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January 26, 2024 at 8:10 AM EST
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Wolves have shown that Jonny Otto has left the club by mutual consent.
The Athletic reported on Wednesday that the 29-year-old is set to join Greek side PAOK.
Sporting director Matt Hobbs said: “Jonny hasn’t played a lot of football in recent years, so he needs to come through and play and we’re pleased to give him that opportunity. He has been a great servant to us, so we tried to make room for him as temporarily as possible.
“In the modern era, he was part of the most successful team we’ve ever had, so the only way Jonny should be remembered is by being an important component of it. Every team wants players whose coach knows exactly what they’re going to do. obtain. He raised a child here and had another here and enjoyed the city. When it comes to building a team, it’s vital.
Jonny was free to leave in the January transfer window after he was banished from first-team duties following a “training ground incident” in November.
The Athletic reported that Jonny elbowed U-21 striker Tawanda Chirewa and broke pieces in the players’ room, an incident that led to him being exiled from the team.
GO FURTHER
Jonny set for transfer to PAOK from Wolves
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January 26, 2024 at 7:49am EST
Sheffield United have signed goalkeeper Ivo Grbic from Atletico Madrid for an undisclosed fee.
The 28-year-old has signed a contract until 2027 and could make his debut on Saturday when United host Brighton & Hove Albion in the fourth round of the FA Cup.
“My first impressions of the club are very good,” Grbic said. “It’s wonderful for each and every player to sign for the Premier League and I’m very happy to sign for Sheffield United. “
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Sheffield United sign Ivo Grbic from Atletico Madrid
January 26, 2024 at 7:01 AM EST
Tottenham Hotspur head coach Ange Postecoglou says Cristian Romero has “really stepped up” in the absence of club captain Son Heung-min.
Son is currently in South Korea for the Asian Cup, meaning Romero, who was named vice-captain alongside James Maddison this summer, has captained Spurs this month.
Postecoglou has been very inspired by the leadership Romero has shown over the past few weeks.
“There’s a void here, but with all those things, there are opportunities,” he said.
“That’s where Romero has really stepped up. You just feel it around the place. He knows that Sonny’s not here and he knows what Sonny does on a daily basis. Sonny gets around everyone in the building and says, ‘How you going?’ and Cristian’s doing that now. I can see that.
“In training he expresses himself much more than in the past. That’s the good thing. There is a void because you are missing one of your leaders. But for me, outside (in the locker room), you” “I’m like waiting, ‘Someone Are you going to intervene here?’ Because we’re going to want someone to do it. Or I have to get involved. ” But he took a step forward. ”
Postecoglou also mentioned goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario as the one who has taken on part of the weight of leadership: “There have been others as well: Vic in goal, he has stepped forward. “
Spurs will want to see that component of Romero’s personality tonight rather than the recklessness that accompanies his performances, when they face Manchester City at home in the fourth round of the FA Cup.
January 26, 2024 at 7:00 a. m. m. ITS T
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Birmingham City’s stadium, St Andrews, will be renamed following a new naming rights deal with Knighthead.
As part of the deal, Birmingham’s stadium will be renamed St Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park. The club’s Wast Hills training ground will also be renamed as the Knighthead training and academy grounds.
The Championship team also announced that a new fan zone will be built around the stadium before the end of the season.
Shelby Companies, a UK subsidiary of Knighthood Capital Management, bought a 45. 64% stake in Birmingham and took over the entirety of St Andrew’s in July 2023.
January 26, 2024 at 6:59am EST
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Leicester City full-back Luke Thomas is on loan at Middlesbrough until the end of the season.
The 22-year-old spent the first part of the season on loan at Sheffield United. He played 12 games, but the loan ended in January and he returned alongside Enzo Maresca.
The England Under-21 international came through Leicester’s youth ranks and made 17 appearances for the club in the Premier League last season.
Middlesbrough, most recently controlled by former Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick, are in the league.
January 26, 2024 at 5:58 AM EST
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Well, that’s remarkable news, especially since he went crazy in his pre-match press conference, as always yesterday. I had to re-read it several times because it gave the impression that they were on our channels here.
I can tell you that our editorial and news groups reacted to Jurgen Klopp’s decision to leave Liverpool at the end of this season, and we will have a lot of reactions and investigations in the coming hours.
You can follow all that live with me on our dedicated blog – I’ll see you there.
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January 26, 2024 at 5:42 AM EST
Wow, right now we’ve been given some great breaking news from Liverpool.
Jurgen Klopp has announced he will leave the club at the end of this season, as will his background staff.
Much more to come. It’s running on it lately. Stay tuned.
January 26, 2024 at 5:40am EST
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Of course, it’s an FA Cup fourth-round weekend. Last night’s heats, which I’ll come back to in a moment.
But there are 14 Premier League teams still to take on the cup action, and that means plenty of top-flight bosses will be speaking today ahead of their games. It also gives them the chance to address the final week of the January transfer window.
We’ve already heard from Newcastle boss Eddie Howe (others from him on the way). Here are the rest of today’s previews:
In case you’re wondering, championship side West Brom hosts their main rivals, the Wolves, on Sunday at the ridiculously early hour of 11:45 p. Still, it will be a firecracker game.
January 26, 2024 at 5:04 AM EST
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Well, it’s a quick start. As you know, I’m here to advise us during the day, but I don’t need to stop there.
If there’s something you need to know about your club, your favourite player, that moving window in general or weekend football, I need you to find the answer.
So ask away!
There are questions in the pot already on Spurs and Liverpool, but there are always room for more. So email me your questions and I’ll see if our team of correspondents can source you an answer.
The email you want for this or anything else you want to send me: [email protected]
January 26, 2024 at 4:46 AM EST
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Emerse Fae will be the Ivory Coast’s interim coach for their Africa Cup of Nations last-16 game with Senegal.
Fae, an assistant coach with the national team, takes charge after former manager Jean-Louis Gasset was sacked during the group stage with qualification still possible.
Guy Demel will help him and Sol Bamba will also be invited to join the new training team.
The hosts qualified for the round of 16 as one of the third-placed organizations in the organization phase.
They won their first AFCON match by beating Guinea-Bissau 2-0, but finished the organisational level on the brink of elimination. After defeats to Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea (the latter by a humble 4-0), Gasset was fired.
January 26, 2024 at 4:30 PM EST
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Newcastle United head manager Eddie Howe says he is “desperate” to keep Miguel Almiron at the club amid interest in the Paraguayan.
Howe added that Kieran Trippier remains “fully committed” to Newcastle despite Bayern Munich’s progress, and the club are “confident” he will still be there when next week’s transfer deadline arrives.
The Athletic reported that Newcastle were in a position to sell Almiron, but were more adamant in not letting Trippier or Callum Wilson leave this month.
Howe de Almiron:
? “A lot of noise and speculation about his future. As his manager, I’m desperate to keep him.
“His contribution has been immense throughout my time. There has been a lot of noise, that comes from somewhere but hopefully we can keep him and the window shuts quickly.”
And of Trippier, Howe said:
? “We sincerely hope that it will remain and we are very confident that it will be and will be part of our long-term future. It is worth noting that he was never asked to leave, he was fully committed. We’ve had a lot of conversations and this week it’s all about Newcastle.
“His situation is over for everyone, for Kieran and me. I’ve been in football long enough not to say 100 per cent because I don’t need to look stupid, but Kieran is committed and we have to keep him.
GO FURTHER
Miguel Almirón: What is it to sell him or stay with Eddie Howe and Newcastle
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January 26, 2024 at 4:26 a. m. m. ITS T
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So how does Kalvin Phillips feel about his West Ham move then?
Here’s what he allegedly said on West Ham’s website. The word “delighted” isn’t used, but we have a healthy representation with “happy” and “excited,” so it’s all good:
? “I’m really pleased to be here. There’s been a lot of speculation about my move to West Ham, so I’m really excited to move on now.
“There’s a lot to look forward to in the second part of the season for the club and I can’t wait to be a part of it.
“There’s an unbelievable group here and if I can come in and add the quality that I know I’m capable of, I’m sure we can give the West Ham fans plenty to be excited about between now and the end of the season.”
Good luck to him.
January 26, 2024 at 4:15 AM EST
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You can sense that West Ham manager David Moyes is very happy for this to happen, especially as they have done well despite wasting Declan Rice at Arsenal this summer.
Here’s what Moyes had to say about signing Kalvin Phillips on the club’s website:
? “We are really pleased to bring a player of Kalvin’s quality to West Ham. We have been big fans of it for a long time and we will give strength and festival to our team.
“Kalvin is a foreign midfielder from England, who has proven his experience in the Premier League. We are very happy to welcome him to the team and look forward to racing with him. “
And for the shirt number fans among us, West Ham have confirmed Phillips will wear No 11. Which doesn’t sit well with the defensive midfielder preconceptions within me.
GO FURTHER
West Ham loan Kalvin Phillips from Manchester City
January 26, 2024 at 4:07am EST
This is the symbol West Ham fans have been waiting for. Kalvin Phillips is his player for the rest of the season, after his loan from Manchester City was despite everything demonstrated a moment ago.
West Ham are covering his wages in full. There is also a loan fee being paid.
But West Ham do not have the option to buy Phillips permanently at the end of the loan, as has been discussed.
Of course, it’s possible those negotiations could continue for the next few months, if Phillips excels.
You can find out more from our West Ham correspondent Roshane Thomas below.
GO FURTHER
West Ham complete loan signing of Kalvin Phillips from Manchester City
January 26, 2024 at 4:03am EST
Welcome everyone from Athletic headquarters. Michael Bailey is back here for a full day of football news, moves from the January move window and the weekend action.
And this is a great loan that, despite everything, is confirmed.
Our team of editors and correspondents delves into everything else. We’ll have everything you want to know right here and I’ll give you all the behind-the-scenes information I can.
So buckle up and keep this page open or bookmarked. We’ve covered it from here.
January 26, 2024 at 4:00 AM EST
Mauricio Pochettino believes Armando Broja can still be one of Chelsea’s most productive strikers but has told him he will have to be prepared to face the scrutiny of betting at such a big club.
Broja is Chelsea’s only recognised centre forward who is fully fit right now but as The Athletic reported last week, the club are prepared to sell him this month if they receive a bid of £50million.
Pochettino has not confirmed that is the situation, but maintains the Albania international can be a success at Stamford Bridge even though he has scored just two goals in 18 appearances this season.
Asked if Broja could be the most sensible striker, Pochettino replied: “Of course, the prospects are huge. It’s all about the process. All great strikers want time. When they’re young, you have to find the right balance. But I still believe he has the potential to be a formidable striker. “
Further down
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January 26, 2024 at 3:30 AM EST
Lisa Evans left West Ham United by mutual consent to sign for relegation rivals Bristol City.
The flexible player joined West Ham from Arsenal in 2022 on a one-year loan and has made appearances in the Women’s Super League this season.
Evans has signed a contract until 2025 and will face his former team, West Ham, in the league on Sunday.
The only point separating Bristol City from West Ham at the back of the WSL. Evans said:
“I didn’t expect to leave West Ham in that window, but it just so happened that the opportunity presented itself, I was very happy and I took it with both hands.
January 26, 2024 at 3:00 a. m. m. ITS T
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Brighton have signed Steven Hall from Adelaide United.
Athletic said on Thursday that the Premier League hopes to reach an agreement to sign the 19-year-old goalkeeper.
His contract runs until 2027 and he will first team up with Brighton’s under-21s.
Shannon Ruth, Brighton Under-21 coach, said: “We’re looking to race with Steven. He’s a young, talented goalkeeper who fits our taste of the game and has had a very positive exposure as a team, first with Adelaide.
“He’s going to bring the festival up to our goalkeeping organization and we’re excited to see him play in our environment.
“It’s a big challenge to travel the world, so we will help you as much as we can to locate your feet here in the coming weeks and months. “
January 26, 2024 at 3:00 AM EST
Ange Postecoglou has explained how difficult the midfielder’s recent dismissal due to injury has been for the midfielder.
Maddison is “available and ready to start” today’s FA Cup tie against Manchester City, after recovering from the longest injury absence of his career, lasting two and a half months. Postecoglou explained on Friday how difficult it was for Maddison, a gregarious character in the form of his life when he suffered an ankle injury against Chelsea in November, to be away from the group while working on his rehab.
“He’s not weak yet, it’s complicated for him,” Postecoglou said. “Because he loves football, he loves the environment of football clubs, he loves the dressing room. It’s kind of a force within that. It’s hard for everybody. “Players have to go through rehab, especially for a character like him. I recommend that our sports science team not enjoy one-on-one with Madders. He’s more of a guy who needs to be part of the group.