Football News Live: Premier League Updates Plus The Latest On Roman Abramovich’s Efforts To Sell Chelsea – The Athletic

Tottenham Hotspur have announced they have frozen the price of season ticket renewals for next season.

The north London club will be hoping they can host Champions League football in the 2022-23 campaign. Spurs are currently seventh in the Premier League, six points behind fourth-placed Arsenal.

Tottenham said in a statement: “It is hard to believe that the end of this season will be the end of our first full season with fans in the stadium since its opening in April 2019.

“We are pleased to confirm that we shall shortly be opening Season Ticket renewals for the 2022/23 season. We are freezing prices for the coming season, one which follows a challenging two years for all of us. With the pandemic hopefully now over, we shall also be inviting those Season Ticket Holders who deferred for COVID-related medical reasons to renew their Season Tickets. Once again, we shall also be giving fans the option to relocate their seats, particularly now we have the new seat inventory as a result of increasing the capacity to 62,850.

“We thank you for your incredible support throughout the current season – in particular, we appreciate your co-operation and patience with new processes and COVID measures that were introduced.

“As we continue to innovate and work to provide the best possible matchday experience for our fans, we shall be communicating new and exciting features we are bringing to the stadium next season — watch this space!”

(Photo: Sebastian Frej/MB Media/Getty Images)

Anthony Hay·

EPL Staff Editor

Former Manchester United manager Frank O’Farrell has passed away at the age of 94.

O’Farrell replaced Sir Matt Busby in the Manchester United dugout in July 1971. He left the club in December 1972.

He managed Sir Bobby Charlton, Denis Law and George Best at the club.

Condolences to his friend and family.

(Photo: PA Images via Getty Images)

Anthony Hay·

EPL Staff Editor

Chelsea Women midfielder Melanie Leupolz, 27, has announced she is pregnant.

The Germany international will continue light training but will not take part in any competitive games for the rest of the season.

Chelsea Women are currently second in the Women’s Super League. Leaders Arsenal are eight points clear but Chelsea have three games in hand on their London rivals.

Anthony Hay·

EPL Staff Editor

Melanie Leupolz shares some very special news! ??

— Chelsea FC Women (@ChelseaFCW) March 7, 2022

Jurgen Klopp has repeated his plea for the Premier League to start allowing five substitutions during games.

“We played the final on Sunday, then Wednesday, Saturday and now Tuesday. That’s actually a horrible schedule. It’s essential that at one point we go again for the five subs in the Premier League. We have five subs in three competitions but in the other we don’t have that. It makes so much difference. I don’t understand it.

“The Premier League has to save the top class players as well. Some clubs think it would be an advantage for the bigger clubs. It’s not about an advantage, it’s about the game, keeping the players in a better place and having much fewer injuries. We’d see that over the years if we finally introduce it.”

James Pearce·

Liverpool Correspondent

Liverpool trio Thiago, Roberto Firmino and Joel Matip have all returned to full training ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League clash with Inter Milan at Anfield.

Thiago has missed the past three games with a hamstring injury, while Firmino hasn’t featured since last month’s 2-0 first-leg win at the San Siro due to a groin problem. Illness prevented Matip from taking part in Saturday’s hard-fought league victory over West Ham.

Their return boosts Jurgen Klopp’s options as he looks to guide Liverpool into the quarter-finals.

Click here to read the full story.

(Photo: Tullio Puglia – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)

James Pearce·

Liverpool Correspondent

Barcelona’s international department director Jordi Cruyff is focusing on planning transfer business for next summer amid reports suggesting Ajax want to hire him as their new sporting director, writes Dermot Corrigan.

Ajax are currently looking to fill the position after Marc Overmars left last month when it emerged he had sent a series of inappropriate messages to several female colleagues.

Read David Ornstein’s full Monday column by clicking on the link below.

(Photo: Xavi Urgeles/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)

Dermot Corrigan·

La Liga Correspondent

The Athletic’s Dermot Corrigan is reporting that Manchester United veteran Juan Mata looks set to leave Old Trafford on a free transfer this summer.

Mata, 33, has only featured four times for Manchester United this season and is expected to end his eight-year stay at the club at the end of the season.

Read the full report by clicking on the link below.

(Photo: Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images)

Dermot Corrigan·

La Liga Correspondent

Jarrod Bowen has been in impressive form this season, scoring eight league goals for West Ham in their challenge for a Champions League place.

But David Moyes’ side could be without him for a handful of games after the 25-year-old picked up a heel injury in the defeat at Liverpool.

Read David Ornstein’s full Monday column by clicking on the link below.

(Photo: Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images)

Roshane Thomas·

West Ham United Correspondent

Manchester City restored a six-point lead at the Premier League summit on Sunday with victory over Manchester United, which keeps Pep Guardiola’s side on course to retain their title.

But whatever happens in the final months of the season, City intend to strengthen their squad this summer and — as detailed by The Athletic in early January — Erling Haaland is the primary target.

Given his spectacular goalscoring record and the existence of a well-documented €75 million release clause that actives in the upcoming transfer window, the 21-year-old Borussia Dortmund and Norway international striker is of serious interest to a host of the continent’s biggest clubs.

Read David Ornstein’s full Monday column by clicking on the link below.

(Photo: Uwe Anspach/picture alliance via Getty Images)

David Ornstein·

Football Writer

Former Leicester City right-back Danny Simpson has left Bristol City.

Simpson, who joined the club in March 2021 to link back up with Nigel Pearson, played just four games for Bristol City this season with his last appearance coming in October 2021.

The 35-year-old was part of Leicester’s Premier League title-winning side in 2016.

Anthony Hay·

EPL Staff Editor

? Danny Simpson has left #BristolCity after his contract was ended by mutual agreement.

— Bristol City FC (@BristolCity) March 7, 2022

Anthony Hay·

EPL Staff Editor

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall will be a future captain of Leicester City, manager Brendan Rodgers believes.

Rodgers has hailed the emergence of the 23-year-old midfielder this season and insists he has the personality as well as the ability to become a key component of the Leicester side for many years to come.

Despite his relative lack of first team experience at Leicester, Rodgers says Dewsbury-Hall is not slow to offer his opinion in team meetings and is displaying natural leadership qualities.

Click here for the full story.

(Photo: Plumb Images/Leicester City FC via Getty Images)

Anthony Hay·

EPL Staff Editor

Mikel Arteta believes Bukayo Saka’s penalty miss in last summer’s Euro 2020 final was great for the Arsenal midfielder’s career.

Saka suffered penalty heartbreak against Italy along with Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho in July as England missed the chance of winning their first trophy in 55 years.

The 20-year-old Arsenal academy graduate has gone from strength to strength this season as displayed on Sunday when he helped his side climb into the top four thanks to a goal and an assist.

Click here to read the full story.

(Photo: Julian Finney/Getty Images)

Anthony Hay·

EPL Staff Editor

Our Chelsea reporters have teamed together to write an extensive article on what they have been hearing during the week Roman Abramovich shocked the world by revealing he is selling the Premier League club.

Here’s a little snippet of what they have found but click the link below for the full read.

“No one knows who will succeed Abramovich yet, but this influential representative believes the model of the club is about to change and it will need to become far more self-sustaining. Chelsea sell players on an annual basis anyway to help their accounts, however there is a suspicion they will have to cash in on some individuals who were previously not earmarked to go.”

Anthony Hay·

EPL Staff Editor

Welcome to today’s breaking news blog.

We will bring you reaction to Manchester United’s heavy 4-1 defeat at the hands of rivals Manchester City and the rest of this weekend’s Premier League action as well as the latest on Roman Abramovich’s plan to sell Chelsea in the near future.

And we will of course provide you with any breaking news over the course of the day.

Anthony Hay·

EPL Staff Editor

A year ago this week Liverpool were on their knees after a record sixth successive home league defeat at the hands of lowly Fulham left them eighth in the Premier League table. Now supporters are dreaming of a clean sweep. It’s the second transformation Klopp has overseen during his Anfield reign.

But what about the future of the man who so emphatically delivered on his mission to turn doubters into believers? Liverpool’s thrilling resurgence hasn’t altered his plan to take a break from football when his current contract expires in the summer of 2024 shortly after his 57th birthday. He has made that promise to his family.

More on Liverpool’s reality, from The Athletic’s James Pearce.

Jacob Whitehead

To the outside world, Cristiano Ronaldo had been expected to lead the line against Manchester City. As it happened, he was not in the country by the time of kick-off at the Etihad.

It is believed Ronaldo flew to Portugal once his absence for the Manchester derby became clear. He reported a recurrence of the hip flexor problem that troubled him earlier this year, which treatment could not soothe, and then took a flight to his homeland before Sunday.

Sources say the trip caused surprise among the United dressing room, given the significance of the fixture. Injured players are not obliged to attend matches but it is said Ronaldo’s team-mates feel his presence at the stadium, given his aura and contributions this campaign, could have been beneficial.

Full story below.

Laurie Whitwell·

Manchester United Correspondent

Jacob Whitehead

Victory at Wolves demonstrated of the potential this #CPFC team has.

The flexibility in team selection from has been logical & successful but now needs stability & familiarity to realise potential.

Surpassing last year’s points total isn’t impossiblehttps://t.co/kEttPeXZS8

— Matt Woosnam (@MattWoosie) March 6, 2022

David Moyes was once chastised for suggesting United should aspire to be more like City – but these days that is undeniably true.

From recruitment to executive hires, academy to planning, these are the lessons, as painful as it may be, United must learn.

After today’s 4-1 defeat, it is more evident than ever.

Jacob Whitehead

Jacob Whitehead