Youri Tielemans has announced that he is leaving Leicester.

The 26-year-old joined the Foxes from Monaco on loan in 2019 before signing a permanent deal on a four-year contract.

Tielemans is out of contract this summer and his departure comes after Leicester were relegated from the Premier League on the final day of the season on Sunday.

Their relegation came just seven years after being crowned Premier League champions and two seasons since winning the FA Cup against Chelsea, where Tielemans scored a stunning goal to seal victory.

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“Dear Leicester fans, after four and a half special years and with a lot of gratitude I’m bidding farewell to this incredible club,” the Belgium international said in a video on Instagram.

“From the first day I set foot on this ground, your warmth and passion embraced me.

“Victory and triumph, love, hope and even defeat, we’ve shared many special moments together.

“I am forever grateful for your unwavering support, thank you to Khun Top, the board, the staff, the players and fans for having given me and my family a home.

“This is not a goodbye, but a heartfelt farewell. With pride, love and eternal gratitude, Youri Tielemans.”

Leeds chairman Andrea Radrizzani has apologised to the club’s fans following relegation from the Premier League.

In a personal statement posted on Twitter, Radrizzani admitted the board of directors had made mistakes and hoped to make some “key appointments in different areas of the club”.

But the 48-year-old Italian, who is part of a consortium that has completed a takeover of Sampdoria, made no mention of a possible change of ownership at Leeds.

Radrizzani said: “The last few days have been very difficult for everyone associated with Leeds United.

“I find it very hard to find the right words to say, other than to apologise to all of our fans for the club’s relegation. I am sincerely sorry for how this season has unfolded.

“We have made significant investments to try to keep Leeds United in the Premier League, but in working hard to improve the club, we have also obviously made some mistakes.

“We are reflecting on the decisions that we have taken to ensure we learn the lessons to improve our club and make progress in the future.

“Leeds supporters deserve more than this. You understand the journey on which we have embarked, and I hope that once the anger and disappointment has subsided you will see that we can come back stronger.”

Radrizzani’s company Aser Group, in partnership with finance company Gestio Capital, announced on Tuesday night that they had concluded a deal to save financially-stricken Sampdoria, recently relegated to Serie B.

It had been expected that that deal would lead to Radrizzani selling his 56 per cent stake in Leeds to American co-owners 49ers Enterprises.

The financial arm of NFL franchise the San Francisco 49ers increased its stake in Leeds to 44 per cent at the end of 2021 with a deal in place to buy Radrizzani’s stake and take full control before January 2024.

But that deal was contingent on Leeds remaining in the Premier League and it would appear Radrizzani is now intent on leading them back to the top flight.

“We have invested heavily in Leeds United since 2017 and worked hard to get back to where the club deserves to be,” he added.

“With the support of our partners, we can continue that journey to bounce back.

“I am proud of the progress we have made in recent years. We have become a club that can attract exciting players, we are strong commercially, we have seen improvements to the academy, introduced a women’s side and so much more.

“In many ways the club has been transformed and we are committed and determined to continue on this journey.

“I do not like to make false promises, there is still a lot of work to do and change is needed.

“We need a clear strategy to continue our vision for the club and work is underway to produce this, which we hope will be reflected in some key appointments in different areas of the club. We will keep you all updated throughout the process.”

Leeds’ three-year stay in the Premier League ended last Sunday when they lost 4-1 at home to Tottenham.

The Yorkshire club have employed three managers during a disastrous campaign, sacking Jesse Marsch in February and then Javi Gracia earlier this month before appointing Sam Allardyce for the last four games.

Luton have confirmed that captain Tom Lockyer will leave hospital on Thursday and is set to be available for pre-season training.

The 28-year-old fell to the floor during their Sky Bet Championship play-off final against Coventry on Saturday and was taken to hospital after being carried off the pitch on a stretcher.

Lockyer has since undergone tests at the Cavendish Clinic in London and the club confirmed he will be able to join their preparations for Premier League football next season.

A statement on the Luton website said: “The Welsh international has completed all the necessary medical tests and observations to be allowed home for a period of rest before the start of pre-season training, which he will be fit to take part in.

“We would like to thank everyone for their messages of love and support for Locks, who has had a season to remember and proudly led the team out on Saturday, with his team-mates completing the job for him.

“We can’t wait to see you back home at the Kenny with that trophy in your hands, Locks!”

Saturday’s final went to penalties after Jordan Clark’s opener was cancelled out by Gustavo Hamer to finish 1-1 after extra time, but the Hatters secured top-flight football with a 6-5 victory on penalties.

Luton players held up Lockyer’s shirt throughout their celebrations and the captain posted an update on Instagram after the game.

He said: “Well not quite where I thought I’d be celebrating at the final whistle!

“I would just like to say a massive thank you to the amazing physios and doctors at Luton and Wembley for the swift and thorough response.

“A much scarier moment for everyone else than myself I am sure!

“Commiserations to Coventry a fantastic opponent over 3 games which had to be decided by penalties.

“I am currently in hospital under precaution and will stay here overnight for further tests in the morning.

“I am feeling very much myself, helped by the way the lads left it all out on pitch! It’s such an honour to be part of this team.. Premier League baby.”

As it ramps up preparations for its preliminary-round match in the Conacaf Gold Cup next month, Guyana’s national football team are currently engaged in a 10-day at the UWI/JFF Captain Horace Burrell Centre of Excellence in Kingston.

The team arrived in Jamaica on Friday, May 26 and will break camp on Monday, June 5.

“We are happy to work with our regional counterparts,” said JFF President Michael Ricketts.

“We all have the same goal of improving the standard of our game and progressing on the international stage. We welcome not only international sporting teams like Guyana, but any other group locally or internationally at our facility. We provide whatever is necessary to ensure that each team or group can concentrate on their main objective. We sincerely hope that Guyana will do well in the Gold Cup and they will be the first of many to be hosted at our centre.”

Guyana will face Grenada in the first round of the Concacaf Gold Cup preliminary round when it gets underway in June, with the winner advancing to the main competition.

England boss Sarina Wiegman has finalised her squad for this summer’s World Cup finals as she targets another taste of glory.

The European champions have lost key players since their triumph at Wembley last year, but have potential new stars waiting in the wings.

Here, the PA news agency takes a look at the challenges which lie ahead in Australia and New Zealand.

How does Wiegman plug the holes at the back?

The anterior cruciate ligament injury which has ruled skipper Leah Williamson out of the tournament not only robs England of their captain, but also of a key defender. Millie Bright’s inclusion – Wiegman has confirmed the Chelsea star will wear the armband – has allayed fears over her fitness, with both she and full-back Lucy Bronze, who is also included, nursing knee problems. Left-back Alex Greenwood is a candidate to partner Bright in the middle, but Rachel Daly’s inclusion among the strikers suggests she will not be asked to play at full-back as she has done for her country in the past.

Who are England’s potential match-winners?

The absence of Euro 2022 Golden Boot winner Beth Mead and Fran Kirby through injury and retired record goalscorer Ellen White might be felt more acutely if Wiegman did not have a wealth of attacking talent at her disposal. Ella Toone, Chloe Kelly and Alessia Russo proved game-changers from the bench last summer and will target more significant roles this time around, while Rachel Daly will head for the finals having scored 22 goals for Aston Villa in the Women’s Super League this season and the recalled Bethany England has 12 to her name since joining Tottenham from Chelsea in January. In addition, the Lionesses can also call upon emerging talents Lauren James and Katie Robinson.

Who are England’s main rivals?

Holders the United States are looking to lift the trophy for a third successive tournament – a fifth in total – and FIFA’s number one-ranked team will be hot favourites to do so. England beat the USA 2-1 in a friendly at Wembley in October last year but will not be taken in by that success. Germany, who lost to Wiegman’s side in the Euro 2022 final, will also be expected to feature prominently, as will semi-final opponents Sweden. Olympic champions Canada, whose campaign for equal pay prompted calls for a strike earlier this year, and co-hosts Australia, who will have Chelsea goal-machine Sam Kerr in their ranks, could have a say too.

What kind of form are they in?

England’s form had been little short of exemplary until April’s 2-0 friendly defeat by Australia at Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium brought their 30-game unbeaten run under Wiegman to an end. However, there is a feeling within the camp that the run was always going to end eventually and it is far better that it did so in a friendly. The accuracy of that view will only become apparent when they embark upon their Group D fixtures against Haiti, Denmark and China.

Can a depleted squad live up to the expectation they have created?

England will head to the tournament having made it to the semi-finals at the last two World Cups, but not managed to go a step further. They cleared a major psychological hurdle last summer when they won the Euros on home soil having negotiated a tense last-eight clash with Spain and nerve-jangling showdown with Germany in the final and will travel Down Under with that vital tournament experience under their belts and confident of making an impression once again.

Adam Legzdins is looking for newly promoted Dundee to become an established cinch Premiership club after signing a new deal which commits him to the Dark Blues until the summer of 2025.

The 36-year-old goalkeeper joined from Burnley in November 2020, and helped the Tayside club to the top flight via the play-offs in 2021.

After dropping back down to the Championship, Dundee won the title this season and will return to the Premiership and Legzdins wants the Dens Park club to stay at the top long-term.

He told Dundee’s official website: “I really am delighted to extend my contract with this fantastic club for another two years.

“Dundee FC is a massive team in Scottish football steeped in history and tradition which you feel every time you represent the Dark Blues.

“My family and I have lived in Dundee and the surrounding area for the last two and half years and we feel so lucky to have found a wonderful place we now call home.

“The people of the city and the fans of our great club have been fantastic with us and I promise them I will continue to be committed and give my all both on and off the pitch to help us accomplish what we want to in the future.

“Last season really was a fantastic achievement by everyone at the club. We made memories that will last a lifetime.

“I will never forget the support from our travelling fans at Ochilview on the final day of the season to the outstanding reception we received at City Square.

“Seeing the next generation of young fans having their pictures taken with the trophy really showed me how lucky we are as players to play for this great club.

“It is now time for us all to work even harder to establish ourselves as a team in the Scottish Premiership for years to come.

“There are some great people at this club who will work tirelessly in pursuit of this goal.

“I want to help them, my team-mates, and the fans whenever I can to bring even more good times to Dundee FC.”

Willian believes the Brazil national team are in a transition period as they look to appoint a new coach.

Brazil have not yet appointed a permanent successor to Tite, who left after the Selecao were knocked out of the 2022 World Cup by Croatia in the quarter-finals.

Carlo Ancelotti is reportedly wanted by the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF).

Brazil will play friendlies against Guinea and Senegal in June, with interim coach Ramon Menezes naming a strong squad, and Willian, who was part of the Selecao's squad for the 2014 and 2018 World Cups, feels that the national team is also in need of a fresh injection of talent into the squad.

"In 2018 we were very confident that we could reach the final and win the title," he told Stats Perform.

"This time, I thought Brazil were a strong candidate to reach the final and win the World Cup, but that didn't work out either.

"So it's hard to tell if it [a sixth World Cup win] is far away or if is close. I think now Brazil are in a transition process, waiting for a coach and also a change in the players.

"But Brazil's national team will always enter any competition to win. It is the team with the most World Cup titles, so it will always enter the World Cup or any other competition to win."

Asked who he thinks should be the next coach of Brazil, Willian said: "It's hard to give an opinion because a lot of people say it should be a foreigner, and a lot of people say it should be Brazilian.

"I think it has to be a manager that helps the team, regardless of being Brazilian or foreign. But one that will help the team to reach the main objective which is to be able to be champion of the World Cup."

When it was put to him that it would be easier if a Brazil coach spoke Portuguese, Willian replied: "I think so, but it depends. When you're on the pitch, the language of football is universal.

"I think it helps to speak the same language, but it's not a question that makes any difference in the end.

"The important thing is to have a coach who knows how to manage the group, who knows how to talk to each player, do the work on the pitch and has the human part too, which is very important in football today.

"Regardless of whether the coach speaks the same language or not, the most important thing is that he knows how to deal with the players."

England boss Sarina Wiegman says she was not prepared to take the risks with Beth Mead’s fitness after leaving her out of her squad for this summer’s World Cup.

Mead, who claimed the Golden Boot and player of the tournament award when the Lionesses won the Euros last summer, misses out after sustaining an anterior cruciate ligament injury in November.

Asked if there was ever a chance the Arsenal winger could have been in the squad, Wiegman told a press conference: “No, I don’t think so.

“Beth is so positive and she’s going really well, but we said the time schedule she had, we would have taken so many risks to try to get her to the World Cup.

“Very early we said we’re not going to take that risk, I’m not willing to take that risk, to push her too much and then she gets injured again. We have to take care of players and do what’s smart, and not do what’s a little bit naive.”

There is a recall for in-form Bethany England, back involved for the first time since last September.

The forward has scored 12 Women’s Super League goals for Tottenham after joining from Chelsea in January, and Wiegman said: “She was at Chelsea, she didn’t get the minutes.

“Then she made a move and started playing. Tottenham was having a hard time, but how she performed and how much resilience she showed – I think that’s what made us make the decision to get her in the squad.”

Millie Bright and Lucy Bronze, also sidelined of late, do feature in a 23-player list from which skipper Leah Williamson and Fran Kirby had already been ruled out due to injury.

Wiegman confirmed Bright is set to captain the side, and regarding her and Bronze’s recoveries from knee surgery, she said: “Lucy is fit and fully in training, and Millie is in a good place, so we’re positive.

“She’s still building but we have some time. We need to build a little more but it looks good.”

On Williamson’s absence after suffering an ACL injury of her own in April, Wiegman said: “Of course, most of all for her it’s very disappointing and sad, and that’s the same for Fran and for Beth Mead.

“But you have to move on too. This is unfortunately part of top sports, that you can get injured. You hope to make that risk as small as possible but it can happen and someone else steps up and it gives an opportunity.”

Jordan Nobbs is included despite sustaining an injury in Aston Villa’s penultimate game of the season, Katie Zelem has been brought back after not making the last squad in April, and there is no recall for Williamson’s predecessor as captain Steph Houghton.

Jess Park, Maya Le Tissier – who Wiegman said was “really close” to making the 23 – and Emily Ramsey have been named on standby.

Wiegman said there had been “hard decisions” and that while some players were missing through injury, she still feels “we have a very good squad, very good depth in the squad.”

England get their campaign at the tournament in Australia and New Zealand under way by facing Haiti in Brisbane on July 22, and will also take on Denmark and China in Group D.

Wiegman was also asked about the diversity of the squad in terms of there being 22 white players out of 23, and said: “Of course I understand that people look at it like that, and I really hope that will change, but that won’t change overnight.

“I know the FA is doing lots of things, with ‘Discover My Talent’, ‘Let Girls Play’, to get everyone who wants to play football, whatever background you have, or wherever you come from, that you have access to it.

“I think what our players did after the Euros, (asking to) have access in schools, which now had a big result, hopefully that brings more girls with different backgrounds into the game, so in the future we have more players from different backgrounds in the national team too. But for now I think that takes a little more time.”

Preston striker Ched Evans has confirmed he has undergone successful surgery for what the club described as “a serious medical condition”.

The 34-year-old revealed in April that he had developed a condition which could have “potentially life-changing consequences”.

Evans revealed on North End’s website that surgery had gone well and that he expects to return to action next season.

“I’m five weeks post-surgery and the surgery went really well,” he said.

“It took three hours. They went in through my throat, they removed some bone and some plates which were compressing my spinal cord, but the surgery went really well.

“I met with the surgeon last week and he was really pleased with how I’m recovering.

“He said once the bone has fused to the cages that my neck will be as strong as ever, which was the best news we could have wished for.

“It also means that I’ll be back next season doing what I love to do: scoring goals and winning games with Preston.”

Caolan Boyd-Munce has agreed a one-year contract extension with St Mirren, who have confirmed star striker Curtis Main, Charles Dunne, Joe Shaughnessy and Richard Tait will all move on.

The 23-year-old midfielder joined Saints in March on a deal until the end of the season and the club has taken up the option to extend that until the summer of 2024 with an appearance-based option for another year.

The Northern Irishman – who began his career at Glentoran and had spells at Birmingham and Middlesbrough – made three appearances for the Buddies last season with his first start coming in Saturday’s match against Rangers at The SMiSA Stadium.

Manager Stephen Robinson told stmirren.com: “Caolan was never going to come into the first team fold straight away because he hadn’t played for a long time.

“What we could see three months ago, he is now starting to achieve. Sometimes, that gamble is worthwhile.

“He’s different from what we have. He will find passes and put people through on goal as he gets fitter and stronger.

“We believe that come August/September, he has a real chance of starting games for us and pushing on. There’s so much more to come from him.”

“The option for a different type of midfielder who is similar to an Ethan Erhahon (who left for Lincoln in January) makes us stronger as a squad.”

Robinson, who has 20 players under contract for next season, did not expect 31-year-old striker Main, a key player since joining from Shrewsbury two years ago, to extend his time in Paisley.

The former Morecambe and Motherwell manager will also have to bolster his defence this summer.

Club captain, Shaughnessy, 30, joined the Buddies from Southend in 2020 and was out of the team earlier in the season.

Fellow centre-back Dunne, 30, arrived from Motherwell two years ago while full-back Tait, 33, also signed from the Steelmen in 2020.

In a general squad update, the Buddies website said: “Offers were made to Charles Dunne, Curtis Main and captain Joe Shaughnessy, but all three have decided that their futures lie elsewhere.

“With over 250 combined appearances between them, we thank them immensely for their respective contributions to St Mirren and wish them the very best in their new challenges.

“Richard Tait also departs after almost three years at the club where he made 87 appearances and scored three goals. We sincerely thank Richard for his contributions and wish him the very best in whatever comes next.

“Tony Watt and Thierry Small have returned to their parent clubs, Dundee United and Southampton, respectively. We thank them for their time at St Mirren and wish them all the best for their future.

“An offer to Youth Academy graduate Jay Henderson remains on the table.”

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.”

Jack McMillan dropped down a division when he signed for Partick Thistle to get more game time and become a better player, but his goal was always to put that improvement to use back in Scotland’s top flight.

The 25-year-old has already achieved the first part of the plan he made when he left Livingston last summer, his performances in the cinch Premiership play-offs so far being evidence of that.

The right-back has scored three of Thistle’s 16 goals in their four matches to date, the latest a header against Ayr in his 50th appearance of the season.

This week he gets the chance to complete the other half of his target when Thistle take on Ross County for a place in the top division.

McMillan said: “I enjoyed my four years at Livingston, it was a great time, but my reason for leaving was to get more game time and play regularly.

“I have managed to do that this season – this will be my 51st start in a row.

“But I would like to get back up to the top division and continue to learn and improve.

“I feel I have improved massively. You can only improve from the games that you play and to play 50 this year is incredible. Touch wood, I have not had any niggles or injuries so far.

“I have hit numbers attacking-wise, I set targets and I have exceeded them.”

McMillan’s move was the second time he went one step back to go two steps forward, having left Motherwell in January 2018 after playing 16 games for the Lanarkshire club.

He was quickly back in the Premiership after helping Livi to play-off success which relegated Thistle in the process, and he sees major similarities in the situation he finds himself now.

“In my time at Livingston, the group were very, very tight,” he said. “You probably saw that on the park. It’s very similar traits to this dressing room as well.

“When we came up with Livingston, we would have beaten anybody. It was that kind of mood that we were in. We had a great season. We were tipped for relegation that season so to go up through the play-offs was massive.”

Thistle have lost just once in 17 matches since Kris Doolan took over as manager three months ago.

McMillan said: “The momentum has been there for a while, maybe since the new manager came in.

“He has tweaked a few things, especially formation, and that has helped the players, especially the two full-backs, myself and Holty (Kevin Holt). It has helped us go forward and play that free-flowing football that we have been doing.”

England manager Sarina Wiegman has named her squad for this summer’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

Sixteen of the 23-player contingent were part of the team that won Euro 2022, but there are some notable absentees through injury, form or retirement.

Here, the PA news agency compares the two squads.

Experience

Wiegman’s World Cup squad is far less experienced than her Euro 2022 selection, with a total of 733 caps at an average of 32 per player compared with 973 – 42 per player – among their predecessors.

Six players have fewer than 10 caps, compared with only four of last year’s contingent, while another half-dozen have amassed at least 50 caps – versus nine of the Euros squad.

Four of the five most-capped players who featured at Euro 2022 – Jill Scott (157), Ellen White (107), Demi Stokes (67) and Nikita Parris (65) – have retired or been overlooked this time, with Lucy Bronze (104) now leading the way ahead of Alex Greenwood (74).

Captain Leah Williamson, Beth Mead and Fran Kirby are also absent through injury, while – of the seven new faces – only Jordan Nobbs (71) has more than 10 caps to her name.

As a result of the influx of new players, the average age of England’s squad has fallen slightly since the Euros, from 26.9 to 26.4.

Brighton’s 20-year-old winger Katie Robinson is the youngest player to be selected, ahead of Chelsea’s Lauren James (21).

Manchester City midfielder Laura Coombs is the oldest at the age of 32.

Goals

The Lionesses are not at full strength in attack, with those going to the World Cup having scored a combined 114 goals at international level compared with their predecessors’ 202.

Season-ending injuries to Mead and Kirby, as well as White’s retirement, have limited Wiegman’s options in forward areas.

Manchester United duo Ella Toone and Alessia Russo – who starred as substitutes in the last tournament – are likely to feature from the start in Australia and New Zealand, while Aston Villa’s Rachel Daly – who top scored in the Women’s Super League having switched from her previous full-back position – provides another option up front.

However, there remains a shortfall elsewhere in the squad, with seven outfield players having never scored for England compared with just two of the side that won the Euros.

The absence of key attackers has led to a decline in England’s scoring output since Euro 2022. The Lionesses have netted 32 goals in their last 11 matches at an average of 2.91 per game, as opposed to 106 in their first 20 outings under Wiegman at a rate 5.30 per game.

Club representation

There are nine clubs represented in England’s World Cup squad, compared with only six at Euro 2022.

Manchester City have provided six players, down from 10 last time but still the most of any club ahead of WSL champions Chelsea and runners-up Manchester United on four apiece.

Meanwhile, Arsenal – the other team involved in this season’s thrilling title race – have only one representative in Lotte Wubben-Moy.

The rest of the squad is made up of three players from Aston Villa, two from Barcelona and one from Bayern Munich, Brighton and Tottenham.

Southend have secured an urgent court order allowing the payment of players and accountants before deadlines that threaten the club’s survival.

A lawyer for the National League side told a specialist judge they would “simply cease to exist” if payments to playing staff and for the filing of overdue accounts were not made on Wednesday.

Judge Sebastian Prentis heard at an online hearing that players could “walk away” if they did not receive their salaries due at the end of this month, while the National League had said it would withdraw the club’s membership if accounts were not filed “by close of business”.

The insolvency and companies court hearing comes after HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) issued a winding-up petition against the non-league club over a £275,000 tax debt.

Earlier this month, Southend – who dropped out of the English Football League at the end of the 2020/21 season – were given more time to clear the debt as the owners look into the sale of the club.

Barrister Hilary Stonefrost, representing the loss-making side, told Wednesday’s hearing it needed a “validation order” to unfreeze a bank account and make payments.

She said this was “to ensure the business of the company can survive under its present ownership long enough for a sale of the company’s shares to new owners”.

“The salaries of the footballers and the footballing staff need to be paid today… and if they are not paid they can walk away,” she said.

“The National League has said that if they did not file accounts before close of business today then they will withdraw their membership of the league.”

Ms Stonefrost apologised for the lateness of the club’s court application, saying management was “very occupied with putting the sale together”, including it being “marketed in America”.

In March, it was reported that the club’s parent company had appointed General Sports Worldwide, an American agency, to explore the market for potential buyers or fresh investment.

Ms Stonefrost told the hearing that agents were instructed to produce an “investment prospectus”, saying negotiations were being conducted with prospective buyers who had passed “the financial requirement test”.

She said club chairman Ron Martin, who observed the online hearing, had given an “undertaking” that sale proceeds would be used to pay HMRC and creditors.

Southend’s parent companies, South Eastern Leisure UK Limited and Martin Dawn Plc – both Mr Martin’s family companies – have “always funded this club”, Ms Stonefrost said.

She said it was “not necessarily in a timely manner” but money has been raised to pay debts.

The club came close to going out of business earlier this year before settling an outstanding bill of £1.4million with HMRC, which has issued a number of winding-up petitions against Southend in recent years.

Ms Stonefrost told the court there was a “short-term liquidity” problem with the parent companies in relation to a “huge development in Southend”.

Judge Prentis said £25,000 of the club’s current HMRC debt had been paid – with the petition due to be reconsidered on July 12.

He said the “manifestly insolvent” club had to provide to the National League accounts for 2020 and 2021, having not filed any to Companies House since July 31 2019.

The judge said that unless players were paid they had the right to leave within 14 days “without providing any value to the company through transfer fees”.

He granted part of the requested order to cover payments to accountants, footballing staff and lawyers, but said he was “concerned” over “weak” evidence that the club could meet a second National League deadline of June 2 to pay HMRC in full as well as all football creditors.

The case will return to court on Monday, when Ms Stonefrost said the judge will receive a National League letter saying it has changed the June deadline.

She also committed to providing confidential information on the sale process and detail on how money from a sale would be handled.

David Wotherspoon has expressed his gratitude to those who helped him achieve “10 magnificent years” at hometown club St Johnstone.

The 33-year-old midfielder joined Saints from Hibernian in 2013, helped the Perth club win the Scottish Cup for the first time in 2014 and was part of the side which remarkably won the Scottish Cup and League Cup double in 2021.

St Johnstone confirmed on Tuesday that the Canada international is one of 14 players who will be leaving this summer as new manager Steven MacLean revamps his squad.

Wotherspoon posted on Twitter: “After 10 magnificent years, playing at the club I grew up supporting, my time has come to an end.

“The memories created throughout my time at St Johnstone have been incredible and will never be forgotten.

“Firstly I’d like to thank the players I have had the pleasure of sharing a dressing room with. Such a great group of lads who have supported and shown me great friendships.

“To the managers I have had the pleasure of working under and had so much success with. Thank you for giving me the chance to play for the team I love!

“To the backroom staff and other staff members that work in the club that have helped me out over the years. I am truly grateful for everything you have done for me.

“A big thank you and love to my wife and kids for their support over the 10 years, it’s been so hard on them but they were always there for me through the highs and the lows.”