Erik ten Hag hinted that Casemiro could stay at Manchester United this season if he is prepared to be a team player.

There was speculation at the start of the transfer window that the Brazilian could be on his way out of Old Trafford, with some Saudi Pro League clubs interested in his signature.

However, those offers look to have dried up after he struggled in his second Premier League campaign, at times having to be deployed as an emergency centre-back due to injuries.

He was also dropped for the FA Cup final win; he was initially named on the bench but was later taken off the team sheet with United saying he was injured.

Though Ten Hag seems to have contradicted that notion of the club, he praised Casemiro's leadership qualities, hinting that he could be set for a third year in Manchester.

"You have to make choices – what was needed for that particular game [the FA Cup final]," he said in an interview with The Guardian.  "But he is a very important player.

"He is a leader, and he can make a difference for our team. No one can play every game. It's impossible.

"All the players who are here, if they want to play for us, want to play for the bench, and they have the quality, then I hope they keep contributing to our team. We have seen that Casemiro in his career is so successful."

Casemiro has played in all of United's pre-season friendlies so far, managing 61 minutes against Real Betis in San Diego on Wednesday.

He scored the Red Devils' third goal in that game, but also had the most touches (67) and completed the most accurate passes (48/78) of anyone on the team.

Fulham have confirmed the signing of Emile Smith Rowe from Arsenal for a club-record fee of £34million.

The 24-year-old has penned a five-year contract with the option to extend it for a further year in a deal initially worth £27million with a further £7million in potential add-ons.

Smith Rowe joined Arsenal's academy aged 10 and moved through the ranks before making his first-team debut in 2018, establishing himself in the squad in 2020.

He went on to make 115 appearances in all competitions for Arsenal, netting 18 goals, but fell down the pecking order at the club as he struggled for fitness.

"I'm finally here, so I'm really happy for me and my family – it's a good moment," Smith Rowe told FFCtv.

"I'm really excited, I just wanted to get here as quickly as possible, so I could get going with my teammates.

"Listening to the project, speaking to the manager, and seeing what players we have here already, I think it's an exciting project for me, and definitely the perfect step for my career going forward."

Smith Rowe arrives at Craven Cottage on the back of a frustrating campaign, having made just three starts in the Premier League and playing only 347 minutes.

He is Fulham's second signing of the transfer window, after Ryan Sessegnon's return to the club, with the Cottagers also interested in signing Scott McTominay from Manchester United.

Ange Postecoglou has confirmed that Tottenham are targeting a striker in the transfer window, as long as they fit his style of play.

Harry Kane left Spurs last August, and the club have failed to sign a senior striker to replace him since his departure.

Their main attacking options in his absence were Richarlison and Son Heung-min, who finished the campaign as their highest scorer with 17 goals.

Overall, Spurs managed 74 goals in the Premier League last season, with Richarlison the only other player to reach double figures after netting 11 times.

In the January transfer window, Spurs signed Timo Werner on loan from RB Leipzig, though he only found the back of the net twice, playing the majority of his minutes on the left wing.

With those struggles in mind, Postecoglou says he is hopeful they can bring in someone to give him a different option up front.

"Last year, we had to be a bit creative, it's fair to say. If Harry would have stayed, I definitely would have used him!

"I think for us what's more important is the type of striker we get. You know we play a certain way. We demand certain things from a physical perspective, from the technical aspects of it that it's going be a striker that fits that mould.

"It's still the area of the park we're really probably the thinnest when I talk about squad-wise at the moment, so obviously, that's a focus for us."

Spurs have already made two signings so far, bringing in 18-year-old midfielders Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall from Leeds United and Djurgarden respectively, while Werner's loan deal has also been extended for the coming season.

They have also agreed a deal to sign South Korean winger Yan Min-Hyuk, who will join the squad in January.

"It's a difficult time," Postecoglou said on the transfer window. "This is the part of the season where I've probably got the least control over decisions, and I've learned to stay disciplined and make sure that we do what we set out to do.

"We've added the two young guys [Gray and Bergvall], but I also think there's been growth from other guys from last year, which naturally makes us stronger this year.

"We obviously still have a hand in this window, but I think we'll go beyond this one. This wasn't just tinkering around the edges when I took over, it needed a big shift from where it was.

"We've already done a hell of a lot, and we don't need to do as much, but I still think it's not just about having success one year. What you're trying to build is another, hopefully, another cycle of success, and I think that'll take a bit longer."

Erik ten Hag is hopeful that the Manchester United board will continue to stick with him if the club goes through difficult moments next season.

The Red Devils boss signed a contract extension last month, shortly after rife speculation that he was set to be fired after the FA Cup final, no matter the result.

United beat Manchester City to win the trophy on the back of their worst-ever finish of eighth in the Premier League.

With a new leadership group in charge, Ten Hag is confident that the team can prove they are competitors when the new season gets underway.

"I feel that we built something and that the people who are around me are in the same boat," Ten Hag said in an extended interview in their pre-season tour in Los Angeles.

"But of course, it's always a proven point when the case is there – but what I hope is that we avoid this [a dip]."

"I feel positive, and I feel very aligned. They [the new owners] are here, we are building those relationships and, as I said, we have to prove this point during the season and the next coming years: how strong we are."

United have already made two signings this transfer window, bringing in Joshua Zirkzee from Bologna and Leny Yoro from Lille, though the defender is set to be out for three minutes after suffering a foot injury against Arsenal in a pre-season friendly.

Rasmus Hojlund is also set to be out for six weeks with a hamstring injury sustained in the same game, while Marcus Rashford and Antony were forced off against Real Betis on Thursday.

While Ten Hag did not say the extent of the two injuries suffered, he admitted he was cautious about rushing the players back into action.

"We have to wait," Ten Hag said in a news conference. "Of course, we don't take risks in the last game of the tour going into the season next week already.

"We go into an important game, and we are still 24 hours after a game. The final assessment we have to make, and we will see if they are ready for the game against Liverpool on Saturday."

After a prolific first season under Ten Hag that saw Rashford score 30 goals for the Red Devils in all competitions, he netted just eight last campaign.

Despite the dip in form, the Dutchman has backed Rashford to regain his spark.

"He has to prove his point," the 54-year-old said. "We will set the conditions [give him all the support] and [then] he is very capable of doing this.

"The season before he scored 30 goals, so when he is in the right vibe, then he has such a high potential. And when he is really in that mood, he [can] again score 30 or even more goals."

Security Forces FC are the 2024 SKNFA Division 1 Champions after drawing 1-1 against Molineux FC on Friday July 26, 2024 at the National Bank Group of Companies Technical Center in St. Peters.

Dion Dolphin gave Security Forces an early lead in the 3^rd minute of the match, but Ronald Williams ensured Molineux were not going down without a fight with a 88^th minute goal.

Still, the result was enough to give Security Forces the Division 1 title, with 42 points at the top of the table. Coach of Security Forces Iroy Jeffers lauded his players for the accomplishment. He recalled taking over the team halfway into the season with an unbeaten record, and his experience in guiding them to the title. 

“It was a difficult decision to make but after talking to my daughter, she gave me the go ahead to challenge myself. I went (to training) for the first time and saw the players. They are respectful, loving willing to learn, which is the most important thing and everything (took off),” Jeffers said. 

Despite winning the title and earning a place in the National Bank Group of Companies Premier League for next season, Jeffers said it will not be easy and they will have to work exceptionally hard.

“In the premier level, its better players, better coaches, better referees. You have to be hungry and learn as quickly as possible,” Jeffers surmised. 

Meanwhile, Keith King, the goalkeeping coach for the team, spoke about the work and effort in improving the Security Forces defense ahead of the season. Security Forces conceded only 15 goals all season, less than all the teams in Division 1.

“One thing we tried to focus on is improving defensively. People say goals win championships and if you don’t give up goals, you technically can’t lose. We try to install in the players how important it is to keep the ball out of the back of the net, how important it is to work with each other as a defensive unit and make sure the opponent has a hard task getting past the defensive line,” King disclosed.

Security Forces still has one more match to go before ending the season, which will be played this Tuesday at the Technical Center.

Ismaila Sarr has completed a return to the Premier League with Crystal Palace, the club confirmed on Thursday.

Sarr, who played two seasons in English football's top flight with Watford, has signed a five-year contract at Selhurst Park for a reported £12.5million fee. 

The 26-year-old is seen as a replacement for Michael Olise, who joined Bayern Munich for £50million earlier in the transfer window. 

In his 35 appearances for Marseille, the Ivory Coast international scored five goals, three of which came in Ligue 1. 

During his time with Watford in the Premier League, Sarr made 50 appearances, scoring 10 goals and adding six assists, with his most prolific seasons for the Hornets coming in the Championship, where he notched 39 goal contributions in 78 outings. 

“I am very happy to be here because Crystal Palace is a great club," Sarr said.

"Thanks to the coach and the Sporting Director – they told me about their project, and I accepted because it is a good project.

"I am going to work hard on the pitch and off the pitch for the team and for the fans as well."

Sarr becomes Palace's third signing of the transfer window following the arrivals of midfielder Daichi Kamada and defender Chadi Riad.

Head coach Oliver Glasner added: "We're happy that Ismaïla has decided to join Crystal Palace because he knows the Premier League when he played at Watford, he knows living in England, and he also had many games with Marseille last season.

"In every year, in every club where he was, he's showed that he can score goals. He showed it as well in the national team for Senegal, so we are really pleased that he will join our group."

Arne Slot has praised Harvey Elliott's quality after he provided a spark to help Liverpool get a 2-1 pre-season friendly win over Arsenal in Philadelphia.

The 21-year-old provided assists for both of their goals, setting up Mohamed Salah and Fabio Carvalho, and could have had a third, but Diogo Jota struck the post.

Elliott has started both pre-season games under Slot so far, being deployed in the number 10 role against the Gunners, and looks to have settled in nicely under the new manager.

He had three shots and created four chances for Liverpool, double that of anyone else on the field, and Slot was quick to highlight the integral role he played in the victory.

"They were two great assists but what I believe is that the team created this for him as well," Slot said.

"Playing out from the back, getting him in the right positions. Then it was up to Harvey to bring the most out of those situations, and he did that today with two assists.

"If I am a bit hard on him, I think there were maybe two other situations where he could have done better, but he showed his quality."

Slot made wholesale changes in the second half, with his young side holding out to protect their narrow lead after Kai Havertz had pulled a goal back just before the break.

"I would have preferred to have kept the same style as the first half, but we had to change a lot of players who have played a lot of minutes for us," Slot added.

"A lot of youngsters did really well defensively, but we couldn't keep pressing them as high as we did in the first half. Arsenal dominated possession in the second half, but we got bodies behind the ball.

"You can see the American fans love us playing here, and we love playing here as well, especially if the results keep going like this for us. We are heading in the right direction."

Nottingham Forest have confirmed the arrival of Portuguese international Jota Silva from Vitoria. 

Silva, who scored 15 goals in 42 matches in all competitions with the Primeira Liga side, has put pen to paper on a four-year deal at the City Ground. 

Forest finished 17th in the Premier League last season, six points above the relegation zone, and were among the lowest scorers in the division. 

Only Sheffield United (35), Everton (40) and Burnley (41) scored fewer goals than Forest's 49 last year, with Chris Wood the only player in the squad to hit double figures in the league.

Nuno Espirito Santo was keen to add more firepower to his side, with Silva's arrival bolstering their attacking options ahead of the new Premier League season. 

Chief Football Officer Ross Wilson said: “We can see how excited Jota is to continue his career journey beyond Portugal where he has enjoyed such a strong period in the Primeira Liga with Vitoria Guimaraes, which resulted in him earning his debut for the Portuguese National Team back in March.”

Silva becomes Forest's fifth addition of the transfer window following the signings of Newcastle's Elliot Anderson and Fiorentina's Nikola Milenkovic. 

Both Marko Stamenic and goalkeeper Carlos Miguel have been loaned out to Olympiacos and Corinthians respectively. 

Manchester United's new signing Leny Yoro has been ruled out for three months, while Rasmus Hojlund will be out for six weeks, according to widespread reports.

Yoro joined the Red Devils earlier this month in a £52.2million deal from Lille and impressed in his first pre-season appearance against Rangers.

However, he was forced off with a foot injury in the first half of United's 2-1 defeat to Arsenal in Los Angeles on Saturday and was seen days later wearing a protective boot and using crutches.

The defender will have more tests when he returns to the UK with the rest of the squad but is currently set to be out until October, missing the opening three months of the Premier League season.

Hojlund scored in the loss to Arsenal, but suffered a hamstring shortly afterwards, with his game also being cut short.

He is set to miss six weeks, keeping him out until after the September international break.

Erik ten Hag's injury worries grew in their 3-2 friendly win against Real Betis in San Diego on Wednesday as well.

Marcus Rashford limped off in the second half with an injury to his right ankle after a heavy tackle, while Antony's cameo off the bench only lasted 23 minutes before he had to go off with a hand problem, though both substitutions were later described as “precautionary”.

Borussia Dortmund have announced the signing of Pascal Gross from Brighton on a two-year contract.

The midfielder joins for a fee of £8million after seven years in the Premier League.

Gross established himself as one of Brighton's most dependable players, scoring 32 goals and providing 52 assists in 261 games in all competitions.

The German had one year left on his Brighton contract but said he could not turn down the chance to join Dortmund when they came to him.

"I'm really looking forward to BVB," Gross said. "For me, this move is simply a huge thing, because I've been a Dortmund fan since I was a little boy.

"I will try to repay the club's trust with my style, and I can't wait to play in front of the BVB fans at the Signal Iduna Park with my new team-mates and to work together with everyone to ensure that we achieve our big goals."

Gross created 508 chances in his Premier League career, a tally only bettered by Kevin De Bruyne (602) since he made his debut in the competition in August 2017.

He created 103 chances in the Premier League last season, a tally bettered by only Bruno Fernandes (114), while only Ollie Watkins (13) and Cole Palmer (11) provided more assists than his 10 in the top-flight last season.

Gross is the third signing for Dortmund so far this transfer window, joining Waldemar Anton and Serhou Guirassy at the club.

Amad Diallo starred as Manchester United beat Real Betis 3-2 in a pre-season friendly in San Diego on Wednesday.

Marcus Rashford, Diallo and Casemiro completed the first-half comeback after Iker Losada's early goal, while Diego Llorente pulled another one back just after the hour mark.

Rashford limped off the pitch after being on the end of a heavy tackle in the second half, while Antony only lasted 23 minutes after his introduction off the bench.

Jadon Sancho had an early goal ruled out for offside before Tom Heaton's fumble gave Losada the chance to poke Betis in front.

However, Diallo was brought down in the box minutes later by Romain Perraud, and Rashford coolly converted from the spot before the Ivorian put the Red Devils in front with a drilled effort into the bottom-left corner.

Casemiro's finish on the half-turn gave United a two-goal cushion at half-time, but Llorente headed in to half the deficit. Betis piled on some late pressure but could not find an equaliser. 

Data Debrief: Diallo makes a statement

Diallo said on Wednesday that he wanted to stay at United "for life" as he eyes more game time for the Red Devils this year.

He had the joint-most shots (two) of his team-mates, scoring from an xG of just 0.2, and created three chances, more than anyone else on the field.

Carlo Ancelotti was impressed by Endrick during his Real Madrid debut despite losing 1-0 to Milan in Chicago on Wednesday.

Samuel Chukwueze scored the winner for the Rossoneri, finishing off a wonderful team move in the second half, making it two wins from two under new manager Paulo Fonseca.

Madrid are without big stars Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo after their international exploits, leaving the way for Endrick to get his first minutes for Los Blancos.

The 18-year-old played the first half, and created one chance, though he did not manage a single shot or touch in the box.

Ancelotti was pleased with what he saw from his new signing though, particularly his skill.

"He [Endrick] is someone who has something truly special," Ancelotti said.

"He's very fast, very dangerous in tight spaces, has the ability to turn with speed in little space, very agile in getting himself free and all these qualities he has means he's a great talent. It's rare to see a player with these types of characteristics."

It was Madrid's first run-out in pre-season as they struggled to make an impact in the final third.

They managed just two shots on target, having eight overall, but Ancelotti was happy with what he saw as his starting point for the season.

"We competed, we fought, we did some good things," Ancelotti added. "The first game of the pre-season with a lot of youngsters, the important thing was to compete, which we did for the whole game.

"There were some good moments and others we could improve on, but that's normal."

Madrid's next game is against Barcelona in New Jersey on Saturday, while Milan will also take on La Blaugrana next week. 

Enzo Maresca got his first win as Chelsea boss with a dominant 3-0 victory over Club America in Atlanta on Wednesday.

Christopher Nkunku and Noni Madueke were on target from the penalty spot on either side of Marc Guiu's first goal since signing for the Blues.

It was a nightmare start for the Mexican side as Cristian Calderon gave away a penalty with just 72 seconds on the clock, and Nkunku coolly converted from 12 yards.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall could have had two goals on his first Chelsea start, but after failing to hit the target, he set up Guiu to nod it past the flailing Luis Malagon.

Javairo Dilrosun gave Maresca's side a warning just before the break, striking the frame of the goal, but they failed to build on that threat in the second half.

Rodolfo Cota then brought down Nkunku in the box in the 78th minute, but Madueke stepped up to the spot this time, keeping his cool to round off a good win for Chelsea.

"Very happy. In this moment, the main focus cannot be the result," Maresca said after the game. "It's to analyse or judge the performance and to see how we improve.

"In my personal opinion, from Wrexham, Celtic and today, we continue to improve. This is the most important thing.

"We are talking, we are working. It's a habit from years ago. I don't know, but there are things that we need to improve defensively."

Data Debrief: Maresca's tactics start to click

Chelsea scored as many goals in this game as they managed in their previous two games combined, but this time, added a clinical edge to their attacking play.

They created an expected goals tally of 3.65 from 17 shots, nine of which were on target, and while they were slightly edged out in possession, there are positive signs for the new manager.

Arne Slot's winning start in charge of Liverpool continued as goals from Mohamed Salah and Fabio Carvalho earned them a 2-1 win over Arsenal at Lincoln Financial Field.

Kai Havertz pulled one back for the Gunners before half-time, but they struggled to find an equaliser in front of the record crowd on Wednesday.

Despite Arsenal's bright start, Salah put the Reds in front, beating Karl Hein from close range as he drilled a low effort into the bottom-left corner after just 13 minutes.

Diogo Jota arguably should have doubled their lead, but instead struck the post before Carvalho latched onto Harvey Elliott's chipped cross to volley in a second.

Martin Odegaard then intercepted a loose pass in the box to set up Havertz for a sweeping finish to half the deficit five minutes before the break.

And though Mikel Arteta's side dictated the play in the second half, having seven shots to Liverpool's two, they could not find a way past Caoimhin Kelleher.

Data Debrief: Slot's Reds edge it

In some ways, it was a game of two halves, with Liverpool's dominance in the first half getting the job done.

They had eight shots in the first 45 minutes, with Elliott the difference as he got both assists and set Jota up before he hit the frame of the goal.

Jurgen Klopp has suggested he is more likely to retire than step back into management.

Klopp left Liverpool at the end of last season, and is enjoying a sabbatical away from the game.

The German had been linked with the vacant England job, but has distanced himself from such speculation, while he also reportedly turned down an offer to coach the United States.

And now the 57-year-old, who coached Mainz before leading Borussia Dortmund to back-to-back Bundesliga titles, has claimed, for the time being, he is considering himself as retired, though he did leave the door open to return to football in some capacity.

"Let's see what it will look like in a few months. Nothing is coming through at the moment," Klopp said.

"As of today, that's it for me as a coach. I didn't quit on a whim, it was a general decision.

"I've also coached the best clubs in the world. Maybe we can talk about it again in a few months.

"I still want to work in football and help people with my experience and contacts. Let's see what else there is for me."

Klopp has won 13 major honours during his managerial career, but enjoyed his most success across his nine-year stint at Anfield. 

The 57-year-old would lead Liverpool to eight major trophies, including their first Premier League title and their sixth success in the Champions League. 

Of the three sides he managed, Klopp managed more games (491), oversaw more wins (299) and scored more goals (1035) during his Liverpool tenure. 

Should this be the end for Klopp, he ends his managerial career having won 584 of his 1075 games in charge, averaging 1.87 points per game across his 23-year career.