Sir Keir Starmer is said to be lining up a bank holiday if England emerges victorious in the World Cup.
To celebrate what would be their first win in 60 years, the prime minister has hinted at a day off for the country, but is not expected to confirm any plans until the final.
It is thought that the bank holiday could be on Friday 24 July, which would give the team enough time to return from the final match on the previous Sunday.
Speaking to reporters at the Nato summit on Wednesday, Sir Keir said: “I don’t want to jinx it, but ask me again if we get to the final.”
After securing a 3-2 win against Mexico, England is gearing up for a quarter-final clash with Norway in Miami on Saturday.
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Keir Starmer and Norway’s prime minister Jonas Gahr Store on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara (AP)
If England wins, they will play either Argentina or Switzerland in Atlanta on 15 July.
Speaking from Ankara, Turkey, Sir Keir praised Monday’s win over Mexico as “one of the best England performances I’ve ever seen”.
He jokingly reminded Norwegian prime minister Jonas Gahr Store that England only win the World Cup under a Labour government.
“I’m a good friend of his,” he told reporters.
“The Norway-UK relationship is as strong as it’s ever been, and he’s a key individual in the coalitions that we’ve been building.
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“But for 90 minutes on Saturday evening, we’ll have to go our different ways as we go into that match.”
England have not won a World Cup in 60 years (PA Wire)
He said he had resisted calls to attempt to overturn Jarell Quansah’s red card against Mexico, after Donald Trump persuaded Fifa to suspend US player Folarin Balogun’s ban and allow him to play against Belgium.
“I can’t tell you how many messages I’ve had to rescind the red card that we received in the early hours of Monday,” he said.
“I hasten to add, I haven’t attempted to do that.”
Many English fans were left disappointed after a bank holiday was declared in Scotland in June to mark the country’s participation in the men’s football finals for the first time in decades.
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King Charles approved the proposal, put forward by First Minister John Swinney, who wanted to allow Scots to celebrate the major comeback.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said she would “probably not” support a bank holiday if England wins the World Cup.
“Sadly, we all know what would happen with a bank holiday – the private sector would still be working and the public sector would take the day off, and you’d all have to pay for it,” she said.
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray took the field for pregame warmups before facing the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium, with the venue reflected in his face shield. On January 3, 2021, in Inglewood, California, Murray prepared for the regular-season finale as Arizona readied for a divisional road matchup in Southern California. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images.
The Minnesota Vikings needed a quarterback to hedge the bet against J.J. McCarthy’s out-of-nowhere injury resume, landing on Kyler Murray, who was booted off the Arizona Cardinals‘ roster, in March for $1.3 million. Because of that value — it’s quite incredible — Bleacher Report has decided that Minnesota gets an ‘A’ offseason grade for the transaction.
Vikings fans are excited to see Murray’s debut in September, and in the meantime, the move is drawing stellar reviews.
Murray Move Gives Vikings Offseason a National Dub
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray sits in the front row at the team’s Tempe training facility as Jonathan Gannon is introduced as the franchise’s new head coach. On Feb. 16, 2023, Murray watched the news conference from close range while Arizona began another attempt to reset its coach-quarterback partnership for the organization’s future. Mandatory Credit: Arizona Cardinals.
BR: Murray to Vikings Gets an ‘A’
Moe Moton of Bleacher Report handed out a few ‘A’ grades this week, and Murray was among the recipients.
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He wrote, “Murray is a two-time Pro Bowler and former No. 1 overall pick with respectable passing numbers. He’s thrown for 20,460 yards, 121 touchdowns and 60 interceptions with a 67.1 percent completion rate in seven seasons.”
“The 28-year-old could be a Comeback Player of the Year candidate. Despite inconsistent quarterback play, the Vikings barely missed the 2025 postseason, finishing 9-8 behind the 9-7-1 Green Bay Packers. Murray doesn’t need a Sam Darnold rebirth-type season to lead Minnesota to the playoffs. If he stays healthy and gets the ball to wide receivers Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison and Jauan Jennings, the Vikings’ passing attack should be far better than last year’s 29th-ranked unit.”
Other passers like Malik Willis and Mac Jones frequented the Vikings’ February and March rumor mill, but Murray ultimately took the plunge.
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“Furthermore, the Vikings’ low-risk, high-reward signing at quarterback gives them a chance to re-evaluate their plan for J.J. McCarthy after he struggled mightily last season, throwing for 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions with a 57.6 percent completion rate, Moton added.”
“Keep in mind, they fired general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, who drafted McCarthy, and hired Nolan Tinsley to replace him. Murray could revitalize his career in a new chapter with the Vikings. Grade: A.”
Every Team Should’ve Signed Murray at That Price
Not only is Murray a wonderful value for the Vikings, every team in the league, including squads with elite passers like Josh Allen and Joe Burrow, should’ve called Murray in March. To find a starting quarterback — who produces 3,900+ passing yards, 30 total TDS, and 600+ rushing yards every 17 starts — for $1.3 million is just absurd and mind-boggling.
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How’d it happen? Simple — the Cardinals cut ties, only to turn around and pay Murray’s tab for 2026. You can’t offload a big NFL contract before its expiration without consequences. So, the price of a fresh start for Arizona was indeed paying Murray to play for the Vikings.
Even if Murray completely flops — plays terribly or blows out a knee, for example — he was worth the price to find out at $1.3 million.
Extreme QB Depth
The Vikings’ intense focus on quarterback depth this offseason is a logical response to recent history.
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Minnesota has experienced two seasons derailed by quarterback injuries. The 2023 campaign took a nosedive the moment Kirk Cousins tore his Achilles. Then the 2025 season became chaotic as J.J. McCarthy sustained repeated injuries. By the end of it, the Vikings had learned their lesson twice over. Their message was clear: “Enough is enough.”
Minnesota Vikings quarterbacks J.J. McCarthy and Kyler Murray work through minicamp practice reps at TCO Performance Center as Kevin O’Connell’s staff evaluates a reshaped quarterback room. On June 11, 2026, the two passers continued building timing and command during Day 3 of team highlights inside Minnesota’s offseason program in Eagan, Minnesota, that summer. Mandatory Credit: YouTube.
So, the 2026 offseason prompted them to aggressively acquire multiple viable quarterback options. The roster now features Murray and McCarthy. Carson Wentz is on hand as backup, and Max Brosmer can develop without intense pressure.
Murray, naturally, is the showstopper. If he remains healthy for all 17 games, Minnesota can realistically harbor playoff aspirations, as Kevin O’Connell typically thrives with an experienced quarterback. The primary concern, however, is Murray’s history of missing games. His availability has been an ongoing issue for years, and it would be imprudent to ignore that trend.
And if Murray is sidelined in 2026, Minnesota will not be caught off guard or forced to scramble for a last-minute replacement (see: Joshua Dobbs in 2023). McCarthy is poised to step in as a formidable Plan B, a role for which he has every incentive to excel, given his high potential.
Other Offseason Additions and Subtractions
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The Jonathan Greenard trade was pivotal — and not entirely ideal. In April, Minnesota sent Greenard and a 7th-round pick to Philadelphia in exchange for two 3rd-rounders. The move not only acquired additional draft capital but also created space for Jauan Jennings, securing a legitimate WR3 for the Vikings and providing crucial salary cap relief in 2027 and 2028.
Given the Vikings’ need to reconstruct much of their roster on a tighter budget, they still faced numerous remaining needs.
Their free-agent acquisitions included:
Johnny Hekker (P)
Jauan Jennings (WR)
Eric Johnson (DT)
Isaiahh Loudermilk (DT)
Kyler Murray (QB)
James Pierre (CB)
Ryan Van Demark (OT)
New Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jauan Jennings sits down with Vikings Entertainment Network’s Tatum Everett to discuss his decision to join Minnesota and enter Kevin O’Connell’s offense. On May 27, 2026, Jennings described his first weeks with the team, the receiver room, and the physical mentality behind his playing style after leaving San Francisco. Mandatory Credit: YouTube.
And from the draft, they grabbed:
Round 1 — Caleb Banks | DT Round 2 — Jake Golday | LB Round 3 — Domonique Orange | DT Round 3 — Caleb Tiernan | OT Round 3 — Jakobe Thomas | S Round 5 — Max Bredeson | TE Round 5 — Charles Demmings | CB Round 6 — Demond Claiborne | RB Round 7 — Gavin Gerhardt | OL
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Here’s the wild part about this offseason: it really seemed like Minnesota was strapped for cash, and in some ways, they were. But somehow, they still managed to bring in a starting quarterback, a new WR3, and a ton of young help for the defensive line.
And per Bleacher Report, the Murray addition takes the grand prize.
Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker
Kylian Mbappe, and Paraguayan senator Celeste Amarilla (AP Photos)
Paraguayan senator Celeste Amarilla has escalated her bitter feud with France captain Kylian Mbappe, launching a fresh verbal attack on the World Cup winner and refusing to apologise for the racist remarks that have sparked widespread international condemnation.The Paraguay opposition lawmaker, who earlier described Mbappe as a “colonised Cameroonian,” has now branded the Real Madrid forward a “son of a b***,” accusing him of disrespecting Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill after France’s 1-0 victory in the FIFA World Cup Round of 16.The controversy has become one of the biggest off-field talking points of the tournament, with Mbappe, French authorities, FIFA officials and the United Nations all weighing in as the war of words intensified ahead of France’s quarter-final clash against Morocco.
Amarilla doubles down on explosive accusations
Speaking on the Senate floor, Amarilla showed no signs of retreating from her earlier remarks, insisting that Mbappe deserved criticism for allegedly refusing to shake Gill’s hand after the final whistle.“When Orlando Gill, a boy who was surely setting foot in a World Cup for the first time, in Europe for the first time, was playing before the world and extends his hand with all the humility of a Paraguayan, and this son of a b*** refuses to shake his hand and yells in his face, that is not French. A Frenchman would never have done that,” Amarilla was quoted as saying by Marca.The senator then contrasted Mbappe’s alleged behaviour with what she described as France’s cultural legacy.“France is Rousseau, Descartes, Montesquieu, Victor Hugo, Simone de Beauvoir, the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. I refuse to reduce all that great France and that enormous cultural, artistic and democratic legacy to Mbappe,” she said.Amarilla also mocked the French superstar while referring to an open letter she had written in both French and Spanish.“What would I say to Mbappe now? That he should read my letter. I wrote it in French and in Spanish. Let him read my letter, if he knows how to read.”She further warned the striker not to “mess with Paraguayans,” invoking the 2020 detention of Brazilian great Ronaldinho in Paraguay before threatening legal action against Mbappe over what she described as gender and political violence.Meanwhile, Paraguayan President Santiago Pena distanced himself from the senator’s comments, reiterating that his government opposes “all kinds of discrimination” and remains committed to defending human rights and free expression.
How the Mbappe-Amarilla feud spiralled
The public clash began after France eliminated Paraguay 1-0 in the Round of 16.Soon after the match, Amarilla sparked outrage by calling Mbappe a “colonised Cameroonian” who was “pretending to be French,” while also describing him as “embittered, nouveau riche, arrogant and ugly.” She further claimed France had won “by a fluke” and alleged that Mbappe and his teammates looked nervous throughout the contest.Mbappe hit back on social media, branding Amarilla “a despicable woman” who was “not worthy of her position,” prompting the senator to intensify her rhetoric rather than apologise.The French Football Federation, French President Emmanuel Macron and FIFA President Gianni Infantino all condemned Amarilla’s original remarks, while the United Nations Human Rights Office described them as “racist and dehumanising,” urging governments, sports bodies and public officials to take stronger action against racism and hate speech in sport.
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‘Kylian is in a good place mentally’
Despite the growing controversy, France coach Didier Deschamps insisted the issue has not affected his captain ahead of the quarter-finals.“Kylian is in a good place mentally. He’s ready for tomorrow,” Deschamps said, making it clear that Mbappe remains focused on France’s quest for another World Cup title despite the storm raging away from the pitch.
A popular yet controversial AEW star put an end to a huge ongoing speculation by confirming that he has re-signed with the promotion.
The aforementioned star is the former National Champion, Jungle Boy Jack Perry. He has been part of the Jacksonville-based promotion since the very beginning and has been considered one of the four pillars of All Elite Wrestling. Furthermore, Perry has achieved tag team success with his partner, Luchasaurus, and even had major singles success, winning the TNT and National titles. At the same time, he had been involved in multiple controversial incidents, most famously his real-life brawl with CM Punk in 2023.
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On the other hand, there has been significant speculation over the last few weeks about his current contract, which was reported to be set to expire soon. Moreover, the latest update had stated that Perry had still not signed a new deal, and his existing one was set to expire very shortly.
Jack Perry has re-signed with AEW
However, the former TNT Champion appeared in a vignette on the July 8 episode of Dynamite: Beach Break to put all rumors to rest. He was seen traveling in a car while reflecting on his entire run with the company. Luchasaurus also appeared and spoke highly of his partner, while Jack Perry made it clear that he wanted to be the World Champion and that the company is where the future of professional wrestling belongs.
As the vignette approached the end, Perry reached his destination and met Tony Khan, following which he put pen to paper and announced that he had re-signed with All Elite Wrestling.
I want to be the best, I want AEW World Champion. It’s not enough to be here, I want to be the very best. AEW is where the future of professional wrestling is going to be decided. This is the place where I want to be the champion cuz there is where the very Best in the World belong and that’s why I am re-signing with AEW.
With Jack Perry deciding to stay with All Elite Wrestling, it will be interesting to see this fresh chapter of his career unfold.
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The prime minister has given a heavy hint that there will be an extra bank holiday if England win the World Cup.
Thomas Tuchel’s team will play Norway in the quarter-finals on Saturday night.
The final will take place a week on Sunday, on 19 July.
It is widely expected Sir Keir Starmer will step down as prime minister the day after, to be replaced by Andy Burnham.
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Should England make the final, it would be likely the prime minister would go to the game, which could briefly delay the handover of power.
As for the idea of an extra day off for people in England were the team to win the World Cup, Sir Keir said: “On the question of a bank holiday, I think I don’t want to jinx it, but ask me again if we get to the final.”
It is understood the extra bank holiday would be on the Friday following England’s triumph – 24 July.
There is, though, the not insignificant matter of England winning a quarter-final, semi-final and final first.
FRISCO, Texas — Every week during the season, Joey McGuire watches the tape to review how his team played on the field. The best coaches are masters of self-evaluation as it pertains to their teams’ performance. But not much of Texas Tech’s offseason has been about the team’s performance.
It’s been defined by the Brendan Sorsby saga and the war of lawsuits and words over his eligibility. McGuire will not have Sorsby behind center when the season kicks off in September, but with some time to reflect, CBS Sports asked him what he would have done differently.
“If I would have been able to have a crystal ball and see in the future, as far as would they have had a supplemental draft, I would have probably said [earlier], ‘Brendan, let’s don’t do this. Go to the supplemental draft,’” McGuire said this week at Big 12 Media Days.
McGuire was clear that the statements the school made, like the 20-minute video posted on social media and the various long-form written messages from athletic director Kirby Hocutt and board of regents chairman Cody Campbell, were directed at the Red Raiders fanbase, which can be seen in the fact that they were all formatted as letters to the school’s fans. In a sense, Texas Tech was attempting to position its statements as playing to its base.
But the school clearly miscalculated the level of pushback they would face from athletic directors and presidents, both inside and outside the Big 12, which McGuire also admitted. Nebraska, for instance, announced internally that it would not schedule the Red Raiders in any sport.
Outrage reigned in the administrative class, and the league posed a united front, 15-1, opposed to Tech playing Sorsby. A legal threat by the attorney general of Texas drew other state attorneys general into the fray and allowed the Big 12 to sue the school on First Amendment grounds, creating a separate legal battle deemed not worth fighting, but the timing didn’t allow the NFL to formally vet Sorsby. Sorsby was passed over in the NFL’s supplemental draft and denied entry into the CFL. He is effectively banned from the sport at a level commensurate with his talent until next season.
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Beyond saying “we’re going forward as 16 strong,” Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark had no further comment about the situation either at the podium or in an interview with CBS Sports.
Lost in all the Sorsby drama is Will Hammond, the gifted young quarterback who spelled an injured Behren Morton last season and was expected to be the team’s QB of the future until a late-2025 ACL injury knocked him out for nine months. McGuire told CBS Sports he wouldn’t have added Sorsby at all had Hammond’s availability not been in question at the time.
“I would have brought in a vet, just because that’s such a young room, you know, I would, we would have done that, but the whole point of bringing in Brendan, it was, whenever in this day and age, whenever you have the amount of money invested in a roster, you’ve got to make sure that you’re protecting that money from the standpoint of how are they going to come back from the injury, you’re hoping that they come back 100% and ready to roll, but you never know, because different people respond to different injuries,”
McGuire is expecting Hammond to be fully cleared on Aug. 21, exactly nine months from when he suffered the injury in the first place. McGuire confirmed that he’s been participating in player-led seven-on-seven passing drills.
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Sorsby is training in Dallas ahead of next April’s NFL Draft, but is expected to be in Lubbock frequently to visit his girlfriend, and McGuire maintains an open-door policy toward him.
“He chose us, you know, and I expect and hope whenever he’s a starting quarterback for an NFL team, and it’s on a Monday Night Football, it’s ‘Brendan Sorsby, starting quarterback for whatever team, Texas Tech University’, you know, I think that’s what he’s going to say, you know. He might say Lake Dallas High School, that’d be good too.”
The head coach joked that when he coaches a player, they’re stuck together for the rest of the player’s life. The school has said it will continue to support Sorsby’s recovery from gambling addiction and will not ask for the money back paid to him via the rev share agreement before he ended his college career.
Sami Zayn became the Undisputed WWE Champion at Night of Champions in the biggest moment of his career. Nine days later, he has lost the title, and his future is uncertain. Sportskeeda Wrestling can now exclusively report on the reason for the title run.
Sami Zayn’s position in WWE after his loss to CM Punk on WWE RAW
Thanks for the submission!
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This author spoke to an insider in the company, who revealed that Sami Zayn’s Undisputed WWE Championship loss to CM Punk was something of an open secret. Although Triple H was the one making the call for his win as well, it turns out that he was not too happy about the change, and not all the higher-ups backstage like Zayn and what he brings to the table for WWE. There is also an idea that he talks too much.
“The fact that Sami Zayn was losing on RAW was an open secret. There were a lot of people talking about how Triple H was involved with Sami winning the title, and the call came from him. But he was not too happy about the change all the same. Sami is seen as someone who has earned his stripes backstage, but there are a lot of people, especially among the older creative heads, those who were around for the Vince era, who feels that he talks too much. “
However, when it comes to the real reason Zayn won and lost the title so quickly, it appears that this run is seen as something of an acknowledgment of the work he has put in for the company. Not everyone gets to be a world title holder, and now he is. His run in WWE is far from over, but for now, he’s a former titleholder.
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“That Sami Zayn is so unapologetically himself is something that escapes no one. They know it, and they are afraid that he will say something that the company does not agree with completely while holding the belt. Even more than, say, CM Punk. Cody and Roman are more in line with what they want. But the real reason he won and then lost quickly is because it is seen as an acknowledgment of Sami doing everything the company asked him to for so many years. He’s now a former titleholder. Not everyone gets that moniker. It’s not fully over for him yet.”
For now, Zayn’s future remains unclear.
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Then came Pirates right-hander Jared Jones on Wednesday night. He twirled six perfect innings at the expense of the Braves before Pittsburgh manager Don Kelly gave Jones the Dugout Handshake of Removal prior to the seventh inning of a scoreless game. Pittsburgh’s shot at the first combined perfect game in MLB history ended when Jones’ replacement, Mason Montgomery, permitted a one-out single in the seventh. Jones, at the time of his removal, was at a modest 77 pitches, and Atlanta went on to win 3-0.
One might be tempted to ask: What gives?
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First, this is not new. MLB decision-makers don’t particularly care about perfect games and no-hitters, as they’re aware that the regular season is a six-month slog with serious considerations that reach beyond a given game or single-game performance — even a potentially historic one. They’re likewise aware that even one isolated high-pitch outing can exact a toll down the road, especially in this current era of maxed-out velocity.
MLB teams prioritizing arm health over historic outings
If it’s a veteran arm with an established record of health and durability, the calculus is different. The circumstances were much different when, earlier on Wednesday, Blue Jays manager John Schneider let Dylan Cease set a career-high pitch count in pursuit of a no-hitter, which he lost in the ninth.
In the cases of Pérez and Jones, though, two sets of numbers are worth considering:
The first set includes Pérez’s and Jones’ current ages, and the second set includes Pérez’s and Jones’ current average fastball velocities. Let’s also add two dates for your review:
April 8, 2024;
May 21, 2025.
Those are the dates of Pérez’s and Jones’ respective Tommy John surgeries — or an internal brace procedure in Jones’ case. Yes, each young hard-thrower has a history of arm troubles. Those three things — youth, high velocity, and prior major arm surgery — add up to mean the moundsman in question is going to be treated with caution, especially when it’s not, say, a game that decides the outcome of a playoff game or something of similar import.
In Pérez’s case, Sunday’s start was his third since missing almost a month with a muscle strain in his thigh. Entering the game, the Marlins had a pitch limit in mind and McCullough stuck to it.
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“Going into this game, 90 plus a batter was a pitch count that I felt comfortable with him coming back off the time on the IL and us looking to play beyond the season,” McCullough, the Marlins’ second-year manager, told reporters. “Eury’s gonna be an important part of that. Yeah, he had it really going today and I totally get it. There was a part of my heartstrings pulling at his opportunity to keep going, but I have to think about Eury, one, and our organization, our team, and what’s best moving forward and giving us a chance to win games. I made a calculated decision of where he was with his pitch count.”
As for Jones, the 2026 season marked his return to the mound after missing all of 2025 because of that aforementioned elbow surgery. He’s been on strict pitch counts all season as he gets built back up. Wednesday’s outing was Jones’ eighth of the season and his season-high is just 81 pitches.
Maybe it’s frustrating from the fan standpoint to see bids for history cut short, not because they’re ended on the field but rather because of managerial discretion. With Pérez and Jones and any other young hurler who flirts with perfection in such a way, though, the cautious approach is one embraced by every organization in MLB right now.
Benjamin Sesko missed Manchester United’s final three Premier League games of the season after picking up an injury during the win over Liverpool
Benjamin Sesko appears to have recovered from his injury and is ready for the start of pre-season training at Manchester United. Sesko joined the Reds from RB Leipzig for £73million last summer.
The forward went on to score 11 Premier League goals in his first season at Old Trafford. However, Sesko’s campaign was cut short when he picked up a shin injury during the 3-2 victory over Liverpool at the start of May.
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But in a post on Instagram, the Slovenia international appears ready to return to action, as he wrote: “Rested. Refreshed. Back to preparing for the season.”
Sesko was recently linked with a move to Barcelona, but the MEN understands that the forward is set for a more prominent role in his second campaign at the club.
But United hero Gary Pallister, who won four league titles during his time at Old Trafford, recently told the club’s hierarchy they need to secure an experienced striker this summer who Sesko can learn from.
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“I think a lot of people at Manchester United are really happy that Michael Carrick has got the job,” he said, via NewBettingSites.
“You look at United and the closest we’ve come to having a stereotypical United team was under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. And it kind of feels a bit like what happened with Ole.
“Michael’s come in and he’s got good results. I think he’s brought a resilience into the team. I think he knows what United fans want.
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“I think in the end Ruben Amorim just lost his way and, honestly, almost welcomed the sack. So I’m pleased for Michael and I hope we can back him in the transfer window.
“He’s already made a start. I think they maybe need another centre-forward. [Benjamin] Sesko did alright last year, but I think he’s still got a bit to learn as he’s still a young kid.
“I think someone with a bit more maturity than Sesko would be ideal for the centre-forward slot to fight with him for the position.”
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Switzerland booked their place in the FIFA World Cup quarter-finals after beating Colombia 4-3 on penalties, but they will know they must produce a much stronger performance if they are to stop defending champions Argentina.
Goalkeeper Gregor Kobel was the hero in Vancouver as he made a brilliant save to deny Colombia striker Cucho Hernandez during the shootout. His save proved decisive after a tense match ended goalless following 120 minutes.
Switzerland converted four of their penalties through Granit Xhaka, Zeki Amdouni, Cedric Itten and Ruben Vargas to secure a historic victory and reach the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time since 1954.
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However, the performance itself left plenty of questions.
Switzerland struggled to create clear chances throughout normal time and extra time. Their attack lacked pace and creativity without injured forward Johan Manzambi, one of their standout players at the tournament with three goals and two assists. Vargas also started on the bench because of fitness concerns, although he returned to score the winning penalty.
The Swiss were fortunate that Colombia failed to make the most of their opportunities. Defender Jhon Lucumi hit the crossbar with a header, while substitute Jaminton Campaz wasted a golden chance late in extra time after a defensive mistake by Xhaka.
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Against Argentina, such mistakes are unlikely to go unpunished.
Led by captain Lionel Messi, Argentina have shown throughout the tournament that they can punish even the smallest defensive errors. Their attacking quality, movement and experience will present a far tougher challenge than Colombia managed.
Switzerland’s defence has been organised throughout the competition, conceding few chances, while Kobel has continued to impress between the posts. Those qualities will be essential again, but they will also need much more from their attack.
Creating more chances, keeping possession under pressure and taking opportunities when they come will be crucial if Murat Yakin’s side hope to upset the reigning world champions.
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Their dramatic win over Colombia has earned them a place among the final eight, but if Switzerland want to continue their memorable World Cup journey, they must raise their performance to another level when they face Argentina in the quarter-finals.
Athletes who were subjected to doping by the East German state have “no suitable means for support, even though those affected still urgently need help,” a new report said on Wednesday.
The findings were presented by Evelyn Zupke, the German government’s commissioner for victims of the socialist dictatorship at Hohenschönhausen Memorial, a former detention center of the Stasi, East Germany’s secret police.
According to the report, forced doping constituted “a flagrant abuse of political power,” that reduced athletes “to mere objects of state action, thereby severely violating their human dignity.”
Zupke called for changes to current legislation to ensure victims can access adequate support.
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In a separate report in January, Zupke said she was “convinced that addressing the consequences of state-sponsored doping in the GDR is not just a matter for those affected and for historians.”
“It is equally important for Germany’s self-image as an enthusiastic and successful sporting nation,” she said, pointing to Germany’s bid to host the Olympic Games in the next decades.
The goal was to help the GDR earn more medals at international competitions, who could then be celebrated as evidence of the state’s prowess.
By 1989, an estimated 10,000 to 15,000 young people had been systematically given performance-enhancing substances — predominantly anabolic steroids — often without their knowledge or consent. Some were as young as 13.
Doping helped transform East Germany into a sporting powerhouse, with the country winning second-highest number of medals at both the 1976 and 1980 Olympic games.
Following German reunification in 1990, the full scale of the doping program emerged, casting a shadow over East Germany’s sporting achievements.
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What went wrong with the reunification of German football?
“Our reunified country is on the right track to providing the best possible support and recognition for the victims of the SED dictatorship,” said Zupke, referring to the ruling Socialist Unity Party.
“But the shadow of the dictatorship is long: many victims continue to suffer from the health consequences.”
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