South African football news

Rangers will reportedly pay less than £1m for James Penrice should he sign permanently next summer, while Yang Hyun-jun says he is staking his career by missing Celtic games to play for South Korea.

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Club legend Steve Fletcher reflects on the wild rise over two decades to playing Real Sociedad in the Europa League It is 13 years since Bournemouth, a couple of months after finishing runners-up to Doncaster in the third tier, hosted Real Madrid. It was a balmy summer’s day, officially Carlo Ancelotti’s first match…

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Winger was one of the first big-money academy transfers, part of a child labour market that has barely been questioned “What’s your name?” “Raheem.” Continue reading...

New play spotlights fans’ tortuous trek from the Goldstone Ground, via Gillingham and an athletics stadium It was the tip-off that changed Ian Hart’s life for ever. The funeral director from Worthing was co-editor of the Brighton fanzine Gull’s Eye when he received a phone call from Gordon Lucking, a Crystal Palace…

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BBC Sport columnist Tony Pulis explains why Coventry boss Frank Lampard needs to manage himself as well as his players after their poor start to the season.

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Test your ball knowledge against today's Who Am I?, Five in Five and Brainteaser.

Can the potential of a golden generation of Israel's footballers, in sport and society, be realised?

Manager Michael Carrick insists he does not feel under pressure after Manchester United's EFL Cup exit.

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American chair Boehly leaves role after deal is secured ‘I am confident that Chelsea is well positioned’ Todd Boehly and Mark Walter have sold their stakes in Chelsea in a deal under which Clearlake Capital takes full control of the Premier League club. The American billionaire businessmen Boehly and Walter were two…

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Clearlake Capital acquires full control of Chelsea as chairman Todd Boehly, director Mark Walter and Hansjorg Wyss sell their stakes in the club.

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Aaron Paul is joined by Jobi McAnuff, Clinton Morrison and, John Murray.

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World Cup-winning head coach Luis de la Fuente agrees a contract extension with Spain until 2032.

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League Two side Fleetwood Town will host Premier League champions Arsenal in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup.

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Fans heard shouting chants of ‘Jota’ against Al-Hilal Ronaldo had called for lifetime bans for those supporters The Saudi Pro League club Al-Taawoun have been fined nearly £20,000 and given a two-game stadium ban after fans chanted about the late Liverpool and Portugal forward Diogo Jota. The Al-Hilal midfielder Rúb…

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• POR

Sunderland’s captain, Granit Xhaka, believes it is not unrealistic to dream about Régis Le Bris’s side travelling all the way to next spring’s Europa League final . It is rarely a good idea to dismiss Xhaka but reaching that showpiece in Frankfurt will necessitate considerably more efficient finishing on his team’s…

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Coach says Argentina’s gung-ho approach forced hand ‘No one is more hurt than me, no one wanted it more’ Thomas Tuchel stands by his heavily criticised defensive substitutions in the World Cup semi-final defeat against Argentina this summer, but the England head coach accepts he made them too early. Tuchel said Engl…

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A club hero, David Gray ends his time as Hibs head coach not to the sound of euphoria from fans, but to the sound of a support collectively exhaling in relief, writes Tom English.

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Arsenal received loan offers for Max Dowman, Luke Shaw could leave Manchester United next summer, Luca Weinhandl attracting interest from multiple Premier League clubs, plus more.

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• ARS

Sullivan has six goals and eight assists post-World Cup US play four games in upcoming window Philadelphia Union midfielder Cavan Sullivan is set to earn his first international call-up with the United States men’s national team later this month, a source with knowledge of the roster told the Guardian on Wednesday.…

Saudi Pro League side Al-Taawoun are ordered to play two matches behind closed doors after supporters taunted Ruben Neves over the death of friend Diogo Jota.

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⚽ Live updates from four third-round matches ⚽ Manchester United shocked as JJ Gabriel asks to leave ⚽ Get in touch! Email Will with any thoughts Poor Joshua Zirkzee cannot get a game in the Carabao Cup. I am not sure he will get many minutes in the months to come. Max Dowman continues to be good. Mikel Merino can s…

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