Basketball legend Michael Jordan led a star-studded cast paying tribute to Pep Guardiola at the outgoing Manchester City manager’s farewell party on Monday.
The 55-year-old announced his departure last week following a glittering decade in charge that yielded 20 major trophies.
Around 19,000 supporters gathered at the Co-Op Live arena in Manchester to bid an emotional goodbye to the iconic tactician.
Sporting royalty pay their respects
Jordan, a six-time NBA champion, surprised attendees with a heartfelt video message played on the venue’s large screens.
“I just wanted to congratulate you on an unbelievable career.”
Michael Jordan
The departing City boss is known to be a passionate basketball fan and a keen golfer.
“Enjoy your retirement. Good luck on the links and keep them straight. Congratulations.”
Michael Jordan
British golfer Tommy Fleetwood also delivered a recorded broadcast to celebrate the managerial great’s achievements.
“It is an honour to call you a friend and congratulations. You have been amazing.”
Tommy Fleetwood
Veteran English boss Neil Warnock joined the chorus of praise, describing the former Barcelona head coach as the best he has ever seen.
Tears, trophies and surprise returns
The grand send-off followed Sunday’s final match of the Premier League season, where the Catalan wept openly after a 2-1 home defeat by Aston Villa.
Earlier in the day, thousands of devoted fans lined the streets of Manchester as the club’s successful men’s, women’s and academy teams paraded their latest silverware.
The open-top buses eventually arrived at the Etihad Stadium before the entourage moved on to the indoor arena for the main celebration.
All 20 trophies won under the outgoing manager’s stewardship were paraded on stage with the help of his three children and former players including Fernandinho and Ederson.
Current Bayern Munich manager Vincent Kompany and former City midfielder Jack Grealish both made unexpected appearances to roaring cheers from the crowd.
A final emotional sign-off
The evening also featured a shock announcement from City women’s striker Khadija Shaw, who confirmed she has signed a new four-year contract.
The legendary coach concluded the night with an intimate interview conducted by Oasis guitarist and lifelong fan Noel Gallagher.
“First of all, thank you so much for coming tonight to say bye.”
Pep Guardiola
Expressing his profound gratitude, the revered tactician acknowledged the unwavering support from chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak and the club’s loyal fanbase.
“I feel tonight that really shows the connection this club has. Always, for the rest of my life, I will…”
Pep Guardiola
Tottenham Hotspur have rekindled their interest in Manchester City winger Savinho, preparing a £60m approach as the summer transfer window approaches.
The north London club are eager to bring the 22-year-old Brazilian to the capital to bolster their attacking options.
However, securing his signature from the reigning Premier League champions will require a substantial financial commitment.
Liverpool intensify search for Salah successor
Meanwhile, the hierarchy at Anfield are prioritising a long-term replacement for Egyptian talisman Mohamed Salah.
RB Leipzig’s highly-rated Ivorian winger Yan Diomande has emerged as their primary target.
The 19-year-old possesses an £86m release clause, meaning the Reds must break the bank to secure his services.
Should that deal falter, Paris St-Germain forward Bradley Barcola and Newcastle United star Anthony Gordon remain viable alternatives for the Merseyside outfit.
Liverpool are also preparing for potential outgoings, with Juventus closing in on a deal for their veteran Brazilian goalkeeper Alisson.
European giants circle Premier League talent
Gordon is also attracting serious attention from Bundesliga heavyweights Bayern Munich.
The German champions are reportedly willing to offer goalkeeper Alexander Nubel as a makeweight to push a deal through for the England international.
In Spain, Barcelona are desperate to secure a permanent transfer for Manchester United attacker Marcus Rashford.
The Catalan club have already agreed personal terms with the 28-year-old forward.
They are now scheduled to hold critical talks with the Old Trafford hierarchy before the upcoming World Cup.
City and Arsenal plot ambitious raids
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has identified Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez as his priority summer signing.
The 25-year-old Argentine World Cup winner could make a sensational switch to the Etihad Stadium.
Elsewhere, Arsenal are preparing an aggressive pursuit of Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez.
The 26-year-old former City forward is reportedly keen on a swift departure from the Spanish capital.
Managerial merry-go-round continues
West Ham United are considering their options amid growing uncertainty over Nuno Espirito Santo’s future in east London.
Former Burnley boss Scott Parker and Strasbourg manager Gary O’Neil are both prominent names on the Hammers’ shortlist.
In Italy, AC Milan have made contact with Bournemouth head coach Andoni Iraola.
The Rossoneri are seeking fresh leadership following the recent dismissal of veteran tactician Massimiliano Allegri.
Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco has avoided a prison sentence despite being declared criminally responsible for the sexual and psychological abuse of a minor by a Dominican Republic judge on Monday.
Judge José Antonio Núñez ruled the 24-year-old will not serve time, determining he was also a victim of extortion.
The court found that the former All-Star was blackmailed by the minor’s mother, who has subsequently been sentenced to 10 years in prison for sex trafficking.
Franco was initially arrested in January 2024 following allegations of a four-month relationship with a 14-year-old girl.
Court cites judicial pardon
Speaking outside the courthouse in Puerto Plata, the baseball player briefly addressed reporters alongside his legal team.
“I feel calm,” Franco said, asking fans to “continue supporting me and trusting in me.”
His attorney, Teodosio Jáquez, explained that the presiding judge exempted his client from punishment through a judicial pardon.
“We don’t have the physical sentence in our hands, but he was exempted from punishment because the president of the court established that he was also a victim,” Jáquez stated.
Major League Baseball future remains unclear
A full written sentencing regarding the case is scheduled to be delivered on 16 June.
The Dominican native noted he has not personally contacted his current franchise since the ruling, though he expects his representatives have done so.
Prior to the allegations surfacing in August 2023, the infielder had signed a landmark 11-year, $182m (£143m) contract extension.
Major League Baseball placed him on administrative leave before Tampa Bay ultimately moved him to the restricted list, cutting off his salary entirely.
Bayern Munich full-back Alphonso Davies has been included in co-hosts Canada’s final training camp ahead of the World Cup despite suffering a recent hamstring injury.
The 25-year-old sustained the issue during the second leg of his club’s Champions League semi-final against Paris St-Germain on 6 May.
Medical staff at the German giants initially predicted the dynamic defender would be sidelined for several weeks.
However, the national team captain is among 32 players invited to Charlotte, North Carolina, as preparations intensify.
Head coach Jesse Marsch will evaluate the preliminary group before naming his final 26-man tournament squad on Friday.
Injury-disrupted season
The former Vancouver Whitecaps academy graduate has endured a deeply frustrating campaign severely limited by fitness issues.
He was restricted to just 13 Bundesliga appearances for his club this term.
International duty has also proved challenging, with the left-sided specialist suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury against the United States last March.
Further hamstring problems subsequently ruled him out of recent friendly encounters with Iceland and Tunisia.
Canada Soccer confirmed they are in close contact with club medical teams regarding player fitness.
The governing body did not specify whether their star man will physically participate in this week’s camp or merely join the squad at a later date.
Home tournament preparations
Anticipation is growing rapidly as the North American nation prepares to co-host international football’s most prestigious event.
“These are the final days before we announce the squad that will represent Canada at a home World Cup, and the excitement in this group is real.”
Canada boss Jesse Marsch added that his squad remains fully concentrated on the monumental task ahead.
“We feel the momentum building across our country and we are calm, focused, and ready for this moment.”
Crucial warm-up fixtures
The co-hosts will face Uzbekistan in Edmonton on 1 June before concluding their preparations against the Republic of Ireland in Montreal four days later.
Their historic home World Cup campaign begins against Bosnia-Herzegovina in Toronto on 12 June.
The national side will then conclude their group stage matches against Qatar and Switzerland in Vancouver.
Their talismanic defender previously featured at the 2022 tournament, scoring a historic goal during a group-stage defeat by eventual semi-finalists Croatia.
England head coach Charlotte Edwards faces a batting selection headache ahead of a home T20 World Cup following a 2-1 series victory over New Zealand.
The tournament hosts will play three crucial T20 fixtures against India, starting at Chelmsford on Thursday, to finalise their preparations for the global event.
The squad will be bolstered by the return of regular opener Danni Wyatt-Hodge, who missed the recent matches against the White Ferns to attend the birth of her first child.
However, influential all-rounder Nat Sciver-Brunt continues to recover from a calf injury and remains unavailable for the immediate future.
Search for the perfect top order
“I absolutely don’t know my best XI at the moment,” Edwards told BBC Sport after her side secured a seven-wicket victory at Hove.
The England boss praised the squad’s depth, noting that various players are continuously making strong cases for inclusion.
“But what players are doing is putting their hand up all the time. There’s certainly different combinations that we want to look at.” Charlotte Edwards
While the bowling attack appears settled, the battle for top-order positions remains fiercely competitive heading into the June 12 commencement.
Bowling stability and batting battles
The seam pairing of Lauren Bell and Linsey Smith has forged a formidable powerplay partnership for the host nation.
Their early breakthroughs allow the world-class spin duo of Sophie Ecclestone and Charlie Dean to assert control during the middle overs.
Conversely, the batting line-up lacks the same level of certainty heading into next month’s showcase.
Alice Capsey seized her opportunity at the top of the order with a brilliant unbeaten 74 in Derby, though the 21-year-old registered lower scores in subsequent outings.
Middle-order mainstays and all-round options
Meanwhile, Sophia Dunkley has endured a frustrating run of promising starts without converting them into substantial totals.
The middle order is expected to rely on the vast experience of Heather Knight and the recovering Sciver-Brunt, provided the latter can ultimately manage her bowling workload.
Dynamic all-rounders Dani Gibson and Freya Kemp offer explosive hitting power and valuable flexibility in the field.
“I’m probably more sure of the bowling, but I guess the batters are giving us a few headaches, which you want – you want people wanting to put their hands up,” concluded the head coach.
AC Milan have approached Andoni Iraola’s representatives following the Spanish manager’s historic departure from Bournemouth.
The Serie A side are seeking a new head coach after sacking Max Allegri at the end of a disappointing domestic campaign.
The seven-time European champions missed out on Champions League qualification and watched fierce rivals Inter claim the Italian top-flight title.
Wholesale changes at San Siro
American ownership group RedBird Capital labelled the conclusion to Milan’s season an “unequivocal failure” in a highly critical club statement.
A sweeping boardroom restructuring has also seen chief executive Giorgio Furlani, sporting director Igli Tare and technical director Geoffrey Moncada depart the Italian outfit.
Consequently, the Rossoneri have moved quickly to identify their next managerial target, contacting the former Bournemouth boss within 24 hours of the Premier League season concluding.
In demand after south coast success
The highly-rated tactician recently ended a successful three-year stint at the Vitality Stadium by guiding the Cherries to a remarkable sixth-placed finish.
An impressive 18-match unbeaten run secured European football for the south coast club for the first time in their history.
Reflecting on his departure following Sunday’s final fixture, the Spaniard expressed immense pride in exceeding initial expectations.
I knew it would be almost impossible to get Europe but the owner told me we want to stay in the Premier League, but I wanted Europe.
For me to finish this season giving back to the owner, players, supporters, this European qualification is just one way of thanking everyone.
European rivals circle
Milan will likely face fierce competition for his signature as several high-profile European clubs weigh up a move.
Bayer Leverkusen hold an interest in Germany, while the Basque coach has also been linked with Crystal Palace and the managerial vacancy at Manchester United.
Saudi Arabian government official Turki Alalshikh is in advanced talks regarding a potential investment deal with Championship club Derby County.
The Independent Football Regulator is currently conducting necessary checks before owner David Clowes can formally proceed with any agreement.
Clowes, a lifelong supporter who saved the East Midlands outfit from liquidation with a £55m takeover in June 2022, has been actively seeking a cash injection.
Seeking Championship stability
The local businessman is reportedly open to selling up to 80% of his shareholding to help the Rams compete in the second tier.
However, Clowes intends to remain in his position as chairman if a successful deal is brokered.
Alalshikh is best known globally for his substantial influence in boxing, serving as chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority.
Expanding sporting portfolios
The royal court adviser is no stranger to football administration, having previously owned clubs in both Spain and Egypt.
A successful agreement would represent another significant Saudi Arabian investment in English football, following the high-profile acquisition of Newcastle United in 2021.
Derby have been absent from the Premier League since a historically difficult 2007-08 campaign, where they set the record for the fewest points in a single season.
The Pride Park side are now looking to build momentum after finishing eighth in the Championship table, just four points shy of the play-off positions.
Tottenham Hotspur have abandoned their pursuit of Roma forward Paulo Dybala ahead of the summer transfer window due to mounting concerns over his long-term fitness and age.
The north London club were closely monitoring the 30-year-old’s contract situation with a view to a potential free transfer.
However, the Argentine international has been restricted to just 14 starts for the Italian side this season.
This persistent poor injury record has ultimately prompted Spurs to shift their focus toward alternative attacking targets.
Premier League survival sparks rebuild
Preparations for a crucial summer of recruitment are now fully underway at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
The acceleration in transfer activity follows a tense final day where a narrow 1-0 victory over Everton secured their top-flight status.
Avoiding a catastrophic relegation to the Championship has provided the hierarchy with a vital platform to overhaul an underperforming squad.
Former midfielder Jamie O’Hara recently branded elements of the current team as “woeful”, highlighting the urgent need for widespread reinforcements.
Defensive additions on the horizon
While the World Cup-winning attacker will not be arriving in the capital, defensive reinforcements appear to be imminent.
The club have reportedly reached an agreement to sign veteran left-back Andy Robertson.
The Scotland captain is available on a free transfer following the expiration of his contract at Liverpool.
Furthermore, Spurs are urgently attempting to formalise a deal for Bournemouth centre-back Marcos Senesi.
The South American defender is also entering free agency, though intense interest from rival clubs has forced Tottenham to act swiftly to secure his signature.