Premier League
Italian star of Nigerian descent, Udogie available for Spurs but Sarr a doubt says coach, Postecoglou
Tottenham Hotspur’s Destiny Udogie will be part of their squad to face Aston Villa, while midfielder Pape Matar Sarr is an injury doubt, manager Ange Postecoglou said on Friday.
Udogie missed Spurs’ last game through suspension and the defender was left out of Italy’s recent squad for the Euro 2024 qualifiers to recover from a muscle injury.
“Destiny is fine and is available. He’s had a good couple of weeks,” Postecoglou said.
Sarr started both Senegal’s World Cup qualifying games during the international break, scoring his first goal for his country in a 4-0 win over South Sudan, but is now an injury concern for Spurs before they face Aston Villa at home on Sunday.
“We’ll have a look at Sarr because he’s got a bit of an issue. We’ll see how he is over the next 24 to 48 hours,” the manager said.
Rodrigo Bentancur missed Spurs’ opening nine league games with a cruciate ligament tear but has appeared as a substitute in the last three games, and he started for Uruguay in their 3-0 win over Bolivia on Tuesday
“He’s fine. He trained this morning so it was good for Roddy to play. He was really keen to get back into the international team setup, and obviously keen to get back with us as well,” Postecoglou said.
“But he missed a lot with the national team and he feels, like most players, really proud of representing his country. The fact he got an opportunity to start is good for us, it gives him that confidence that he’s able to get through a game.”
The rest of Spurs’ South American players returned to training on Friday, with no issues for Giovani Lo Celso, Emerson Royal or Cristian Romero.
After their unbeaten run in their first 10 Premier League games, Spurs have fallen to two consecutive defeats to Chelsea and Wolverhampton Wanderers, which saw them lose top spot in the table.
They have now dropped to fourth place, two points behind leaders Manchester City, and host a Villa side who are one place and one point behind Spurs.
“They’ve been good since Unai (Emery) went there. Consistent with the way they play football and over recent weeks scored goals and got belief. Going to be a great test for us,” Postecoglou said.
-Reuters
Thomas Partey, who formerly played for English Premier League soccer club Arsenal, has been charged with rape and sexual assault, London’s Metropolitan Police said on Friday.
Partey, a Ghana international, was charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, with the charges relating to three women and the offences reported to have taken place between 2021 and 2022, the statement said.
Partey’s management did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
He is due to appear at London’s Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Aug. 5.
Partey, 32, was signed by Arsenal from Atletico Madrid for 50 million euros ($59 million) in October 2020 and became a key member of Arsenal’s first team.
He was first arrested in July 2022, though he was not named at the time and continued to play for Arsenal while investigations were ongoing.
-Reuters
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Five players including England forward Marcus Rashford and Argentina winger Alejandro Garnacho have informed Manchester United that they wish to explore a future away from the Premier League side, a club source said on Friday.
Brazilian midfielder Antony, Dutch defender Tyrell Malacia and England international Jadon Sancho are also looking to leave the club, the source added.
Rashford, who has made more than 400 senior appearances for United, has fallen out of favour with manager Ruben Amorim, played for Aston Villa on loan while United had their worst-ever Premier League campaign, finishing 15th in the standings.
Amorim had called Rashford’s work rate into question, saying he would rather put a goalkeeper coach on the bench than a player not giving their all.
Rashford said he was feeling fitter and better since joining Villa, where he scored two goals in 10 league appearances.
United also failed to qualify for the Champions League as they lost the Europa League final 1-0 to Tottenham Hotspur. Garnacho, who was a late substitute in the final, voiced his displeasure on social media after the loss.
“Up until the final, I played every round helping the team, and today I play 20 minutes, I don’t know,” he wrote in a post . “The final will influence (my decision), but the whole season, the situation of the club.”
Sancho was on loan at Chelsea, where he made 31 league appearances last season. Antony, who joined United from Ajax Amsterdam in 2022 for a reported initial transfer fee of more than $100 million, scored five goals in 17 LaLiga appearances on loan at Real Betis.
Malacia joined Dutch side PSV Eindhoven on loan in February.
-Reuters
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Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes turned down the opportunity to join Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal in order to keep playing “at the highest level”, he said on Tuesday.
The Portuguese midfielder admitted that he had considered the move, which media reports said was worth four times his current salary, after being contacted by Al-Hilal’s president.
“There was that possibility, the president of Al-Hilal called me a month ago to ask me about it,” Fernandes, who is preparing to face Germany with Portugal, told reporters on Tuesday.
“It was a big offer, very ambitious. There was a waiting period for me to think about the future.”
Fernandes ultimately decided to stay at United and said he was motivated by his desire to continue playing at the top level and encouraged by his family and the club’s coach Ruben Amorim.
“I would be willing to do it if Manchester United thought so,” Fernandes added. “I spoke to the coach Ruben Amorim who really tried to talk me out of it. The club said they would not be willing to sell me, only if I wanted to leave.
“I spoke to my wife and family, and she asked me what my personal goals were in my career.
“It would have been easy to move there but I want to keep myself at the highest level, playing in the big competitions and I feel capable of it. I am happy with my decision.”
The 30-year-old Fernandes scored 19 goals and provided 19 assists in 57 appearances across all competitions for United last season, winning the club’s Player of the Year award for the fourth time.
However, it was a season to forget for the team, as they finished 15th in the Premier League, their lowest league finish in half a century, and lost the Europa League final to Tottenham Hotspur.
-Reuters
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