focus is to be successful at club level and that is to do my job here and whatever happens with that (England), I have always said, that will take care of itself. That is for others to decide.
“That will only happen if we are doing what we need to do here and I am playing well enough, which at the moment is my sole focus and if that comes, that is a bonus.”
Butland is one of five new signings boss Michael Beale has made this summer and the Ibrox club are on the brink of completing a deal with Cremonese for 28-year-old Nigeria forward Cyriel Dessers.
Rangers on Tuesday announced a friendly against Olympiacos at Ibrox on Wednesday, July 26, to complete their pre-season diary alongside fixtures against Newcastle, Hamburg and Hoffenheim.
A Manchester City fans group has accused the Football Association of “doing the bare minimum” in amending the Community Shield kick-off time and called for a further change.
The 1894 group urged supporters to boycott the treble winners’ season-opener against Arsenal at Wembley on August 6 after it was originally scheduled for 5.30pm on Sunday, August 6.
After this and other complaints, the FA, in conjunction with broadcaster ITV, moved the game to 4pm.
This has not gone far enough for some fans and, while they are no longer expecting a “full boycott”, 1894 still feels the kick-off should be brought forward again by another hour.
A statement from the group, issued via the Football Supporters’ Association, read: “We repeat our request to the FA and to ITV to help more fans attend the game by bringing the kick-off time to 3pm.
“In the eyes of many fans, the very quick decision to move the game from 5.30pm to 4pm and hastily-arranged PR releases from the FA came across as them doing the bare minimum and expecting a round of applause for the decision.
“The subsequent statement from the FA said 4pm was agreed after consultation with the police, the local council and the broadcaster (ITV). However, the most important stakeholder was not consulted… the fans!”
Travel arrangements for Wembley fixtures have been a recurring source of frustration for north west teams in recent seasons.
Late kick-offs leave supporters travelling by rail limited time to get back to stations before the final trains north and there are general concerns about arriving home late at night and the high costs involved. These issues have been exacerbated for some high-profile fixtures by rail strikes and engineering works.
The 1894 statement added: “We feel 3pm is a fair request to the authorities to allow more people to travel back at a sensible time.
“To expect 30,000 fans to travel back north late on a Sunday evening is unfair. Wembley is a great, iconic venue but there are challenges getting to and from there, so we call on ITV and the FA to help our fans in particular by offering an earlier kick-off which allows families to attend.”
The group is still encouraging fans not to attend the game and support local foodbanks instead. It has organised a screening of the match at the Band on the Wall venue in Manchester city centre and proceeds will be donated to such causes.
“Fans can make a difference – even if a full boycott is not expected at this stage,” the statement added.
“It’s hard to sacrifice watching your own team play. However, some fans are seeing it is an opportunity to make a statement.
“It’s not the FA Cup final, it’s not the Champions League final. It is a game in the scheme of things where fans, if they are not valued, can choose to walk away from attending.”
The FA has been approached for comment.
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