Rangers have been dealt a blow as it has now emerged that a member of Europe’s elite have now made contact to sign a member of Philippe Clement’s squad as they look to bolster their own ranks in the coming months.

Rangers improving too late

Rangers have seen an upturn in form recently, but remain well off the pace in the hunt for the Scottish Premiership title. Though they beat Celtic 3-0 in the last meeting between the two sides, they remain 10 points behind Brendan Rodgers’ side, who also boast a game in hand on their rivals.

Well clear of anyone else and sitting in second place, it is threatening to be another trophyless season for Clement’s side. Meanwhile, a 2-1 defeat to Manchester United in the Europa League has left Rangers’ chances of automatic qualification into the next round of the competition hanging by a thread.

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Instead, they will need to get a result against Belgian side Union Saint Gilloise to ensure that they make it into a qualification spot for the knockout rounds despite having what many would deem a strong campaign in Europe’s secondary competition.

While the breakthrough of Hamza Igamane has been a joy for Rangers fans, it has otherwise been a tricky season to date and there are still reservations over whether Clement is the right man to take them forwards in the long term.

Rangers rocked by Chelsea's Jefte interest

Now, a fresh report has claimed that Chelsea are now plotting a potential summer move to sign exciting fullback Jefte, and have already contacted his representatives over a Stamford Bridge switch.

The Brazilian has been one of the club’s standout performances so far this season, impressing plenty at Ibrox since his arrival from Brazilian side Fluminense in the summer.

Still just 21-years-old, he has caught the attention of clubs around Europe and as per the report, Chelsea “have made initial contact with Jefte’s representatives” as they look to find an understudy for Marc Cucurella in west London.

It is added that there is also “other interest from a handful of clubs on the continent” in what could turn into a scramble for the signature of the Rangers youngster, who is believed to have penned an £8,000 a week deal at Ibrox until 2028.

Clement is understandably a big fan of Jefte, dubbing him “very talented” months after his arrival at Ibrox, but that talent may well see him depart Scotland sooner than most Rangers fans would like.

He is not the only Rangers man in the spotlight either, with teammate Igamane attracting Premier League interest too in the form of Tottenham and Everton. With that in mind, it could prove challenging for Clement and co. to hold onto their star men this summer.

With back-to-back wins in the Premier League, Tottenham Hotspur supporters have enjoyed a period of respite within a gruelling and injury-hit campaign.

Ange Postecoglou’s worries are far from over. Even after defeating Manchester United on Sunday afternoon, Spurs remain in the bottom half of the table, 12th and 14 points behind fourth-place Manchester City.

Out of the Carabao Cup, out of the FA Cup, into the last 16 of the Europa League. Tottenham may yet strike gold before the summer, but looking at it with a wider lens, there have been a few bright sparks that may have quite the impact over the coming years.

Spurs' bright sparks this season

Djed Spence was handed Tottenham’s Man of the Match after the recent victory over Man United, proving not to be a flash in the pan but a highly gifted player with the ability to play a long-term role in Postecoglou’s squad.

While Spence is 24, his rocky road travelled over the past several campaigns shows that he is one of the biggest bright sparks. However, Tottenham’s rich youth crop bespeaks a prosperous future with Postecoglou at the helm.

Mikey Moore has been excellent, with the 17-year-old enjoying opportunities in place of injured seniors and scoring his first professional goal as Tottenham beat Elfsborg in the Europa League while playing seven top-flight games and threading an assist through for Richarlison’s late consolation goal during last month’s defeat to Everton.

In defence, Archie Gray deserves plenty of praise for regularly playing out of position in central defence in recent months as Ange sought to fix defensive deficiencies, but there’s one man above all others who looks like they might be the jewel in the Tottenham crown.

Spurs' most exciting talent

If Postecoglou is able to shape the club’s talent into something concrete at the highest level, fans may look back at the 2024/25 campaign with fondness, the springboard from which future heights were reached.

Leading this new order: Lucas Bergvall. The Swedish midfielder arrived in north London for a €10m (£8m) fee plus add-ons on January deadline day 2024, leaving Swedish side Djurgårdens IF. Barcelona were homing in on the teenager, but Spurs canvassed their proposal and bagged their man.

He’s slick and stylish in the middle of the park with a cheeky on-field personality, endowed with strength and technical quality that suggest he could rival the best midfielders that Europe has to offer in a few years.

In fact, he might even prove to be Postecoglou’s own version of Ryan Gravenberch in a few years, for he is of a similar profile to the Liverpool star, as per FBref. Gravenberch has been described as “absolutely world-class” in Arne Slot’s system by one data analyst.

Goals

0.00

0.00

Assists

0.08

0.00

Shot-creating actions

2.02

1.48

Touches

67.74

74.82

Pass completion

89.4%

89.2%

Passes attempted

56.49

62.06

Progressive passes

5.35

4.30

Progressive carries

2.07

2.15

Ball recoveries

5.48

6.45

Tackles + interceptions

3.84

4.84

The players’ contrasted statistics from the current campaign really do make for exciting reading. Bergvall mirrors many of the Netherlands star’s metrics, has showcased similar strengths in ball-playing and -carrying while also demonstrating a combative side to his arsenal.

Gravenberch is only 22 but Bergvall is much younger still at 19, and with the former’s market value skyrocketing to £82m over the past year, according to CIES Football Observatory, you could say that Bergvall has the capacity to hit such a level too, especially as he’s earning invaluable Premier League experience at this young and inexperienced point in his career.

With 32 senior Spurs caps, one goal and three assists to his name, Bergvall has the world at his feet, especially with The Athletic analyst JJ Bull stating that he “has a first touch like [Luka] Modric.”

Sky Sports commentator Rob Hawthorne noted the “incredible” time to score his first goal for Tottenham, and while Liverpool prevailed in the end, this is some player alright.

Gravenberch might be the talk of the town but here Spurs have an elite-level superstar in the making.

Saved by Maddison: Ange must drop 6/10 Spurs star who lost the ball 13x

Tottenham defeated Man United in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.

1 ByAngus Sinclair Feb 17, 2025

With just days remaining of the January transfer window, Manchester United might yet do more transfer business. Ruben Amorim’s side, who reached the Round of 16 of the Europa League on Thursday night thanks to a 2-0 win over FCSB in gameweek eight, are set to add depth at left wing-back into the squad.

Patrick Dorgu of Lecce will make the move from Serie A, joining up with the Red Devils for a fee reported by Fabrizio Romano to be £25m up front with £4.1m in add-ons. He will travel to Manchester on Saturday for his medical.

However, Dorgu might not be the only player United bring into the club this winter. They are also linked with an attacking player to add depth in forward areas.

United’s attacking target

The player in question here is Bayern Munich and French attacker Mathys Tel. The 19-year-old has been linked with several clubs across the Premier League, as he seems set to leave the Bundesliga giants in search of regular game time.

Transfer Focus

According to a report from Sky Sports Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, the Red Devils ‘remain active in the race’ for the France under-21 international, and have reportedly ‘held new talks with his agent’ in the last few hours.

United are believed to be considering a loan deal for the attacker but will face competition from one of their fellow Premier League giants.

Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly agreed a £50m deal with Bayern for Tel, but the 19-year-old is yet to accept the move and the race remains open.

Why Tel would be a good signing

Frustratingly for Tel, he has simply not had the minutes that someone of his age or ability might need. Across all competitions this season, the attacker, who can play as a winger or as a number nine, has played just 14 times, a total of just 458 minutes. That is the equivalent of just five full 90-minute games.

Yet, when he was actually given more of a chance to show what he could do in the 2023/24 campaign, the results were much better. Tel played 41 times last season, scoring ten goals and grabbing six assists.

On the face of things, that might not stand out as the best record. However, those 16 goals and assists came in only 1406 minutes, the equivalent of 15.6 full 90-minute games. Thus, 16 goal involvements in 15 and a half games, is an astounding record.

Indeed, the Frenchman could be an ideal replacement for United striker Rasmus Hojlund. The former Atalanta star has also had a tough season, although not for lack of opportunities.

He has seven goals and one assist in 29 appearances this term, although just two of those strikes have come in 18 Premier League games.

Last season, the striker showed flashes of brilliance but could only muster 16 goals and two assists in 43 games. He played 3088 minutes in that time, the equivalent of 34 full 90 minutes.

On average, Hojlund scored or assisted once every 0.52 games, far worse than Tel’s numbers.

The underlying stats on FBref from the 2023/24 campaign suggest that Tel might be an upgrade on Hojlund if United were to get a deal done this winter. At the very least, he could take some of the pressure off the Dane.

For example, last season Tel averaged 1.06 goal-creating actions per 90 minutes, compared to 0.17 goal-creating actions for Hojlund each game. Tel also managed more shots on target per game than Hojlund, with 1.5 compared to 0.85 each game.

Stat (per 90)

Tel

Hojlund

G/A per game

1

0.53

Shots on target

1.5

0.85

Goals – xG

0.34

0.13

Shot-creating actions

4.15

2.31

Shot-creating actions

1.06

0.17

United surely do not want to miss out on a talent like Tel, who is an “absolute jewel” according to football talent scout Jacek Kulig. Although Hojlund has talent, Gary Neville said last season he does not think the United number nine can become “one of the great strikers in Premier League history”.

On a loan deal, perhaps with a buy clause in the move, signing Tel could be the perfect transfer for Amorim to really help them finish the season strongly.

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The Man United star struggled against FCSB

ByJoe Nuttall Jan 31, 2025

Newcastle United are reportedly pushing to sign a “very clever” winger in the summer transfer window, as they look to add depth in attacking areas.

Newcastle target new wingers

The Magpies continue to be linked with new signings ahead of the next window, in what needs to be a period that sees Paul Mitchell help make Eddie Howe’s squad even more formidable. Johan Bakayoko is seen as a “top name right now” when it comes to potential additions, with the PSV Eindhoven winger a potentially exciting capture.

At least one new centre-back will also be needed, considering Fabian Schar and Dan Burn are ageing figures, and Sporting CP ace Ousmane Diomande has again been backed to join Newcastle in the summer. They are among many top clubs battling to sign the 21-year-old, however, so it won’t be easy to get him.

It has also been claimed that the Magpies are set to beat Real Madrid to the services of Antonio Cordero, with the Malaga teenager a player who could have a bright future in the game. Despite his tender years, he has already made 45 appearances for the La Liga side, scoring five goals and also bagging eight assists.

Newcastle are still thought to be eyeing a move for Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher in the summer window, with the Republic of Ireland international surely weighing up his future at Anfield. With Alisson going nowhere and Giorgi Mamardashvili coming in, the 26-year-old may be pushed further down the pecking order.

Magpies make contact with agent of Turkey starlet

According to a new report from Milliyet, Newcastle have made contact with Baris Alper Yilmaz’s agent over a £25m move to St James’ at the end of the season. The Galatasaray winger was linked with a switch to the Magpies during the January transfer window, but he has stayed put for the time being.

Bakayoko stands out as a great option for Newcastle, possessing so much flair on the right flank, but Yilmaz should certainly be considered a strong alternative.

At 24, he has a little more experience than the PSV man, scoring 10 times in 18 Turkish Super Lig appearances this season, while he has netted twice in 24 caps for Turkey.

Journalist Graeme Bailey has heaped praise on him: “Yilmaz is different. He’s a fascinating player. I think he ticks a lot of boxes for Newcastle. He can play anywhere across the front three and is a very clever footballer. He’s a good age.”

Newcastle on verge of beating Real Madrid to deal for "exciting" new gem

He’s been a man in demand…

ByTom Cunningham Feb 13, 2025

Whether its Yilmaz or Bakayoko that comes in this summer, or another player for that matter, a new right winger is essential for Newcastle, both in terms of signing a Jacob Murphy upgrade and improving squad depth. It has to be seen as the key area of focus, alongside centre-back.

Manchester United are already thinking about sacking Ruben Amorim, and a “genius” manager who’s won 11 trophies may be on the list of candidates to replace him, according to a report.

Tottenham defeat adds to Amorim's troubles

It has been far from an ideal first three months at Old Trafford for Amorim, with his side now languishing in 15th place in the Premier League.

A 1-0 defeat away at fellow strugglers Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday has piled even more pressure on the Portuguese coach, who has since expressed just how difficult he has found his time in charge of United, saying: “I have a lot of problems. My job is so hard but I’m here to continue my job to the next week with my beliefs. I will try to do it, I will try to win again,”

Of course, the Red Devils were hardly flying under Erik ten Hag prior to Amorim’s arrival, but it would be fair to say there have been no real signs of improvement, leading to questions about the 40-year-old’s future at Old Trafford.

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Posts 1 ByBrett Worthington Feb 17, 2025

According to a report from Spain, INEOS are already thinking about sacking the former Sporting CP boss, with doubts about his long-term project now starting to emerge.

The United ownership are likely to give their current manager until the end of the season, barring anything drastic happening, but they are now starting to evaluate potential alternatives for the summer.

Former Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane is named as someone who could be on the list of candidates, with INEOS keen on bringing in a manager capable of returning Man United to Europe’s top table.

Zidane has a track record of success

Although United have managed to compete for honours since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson, winning the Europa League under Jose Mourinho and the two domestic cups with Ten Hag, replacing their legendary manager has proven to be extremely difficult.

Reports suggest some players are already starting to lose patience with Amorim’s methods, in light of the poor results, so it is no wonder INEOS are starting to assess replacements for the summer.

That said, the players have to take a huge share of the responsibility, given that they have been poor in the Premier League for quite some time now, with the FA Cup triumph last season arguably papering over the cracks of a eighth-place finish.

Zidane has a proven history of success at a top club, winning 11 trophies during his time with Real Madrid, while he has also been dubbed a “tactical genius” by Steve McManaman.

However, the truth is this Man United squad needs a major overhaul if they are going to return to being the dominant force they once were, regardless of which manager is in the dugout.

Head coach Stead has, however, said that the “door is certainly not closed to” the duo with a “lot of international cricket ahead”

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Nov-2022Martin Guptill and Trent Boult have been left out of New Zealand’s T20I and ODI squads for the upcoming home series against India, which is scheduled to begin on November 18 in Wellington. Hard-hitting opener Finn Allen finds a spot in both squads, while fast bowler Adam Milne returns to the ODI squad having last played in the format in 2017.Head coach Gary Stead has, however, said that the “door is certainly not closed to” Boult and Guptill with “a lot of international cricket ahead”. Boult had opted out of the NZC central contract, although he recently stated his ambition of playing in next year’s ODI World Cup. Guptill was part of the recently concluded T20 World Cup in Australia, but he did not play a game with New Zealand opting for Devon Conway and Allen at the top of the order.Related

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Allen has had a promising start to his career, having hit 564 runs in 23 T20Is, including two half-centuries and a century. In ODIs, he has accumulated 308 runs in eight matches.”The emergence and success of Finn at the top of the order in white-ball cricket means a guy of the class of Martin Guptill misses out – that’s just the nature of a high-performance sport,” Stead said in an NZC release.”With the 50-over World Cup less than a year away we’re keen to give Finn every opportunity to keep gaining ODI experience, especially against quality opposition such as India. The message to both those players is that there’s a lot of international cricket ahead and the door is certainly not closed to them.”When Trent opted out of his NZC contract in August, we indicated that priority would be given to those players with either central or domestic contracts, and that’s been the case here. We’re all aware of Trent’s world-class ability, but at this time – as we build towards more global events, we want to give opportunities and experiences to others.”Allrounder James Neesham will not be part of the third ODI in Christchurch as he prepares for his wedding, with Henry Nicholls replacing him for the match. According to the release, Ben Sears and Kyle Jamieson were not considered for selection due to back injuries.With Boult being dropped from the squads, the pace department now has Tim Southee, Matt Henry (ODIs only), Lockie Ferguson, Blair Tickner and Milne.The tour begins with the T20I in Wellington before the teams move to Tauranga and Napier for the second and third T20Is on November 20 and 22. The ODI leg commences on November 25 in Auckland, with the second match in Hamilton on November 27 and the final in Christchurch on November 30.ODI squad: Kane Williamson (capt), Finn Allen, Michael Bracewell, Devon Conway, Lockie Ferguson, Daryl Mitchell, Adam Milne, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Tom Latham (wk), Matt Henry. T20I squad: Kane Williamson (capt), Finn Allen, Michael Bracewell, Devon Conway (wk), Lockie Ferguson, Daryl Mitchell, Adam Milne, Jimmy Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Tim Southee, Ish Sodhi, Blair Tickner.

Decision follows a board inquiry, which found the allrounder guilty of violating the player agreement during the T20 World Cup in Australia

Madushka Balasuriya23-Nov-2022

Chamika Karunaratne has been handed a one-year suspended ban by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) after a disciplinary inquiry of the board found him guilty of breaching the player agreement – the exact nature of the violation has not been made public – during the recent men’s T20 World Cup in Australia.Karunaratne, the 26-year-old allrounder, was also fined US$5000 after pleading guilty to the charges.”Considering the seriousness of the violations committed by Mr. Karunaratne, the Inquiry Panel by its report has recommended to the Executive Committee of the SLC to strongly warn the player to refrain from further violations and to impose a punishment that will not have an impact on his cricketing career,” an SLC media statement said.Since the ban is a suspended one, Karunaratne is allowed to play internationally, but is set to be dropped from Sri Lanka’s ODI squad for their upcoming home series against Afghanistan anyway. That squad, however, is yet to be made public, as it is awaiting ratification from Sri Lanka’s sports minister, who has questioned the reasoning behind Karunaratne’s axing.It is understood that Karunaratne’s poor recent record, primarily in the T20I format, is the main reason for his likely omission. In 21 innings this year, he has scored 169 runs at a strike rate of 98.25, while with the ball he has 14 wickets at 39.14 over 22 innings. He has fared better in ODIs, however, most notably winning two Player-of-the-Match awards during Australia’s tour of Sri Lanka earlier this year.The sentence on Karunaratne has come in the wake of team-mate Danushka Gunathilaka’s arrest in Australia on charges of sexual assault. Gunathilaka is currently out on bail.

Pat Cummins’ decision to forego an AU$1.3 million IPL pay cheque has exposed cricket’s overloaded calendar, with Australia’s best players set for more than 100 days of international games in the next 12 months.Cummins made the call on Tuesday morning to skip next year’s IPL tournament for the Kolkata Knight Riders, pointing to a heavy international workload.Australia have a four-Test tour of India next February and March before the tournament, while an Ashes series in England and one-day World Cup in India follow.Related

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Cummins’ decision comes just weeks after he was elevated to the captaincy of Australia’s one-day team, meaning he will likely feature in more white-ball series before next year’s global event.”I’ve made the difficult decision to miss next years IPL,” Cummins tweeted. “The international schedule is packed with Tests and ODI’s for the next 12 months, so will take some rest ahead of an Ashes series and World Cup.”When factoring in all Tests this summer as well as one-day and T20 series on the road in 2023, Australia’s players have up to 106 days of international cricket in the next 12 months.That figure includes a possible World Test Championship final in London with Australia currently top of the table, as well as the semi-finals and final of next year’s ODI World Cup.

Australia’s big 12 months

NOVEMBER: Three ODIs vs England (home)
NOVEMBER-DECEMBER: Two Tests vs West Indies (home)
DECEMBER-JANUARY: Three Tests vs South Africa (home)
FEBRUARY-MARCH: Four Tests and three ODIs vs India (away)
MARCH: Three ODIs vs Afghanistan (neutral – TBC)
JUNE: World Test Championship final (in England, if qualify)
JUNE-JULY: Five Tests vs England (away)
AUGUST-SEPTEMBER: Five ODIs and three T20s vs South Africa (away)
SEPTEMBER: 3 ODIs vs India (away)
OCTOBER-NOVEMBER: ODI World Cup, nine matches plus finals (in India)

The problem is most significant for fast bowlers Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood, and allrounder Cameron Green who will each play against England in ODIs this week.David Warner, Alex Carey, Steven Smith, Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne also play across both red and white-ball formats, meaning nine of Australia’s top XI are now regulars in both the Test and one-day teams.Australia’s selections for this week’s matches have also shown selectors want to give players as much match preparation as possible for next year’s World Cup.Virtually all cricket in the next 12 months is either in the form of Test or 50-over matches, with three T20s against South Africa next August the sole exception.The topic of quick turnarounds between series has been a point of contention for players, with England allrounder Moeen Ali lamenting the fact his team must play again just four days after a World Cup triumph.”It’s been happening for a while,” Moeen told reporters after England’s T20 triumph on Sunday. “When we won the World Cup in 2019, we had an Ashes game two weeks later and we had a Test match against Ireland about 10 days later.”Those kind of things are a shame. As a group we want to enjoy and celebrate and have that [time] because you put so much into it. Having a game in three days’ time, it’s horrible.”

عقد أيمن الرمادي، المدير الفني لفريق الزمالك، مؤتمرًا صحفيًا اليوم الجمعة، قبل مواجهة فاركو غدًا في ختام منافسات المرحلة النهائية من مسابقة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

وخلال المؤتمر الصحفي وجه الرمادي عدة رسائل لرموز الزمالك، قائلًا: “أشكر كل من يقف بجوار الفريق بهدف واحد فقط، وهو دعم نادي الزمالك، ومنهم الكابتن أحمد عبد الحليم، وأشرف قاسم، وجمال عبد الحميد، وإسماعيل يوسف، وتامر عبد الحميد (دونجا)، وغيرهم ممن يُقدّمون حبهم للنادي دون انتظار مقابل”.

طالع.. مصدر يكشف لـ«بطولات» كيف رد رامي ربيعة على عرض الزمالك لضمه

وأضاف: “نادي الزمالك مُقبل على مرحلة إيجابية، ويجب أن يدرك الجميع أنه لا فضل لأحد على النادي سوى جماهيره، الجمهور هو الحلقة الأقوى، ويستحق منا جميعًا أن نعمل من أجله، فهو لا ينتظر مكسبًا ماديًا أو شهرة، فقط يريد أن يرى الزمالك في أفضل حال”.

واستكمل: “حين توليت المهمة واجهت صعوبات عديدة، وإذا كسبت حتى 5% من حب جماهير الزمالك، فأنا أعتبر نفسي قد ربحت الكثير، نحتاج إلى العمل بإخلاص خلال الفترة القادمة”.

واستمر:”مباراة الغد مصيرية بالنسبة لنا، ونرغب في الاستمرار على النهج الذي بدأناه، نواجه ظروفًا صعبة، ولكن أحيانًا النجاح يولد من رحم المعاناة”.

وتابع: “سنختار التشكيلة الأنسب حسب مصلحة الفريق، قد نريح بعض اللاعبين إذا كان ذلك الأفضل، وهناك احتمالية لوجود ناصر منسي، لكنه قد لا يبدأ اللقاء، في حين يحتاج محمود بنتايج لعدة أيام إضافية”.

وأردف: “رغبنا في تغيير الأجواء الذهنية للاعبين، والتدريب على ملعب أفضل تجهيزًا، وهي خطوات اجتهدنا فيها للوصول إلى أفضل حالة ممكنة، وكل الأندية لديها مشاكل، ولكن يتم تضخيم الأمور عندنا، يجب أن نتحلى بالحذر ونتعامل مع الأمور داخليًا”.

وأتم رسالته للجماهير: “أنتم الحلقة الأقوى في هذا الكيان، وقد تخطئون أحيانًا بدافع الغيرة والحب، لكنكم تظلون العنصر الأهم و95% منكم من الطبقات البسيطة، وكل همّكم هو فرحة الزمالك، وأنا أقدّر ذلك كثيرًا”.

The Basque club are living through their latest golden age and will make formidable opponents for the Red Devils

For Manchester United, winning the Europa League is not just about lifting another trophy. It is about survival. After their worst season since being relegated in 1974, hoisting Europe's second-biggest prize in Bilbao on May 21 would take the club back to where they both want to be and – financially – need to be: the Champions League.

For the last 30 years, United have been run as if they were always in or at least aiming to be in Europe's top competition, meaning the wage bill hasn't been altered even when they missed out on qualification. Failing to win the Europa League, though, would mean missing out on the Champions League for two consecutive seasons, something that has never happened since the club first entered the competition in 1993.

But more than pride is at stake for United. Being in Europe's top competition is worth around £100 million ($134m) and could ward off fears about financial meltdown and meeting the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability obligations. It would also make United more attractive to players in the summer transfer window, which is crucial to shaping next season. As manager Ruben Amorim put it last month: "Being in the Champions League can change everything."

Things are very different for Athletic Club, the team who stand in United's way of reaching the final. Athletic are having their best La Liga season in 11 years and already on course to return to the Champions League after more than a decade away. That will be their only third campaign in Europe's top competition, and they will savour it. And so with fourth-place domestically all-but secured, the Europa League is fundamentally about glory to the Basques who have the chance to win a European trophy for the first time in the club's history.

But this season's compettion is even more important than the UEFA Cup final in 1977 or the Europa League final in 2012, both of which they lost. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to lift the trophy on home soil – and they are not going to give it up without a real fight.

Getty'Unique in the world'

"When you see how the crowd was today, when you see how happy you made them," Athletic coach Ernesto Valverde began after beating Rangers in the quarter-finals to set up the tie with United, "the greatest thing about football is making people happy." And Valverde has made fans in Bilbao very happy indeed after he delivered the club's first major trophy in 40 years when they won the Copa del Rey in 2024.

'This means more' might be Liverpool's marketing slogan. but if any club deserved to make such a proclamation then it is Athletic. The club's policy of only selecting players with ties to the Basque Country is well-known and celebrated by the club with their own slogan: 'Unique in the world'. And although the policy might have limited their potential success, it has also created an unbreakable bond with their supporters. So when they win a trophy, boy do they make it count.

Athletic had the mother of all parties after winning the Copa del Rey, staging a trophy parade like no other. Their celebrations did not take place on an open-top bus driving through the city centre, but instead on a boat, the legendary 'Gabarra' which had been sitting dormant in the city's maritime museum for four decades, waiting for the team to win another trophy and be released down the Nervion river.

An estimated one million fans turned out to see it, and the players were just as drunk as the supporters. "We were drinking beer like animals," striker Inaki Williams said. "Legend had told us what that Gabarra experience was like, but to live it was ultra special. It was a hard week; we played Villarreal that next night and we nearly beat them while still drunk!"

AdvertisementGettyValverde's golden ages

Even with their unique selection policy, Athletic are still the third-most successful team in Spanish football behind Real Madrid and Barcelona in terms of trophies, boasting 24 Copas (only Barca have more) and eight La Liga titles. They were the best team in Spain through the early 1930s, winning four titles in seven years before the Spanish Civil War. They then had a renaissance in the 1950s, winning a double in 1956 before playing in the second edition of the European Cup the following season, where they came up against Sir Matt Busby's United in the quarter-finals. They beat the Busby Babes 5-3 at home, but ultimately lost 6-5 on aggregate.

Another era of success came in the 1980s, when they won back to back La Liga titles, including a double in 1984 when they beat Diego Maradona's Barcelona in a legendarily violent Copa del Rey final which makes last week's events at Cartuja look like child's play. The commercialisation of football in the 1990s did deal a serious blow to Athletic's prestige and their model of only selecting players from their region, but under Valverde they have experienced two new golden ages.

The first was in his second spell as coach, when he led them into the Champions League for the first time in 18 years, to a Copa del Rey final and to a Spanish Super Cup triumph, smashing Barcelona 5-1 on aggregate. They qualified for Europe in each of his four years in charge, and after he left to take over at Barcelona, Athletic experienced a barren spell with no continental football.

That was until he returned in 2022, having taken two-and-a-half years out of football following his tumultuous time with Barca, where he won successive La Liga titles but was ultimately judged a failure after successive Champions League bottle jobs, as the Catalans threw away three-goal leads from first legs against Roma and Liverpool.

But back in Bilbao, Valverde has reminded everyone how good a coach he always was.

Getty Spain's best defence & an electric attack

Athletic knocked Barcelona and Atletico Madrid out on their way to beating Real Mallorca in last season's Copa del Rey final, and finished fifth in La Liga as they narrowly missed out on a place in the Champions League. There has been no hangover from their wild celebrations this season, though.

The Basques went 16 matches and almost five months without losing in La Liga and were seen as genuine title contenders until they were beaten by Atletico in March. During that run. they beat Real Madrid for the first time in 18 league matches and nine years, and now possess a six-point cushion over sixth-placed Real Betis with five games left in the race to qualify for the Champions League. That standing has been built on the best defence in La Liga, which has conceded just 26 goals overall, and only 10 in home matches. That is bad news for United, who have scored only 39 Premier League goals, the joint-fifth lowest in the division.

The one shard of good news for United is Athletic's top scorer, Oihan Sancet, is out of the first leg and is touch-and-go for the second thanks to a hamstring injury. But the Basques still have plenty of firepower that United will need to try and keep a lid on in both games. Inaki Williams has 20 goal contributions in all competitions and struck the only goal in the narrow win over Las Palmas at the weekend, while earlier in the Europa League campaign he struck twice away against Jose Mourinho's Fenerbahce.

United will also have to keep an eye on Alex Berenguer and Gorka Guruzeta, but above all they will be watching out for Inaki's younger brother, Nico Williams, who was the scourge of England in the Euro 2024 final. Williams Jr has not quite been in the same sparkling form as last season, with 10 goal contributions in La Liga compared to 16 in 2024-25, but he has been dealing with the emotional weight of constant speculation regarding a big-money move away from San Mames as Barcelona and Arsenal continue to be linked with him after a move to Catalunya fell through last summer.

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Getty Images SportEuropa difference-maker

Despite his underwhelming domestic return, in Europe, Nico has shown his class and made the difference. He led the second-leg turnaround against Roma in the last 16, scoring twice as he was Player of the Match in the second leg at San Mames. He did the same against Rangers, scoring the all-important second goal which clinched his side's place in the last four. It took him and Athletic one step closer to that dream final and the chance to become only the fifth team (after Real Madrid, Inter, Barcelona and Feyenoord) to win a European final in their own stadium.

"For me and for every Athletic fan in the world, reaching the final in Bilbao would be incredible," he said. "It would be a dream. I've been playing for Athletic since I was a child and you always dream of winning trophies. Because of where the final is this year, the Europa League is a very special tournament for us. I don't think anyone would understand this unless you are an Athletic fan.

"You saw what it was like when we won the Copa del Rey last year so can you imagine what it would be like if we won the Europa League in our own city? We have to dream. We have to believe. We have a spectacular group of players and I think this is the year. If we keep playing the way we have been in this tournament, we have a chance to reach that final and be champions."