Liverpool omitted a buy-back clause in the £18m deal that saw goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher join Brentford, meaning the Reds hold no future advantage if they wish to re-sign him.
The Republic of Ireland international completed a permanent move to west London in the summer of 2025 for an initial £12.5m, which could rise to £18m through performance-related add-ons.
If the Merseyside club ever wish to bring their former academy product back to Anfield, they will need to negotiate a fresh market-value fee alongside any other interested parties.
A fierce desire for regular football
The primary motivation behind the departure was a fierce ambition to become a regular, first-choice goalkeeper in the Premier League.
Having served admirably as deputy to Alisson Becker for several years, the shot-stopper openly admitted he had outgrown the role of backup.
His exit was further accelerated by the imminent arrival of Giorgi Mamardashvili from Valencia.
Entering the final year of his contract, Liverpool were compelled to cash in immediately rather than risk losing a prized asset on a free transfer.
Contrasting transfer strategies
The decision to sanction a clean break without a safety net has raised eyebrows among many observers.
When the club recently sanctioned the £35m departure of defender Jarell Quansah to Bayer Leverkusen, they firmly secured a buy-back clause to protect his long-term future.
However, the move to the Bees has provided the perfect tactical and professional opportunity for the departed keeper.
European ambitions and an Anfield return
Stepping into the void left by Mark Flekken, the new Brentford number one has produced an exceptional debut campaign.
His impressive displays have helped propel his new club firmly into contention for a historic European qualification spot.
He is now set to make a highly anticipated return to Anfield this Sunday when the two sides meet on the final day of the season.
Brentford defender Sepp van den Berg has revealed he rejected a plea from manager Arne Slot to remain at Liverpool after enduring severe mental health struggles on Merseyside.
The 24-year-old is expected to return to Anfield this Sunday to face his former employers in the Premier League.
He originally joined the Reds from Dutch side PEC Zwolle in 2019 as a highly-rated teenager.
However, the centre-back made just four cup appearances before being relegated to the reserve squad.
Struggling with life abroad
The Dutchman has opened up about the extreme loneliness he experienced while living alone in a new country.
He admitted the mental toll became so overwhelming that he often drove home from the training ground in tears.
“I was going home crying at some points and then not speaking to anyone,” the defender admitted.
“I had no confidence and that really affected me as a footballer.”
A familiar face brings fresh doubt
The young prospect eventually found regular first-team football through a series of loan moves across Europe.
Spells at Preston North End, Schalke and Mainz provided valuable experience, despite him facing challenges with injuries and relegation battles.
His fortunes appeared to change when Slot was appointed as Jurgen Klopp’s successor ahead of the summer.
The new Liverpool boss had actually managed the young defender during his first coaching role with PEC Zwolle’s under-13s.
Rejecting a second chance
“It was a little bit awkward, coming from the same hometown, he’d coached me when I was a kid and now he’s the guy at Liverpool,” he recalled.
Slot initiated talks with the player regarding his pre-season preparations and future at the club.
However, the former Eredivisie starlet had already decided his future lay away from Anfield.
“In my own head, I was thinking, ‘Yeah, I’m ready but hopefully I’m not even coming back for pre-season,’ because I wanted to leave,” he stated.
Finding a new home in London
The stopper ultimately secured a permanent transfer to Brentford in August 2024 for a fee that could reach £25m.
Reflecting on his difficult introduction to English football, he urged caution for other youth prospects moving abroad.
“Looking back, if someone had taken care of me as a young player, it would have helped me, for sure,” he concluded.
“For young guys going abroad, going to big clubs, I’d say to parents: ‘Be careful, make sure the kid is OK.’”
Girona have been relegated from La Liga following a 1-1 draw with Elche, ending their top-flight status just one season after competing in the Champions League.
The Catalan club needed a crucial victory on the final day to secure survival in Spain’s premier division.
However, they could only manage a stalemate against their opponents, sealing a devastating drop to the second tier.
It marks a dramatic fall from grace for the squad that achieved a historic third-place finish two campaigns ago.
Mallorca drop down despite final day victory
Mallorca will join them in the Segunda Division despite securing a commanding 3-0 triumph over bottom-placed Real Oviedo.
The islanders finished the season on 42 points, tying with both Osasuna and Levante in a tense relegation scramble.
Unfortunately for the club, an inferior head-to-head record in the three-way tiebreaker consigned them to the drop zone.
European qualification and Carvajal farewell
Elsewhere, champions Barcelona suffered a 3-1 defeat at Valencia, though Carlos Corberan’s victorious side ultimately missed out on continental qualification.
Celta Vigo claimed sixth place and a coveted Europa League spot by narrowly beating Sevilla 1-0.
Getafe also secured European football, with their 1-0 win against Osasuna guaranteeing seventh place and Conference League entry.
At the Santiago Bernabeu, Real Madrid defeated Athletic Bilbao 4-2 with goals from international stars Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe.
The entertaining fixture carried immense emotional weight as veteran defender Dani Carvajal made his 451st and final appearance for Los Blancos.
Harry Kane scored a spectacular hat-trick to fire Bayern Munich to a 3-0 victory over Stuttgart in the German Cup final, securing the club’s first domestic double since 2020.
The prolific forward opened the scoring 10 minutes into the second half to put Vincent Kompany’s side firmly in control at the Olympiastadion in Berlin.
After striking the crossbar late on, the England captain quickly made amends by combining with Luis Diaz to fire home his second of the evening.
He then completed his treble from the penalty spot following a handball by Angelo Stiller, taking his extraordinary season tally to 61 goals across all competitions.
Record-breaking season for the forward
The former Tottenham Hotspur striker has now netted 10 times in this season’s tournament, the highest tally in a single German Cup campaign since the 1976-77 season.
His phenomenal milestone places him in elite company alongside legendary figures Dieter Müller and Gerd Müller.
It also marked consecutive hat-tricks for the 30-year-old, having struck three times against FC Cologne in the Bundesliga finale just last weekend.
“So proud of the team for a tough season, a lot of efforts,” Kane said in an on-pitch interview following the final.
“We wanted to finish with the performance that we did today, and to win 3-0, and play the way we did is credit to everyone.”
Fans protest amid jubilant celebrations
The victory ends a six-year drought in this competition for the Bavarian giants, whose players celebrated passionately with their supporters in the east end of the stadium.
However, the showpiece event was briefly overshadowed by coordinated fan protests against the German soccer federation (DFB) regarding planned security increases.
Supporters from both clubs displayed banners and orchestrated huge pyrotechnic displays during the second half, temporarily covering the pitch in thick smoke.
Despite a strong first-half showing from Stuttgart, who forced stand-in goalkeeper Jonas Urbig into a superb save, the reigning Bundesliga champions eventually overpowered their opposition.
The Iranian Football Federation has confirmed that their national team will relocate its 2026 World Cup training base from the United States to Mexico to avoid potential visa and security complications.
The Asian nation was originally scheduled to prepare for the tournament in Tucson, Arizona, before geopolitical tensions prompted a logistical rethink.
Mehdi Taj, president of the governing body, announced the decision on Saturday following high-level discussions with global organisers.
FIFA approval secures Tijuana switch
Team Melli will now be stationed in the border city of Tijuana, located just south of San Diego, ahead of the expanded global showpiece.
According to federation officials, entering the co-host nation via Mexico will help circumvent potential entry hurdles for players and coaching staff.
“All team base camps for the countries participating in the World Cup must be approved by FIFA.”
“Fortunately, following the requests we submitted and the meetings we held with FIFA and World Cup officials in Istanbul, our request to change the team’s base from the United States to Mexico was approved.”
Taj also noted that this newly approved relocation might allow the travelling contingent to utilise domestic Iran Air flights for their transatlantic journey.
Group G fixtures and tournament history
Despite the change in preparation venue, the squad will still play all of their group-stage matches on American soil.
Their campaign begins against New Zealand in Inglewood, California, on 15 June, before they face Belgium six days later at the same stadium.
The team will then travel up the West Coast to Seattle for their final Group G fixture against Egypt on 26 June.
This summer marks a fourth consecutive World Cup appearance for the Middle Eastern side.
However, they will be looking to make history as they have never managed to progress beyond the first round in seven previous attempts.
Bayern Munich honorary president Uli Hoeness has emphatically ruled out the prospect of winger Michael Olise joining Real Madrid this summer, despite reported scouting missions from expected new manager Jose Mourinho.
Mourinho is widely anticipated to take charge at the Bernabeu at the end of the current campaign.
The Portuguese coach was recently spotted in Berlin ahead of Bayern’s German Cup tie against Stuttgart, sparking rumours of a scouting mission.
However, Hoeness was quick to dismiss any suggestion that the 24-year-old French international would be allowed to depart the Allianz Arena.
“José Mourinho is in the stadium tonight to keep an eye on Michael Olise for Real Madrid? He can keep 5 eyes on him, he still won’t get him.”
Sensational season sparks widespread interest
The former Crystal Palace attacker has enjoyed a phenomenal season in Germany.
He has registered 22 goals and 30 assists across all competitions, cementing his status as one of Europe’s premier attacking talents.
That exceptional form has inevitably drawn attention from several elite clubs, including Liverpool.
However, Bayern’s hierarchy remains resolute, with sporting director Max Eberl recently stating they are not considering a sale.
“Absolutely. Yes. We’re not having a second to think about anything,”
Gerrard’s Liverpool plea falls on deaf ears
Former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard previously urged his old club to pursue a deal for the highly-rated wide man.
Despite his admiration, Gerrard conceded that prying the player away from the Bundesliga giants would be incredibly difficult.
“All day long. But the problem is, why would he leave Bayern? A big club, challenging for the big honours, and they are probably the strongest Bayern Munich team we have seen for a while.”
The coveted winger remains under contract with the Bavarian club until 2029.
He is now preparing to showcase his talents on the global stage after being selected in the France squad for the upcoming World Cup.
Mauricio Pochettino has included Gio Reyna in the United States squad for the 2026 World Cup, while midfielder Diego Luna is among the notable absentees.
The national team head coach will officially unveil his 26-player roster for the co-hosted tournament at a scheduled event in New York City on Tuesday.
Reyna secures his place despite enduring a challenging club season in the German Bundesliga.
The attacking playmaker has frequently been utilised as a substitute for Borussia Monchengladbach and has not completed a full 90-minute league match in four years.
Notable omissions and surprise inclusions
Luna represents a surprising exclusion after establishing himself as a regular feature under the current management.
The Real Salt Lake midfielder had earned 18 appearances since his 2024 debut, contributing four goals and four assists to the national setup.
His uncapped club team-mate Zavier Gozo has also failed to make the final cut, alongside Lyon midfielder Tanner Tessmann.
Tessmann previously featured in both of the nation’s most recent friendly matches against Belgium and Portugal in March.
Conversely, Club America winger Alejandro Zendejas has earned a place in the squad, rewarding his impressive domestic form in Mexico.
Overcoming past controversies and injury doubts
Reyna’s selection marks a significant turnaround following a highly publicised dispute with the previous coaching staff at the 2022 tournament in Qatar.
The former Borussia Dortmund talent was nearly sent home by former manager Gregg Berhalter over training standards, sparking an investigation that briefly threatened his international future.
Berhalter’s son, Sebastian, has been selected for the current squad following a strong campaign with MLS Cup finalists Vancouver Whitecaps.
In defence, Crystal Palace centre-back Chris Richards has been named in the provisional group despite suffering a recent ankle ligament tear.
Sources indicate the Premier League defender’s readiness for the upcoming tournament is not in doubt.
Goalkeeping battles and upcoming deadlines
New York City FC goalkeeper Matt Freese and Chicago Fire stopper Chris Brady have both been named among the goalkeeping options.
Freese is anticipated to challenge New England Revolution veteran Matt Turner for the starting position between the posts.
The squad also features European-based duo Brenden Aaronson of Leeds United and Toulouse defender Mark McKenzie.
The final list of players must be officially submitted to world governing body Fifa by 1 June.
The host nation will commence their tournament campaign against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium on 12 June.
Middlesbrough have missed an unprecedented third chance to secure Premier League promotion in the same season following an injury-time play-off final defeat by Hull City at Wembley.
The Teessiders’ hopes of ending a nine-year top-flight exile were extinguished when Oli McBurnie struck a dramatic late winner.
Hull’s decisive goal came after goalkeeper Sol Brynn could only parry a cross into the path of the waiting striker.
It marks the devastating conclusion to an extraordinary month that saw the club handed a surprise reprieve amid the Southampton ‘Spygate’ scandal.
A month of unprecedented drama
Most Championship sides are granted a maximum of two avenues to promotion, either via an automatic spot or the traditional play-off route.
Kim Hellberg’s squad initially saw their top-two ambitions thwarted on the final day of the regular campaign following a costly draw at Wrexham.
They were subsequently defeated by Southampton over two legs in the semi-finals, losing deep into extra time at St Mary’s.
However, an independent panel dramatically expelled the Saints after staff member Will Salt was caught attempting to record a training session at Rockliffe Park.
Spygate reprieve ends in Wembley agony
That unprecedented ruling reinstated the North Yorkshire outfit directly into the Wembley showpiece against the Tigers.
Despite being handed a remarkable lifeline, the team could not capitalise on their unexpected return to the national stadium.
The Boro head coach summed up the mood following a frantic fortnight of appeals and reinstatements.
“It has been a rollercoaster of emotions,” Hellberg admitted.
Dominant campaign ends in despair
The heart-breaking finale is particularly bitter given the club spent 35 of the 46 matchdays occupying an automatic promotion spot.
They had even surged to the summit of the table in early February following a sparkling run of six consecutive victories.
Now, the Riverside Stadium faithful must face another demanding season in the second tier as the fallout from an astonishing May continues to reverberate.