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    Kieran Trippier wants Man Utd transfer as right-back tells England team-mates he is open to Atletico exit

    KIERAN TRIPPIER has told England team-mates he is keen to secure a move to Manchester United.The Red Devils are considering a summer swoop for the Atletico Madrid ace as they try to build a squad capable of challenging for the Premier League title next season.
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    Kieran Trippier has told his England team-mates he wants a move to Man UnitedCredit: Reuters
    Boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer believes the 30-year-old is the ideal player to strengthen his defensive options and also provide competition for Aaron Wan-Bissaka at right-back.
    And though he has been a big hit in Spain, it appears the ex-Tottenham man is excited about the prospect of a switch to Old Trafford in his native North-West if the opportunity arises.
    The former Burnley defender remains central to Atleti’s plans having been instrumental in helping Diego Simeone’s side to the LaLiga title.
    But United believe they can persuade the Spaniards to strike a deal if they come up with a bid in the region of £15million-£20m.
    Should they succeed it would be a big challenge for Wan-Bissaka.
    The 23-year-old is strong defensively but has struggled to show consistent quality going forward.
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    SunSport exclusively revealed how Man United are considering switching Wan-Bissaka as a centre-half.
    Solskjaer is likely to experiment with the new position in pre-season.
    It would make United’s backline more flexible if he could copy Kyle Walker at Manchester City and play both slots.
    ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds
    Aaron Wan-Bissaka shows off his skills in training with Man Utd More

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    Leading out England at Wembley was the proudest moment of my life but inside I was a wreck, says Tony Adams

    TWENTY-FIVE years ago England’s football fans really were believing that years of hurt could end when football came home for Euro ’96.This week The Sun reveals the secrets behind our hosting of Europe’s biggest international tournament, starting with hero skipper Tony Adams. 
    Tony Adams captaining his country for the Netherlands clash at Euro ’96Credit: Rex
    Now 54, he tells how after years of battling addiction, he banished his demons in the summer of 1996 and found redemption – and says Gareth Southgate’s side can do the same when the delayed Euro 2020 kicks off this Friday.
    Now an armchair fan like the rest of us, the former Arsenal defender says: “We can win this! It would mean so much for all of us from Euro ’96.”

    WHEN England were to brush agonisingly close to glory in 1996, Tony Adams was at the heart of it all.
    He was the captain the whole team looked to, from the moment he led them on to the pitch at Wembley for the opening match against Switzerland. 
    The England legend as he is todayCredit: The Sun
    “It was the top, you know,” he says. Even now his eyes glisten at the memory and his voice starts to crack.
    But Tony’s Euros story doesn’t begin here. Nor does it start with anything in the build-up, the dentist’s chair drinking games in Hong Kong or any of that carry-on. 
    No, for Tony it started eight years earlier with his first tournament for his country, the European Championships of 1988. 
    “I had a horrific tournament,” he says. “On and off the pitch, it was damaging.”
    England lost to Ireland and were then dismantled by Holland with the rampantly brilliant Marco Van Basten hat-trick. 
    For Tony, it was all nothing short of traumatic. 
    He reveals: “I was so young, you know, 22 years of age, playing against the Dutch and probably the greatest player on the planet at the time.
    “I got turned inside out for a couple of the goals and it was like all the blame was coming towards me.
    Tony wears a Sun bowler while training for 1996 EurosCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
    SCARED TO DEATH
    “I had no tools to cope. I had a good drink after we went out of the tournament and ended up weeing the bed. The chambermaid found it. 
    “When I went down for breakfast with the squad, all the lads stood up and they were going, ‘Pee, pee, pee, pee’.” Tony wafts his hand under his nose, mimicking them.
    He continues: “The humiliation and the shame — I laughed it off and put the front up but inside that really did hurt. That really killed me.”
    And there was more humiliation to come for Tony when the squad returned to England. 
    The great season he’d just had with Arsenal, winning the Littlewoods Cup against Liverpool and being awarded the Fiat Uno Young Player Of The Year award, now counted for nothing. 
    He says: “Oh my God, I remember when we landed at Luton and running to my Fiat Uno with about three busloads of England supporters chasing me.” 
    And that was the last Tony saw of tournament football with England for eight long years. Off the field, sinking ever deeper into his addiction to alcohol, his life was in chaos. 
    Tony and David Seaman sing the national anthem before Euro ’96 clash with Spain
    He didn’t make the squad for Italia ’90, and barely even remembers the famous semi-final and Gazza’s tears. 
    “I watched it in a social club just where I lived, drinking and getting smashed,” he recalls. “I felt no emotion about anything at that point.
    “I was completely oblivious to it all, completely oblivious.” Tony was injured for Euro ’92 and England failed to qualify for the 1994 World Cup in the USA, so it wasn’t until Euro ’96 that he made his return to international duties. 
    Having shown his natural leadership at Arsenal, new England manager Terry Venables named Tony as captain — but the build-up to the competition could hardly have been more inauspicious for him. 
    In January his then wife — like him, losing a battle against addiction — went into treatment. 
    In February an injury in training put him out of action for several weeks. And all the time alcohol was tightening its grip. 
    He says: “In March I passed out while looking after my three kids.
    Tony kisses David after he stops Scotland penaltyCredit: Rex
    “It was a Sunday afternoon and I’d drunk six or seven bottles of Chablis and passed out. I woke up with my mother-in-law smacking me around the face, saying she’d take the kids off me.
    “By April, I had kind of come to the place where I knew something was up. There was something about that tournament.” 
    For Tony to become the leader and player he needed to be, the drinking had to stop until the tournament was over. He would, as he puts it, “white-knuckle it” for as long as it took.
    “I said, ‘All I am going to do is train, train, train, play, play, play. I am going to do this’. 
    “I had this mask on, this wall of denial. I am the skipper, I am the captain. So when they said to me, ‘Would you want to go down to a club with a dentist’s chair?’ and all that, I said, ‘Go on, you go and have fun’.
    “I was absolutely scared to death because I knew at that point if I had that first drink I couldn’t stop.
    “And I knew somewhere deep inside of me I had to stop or there was no tournament for me.
    “I was sweating and shaking, and I remember knocking on their doors the next morning, saying, ‘Come on lads, training’ — so I was all training and the football pitch.
    Arsenal win Premier League trophy in 2002Credit: Allsport – Getty
    VERY ASHAMED
    “I knew how to not drink and play football, and football was the thing that was kind of holding me together at that point.
    “The paradox of all this is that the proudest moment of my life was leading out my country at Wembley.
    “But personally, I was a complete and utter wreck. Such a conflict going on. And it was so intense.” 
    Tony was just relieved to get through that first match against Switzerland, which was a 1-1 draw.
    He said: “Even if you just take a point, you taste the atmosphere. You know what it is going to be like, you are in the competition.”
    Now he felt he was really back in business: “I had been around the block. I was 13 years into my professional career. I was a seasoned pro, being captain at Arsenal for nine years, so I think I knew what I was doing on the football pitch.
    “I didn’t know what I was doing off of it, but I knew what I was doing on it.” 
    Against Scotland, disaster struck when he gave away the penalty, but he got away with it. “This England captain felt very ashamed, and the minute I did it I kind of went, ‘Oohh’. But the goalie did me proud and I went across and gave him a big kiss on his forehead.” Moments later, Gazza scored his wonder goal, and that game was done. Next up, for Tony, was the big one — Holland. Still scarred by the defeat at their hands eight years earlier, this was the victory he wanted more than any other. 
    “It was my redemption, to be honest with you, from ’88 and losing heavily, a young boy at 22 getting ridiculed, and it was just a little bit of revenge. It was really emotional personally.” 
    The quarter-final against Spain is another match Tony frames in terms of redemption — in that case for Stuart Pearce and his penalty.
     “That was his redemption from 1990, getting up and smashing it in and going to the fans. I was so proud of Stuart because he totally deserved that.” But there were no further redemptions that summer — against Germany in the semi-final it all fell apart. 
    After England lost on penalties, having drawn the game 1-1, the skipper held it together for a few moments longer to console Gareth Southgate, who missed the crucial spot kick, and the rest of the team.
    Tony in action for England at Euro ’96Credit: Alamy
    SORDID PLACES
    He says: “I remember thinking, ‘OK, I will go and break down later, but first and foremost you are the captain of the team, you need to go and help this person’.” 
    An hour or so after that, someone handed Tony a can of beer, and that was that. “I was away on a six-week bender during which I did everything I’d done in the previous 12 years of drinking — weeing myself, blackouts, things coming out the windows. I went to some sordid places.”
    Euro ’96 turned out to be the last sticking plaster holding Tony together. When it was torn away, he soon went to pieces completely.
    “I’d got to the end. I was 29 years of age and I didn’t want to live, I didn’t want to be here any more. The pain was too much. I was sick and tired of being sick and tired.”
    And now, finally, he got the help he needed to address his issues and change his life for ever. Euro ’96 somehow ended up being the turning point in his life story. 
    He reveals: “We got so close to winning it, and I will be forever grateful for that. It still hurts me, but personally I had a significant shift in my emotional experience that completely changed my life for the better.” Since then he has given up alcohol for good.
    And what about one more redemption, this summer, for Gareth? Tony will be suffering with the rest of us praying for it.
    “We have got some super players that are every bit as good as Euro ’96.
    Adrian Chiles sits down with Tony Adams for a chatCredit: The Sun

    “Technically good defenders? We are awash with them! Harry Maguire, John Stones and Tyrone Mings are all so talented. Mings, he’s bigger than me, really strong.
    “I am more engaged now watching it. I’ve joined the real fans,” he laughs. “I’m like you now.” More

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    Meet the Euros 2020 WAG squad – from models, pop stars to lawyers

    THERE will be plenty of new faces in the stands as well as on the pitch for England when our Euros campaign kicks off.The extended 26-man squad means there is a new wave of WAGS to get to know.
    There’ll be a new WAG squad when the Euros 2020 kick offCredit: Getty
    This year’s top team of ladies boast day jobs as pop singers, beauty experts and lawyers.
    And they will be playing a prominent role cheering on the Three Lions to glory.
    Mia McClenaghan and Reece James
    Mia McClenaghan, 21, has recently completed a law degreeCredit: Instagram/miamcclenaghan
    She’s dating Chelsea’s Reece JamesCredit: Instagram/miamcclenaghan
    AS well as looks, Mia McClenaghan, 21, has brains and recently completed a law degree at Royal Holloway University.
    Essex-born Mia — girlfriend of Chelsea’s Reece James — is also a model.
    And she often posts glamorous shots of her and Reece to her 20,000 Instagram followers.
    Rebecca Cooke and Phil Foden
    Rebecca Cooke has two children with Man City’s Phil Foden
    The couple welcomed their first child when they were 18
    MUM Rebecca Cooke is the WAG dark horse and stays out of the spotlight.
    A childhood sweetheart of wonder kid Phil Foden, the couple are devoted to their son Ronnie, two — and have a second child on the way in late summer or early autumn.
    Rebecca, 20, had her first child with the Manchester City star when they were both 18.
    Anouska Santos and Luka Shaw
    Anouska Santos recently welcomed a son with Manchester United star Luke ShawCredit: Instagram / @anouskasantos
    The couple were first seen together in 2017Credit: Instagram / @anouskasantos
    MUM Anouska Santos welcomed a son with Manchester United star Luke Shaw in 2019.
    The 29-year-old had shared a picture of her scan and a snap of Luke, 25, saying: “I hope he’s just like you, with a little bit of me”.
    They were first seen together at the Wireless music festival in 2017 and have been spotted looking at rings, but nothing has been confirmed.
    Ashleigh Behan and Kalvin Phillips
    Ashleigh Behan, 26, is a make-up artist
    She has been with Leeds’ Kalvin Phillips since 2010
    MAKE-up artist Ashleigh Behan brings glamour to the WAG squad.
    Ashleigh, 26, met Kalvin Phillips at school, and the childhood sweethearts have dated since 2010.
    It is fair to say she is his biggest fan. When the midfielder won promotion with Leeds, she posted on social media: “The best night celebrating with my champion!!!”
    Olivia Naylor and John Stones
    Beautician Olivia Naylor has been with John Stones for two years
    The couple got together after he split with Millie Savage
    BEAUTY clinic boss Olivia ­Naylor is John Stones’ girlfriend of two years.
    The 32-year-old met the Manchester City defender in a nightclub.
    And the 27-year-old ace is believed to have split with his childhood sweetheart Millie Savage — with whom he has a daughter — after they met.
    Chloe Wealleans-Watts and Mason Mount
    Chloe Wealleans-Watts is a model and pop star
    She has been with Chelsea’s Mason Mount for four years

    ANY WAG line-up needs a pop star — and Chloe Wealleans-Watts is a member of girl band 303.
    Chloe, 21, has dated Chelsea’s Mason Mount for four years — and she is also signed to top model agency Storm.
    They love exotic travel, which she shares with her 27,000 Instagram followers.
    England Wags will be BANNED from St George’s Park team hotel for Euro 2020 due to coronavirus protocols More

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    England stars set for £50,000 pay rise thanks to FA’s new deal with taxman

    ENGLAND stars are set for a huge pay boost as they get fired up for Euro glory — thanks to a new deal with the taxman.Three Lions aces have been the subject of an inquiry over image rights cash paid to them by the FA which would see them pay more tax.
    Harry Kane could net an extra £75,000 from the dealCredit: Alamy
    But HMRC chiefs and the FA are likely to resolve the months-long issue before the curtain-raiser with Croatia at Wembley next Sunday.
    And the breakthrough could hand them a 50 per cent image pay hike plus bonuses within days — worth as much as an extra £75,000 to top stars like captain Harry Kane.
    A source close to the negotiations said last night: “For England’s stars and the taxman this deal hits the back of the net, and couldn’t come at a better time.
    “Some players may see their gross image rights earnings nearly double.
    “The FA will be the big losers because they will foot the bill to avoid the headache of having to sort out tax issues for everyone in the squad. But the extra dosh should put a spring in the players’ step.”
    Champions League winner Mason Mount will benefit from the image rights dealCredit: Getty
    Image rights of up to £100,000-a-year are paid to stars based on the number of times they are selected for squads, rather than caps.
    These huge sums are paid on top of playing fees, which players donate to charity.
    The FA has previously not been obliged to pay national insurance or income tax on these payments.
    But HMRC want the footballers to pay the 45 per cent top rate tax instead of 19 per cent through limited companies which they do now.
    The extra cash from the FA is to offset the higher amount of tax they would pay to HMRC chiefs.
    Experts estimated that the current £4million-a-year the FA pays out in image rights will rise to around £6million once the deal is done.
    Regulars like Spurs idol Harry will see their rights money ramped up to cover the extra tax burden to around £150,000-a-year — £50,000 more than he is currently paid.
    Jack Grealish could see his England earnings nearly doubleCredit: Getty
    But that could be topped up with an estimated £25,000 annual fee to cover the cost of extra tax return work — making it an extra £75,000 for Kane.
    Chelsea’s 22-year-old Champions League-winning star Mason Mount can expect a similar windfall.
    Mount, picked for nine squads by manager Gareth Southgate, has earned around £90,000 but under the new system would earn £135,000 plus the £25,000 accounting fee to cover his tax.
    Aston Villa wizard Jack Grealish, 25, should see his estimated earnings rise from around £70,000 to £130,000-a-year plus possible extras for promotional work.
    Tax expert Jim Lee, a former semi-pro footballer, said: “It’s good to see this cleared up so our boys can focus on winning the Euros.
    “They’re all multi-millionaires in any case and I’m sure they’d happily play for England for nothing.
    “If sorting this out in time for the tournament gives the Exchequer a boost and hands the players a bonus, then good luck to them.”
    Football finance expert Gerald Krasner, from Begbies Traynor added: “HMRC are closing a loophole that has existed for years.
    Gareth Southgate’s England kick off their Euro 2020 campaign next weekendCredit: Getty

    “They are saying that image rights payments are earned here and so should be taxed as income at full UK rates.”
    FA sources confirmed that chiefs had been working with the players to ensure image rights payments were appropriately taxed.
    A FA spokesman said: “We’d never comment on financial or commercial matters relating to players.”
    Gareth Southgate talks about Harry Maguire and Jordan Henderson’s chances of playing in the Euros More

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    Paddy McGuinness and Danny Dyer to remake footie anthem Vindaloo for Euro 2020

    FOOTBALL anthem Vindaloo is being remade for the Euros — with   Danny Dyer and Paddy McGuinness on vocals.Scenes for the video were shot this week, with actor Will Mellor, comic Leigh Francis and dancer Bez belting out a new version of the spicy Fat Les hit.
    Happy Mondays star Bez and actor Will Mellor led the filming for Vindaloo in LondonCredit: Alamy
    But EastEnders star Danny and Top Gear host Paddy also sing on the unofficial England anthem, originally recorded for the 1998 World Cup.
    A source said: “Danny and Paddy are secret stars of the Vindaloo re-recording.
    “They laid down their lyrics in a studio at the end of last month but their schedules couldn’t allow them to make filming. But it’s obvious who sings what lines in the track and the new version sounds brilliant.”
    Corrie actor Will, Keith Lemon star Leigh, and Happy Mondays’ dancer Bez were seen filming in Hoxton, East London.
    The source went on: “The video for the updated version is very much in line with the original. Everyone involved in the remake thinks it will blow the original out of the water. It’s brilliant fun.”
    Fat Les’ song Vindaloo was a hit in 1998 and still lives on as an England terrace anthemCredit: Rex

    Fat Les was formed by Blur bassist Alex James, Lily Allen’s dad Keith, and the artist Damien Hirst.
    They hit No2 with Vindaloo, with the star-packed video also featuring Matt Lucas and David Walliams.
    The Euros start on Friday. England open their campaign against Croatia on the Sunday afternoon, a day after Wales play Switzerland.
    Paddy McGuinness is hoping to have a chart hit with VindalooCredit: PA
    EastEnders actor Danny Dyer took part in the Vindaloo remakeCredit: Getty
    England fans recreate Fat Les’ Three Lions anthem ‘Vindaloo’ More

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    Jack Grealish desperate to emulate boyhood hero David Beckham and star in England’s iconic No7 shirt at Euro 2020

    BARBERS in Birmingham have been kept busy over the years with requests from kids for a short-Jack-and-sides.And there is set to be a new craze around Aston Villa’s poster boy in the city — England shirts with GREALISH on the back.
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    England star Jack Grealish is expected to play a huge role under Gareth Southgate at Euro 2020Credit: Getty
    Grealish has revealed he is desperate to emulate his boyhood hero David BeckhamCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
    Sir Stanley Matthews, Kevin Keegan and Bryan Robson all wore the No 7 for England.
    But for Grealish, unsurprisingly, it is all about David Beckham.
    Asked about being handed the same squad number as Golden Balls by boss Gareth Southgate, 25-year-old Grealish could not stop grinning.
    The midfielder, who won his his sixth cap in Wednesday’s 1-0 friendly win over Austria, said: “What young lad didn’t look up to David Beckham?
    “If I have half the career he had, then I’ll be over the moon.
    “He had a lot of great moments but the goal against Greece to send England to the World Cup stands out.
    “Every kid grew up looking up to him — I certainly did. The No 7 was a bit of an iconic number in England terms.
    “So many great players have worn the shirt and, hopefully, I can follow in their footsteps and perform well in it.
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    “When I got the No 7 shirt the other day, I got so many messages from family and friends saying they were going out straight away to buy a shirt.
    “Since the start of the season, I said to myself that I wanted to get in the Euro squad. I have not shied away from saying how much I wanted to be in the squad.
    “I had my aims with my club this season but my No 1 aim for the whole season was to get in the squad.
    “Thankfully I’ve done it and, hopefully, I can be part of a good summer.
    “In the last two or three years, everyone has talked about that summer of 2018 and the World Cup in Russia.
    “I think that was one summer when Gareth and the lads brought the whole nation together, just from the way they played at that World Cup.”
    Against Austria in Middlesbrough, wearing the No 10 shirt, the Villa superstar showed flashes of what he is capable of.
    He will certainly have a big role for England during the tournament but as it stands, he will start on the substitutes’ bench.

    Grealish is likely to be involved in Sunday’s international friendly against RomaniaCredit: Reuters
    But looking at the team’s run of injuries, that could change.
    Equally, Grealish is an expert at how to deal with challenges as he continues to be constantly fouled.
    Little wonder that his shins are always sore.
    And he revealed winning free-kicks in the opponent’s area was first mentioned to him by former Villa manager Martin O’Neill.
    Grealish added: “Martin O’Neill said to me, ‘You never, ever want to get kicked in your own half because there’s no point, you can’t do anything there.
    “Try and get kicked around the edge of the box or in the box as much as possible’.
    “I was a bit young and I thought, ‘Ah, OK’. But now I understand why. I’ll take the kicks to help my team. Definitely.
    “There was one tackle against Austria, the first one, which really, really hurt.
    Grealish has been heavily linked with a move away from Villa Park in the summerCredit: EPA

    “It was when Jesse Lingard gave me the ball on the left. That was one tackle that went on to my shin where I’ve been quite sore.
    “Obviously, the way I play I’m going to get kicked all the time and I can’t really be running with the ball and thinking at the back of my head, ‘If I get kicked here, I’m one kick away from getting hurt’.
    “So it’s one of those when if it ever happens it is part and parcel, it is what comes with the way I play.”
    For some time, Three Lions manager Southgate was not sure about picking Grealish.
    It was only an injury to Marcus Rashford in August which saw him get a late call-up for the Nations League matches in Iceland and Denmark.
    Yet after failing to completely convince Southgate in his first couple of games, Grealish has taken his opportunities.
    He will once again play some part against Romania at the Riverside on Sunday ahead of the Group D opener with Croatia seven days later.

    During a major tournament, a player who starts on the bench can often become a major star.
    Grealish could be that player.
    And by next month, it might not just be Villa fans who have his name on a shirt.
    Jack Grealish volleys a grenade in new Call of Duty advert leaving fans in stitches More

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    England fear Harry Maguire and Jordan Henderson could miss WHOLE of Euro 2020 as Gareth Southgate’s injury crisis mounts

    GARETH SOUTHGATE is facing a mounting England injury crisis a week before the Euros.It is feared crocked duo Jordan Henderson and Harry Maguire may miss ALL of the tournament.
    WIN £50,000! Play Dream Team Euros – our FREE fantasy football game this summer 
    Harry Maguire joined the England squad on Thursday but is a major doubt for the EurosCredit: Getty
    Gareth Southgate fears Jordan Henderson will play no part at the Euros after suffering a setbackCredit: PA
    And Trent Alexander-Arnold’s dream of playing is over after he was last night ruled out with a thigh injury picked up in the 1-0 friendly win over Austria.
    Southgate will call up a replacement into his 26-man squad after Sunday’s friendly against Romania.
    Midfielders James Ward-Prowse and Jesse Lingard are stand-by options, as well as defenders Ben White and Ben Godfrey.
    Liverpool midfielder Henderson has suffered a setback in his bid to recover from a groin injury and Southgate now concedes it would be a ‘bonus’ if he plays in the tournament.
    WIN £50,000 with Dream Team EurosDream Team Euros is HERE!
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    Crocked Harry Maguire is looking more and more doubtful to make itCredit: PA
    United centre-back Maguire told SunSport on Wednesday that he has only just returned to light training after injuring his ankle last month.
    Southgate said: “With the two lads, Hendo and Harry, I’ve picked up a squad that can cope without them.
    “If we had a squad of 23, that might have been a different decision to make.
    “We’ve got 26. So, rather than take maybe a couple of young players for the experience, for me it’s better to have two senior players who can add so much to the group.

    Maguire has only just returned to light training after an ankle injuryCredit: Getty
    Southgate fears the worst as England’s injury crisis continues to mountCredit: Getty

    “If we can get them in a position to help on the field, then that’s only going to be beneficial for us.”
    Southgate knows both are almost certain to miss England’s Euros opener against Croatia at Wembley on Sunday week.
    But  it is now seems doubtful either will feature during the group stage, with England’s matches played over just nine days.
    Henderson was due to make his first appearance since February in Wednesday’s friendly against Austria at Middlesbrough – but pulled out on the morning of the match, needing another scan on his groin.
    Southgate said: “I don’t think it would be fair to rule Jordan out of it. But I think it’s clear to everyone how much football he has missed.
    Trent Alexander-Arnold is set to miss the Euros after his injury against AustriaCredit: PA

    “The timelines are getting more difficult with each training session he might miss and to not have those match minutes against Austria is a blow towards that.
    “I’m being very realistic about what’s possible here. It’s a decision we took because we have been able to take extra players and we feel Jordan is such an important influence around the place.
    “He can add value to what we are doing and if we can get him close to being able to contribute on the pitch that will be a real bonus as I see it at the moment.”
    Alexander-Arnold’s Euros dream was shattered after being told he would be sidelined for up to six weeks with a thigh injury.
    The Liverpool right-back suffered the problem at the end of England’s 1-0 win against Austria on Wednesday.
    A scan on Alexander-Arnold’s thigh yesterday revealed he required a long lay-off. He was one of four right-backs selected by Southgate.

    England vs Romania – Watch LIVE for FREE, channel info and kick-off time More

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    My dad Muhammad Ali loved watching himself on TV…’weren’t I something’, he’d say to us

    MUHAMMAD ALI spent his final days watching documentaries about his stellar boxing career, according to his daughter Hana.The boxing legend, born Cassius Clay Jr, died aged 74 in June 2016, 32 years after he went public with his Parkinson’s disease diagnosis.
    Boxing champ Muhammad Ali died in 2016 after a battle with Parkinson’sCredit: Getty
    His daughter Hana has opened up about his passing five years onCredit: HANA ALI / INSTAGRAM
    Hana says Ali spent his final days watching documentaries about his careerCredit: Getty
    Speaking about her father five years on from his death, Hana, 44, told The Sun: “He loved watching himself on TV. ‘Weren’t I something’, he would say to us, his children.
    “He would watch Elvis films on TV, and documentaries about James Brown and Little Richard, but mainly about himself, especially at the age he had Parkinson’s.
    “You could see that light in his eyes. That spark. His eyes were dancing although his body wasn’t. He would look around the room smiling, it was so funny. No matter how bad his position was, he didn’t complain.
    “He never questioned his illness, he never asked, ‘Why me?’
    “He never felt sorry for himself, he felt a blessing in everything and said having Parkinson’s helps other people that are scared and frightened who are hiding away in their homes.
    “Even in his illness he inspired people, his journey on this earth.
    “He found a way to keep on going and life was all the blessings he had.”
    She reveals he would beam at the TV and say ‘weren’t I something’Credit: Getty
    During his 21-year career, Ali, who was married four times and had seven children, became known as the best boxer of all time – with 56 wins, including 37 knockouts.
    ‘OUR FUN-FILLED HOME’
    He retired in 1981 following a final fight against Trevor Berbick in the Bahamas, where he lost on points.
    Three years later in 1984, Ali revealed he had been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
    Hana, whose mother was Ali’s third wife, Veronica Porché, said life at home with Ali was always filled with fun and that it was totally normal to have major celebrities dropping by for dinner.
    Hana added: “Clint Eastwood was around a lot, Stevie Wonder, Cary Grant.
    “Michael Jackson visited a few times. Prince would come later in the Nineties and we had dinner with Madonna a few times.
    “Over the years, so many celebrities that you’ve heard of tried to meet my father and have been to our home. The list is endless. Everyone was a fan of my dad’s.”
    Hana was born from Ali’s third marriage to Veronica PorchéCredit: Getty
    She says life with her dad was filled with fun – and plenty of celebrities would drop byCredit: HANA ALI / instagram
    But Hana says her dad taught her what was important in lifeCredit: HANA ALI / INSTAGRAM
    Another close pal of Ali’s was Sylvester Stallone, 74, and Hana revealed the actor even filmed scenes for Rocky III at his home in LA.
    Hana said: “I remember watching Stallone filming for Rocky III. They filmed different scenes. One was in my parents’ bedroom, one was on the patio, on the southern side.
    “We had beautiful furniture – they used all our original furnishings in the scenes. They didn’t change it, they didn’t bring in any props.
    Over the years, so many celebrities that you’ve heard of tried to meet my father and have been to our home. The list is endless. Hana
    “The house was set up for the scenes as we lived in it.
    “My dad was always entertaining the crew – he loved doing his magic tricks for them and they would laugh out loud. And my father would try to sit them down, to take a break so he could feed them.
    “My dad and Stallone would have fun during breaks. He was like a big kid, he enjoyed being Muhammad Ali.”
    Despite the A-listers that came through the door of their home, Hana said she and her father connected the most with Buddhist spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, 85.
    His family say they still feel his presence to this dayCredit: Getty
    Recalling their meeting, Hana explained: “My dad and I hung out with the Dalai Lama in 2004. He was the only person I felt was a spiritual being like my dad.
    “That was the only person I can say I was kind of excited about – not like the celebrities over the years who are admired for other reasons.
    “Just because you make music or people know your name or you are famous – I wasn’t impressed by this because, as I was growing up, my father told me what was important and what wasn’t important in life.”
    ‘I FEEL HE’S STILL HERE’
    Although it has been five years since Ali died of Parkinson’s-related complications, Hana said she feels her father’s presence to this day.
    Multiple films and books have been dedicated to him, and Hana said these help keep his memory alive.
    She said: “It’s like he’s here. Everywhere I turn there’s a poster of daddy, or he’s on TV. His energy is everywhere. I talk to his photo and say, ‘Daddy I love you! When it’s my time, I hope I can see you – come and get me’.
    “He brought all his kids together from all the marriages and made sure we knew each other. This was a beautiful gift he gave us. Now we’re all good friends.
    During his 21-year career, Ali became known as the best boxer of all timeCredit: Getty
    Multiple films and books have been dedicated to his life and achievementsCredit: Getty

    “Our father gave us so much joy. I feel he’s still here and still not gone.
    “I knew from an early age he wasn’t just my dad, but we had to share him with the world. I’m OK with that.
    “I stopped fearing death when he went to the other side.”
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