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Transfer news LIVE: Man Utd chase Barca star, Liverpool after wonderkid, Tottenham swap

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The summer transfer window is now well underway for Premier League sides despite a host of their transfer targets still currently being involed in Euro 2024. The FA have ruled against clubs approaching players while they are on England duty in Germany, but that hasn't stopped deals being lined up elsewhere.

New Liverpool manager Arne Slot is being linked with a number of stars as he chases a statement signing to announce his arrival at Anfield. Manchester Untied are also expected to soon get frenetically busy in terms of incomings and outgoings.

Manchester City, Arsenal, and Chelsea are all wanting fresh faces for different reasons. And UK clubs are also on alert for the inevitable raid from abroad, with Saudi Pro League bosses again expected to spend big this summer.

Euro 2024 has so far presented a chance for players to put themselves in the shop window.

But with eight teams now heading home, and another eight to exit the tournament after this weekend, transfer activity is likely to ramp up across Europe.

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Chelsea plot bid for bargain striker Spurs eyed to replace Harry Kane

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Chelsea are said to be in discussions for a bargain deal for Lille striker Jonathan David, as they seek a new forward to challenge Nicolas Jackson for the first-choice No.9 spot.

David has been a consistent scorer in Ligue 1, attracting attention from several Premier League clubs.

Previously, Tottenham were rumoured to be interested in the Canadian international, with former manager Antonio Conte reportedly seeing the 24-year-old as a potential replacement for Harry Kane before his departure in early 2023.

However, when Kane transferred to Bayern Munich, Spurs opted not to directly replace him, instead signing winger Brennan Johnson. This decision could now provide Chelsea with an opportunity to secure a cost-effective deal for David this summer.

Reports suggest that Chelsea are seriously considering a move for Lille's star striker.

Sky Sport in Germany have reported that the west London club have made inquiries about the player who is also thought to be on West Ham and Manchester United's radar.

David's hefty £51million price tag last summer apparently put off Spurs, but he is expected to be available for a significantly lower fee.

With the striker entering the final year of his contract, Lille are reportedly willing to accept between £17m and £21m (€20m-€25m), reports the Mirror.

Chelsea will be delighted with the revised asking price as they aim to bolster their attacking line-up, despite Jackson netting 14 league goals in his debut season.

David has been a constant presence in every Ligue 1 match this season, scoring 19 goals and aiding Lille in securing Champions League qualification, justifying Conte's previous interest in the striker.

Spurs are also on the hunt for a new forward this summer, and it is believed that David remains on their radar. The Canadian international is currently participating in the Copa America and hopes to add to his tally of 26 goals scored for Lille across all competitions.

The forward's performance this season underscores why he would be a prime target for both Chelsea and Spurs, who failed to secure a top-four spot last season.

It remains to be seen how Chelsea will perform under Maresca, but there were promising signs in the final months of Mauricio Pochettino's tenure.

In the meantime, Spurs are concentrating on recruiting a new lead striker after narrowly missing out on a top-four finish.

Son Heung-min was primarily utilised in the central role, scoring 17 league goals, but Ange Postecoglou's team struggled when the captain was deployed as a striker, amassing only 36 points from 23 matches.

However, Chelsea may throw a spanner in the works by securing David for a steal.

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Tottenham told they 'must pay £150m' for Euro 2024 star they've enquired about

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Tottenham have reportedly been told to pay a staggering £150million if they want to tempt West Ham into selling Jarrod Bowen this summer. The England Euro 2024 star is a target for Ange Postecoglou, who is keen to bolster his attack in north London.

Spurs struggled for firepower outside of captain Son Heung-min last season. Timo Werner’s loan deal from RB Leipzig has been made permanent, but the north Londoners are still seeking further attacking reinforcements.

According to HITC, Spurs made contact with West Ham over signing Bowen but their efforts were rebuffed. It is claimed that the Hammers will not consider selling the 27-year-old for anything less than £150m.

That figure would make Bowen the Premier League’s most expensive player by some distance, toppling the £115m Chelsea spent on Moises Caicedo last summer.

Bowen scored 20 goals and provided 10 assists across all competitions last season. He still has six years remaining on a mega seven-year contract he penned at West Ham 12 months ago.

Spurs are unlikely to sign Bowen, especially if they are told to spend £150m, and will focus their attention elsewhere. Postecoglou has made clear that he expects to strengthen his forward line over the summer, particularly with the additional matches next season’s Europa League campaign will provide.

“It's no secret. You saw the way we finished the season. We obviously lost Richy (Richarlison) and Timo as well with injuries but we're fairly light in that area,” the Australian said after Spurs ended their Premier League season in May.

“We started last season with Manor [Solomon] and [Ivan] Perisic and we were quite healthy in that front third in terms of numbers, but as the year went on it became pretty evident that we need to bulk up.

“We're in Europe as well next year so we'll have more games and it's definitely an area of the park we'll need to strengthen.”

Spurs captain Son shouldered most of the scoring burden following Harry Kane’s departure to Bayern Munich last summer. The South Korean scored 17 Premier League goals during Postecoglou’s first season.

Richarlison scored 11 league goals but eight of those came across an eight-game spell midway through the campaign. The Brazilian struggled to remain consistently fit and has been linked with a departure from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

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Euro 2024 LIVE: 'Xenophobic' England fan sticker blasted as Gary Lineker doubles down

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Euro 2024 LIVE: Harry Kane calls emergency meeting as Ronaldo safety concerns raised - Express
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Express Sport brings you all of the latest updates from Euro 2024.

England captain Harry Kane has been rallying his troops ahead of tonight's final group stage match against Slovenia. The skipper is one of several big-name players coming under fire for their performances in Germany, with Gareth Southgate left scratching his head looking for answers.

The Three Lions have already confirmed their place in the knockout stages, with other results meaning they are guaranteed to compete in the last 16. Albania's defeat to Spain last night ensured that England will finish, at worst, as one of the third-placed teams who qualify for the knockout rounds.

Meanwhile, concerns have been raised after Portugal's game against Turkey on the weekend was marred by several pitch invaders hoping to take pictures with Cristiano Ronaldo. UEFA are under pressure to tackle the problem and have introduced tighter security measures in a bid to deter fans from entering the field of play.

A UEFA statement read: "Additional safety measures will be deployed in the stadiums to further meet the requirements of the tournament, and to prevent such incidents. For reasons of security, we cannot comment further on specific measures.

"Any incursion onto the pitch constitutes a breach of the stadium rules and will result in expulsion from the stadium, a ban from all tournament matches and the filing of a formal criminal complaint for trespass."

Follow all of our updates from today's Euro 2024 action...

Lampard names player England have badly missed

Frank Lampard believes England have sorely missed Luke Shaw during the Euros, with Kieran Trippier having featured at left-back in their opening two matches.

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, Lampard said: "Not having a natural left-sided left-back has been a big deal because that felt really good to me watching the last tournaments when Luke Shaw was there.

"He was much more offensive on that side of the pitch and we could have a balance where Kyle Walker could stay more and create this three at the back.

"Then you would have the two and get the offensive players between the lines with the threat on the left-hand side. We’ve lacked that and that’s a problem that he [Gareth Southgate] is going to want to solve."

Kane makes demand of England team-mates

Harry Kane believes England can put things right at Euro 2024 by playing with more discipline when out of possession.

Speaking ahead of tonight's game against Slovenia, he said: "I think I’ll probably say from all of us, maybe just a little more positional discipline.

"When we look back at the games, there’s times where we were a little too deep and not just us as well, certain areas of the pitch where we had too many numbers behind their press or their block.

"As we play more with each other, especially in those positions, it’ll get better and we’ll have more understanding but yeah, maybe a bit more discipline in all of our positional play.

"We all want to maybe get on the ball and make a difference, which is great. We’re all players who love getting it in those positions.

"But also, we need to be a threat going forward, which we haven’t been compared to our usual selves."

Mbappe warned over custom mask

Robert Lewandowski has suggested that Kylian Mbappe's vision could be affected by the custom mask required to protect his broken nose at Euro 2024.

Mbappe suffered the injury during France's win over Austria and will need to wear the protective mask until his nose heals.

Lewandowski, who wore a similar mask after breaking his jaw and nose in 2015, said: "When I had to wear a mask myself, it wasn't nice. It's quite annoying, especially in the penalty area.

"I had problems, I didn't react, I couldn't see, my field of vision was hampered. It's a few milliseconds but it can slow down a player. It's a challenge.

"It's not pleasant, but of course a player's health is more important. For a competition, emotions are very high and everyone wants to play at all costs. I understand the difficulties he faces."

England fans blasted over 'xenophobic sticker'

Yeovil Town have issued a statement condemning an England fan sticker which featured their former logo alongside the slogan 'stop the boats'.

They wrote on X, formerly Twitter: "We want to make it unequivocally clear that Yeovil Town Football Club does not condone or support this message in any form.

"Our club stands firmly against any form of discrimination, xenophobia or divisive rhetoric.

"We pride ourselves on being an inclusive and welcoming community that respects all individuals, regardless of their background or nationality.

"The use of our former logo in this manner is unauthorised and we are taking steps to address this misuse.

"We appreciate the continued support of our fans and community as we work to uphold the values of respect, unity, and diversity."

Lineker blasts Southgate over failed 'experiment'

Gary Lineker has accused Gareth Southgate of hanging Trent Alexander-Arnold out to dry by playing him in midfield at the Euros.

"I do feel a bit for Trent Alexander-Arnold," Lineker told the BBC.

"I feel like he’s been hung out to dry a little bit. His manager’s said he’s an experiment and now it looks like an experiment that doesn’t work.

"It’s very hard to play in a new position even when a team’s playing well, but when a team’s struggling and a team’s disjointed and not together and not getting up the pitch it becomes very difficult.

"I do feel for him because he’s an unbelievably talented player."

Italy slammed by BBC pundits

Wayne Rooney and Alan Shearer believe Italy have little chance of defending their title at Euro 2024 after edging into the knockout stages by drawing with Croatia last night.

Discussing Italy's performance on the BBC, Rooney said: "I think on what we've seen tonight they were poor, there seemed to be a lack of ideas when they got into the final third.

"When it got to the two forwards there was a lack of movement. They've done well to get through but I can't see them going far."

Shearer added: "Not impressed with them up front at all. The balls that were going in, the chances they missed, the lack of movement.

"The ball was bouncing off both [Mateo] Retegui and [Gianluca] Scamacca when he brought him on, but they certainly didn't impress me."

Rice hits back at 'ridiculous' England criticism

Declan Rice has dismissed suggestions that England's players are not fit enough to press effectively when out of possession.

Speaking ahead of tonight's game against Slovenia, he said: "If I wasn't fit enough or the lads weren't fit enough we shouldn't be here in the first place.

"We should be able to compete for seven games, whether they go to extra time, we have got a squad of 26 players that are fit enough, strong enough, fast enough and ready to go the whole way.

"It's ridiculous. Let them keep questioning it. We are built to play these types of seasons.

"Because we are sitting in a low block people automatically assume we are tired and leggy and not fit enough. If we're not fit enough to compete for 90 minutes, we shouldn't be footballers."

Berlin return offers eerie comparison to Italy's 2006 World Cup win

Mattia Zaccagni's late strike against Croatia not only secured second spot for Italy, but it also set up a last-16 tie against Switzerland in Berlin.

It's the first time since the 2006 World Cup final - which they won - Italy have played a major tournament game in the German capital.

And the goals that sent them there are eerily similar...

Football might be coming home after all

And after all that, England are through to the last-16 before they've even kicked a ball in their final group game.

Croatia's draw with Italy means England are guaranteed a spot in the knockouts as one of the best third-place teams.

Gareth Southgate and co. will be hoping to go some better than that though, with the Group C winner spot on the line tomorrow.

A victory against Slovenia will confirm top spot for the 1966 World Cup winners.

Full-time in Group B... and what drama!

Italy's last-minute goal has shaken things up in Group B.

Just when it looked as if the reigning champions were about to finish third, Mattia Zaccagni pops up with a late strike to confirm second spot.

In the group's other game, Spain cruised to a 1-0 win over Albania.

Final standings:

Q1) Spain - 9pts

Q2) Italy - 4pts

GOAL! Croatia 1-1 Italy

WOW! With surely the last kick of the game Italy are level.

Mattia Zaccagni the man who popped up with the late goal.

It's a point that will send them through to the last-16, while likely ending Croatia's Euro 2024 journey.

Heartbreak for Croatia who were seconds away from the knockouts.

GOAL! Croatia 1-0 Italy

Wow! And just like that Croatia are ahead.

Moments after Luka Modric missed from 12 yards, the Croatia skipper tucked in from six.

A wonderful moment for the 38-year-old.

Penalty missed! Croatia 0-0 Italy

Luka Modric had the chance to put Croatia in front from 12 yards, but the Real Madrid ace fluffed his lines.

What a chance for the veteran midfielder. Still 0-0.

Half-time in the two 8pm kick-offs

Not much change in Group B, with Spain the only side to have found a goal so far.

Already confirmed as group winners, Ferran Torres' strike broke the deadlock for the Spanish midway through the first half.

Elsewhere in Group B, Croatia's must-win clash with Italy remains goalless.

GOAL! Albania 0-1 Spain

Albania's must-win clash against Spain has got off to the worst possible start, with Spain taking the lead.

Dani Olmo picked out Ferran Torres' darting run in behind the Albanian defence, with the ex-Manchester City man finishing comfortably.

We're underway in the two Euro 2024 matches

And we're off. Stick around for updates from Albania vs Spain and Italy vs Croatia in Group B.

Group B as it stands ahead of MD3

Following Scotland's heartbreak last night, another group at Euro 2024 concludes this evening.

This is how things look ahead of kick-off:

'Mainoo can be England's Rodri' - Scholes

Paul Scholes believes Kobbie Mainoo has the ability to be England's Rodri or Toni Kroos.

The ex-Three Lions ace has backed Mainoo to get the best out of England's attacking talent.

Mainoo featured for Gareth Southgate in the build-up to Euro 2024, but the teenager is yet to feature in Germany.

Speaking to TNT Sports, he said: "You think of Toni Kroos with Germany, he just makes them play football. Rodri with Man City and Spain. I think Kobbie Mainoo has got the ability to do that."

Incredible angle of Hungary's winning goal

Look away now Scotland fans...

An incredible angle of Hungary's 100th-minute winner has surfaced on social media.

The Mighty Magyars broke Scottish hearts with the late strike, as it confirmed their exit from Euro 2024.

You can't say the Hungary fans didn't celebrate it though!

Euro 2024 fans gush over genius throw-in routine

Euro 2024 fans have been gushing over a genius throw-in routine from Group E dark horses Slovakia.

Eagle-eyed viewers spotted the routine, which sees a player hand over responsibility to his team-mate, before making a darting run to the byline and crossing into the box.

It worked a treat against Ukraine last week, with the move leading to Slovakia's opener.

Scotland squad departs

Scotland's players have left their base in Garmisch-Partenkirchen and started their journey home to the UK.

The squad was greeted by fans outside their hotel, with many still singing ans playing music despite the exit. According to the Scotsman, Callum McGregor, Angus Gunn, Scott McTominay, Che Adams, Tommy Conway and John McGinn have made their own travel arrangements and will not travel with the rest of the group.

Lineker responds to Kane comments

Gary Lineker has argued he has to be 'balanced' after Harry Kane hit out at ex-players criticising the England team.

On Monday's Rest is Football podcast, Lineker said:"Can you imagine if we went on and said ‘well, I thought they played really well’? We’d be lying for a start and Harry knows that they didn’t play well.

"And there’s one bit there - where he said ‘they have responsibilities being ex-England players and they should know, they know what it’s like. It’s not like they’ve won anything’ or words to that effect.

"Fine and he’s absolutely right. But the last thing in the world we want to be is downbeat and critical. We want the England team to perform well on the pitch, the best punditry of all is when England play well and we’re excited and enthusiastic about them.

"We don’t want to be critical. But we have to be sometimes. We have to be balanced as well."

Moyes favourite to be next Scotland boss

David Moyes is the new favourite to replace Steve Clarke as Scotland boss.

According to BonusCodeBets, the former West Ham man is 6/4 to take over after the Tartan Army exited Euro 2024.

Next Scotland manager odds: David Moyes 6/4; Lee Carsley 2/1; Derek McInnes 3/1; Alex Neill 7/2; Roy Keane and Steven Gerrard 4/1; Frank Lampard 5/1; Graham Potter 8/1 Michael Beale and Neil Lennon 10/1; Russell Martin 25/1; Steve Evans 50/1; Dwight Yorke 100/1.

England team news 'leaked'

Conor Gallagher will reportedly replace Trent Alexander-Arnold in the starting XI when England face Slovenia.

According to the Athletic, the Chelsea man will be handed his first start of Euro 2024.

The Group B situation

Spain are already through to the last-16 as group winners and are set to rest players ahead of the knockout rounds when they play Albania tonight (8pm).

Italy will qualify as runners-up if they avoid defeat against Croatia (also 8pm). However, the 2020 champions will be out if they lose and Albania beat Spain.

Albania can take second if they beat Spain and Croatia beat Italy. However, if Croatia's margin of victory is two goals greater than Albania's, they would jump above their Group B rivals.

Croatia can also finish second if they beat Italy and Albania do not beat Spain.

Got it?

yesterday11:36 Fraser Watson

Shearer defends Southgate

Former England striker Alan Shearer has argued the players are still behind Gareth Southgate despite mounting criticism in Germany.

“The relationship Southgate has with the players is hugely important," he told Betfair. "You can tell that he's got a great rapport and understanding with his players. They all like and respect him.

“He knows what he's doing, Gareth is a bright guy, he can talk to the media and understand what is needed, which I think is important in our country. The most important thing is the players like him and respect him, you have to have that if you are going to win.”

yesterday10:42 Fraser Watson

Shaw takes part in England training

Luke Shaw will take part in full training today for the first time since England arrived in Germany.

According to The Sun, all 26 players will take part in the session ahead of Tuesday's crucial game with Slovenia.

yesterday09:53 Fraser Watson

Liverpool star 'burned' after Hungary v Scotland

Liverpool midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai has opened up on seeing team-mate Barnabas Varga going down in the match between Hungary and Scotland.

Szoboszlai rushed to help get the stretcher on as Varga was treated for several minutes, before being stretchered off and was later declared conscious.

“I wouldn't wish this on anyone,” he told Sportal.hu “I was one of the first to be there. It was also startling to see, burned into my retina.

“I don't understand how the protocol worked, that the paramedics can't run or the stretcher can't be brought in."

yesterday09:00 Fraser Watson

Six big name players in limbo after Euro 2024

Six renowned stars are among the players who will be out of contract after Euro 2024.

Kasper Schmeichel, Adrien Rabiot, Memphis Depay, Che Adams, Koen Casteels and Ricardo Rodriguez will all be available on free transfers.

yesterday08:00 Fraser Watson

German star relieved with group win

Toni Kroos claimed Germany's desire led to the late Niclas Fullkrug equaliser that saw them draw 1-1 with Switzerland and top Group A.

“I’m happy we made it in the end and won the group," he told @iMiaSanMia. "We’ve shown that we believe in ourselves until the end, which is important for the team. I don’t think we deserved to go behind, we had good control of the game and rewarded ourselves in the end. Switzerland is a good team but we controlled the game and conceded with the first chance. I’m totally happy with the team."

yesterday07:19 Jack McEachen

Today's matches

It's another blockbuster day of Euro 2024 action ahead...

yesterday07:18 Jack McEachen

Steve Clarke fumes over penalty call

Scotland boss Steve Clarke has been enraged after Stuart Armstrong was not awarded a penalty in the 1-0 defeat to Hungary that eliminated them from the competition.

There had been contact between Armstrong and Willi Orban inside the area on 78 minutes, but referee Facundo Tello waved away Scotland's protests.

“It was 100 per cent a penalty,” Clarke said. “Somebody, somewhere has to explain to me why that is not a penalty. It was, 100 per cent. It was a one-goal game; if we get the penalty it can be a different night. I have other words but I am not going to use them.”

He then questioned the use of an Argentinian official for the match: “European competition, might have been better to have a European ­referee. But we had European VAR.

"Maybe the referee didn’t see the challenge clearly on the pitch so what’s the purpose of VAR if they are not going to come in on something like that? It was a penalty.”

yesterday07:10 Jack McEachen

Hungary provide further update on Varga

The Hungarian Football Federation have issued a further update on Barnabas Varga, who is likely to undergo an operation soon.

Having already been ruled out of the remainder of Euro 2024 after a sickening collision that prompted a huge amount of worry, he has been confirmed to be conscious though suffered several injuries.

A statement read: "Several bones in Barnabas Varga's face were broken during the collision during the match, and he also suffered a concussion.

"The Ferencvaros striker is most likely to undergo surgery. He spends the night in the hospital in Stuttgart. The whole team is rooting for him!"

BBC apologise for showing Varga replay

BBC received mass complaints for showing an action replay of the incident that knocked Barnabas Varga unconscious in Scotland's defeat to Hungary.

Gabby Logan took time on air to address the reasoning for the decision, pointing the finger at UEFA.

"All of our thoughts are with Barnabas Varga after that sickening collision, and we are updating you as we get information on his condition," Logan explained.

"We were as shocked as you when they replayed that incident. There are protocols around those kinds of things after Christian Eriksen [collapsed] three years ago.

"We were very surprised when UEFA chose to show that replay, which is why we cut away immediately to a wide angle as soon as we could."

Barnabas Varga update

Barnabas Varga suffered a horror injury during Scotland's defeat to Hungary. A collision with Angus Gunn left the striker unconscious and requiring treatment behind a screen.

Players were in tears as Varga was stretchered off the pitch in Stuttgart before Hungary scored a winner in the 10th minute of stoppage time to dump Scotland out.

The Hungarian FA have now confirmed that the 26-year-old is in a stable condition in hospital with a promising update.

FULL-TIME!

The final whistle blows in both Group A games.

Germany finish top with seven points after their late equaliser, and Switzerland finish second with five. Both teams enter the last 16 unbeaten.

Hungary are third with three points and will hope they can squeeze through as one of the four best third-place teams.

Scotland finish rock bottom after failing to win any of their matches, ending on one point.

GOAL! Scotland 0-1 Hungary (Kevin Csoboth, 100)

Scotland are OUT!

Both teams have gone for it in stoppage time as they stared an early exit in the face, and Kevin Csoboth has won it for Hungary!

Scotland's 70-year wait to progress into the knockout stages of a major tournament continues at Euro 2024.

GOAL! Switzerland 1-1 Germany (Niclas Fullkrug, 92)

Heartbreak for Switzerland!

They've defended so well, but a Niclas Fullkrug header in stoppage time looks to have earned Germany top spot in Group A!

HALF-TIME!

The half-time whistle blows in both Group A matches as Switzerland lead Germany 1-0 in Frankfurt.

Scotland and Hungary are locked level at 0-0 in Stuttgart.

GOAL! Switzerland 1-0 Germany (Dan Ndoye, 28)

Well, well, well...

After Robert Andrich was denied a long-range opener for Germany due to a foul in the build-up, Switzerland have taken the lead!

Dan Ndoye met a cross first to direct the ball past Manuel Neuer and stun the Frankfurt crowd.

As it stands, Switzerland will win Group A ahead of Germany!

KICK-OFF!

We're off in both of tonight's matches!

Stay tuned for goal updates as and when they go in...

Line-ups: Scotland vs Hungary

And here is how Scotland and Hungary line up in their crucial clash in Stuttgart...

Scotland XI: Gunn; Hendry, Hanley, McKenna; Ralston, Gilmour, McGregor, Robertson; McGinn, McTominay; Adams.

Hungary XI: Gulacsi; Botka, Orban, Dardai; Bolla, Styles, Schafer, Kerkez; Szoboszlai, Sallai; Varga.

Line-ups: Germany vs Switzerland

Today's matches are almost upon us!

Germany face Switzerland in Frankfurt, and the team line-ups are now out.

Germany XI: Neuer; Kimmich, Rudiger, Tah, Mittelstadt; Andrich, Kroos; Wirtz, Gundogan, Musiala; Havertz.

Switzerland XI: Sommer; Akanji, Schar, Rodriguez; Widmer, Xhaka, Freuler, Aebischer; Rieder; Ndoye, Embolo.

Alvaro Morata cooks up a storm

Alvaro Morata has contributed to Spain's perfect start to Euro 2024 on the pitch, and he's been doing his bit off it, too.

The Atletico Madrid striker was filmed cooking up a storm in the team kitchen ahead of their final Group B game against Albania.

His spaghetti carbonara went down a treat among his team-mates...

Germany fans bring the vibes to Frankfurt

Germany can secure top spot in Group A with a draw against Switzerland in Frankfurt tonight.

And fans have been in high spirits ahead of kick-off, having a party on the streets to the tune of one man and his saxophone...

The scenes may be a little more tense in Stuttgart, where Scotland and Hungary gear up to essentially play a loser-goes-home match.

Harry Kane hits back at Gary Lineker

Harry Kane has hit back at Gary Lineker after the ex-England international branded the opening two Euro 2024 performances "s**t".

Lineker and Alan Shearer tore into Gareth Southgate's side after they drew 1-1 against Denmark on Thursday.

But ahead of a must-win final Group C clash against Slovenia, Kane has reminded pundits of how they carry themselves during their analysis.

The England captain said: "What ex-players or ex-players who are pundits now have got to realise it is very hard not to listen to it now, especially for some players who are not used to it or some players who are new to the environment.

“I always feel like they [pundits] have a responsibility – I know they have got to be honest and give their opinion but also they have a responsibility of being an ex-England player that a lot of players look up to that. People do listen to them and people do care what they say.”

Spain risk fine over Lamine Yamal

Spain risk violating German law if Lamine Yamal plays the full match against Albania tomorrow night.

According to BILD, U18s are now allowed to work past 8pm local time under German law.

While athletes in the same age bracket can work until 11pm, including time for showering and media duties, Spain may be cutting it fine.

Their final Group B match will end at around 11pm and could leak over, which may result in a fine if Yamal is on the pitch at full-time.

What Scotland need to progress into the knockouts of Euro 2024

It's like the Simpsons 'say-the-line Bart' meme by now, but it's true: Scotland have never progressed from the group stage at a major tournament.

Three years ago they finished bottom, but confidence is high ahead of tonight's crucial clash with Hungary.

A win is the only thing that will see Scotland out of Group A, but even three points doesn't confirm progression.

If Scotland win and Switzerland get a result against Germany, there will be a nervy wait for the Tartan Army to see if they've gone through as a lucky loser.

The good news though, since the format change at Euro 2016, no third-place finisher has ever finished on four points and not made it into the round of 16.

But if Germany take all three points against Switzerland, Scotland will only need the win against Hungary to qualify in second.

Spanish star handed key off-field role at Euro 2024

Spain captain Alvaro Morata has been showing off his cooking skills while away with the national team at Euro 2024.

In a video shared to X by the official Spain account, Morata was seen cooking a carbonara dish for his team-mates.

His fellow La Roja stars appeared to enjoy the dish, proving Morata is just as adept in the kitchen as he is leading the line.

Ange Postecoglou makes unusual comment about Euro 2024 star

Ange Postecoglou dubbed Radu Dragusin a defender who 'loves to defend', admitting he's different to the ball-dominant centre-backs popular in European football.

Postecoglou was speaking during ITV's coverage of Belgium vs Romania, which Dragusin was playing in.

The Spurs boss said: "He’s a super kid. He really wants to learn. He actually went to Juventus at a very young age, so he has been schooled in Italian defending.

"I know it sounds weird, but he is a defender who loves defending. He loves the physical contact. He will be relishing coming up against Lukaku. Every time they clash, he will be relishing. He’s that kind of defender."

Why are both group games played simultaneously?

It's a largely accepted part of major tournament culture nowadays, with the two final group matches played simultaneously.

But the reason behind this is a little more sinister than you might think.

It dates back to the 1982 World Cup in Spain, when West Germany entered their final group game against Austria knowing a win would send both teams through.

Dubbed the 'Disgrace of Gijon', West Germany took the lead early on, with the game descending into a non-competitive fixture thereafter.

Algeria were the side most aggrieved by this, as they missed out on qualification, having played their final group game the day before.

It sparked a change in how group matches are played, with the two games now taking place at the same time.

What's today's Euro 2024 schedule like?

It's a sad day for football lovers across the continent, as the 2pm and 5pm slot aren't in use at Euro 2024 today.

Instead, both matches will be played in Group A at 8pm.

Full Schedule:

Scotland vs Hungary - 8pm (BBC One)

Germany vs Switzerland - 8pm (BBC One)

Turkey coach unhappy with UEFA request

Vincenzo Montella was visibly frustrated by a UEFA official's request ahead of Turkey's Group F clash with Portugal on Saturday.

The Turkey boss was asked for his accreditation moments after stepping off the official team coach.

But Montella wasn't impressed, with the Italian firstly questioning the steward's actions, before appearing to shove the accreditation in their face.

Montella's Turkey went onto lose the game with Portugal 3-0.

Two England players involved in training ground row

Kyle Walker and Kieran Trippier were both reportedly involved in a training ground row following England's draw with Denmark.

It's claimed the pair shared a heated exchange during a training session, with Phil Foden forced to intervene and diffuse the situation.

The pair quickly smoothed over their differences and were seen laughing and joking with each other shortly after.

Cristiano Ronaldo 'lucky' to have not been harmed

It was a busy afternoon for Cristiano Ronaldo during Portugal's 3-0 win over Turkey on Saturday - and not for the reason you might think.

The former Real Madrid and Manchester United superstar picked up a hat-trick, not of goals, but selfies.

All in all, a whopping four people gained access to the pitch during the second half of the Group F encounter.

And Portugal boss Roberto Martinez believes his main man was lucky to have not been hurt.

Speaking after the game, he said: "It is a concern, because today we were lucky that the intentions of the fans were good.

"We all love a fan that recognizes the big stars and the big icons in their minds. We all agree with that.

"But you can understand it was a very, very difficult moment – if those intentions are wrong, the players are exposed and we need to be careful with that.

"I don't think that should happen on a football pitch."

Harry Kane schedules team meeting after Denmark stalemate

Let's face it, England's performance against Denmark was bobbins.

There's no way of dressing it up otherwise, and that's something captain Harry Kane knows too.

The ex-Tottenham Hotspur star called a players' summit following the Denmark game, as per The Sun.

It's claimed the private meeting didn't involve any coaches, with the idea being players could thrash out any differences they might have ahead of the Slovenia clash.

Wilkommen und hallo!

Welcome and hello to Day 10 of this summer's European Championship! Wow, hasn't that gone quick...

And it could prove to be Scotland's final day at the tournament, with their crunch group game against Hungary to come later tonight.

The host nation are also in action, as Group A comes to a close.

We'll be covering that and much more, so make sure to stick around.

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Ange Postecoglou's brutal chat with Hugo Lloris that ended Tottenham career

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Ange Postecoglou has been a hit both at Tottenham and on ITV, having captured hearts with his enthusiasm for football and wealth of knowledge at the top level during the Euros, while guiding Spurs to a fifth-placed Premier League finish in his first season in charge.

However, he has not been afraid to make bold decisions, including ones that may upset the dressing room. One of his first signings in north London was goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, despite captain Hugo Lloris already in place having spent over a decade between the posts very successfully.

But the veteran stopper was ousted in favour of Vicario and Lloris spent the first half of the season on the bench, before his contract was torn up and he was allowed to leave for free to MLS outfit Los Angeles FC.

Lloris has since lifted the lid on his final few months at Spurs and the conversation with Postecoglou that effectively ended his time at the club, leaving him “transparent” as a result of their chat.

It was a combination of several factors: the team was lacking results and the coach [Antonio Conte], was under pressure, was losing patience,” Lloris explained to Le Parisien. “Therefore, the group dynamic was negative.

"Tottenham were coming to the end of a cycle, and so was I. I knew that Tottenham wanted to recruit younger players, especially in my position. Summer was approaching and I was no longer part of the plans.

"When the championship resumed, in August 2023, the coach [Postecoglou] informed me that I would no longer enter the field, that I would only be a training player. I was pushed aside, I had become transparent."

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Lloris’ last Spurs game came in the 6-1 drubbing by Newcastle in April 2023, when visiting supporters at St James’ Park left after just nine minutes, but remained at the club for eight more “complicated” months before sealing his Stateside move.

"Those eight months without playing were complicated,” he added. "Since I've been playing football – and I started at the age of six – I've been thinking about the upcoming match, planning for the next goal.

"When all this collapses, we no longer know how to make sense of physical effort: why hurt ourselves? Why push yourself to come back? However, I was not unhappy. I took the opportunity to spend more time with my family and it did me good.

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"I was able to celebrate my father's 70th birthday and go see my brother play in Le Havre, against PSG. It would have been impossible if I had been on a team sheet at Tottenham.

"One day, I know, football will stop for me. I will perhaps miss the adrenaline, because it is a drug, but I am not afraid of this 'little death' as they call it in the sporting world. There is an afterlife, and I can't wait to know it too."

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Tottenham star Hojbjerg pays Eriksen tribute as Man Utd star hits landmark at Euro 2024

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Tottenham's Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg paid a touching tribute to his Denmark team-mate and Manchester United counterpart, Christian Eriksen, ahead of Tuesday’s meeting with Serbia. Eriksen will win a 133rd cap and overtake Simon Kjaer as the nation’s all-time appearance leader if manager Kasper Hjulmand sets out his side as expected.

And the achievement will be made even sweeter by the unbelievable comeback tale following Eriksen’s cardiac arrest at Euro 2020.

"Tomorrow he’s setting a milestone not only in his career, but for all of Danish football,” said Hojbjerg. “I think we’re all aware of the player he is. But his personality is also quite special.

“He’s a nice guy, he’s very calm, he has a lot of respect from the dressing room. Everything he does is in his own way - I respect that a lot. He’s a great player in Denmark’s football history.”

The stakes could hardly be higher as Denmark and Serbia prepare to fight for a Euro 2024 knockout spot tonight. England are almost certainly through ahead of their meeting with Slovenia in Cologne.

Anything other than a victory would send Serbia home, while Denmark would be relying on results elsewhere if they fail to win. The Munich showdown will bring Hojbjerg face-to-face with a familiar figure - Dusan Tadic - who clearly made a lasting impression on him during their time together at Southampton.

“Dusan and I have spent a lot of time with each other,” explained the Tottenham midfielder. “I saw him as a big brother. He was my teacher, if that’s the right word.

“He took care of me, not only on the pitch but off it. I’m not surprised he’s doing well. He’s a player who loves assisting so it’s something we have to be careful about. I respect Dusan a lot.”

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Serbia were beaten 1-0 by England in their opening game and looked set for defeat against Slovenia before Luka Jovic popped up with a 95th-minute equaliser.

That has restored a sense of belief in manager Dragan Stojkovic, who is confident that his team can beat Denmark for the first time ever after three failed attempts.

He said: “It’s going to be very hard to play but we believe we can change this history. Three times we’ve lost, now it’s time to change it. We will do our best to have a good game and find a way to put the ball in the net.”

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Arne Slot turns down transfer to avoid looking like Man Utd rival Ten Hag

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Tottenham Hotspur are leading the race to sign Feyenoord's star defender Lutsharel Geertruida, despite interest from Liverpool's new manager Arne Slot.

The 23 year old Dutch international, who recently played against France in the Euros, is one of Europe's most sought-after young talents, with Paris Saint-Germain and RB Leipzig also keen.

Insiders in Holland suggest that while Slot admires Geertruida, he is hesitant to make him his first signing at Anfield, especially after Erik ten Hag faced backlash for bringing numerous Eredivisie players to Manchester United, reports the Mirror.

This hesitation has given Spurs an opportunity to swoop in.

The North London club have been keeping a close eye on Geertruida throughout last season and are hopeful that he will choose them over a move to Paris.

PSG are also interested in the versatile defender, who can play as a right-back or holding midfielder, but they need to offload two other defenders before making a bid.

RB Leipzig had a £25million offer for Geertruida turned down last summer. Feyenoord initially wanted an additional £10million, but with only 12 months remaining on his contract, they may have to lower their asking price.

Geertruida, a Premier League enthusiast, often travels to London to watch his friends play in high-profile matches when he's not playing for his own club.

Emerging from the challenging neighbourhoods of southern Rotterdam, he has become one of Feyenoord's most beloved players, representing his hometown club with pride.

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Arsenal and Tottenham prove importance of key role as expert analyses set-pieces

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Andy Parslow can illustrate the importance of his role by contrasting the fortunes of Arsenal and Tottenham in the Premier League last season. Set-pieces were crucial to the Gunners’ Premier League title challenge, and Mikel Arteta’s side scored 20 goals from dead-ball situations with specialist coach Nicolas Jover masterminding a series of routines.

Tottenham, meanwhile, parted ways with set-piece coach Gianni Vio and their record consequently faltered. Parslow, a former set-piece coach at Swansea and Wimbledon, believes Vio’s departure from Spurs is the greatest evidence of the need for a specialist coach.

“Tottenham had Gianni Vio [the previous season] and they were one of the top scorers from set-pieces in the division,” Parslow explains to Express Sport. “Since he’s gone they’ve fallen off a cliff when it comes to set-pieces in both boxes. Gianni Vio's departure is one of the best adverts for having a set-piece coach that you can imagine.

“The success Arsenal have had from set-pieces this season has been a significant contributing factor to them closing the gap on Man City. They didn’t quite manage to close it enough but they got closer than in previous years.”

Whenever Arsenal won a corner, Arteta would retreat from his usual place on the edge of the technical area and allow Jover to take over. The Spaniard would gesture and shout instructions, and after each of the 20 goals scored from set-pieces he was mobbed by his boss and the rest of the staff. It portrayed the importance placed on marginal gains.

“He’s got a really high level of consistency in what they do,” Parslow said of Jover. “There’s not a lot that changes.

“Ben White’s role at corners has been really well documented, trying to irritate the goalkeeper and stop him from claiming the ball. The other thing they’re really good at is their timing. The way they use signals is not necessarily to determine where the ball is going to go, like a lot of teams do.

“Their signal is to initiate the runs of the attacking runners. The attacking runners will all take up their positions beforehand. The taker will then put their arm up and that will be the trigger for the runners to then start their movement.

“The taker then knows that as soon as they have delivered the ball into the box with the speed and trajectory that he normally does, the players will be arriving at the right time to go and attack the ball.”

For many, set-piece coaches are merely the new fashionable trend in football. Parslow points out that the dissenting voices mainly come from the media. “You hear the odd thing in the media about it being an unnecessary role and ‘does it add much value?’... ‘can’t this person do it?’,” he says. “Everyone’s entitled to their opinion but, within the game, it’s always had support.”

But Ange Postecoglou, the Spurs manager who decided against keeping Vio, dismissed dedicating time to set-pieces in training. "I'm just not interested in it. I never have been,” the Australian said after his team conceded twice from corners against Arsenal in April.

Postecoglou would be well advised to be more open-minded to a development from which his rivals are benefitting. In the season before Jover’s arrival at Arsenal, they scored only five goals from set-pieces, the third-lowest in the Premier League.

There are set-piece coaches at Manchester City, Aston Villa, Brentford and Chelsea. Liverpool published a job advert for the role earlier this summer and previously employed Thomas Gronnemark as a freelance throw-ins coach.

Parslow has his own example of making a big difference, improving Swansea’s goals from attacking set-pieces by 500 per cent.

“I had to learn quickly at Swansea,” he says. “When I came in at Wimbledon, we had players who fancied it a little bit more. I didn’t have to work on the mentality side at Wimbledon as much as I did at Swansea.

“Swansea was interesting because they were the worst in the country from attacking set-pieces, so it’s not as if you can suddenly transform them by waving a magic wand. These things take time and not only are you dealing with players who don’t relish the idea of set-pieces, but also they know how bad they were in the previous games.

“We started to pick up towards the end of the season and made a 500 per cent increase in the number of attacking goals scored from set-pieces. Defensively, we struggled initially but we made really good progress across the course of the season. I was pleased with the numbers that we managed to put up.”

Parslow’s journey to Swansea was unique, carved through a desire to constantly stand out in a crowded field. He was coaching in the academy at Watford when he realised he had a talent for coaching set-pieces. That niche was recognised by Mark Robinson, the then-AFC Wimbledon first-team coach who went on to become Chelsea’s U21 manager and is now in charge of Burton Albion.

The 32-year-old, who is looking for his next move in football after leaving Swansea, had joined Wimbledon and used the first national lockdown to hone his set-piece specialism. He was elevated into the first-team staff when Robinson replaced Glyn Hodges, who had vetoed a similar move after a Zoom call during the pandemic.

“There’s a common misconception that it’s done specifically on the grass,” Parslow says of his role.

“The way I see my role is that 24/7, I’m trying to improve our set-pieces. Wherever I am, I’m trying to improve my set-pieces. That could be at the coffee machine in the morning with a certain couple of players or members of staff.

“It might be through the analysis meeting that I do with the team pre- and post-game going through the strengths and weaknesses of upcoming opponents or reviewing the performance against our previous opponents.

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Then there will be the work you do on the grass. Some of that will be isolated 11 players against zero opponents, if you’re doing attacking routines just looking at timing and positioning. Then you’ll do 11v11 opposed repetition on what you’re trying to do.”

Parslow believes there is scope to improve how teams approach attacking free-kick situations.

He says: “At a corner, for example, the corner flag and the goal never move. It’s always in the same position, so you can have specific routines because you know the geography of where you’re going to be. A direct free kick is different because the foul can happen anywhere.

“You could be in a position where it’s definitely a shooting opportunity, it could be a position where it’s an ambitious shooting opportunity but you might have a player who can handle that. Or it could be a position where it could be a shot or a cross. Having principles in play to hit those areas.

“They’re not specific routines but a clear picture for the players to know what we’re going to do as a collective based on where the free kick is going to be. You have to bear in mind in some situations, an opponent might have four in a wall, they might have three.

“You have to look at which players those are. If you’re in a position where it could be a shot, could be a cross, but the opposition put their four biggest players in a wall… for me that makes up the mind on where you can cross it.”

Clubs will continue to see the benefit of set-pieces, exploiting the weaknesses of other teams and making it a strength of their own. Set-piece coaches will exist as long as football remains laser-focused on marginal gains. Parslow concludes: “The evidence is there of these specialist coaches coming in and seeing that trend through.”

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Arsenal 'initiate contact' with Tottenham transfer target after Thierry Henry endorsement

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“I think he’s a player that loves to be unleashed, so let him go, let him go and put pressure, let him go and play, let him go and tackle. I thought he was outstanding.”

Tottenham are long-term admirers of Gallagher and therefore seeing him head to the other side of north London would be a bitter pill to swallow for manager Ange Postecoglou, who is said to be the driving force behind his side’s pursuit.

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Son Heung-min sent apology from Tottenham team-mate after 'joke' goes badly wrong

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Tottenham star Son Heung-min has received an apology from team-mate Rodrigo Bentancur after the Uruguay midfielder made an ill-advised 'joke' about the South Korea forward’s appearance. The two players have been colleagues in north London since Spurs signed Bentancur from Juventus at the start of 2022.

Bentancur is preparing to represent his country at this summer’s Copa America, which is set to get underway in the USA on June 20.

But during an interview, which has been released on social media, he made comments about Son. And after a backlash from fans, Bentancur has reached out to the former Bayer Leverkusen ace.

“Sony brother! I apologise to you for what happened, it was just a very bad joke!” wrote the 26-year-old on Instagram.

“You know what, I love you, and I would never disrespect you or hurt you or anyone else. I love you brother.”

Bentancur endured an injury-hit season last time around and was only able to start 13 Premier League matches. Son, meanwhile, featured 35 times in the top-flight and bagged 17 goals and 10 assists as the Lilywhites finished fifth in the table.

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Bentancur spent nearly nine months on the sidelines between February and October last year after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament. And he was then struck down with another knee injury following a rash tackle by Aston Villa defender Matty Cash in November.

And discussing his recovery from the two injuries in March, he told Sky Sports: “[After the first injury] I was still on the same timetable as my team-mates. I tried to stay as close as possible, to follow what they were doing, above all because of the new manager and coaching staff.

“It was a big change from our previous style of play. Remember, I didn't get a pre-season. I missed his first six months in charge. That's why I was keen to be there, to see how the new manager worked, to study his system of play and prepare myself for coming back.

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“The feeling of stepping on the pitch again was special. It was incredible to be able to enjoy it with our people.

“[Then with the second injury] they told me there was damage to all four ligaments. The physios here are amazing and they looked after me so well, as they did after the first injury. We worked every day. I barely had a break.

“I tried to get back as quickly as possible because I knew the team had a lot of injuries already. My team-mates needed me to be there and help them. I did everything I could. Fortunately, I was able to get back much earlier than expected.”

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