The Premier League's most-capped player James Milner announced his retirement from football at 40 on Monday morning via Instagram. The English midfielder's 24-season adventure, starting with his debut at Leeds United at age 16 in 2002, came to an end after his contract at Brighton concluded this summer.
Luis Enrique, who carried Paris Saint-Germain to their second consecutive Champions League trophy, shared an emotional message after Saturday night's victory at the Puskás Aréna for his daughter Xana, whom he lost to bone cancer in 2019: "Xana is still watching us. How would I want her to see us feeling bad?"
Aston Villa's Argentine goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, in an emotional message shared on X, recounted his 10 years of struggle at Arsenal, the nights his father cried over unpaid bills, and the turning point he found at age 28.
According to Football Insider, Xabi Alonso — set to officially become Chelsea manager on July 1 — has mobilized the administration to take his former pupil Florian Wirtz from Liverpool. According to TEAMtalk, Liverpool's owners FSG are resisting — the club's official stance is that he won't be sold. Liverpool won't even put an offer below £100 million on the table.
L'Equipe, 24-year-old French goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier — who PSG signed from Lille last summer for a €55M total fee — has informed management he wants to leave after just one season. Having lost the No. 1 spot to Matvey Safonov, the Frenchman is unwilling to accept a backup role.
Nigeria national team head coach Eric Chelle revealed at the press conference announcing his squad for the friendly matches against Poland and Portugal that 27-year-old star striker Victor Osimhen is planning to leave Galatasaray in the summer transfer window. The statement created shockwaves on the Süper Lig champion's side.
Paris Saint-Germain beat Arsenal 4-3 on penalties in the Champions League final at the Puskás Aréna. Normal time finished 1-1, extra time goalless; with Eze and Gabriel missing from the spot, PSG lifted Europe's most prized trophy for the second consecutive year in their history.
In the sixth minute of the Champions League final, Kai Havertz punished a brief PSG defensive lapse with a goal. With almost no share of the ball, Arsenal went into the break at Puskás Aréna with a 1-0 lead.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport and Football Italia, AC Milan have scheduled a Monday-Tuesday meeting next week with Oliver Glasner for the head coach seat left empty after the four-man top-level clearout at season's end. Following Andoni Iraola's preference for Crystal Palace, Glasner — former "pupil" of Rangnick, who is bound for the sporting directorship — is rapidly moving ahead of the favorites on the road to San Siro.
According to Fabrizio Romano's exclusive report, Dutch manager Arne Slot and Liverpool have parted ways with immediate effect following the end-of-season review. Andoni Iraola, who left Bournemouth, is clear favorite to take over; the official announcement is expected within hours.
The Anfield future of 25-year-old midfielder Curtis Jones, an academy graduate, has come into question after contract talks stalled for months. According to Fabrizio Romano, Inter Milan have been in pursuit since January, with inter-club contact also taking place in Monte Carlo.
31-year-old Raheem Sterling, who transferred to Feyenoord in February, was detained on four separate suspicions following a single-vehicle Lamborghini crash on the M3 motorway in Hampshire on Thursday morning, as first reported by The Sun; he was released on police bail after questioning, with the investigation ongoing.
