What Atletico manager Simeone sold him was a football project that had the striker at the centre of it. Alvarez wanted to feel wanted.

“He told me I could give the club something huge,” he recalls. “That I’d have the space and the opportunity to be my best version.”

The Argentines already at the club helped too – De Paul, Griezmann’s warmth, the Spanish language, a culture that felt closer to home than Paris or Manchester ever could.

In August 2024, Atletico Madrid confirmed the deal – 95m euros (£81.5m), a club record received by City, and a six-year contract. The club announced it with a Spiderman video and Alvarez loved it.

Ask him about the price tag and he almost looks confused by the question.

“It’s more something that gets talked about in the media,” he said. “In the dressing room I’m just one of the group. I like being treated that way.”

His father worked in a cereal factory in Calchin. His mother was a schoolteacher. He grew up knowing that you have to earn respect, or reputation. He is still the same person. It shows on the pitch too – the World Cup winner who sprints back to win the ball, who presses from the front. Simeone rarely singles out individuals, but with Alvarez, he makes exceptions.

Across two seasons in red and white, he has made 102 appearances and scored 47 goals, numbers that tell only part of the story.

His time at Atletico has not been without frustration. In La Liga this season, the numbers have been modest – eight goals in 29 appearances, and just one in 2026.

His strike against Oviedo at the end of February ended a run of 14 league games without a goal, his previous one coming against Sevilla on 1 November. But the Champions League has been a different story, bringing nine goals in 12 appearances this season.

Irish musician and Clannad lead singer Moya Brennan has died, aged 73.

The folk star, often hailed as the First Lady of Celtic Music, was best known as part of the Irish family band, which began performing in 1970 and went on to win a Bafta and a Grammy for their traditional albums.

According to RTÉ, Brennan died peacefully on Monday (13 April) while surrounded by family. She is survived by her husband, Tim Jarvis, and their two children, Aisling and Paul.

Brennan shared in 2020 that she had been diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis, a lung disease characterised by irreversible scarring. The condition affected her breathing and meant that she had to rephrase some of her songs, however, she continued to sing – touring and writing music with Aisling and Paul.

The Irish folk singer, who was born Máire Philomena Ní Bhraonáin, grew up in Gweedore – a remote Irish-speaking parish in County Donegal, Ireland. The eldest of nine children, Brennan formed the band Clannad with her brothers, Pól and Ciarán, and their mother’s twin brothers, Noel and Pádraig Ó Dúgáin, in 1970.

They were joined in 1980 by Brennan’s sister Eithne – who left two years later to become international sensation Enya – as well as siblings Brídín and Deirdre.

The group became one of Ireland’s biggest folk exports, becoming known worldwide after creating the theme for ITV’s 1982 drama Harry’s Game, set in Northern Ireland during the Troubles. The track reached No 5 in the UK Singles Chart that same year and went to number two in Ireland.

They provided the soundtrack for a number of TV series, winning a Bafta Award for Best Television Music in 1984 for ITV’s Robin of Sherwood. Clannad also picked up a Grammy Award for Best New Age Album after releasing Landmarks in 1999, as well as a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014 at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards.

Brennan was the band’s lead singer for over 50 years before leaving in 2024, but she also embarked on a successful a solo career during that time, releasing album Máire in 1992.

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She later featured on the soundtrack for 2004 film King Arthur, co-writing the title theme with Hans Zimmer, as well as music for 1997 blockbuster Titanic and Robert Carlyle film To End All Wars (2001). Brennan sold over 20 million records throughout her career and released 25 albums.

Brennan and her family band Clannad are often credited for introducing the Irish language into mainstream music culture, having collaborated with Mick Jagger, Bono and Paul Young among other stars.

Paying tribute to Brennan on BBC Radio Foyle, County Donegal singer Daniel O’Donnell said that she “never forgot her roots”.

“She loved the music, and she loved to see people doing well. Especially in these last few years, she loved giving young singers a chance – that was her focus,” he added.

“Everyone around here loved her, and when you met her, she had a great peace about her.”

A simple but full-flavoured dish to wake up the taste buds, with sweet-sharp citrus and a punchy dressing that’s hot, sour, salty and sweet all at the same time.

Grapefruit can also be used in this salad instead of blood oranges.

Hold on to the recipe for the Thai nam jim dressing here – it’s good for spooning over roast or griddled fish as well.

Emergency services were called to the road at around 2.50pm and the road was taped off, with police and the ambulance service in attendance.

A police cordon was put in place and the road was closed as emergency services dealt with the incident.

Greater Manchester Police has now confirmed that a cyclist died after suffering a suspected medical episode.

A spokesperson for the force said: “We were called at around 2:50pm yesterday to Chorley Road, Blackrod – a cyclist sadly died following a suspected medical episode.”

The road was partially closed until just after 6pm.

Liverpool will be aiming to stage a miraculous comeback when they take on Paris Saint-Germain in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie at Anfield on Tuesday night

Liverpool could be missing five players for Tuesday’s Champions League quarter-final second leg against Paris Saint-Germain. The Reds welcome PSG aiming to overturn a two-goal deficit from the first leg in Paris.

Arne Slot’s side were defeated convincingly five days ago and the margin could have been greater had PSG shown more ruthlessness, having registered 18 shots, six on target, four big chances and generating 2.35 expected goals (xG). Nevertheless, the Reds managed to emerge from the first leg at Parc des Princes trailing by just 2-0 with Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia netting either side of the interval for the hosts.

It still provides them with a genuine opportunity of advancing beyond PSG and reaching the Champions League semi-final for the first time in four years. But Slot is anticipated to be without at least four players for the fixture at Anfield, with Alisson Becker, Wataru Endo, Giovanni Leoni and Conor Bradley still sidelined.

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READ MORE: ‘Mo Salah is an easy scapegoat!’ – Egyptian media tears into Arne Slot’s Liverpool decisionREAD MORE: Virgil van Dijk sends ‘most important’ message to Liverpool fans ahead of PSG showdown

Alisson picked up a fresh injury blow before the March international break and Slot confirmed last week that the Brazilian won’t make his comeback until the closing stages of the campaign. There is optimism that he could feature in the trip to Manchester United at the beginning of next month.

Endo’s season was brought to a premature end after he sustained a season-ending foot injury in the victory over Sunderland in February. The Japanese, though, is aiming for a comeback ahead of this summer’s World Cup.

Leoni damaged his Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) on his debut against Southampton in September 2025 and is expected to be sidelined until the beginning of next campaign. Bradley is another long-term casualty after picking up a significant knee issue in the goalless stalemate at Arsenal back in January.

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Curtis Jones is the fifth Liverpool player who could be ruled out of the PSG second leg after the midfielder picked up a muscle problem in the 2-0 victory over Fulham on Sunday. He went down off the ball late in the opening period and was observed clutching his groin before being substituted by Ryan Gravenberch.

Slot provided a concerning update when discussing Jones post-Fulham, stating he doesn’t believe the midfielder is going to be fit to face PSG. He told Sky Sports: “He felt a little bit in his groin. It wasn’t a moment, he felt it already for a few minutes. Let’s hope for the best, but I would be surprised if he is available for Tuesday.”

However, Jones was seen training with his team-mates ahead of the fixture in a significant boost for the Reds. He was among those going through their routines at the AXA Training Centre on Monday lunchtime.

PSG, meanwhile, have received a welcome injury boost ahead of the second leg, with Bradley Barcola returning to the squad. The French international had been ruled out for a month after sustaining a severe ankle ligament sprain during the Champions League last 16 second leg at Chelsea.

Barcola, who has missed PSG’s last three fixtures as well as France’s friendlies in the United States against Brazil and Colombia, has been included in the travelling party for PSG’s visit to Merseyside.

However, Fabian Ruiz and Quentin Ndjantou remain sidelined, bringing the total number of potential absentees across both sides to seven. “The good news is that Fabian (Ruiz) is on ‌the mend and ⁠training with the team,” PSG boss Luis Enrique revealed in his pre-match press conference, as he provided an update on Ruiz’s fitness.

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Glengarry Glen Ross, first known to many through the film starring Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon, and Kevin Spacey, is now being brought to life in its original stage form.

A powerful story made famous on film is coming to the stage at the Henderson Theatre in Shotts and this is a rare chance to see it live.

Glengarry Glen Ross, first known to many through the film starring Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon, and Kevin Spacey, is now being brought to life in its original stage form.

Seeing it live is more intense, more exciting, and much more real than watching it on screen.

Written by David Mamet, the play tells the story of a group of salesmen fighting to succeed. It is fast, tense, and often funny, with strong language and big emotions throughout.

This new production is performed by Sweet for Addicts Theatre Company.

Rehearsals are going very well, with the cast working hard to bring the story to life.

The show is directed by Mark Traynor, Artistic Director of Spotlight Shotts, who is leading the team to create a bold and exciting performance.

READ MORE: Former care home in Wishaw put up for sale by its owners

Mark said: “Glengarry Glen Ross is a thrilling piece of theatre—sharp, funny, and brutally honest. Seeing it live is a completely different experience from the film.

“It’s immediate, intense, and unforgettable. Experiencing the live show is more like being in the play that watching it. You can hear the actors breathe.

“We’re excited to bring something this powerful to audiences in Shotts.”

Spotlight Shotts is a recently formed Community Interest Company and not for profit organisation, formed in 2023 by local residents who want to provide access for people of all ages from Shotts and the surrounding villages to the best local performers plus theatre, music and art normally accessed in Glasgow and Edinburgh.

READ MORE: North Lanarkshire Heritage Centre receives grant as part of science scheme

The group’s long-term goal is to restore the purpose-built Henderson Theatre in Shotts Community Centre, to its former glory. The play takes place at the Henderson Theatre on Friday, April 17, and Saturday, April 18, from 7.30pm to 9.30pm.

Tickets cost £15, £12, £10 by logging onto https://www.tickettailor.com/events/spotlightshotts/1963541

For more information, please contact Margaret McSeveney by emailing spotlightshotts@gmail.com

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READ MORE: Motherwell and Wishaw SNP candidate praises work of Caledonian Braves after visit

HONG KONG (AP) — Asian stocks were trading higher tracking Wall Street gains and oil fell on Tuesday as expectations rose over a possible second round of talks between the U.S. and Iran on an end to the Iran war.

Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 was up 2.4% to 57,842.72. South Korea’s Kospi jumped 3.4% to 6,004.30.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng rose 0.4% to 25,759.75, while the Shanghai Composite index climbed 0.6% to 4,010.45. China on Tuesday reported worse-than-expected export growth of 2.5% in March for the first month since the Iran war began.

Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.3%, and Taiwan’s Taiex rose 2.2%.

Investors are still hopeful for a lasting de-escalation of the Iran war, which is in its seventh week, as the U.S. and Iran are said to be weighing a second round of talks before a temporary ceasefire agreement expires next week. The U.S. military on Monday began a blockade of Iranian ports as Washington steps up its pressure on Tehran, following ceasefire talks between the two sides over the weekend that ended without an agreement.

But U.S. President Donald Trump also suggested on Monday that the United States is still willing to engage with Tehran. “I can tell you that we’ve been called by the other side,” he said, without further elaborating details.

Oil prices continued to pull back on Tuesday from earlier gains. Brent crude, the international standard, was down 1.3% to $98.12 per barrel. It reached nearly $104 early Monday morning over Iran war worries on limited progress from the weekend ceasefire talks.

Benchmark U.S. crude fell 2.2% early Tuesday to $96.92 a barrel.

The global energy shock stemming from maritime traffic disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, where roughly a fifth of the world’s oil is typically transported, has led to surging fuel prices and is threatening to push up inflation in many countries and impact economic growth.

Wall Street rose on Monday. The S&P 500 gained 1% to 6,886.24. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 0.6% to 48,218.25, and the Nasdaq composite added 1.2% to 23,183.74.

Shares of investment bank Goldman Sachs dropped 1.9% despite its announcement of better-than-expected quarterly profits.

In other dealings, gold and silver prices rose on Tuesday. Gold’s price was up 0.6% to $4,796.60 an ounce, while silver prices gained 1.8% to $77.05 per ounce.

The U.S. dollar fell to 159.08 Japanese yen from 159.45 yen. The euro was trading at $1.1768, up from $1.1759.

___

AP Business Writer Stan Choe contributed to this report.

Amponsah Thompson was bailed under investigation for assault – and went on to do it twice more

A serial sex offender who “prowled” the streets of Liverpool city centre in his Mercedes looking for vulnerable teenagers on nights out has been jailed for 23 years.

Amponsah Thompson posed as a taxi driver in order to lure one of the women into his car before assaulting her in the back seat, the Liverpool Echo reported.

The “sexual predator” then preyed upon another lone teen, who he found slumped on the ground, before taking her back to his home and raping her. He also repeatedly raped a third victim and even threatened her with a knife.

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Liverpool Crown Court heard on Monday (April 13) that the first complainant, an 18-year-old woman, had been on a night out in the city centre in August 2024 and was “very drunk”, having visited several bars before leaving alone shortly after 2am.

At this time, Thompson’s white Mercedes was seen passing what was then Alma de Cuba, since reopened as St Peter’s Tavern, where she approached the vehicle and asked the defendant if he was a taxi driver.

David Polglase, prosecuting, described how the 29-year-old “lied and pretended that he was”, at which stage the teenager entered his car expecting to be taken home. But he instead drove the woman to his own address on Rocky Lane in Tuebrook, where he joined her in the rear seats and touched her between her thighs.

However, Thompson “stopped what he was doing” and drove her home when she pretended that her family were phoning her and claimed she had shared her location with them. She was then said to have “insisted on giving him money” for the journey, with police later able trace him via transfers she had made into his bank account.

When interviewed, Thompson denied he had pretended to be a taxi driver and had stopped at his address in order to collect his identification, having apparently been intent on returning to the city centre. He meanwhile maintained he had not entered the back seat of his car and stated he had no physical contact with the victim.

Having subsequently been released on bail under investigation, Thompson then targeted another “extremely drunk and vulnerable” 18-year-old who had been out in central Liverpool in December 2024, visiting several bars before becoming separated from her friends.

He was then seen “escorting her back to his vehicle” at around 3.30am, having previously been “crouched or slumped by a wall”, after which she recalled “zoning in and out of sleep” and being raped, waking up at his flat the next day before being taken home by her attacker.

Thompson, who was said to have been “essentially prowling on both occasions”, later claimed this sexual activity had been consensual when questioned by detectives. Throughout 2025, as investigations into his earlier crimes continued, he then raped a third woman an estimated “six or seven times”, having also subjected her to violent assaults and threatened her with a knife.

Mr Polglase added: “We say that this defendant is manipulative. He is a sexual predator. He has little or no regard for the boundaries of and consent for sex.”

Amponsah had no previous convictions but was previously investigated over an incident in January 2024 when he was alleged to have sexually assaulted a lap dancer. However, this did not result in any charges after the woman withdrew her complaint.

Anthony O’Donohoe, defending, told the court: “Prior to these matters, the defendant was a man of good character with no previous convictions. His immigration status is currently that he has leave to remain, but that is subject to review.

“I simply ask that the sentence is as short as is consistent with your honour’s public duty. It may well be that an extended sentence would be condign and allow further supervision and licence in the community upon eventually release, by extension to what will doubtless be a significant custodial sentence.”

Thompson admitted sexual assault against his first victim and three counts of rape against the third, having been convicted of one charge of rape against the second complainant by a jury following a trial. Appearing via video link to HMP Liverpool wearing a white Puma t-shirt, he was jailed for 23 years and handed an additional eight years on licence.

Sentencing, Judge Brian Cummings KC said: “My own assessment is that you are a dangerous offender, and there would remain a significant risk to members of the public of serious harm.

“It may be that you will be considered by the appropriate authority for deportation. I make no order in that regard. It is a matter for that appropriate authority to consider.”

Thompson will be required to serve at least two thirds of the 23-year period behind bars before becoming eligible for release by the Parole Board. He was also told to sign the sex offenders’ register for life.

The 52-year-old died in the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle after he was allegedly attacked with a metal bar in a workshop at HMP Frankland

An inquest is due to open on Tuesday, April 14, into the death of Soham killer Ian Huntley. The 52-year-old died in the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle on March 7 after he was allegedly attacked with a metal bar in a workshop at HMP Frankland in Durham on February 26.

The County Durham and Darlington Coroner has scheduled an inquest opening hearing to be held in Crook, County Durham, on April 14. Listed under the name Ian Kevin Huntley, the inquest opening will be heard by senior coroner Jeremy Chipperfield.

Anthony Russell, 43, has been charged with murdering Huntley at the maximum security jail. He will attend Newcastle Crown Court on April 24 for a pre-trial preparation hearing.

Huntley was serving a life sentence for the 2002 murders of 10-year-olds Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman. The ex-school caretaker killed the best friends after they left a family barbecue to buy sweets in Soham, Cambridgeshire, on August 4 2002.

He dumped their bodies in a ditch 10 miles away. They were not found for 13 days, despite a search involving hundreds of police.

At the time, Huntley lived with Maxine Carr, who was a teaching assistant at Holly and Jessica’s primary school. He denied murdering the girls but was convicted after a trial at the Old Bailey in 2003. He was jailed for life with a recommended minimum term of 40 years.

Carr gave Huntley a false alibi and was jailed for 21 months for perverting the course of justice. She is now living under a new identity.

Norton has hosted a chat show for almost 30 years, hearing stories from the biggest stars in the world, but now he’ll host a new gameshow, The Neighbourhood.

Over 11 episodes in the ITV show, six households, which are made up of real families, friends, and university flatmates, move into separate homes, where they will live side by side 24/7, socialising and taking part in challenges, for the chance to win a £250,000 cash prize.

The show, hosted by the Eurovision commentator, will see them compete in tasks inspired by the things we do every day, as well as navigate relatable domestic drama, and then avoid being voted off and removed from the neighbourhood.

When asked what he found interesting about the new show, he said: “What I loved about The Neighbourhood is that it is a new format.

“It’s not something meets something else.

“I really thought I hadn’t seen this show before.

“It leans into our curiosity about what’s behind closed doors, and there’s something really compelling and addictive about seeing the way the existing households interact with each other.

“I thought I’d watch that – and I’d never want to work on something I wouldn’t watch.

“I thought – this show would hook me!”

He explained how he thinks it’s different to other shows: “Because it is ‘The Neighbourhood’, we can all relate because unless you’re very, very rich, you probably have neighbours!

The biggest ever British game show jackpot winners

“We all – even if you don’t necessarily want to – you get drawn into those everyday dramas.

“The ‘you haven’t cut the lawn, they put the bins out wrong, you shouldn’t park there’.

“What the show does is really amp those moments up, and dramatises them even more.

“There’s the gameplay, but because they’re there all the time, there’s the reality that these people really are living next door to each other and watching each other like hawks.

“And like any good neighbourhood, you want your way, but you want to keep everyone sweet, and that’s the skill!

“This show has been cast really well, so these people are all really good at it.”

Who is taking part in The Neighbourhood?

Norton said there are a variety of groups involved in the first series: “We have a traditional, multi-generational family, we’ve got blended modern families, we’ve got twin sisters and one of their girlfriends, we’ve got a university household where they’re flatmates, so the relationships are all different in each household.”

Graham Norton reveals his favourite part of the new show

Graham has shared what he loves about the new show: “One of the loveliest things about the show is seeing households who would never meet in real life, not only meeting but forming proper bonds of friendship.

“There are a few moments in the show that really do bring a tear to my eye because it’s just so genuine, so lovely and properly heartwarming.

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“It’s such an odd word to describe a show like this, but it’s properly wholesome — there’s something about the bright colours, being out in the countryside, and the genuine bonds that you see created.”

People have shared their excitement for the new show on Instagram with one commenting: “Omgggg I can’t wait!!!!”

Another shared: “Ah it just looks so good!!”

Someone else said: “Can’t wait to watch the drama unfold!! 🙈🙈”

How to watch The Neighbourhood

The Neighbourhood will be hosted by Graham Norton and will be available to watch later this month.

The new show comes to ITV1 and ITVX on Friday, April 24.

Will you be watching The Neighbourhood? Let us know in the comments below.