Author: Rowan Clarke

Former England winger Theo Walcott has declared Marcus Rashford a guaranteed starter for England at this summer’s World Cup, calling him the player he is “most psyched about.” Rashford’s international career had stalled badly after Gareth Southgate left him out of the Euro 2024 squad, with the forward going 12 months without an England cap between March 2024 and 2025. Thomas Tuchel handed Rashford a route back into the fold, and the 28-year-old has featured in every Three Lions squad under the German manager aside from a June 2025 absence through hamstring injury. A loan spell at Barcelona proved the…

Crystal Palace have held formal talks with Lens manager Pierre Sage as they continue their search for a new head coach this summer. The Premier League club are looking to fill the vacancy left by Oliver Glasner, who departed Selhurst Park at the end of last season. Sage, 47, has emerged as a serious target for the Eagles, with BBC Sport previously identifying him as one of the leading candidates for the position. Palace have now made direct contact with Lens to begin discussions over a financial package that would release the Frenchman from his contract with the Ligue 1…

Wolverhampton Wanderers have signed former England full-back Kieran Trippier on a free transfer, with negotiations also underway to re-sign striker Raul Jimenez. Trippier departed Newcastle at the end of the season when his contract expired, and has put pen to paper on a two-year deal at Molineux. The 35-year-old made 160 appearances for Newcastle following his arrival from Atletico Madrid in January 2022, establishing himself as one of the club’s key figures. Trippier also earned 54 caps for England between 2017 and 2024, cementing his reputation as one of the country’s most experienced full-backs of his generation. Head coach Rob…

Somalia’s Omar Artan has been barred from entering the United States, just weeks before the start of the 2026 World Cup finals. Artan was set to make history as the first Somali referee ever to officiate at a World Cup finals tournament. He was turned away at Miami International Airport and is currently in Turkey following his repatriation by US immigration authorities. No official reason has been given by US immigration authorities for the decision to deny Artan entry into the country. Somalia is among several nations included on a travel ban list introduced by President Donald Trump’s administration, which…

Seven women have accused West Ham co-owner David Sullivan of abusing his power to pressure young models into sex, in a joint BBC Panorama and Times investigation. The allegations span several decades, beginning in the 1980s, and involve women who were in their late teens or early twenties seeking modelling work at Sullivan’s Daily and Sunday Sport newspapers. The women accuse Sullivan, 77, of sexually exploitative and predatory behaviour, including pressuring them for sex during business meetings in exchange for career advancement. Sullivan said he “categorically” denies the claims, which cover the period during which he built a fortune from…

When Christian Eriksen collapsed during Denmark’s 2-1 friendly victory over Ukraine, his implantable cardioverter defibrillator activated to support his heart as medical staff attended to him. The ICD, which is roughly half the size of a mobile phone, sits inside Eriksen’s chest with wires connecting directly to his heart to monitor and correct dangerous rhythms. The device can deliver a shock to either restart the heart if it stops beating entirely, or to restore a regular rhythm when abnormalities are detected. Denmark’s national team doctor Morten Boesen confirmed after Sunday’s incident that “the pacemaker responded as it should,” offering some…

England manager Thomas Tuchel has declared that Jude Bellingham faces genuine competition for a starting place at the World Cup this summer. Tuchel revealed he currently has “14 or 15 potential starters” in his squad, meaning no player’s place in the XI is guaranteed regardless of reputation. The Real Madrid midfielder has started only four times since Tuchel took charge as England boss in January 2025, with three further appearances from the bench. When asked directly whether Bellingham has a fight on his hands to start, Tuchel told reporters: “Yes, he has.” “He is one of the starters, he knows…

Scotland captain Andy Robertson organised a week-long Traitors game for his squad during their November training camp in Turkey ahead of World Cup qualifiers. Robertson devised the game himself, complete with blackboards and mini shields, with chosen players reporting to his room each night to vote someone out. The exercise was his way of keeping spirits high and building team unity ahead of crucial games against Greece and Denmark. It is a small but telling example of how the 32-year-old shapes the environment around him, both on and off the pitch. His journey from earning £18 a week at Queen’s…

Celtic legend Paul Lambert has declared Martin O’Neill’s permanent appointment as manager a “no-brainer” as the club prepares for a demanding summer overhaul. O’Neill is set to remain at Parkhead on a one-year contract after two interim spells produced a league and cup double last season. Celtic have not yet made the appointment official, but the club has opted for continuity as they look to avoid repeating the difficulties that blighted large portions of last campaign. “It’s a no-brainer,” Lambert told BBC Scotland. “He knows the club, he knows what it is to win there.” “Celtic is not a development…

Van Persie has been sacked as Feyenoord manager after just 16 months in charge of the Eredivisie club. The former Arsenal and Manchester United striker guided Feyenoord to a second-place finish and Champions League qualification in his only full season as manager. Despite securing European football, the club finished 19 points behind Eredivisie winners PSV Eindhoven, raising serious questions about the team’s overall performance level. Van Persie’s departure comes just two weeks after Devy Rigaux was appointed as technical director and Robert Eenhoorn took over as general manager. The new leadership conducted a full internal review of the season before…