Football News ........ *Man City: Tijjani Reijnders shirt number confirmed as forgotten £45m signing loses squad spot* *Revealed: Trent Alexander Arnold's new shirt number at Real Madrid ahead of Club World Cup after controversial Liverpool exit* *Arsenal dealt huge transfer blow as Leroy Sane snubs the Gunners for old rivals* *Pep Guardiola told exit of 'world class' Jack Grealish would be a grave error as Aston Villa rumours continue* *REPORTS: Newcastle United in talks to sign James Trafford* *Liverpool transfer news: Fresh Florian Wirtz talks emerge as Leverkusen set sights on Reds star* *Opinion: Chelsea receive huge Victor Osimhen green light as transfer request submitted* *Man Utd and Arsenal warned over Gyokeres fee as Sporting accuse agents of ‘insults and blackmail’* ..... ©Premier League Fans https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaEDSehI7BeAqvVI861V *Man City: Tijjani Reijnders shirt number confirmed as forgotten £45m signing loses squad spot* Tijjani Reijnders has chosen his Manchester City shirt number after completing a move from AC Milan. Reijnders was officially unveiled by City on Wednesday morning and has subsequently been named in Pep Guardiola's squad for the upcoming Club World Cup. The Dutchman will bolster City's midfield ranks which now includes a fit again Rodri as well as Ilkay Gundogan, Nico Gonzalez and Bernardo Silva. Ahead of making his Man City bow, Reijnders has been handed the no.4 shirt at the Etihad Stadium, which leaves forgotten midfielder Kalvin Phillips without a squad number. The decision throws further doubt on the future of Phillips, who spent the last season on loan at Ipswich having failed to impress Guardiola ever since arriving from Leeds United in the summer of 2022. This particular shirt number does come with huge responsibility as before Phillips was assigned it, Man City legend Vincent Kompany donned the no.4 and lead the club to four Premier League titles as captain. Reijnders scored 15 goals in 54 appearances across all competitions, weighing in with five assists for AC Milan last season and is looking forward to taking his game to the next level under the guidance Guardiola. He said: “It’s a great chance for me. I’ve followed him since he was coaching Barcelona with Lionel Messi. “How he played there and how he brought it here is something that made me really excited to play for Manchester City.” Fellow new Man City signings Rayan Ait-Nouri, Rayan Cherki and Marcus Bettinelli have also been named in the Club World Cup squad and they have picked numbers 21, 29 and 13 respectively. ..... *Revealed: Trent Alexander Arnold's new shirt number at Real Madrid ahead of Club World Cup after controversial Liverpool exit* Trent Alexander-Arnold has been handed his new shirt number at Real Madrid ahead of the Club World Cup. The right back is in line to make his debut for the Spanish giants next Wednesday when they face Al-Hilal in their first group game after Real paid Liverpool £10m to release him from his contract early so he could play in the tournament. Alexander-Arnold wore the No 66 shirt at Liverpool, but this will not be an option at Real due to LaLiga rules stating that shirt numbers must fall between 1 and 25. It has now been confirmed that Alexander-Arnold will wear the No 12 shirt at his new club. The name on the back of his shirt will also change and now read 'Trent' rather than 'Alexander-Arnold'. The 26-year-old is due to be unveiled as a Madrid player on Thursday before the team jet off to the US to compete in the group stage where they are scheduled to face Al-Hilal, Pachuca and Red Bull Salzburg. It will be Alexander-Arnold's first chance to impress new manager Xabi Alonso, with the Spaniard taking over from Carlo Ancelotti. Fans will be eager to see how Alexander-Arnold settles at Madrid following his controversial Liverpool exit. Alexander-Arnold opted to run down his contract to leave his boyhood club on a free transfer at the end of the season, leading to an angry response from some Liverpool fans. After announcing his decision to leave in early May, Alexander-Arnold was booed by his own supporters when he came off the bench during a 2-2 draw with Arsenal at Anfield. A number of his team-mates and Arne Slot leapt to his defence after that game as they asked fans to remember his previous years of service. The England international did not feature in Liverpool's next game - a 3-2 away defeat by Brighton - but did come on as a half-time substitute on the final day against Crystal Palace. On that occasion, he received a much better reception from supporters, and he was then cheered by most fans when he went up to collect his medal during the post-match presentation as Liverpool lifted the Premier League trophy. Alexander-Arnold broke down in tears as he did a lap of honour to thank fans after the presentation, and he was seen crying again during Liverpool's open-top bus parade the following day. ....... *Arsenal dealt huge transfer blow as Leroy Sane snubs the Gunners for old rivals* Leroy Sane has been targeted by a host of clubs following the breakdown in his contract talks with Bayern Munich - but the Germany international has now agreed to join Galatasaray Arsenal have been pipped to the post in their pursuit of Leroy Sane, with Galatasaray now leading the chase. Sane has become a hot property this summer transfer window as his contract with Bayern Munich is on the brink of ending, and Arsenal were among the clubs keen on snapping up the winger. The saga of Sane's contract has been a long-drawn-out affair at Bayern this year, with constant whispers about his future. The Bavarian bigwigs were hopeful of keeping the winger on board beyond his contract's end date of 30 June, but that optimism has now evaporated as he looks set to move to the Super Lig title winners. The 29 year old will now miss the Club World Cup, kicking off in the United States this weekend, to finalise a move elsewhere. A few Premier League clubs, as well as Napoli, Saudi outfit Al-Hilal and Fenerbahce all showed interest, but it's Galatasaray who seem to have won the race for the German international. ..... *Pep Guardiola told exit of 'world class' Jack Grealish would be a grave error as Aston Villa rumours continue* Jack Grealish appears to be on his way out of Manchester City this summer having struggled for game time under Pep Guardiola, but the England international has been backed to be a hit elsewhere Paul Dickov has come out batting for Jack Grealish, insisting he's no failure at Manchester City and warning Pep Guardiola it'd be a grave error to let him go. Despite Grealish seemingly being nudged towards the exit at the Etihad after a frosty stint with the manager, the former City player believes Grealish still shines under scrutiny. Speaking to BestBettingSites.com, Dickov said: "I think Jack would be a hit anywhere. I don't buy into this stuff that's going around that he's not been a success at Manchester City." The club-record £100m signing may have had less pitch time than expected and has now been left out of the Club World Cup squad, but Dickov argues he's been unfairly maligned. Aston Villa academy star commands 'substantial fee' as he completes transfer Thomas Tuchel's mum finds some of England star Jude Bellingham's behaviour 'repulsive' He noted, "Yes, look, a disappointing season last season, but he wasn't picked on the pitch to play enough. When he did play, like the game against [Nottingham] Forest at home, when we were struggling, or the FA Cup semi-final, he was the best player on the pitch." Highlighting key moments from previous seasons, Dickov added: "The year before that, he'd had plenty of injuries, but the treble season, when we won the Champions League, he was consistently City's best player in the big games." Dickov emphasised Grealish's pivotal performances in crucial matches recalling, "He was the go-to man. "In the Real Madrid game [in the Champions League], he was outstanding and then you go against Inter Milan in the Champions League final. He was up there with the very best and he helped win it all.", reports the Daily Star. "I'll tell you what I will say though, and we still don't know for sure if Jack does leave: whoever gets him is going to be buying a world class player. "Jack will have a point to prove as well. I think wherever Jack goes, whether he stays in the Premier League, whether it's a different country, I think that Jack will be a huge success. "You know he's experienced enough to be able to handle the move but more than anything else, you put Jack in his patch and you get Jack. His ability is second to none. "It will be strange. It'll be sad to see Jack in a different shirt. People can say that Grealish has had a poor season, which I don't agree with, because ultimately, he wasn't given that many opportunities to show us what he can do. "What you can't say is that Jack wasn't instrumental in the seasons that Manchester City did lift trophies, particularly during the treble-winning season. "He was brilliant, and he'll always be remembered and appreciated for the role he played during his time at the club." Villa are just one of the teams being linked with their former skipper. Aston Villa have announced that they are selling a new range of fashion items that fans are going to be clamouring to get hold of ahead of the new season - including a limited edition of the iconic adidas Samba range. ...... *REPORTS: Newcastle United in talks to sign James Trafford* England goalkeeper James Trafford during the international friendly match at The City Ground, Nottingham. (Image: Mike Egerton/PA Wire) The 22-year-old Burnley shot stopper, from Greysouthen, is reportedly the subject of interest from Eddie Howe's Magpies, who are looking to bolster their ranks after confirming their place in the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League. According to various reports, Newcastle United have begun discussions for the Cumbrian goalkeeper, with Burnley valuing his services at £40 million. The interest in the former Carlisle United academy man comes off the back of an impressive 2024/25 season, which saw the Cumbrian achieve a record-breaking tally of Championship clean sheets as the Clarets won promotion back to the Premier League. .... *Liverpool transfer news: Fresh Florian Wirtz talks emerge as Leverkusen set sights on Reds star* Liverpool are already making moves in the transfer market as they seek more star power to bolster Arne Slot's title-winning squad ahead of the upcoming 2025-26 campaign Liverpool mean business in the summer transfer window. And after swiftly securing a replacement for the outgoing Trent Alexander-Arnold, the Reds are now closing in on a British record transfer. Arne Slot and Co are in a strong position after winning the Premier League and will be out to defend their domestic crown. The Dutchman will be given the funds to strengthen the squad after predominantly working with the same group of players he inherited from Jurgen Klopp last summer. We're getting closer to a deal but talks between Liverpool and Bayer Leverkusen are ongoing over the finer details of the monstrous package that will see Florian Wirtz head to Anfield. The Reds will not be meeting the £126million price tag that Leverkusen have slapped on their sought-after star. But they are prepared to offer the Bundesliga outfit a guaranteed £100m, with the deal likely to eclipse the current British transfer record with add-ons. There has been plenty of speculation that players could be included in a deal to get Wirtz over the line and Bayer Leverkusen have now been credited with an interest in Jarrel Quansah. The Athletic have confirmed that the £40million-rated centre half is indeed on the German outfit's radar, with Leverkusen in the market for a new defender. Any deal for Quansah would be separate to the blockbuster one involving Wirtz, who will likely become the most expensive Premier League player of all-time should a move to Anfield be finalised. Leverkusen are in the market for a new central defender after losing Jonathan Tah on a free transfer to Bayern Munich. Kerkez gets green light for move Milos Kerkez has been given the green light to join Liverpool - by his Bournemouth team-mate, Justin Kluivert. Kerkez is known to be the Reds' top target as they seek another left-back. Talks over a deal with one of the Cherries' star performers are ongoing with Kerkez keen on joining Arne Slot's side. And Kluivert has now told Voetbal Primeur: “He'll probably go there. I hope so for him. He hasn't really said goodbye yet, but I hope he'll make it happen there.” ........ *Opinion: Chelsea receive huge Victor Osimhen green light as transfer request submitted* For at least the next two weeks, Chelsea's main focus will on the Club World Cup and not on the summer transfer window. The Blues are quite clearly intent on winning the whole tournament with moves for Jamie Gittens, Mike Maignan and Hugo Ekitike targeted prior to the first deadline Despite bids and multiple rounds of talks, Enzo Maresca's side were unable to get a deal over the line for any of the trio but three other fresh faces in Liam Delap, Dario Essugo and Mamadou Sarr will be on the plane to the United States. Wesley Fofana is perhaps the biggest name to be left out and there is no space for Renato Veiga, Joao Felix or Djorde Petrovic with permanent exits for both now looking very likely. football.london says: It is a shame that Petrovic will not get another chance at Chelsea following such a great season on loan at Strasbourg. However, the Serbia international cannot really be blamed for his decision. He performed admirably in between the sticks during the 2023/24 season and was unfairly pushed out the door if only for a temporary spell. Considering how uncertain the goalkeeper situation is at Stamford Bridge, it is perhaps no surprise that the 25-year-old is looking for pastures new. One positive for Chelsea however, is that his stock will be very high and making a profit on the £14million paid for his services two years ago is therefore likely. ...... *Man Utd and Arsenal warned over Gyokeres fee as Sporting accuse agents of ‘insults and blackmail’* The president of Sporting Lisbon has said the club will not bow down to “blackmail and insults” as he denied that star striker Viktor Gyokeres, who is of interest to Manchester United and Arsenal, will be allowed to leave the club for £59 million. Portuguese newspaper Record has reported that a “furious” Gyokeres has refused to represent Sporting again because he believes a gentleman’s agreement, which supposedly said he could leave for €70 million (£59 million), has been disrespected. Arsenal are known to have shown strong interest in Gyokeres, who has scored 97 goals in 102 appearances for Sporting, while also weighing up a move for RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko. It remains to be seen which of the two forwards they choose to prioritise, or if they ultimately decide to target an alternative. United are also admirers of Gyokeres, who previously played under head coach Ruben Amorim in Portugal. However, it is understood that they would need to generate significant funds through sales if they were to move for the Swedish striker, especially given their pursuit of Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo and the completed £62.5 million deal for Matheus Cunha. Amid the speculation, Sporting president Frederico Varandas has now moved to clarify the situation by saying he promised Gyokeres only that Sporting would not demand €100 million (£85 million), the value of his release clause. “The process started last year when the season ended, Sporting were champions and had a fantastic season,” said Varandas. “During the transfer window we realised that Viktor was going to stay at Sporting because we didn’t receive a single offer for him. “When the season started, the agent approached Hugo Viana [former director at Sporting, now director of football at Manchester City] several times, asking if we could add an extra fee to the contract if he scored ‘x’ goals. I gave Viana the opportunity to negotiate, within reason. Viana manages the relationship with the agents, and very well, this is done by the sporting director. “One of the agent’s biggest concerns was whether we would demand the value of the €100 million clause next year. Viana negotiated with the agents over several meetings, until the agent himself asked for the president’s presence to settle the matter once and for all. “It was agreed that Sporting would not demand the release clause at the end of the following season, especially because he was going to be 27. We knew Viktor’s dream of going to a club where he could fight for the Champions League and we have common sense. We guaranteed that we would not demand €100 million. “In that meeting, the agent wanted to anchor the departure to a value, he spoke of €60 million, €70 million, and I said, ‘There’s no point in setting a value because I don’t know what will happen here in a year, if he gets injured, if he has a disappointing season... There’s no point in setting a value, I don’t know if it will be 40, 60 or 80. What I can guarantee is that I will not demand €100 million’. “From then on, I never spoke to the agent again, I never spoke to the player about departures and values. Ten months have passed and I see the agent in the press spouting information here and there, but Sporting has common sense, it keeps its word.” Varandas added that the striker’s agent is “making the situation worse” as he insisted the club are yet to receive a single offer. “The president of Sporting said the club would not demand the clause and that we would adjust the value to Viktor’s performance,” said Varandas. “He was one of the best players ever to step on the pitch in Portugal. “One thing you should already know is that threats, blackmail and insults don’t work with me. I can guarantee that Viktor Gyokeres will not leave for 60 plus 10 because I never promised him that. This game that the agent is playing only makes the situation worse. To this day, Sporting has not had an offer for Viktor Gyokeres, neither today nor last season.” ....