Bale ´likely´ to return to English football as agent confirms Madrid exit

Arsenal put in a dominant display to return to winning ways as they saw off Brighton at the Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners were well-beaten by Roberto De Zerbi’s men in the corresponding fixture last season, all-but ending their Premier League title charge in the process.

This 2-0 victory in an entertaining contest – coming after defeat at Aston Villa eight days ago – would have helped banish some of the ghosts of that defeat while keeping Mikel Arteta’s side very much in the mix at the top of the table.

Arsenal take top spot as they become the first side to keep Brighton at bay this season

— Premier League (@premierleague)

Gabriel Jesus’ all-round game was exceptional throughout but it was his back-post header from close-range that …

Newcastle United are interested in signing Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig in the January transfer window, according to . The report has claimed that intermediaries have made contact with United and have told them that Sesho is available for a move in the middle of the season.

Sesko joined RB Leipzig from RB Salzburg in the summer of 2023. The two clubs had agreed a £20 million deal for the 20-year-old forward back in the summer of 2022. 90min has claimed that Leipzig would be open to selling the Slovenia international forward in the January transfer window if they receive £40 million for him.

The young forward has made two starts and six substitute appearances in the Bundesliga for RB Leipzig so far this season, scoring three goals in the process. Sesko has scored one…

Ajax remain keen on keeping Jurrien Timber in their ranks beyond this summer, according to Florian Plettenberg, but being aware of strong interest from clubs around Europe in the 21-year-old defender, they would be prepared to let him go for a fee of €50 million.

A product of the famous academy at Ajax, Timber is yet to pull on a shirt of another club. He is an extremely highly rated young player, a centre-back who can play on either side, or even as a right-back. Since earning first-team promotion in 2020, he s made a total of 117 matches for the Dutch club in all competitions, scoring five goals. His indisputable quality has so far earned him 15 caps as a Netherlands international.

Manchester United and Liverpool have both been heavily linked with Timber, with forme…

The Champions League quarter-finals resume on Tuesday, with Liverpool and Barcelona primed to book their places in the final four.

Liverpool take a 3-0 advantage over Manchester City to the Etihad Stadium, while Barca head to the Stadio Olimpico with a comfortable 4-1 cushion in their tie with Roma.

If they are to progress, City will need to replicate a feat only two sides have pulled off in the competition s history but the Reds appear to have become their bogey team this season.

Lionel Messi has scored 100 goals in the Champions League, but his rather poor record on Italian soil is one of the surprising Opta stats we have picked out to preview Tuesday s matches.

FIXTURES

Which four are you backing to reach the semi-finals?

— UEFA Ch…

Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s purchase of a 25 per cent stake in Manchester United is due to be announced later on Christmas Eve, according to a report.

Confirmation of the investment by the 71-year-old’s Ineos Group would end a saga which has lasted more than a year.

Sky News has reported that a deal is set to be announced, 13 months after the club’s United States-based owners the Glazer family revealed their intention to undertake a strategic review of their options, including the possibility of selling up.

Ratcliffe and Qatari businessman Sheikh Jassim were both in the running to oversee a buyout of the club until October.

Sheikh Jassim withdrew his bid for full control of the club on October 14, with Ratcliffe’s focus shifting to taking a significant mi…

Mikel Arteta has now been the Arsenal manager for four years, which is seventh-longest among the managers of all 92 clubs in England s Football League.

In the Premier League, only Liverpool s Jurgen Klopp, Manchester City s Pep Guardiola and Brentford s Thomas Frank have been in charge at their respective clubs longer than the Spaniard.

I m getting old I think ay?

Mikel Arteta s brilliant reaction to being the seventh longest serving manager out of the 92 clubs in the Football League!

— Hayters TV (@HaytersTV)

…

Best Odds: 4/6

Bookmaker:

In a battle between the now-former and current Serie A champions, Juventus will welcome Inter Milan to Turin on Saturday evening in what is another mouthwatering affair.

Juventus

Starting with the hosts, managing to avoid what was a scare away at Sassuolo earlier in the week, Juventus still find themselves in an uphill battle to clinch a Champions League spot for next season. Eventually leaving the Città del Tricolore with a 3-1 win on Wednesday night, The Old Lady are still a single point adrift from finding a route back into the top-four. With time really starting to tick away and just a pair of Serie A matchups remaining this year, Head Coach Andrea Pirlo knows that he is also fighting a battle to keep hold of his role in the Allia…

Carlo Ancelotti has claimed it is not mission impossible for Everton to end their miserable record against Merseyside rivals Liverpool.

Everton s dire run in derbies continued earlier in December, with a 5-2 defeat at Anfield marking the end of Marco Silva s tenure.

The Toffees have not beaten Liverpool, who currently lead the Premier League by 10 points, in any competition since 2010.

Ancelotti, however, defeated Jurgen Klopp s full-strength team this season, with Napoli beating the Reds 2-0 in their opening Champions League fixture.

Everton visit Anfield again in the FA Cup on January 5 and Ancelotti is relishing going up against the European champions.

The Evertonians know my record against Liverpool, they will be happy with this, the Italian,…

The Saudi sovereign wealth fund which owns Newcastle has taken majority stakes in four of the Middle Eastern country’s biggest clubs, including Cristiano Ronaldo’s team Al Nassr.

The Public Investment Fund (PIF) is taking 75 per cent stakes in Al Nassr, Asian Champions League finalists Al Hilal, Al Ahli and Al Ittihad, who are understood to be interested in signing Karim Benzema after his intention to leave Real Madrid at the end of the season was confirmed.

The PIF also own an 80 per cent stake in Newcastle following the completion of a protracted and controversial takeover in October 2021.

As part of today’s announcement of the Sports Clubs Investment and Privatization Project, four Saudi clubs – Al Ittihad, Al Ahli, Al Nassr, and Al Hilal – have been…

A 12-year-old boy has been charged and reported in relation to the alleged racist abuse of a Rangers player during the Old Firm derby in December.

The incident allegedly took place during Rangers 2-1 victory over Premiership champions Celtic on December 29.

The boy cannot be named for legal reasons, Police Scotland confirmed on Monday.

Superintendent Mark Sutherland of Greater Glasgow Division said: Abuse of any form is completely unacceptable and Police Scotland will continue to rigorously investigate any reports of abuse we receive and bring those responsible before the relevant authorities.

We d remind the public that, as the person charged is below the age of 18, he cannot be named or identified for legal reasons as per the Criminal Procedure (Scotl…