Sports
Team News and Predicted Lineups for World Cup Qualifier
England have already booked their place in the 2026 World Cup, thanks to maintaining a 100 per cent winning record to cement top spot in Group K, and they will be aiming to keep their unbeaten run intact when they face second-placed Serbia in a qualifier at Wembley Stadium on Thursday.
The Three Lions sealed a comfortable victory in the reverse fixture in September, with Harry Kane, Noni Madueke, Ezri Konsa, Marc Guehi and Marcus Rashford getting their names on the scoresheet in a 5-0 mauling which also saw Nottingham Forest central defender Nikola Milenkovic sent off.
With qualification wrapped up, England boss Thomas Tuchel is contemplating whether to rotate his squad to give those on the fringes an opportunity to prove they deserve to be on the flight to the World Cup next year. Serbia, meanwhile, are aiming to boost their chances of advancing to the play-off phase.
England Team News
Chelsea centre-back Trevoh Chalobah has been drafted into the England squad after Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi sustained a foot injury during a Conference League clash with AZ Alkmaar last week, leading to the latter not being on course to feature despite still being assessed behind the scenes.
Newcastle United wide forward Anthony Gordon missed last weekend’s defeat to Brentford with a hip problem and has withdrawn from international duty, while Magpies teammate Nick Pope suffered concussion when making an awkward landing during the loss at the Gtech Community Stadium. Manchester City goalkeeper James Trafford has been added to the options as his replacement.
Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott is vying to make his England debut, having earned a call-up for the first time in his senior career, while Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden and Adam Wharton – of Real Madrid, Manchester City and Crystal Palace respectively – are back in the fold after not being selected during the last international break.
John Stones and Morgan Rogers could find themselves dropping out of the line-up that started against Latvia last time out, while Myles Lewis-Skelly and Gordon are certainties not to be called upon, meaning that four changes are expected.
Tuchel Drops Team News Update
Tuchel, speaking in his pre-match press conference, confirmed that Guehi will not be involved against Serbia and is in a race against time to prove that he should board the flight for Sunday’s clash with Albania. He said:
“With Marc, it is very painful. But there is no structural damage, so it is all about the pain. There is the possibility that from one day to the other there is a significant improvement, so we are working realistically towards the second game. If he is not in training on Friday and not able to train on Saturday, we will not make him travel with us and he will, of course, get rest and treatment.”
England Predicted XI
- England Predicted XI: Pickford; James, Konsa, Burn, Spence; Anderson, Rice; Saka, Bellingham, Rashford; Kane.
- England Predicted Substitutes: Henderson (GK), Trafford (GK), Chalobah (DEF), Stones (DEF), O’Reilly (DEF), Henderson (MID), Scott (MID), Wharton (MID), Rogers (MID), Foden (MID), Bowen (FWD), Eze (FWD).
Serbia Team News
Former Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic was not included in Serbia’s squad after failing to make an appearance for Qatari side Al-Rayyan since September, meaning that Juventus marksman Dusan Vlahovic is in line to be the visitors’ main attacking presence at Wembley Stadium.
Bournemouth goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic, Nottingham Forest centre-back Milenkovic and Fulham defensive midfielder Sasa Lukic are poised to be named in the starting line-up for ex-Reading boss Veljko Paunovic’s first match at the helm since replacing the sacked Dragan Stojkovic.
Paunovic Drops Team News Update
Paunovic has confirmed that injury problems resulted in him having to make changes to his preferred squad selection, while he is expecting a tough test against England. He said:
“I’m sorry that a few were injured and couldn’t respond to the call as they are very important for the group and crucial for the team concept, technically, tactically and personally.
“England have already secured qualification and have dominated during the qualifiers. They haven’t conceded a single goal and their forwards have shown no mercy. It will be the toughest possible opponent.”
Serbia Predicted XI
- Serbia Predicted XI: Petrovic; Erakovic, Milenkovic, Pavlovic; Mimovic, Stankovic, Lukic, Kostic; Zivkovic, L. Ilic; Vlahovic.
- Serbia Predicted Substitutes: Rajkovic (GK), Veljkovic (DEF), Milosavljevic (DEF), Ristic (DEF), Terzic (DEF), I. Ilic (MID), Grujic (MID), Gudelj (MID), Samardzic (MID), Jovic (FWD), Ratkov (FWD), Katai (FWD).
Sports
Crystal Palace Eye Harvey Elliott Deal From Liverpool
Liverpool could sanction a deal for one of their stars to join a Premier League rival this summer, as Sky Sports reports that a player is being monitored in the transfer window.
A sale for the Reds could come at an important time in the market, as the club are braced for another summer of huge spending to land key targets.
Work has already been done to complete the arrival of Jeremy Jacquet and Victor Munoz so far, but Yan Diomande’s move to Anfield now appears to be over, as the winger prefers a switch to PSG.
Attention will turn elsewhere, with Bradley Barcola eyed up, but there could be exits required to help fund such a deal over the coming weeks.
Curtis Jones has been linked with a move away, but so too has Harvey Elliott, who is looking for a fresh start after a frustrating year.
Crystal Palace Want Harvey Elliott
Elliott has made his return to Liverpool this summer, a year on from agreeing a loan move to join Aston Villa with an obligation to make the deal permanent once certain criteria had been met.
The midfielder was quickly discarded by Unai Emery, however, as the manager didn’t want to give him the appearances required to trigger the £35 million transfer switch.
In the end, Elliott was stuck in limbo until the end of the season, and his return to Liverpool comes at a time when he is looking to take on a new opportunity.
Fortunately for him, and for the Reds, there is interest this summer. Sky Sports reports that Premier League rivals Crystal Palace are monitoring a possible deal for the 23-year-old.
It’s unclear whether the Eagles will ramp up their efforts to land the star, who has been described as a “special” talent in his time, but there may still be a way back for him at Anfield.
The report adds that Elliott will be given the chance to impress Andoni Iraola, with the possibility that he will make an impression and stake a claim in the squad for next season onwards.
It hands him a potential lifeline, either at Liverpool or elsewhere, after a challenging season.
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Tough Elliott Decision To Follow
Liverpool will have a tough decision to make surrounding the future of Elliott, regardless of whether he stays or leaves this summer.
The 23-year-old only has one year left on his deal, which means an exit would be the last chance for the club to make some money back on a sale, but it would likely not reach the £35 million they had agreed before.
If the star does stay, then Liverpool may need to consider protecting his value by offering a contract extension, so they don’t lose yet another star as a free agent.
Liverpool Plan Talks to Sign ‘One of the World’s Best Wingers’ After Diomande Snub
Liverpool must seek alternatives after ending their pursuit of Yan Diomande
That may have to come with guarantees over game time, however, which played a potential part in his original exit from the club to Aston Villa.
Regardless of whether he stays or leaves, Liverpool are not in the most ideal position and will have to see what the future holds for Elliott in the weeks to come.
Sports
Rangers Close In On Double Transfer Deal As World Cup Ace Set For Medical
Rangers are ramping up their efforts to improve the squad for the upcoming season, as TeamTalk reports that one star is close to joining the club, while another is about to leave in the opposite direction.
It’ll be the fourth bit of business that the Ibrox outfit complete this summer, having already made moves to give Derek McInnes a chance to impress in his first campaign in the dugout.
Lawrence Shankland was the first arrival, signing for free from Hearts after the club triggered a clause in his deal that allowed him to join his boyhood club.
Ross McCrorie made his long-awaited return to Rangers shortly after, while Ben Godfrey also joins on a season-long loan from Atalanta this summer.
With the backline and frontline already addressed, the next area of focus is the goalkeeping department, with a move now agreed for a double deal.
Rangers Close To Ivor Pandur Transfer
According to TeamTalk, Rangers are closing in on the signing of Ivor Pandur from Hull City this summer to help with a drastic overhaul between the sticks.
The 26-year-old will join from the newly-promoted Premier League club on a long-term deal, while the move will help push through a second switch elsewhere.
Hull are expected to sign Jack Butland from Rangers in a transfer going the other way, though it is a separate move and not described as a swap deal.
That is due to the Tigers facing financial restrictions upon their surprise return to the top tier of English football, with sales required by the start of next month to comply.
The move for Pandur is believed to be in the region of £6 million, securing a deal for the goalkeeper who has received plenty of plaudits in his time at the MKM Stadium.
That earned him a place in the Croatia squad for the World Cup, though he is currently playing as the second-choice to Dominik Livakovic.
Pandur is expected to undergo a medical in North America to complete a swift deal, while Butland is now set to travel to Hull to complete his move there.
It’s quite the accelerated switch from Rangers, helping to transform the goalkeeping ranks to strengthen the team moving forward.
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What Rangers Need Next
Rangers have moved quickly to address several issues within the squad, with the goalkeeping changes showing that the club mean business in getting back to the top.
Having already added two defenders, a striker, and a goalkeeper, it would make sense for the transfer business to turn back towards the midfield ranks.
Nicolas Raskin is expected to leave the club, and considering how important he has been in recent seasons, a replacement will certainly be needed.
Rangers Eye Free Agent Premier League Midfielder To Become Third McInnes Signing
The midfielder is hot property this summer
Lewis Ferguson has been linked, though a deal with Bologna seems unlikely while they hold out for a large fee to sign the Scotland international.
It remains to be seen who else could be linked with a switch in that position, but Rangers could move quickly to add yet another impressive option to McInnes’s squad.
Sports
Carrick Tells Man Utd Chiefs to Keep Amad Diallo After Sale Rumours
Manchester United manager Michael Carrick has told the club he wants to keep one player after talk he could be sold this summer, according to Fabrizio Romano.
After sealing a return to the Champions League for the first time in three seasons, Man United chiefs need to give Carrick the squad he needs that will allow him to perform strongly in Europe’s elite club competition alongside the Premier League, following their third-place finish last term.
The Red Devils already have a full agreement to sign Ederson from Atalanta, with the Brazil international expected to complete his move to Old Trafford next month following the conclusion of the 2026 World Cup.
The addition of the 26-year-old is unlikely to be the club’s last piece of business in midfield, after they identified the position as the priority area to strengthen ahead of next summer.
At least one more addition is expected following the exit of Casemiro, with the club still in talks to sign Mateus Fernandes from West Ham United, although they face competition for the Portugal international’s signature from Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
It could even be more than one after Manuel Ugarte suffered a serious injury while representing Uruguay in North America.
Romano: Carrick Wants Amad Diallo to Stay at Man United
While Man United are looking to add players to their squad this summer, there will be departures to come too.
Amad Diallo has been linked with a move to AC Milan following Ruben Amorim’s appointment at the San Siro, with the Portuguese manager a big fan of the Ivory Coast international during his spell in charge at Old Trafford.
Speaking on his latest YouTube video, Romano has dismissed rumours that the 23-year-old could return to Serie A following a previous spell with Atalanta, with Carrick telling Red Devils chiefs that the winger is an important part of his plans.
He said: “We also had some rumours from Italy about Amad Diallo, that maybe he can go to Milan. The link with Ruben Amorim.
“Let me clarify one thing, Man United have been clear with Amad Diallo. Amad is not for sale this summer. Manchester United will not let Amad Diallo leave the club in the summer transfer window.
“So, if you see links about Amad, English clubs, Milan and more, Man United want to continue with him. Michael Carrick has confirmed his decision to the club, and so the direction is very clear. Amad Diallo is expected to stay at Manchester United.”
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England World Cup Quiz
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Man United Looking at Left-Sided Winger Signing
Diallo plays from the right for United, but it is the opposite flank where they are considering making a signing this summer, according to GIVEMESPORT sources.
United have an appreciation for Morgan Rogers at Aston Villa, but Arsenal are considered favourites to sign the England international as things stand, while there have also been tentative links to other wingers like AC Milan’s Rafael Leao and Hoffenheim’s Bazoumana Toure.
Another interesting name mentioned alongside United is Bradley Barcola of Paris Saint-Germain, with an exit for the France international more likely if they sign RB Leizpig winger Yan Diomande ahead of Liverpool.
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