Spanish footballer Rafa Mir has been sentenced to eight and a half years. The 28-year-old has been on the books at Sevilla since 2021, although spent last season on loan at Elche.

He was tried on 28 May on charges of sexual assault and causing bodily harm, and has now been found guilty by a Valencia court. The striker is known in England, having spent three years at Wolves between 2018 and 2021, during which time he also spent a season on loan at Nottingham Forest when both clubs were still in the Championship.

Mir and his friend and fellow footballer Pablo Jara were both arrested in September 2024 after two women accused them of sexual assault at Mir’s residence. Jara was also sentenced to two years in prison for sexual assault and a further six months for an offence against moral integrity, as well as ordering him to pay a €6,280 fine.

Rafa Mir Found Guilty of Sexual Assault

In a statement confirming that Mir had been found guilty, a Valencia court announced on Monday, via ESPN:

Mir will also have to pay €64,000 as compensation to the victim.

Rafa Mir To Appeal Count Ruling as Sevilla Make Statement

The sentence is not final, however, and Mir has confirmed that he will appeal. He maintained his innocence during the one-day hearing in Valencia on 28 May, insisting the two women consented to having sexual relations with him.

After the ruling, he posted on Instagram:

Sevilla have released their own statement, condemning ‘any type of violence, abuse, or sexual assault’. In full, the statement read:

“On the ruling of the Provincial Court of Valencia regarding Rafa Mir.

“The club, in light of the judgment issued by Section Four of the Provincial Court of Valencia in which footballer Rafa Mir—currently on loan at Elche CF until June 30—is sentenced to eight and a half years, states its utmost respect for judicial proceedings and expresses our firm and unequivocal condemnation of any type of violence, abuse, or sexual assault.

“Such conduct has no place in our society or in the values promoted by sport.”

Mir was playing on loan at Valencia from Sevilla at the time when the crime is alleged to have taken place, while Jara was with lower division club Alcantarilla FC.

Arsenal have been dealt a boost in their bid to land a new left-winger this summer, with one of their possible targets now available. The Gunners need to strengthen on the left having struggled to get consistent performances from their players on that side, though Leandro Trossard did have an impressive campaign.

Ultimately, though, Arsenal need someone as dangerous as Bukayo Saka on the left to ensure they have a complete front three, and it seems that is very much the plan this summer. The left-winger signing is likely to be responsible for much of Arsenal’s financial outlay this summer, and there are already a couple of likely targets.

Morgan Rogers has reportedly been singled out as the ideal option, but there may now be a decision to make due to the availability of one of the world’s best left wingers.

Barcola becomes available

via Reuters

According to TalkSport reporter Alex Crooks, PSG and France left-winger Bradley Barcola has now become available due to failed contract negotiations with his club.

Crooks said on TalkSport’s YouTube: “Another potential star of this World Cup – Bradley Barcola. He is in demand when it comes to Premier League clubs. Liverpool and Arsenal are both tracking Barcola, and I woke up to a message this morning from a very reliable source that Barcola has asked to leave PSG. He has been in contract negotiations and those negotiations have stalled, which could open the door to Liverpool and Arsenal.

“Arsenal obviously looking to strengthen out wide, and that could mean Gabriel Martinelli is sold, maybe Leandro Trossard as well. While Morgan Rogers is very much Arsenal’s top choice, I certainly wouldn’t rule out a move for Barcola, who could be a key player for France as they look to go all the way here in North America this summer.”

Barcola a worthwhile option

With Aston Villa in the Champions League and unlikely to sell Rogers, at least not for a crazy fee, Barcola is an option Arsenal should be considering. The ‘world-class’ 23-year-old is already playing at a world-class level, scoring 13 and assisting seven this season, and he can play across the front line.

Kylian Mbappé said of Barcola this week: “It was inevitable that he would reach the highest level, but he did so in his very first season in Paris. He’s really starting to establish himself with the national team. Bradley doesn’t talk much. You have to understand that. But once you do, you know he’s a great guy.”

He is a little unlucky in that Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has the left wing spot locked down at PSG, likely being the best in the world in his position, but Barcola has plenty to offer, and he can surely elevate Arsenal’s attack to a new level. It will likely be a pricey deal, but the fee is also likely to be less than what Villa will ask for Rogers this summer.

Manchester United must be careful not to miss out on what could be a generational talent this summer. The Red Devils have a number of areas they want to strengthen after a season of progress that saw them finish in third in the Premier League.

Michael Carrick has been kept around as the club’s new permanent boss, and while he did very well last season, he will know that more progress will be expected this season. New recruits will be needed to help make that happen, but it’s not just a case of upgrading. There are parts of this United squad that now have holes following the usual slew of summer departures, and one of them is at left-back.

United’s left-back problem

United’s left-back problem is two-fold. The Red Devils are sorely lacking in depth following the departure of Tyrell Malacia, now down to just Luke Shaw and the young Diego León. And with Shaw 30 years of age and having had his fair share of injury issues, Carrick is arguably lacking a starting left-back.

The right starting left-back signing could solve both of those issues, given there will be a reduced need for depth, especially with a couple of the centre-backs able to play on the left in an emergency, while León could be used if needed, provided he is not loaned out.

But getting the right starting left-back is another task altogether, and reports now suggest that United will resist getting stuck in a bidding war for Eintracht Frankfurt’s Nathaniel Brown, instead turning to £80million-rated Lewis Hall.

Hall has impressed with Newcastle United, but he had a rocky end to the season that may have played a part in him missing out on the England World Cup squad.

Brown proving some players are worth it

via Reuters

United’s recent recruitment has been seriously impressive. They have moved away from paying silly fees for unproven players, instead going with a nice mix of players who have proven themselves in the Premier League, and some more calculated risks from abroad.

To that end, it’s understandable why United don’t want to find themselves in a bidding war for Brown, but some players are worth paying for.

Hall is a very good player, and he is undoubtedly proving himself in the Premier League. But at 22 years of age, everyone in Germany is recognising Brown, described as ‘fearless’ by the Bundesliga website, as a generational talent who will be Germany’s starting left-back for years to come. That’s a different level to Hall, who isn’t even among England’s best two or three left-backs.

Beyond that simple logic, Brown is coming off a season of registering four goals and six assists, proving himself as not only a solid left-back defensively, but one who can get forward, support the attack and produce. That kind of left-back is crucial in the modern era, and it will be crucial to keeping United a dangerous attack going forward.

Hall is far more of the traditional mould, and while there is a place for that, Carrick and the Red Devils need to be more ambitious.

And, given the news that Bayern Munich appear to have come to an agreement over a €55million (£47.5million) fee including add-ons, he would be considerably cheaper than Hall. That agreement also means United need to act quickly to complete a last-minute hijack if they are interested in the player.

The decision should be obvious for United, and this World Cup will highlight why, with Brown playing a starring role for Germany and already getting on the scoresheet in his first game.