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      Sky Sports pundit replaced Nuno Espirito Santo as manager in one of most doomed spells in dugout

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      NUNO ESPIRITO SANTO is hoping to complete a stunning achievement by taking Nottingham Forest into the Champions League.But he was once replaced by a Sky Sports pundit as manager at a previous job.Nuno Espirito Santo was Valencia boss for just over one seasonCredit: Getty Images – GettyHe led the Spanish side to fourth in LaLiga but then quit just a few months laterCredit: AFPAnd that led to one of the most doomed and infamous spells in the dugout.Santo, 51, spent 18 years as a curly-haired goalkeeper where he was largely a back-up for the No1.That included two stints at Porto, where he was part of the Champions League-winning squad under Jose Mourinho.But after retiring as a player in 2010, the Portuguese stepped into management – firstly spending two years at Rio Ave in his homeland.READ MORE ON FOOTBALLHe would later go on to manage Porto before four years with Wolves, 17 games at Tottenham, a stint at Al-Ittihad and now working wonders at the City Ground.But it was his second gaffer’s gig that sparked the links to the TV pundit. Santo led Rio Ave to the Europa League for the first time in their history at the end of his second season in charge.And that saw him attract plenty of interest – including from Spain.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSSanto signed a one-year deal in July 2014 to take over as Valencia manager.By the January of that 2014-15 campaign, he signed a contract extension until 2018.And he finished the season in fourth, taking four points off Real Madrid and picking up three LaLiga manager of the month awards. However, Santo suffered a poor start to the following campaign in both the league and Champions League.So much so that he resigned in November 2015.His replacement was… Gary Neville.Neville’s brother Phil and Salvador Gonzalez – who’s filled in at Valencia an incredible SEVEN times – took interim charge before Gary’s appointment on December 5.’MILLION MILES AWAY’But things went horribly wrong for Neville, whose only previous coaching experience was as Roy Hodgson’s assistant with England. His lack of Spanish didn’t help, either, and the ex-Manchester United defender failed to win any of his first nine LaLiga matches in charge.Valencia were also stuffed 7-0 by Barcelona in a Copa del Rey thrashing and Neville was eventually put out of his misery on March 30 with three league wins from 16 and his side 14th in the table, just six points clear of the relegation zone. Santo and Neville’s managerial careers have gone in very different directions since. The Portuguese gaffer succeeded at Wolves and is doing a tremendous job at Nottingham Forest, securing European football for next season.Gary Neville’s Valencia recordDates 2 December 2015 to 30 March 2016 Matches 28 Wins 10 Draws 7 Defeats 11 Win % 35.71 Goals scored 39 Goals conceded 38 Goal difference +1Biggest defeat 7-0 vs BarcelonaThat was guaranteed with Sunday’s eventful 2-2 draw with East Midlands rivals Leicester – but the result did put a major dent in Forest’s Champions League qualification dreams.And the match was overshadowed by Evangelos Marinakis storming on to the pitch to confront Santo about Taiwo Awoniyi’s injury – which has seen the Nigerian placed in an induced coma after urgent surgery. For Neville, though, he has turned his back on management – and now sticks to the TV studios and commentary gantries. Reflecting on his Valencia nightmare and leaving coaching behind, he said: “It’ll never happen, I’m a million miles away.”I love football and the camaraderie but I don’t want to be in that environment any more.“It was an unbelievable opportunity and it didn’t go as well as I wanted it to, but I enjoyed every minute and it taught me a lot and things I will apply to my business life.Read More on The Sun“I don’t regret going to Spain and I would have liked to have stayed in Valencia for 18 months, but I wouldn’t have continued in coaching.“The buzz from football up to the age of 32 was incredible and that can probably never be replaced, but compared to the last three years of my career, I enjoy what I’m doing now far more.”Santo was replaced by Gary NevilleCredit: EPAThe Englishman endured a horror four-month stint in chargeCredit: GettySanto was named manager of the month three times in his full seasonCredit: AP:Associated PressHe is now preparing to take Nottingham Forest into EuropeCredit: GettyNeville has not returned to management and has instead stuck to his punditry role with Sky SportsCredit: AFP More

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      Liverpool’s plan for Jeremie Frimpong revealed with Bayer Leverkusen wing-back to be played in new position

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      ARNE SLOT has a bold tactical plan for Jeremie Frimpong if Liverpool can get a deal over the line.The Premier League champions will be in the market for a Trent Alexander-Arnold replacement this summer as he heads to Real Madrid.Jeremie Frimpong is linked with a move to LiverpoolCredit: GettyBayer Leverkusen star Frimpong is supposedly the club’s top target at right-back.The 24-year-old has a release clause worth around £33million but an agreement is still some way off.But shock reports from Sky Germany claim Frimpong might not play the same role as Alexander-Arnold.The Dutchman plays as an incredibly forward-thinking right-wing-back under Xabi Alonso.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLAnd Liverpool “plan to use him on the right flank in an attacking role – similar to his position at Leverkusen.”It is unclear if this means Slot is planning a formation change to a back three or whether the setup will remain the same on paper with a tactical tweak.Alexander-Arnold often drifts into central midfield, while Frimpong is more comfortable overlapping.He has even played as a conventional winger in the past and he could get a run of games there while Mo Salah is away with Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations.Most read in FootballJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSThe tournament runs from December 21 to January 18, meaning Liverpool’s main man could miss a busy time of the season.Slot is set to go on a spending spree this summer as the club also want a centre-back, left-back and striker.Fans convinced Frimpong will join Liverpool after spotting his Holland camp antics The boss is set to be handed Liverpool’s biggest ever transfer budget. More

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      ‘He was evil’ – Sir Alex Ferguson would be in JAIL if he managed today, jokes Man Utd legend Patrice Evra

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      SIR ALEX FERGUSON’S “evil” management antics would land him in PRISON if he was still in the dugout, according to Patrice Evra. Evra, 43, saw the fiery Scot up close, playing under him for seven-and-a-half years at Manchester United between 2006 and 2013.Sir Alex Ferguson’s management style would land him in jail, according to Patrice EvraCredit: GettyEvra lost count of the number of players who were reduced to tears by the ScotCredit: YouTube / SDSAnd that meant he was exposed to the way Ferguson went about managing his players – which included the famous hairdryer treatment. But Evra joked in today’s football, Fergie’s methods would cross the line and see him in trouble with the law – after losing count of the number of players he reduced to tears.The former left-back told the SDS podcast: “If Ferguson was coaching right now he would probably end up in jail.”There’s no way Ferguson would not be in jail with what he would do to. READ MORE ON MAN UTD”Do you know how many players I saw cry because he gave them the hairdryer, throwing boots – he was evil.”Ferguson’s most high-profile incident came after an FA Cup defeat to Arsenal in 2003 when he kicked a boot at David Beckham, leaving the England captain with stitches just above his eye. But he was just as passionate and lost his temper over so-called friendlies, too.Evra recalled a time when Fergie let rip at a young Danny Welbeck in Saudi Arabia. Most read in FootballJoin SUN CLUB for the Man Utd Files every Thursday plusin-depth coverage and exclusives from Old TraffordHe explained: “Wayne Rooney gave the ball to Welbeck but he missed the penalty.”We lost the game but it was a friendly, like a 45-minute game. Patrice Evra claims Samir Nasri told him he made a mistake snubbing Man Utd for City”When we got back into the dressing room, Ferguson [shouted] ‘Welbeck!’ “Me and Welbeck were in the toilet, he was having a pee, but Ferguson was shouting. “‘Who the f*** do you think you are, coming in the first team, taking a penalty?’ “I was like, ‘Boss, it’s just a friendly game.’ “He was like, ‘F*** the friendly game.'”I hope your leg is broken, a United player cannot cry at AnfieldSir Alex FergusonFerguson’s approach – however controversial and harsh it was – clearly had the desired effect.He won 38 trophies during his 26 years as Old Trafford boss, including 13 Premier Leagues, five FA Cups and two Champions Leagues. But the attitude he instilled in his United players, especially the senior members of the squad, led to some brutal treatment of some team-mates. Jamie Carragher’s shocking lunge into Nani at Anfield in 2011 left the Portuguese winger with a bleeding gash down his shin.But the likes of Paul Scholes allegedly said “f*** that” and refused to back Nani when they spotted him crying on the floor.’WE WERE BAD PEOPLE… WE DIDN’T CARE’According to the Frenchman, Ferguson fumed: “I hope your leg is broken, a United player cannot cry at Anfield.”Evra added: “We were bad people.”I want to apologise to all the youngsters who trained with us. We were animals.”After the game, we were waiting for the next day when we were going to kill Nani, to tell you how nasty we were, we didn’t care. “If you’re bleeding and you cry, you’re done, you’re not part of us. Read More on The Sun”Ferguson had to give him a week off to recover from that because we were waiting to kill him. “Even now in the United WhatsApp group, we still put that picture of Nani crying at Anfield.”Ferguson was notoriously harsh – even in friendliesCredit: Getty Images – GettyJamie Carragher cut Nani’s leg open with this horror tackle in 2011Credit: Sky SportsFerguson and Paul Scholes let rip at Nani for crying at AnfieldCredit: GettyDavid Beckham had stitches above his left eye after Fergie kicked a boot at himCredit: AFPEvra won five Premier League titles under Sir AlexCredit: EPAUnited’s players still joke about the Nani incident on WhatsAppCredit: Alamy More

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      Nuno Espirito Santo looks unrecognisable with shaggy hair in playing days as backup goalkeeper

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      WE ALL know management is stressful… so much so that it makes your hair fall out.Just ask Nuno Espirito Santo.Nuno Espirito Santo is known for his bald head and grey beardCredit: PAThe stresses of management came to the forefront on SundayCredit: AFPThe Nottingham Forest gaffer, 51, has led Nottingham Forest back into Europe for the first time in 30 years.Forest still have a chance of qualifying for the Champions League – although Sunday’s painful draw at home to already-relegated East Midlands rivals Leicester dented those dreams. And their manager has a very distinct look – the bald head and the grey beard. But it turns out that has not always been the case.READ MORE ON FOOTBALLIn fact, Santo once had a shaggy mop of hair back in his playing days as a goalkeeper.The Portuguese spent 18 years as a senior pro across eight different clubs.That included two stints at Porto, where he scored a penalty and was part of the Champions League-winning squad under Jose Mourinho. And he did so with a full head of curly, dark hair.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSPhotos from his playing days show off the thick mop, making him barely recognisable from the man we have got used to seeing in the dugout over recent years at Wolves, Tottenham and Forest. And although it does start to recede towards the end of his career on the pitch, Santo still has a decent amount of hair.Nuno Espirito Santo argues with Nottingham Forest owner on City Ground pitch moments after disastrous drawThe goalkeeper retired in 2010 but fast forward to his days as Valencia manager and it is a very different story.Gone are the curls and replaced with the buzzed shaven look, with his dark beard grown out. He spent just over a season in charge at Valencia – where he was replaced by Gary Neville – before one campaign with Porto.Then Santo arrived in England with Wolves in 2017, enjoying four years at Molineux before his brief 17-game nightmare at Spurs. Santo played as a goalkeeper for 18 yearsCredit: RexHe used to have dark curly hairCredit: APHis look was very different to what it is nowCredit: .The former shot-stopper started receding by the end of his careerCredit: APHe was part of the Porto squad that won the Champions LeagueCredit: AFPHe regrouped at Al-Ittihad before heading back to the Premier League to take over at Nottingham Forest in December 2023. Forest finished 17th last season but Santo has masterminded an incredible surge towards the top of the table this term. However, a run of one win in their last six matches has threatened to derail the team who were third from December to April. Nuno Espirito Santo’s coaching careerRio Ave 15 May 2012 to 19 May 2014 – P80 W32 D17 L31 Win % 40.00Valencia 4 July 2014 to 29 November 2015 – P62 W32 D16 L14 Win % 51.61Porto 1 June 2016 to 22 May 2017 – P49 W27 D16 L6 Win % 55.10Wolverhampton Wanderers 31 May 2017 23 to May 2021 – P199 W95 D49 L55 Win % 47.74Tottenham Hotspur 30 June 2021 to 1 November 2021 – P17 W8 D2 L7 Win % 47.06Al-Ittihad 4 July 2022 to 7 November 2023 – P56 W36 D12 L8 Win % 64.29Nottingham Forest 20 December 2023 to Present – P68 W26 D19 L23 Win % 38.24Total P531 W256 D131 L144 Win % 48.21The draw with Leicester saw Forest drop to seventh with two games left to try and get back into the top five – and crucially they host Chelsea on the final day of the season. But the 2-2 stalemate was arguably most notable for what happened after the full-time whistle when owner Evangelos Marinakis stormed on to the pitch to confront Santo.The fiery Greek businessman’s frustration was over the confusion regarding Taiwo Awoniyi, who got injured late on when he clattered into the post. After initially suggesting he could carry on, Santo used his final substitution window to take off Elliot Anderson – meaning Awoniyi could not be replaced despite realising he could not continue. SunSport revealed Marinakis erupted again and far more ferociously in the tunnel – at Santo, Awoniyi and the club’s medical staff. Read More on The SunAwoniyi, meanwhile, underwent an urgent surgery on Monday with the rest of the procedure unable to be completed on Tuesday.That meant doctors placed the Nigerian striker in an induced coma and hope to conclude the surgery on Wednesday. Santo shaved his hair by the time he was Valencia gafferCredit: AFP More

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      Chelsea confident of completing £30m Liam Delap transfer in major blow to Man Utd

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      CHELSEA are increasingly confident of landing Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap despite interest from Manchester United.The England Under-21 forward, who has scored 12 Premier League goals, has a release clause of just £30million.Chelsea are increasingly confident of landing Ipswich Town star Liam DelapChelsea could beat Manchester United for DelapUnited are in the market for a new centre-forward but Delap, 22, is favouring a link-up with the Blues’ boss Enzo Maresca, his academy coach at Manchester City.Chelsea’s current recruitment director Joe Shields was instrumental in Delap’s move from Derby to join Man City’s star-filled academy in 20219.The signing of Delap would be seen as a huge coup for Chelsea as he is one of the most in-demand young players in this country.He joined Ipswich last summer from City in a £15m deal, rising to £20million.Read More on Man UtdHe had a release clause of £40m but that has been reduced by £10m now the Tractor Boys have been relegated.Arsenal have also been watching the forward, whose goals have not been enough to save Ipswich from relegation back to the Championship.Delap had hoped his form, particularly in the first half of the season, would be enough to get into Thomas Tuchel’s first England squad in March.Yet he remained with the U21s along with Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton and Southampton’s Taylor Harwood-Bellis.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSBut he did train with England’s senior team at St George’s Park ahead of the World Cup qualifier against Latvia.Tuchel will name his next squad, on Friday week, for the World Cup qualifier away to Andorra and a friendly at home to Senegal.But Delap is again set to remain with the U21s as they prepare for the European Championships in Slovakia.Liam Delap tipped to snub Man Utd and Chelsea for EVERTON transfer after fans spot gesture following match vs ToffeesChelsea raids on Man City starsCHELSEA have become adept at nicking some of the talent factory from rivals Man City – and it doesn’t look like stopping any time soon.Liam Delap would become the EIGHTH high profile name to move to Stamford Bridge from The Etihad, sometimes via a couple of other clubs in between.Enzo MarescaChelsea’s current head coach was once part of Pep Guardiola’s backroom staff at City — and is such of devotee of his former boss he’s known as Diet Pep. Maresca, 45, – who also spent a season as Leicester manager – worked as manager of City’s Under-23 team.Joe ShieldsChelsea’s Co-Director of Recruitment and Talent, who was poached from Southampton, where he spent just two months after leaving Man City in 2022. Glenn van der KraanVan der Kraan was at City before joining as Chelsea’s academy technical director last October. He was head of coaching at City’s academyCole PalmerThe 23-year-old England star made the switch from Man City to Chelsea in 2023 for £40million, potentially rising to £42.5m. Palmer, pictured here with Lavia at Man City in 2021, has become the star man at Chelsea with 37 goals in 68 games for the club.Romeo LaviaThe Belgium international midfielder, 21, joined Chelsea from Southampton for £53m in 2023. Before that he spent two years at Man City, making one appearance for the first team.Jadon SanchoSancho, 25, spent two years at Man City where he was rated very highly.  But they sold the young winger to Dortmund for £8m in 2017, and he then joined Man Utd for £73m in 2021. Currently on loan at Chelsea.Tosin AdarabioyoThe 6ft5in centre back was at Man City’s academy for four seasons, and made his debut for the first team aged 19. Now 27, he spent four years at Fulham before moving to Chelsea on a free transfer last summer.The striker counts a total of 12 goals and two assists in 38 appearances across all competitions this season.Football is in Delap’s blood. His dad Rory played for Stoke City, and Delap Jr appeared on the set of Soccer AM in 2014 alongside his father.The former Stoke City and Ireland midfielder is best remembered for his insanely long throw-ins.Former Stoke City hero Rory Delap is Liam’s dadLiam seen on the set of Soccer AM in 2014Credit: AFP More

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      How Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s other sporting ventures are going as Man Utd chief admits Nice are ‘so much better without’ him

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      SIR JIM RATCLIFFE promised a bright new dawn for Manchester United.More than a year on, the club are set for their lowest Premier League finish and worst domestic season since their 1974 relegation — all while firing a staggering 450 club staff.Manchester United minority shareholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe has been busy this seasonMan Utd are set for their worst ever Premier League finishBut Nice are experiencing immense success in Ligue 1Victory over Tottenham in next week’s Europa League final could alter the narrative, sealing Champions League football to add to ambitious plans unveiled recently by Ratcliffe and Ineos – his multinational chemical company.United are just one part of a £2.2BILLION-plus sporting empire that  once looked dominant but is now showing some cracks. Here, SunSport’s MARTIN LIPTON breaks down the rest of Sir Jim’s portfolio — sport by sport . . . FOOTBALLRead More on FootballBEFORE Manchester United, there was Lausanne and Nice.In 2017, Ineos announced a deal to take over the Swiss club, described as part of the chemicals giants’ “continuing investment in youth and  community sports” in the area.A pledge of “full backing” for manager Fabio Celestini lasted until the club were demoted six months later.Lausanne have been a yo-yo club in the Ineos era but now sit well clear of relegation and  are settling into the 13,000-capacity Stade de la Tuiliere, which was opened in 2020.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSTwo years after the Swiss investment, Ineos bought French side Nice in an £89million deal, with Ratcliffe stating: “We made some mistakes at Lausanne but we are fast learners.“These have been rectified and we are already seeing the benefits.”Ineos arrived with Arsenal icon Patrick Vieira in the dugout but he was sacked after 15 months. Four full-time successors have come and gone since, with Franck Haise now reaching the end of his first season, where he is well positioned to improve on Ineos’ best Ligue 1 finish of fifth.Despite a winless Europa League campaign, Nice are fourth domestically with a game left.They are one of three teams on 57 points and could finish as low as  seventh. But a home win over Brest on Saturday will all but guarantee Nice entry to Champions League qualifying.Last summer, after investing £1.3billion to take over “sporting operations” at United, Ineos were forced by Uefa to transfer most of their shares in Nice to a blind trust.’So much better without our interference’Ratcliffe admitted in March: “The best season that Nice has had is this one, where we’ve not been allowed to get involved due to multi-club ownership rules. They’ve been so much better without our interference! Maybe there’s a lesson.”When Ratcliffe confirmed his buyout of just over a quarter of United’s stocks from the Glazers, he vowed to lead the Old Trafford club back to the top but said: “It’s going to take two or three seasons.”That looks an understatement.The dismissal of Erik ten Hag was overdue but paying Newcastle £3million for sporting director Dan Ashworth only to sack him after five months was an expensive embarrassment.Ratcliffe publicly backs Ruben Amorim but has criticised certain players.The announcement of the £2bn plan to build a 100,000-capacity “New Trafford” as the centrepiece of a huge development project next to the club’s home since 1910 was a signal of ambition.With Ineos’ finances under scrutiny, it has been claimed Ratcliffe could exit MercedesFORMULA ONEINEOS became Mercedes’ “principal partner” in a five-year £100m deal signed in 2020 and by the end of the year had taken a one-third stake.Back-to-back team championships in their first two years made it eight in a row, Sir Lewis Hamilton winning the drivers’ title in 2020 and only losing out to Max Verstappen on the final lap in 2021.But that was the end of Mercedes’ domination and Hamilton joined Ferrari ahead of this season.George Russell remains a title contender even if his car is slower than the McLarens of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri as well as Verstappen’s Red Bull.With Ineos’ finances under scrutiny, it has been claimed Ratcliffe could exit but team principal Toto Wolff said: “He is one of us three amigos — Mercedes, Jim and I. We are never going to part ways.”New Zealand Rugby launched a legal case alleging a ‘breach of contract’RUGBY UNIONRATCLIFFE’S Ineos became a “performance partner” of the All Blacks in 2021 on a  six-year deal worth £4million per season — but they could be kicked into touch.New Zealand Rugby launched a legal case alleging a “breach of contract” in February after announcing Ineos had “failed to pay the first instalment of the 2025 sponsorship fee, confirming its decision to exit” the agreement.That came with Ineos admitting  it is suffering financially from rising levels of carbon tax in Europe, making chemicals a “tough industry to be in”.Ratcliffe can’t Haka it, moaning in March: “We talked to New Zealand Rugby about the fact that times are tough.“We wanted to see if we could find a compromise, which you would have thought as a sponsor of the All Blacks they’d have listened to, but they didn’t want to listen.”NZ are currently an unacceptable No2 in the world.Ineos bankroll the cycling team to the tune of £40million per yearCYCLINGTEAM SKY had become the dominant force in world road cycling under Sir Dave Brailsford with riders including Tour de France winners Chris Froome, Bradley Wiggins and Geraint Thomas.They were rebranded as Team Ineos in 2019, becoming Ineos Grenadiers the following year. The company promised to match or even exceed the team’s £34million annual budget.Colombian Egan Bernal won the team’s seventh Tour de France title in the first year of sponsorship but there have been no further triumphs in cycling’s elite race.Ineos bankroll the team to the tune of £40m per year but are closing in on a multi-million pound sponsorship deal with another petrochemicals giant, TotalEnergies.In January, Ineos announced a third challenge — but without Sir Ben Ainslie’s involvementSAILINGOLYMPIC sailing legend Sir Ben Ainslie and Royal Yacht Squadron Commodore Jamie Sheldon were with Ratcliffe in 2018 to announce the launch of Ineos Team UK and its bid to finally win the America’s Cup.The crew, including another Olympic champion in Giles Scott, reached the final of the Prada Cup qualifying campaign in 2021 but were outsailed by Italy’s Luna Rossa, who in turn was comfortably beaten by the holders, Emirates Team New Zealand.Ineos committed more than £110million and renamed the team Ineos Britannia before the 2024 edition of the world’s oldest sailing race.This time, with another Olympic champion, Dylan Fletcher, joining Ainslie at the helm of the twin-hulled craft, the British boat reached the final in the waters off Barcelona.But they again fell short, beaten 7-2 by the Kiwi vessel.In January, Ineos announced a third challenge — but without Ainslie’s involvement.Ratcliffe suggested: “Ben wanted to do his own thing and that’s fine.” But Ainslie claims he has the right to be the “Challenger of Record” with access to more information than other contenders.Ainslie’s team  was “astounded” by the Ineos move, adding it “raises significant legal and practical obstacles”.ATHLETICSKENYAN superstar Eliud Kipchoge’s successful bid to break the two-hour barrier for the marathon distance in 2019 was bankrolled by Ratcliffe through the Ineos 1:59 Challenge.Read More on The SunKipchoge covered 26.2 miles in Vienna in 1:59:40.2 — although it did not count as an official world record as he was allowed a series of pace-setters and it was not an open event.Later, in 2022, Ineos signed an agreement to become “performance partner” to Kipchoge’s Dutch-based NN Running Team.In 2022, Ineos signed an agreement to become “performance partner” to Eliud Kipchoge’s NN Running Team More

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      Liverpool set to play hardball with Real Madrid over Alexander-Arnold transfer – as squad treat star to Dubai leaving do

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      LIVERPOOL are ready to play hardball with Real Madrid over Trent Alexander-Arnold.The LaLiga giants are hoping to persuade the Reds to let Alexander-Arnold go for a token £850,000 in time to play in the Club World Cup next month.Liverpool are currently not willing to let Trent Alexander-Arnold leave before the Club World CupCredit: PABut Anfield chiefs are in no mood to make life easy for Real.They are unhappy how information about their pursuit of TAA was leaked at key moments in the season.Shortly after rumours emerged that the Spanish side were trying to sign him in January, the right-back put in a terrible performance in the 2-2 draw with bitter rivals Manchester United.So Liverpool do not regard the fee — again leaked through Real’s mouthpieces in the Spanish press —  as a good enough reason to let Alexander-Arnold go before his contract expires on June 30.READ MORE TRANSFER NEWSHe is currently with the squad in Dubai on something of a leaving do.Some feel Liverpool might benefit next season if as many Real players as possible were involved in the month-long Club World Cup in the heat of an American summer.Their first game is on June 18 in Miami.But unless Real improve their offer, the Reds are prepared to make the player and his new club wait.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSMeanwhile, the Merseysiders have made a decisive move to replace TAA by triggering the £33.6million release clause of Leverkusen star Jeremie Frimpong.The Holland wing-back, 24, is also a target for Bayern Munich.But he is thought to be keen on a move to Anfield to play under fellow Dutchman Arne Slot, and talks between his agent and the Reds are well advanced.Jamie Carragher ‘shocked’ by Alexander-Arnold boos as he admits ‘most Liverpool players want to play for Real Madrid’ More

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      Man Utd scrap their end of season awards dinner after worst Premier League campaign in club’s history

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      MANCHESTER UNITED have decided against holding a post-season awards ceremony.Ordinarily, the Red Devils hold a gala dinner at Old Trafford every May to celebrate each team.Man Utd will not have an end of season awards dinner this yearCredit: GettyIt is understood that the decision was made due to the men’s first team’s poor campaignCredit: GettyClub officials also believe it would be inappropriate amid hundreds of ongoing redundancies authorised by Sir Jim RatcliffeCredit: PAGuests pay to watch members of the men’s, women’s and youth teams accept awards for their efforts over the campaign – including the coveted Sir Matt Busby Player of the Year award which is voted for by the fans.The Times report that each accolade will now likely be handed out prior to United’s final match of the Premier League season against Aston Villa on May 25.Man Utd officials had not announced a date for the annual gala.SunSport understands they feel there is little to celebrate from the 2024-25 campaign.READ MORE ON MAN UTDThey also believe it would be inappropriate amid hundreds of ongoing redundancies.United have endured their worst Premier League campaign in history this term.On Sunday, they matched their all-time worst-ever tally for home league defeats in a single season.Ruben Amorim and Co now sit 16th in the Premier League table with just two games left to play.Most read in FootballJoin SUN CLUB for the Man Utd Files every Thursday plusin-depth coverage and exclusives from Old TraffordHowever, they still have a shot at silverware.United will face Tottenham in the Europa League final in Bilbao next week.’I lived at the training ground’ – Former Man Utd transfer chief lifts lid on most expensive window in club historyThe winner is set to secure Champions League qualificiation.Man Utd endured another difficult campaign last term.Having finished eighth in the Prem table, club officials cancelled the end-of-season awards dinner then also. More