Sports
Liverpool Contact Xabi Alonso To Replace Arne Slot
Liverpool have made contact with Xabi Alonso about replacing Arne Slot as manager, according to reports in Spain.
The Reds suffered their seventh defeat of the season in losing 3-2 to Bournemouth on Saturday and are 14 points off the top of the Premier League table in defence of their title, with Arsenal having the opportunity to make that 17 points with victory over Manchester United on Sunday.
After breezing to the title in his first season in England, things have not gone to plan for Arne Slot in his second campaign and there have been murmurings that his job as manager may be on the line.
Liverpool In Talks With Xabi Alonso
Slot is likely to see out the season, with Liverpool unlikely to make a change mid-season as they chase a top four finish and glory in the UEFA Champions League, but they could look to make a change in the summer.
And Liverpool legend Xabi Alonso is available to take over following his sacking by Real Madrid.
According to AS, Liverpool have been in contact with Alonso’s representatives and they have received positive signs that he would be willing to take over at Anfield.
Another Name In The Frame For Liverpool
Alonso would be a popular choice to take over from Slot, having spent five seasons on Merseyside as a player. He is the evens favourite to take over at Anfield if Slot is sacked, with PSG boss Luis Enrique the second favourite for the job.
While things did not go to plan for Alonso at the Santiago Bernabeu, he has strong pedigree following a three-year spell at Bayer Leverkusen, where he guided the German side to an unbeaten season and the Bundesliga title for the first time in their 120-year history.
Alonso was linked with the Liverpool job following the exit of Jurgen Klopp, but decided to stay at Leverkusen instead, with Slot eventually taking the reins.
Slot Responds To Alonso Rumours
Now it is Slot who is under pressure, with the Reds boss even asked about the Alonso rumours during a recent press conference.
When asked if he had spoken to Alonso, Slot replied: “Yes he called me and said: ‘What do you think about the team because I am going to take over in six months, can you tell me a little bit more?’ Or maybe earlier. Maybe he takes over tomorrow! No, no, no. This is one of the weirdest questions I ever got.
“What is there to say? I have been working here for a little bit more than one and a half years and I really like my work over here. We won the league last season, struggled more in the league this season. That is also obvious, so yes what is there left to say?”
UFC fans in the UK now know exactly when they will need to tune in for one of the most significant events the promotion has ever staged.
For the first time in history, the UFC will host an event on the grounds of the White House, with UFC Freedom 250 set to take place on the South Lawn of the Washington DC property. The event has been organised to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the USA, together with the 80th birthday of president Donald Trump.
The historic card has attracted huge interest from fight fans globally, as several of the biggest names in the promotion will be featured, with two UFC championships on the line.
UFC White House Card Explored
In the main event of the evening, Ilia Topuria and Justin Gaethje will face off for the undisputed UFC Lightweight Championship. Before that clash, Alex Pereira will seek to win UFC gold in a third weight class as he takes on Ciryl Gane for the interim UFC Heavyweight Championship.
A stacked card also sees fan favourites such as Sean O’Malley, Michael Chandler, and Derrick Lewis in action, making UFC Freedom 250 one of the deepest lineups assembled in recent memory.
The card is unique in that there are no preliminary fights, with all seven fights on the bill being part of a bumper main card. Given the unprecedented setting in which the fight will take place, many fans will want to take in every second of the action.
Exact UK Start Time For UFC Freedom 250
As anticipation continues to build, the exact start time for British viewers has now been revealed. Notably, UFC Freedom 250 will not be a pay-per-view show, meaning that it will be shown as part of the standard TNT Sports subscription.
The event will air on TNT Sports 1 in the UK, with a start time of 1am BST on Monday morning. Fans will be in for a late night if they want to watch the action live.
If there was ever a card to miss sleep for, it’s arguably UFC Freedom 250. However, for those among you who want to grab a few extra hours in bed, the expected start times of the two championship fights have also been confirmed.
Exact UK Start Times For Ilia Topuria vs Justin Gaethje and Alex Pereira vs Cyril Gane
The co-main event between Pereira and Gane will be a five-round affair, although most predict that it will end inside the 25-minute distance. The two fighters are expected to make their way to the Octagon at 3:30am UK time, with the action set to get underway shortly afterwards.
Once the interim heavyweight title fight is decided, all eyes will then be on Topuria and Gaethje as they battle it out to determine the best 155-pound fighter in the world. That bout is scheduled to go down no earlier than 4:45am UK time.
The above timings assume that the outdoor event isn’t disrupted by bad weather, which is something that the UFC have been planning for.
Whether you’re pulling an all-nighter to catch the whole card or just getting up for the championship bouts, UFC Freedom 250 is a night that will live long in the memory.
Eagle-eyed viewers have spotted that Brazil wore a different FIFA World Cup 2026 badge to the rest of the national teams that have competed in this summer’s tournament so far.
Mexico, South Africa, South Korea, Czech Republic, Canada, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Qatar, Switzerland, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland, United States, Paraguay, Australia and Turkey all played with white or dark variations of the FIFA badge on their jerseys.
Brazil’s, on the other hand, was gold. Naturally, this left many football fans puzzled.
There are so many initiatives these days that it can be hard to keep up. For example, players appearing in a World Cup finals match for the first time will wear a new ‘debut’ patch.
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Six Other Teams That Can Wear Gold FIFA Badge
Just seven of the 48 teams competing at the 2026 World Cup will wear the gold FIFA badge on their shirts, including Brazil.
While the Selecao haven’t lifted the iconic FIFA World Cup trophy since Ronaldo Nazario inspired them to glory in 2002, they remain the competition’s most successful nation.
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Their 2002 triumph was the fifth time Brazil have been crowned champions, following their victories in 1958, 1962, 1970 and 1994.
Only teams that have previously won the World Cup can wear the badge. The other six teams are:
Argentina
The reigning world champions have the same gold badge on their sleeve of their jersey, plus a special gold FIFA badge on the front of the shirt to celebrate their 2022 triumph.
England
It’s now been 60 years of hurt, but the Three Lions did indeed win the World Cup back in 1966 at the old Wembley stadium thanks to Sir Geoff Hurst’s legendary hat-trick.
France
Winners of the FIFA World Cup in 1998 and again in 2018. Didier Deschamps played a big role in both triumphs, first as a player and then as manager.
Germany
Germany last won the World Cup in 2014, defeating Lionel Messi’s Argentina in the final. They also lifted the trophy in 1954, 1974 and 1990.
Spain
Spain ended their long wait for the World Cup in 2010 thanks to Andres Iniesta’s famous winning goal against the Netherlands in South Africa.
Uruguay
Winners of the first-ever World Cup back in 1990, the South American nation lifted the trophy again 20 years later.
The only former World Cup champions missing from this summer’s tournament are Italy. The Azzurri (winners in 1934, 1938, 1982 and 2006) haven’t qualified for a World Cup finals since 2014.
One of Arsenal’s Premier League rivals is set to attempt to hijack their move to sign a young star ahead of the summer transfer window.
The Gunners are acting fast in the summer window as they look to improve their squad heading into the 2026-2027 season.
Arsenal enjoyed a phenomenal campaign last time out, reaching the Champions League final before losing to Paris Saint-Germain while also lifting the Premier League title.
Although they shouldn’t need a host of reinforcements to battle for the title once again, Mikel Arteta’s side will be looking to bring in new additions to go one step further in the Champions League.
The North London club also won’t want to rest on what they’ve already built, looking to dominate English football for the future.
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Arsenal are making moves this summer.
Premier League Rivals’ Arsenal Hijack
According to a report from The Times, one of Arsenal’s Premier League rivals is set to make an approach to try and sign Leicester City winger Jeremy Monga in the summer transfer window.
That side is Brentford, who are now expected to make formal contact with Leicester over a move, despite the Gunners identifying Monga as a priority target.
The 16-year-old has been tracked by a number of clubs, and Brentford could hold an advantage in the race due to being able to offer more game time than Arsenal.
Previous reports had suggested that Arsenal were advancing in talks to sign the young star who has previously been described as ‘England’s Ousmane Dembele‘.
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Brentford Could Beat Arsenal in Race
Monga, described as ‘special’, will find it incredibly difficult to break into Arsenal’s senior squad, especially in the next couple of years.
Brentford are more likely to offer him regular minutes, especially in the near future, and they’ve regularly offered young talent game time.
The Gunners might have a plan for Monga to go out on loan to continue gaining first-team experience, but either way, the Bees might present a clearer pathway.
It looks set to be a competitive race to secure the signature of the 16-year-old, and he certainly has some tough decisions to make in terms of choosing his next club.
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