There is increased optimism from all parties that a deal can be finalised for Joshua Zirkzee’s move from Bologna to Manchester United.
Extensive talks have taken place with Zirkzee’s representatives and there is a broad agreement on terms with the player.
As was reported by Sky Sports, United have made it clear they will meet the 23-year-old’s £34m release clause.
Discussions are ongoing internally over whether United will pay the clause in full or negotiate a structure with Bologna.
Zirkzee is with the Netherlands squad at Euro 2024 and made his first appearance of the tournament in Saturday night’s quarter-final win over Turkey, coming on as a late substitute.
Arsenal and AC Milan are also interested in Zirkzee, who has two years left on his contract with Bologna.
Juventus are another club keen on Zirkzee but are currently working on other targets, and they would need to sell a striker to bring one in.
Why is Zirkzee in demand?
Image: Zirkzee is also on Arsenal’s radar
Zirkzee graduated through Bayern Munich’s system and had spells with Parma and Anderlecht before joining Bologna in the summer of 2022.
The forward received limited game time in his first campaign in Serie A, scoring only two league goals from 808 minutes.
Last season he scored 11 league goals and the shot map below suggests he is most lethal from the left-of-centre region.
The heat map below also shows how the forward typically plays deeper than a conventional striker.
He also ranks among the top five players in Serie A for creating big chances, attempting dribbles and regaining possession in the final third.
Indeed, the radar graphic below reveals he ranks among the top five per cent across Europe in those three metrics.
When does the summer transfer window close?
The 2024 summer transfer window in the Premier League will close on August 30 at 11pm UK time in England and at midnight in Scotland.
The Premier League has brought forward Deadline Day to link up with the other major leagues in Europe. The closing dates were set following discussions with the leagues in England, Germany, Italy, Spain and France.
The top stories and transfer rumours from Sunday’s newspapers…
MAIL ON SUNDAY
Manchester United are finally set to offload Donny van de Beek this summer according to reports in Spain.
Rio Ferdinand was among the pundits heaping praise on Kobbie Mainoo after his impressive first-half display against Switzerland.
Pep Guardiola and his wife were among the special guests to watch Saturday’s match between Cameron Norrie and Alexander Zverev at Wimbledon, as the Manchester City manager joined the likes of Ben Stokes and Leah Williamson in Centre Court’s Royal Box.
THE SUN ON SUNDAY
Italy defender Riccardo Calafiori has reportedly agreed personal terms with Arsenal.
SUNDAY MIRROR
Manchester United are confident of signing Matthijs de Ligt in a deal worth around £43million after manager Erik ten Hag stepped up his charm offensive to take the Bayern Munich defender to Old Trafford.
Manchester United’s pursuits of Matthijs de Ligt and Joshua Zirkzee are ‘going positively’ according to Sky Sports News’ Dharmesh Sheth
Bukayo Saka grabbed his chance of redemption as England moved into the Euro semi-finals – and now the winger wants to make history.
Jordan Pickford’s water bottle provided all the answers as his Manuel Akanji prediction helped England beat Switzerland on penalties.
Wrexham have secured their third signing of the summer in bringing in Charlton Athletic captain George Dobson.
SUNDAY TIMES
Andy Murray has played his last Wimbledon match after Emma Raducanu withdrew from the mixed doubles in a decision that is understood to have disappointed the Murray camp, with his mother Judy describing it as “astonishing”.
STAR ON SUNDAY
Manchester City are increasingly concerned they will lose Ederson to the loaded Saudi Pro League this summer.
SUNDAY EXPRESS
Ivan Toney admits he is ‘very impatient’ as he waits for a start in England’s run to the Euro 2024 semi-finals. The Brentford striker replaced an off-colour Harry Kane to score in the shootout win over Switzerland on Saturday.
SUNDAY TELEGRAPH
Iga Swiatek was booed by the crowd before being unceremoniously dumped out of Wimbledon after suffering a shock third-round defeat to world No 35 Yulia Putintseva.
SUNDAY RECORD
Celtic are back round the table with Benfica in a bid to thrash out a deal for Paulo Bernardo.
SCOTTISH SUN ON SUNDAY
Leicester City are joining the race for Celtic’s Matt O’Riley.
Brendan Rodgers has called for patience as he targets new players.
When does the summer transfer window open and close?
The 2024 summer transfer window in the Premier League and Scottish Premiership is officially open.
The window will close on August 30 at 11pm UK time in England and at 11.30pm in Scotland.
The Premier League and Scottish Premiership brought forward Deadline Day to link up with the other major leagues in Europe. The closing dates were set following discussions with the leagues in England, Germany, Italy, Spain and France.
The top stories and transfer rumours from Tuesday’s newspapers…
THE TIMES
Man Utd will need to pay Bayern Munich £42m if they want to bring defender Matthijs de Ligt to Old Trafford.
THE ATHLETIC
Man Utd’s new shirt sponsorship deal with US IT company Snapdragon is worth £59.3m per season – with no penalty if United fail to qualify for the Champions League.
Newcastle fear Anthony Gordon’s ‘head may have been turned’ after the winger was offered to Liverpool.
DAILY STAR
Unsettled Bayern Munich star Joshua Kimmich is hell-bent on joining Pep Guardiola at Manchester City.
DAILY TELEGRAPH
Ezri Konsa is in line to replace the suspended Marc Guehi in England’s defence against Switzerland on Saturday.
DAILY MAIL
Jude Bellingham made a similar ‘crotch-grabbing’ gesture when Real Madrid played Barcelona in April – backing up his claim the gesture he made following his goal against Slovakia was not directed at his opponents.
Kylian Mbappe celebrated in front of Jan Vertonghen after the Belgian defender scored an own goal against France.
DAILY MIRROR
Chelsea striker Armando Broja says he has had offers from clubs in Serie A, the Bundesliga – and the Premier League.
DAILY EXPRESS
F1 icon Lewis Hamilton is reportedly in talks with Gresini Racing about purchasing the satellite Ducati MotoGP squad.
DAILY RECORD
Celtic want to make a summer move for Burnley defender Dara O’Shea.
SCOTTISH SUN
Sead Haksabanovic has claimed that Brendan Rodgers forced the Celtic board into selling him this summer.
When does the summer transfer window open and close?
The 2024 summer transfer window in the Premier League and Scottish Premiership is officially open.
The window will close on August 30 at 11pm UK time in England and at 11.30pm in Scotland.
The Premier League and Scottish Premiership brought forward Deadline Day to link up with the other major leagues in Europe. The closing dates were set following discussions with the leagues in England, Germany, Italy, Spain and France.
Manchester United have reached a deal with Newcastle to hire their sporting director Dan Ashworth.
The 53-year-old will commence his new role at Old Trafford with immediate effect.
Newcastle initially were demanding £20m compensation for the former FA Technical Director, with Man Utd looking to pay a fraction of that, but a compromise has been reached in the last few days.
The deal also helped Newcastle comply with Profitability and Sustainability Rules (PSR) this month. Ashworth has been on gardening leave at Newcastle since February.
The hiring of Ashworth is the latest hierarchical hire done by Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the new INEOS minority investors since they took over the club.
Image: Ashworth joins Omar Berrada (right) in Manchester United’s new hierarchical structure
Omar Berrada joined from Manchester City as United’s new chief executive, while Jason Wilcox arrived as new academy director from Southampton.
Why did Man Utd go for Dan Ashworth?
Sky Sports News senior reporter Melissa Reddy:
“It’s unsurprising that Man Utd have chosen him to take over at as sporting director under INEOS who are looking to reshape their football operations at the club.
“Ashworth’s pedigree and esteem are well-known in the game. He is widely regarded as one of the best operators in Europe and actually the best in England given his body of work.
“You stretch back to his time at West Brom. There he delivered two promotions and a top-half Premier League finish. His work was so promising that he got poached by the England FA.
“There for the national team, he introduced an element that is seen as one of the key factors of their continued success, even now, and that’s the England DNA. A defined way of playing across all age groups.
“We saw the impact of that at the 2018 World Cup and after that tournament, Ashworth left the FA and was poached by Brighton, who wanted him to be in charge of remodelling them and securing their status as a Premier League club.
“He did more than that – he helped them become one of the best-run clubs in the world. Their recruitment model is the envy of clubs the world over.
“That attracted the PIF-powered Newcastle. Even though they have spent a lot, they have spent quite smartly under his watch and he has modernised a lot of their operations.”
When does the summer transfer window open and close?
The 2024 summer transfer window in the Premier League and Scottish Premiership is officially open.
The window will close on August 30 at 11pm UK time in England and at 11.30pm in Scotland.
The Premier League and Scottish Premiership brought forward Deadline Day to link up with the other major leagues in Europe. The closing dates were set following discussions with the leagues in England, Germany, Italy, Spain and France.
Champions Celtic will kick off their Scottish Women’s Premier League title defence at home to Dundee United on August 11.
They pipped their Old Firm rivals to a first title win on the final day of last season, and this time out Rangers will start their campaign at Aberdeen, while 16-time champions GlasgowCity visit Montrose.
Newly promoted Queen’sPark start life in the top flight at home to Hearts, while Spartans take on Motherwell and PartickThistle face Hibernian on the opening weekend.
Celtic won their first-ever SWPL title on the last day of the season thanks to Amy Gallacher’s 90th-minute winner against Hibs
The second weekend of the season will see Celtic visit Glasgow City in what will be a key clash in the title race on August 18, while the first Old Firm meeting of the campaign takes place on October 2 as Rangers host Celtic.
Just 11 days later the Gers will then travel to Glasgow City on October 13 in another crucial game as clubs battle for top spot.
The next Old Firm is on November 17, while City’s second game against Celtic is on February 16 and before that they meet Rangers again on December 15.
The first Edinburgh derby is on September 8 as Hibernian host Hearts, while the reverse of that fixture is on November 17.
The final round of matches before the split takes place on March 2, with all teams then playing those in their half of the table twice again – as the season ends on May 18.
Elsewhere, in the SWPL 2, Boroughmuir Thistle face Ayr United, Gartcairn host St Johnstone, Hamilton Academical play Livingston and Rossvale start against Kilmarnock on the opening day on August 11.
‘Another compelling season awaits’
Image: Three teams have won the league over the last three years
Fiona McIntyre, SWPL managing director, said: “This is an incredibly exciting day in the calendar as clubs, players, coaches, and fans start to plan for the season ahead and can see what fixtures lie ahead as we enter into the third season of the new SWPL.
“After yet another dramatic end to last season, there’s a growing level of anticipation and excitement around fixture release day and the upcoming campaign.
“We can expect two extremely competitive and entertaining divisions again. We have had three different league winners in the last three years, showing how exciting the title race is. We anticipate another compelling season as clubs battle to finish in the top-six in the SWPL and fight to avoid relegation in both leagues. With three new teams in SWPL 2 for the first time, there is an element of the unknown to complement the traditionally tight league which is a fascinating prospect.
“With the upcoming changes to the league format ahead of the 2025/26 season three teams will be relegated from the SWPL this season. I have no doubt this will add to the drama of the forthcoming season and result in an even more competitive environment as we continue to develop the elite women’s game for years to come.
“Alongside our clubs, we can’t wait to get the new campaign started and to build on the momentum and success of last season.”
What are the key dates for the 2024/25 SWPL season?
Start date – August 11 SWPL 1 winter break – December 23 to January 12, 2025 SWPL 2 winter break – December 16 to January 4, 2025 Final pre-split fixtures – March 2, 2025 Final round of matches – May 18, 2025 Play-off finals – May 22/23, 2025 Sky Sports Cup final – March 22 or 23, 2025
Scottish Premiership and SWPL on Sky Sports
Sky Sports – From 2024/25 up to 60 Scottish Premiership games will be available across Sky Sports’ flagship channels, including Sky Sports Football and Sky Sports Main Event, plus at least five SWPL matches.
Sky Sports News – Running 24 hours a day, seven days a week, Scottish football fans can enjoy Sky Sports News’ (channel 409) rolling editorial coverage of the Premiership and SWPL throughout the season.
Sky Sports Digital – Follow all the latest from Scottish football across SkySports.com and app, including exclusive features and interviews, plus dedicated live blog coverage, in-game clips from matches live on Sky Sports and free highlights.
Sky Sports Social – Alongside coverage and visibility for the league across all Sky Sports’ main social media channels, the bespoke X page @ScotlandSky will continue to be the home of all Scottish football content on Sky Sports.
Highlights show – Tune in for a dedicated round-up from the cinch Premiership every week on Sky Sports Football.
Sky Sports is the home of domestic football in the UK and Ireland, with action from the Scottish Premiership, Scottish Women’s Premier League, Premier League, WSL, EFL, and more.
Former England youth international Simranjit Singh Thandi says his story demonstrates “anything is possible” as he prepares to be recognised at a pre-season friendly ahead of South Asian Heritage Month.
Singh Thandi’s reputation across Europe has grown after a sterling second half of the season at Cypriot top-division side Doxa Katokopias. The former Stoke City full-back started 16 matches out of 18, with his performances earning him a spot in the 2023/24 British South Asians in Football Team of the Season.
The team will go on show in Gravesend when Punjab United host Sporting Khalsa at the Steve Cook Stadium on July 13 in the second annual celebratory fixture between the two sides ahead of South Asian Heritage Month, which runs from July 18 to August 17.
Punjab United and Sporting Khalsa both have Sikh owners and both teams play in Step 4 of the National League System, in the eighth tier of English football.
Singh Thandi, who had a spell as a youngster at Guru Nanak Gurdwara Leicester (GNG Leicester FC), admits that he is thrilled his story will be showcased in the beating heart of the community, five days before the start of South Asian Heritage Month.
“I’m honoured to be a part of the Team of the Season. It’s an incredible feeling. There are some brilliant players in there, so to be alongside them is a good feeling,” the former England U17 international told Sky Sports News.
“For people to recognise what we have done as well is a great thing.
More from South Asians In Football
“I feel like it gives me an opportunity to inspire those who are trying to push on and become footballers by showing what’s possible and by showing what can be achieved.
Meet Chipie, the driving force behind a club, Punjab United, that has achieved incredible things in just two decades in the football pyramid (Credit: Sky Bet)
“A lot of British South Asians and Sikh youngsters ask me how I feel now that I have got to this level and I say to them if you put in a shift, work hard, keep focused and you stay consistent then you can aspire to be anything.
Image: Leicester City midfielder Arjan Raikhy joined Sky Sports News’ Dev Trehan at last year’s launch of the groundbreaking South Asians in Football Team of the Season when Sporting Khalsa hosted Punjab United
“It’s important people know that anything is possible and I hope they stick with whatever journey they are so that they can achieve their dreams.”
Hamza has ‘done really well for himself’
Singh Thandi spent a decade at Leicester City’s academy prior to turning pro at Stoke – and the defender’s appearance in the South Asians in Football Team of the season sees him reunited with British-Bangladeshi midfielder Hamza Choudhury.
“I remember playing with him when I was growing up in the U14s and U15s and he was in the U16s and the U18s,” Singh Thandi recalls.
“It was great to get to know him when I was a kid growing up, because we actually used to ball boy at Leicester first-team games!
Former Leicester youngster Sim Thandi reflected on his move to Cypriot side AEK Larnaca where he made his senior debut in a 4-0 Europa League qualifying win against Levski Sofia last season
“He’s done really well for himself. I saw that he was captain for a few games as well last season, and Leicester got promoted which is massive.
“To be alongside him in the Team of the Season is great – just like being with an old friend, you know what I mean.”
British South Asians in Football
For more stories, features and videos, visit our groundbreaking South Asians in Football page on skysports.com and stay tuned to Sky Sports Newsandour Sky Sports digital platforms.
The top stories and transfer rumours from Wednesday’s newspapers…
THE GUARDIAN
Jonathan David is the subject of a Premier League tug-of-war with Chelsea, Manchester United, Tottenham and West Ham all interested in the Canada forward.
Manchester United are moving their women’s team into portable buildings at their Carrington training complex this season to allow the men’s squad to use their facilities during renovation works.
Historic Dutch club Vitesse Arnhem face bankruptcy after having their professional football licence revoked for failing to submit the correct documentation before last week’s deadline.
DAILY MAIL
Barcelona have held talks with Hull City over a shock move for young forward Jaden Philogene according to reports in Spain.
Germany’s Euro 2024 plans have been affected by what is being termed a “mosquito plague” at their Herzogenaurach training base which has forced more work than is ideal having to be done inside.
Former Arsenal defender Shkodran Mustafi has retired from professional football and taken on a role as part of Germany’s U17 coaching staff.
THE SUN
Manchester United could enter the race to sign Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin if they are unable to get a deal with Bologna’s Joshua Zirkzee over the line.
Nottingham Forest are lining up a sensational move for their former striker Michail Antonio, who is also attracting interest from German side RB Leipzig.
TALKSPORT
Arsenal are reported to have placed a £50m price tag on striker Eddie Nketiah.
DAILY TELEGRAPH
British & Irish Lions head coach Andy Farrell will have complete freedom over selection for next summer’s tour of Australia, with no pressure to select players from all four home nations or restrictions on those playing in France, opening up the chance to select his son Owen.
DAILY MIRROR
German police are reportedly investigating an incident which saw a Croatia fan bitten by another as they fought to get hold of Luka Ivanusec’s shirt following the 1-1 draw with Italy.
THE TIMES
John McEnroe believes Wimbledon and other Grand Slam tournaments should do away with fifth sets and replace them with 10-point tie-breaks.
DAILY RECORD
Jack Butland is set to be named as Rangers captain if James Tavernier leaves Ibrox this summer, potentially for a reunion with Steven Gerrard at Saudi Pro League club Al-Ettifaq.
Sead Haksabanovic’s unhappy spell at Celtic is coming to a close after a deal was agreed to send the Montenegro international to Swedish champions Malmo.
Ross County are weighing up a move for midfielder Charlie Telfer, who will be a free agent after the end of his contract at Airdrie.
When does the summer transfer window open and close?
The 2024 summer transfer window in the Premier League and Scottish Premiership is officially open.
The window will close on August 30 at 11pm UK time in England and at 11.30pm in Scotland.
The Premier League and Scottish Premiership brought forward Deadline Day to link up with the other major leagues in Europe. The closing dates were set following discussions with the leagues in England, Germany, Italy, Spain and France.
Mary Earps will leave Manchester United Women at the end of her contract to join Paris Saint-Germain.
Earps has spent the last five years with United but her current deal has been winding down as the summer approached.
United have been in talks with England’s No1 for two years but have been unable to reach an agreement with the stopper on a new deal.
Earps helped United to win the Women’s FA Cup last season although the club had a disappointing Women’s Super League campaign, finishing fifth.
Image: Earps helped Man Utd win last season’s FA Cup
United turned down a world-record offer for a goalkeeper in women’s football when Arsenal came in for Earps last year.
Earps is the third big name to leave United on a free transfer over the last 12 months after Alessia Russo and Ona Batlle both departed last season.
PSG had initially been interested in signing the 31-year-old England goalkeeper during the January window.
The French side’s interest had been the strongest of the many clubs wanting Earps since she had become available to talk to other teams in January.
The signing represents the start of what promises to be a busy summer at PSG with Griege Mbock also expected to join from rivals Lyon.
When does the summer transfer window open and close?
The 2024 summer transfer window in the Premier League and Scottish Premiership is officially open.
The window will close on August 30 at 11pm UK time in England and at 11.30pm in Scotland.
The Premier League and Scottish Premiership brought forward Deadline Day to link up with the other major leagues in Europe. The closing dates were set following discussions with the leagues in England, Germany, Italy, Spain and France.
Manchester United are interested in Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Manuel Ugarte, with the Uruguay international one of a number of players they are looking at.
Man Utd want to sign a new central midfielder this summer.
Ugarte, who is part of Uruguay’s Copa America squad, made 34 appearances in all competitions for PSG last season.
Image: Ugarte made 34 appearances in all competitions for PSG last season
The 23-year-old joined the French champions from Sporting Lisbon for a reported £51.1m last summer, with his contract at the Parc des Princes running until June 2028.
Man Utd’s other main priorities this summer are a new striker and central defender.
Man Utd continue Zirkzee talks
Bologna striker Joshua Zirkzee has been linked with a move to Old Trafford – here’s a look at why he’s attracting interest
United remain in talks with the representatives of Bologna striker Joshua Zirkzee, with the club prepared to pay his €40m (£33.8m) release clause.
Discussions are ongoing over a move for the Netherlands striker, who is currently at Euro 2024 in Germany.
It will then be up to the 23-year-old and his representatives to decide if they want to speak to United over a potential move.
United have other targets if a move for Zirkzee doesn’t materialise.
Arsenal are also said to be interested in the ex-Bayern Munich forward, while AC Milan were close to agreeing a deal earlier this summer, which means United could face competition for Zirkzee.
Man Utd remain interested in Branthwaite
Dharmesh Sheth says although Jarrad Branthwaite is a top target for Manchester United, INEOS will walk away from a deal if Everton don’t bring down their asking price
United are also still interested in Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite but have yet to follow up their initial offer, which was rejected.
The England defender remains a primary target – but as yet, there is no indication from Everton that their £70m asking price will be reduced.
United will not go back in for Branthwaite unless they receive assurances that Everton are willing to budge on the transfer fee.
Everton rejected United’s initial offer thought to be worth £35m plus add-ons, and United are reluctant to be drawn into a long-running saga.
Man Utd interested in Lille duo
Image: Lille defender Leny Yoro is a target for Manchester United
Erik ten Hag’s side have also made initial contact with Lille over the signing of central defender Leny Yoro.
The 18-year-old is among a number of young centre-backs United are looking at.
Centre-back is thought to be a priority position, with Raphael Varane leaving as a free agent at the end of the month. Victor Lindelof is also attracting interest from Turkish club Fenerbahce.
Man Utd are also among the Premier League clubs interested in Yoro’s Lille team-mate Jonathan David, who is in the final year of his contract.
Image: Lille forward Jonathan David is of interest to a number of Premier League clubs
Chelsea and West Ham are also understood to be interested in the Canadian forward but as yet there has been no club-to-club contact.
Earlier this month, Lille President Olivier Letang said both Yoro and David would be allowed to leave in this transfer window.
When does the summer transfer window open and close?
The 2024 summer transfer window in the Premier League and Scottish Premiership is officially open.
The window will close on August 30 at 11pm UK time in England and at 11.30pm in Scotland.
The Premier League and Scottish Premiership brought forward Deadline Day to link up with the other major leagues in Europe. The closing dates were set following discussions with the leagues in England, Germany, Italy, Spain and France.
Glasgow Warriors landed the United Rugby Championship title for the first time
since 2015 after a hard-fought 21-16 victory over the Bulls at a sold-out Loftus
Versfeld.
Having beaten the Stormers, the 2022 winners, and defending champions Munster to reach the Grand Final, the Warriors avoided a third loss in the showpiece with a fantastic performance in Pretoria.
A pair of Johan Goosen penalties separated the sides before Marco van Staden’s try, converted by Goosen, gave the Bulls – beaten by the Stormers in the 2022 final – a 13-0 lead.
Image: Johan Goosen helped the Bulls get off to a fast start in the final, where they opened up a 13-0 advantage
Glasgow hauled themselves back into the game on the stroke of half-time when Scott Cummings powered his way over the line, with George Horne adding the extras.
Goosen’s third penalty extended the Bulls’ lead to nine points but tries from George Turner and Huw Jones, both converted by Horne, ensured the Warriors would emerge triumphant.
How Glasgow claimed URC glory
The Bulls, who had lost only one of their last 12 URC matches at this venue, led inside 100 seconds through Goosen’s penalty. A second successful kick followed before Wilco Louw was denied a try by the TMO, who deemed he was held up by Rory Darge.
But the Bulls were not to be denied moments later when Van Staden barged his way through the Glasgow defence, with Goosen landing the conversion.
Glasgow responded well and gave themselves a lifeline moments before the break when Cummings went over and Horne converted. Buoyed by that score, Glasgow came out strong in the second half but another Goosen penalty brought some relief to the Bulls.
A few minutes later, though, the Warriors cut the deficit to just two points when Turner, on his last appearance for the club, went over from a maul, which Horne converted.
Jones then grabbed Glasgow’s third try, with Horne again successful from the tee, to lead for the first time in the game before Jack Dempsey was denied another by the TMO.
Horne was just short with a long-range penalty attempt but Glasgow had to see out the final moments with 14 players after Tom Jordan was yellow-carded for a high tackle on Francois Klopper. The Scottish side survived late Bulls pressure to be crowned champions.
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