Colin Millar

The napkin upon which Lionel Messi’s first Barcelona agreement was informally written has gone on sale at auction. Bonhams — a privately owned, London-based international auction house — are running the auction until May 17, with a starting price of £220,000 ($274.55k), on behalf of Argentine player agent Horacio Gaggioli. The agreement was reached on December 14, 2000, with Barcelona director Carles Rexach desperate for the club to sign Messi, then aged 13. Messi had impressed during his two-week trial with Barcelona in September 2000, but the club was initially reluctant to sign...

Real Madrid will play Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League final at Wembley on June 1.

Barcelona central defender Pau Cubarsi has signed a contract extension through to 2027.

Fluminense president Mario Bittencourt wants to create a link between the Brazilian club and Chelsea following their agreement to sign Thiago Silva. Silva, 39, is rejoining the Rio de Janiero club after 15 years when his contract at Chelsea expires at the end of the season. Bittencourt has praised Chelsea’s role in the negotiations process for the central defender’s transfer and has spoken of his desire for a link to be created between the two clubs, which he hopes will include playing friendlies at both team’s stadiums. “We have a huge affection for Chelsea,”...

Guinea 's under-23 football team have secured their place in the 2024 Olympic Games, where they will play the USMNT in Group A.

Everton have withdrawn their appeal against the club’s two-point deduction for a breach of the Premier League’s profitability and sustainability rules (PSR). The penalty, imposed by an independent commission that the Premier League referred Everton to in January, is the Merseyside club’s second of the campaign and relates to the three-year accounting period ending in the 2022-23 season. Everton were hit with a 10-point penalty in November for a PSR breach relating to the three-year period ending in the 2021-22 season, though that was reduced to six in February. Everton had previously...

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Burnley have been relegated from the Premier League while Luton Town are on the verge of joining them in demotion to the Championship. Burnley’s 2-1 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur means they are five points behind 17th-placed Nottingham Forest with just one match left to play. Luton’s 3-1 loss at West Ham United means they are three points behind Forest, who have a game in hand, with Rob Edwards’ side having an inferior goal difference of 13 goals. Luton will be relegated if Forest avoid defeat at home to Chelsea later on Saturday. Burnley took a surprise lead at Tottenham...

Erik ten Hag admits Manchester United missing out on European football next season would be “very damaging” for the club. United have not failed to qualify for European competitions since 2014, when the club finished seventh in the Premier League and ended the season trophy-less under manager David Moyes. That season was the only occasion since 1990 in which they have missed out on continental football. Ten Hag’s side are currently eighth in the Premier League standings with two rounds of matches remaining, behind both Newcastle United and Chelsea by three points but with a...

Wayne Rooney has suggested that some of Manchester United’s squad players are choosing not to play ahead of the FA Cup final and this summer’s European Championships. Rooney, United’s all-time leading goal scorer, was speaking after Erik ten Hag’s team 1-0 loss at home to Arsenal on Sunday — the side’s 14th Premier League defeat of the campaign, which leaves them eighth in the table with two matches remaining. United were without a host of players for the match; club captain Bruno Fernandes, midfielder Mason Mount and forward Marcus Rashford were not in the...