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CELTIC CONFIRM AUSTRALIAN ANGE POSTECOGLOU AS MANAGER ON 12-MONTH CONTRACT

Celtic have appointed Ange Postecoglou as the club’s manager on a 12-month rolling contract.

The Greek-born Australian has left his role as Yokohama F. Marinos boss after three years to join the Scottish giants, who parted ways with Neil Lennon in February.

Speaking following his confirmation as the Bhoys new boss, Postecoglou told Celtic’s website: “The opportunity that has been given to me is one of the greatest honours in football and the responsibility to lead our magnificent football club into the future is one that I will cherish dearly.

“Celtic is one of THE names in world football, of that there is no doubt – a giant of a club, a proper footballing institution and so much more – real history, real substance, real authenticity and real soul. I know Celtic is a true way of life for so many people and I know the demands which come with this position – I am ready to do all I can to meet those demands.

“I will be doing everything I can to get our great Club back on top and, at the same time, deliver the kind of football which our fans appreciate. We want to entertain our fans and we want to win, these are the objectives which I always set myself and which I now begin work on.

“When you think of Celtic, you think of supporters and my dream is to see our fans back at Celtic Park with us as soon as possible. We all hope things are changing for the better and can see our fans soon as they are vital to everything I want to do. We need our supporters back by our side and I can’t wait to be with them back in a packed Paradise.

“I have already had great discussions with Peter, Dom and the Board about their ideas and strategy for the future of the club. I know the Club’s new modern vision aligns very much with mine and we now look to go and deliver on this. In everything we do we aim to give our fans a successful team of real quality, which they are excited about and can be proud of.

“We have already begun work on our plans for adding to the squad – we aim to bring players of quality to Celtic to enhance the existing core of great talent.

“I very much look forward to meeting with the players on their return from the close season break and I can’t wait to get started as Celtic Manager.”

Coronavirus rules mean the 55-year-old will isolate once he touches down in Scotland from Japan on Thursday, which sits on the UK Government’s amber travel list.

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PSG BEAT BARCA, BAYERN MUNICH TO SIGN GEORGINIO WIJNALDUM

Paris Saint-Germain have beaten Barcelona and Bayern Munich to the signing of Georginio Wijnaldum from Liverpool on a free transfer.

Wijnaldum, 30, has agreed a three-year deal with PSG after deciding to run down his contract at Anfield, which expires at the end of June.

“Signing for Paris Saint-Germain is a new challenge for me,” Wijnaldum said. “I’m joining one of the best squads in Europe and I want to bring all my desire and commitment to this ambitious project. Paris Saint-Germain have proved how good they are in recent years and I am convinced that together, with our supporters, we can go even further and higher.”

The Netherlands international had previously reached an agreement to join Barca. His agents met with the Catalan club’s president Joan Laporta at the end of May and a medical had been pencilled in.

Barca’s interest in Wijnaldum dates back to last summer, when Ronald Koeman made him a target after being appointed as the club’s coach.

However, as first reported by ESPN on Friday, PSG made a late play to hijack Barca’s move for Wijnaldum.

Sources close to the negotiations told ESPN that the Ligue 1 side were willing to double the terms agreed with Barca, while a phone call from coach Mauricio Pochettino also helped persuade Wijnaldum to change his mind.

Bayern Munich also held talks with Wijnaldum, who informed the German club and Barca last weekend that he had decided to sign for PSG.

The midfielder becomes PSG’s first signing of the summer as they look to strengthen after missing out on the league title to Lille and a semifinal Champions League exit to Manchester City.

Wijnaldum, who is preparing for the European Championship with Netherlands, played for Feyenoord and PSV Eindhoven before making the move to England with Newcastle United in 2016 for around €15 million.

After Newcastle were relegated from the Premier League a year later, he joined Liverpool on a five-year deal for a fee of €25m.

He helped Liverpool win the Champions League in 2019, famously scoring twice in the semifinal win over Barca, and was part of the side which won the Premier League a year later.

During his five-year stay at Anfield, he also won the UEFA Super Cup and the Club World Cup.

In total, he made 237 appearances for Liverpool, scoring 22 goals.

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“I HAVE WON 25 AND A HALF TROPHIES” – JOSE MOURINHO CLAIMS MISSED CUP FINAL COUNTS

Jose Mourinho has claimed he deserves recognition for steering Tottenham to the Carabao Cup final, insisting he should get half a trophy because he was sacked shortly before the Wembley showpiece against Manchester City.

Mourinho has won 25 league titles and cups during an illustrious managerial career with Porto, Chelsea, Inter Milan, Real Madrid and Manchester United and seemed to have the chance to add Spurs to that list in April.

However, less than a week before the fixture against City, Mourinho was removed from his position as Spurs head coach after just 17 months in charge, with Ryan Mason overseeing a 1-0 defeat against Pep Guardiola’s side.

And in an interview with The Sun, Mourinho, who will take the reins at Serie A side Roma from next season, asserted he is justified in adding to his trophy haul.

He said: “So if you want me to be proactive now you can ask me, ‘how many trophies have you won in your career?’ And I’ll tell you 25 and a half. The half is the final that I didn’t play with Tottenham.

“You ask the guys who played lots of finals and everybody will tell you, ‘to play a final is a dream’ and it doesn’t matter if it is the first final or number 20 or number 50, a final is always a dream.

“A Wembley final is more than a dream, I played the first on the new Wembley and every time I go there, it’s more than a dream and to have a chance to win a trophy with a club that doesn’t have many of course was a double dream.

“I am the kind of guy that when I close the door of a club, I move and I just wish good to people, but in a funny way I would say I have 25 and a half titles because it’s something that marks my career which is not to play a final that I won the right to go there.”

For all Mourinho’s faults at Spurs, he helped striker Harry Kane go to new levels, with the 27-year-old winning the Premier League Golden Boot and Playmaker awards.

Kane is understood to have told Tottenham he wants to leave this summer, but Mourinho would not be drawn on whether that should happen.

He did say, however, that for the England captain to leave a legacy, he needs to win trophies.

“I think he has to play where he is happy. And I think he is happy in England. He is a very Premier League guy,” Mourinho added.

“It is about legacy. Legacy is about medals. I believe all the top players have the feeling of ‘I want to win’.

“But who knows? In five weeks Harry could be a European champion.”

The highlight of Mourinho’s spell in north London was the partnership between Kane and Son Heung-min.

The pair combined for 14 goals last season, breaking a Premier League record set by Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton in 1994-95.

Mourinho said of working with Kane: “I enjoyed very much, I enjoyed the fact he won the Golden Boot again. To win the Golden Boot, to win the award for most assists, for him and Son to beat the record of most assists to each other.

“I love very much to work with Harry from an individual point of view but I always enjoyed the partnership between these two fantastic players.”

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WOLVES APPOINT BRUNO LAGE AS NEW BOSS

Wolves have confirmed the appointment of former Benfica boss Bruno Lage as their new head coach.

The Molineux club have been on the hunt for a new manager following Nuno Espirito Santo’s departure at the end of last season.

And Lage is the man they have chosen to replace his fellow Portuguese coach, with the 45-year-old set to take charge of Wolves in the 2021/22 Premier League campaign.

He is back in management just under a year after seeing his contract terminated at Benfica, whom he guided to the Portuguese title after taking on the job halfway through the 2018/19 campaign

Lage has gained an impressive reputation for developing young players, nurturing the likes of Joao Felix, Ruben Dias and Carlos Vinicius before the trio landed moves to Atletico Madrid, Manchester City and Tottenham.

After failing to make it as a professional himself, he turned to coaching at the age of 21 and worked his way through the lower leagues of Portuguese football as both a youth coach and an assistant manager.

He then sealed his first move to Benfica as part of their academy in 2004, spending eight years at the club and managing every one of their youth sides.

Lage then received his first taste of English football and senior management when he was given the chance to work as assistant to Carlos Carvalhal at both Sheffield Wednesday and Swansea.

The pair helped Wednesday reach the Championship playoff semi-finals, before suffering relegation from the Premier League with Swansea.

Lage then returned to Benfica as manager of their reserve side in July 2018, before moving up to take the first-team job on a caretaker basis when Rui Vitoria was sacked six months later.

He flourished in that role, winning 18 of his first 19 matches at the helm and avoiding defeat to ensure Benfica captured the Primeira Liga crown.

However, after equalling the club’s worst even run of results the following season losing their crown, Lage left Benfica by mutual consent in July 2020.

He now has the chance to rebuild his reputation at Wolves, where he will begin pre-season training with his new squad next month.

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SPOTIFY CEO, DANIEL EK, READY TO LAUNCH SECOND ARSENAL TAKEOVER BID

Spotify CEO Daniel Ek is readying a second Arsenal takeover bid having seen his initial £1.8bn offer rejected last month.

This time round the Swedish billionaire is planning to increase his over to £2bn in an effort to test the Kroenke’s resolve.

Ek said that the unpopular Gunners owners told him that they “didn’t need the money” when he tried to buy the club last time.

But the billionaire’s camp claim they “are not going anywhere and want to get a deal done”.

Arsenal insiders have admitted they are expecting a second offer, reports the Daily Mail.

Ek has looked to use the public fallout from the proposed European Super League to push forward with his takeover plans.

Arsenal were one of six teams to join the failed proposal which only served to increase the divide between the supporters and the club’s hierarchy.

Ek went public to state that the offer included fan ownership, representation at board level and a golden share for supporters.

Gunners legends Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp and Patrick Vieira are also backing the Swede’s bid.

Stan Kroenke, who assumed full control in 2018, has been heavily criticised for the manner in which he runs the club.

Arsenal have experienced a sharp decline over the past decade with Mikel Arteta now set to oversee a huge rebuild.

Kroenke’s son, Josh, is a director at the club and a key figure in day-to-day-operations.

He engaged in a fans forum following the Super League plans in an effort to build bridges with supporters.

Ek, himself a life-long Arsenal fan, received a glowing review from Henry who spoke highly of his plans for the Gunners.

“I know a lot of people wanted to hear about [the takeover],” he told Sky Sports. “It is true. Daniel is an Arsenal fan, he didn’t say it for any publicity. He is an Arsenal fan for a very long time.

“He already – I’ll give you something – reached out [to the Kroenkes] and already said himself that he had collected the funds to make sure that he can put in a good bid.

He added: “I think it is going to be long and not easy – if it does ever happen. One thing that I want to reiterate is that Daniel will not move away, he will be there waiting to see if they want to sell.

“That is going to take a very long time, we know what we want to do, but first and foremost we need to make sure that we can take over, if they are listening.”

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ILKAY GUNDOGAN DONATES CHAMPIONS LEAGUE BONUS TO CHILDHOOD CLUB

Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan has donated his Champions League bonus to his childhood club in Germany to help them fund a new artificial pitch.

Gundogan spent a decade at Hessler 06 before moving to Bochum’s academy and then into the professional ranks.

“We are still very closely connected to the club, because we spent large parts of our childhood here,” Gundogan’s manager and uncle Ilhan said.

“When Ilkay heard that many children were withdrawing because there was no artificial pitch, it hit him hard.”

Gundogan, who is preparing for Euro 2020 with Germany, will put in the vast majority of the €300,000 being paid by Hessler 06, using the entirety of the bonus he received from City after their run to the final, where they were beaten 1-0 by Chelsea in Porto last month.

Local authorities in Gelsenkirchen will contribute the remaining €350,000 towards the project.

“Without Ilkay, we would not have been able to start this project,” said club chairman Rainer Konietzka.

After Hessler, Gundogan joined Bochum’s academy as a teenager, later signing for Nurnberg and then Borussia Dortmund in 2011.

He was Pep Guardiola’s first signing at City in 2016 but had to overcome a serious knee injury in his first season at the Etihad.

This year he finished as City’s top scorer in the Premier League, scoring 13 goals as he lifted his third league trophy with the club.

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BOOING OF THE KNEE SHOWS RACISM IS STILL A BIG PROBLEM – JORDAN HENDERSON

Jordan Henderson has said fans booing England’s players for taking the knee achieves nothing and proves the fight against racism is far from over.

The row over the anti-racism action has threatened, in England, to overshadow the start of Euro 2020 and has led to Gareth Southgate’s players finding themselves on the end of an angry reaction from a section of supporters before games.

There were jeers before England faced Austria and Romania in recent friendlies at the Riverside Stadium and there are fears the dispute will rumble on when Southgate’s side meet Croatia in their Group D opener at Wembley on Sunday.

Yet the backlash will not stop England taking the knee. Southgate made his case eloquently last weekend, and in an article published on Tuesday made clear his determination to keep using his position to raise awareness of society’s ills. Henderson has echoed his manager’s sentiments by saying his teammates are more determined than ever to take the lead in the fight against discrimination.

“I think it shows that if there’s still people booing because we’re standing together against racism, then there really still is a problem and we’ve still got to fight it and stand together,” England’s vice-captain said. “It shows even more that we have to keep going, keep fighting it. From our side, it’s about being together and doing what we think is right.”

Henderson, who insisted he would be fit to face Croatia after a groin injury, was asked whether booing players achieved anything. “It doesn’t,” he said. “We’ve made it very clear that we all stand together against racism. That’s the reason that we continue to take the knee.

“The lads are starting to feel like they don’t really want to talk about it any more. Of course, everyone knows we stand together and you’ll see that in taking the knee, but we want to get on with the football and concentrate on that. That’s our focus.”

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GIANLUNGI DONNARUMMA NEARS MOVE TO PSG

Paris Saint-Germain are reportedly close to completing the free signing of Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Donnarumma’s eight-year spell with AC Milan will come to an end this summer after the highly-rated goalkeeper failed to agree new terms with the Italian club.

And now the 22-year-old is due to join PSG as a free agent, with the Parisian side beating the likes of Chelsea, Juventus and Manchester United to his signature.

According Sky Sports, PSG have offered Donnarumma a five-year deal worth £10million (€12m) a year plus add-ons, which will see him become the French club’s new No 1.

The report goes on to claim that Donnarumma could undergo his medical while he’s away on national team duty with Italy for Euro 2020, with any medicals to be conducted at their Coverciano training base before the tournament kicks off.

Juventus abandoned talks to sign the goalkeeper after being put off by the player’s mammoth wage demands, and were unwilling to go above £8m (€10m) per season.

Jose Mourinho was also hoping to tempt Donnarumma to his new club Roma, with the Special One said to have personally contacted the Italy international about a joining him in the capital.

However, Donnarumma looks set for France with PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi spearheading the move to bring him to the Parc des Princes, despite the fact that Keylor Navas recently renewed his contract with the club.

Milan have already secure Donnarumma’s replacement, with Lille’s Mike Maignan completing his move at the end of May just days after helping the French club wrap up an unlikely Ligue 1 title.

Speaking about Donnarumma’s departure last month, Maldini said: ‘Gigio was a leader and often the captain. People sometimes don’t realise what it means to be a professional, it means you must be ready to change club.

‘It’s difficult to accept, I realise, but it’s also increasingly difficult to see a career in one team. We must respect those who gave so much to Milan and remember Donnarumma did not lack respect for us.

‘It can happen that at times you have to take different paths. I can only wish him the best.’

Having arrived in 2013, the Italy international made his first-team debut in 2015, aged just 16, and went on to make 251 appearances for them across all competitions.

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LOGAN PAUL LASTS THE DISTANCE AGAINST MAYWEATHER IN EXHIBITION BOUT

Floyd Mayweather Jr outclassed Logan Paul in the boxing ring but could not stop the YouTube personality inside the distance.

Mayweather and Paul boxed an eight-round exhibition at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, but with the bout not being scored, no winner was declared.

The 44-year-old Mayweather used the ring skills that propelled him to boxing world titles in five divisions and a 50-0 career record to frustrate Paul with solid lead and counter shots.

“You’ve got to realise I’m not 21 anymore but it’s good,” Mayweather said in the ring.

“He’s better than I thought he was. Good little work. Tonight was a fun night.”

Mayweather, who won titles in the super-featherweight, lightweight, super-lightweight, welterweight and super-welterweight divisions, has said he will not return to competitive boxing.

Instead, he will continue to tap into the pay-per-view market with exhibitions like his event with Paul.

Post-fight punch stats showed Mayweather comfortably ahead on total and power shots.

After the fight, Paul celebrated the accomplishment of going the distance against Mayweather.

“Shoot, man, I don’t want anyone to tell me anything is impossible ever again,” Paul said.

“To get in here with one of the greatest boxers of all time proves that the odds could be beat.”

Paul weighed 189lbs for the exhibition and attempted to use his 34lb advantage by leaning on the shorter Mayweather.

But Paul’s lack of boxing skills left him open to Mayweather’s short left hooks to the head and rights to the body.

“He used his weight and tried to tie me up,” Mayweather said.

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PEREZ WINS AZERBAIJAN MOTOR GP AFTER VERSTAPPEN AND HAMILTON CRASH OUT

Sergio Perez won a dramatic Azerbaijan Grand Prix after Max Verstappen crashed out from the lead with just five laps remaining following a horror tyre failure and Lewis Hamilton threw away second place to finish 15th.

Verstappen looked poised to race to the flag following a slow pit stop for Hamilton, but a terrifying rear-left puncture sent the Red Bull driver out of control and into the concrete wall on the right-hand side of the start-finish straight.

Verstappen was able to walk away from the high-speed crash, kicking the tyre which had failed, with the safety car deployed.

The race was then suspended on lap 49 of 51 after Red Bull sporting director Jonathan Wheatley urged FIA race chief Michal Masi to red-flag the event fearing another devastating puncture.

Indeed, questions will now be asked of Formula One’s tyre supplier, Pirelli, after Lance Stroll also suffered a high-speed blowout on lap 31.

The drivers were permitted to take on fresh rubber for what was effectively a two-lap race before Hamilton launched a gung-ho move on Perez for the win only to run down the escape road at the opening corner in a plume of tyre smoke.

“I am so sorry, guys,” said the world champion.

Sebastian Vettel rolled back the years to drive from 11th to second to claim Aston Martin’s best result of their return with Pierre Gasly third for AlphaTauri.

Hamilton’s late mistake means Verstappen remains four points ahead of the British driver after the opening six rounds.

Hamilton started from second before taking the lead at the beginning of the third lap when he roared past pole-sitter Charles Leclerc on the start-finish straight.

Verstappen and team-mate Perez followed suit on laps seven and eight to put the pressure on Hamilton, who had been unable to build a gap in a Mercedes which has largely been off the pace this weekend.

Hamilton then made his sole stop on lap 11, but with Gasly pitting at the same time, the seven-time world champion’s release was delayed.

The Mercedes driver’s pit-stop took 4.6 seconds, paving the way for Verstappen to take the lead of the race when he pitted for fresh rubber on the following lap. Hamilton’s slow stop also enabled Perez to leapfrog him.

While Verstappen remained unchallenged at the front, Hamilton hustled Perez, but despite being faster than the Mexican in the final sector he was unable to find a way past.

On lap 31, Stroll suffered the first terrifying puncture. The high-speed failure sent Stroll’s Aston Martin into the concrete wall on the left-hand side of the pit-straight, but while the Canadian sustained extensive damage to the front of his car he emerged unscathed from the horror crash.

The safety car was deployed for five laps to clean up the debris, with Verstappen executing the perfect re-start to leave Perez trailing.

Behind, Vettel, who ran longer in his first stint to lead the race for a brief period, then fought his way past Leclerc and Gasly to move up to fourth.

Verstappen was in complete cruise control – on course to move 16 points ahead of Hamilton – until the dramatic late turn of events on the Caspian Sea.

The race was suspended for 30 minutes and ahead of the re-start Hamilton told his team “you have to remember this is a marathon not a sprint”, seemingly content to take second and his 18-point haul.

But the seven-time world champion sensed an opportunity to pass Perez and win the race at the first bend only to run off the circuit.

Leclerc finished fourth ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris with Fernando Alonso sixth. On a day to forget for Mercedes, Valtteri Bottas was only 12th.

“I am so happy,” Perez said. “Normally Baku is pretty crazy. I am sorry for Max because he did a tremendous race and deserved the win.

“At the restart, I had a poor start and Lewis was alongside me but I broke as late as I could and it didn’t work for him.”

Vettel said: “It means a great deal to finish on the podium.

“It has been a tough start (to the season for Aston Martin) but we had good pace and that was the key.

“It is a great day and I am over the moon. We didn’t expect to be on the podium.”