Howe future on agenda as PIF fly in for annual visit
Latest from Your Site News' Keith Downie:
Newcastle United's owners will make their annual visit to the North-East on Thursday to meet with club executives and manager Eddie Howe.
Chairman Yasir Al-Rumayyan, on the back of news about his expected resignation from LIV GOLF, will meet with CEO David Hopkinson and Sporting Director Ross Wilson, as well as Howe, at the exclusive Matfen Hall in rural Northumberland.
Plans for a new stadium and training ground will feature high on the agenda, as well as a look back at a rollercoaster season.
The future of manager Howe will also be a topic of conversation, as well as the upcoming transfer window.
PIF officials are planning to fly in at lunchtime, and security around Matfen Hall has been beefed up as a result. This is an annual off-site meeting for Newcastle bosses.
Saudi Arabias Public Investment Fund is totally committed to Newcastle going forward despite ending their involvement with LIV Golf and selling a 70 per cent stake in Al Hilal.
Newcastle reported record revenues of 335m in their recently released 2025 financial results.
They also won a first domestic trophy in 70 years last season.
'Leao being considered as cheap alternative to Rogers'
AC Milan's Rafa Leao is one of the names Manchester United are considering for the left-wing position this summer, according to Italian publication Gazzetta dello Sport.
The latest news to emerge from Italy is that Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers is United's first choice for their attack.
However, this report claims Portugal international Leao could provide a much cheaper alternative, with Milan seeking around 43m, at least half of what it would cost to sign Rogers.
Leao, 26, has two years left on his contract and is currently Milan's most lucrative asset, which makes his sale all the more likely in a summer when they need to rebuild.
Gazzetta reports that United outcast Joshua Zirkzee could be of interest to Milan, who considered signing him in 2024 before he moved to Old Trafford.
Leao has scored nine league goals and provided three assists in Serie A this season with Milan currently on course to return to the Champions League, sitting six points clear of sixth-placed Como with four games to go.
Galton to leave Man Utd this summer
Leah Galton will leave Manchester United Women at the end of the season when her contract expires, bringing an end to her eight-year stay at the club.
The winger is one of the three remaining "originals" from United's first professional squad in 2018 along with Ella Toone and Millie Turner.
Only those two have made more than Galton's 117 appearances for United, and her 44 goals in that time make her the team's second-highest scorer of all time.
Van Dijk: I'd love Alisson to stay but Liverpool will adapt if he goes
Virgil van Dijk would love goalkeeper Alisson Becker to stay at Liverpool but insists the club will always adapt whenever they lose senior players.
Earlier this year Liverpool exercised the one-year extension option they had on the Brazil internationals contract, which was due to expire in the summer, but that has not stopped speculation linking him with Juventus.
Listen, there is always going to be a day where you including myself will go, said Van Dijk.
But if its going to happen and I have no idea about it and I dont think at this point he has an idea about it then we will, as a club, adapt to that.
We have been through everything together, positive things and some negative things unfortunately as well, so it would definitely be a big blow and a miss but I dont think, for me, its a good idea to think ahead about what could or could not happen.
Hes very important for me as one of the leaders in the team and I think he is very important on the pitch because I think he is one of the best in my opinion the best goalkeeper in the world.
Hes trying to be back as soon as possible to help us for the last four games and thats our main focus.
Whatever happens after that is not something you should ask me. Would I love him to stay? Of course, theres no doubt about that.
There are rumours but if there is anything concrete then we will all find out but for me Im never worried.
Former Real Madrid president's theory about Mourinho reports
Former Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon to Your Site on reports Jose Mourinho is the top choice to take over:
"I'm not sure [Florentino Perez] has decided yet [who his preferred choice is].
"I don't have a personal knowledge about that, but he usually likes to conduct surveys to know the reaction of the people.
"I think it's a trial balloon launched by some journalist, a friend journalist, to know the reaction of the people.
"Who is it going to be? I don't know. It's not easy to be on that bench. In the last 65 years, only two coaches have been more than three consecutive years on that bench.
"This is a difficult job and a difficult decision for the president."
'Villa monitoring potential Rashford return'
Aston Villa are monitoring Marcus Rashford's future and would be willing to sign him permanently this summer, according to Spanish press.
Rashford is currently on loan at Barcelona and the LaLiga giants have a 26m option to buy him permanently, but financial circumstances at Barcelona mean they are reluctant to trigger it.
Your Site News reported the Spanish club are interested in a second season-long loan deal for the 28-year-old.
United have no intention to renegotiate the fee agreed in his loan this season.
The report from Spain suggests Villa boss Unai Emery likes the player following his loan spell at the club from January 2025 to the end of last season, where he scored four goals in 17 appearances.
However, the forward is keen to remain at the Spotify Camp Nou after impressing while in Spain.
Rashford has made 45 appearances for Barcelona this season, scoring 13 goals and adding 10 assists across all competitions.
Listen: Transfer Talk Chelsea special
Pete Graves is joined by Your Site chief correspondent Kaveh Solhekol and ESPNs Sam Tighe.
They discuss Chelseas search for a new manager, the incredible 1.5bn spent on players since May 2022 under BlueCo and the possibility of a change in transfer policy under a new manager.
Odegaard ignoring speculation over his future
Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard insists he is paying no attention to speculation he could leave the club in the summer.
"I don't know where that's coming from," he said at Arsenal's press conference ahead of their Champions League semi-final first leg against Atletico Madrid.
"My mindset is just about doing what I can every single day to do something special.
"There's always going to be talk and people speculating and I guess that's normal in football but it's not something that I know anything about."
Graham to leave Spurs this summer
Kit Graham will leave Tottenham this summer upon the expiry of her contract.
The attacker has been at Spurs since their first WSL season in 2019/20, going on to make 91 appearances across all competitions.
Graham has spent the second half of this campaign on loan at WSL2 side Ipswich, making nine appearances to date and scoring twice.
Tottenham Women's Managing Director, Andy Rogers, said: "Kit leaves having made an incredible contribution to Tottenham Hotspur.
"She has delivered a consistent impact on the pitch, from our formative years in the WSL to our first FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium. Kit has been a fan favourite throughout her time here, and deservedly so.
"Through professionalism, resilience and kindness she has also pushed the standards off the pitch, setting an example for developing players and showing incredible strength and character to comeback twice from significant injury.
"Our staff and playing group will miss Kit, and she will have all of our best wishes and support in her next chapter."
Mainoo expected to sign new Man Utd contract
Latest from Your Site News' Rob Dorsett and Danyal Khan:
Kobbie Mainoo is expected to sign a new Manchester United contract until 2031.
Your Site News revealed in March that the midfielder was close to a full agreement over a new deal.
United want Mainoo's fresh terms to better reflect his progression and current status in the first team.
Mainoo's current deal was signed in 2023 when he was still 17.
