Premier League club Manchester United remain in pursuit of Villarreal defender Pau Torres.
While Torres has stated he’s happy at Villarreal and won’t force a move away this summer, Cadena SER says Torres’ agents have been in England in recent days.
The representatives were in Manchester for talks with United officials.
Spain international Torres is a priority target for new United manager Erik ten Hag.
It’s suggested talks between the two camps have been ongoing for several weeks.
Roma manager, Jose Mourinho has revealed that if Tammy Abraham wants to return to England, he won’t block the move.
TheNewsGuru reports that the England international has been a revelation since joining the Serie A side from Chelsea.
Mourinho said: “I do not think it is an easy decision for a young, local player to leave his club, to leave his house, his city, his country, to leave the Premier League – which of course is a league that is difficult for players to leave.
“He chose to do it and I think he did it by trusting me. If he wants to go back to England, I do not think he wants to do it now – but if he wants to go back to England, he just needs to snap his fingers.
“I’m so happy for him, back in the national team and loved in Rome. I do not want to say that he has proven that everyone is wrong, because I think everyone knows that he is a good player.”
English Premier League clubs have agreed to allow five substitutions from the start of next season following Thursday’s shareholders meeting.
A temporary amendment to the rules had been implemented to increase the number of substitutions from three when football resumed in the summer of 2020.
This was in the wake of its mid-season suspension because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The changes were extended last summer by the advisory board of International Football Association Board (IFAB) for a further 18 months.
This was before a permanent decision was made in October to keep the option of using five substitutes in place.
However, in spite of clubs across Europe following IFAB’s proposal, the Premier League had decided against using the recommendations for the 2020/2021 campaign.
They instead reverted to three substitutions.
Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp and Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola were both critics of not adopting the changes for the current domestic league campaign.
This was even when it was allowed in European competitions as well as for England’s domestic cup fixtures.
Previously some top-flight clubs had expressed reservations over a move to permanently increase the number of substitutes available during a league game.
This was amid concerns it could favour those with stronger squad depth.
Following further discussions on Thursday, it was decided to adopt the new regulations from the start of the 2022/2023 campaign which will be officially implemented at the annual general meeting.
The Premier League also confirmed the 2022 summer transfer window would open on June 10 and close at 11 pm (2100 GMT) on Sept. 1, which will bring it in line with other European leagues.
Also, COVID-19 protocols will move to symptomatic testing of players and staff, rather than twice weekly.
Bukayo Saka left the England squad on Thursday after testing positive for COVID-19.
Three Lions’ manager Gareth Southgate has had to deal with a number of withdrawals since naming his 25-man squad last Thursday.
Saka has become the latest to leave the group taking on Switzerland and Côte d’Ivoire after returning a positive coronavirus result.
A statement from the Football Association (FA) read: “Bukayo Saka has left the England camp having tested positive for COVID-19.
“The Arsenal player had been isolating from the rest of the squad at St George’s Park since Wednesday and has now returned home.
“No further replacements are planned with a squad of 24 in place for the forthcoming fixtures.”
Saka tweeted: “I am gutted to withdraw from @England camp but I have tested positive for COVID-19 and I will be isolating until I am negative.
“I’ll be supporting the boys from home this weekend and I can’t wait to be back doing what I love soon”
Arsenal forward Saka, who trained with the group on Tuesday, is the sixth player to drop out of the England camp.
Trent Alexander-Arnold, Reece James, Tammy Abraham and Aaron Ramsdale were ruled out through injury on Monday.
The uncapped duo of Kyle Walker-Peters and Tyrick Mitchell were brought in along with Ollie Watkins and Sam Johnstone, only for the latter to then withdraw.
Also, Fraser Forster was called in.
England kick off their 2022 World Cup preparations with a home friendly against Switzerland on Saturday, before welcoming Côte d’Ivoire to Wembley on Tuesday evening.
The longest reigning British Monarch, Queen of England tests positive for Covid-19.
The Queen, 95, has tested positive for coronavirus, Buckingham Palace has said.
The Queen is experiencing mild cold-like symptoms but expects to continue light duties at Windsor this week, the palace said, Sky News reports.
Prince Charles tested positive for COVID for the second time this month, with palace sources saying he had seen his mother a few days before then.
The announcement was made just a few weeks after the Queen, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, reached her historic Platinum Jubilee of 70 years on the throne.
A statement by Buckingham Palace said: “Buckingham Palace confirm that The Queen has today tested positive for Covid
Her Majesty is experiencing mild cold-like symptoms but expects to continue light duties at Windsor over the coming week.
“She will continue to receive medical attention and will follow all the appropriate guidelines.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) says world football governing body FIFA has approved the application of Leicester City FC player Ademola Lookman to switch national association allegiance.
Ademola Olajire, NFF’s Director of Communications, disclosed in a statement on Thursday that Lookman could with this approval represent Nigeria at international level.
He said Emilio Silveiro, FIFA’s Chief Legal and Compliance Officer, on Thursday conveyed to the NFF the decision of the Single Judge of the Status Chamber of the Football Tribunal.
“The request made by the NFF for a change of association of the player Ademola Olajide Lookman is accepted.
“The player is (now) eligible to play for the representative teams of the NFF with immediate effect,” Olajire quoted Silveiro as saying.
He also quoted NFF General Secretary, Mohammed Sanusi, as lauding the record-time approval granted the application by the Federation with regards to Lookman’s desire.
“We sent in the application on Wednesday night after putting all the necessary documentation together. We are happy to receive the approval today,” Sanusi had said while reacting to the development.
Only in December of 2021, FIFA also approved NFF’s application for the switch in allegiance for Ashleigh Plumptre to represent Nigeria internationally.
Both Lookman and Plumptre had represented England at various junior cadres.
Crystal Palace star Wilfried Zaha is set to make international history this season.
The FA have announced England will play Ivory Coast for the first time in March.
And Zaha can became the first England international to appear against the Three Lions in an official friendly at Wembley on March 29.
Zaha, 29, won two England caps under Roy Hodgson.
He made his debut as a replacement for Raheem Sterling in the 4-2 friendly defeat in Sweden in November 2012 and was then a late substitute for Theo Walcott in the 3-2 Wembley win over Scotland the following August.
But Abidjan-born Zaha later took advantage of FIFA rules allowing him to switch to the land of his birth because he had not played a competitive game for the Three Lions.
Zaha has now earned 23 caps for Ivory Coast, scoring five goals, and is currently involved in the Africa Cup of Nations where he has featured three times and bagged an assist.
The Federation of International Football Association (FIFA) has granted approval for former England youth international, Ashleigh Plumptre to play for Nigeria.
Plumper, 23, who plays for Women’s Super League side Leicester City, is eligible to represent the African champions because of her father’s Nigerian heritage.
After joining training camps in Austria and Abuja, she has now been cleared by FIFA and is eligible for Nigeria’s 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations play-off against Ivory Coast in February.
“We are happy to receive Ashleigh’s official clearance from FIFA.
“It was only possible because of her commitment and dedication. She made the federation’s work a lot easier by providing all the requirements in quick time.
“Ashleigh personally approached the English FA directly to get the required international clearance from that end.
“Her professionalism and unflinching desire to play for Nigeria is honestly heart-warming. That big move on her part obviously helped a lot and prevented the long wait for the FA’s response,” NFF director of communications Ademola Olajire told BBC Sport Africa.
Plumptre, who has a British mother, had been capped 30 times by England at youth level but qualified for Nigeria through the grandparent rule.
The centre-back needed to prove her eligibility and dedicated three months to acquiring all the required documents – a Nigerian passport and her grandfather’s documents and then officially requesting clearance from the four home nations (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales) as well from Nigerian internal affairs.
“She got all the documents in a few months without being forced or persuaded.
“We’ve been through this Fifa process with other players in the past and others needed to be reminded. Ashleigh made personal sacrifices to ensure a smooth clearance,” Olajire added.
Plumptre joins a growing list of foreign-born players like Michelle Alozie, Patricia George and Nicole and Toni Payne, who all opted to represent the nine-time African champions.
She has played 25 games this season for Leicester women’s side which she first joined as an eight-year-old.
She previously played in the English top flight with Notts County in 2014 before moving to the United States.
Stints with US college side USC Trojans and LA Galaxy followed, before she returned from studying in January 2020 to play a key role in a memorable season for Leicester.
After she helped the Foxes to the FA Women’s Championship title in 2020-21, Plumptre was voted player of the season and rewarded with a new two-year deal.
Gareth Southgate has signed a new contract to extend his stay as England manager to 2024.
The 51-year-old’s deal was set to expire after 2022 World Cup but he and his assistant Steve Holland have signed a two-year extension through to December 2024.
It is reward for the great strides England have made under Southgate, who later this month will celebrate five years in charge of the national team.
During that time the former Middlesbrough boss has led the Three Lions to a first World Cup semi-final since 1990, a third-placed finish in the Nations League and the final of the European Championship for the first time.
“I am delighted that Steve and I have been able to extend our stay in our respective roles.
“It remains an incredible privilege to lead this team. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mark (Bullingham, Football Association chief executive).
“John (McDermott, technical director) and the board for their support – and of course the players and support team for their hard work.
“We have a great opportunity in front of us and I know they and the fans are all excited about what this squad could achieve in future,” said Southgate.
Bullingham admitted over the summer that it was the FA’s intention to offer Southgate a new deal.
Southgate has been at pains to stress since this summer’s European Championship that he would not discuss the matter until qualification for the World Cup was secured.
That goal was achieved this month as England sealed top spot in Group I in emphatic fashion with a 10-0 win in San Marino, coming days after a 5-0 victory against Albania.
Arsenal stars Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe made England history in last night’s 10-0 World Cup qualifying win against San Marino.
Saka and Smith Rowe stood out particularly in the opening exchanges as seemingly every Three Lions attack came down the left flank that the Arsenal duo shared for the majority of the game.
The performances from both were made all the more impressive after they broke long-standing England records in the process.
Saka’s header late on in the game to seal England’s tenth goal of the evening ensured the Hale End academy graduate became the youngest player to score in three consecutive starts since May 1939.
Not to be outdone, Smith Rowe ensured it was a solid night’s work for the Arsenal boys as he became the first player to both score and assist on his first England start since Rickie Lambert eight years ago.