Lucas Vazquez is set to leave Real Madrid at the end of the season, according to . The report has noted that Vazquez is out of contract at Madrid in the summer of 2025, and that he will leave the Santiago Bernabeu on a free transfer.

Vazquez has been on the books of Madrid since 2007. The Spanish winger came through Los Blancos’ youth system and established himself as one of the most important players in the squad. The 33-year-old won La Liga four times and the UEFA Champions League on five occasions.

Madrid are second in the La Liga table at the moment with 17 points from seven matches, four points behind leader and city rivals Barcelona. Vazquez has made two starts and three substitute appearances in La Liga this season, scoring one goal and providing one assist in …

Aston Villa are interested in signing Samuel Chukwueze from Villarreal in the January transfer window, according to . Premier League club Villa recently appointed former Arsenal and Villarreal boss Unai Emery as their new manager, and the Spaniard is keen on a reunion with Chukwueze. Emery, a former Sevilla and Paris Saint-Germain boss, worked with the 23-year-old winger during his time as the Villarreal manager from the summer of 2020 until October 2022.

Chukwueze is one of the best young wingers in Europe and has been on the books of Villarreal since 2017. The 23-year-old has established himself as one of the best players at the Yellow Submarine and is now one of the first names on the teamsheet.

The Nigeria international winger has made four starts and eight substitu…

Returning Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder says he is now a better manager after he replaced the sacked Paul Heckingbottom.

Wilder is back at Bramall Lane for a second spell in charge after Heckingbottom was removed in the wake of Saturday’s humiliating loss at Burnley, which saw them slip to the bottom of the Premier League.

The 56-year-old jumped at the chance to go back to the club he supported as a boy, represented as a player and took from League One to ninth in the top tier during his first spell in the dugout.

Wilder, who is thrown into the deep end with a home game against Liverpool on Wednesday, has had stints at Middlesbrough and Watford since leaving Bramall Lane in March 2021, but says the Blades are now getting the best of him.

“I am go…

What the papers say

The Daily Mail says Manchester United are on the hunt for another striker to support Denmark’s Rasmus Hojlund.

United boss Erik ten Hag‘s strict methods in his handling of Jadon Sancho and Harry Maguire are being questioned by some players in the squad, according to the Daily Telegraph.

The Daily Mirror says Everton are in talks regarding their midfielder Dele Alli with his former club Tottenham, looking for an agreement to waive a fee that would kick in if he reaches 20 appearances.

Social media round-up

EXCLUSIVE: Mikel Arteta has caused goalkeeping problem at Arsenal with David Raya signing

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Prediction: Benfica to win 3-0

Best Odds:

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Benfica and Midtjylland will face each other in the first leg of the third qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League this week. The match will be held at Estádio do SL Benfica in Lisbon and is scheduled to kick off at 8pm UK time on Tuesday.

Benfica

Benfica are one of the biggest clubs in Portugal and have a strong history in European competitions. The Eagles have won the Primeira Liga in Portugal as many as 37 times in their history a record. Benfica have won the European Cup twice as well, first in the 1961 and then 1962.

Roger Schmidt’s side finished third in the Primeira Liga table last season with 74 points from 34 matches. It was a disappointing campaign in the end for Benfica,…

Best Odds: 11/10

Bookmaker:

Looking to sign off their Group D run with a statement in rural Germany, France will meet Poland on Tuesday evening.

France

Starting with France, although Les Bleus might have been disappointed last weekend as they eventually had to settle for a 0-0 stalemate against the Netherlands, Didier Deschamps’ camp are pencilled in as a leading title contender this summer. Getting their EURO 24 adventure underway on June 17th as they secured a gritty 1-0 victory against Austria, the European heavyweights will be looking to wrap up top spot in Group D with a statement of intent here. While France might still be looking to find a recent clinical edge in the final third, they have gained a reputation for their defensive steel. Smelling a golde…

Sergino Dest has completed a permanent move to PSV from Barcelona, signing a four-year contract with the club.

The defender joined PSV on loan at the start of last season, helping them to win their first Eredivisie title in six years.

He made 37 appearances in all competitions, scoring two goals and adding seven assists.

PSV s loan deal for Dest included a future option to buy, with the Dutch side now choosing to trigger that, signing him on a free transfer that will keep him at the club until 2028.

Our number , four more years

— PSV (@PSV)

PSV believe in me and I feel greatly appreciated here, said Dest.

I m really looking forward to playing again, being important and winning titles.

Dest joined Barcelona from Ajax…

Bruno Fernandes said Manchester United s fans deserve so much more than the team s recent poor displays after the Red Devils were hammered 4-0 by Liverpool.

Having been thrashed 5-0 by the Reds at Old Trafford under former boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer earlier this season, United have conceded nine goals without reply against Jurgen Klopp s men this term.

Only once in their league history have United suffered a heavier combined defeat against one opponent across a single season, losing 11-0 over two games against Sunderland in 1892-93.

They managed only 28 per cent possession and recorded just a single shot on target during an abject display against the title-chasing Merseyside outfit, leading Fernandes to say that apologising to the club s fans will never be enoug…

A Classique by name but certainly not by nature, Paris Saint-Germain took a step closer to the inevitable eighth Ligue 1 title of the QSI era thanks to goals from Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.

Predictably, Lionel Messi s name did not feature on the scoresheet. Predictably, Neymar s name found its way into the referee s book after a foul followed by a tantrum.

These games are not always predictable of course. Few saw the five stoppage-time red cards coming when these teams last met at the Parc des Princes in Ligue 1, back in September 2020.

All hell broke loose on that occasion when the game s simmering tension reached boiling point. Accusations were flung this way and that, with the red-carded Neymar at the centre of many of them. Marseille won that game 1-0, doling…

Manchester United have been proven wrong by David Moyes, who deserved more time at Old Trafford, according to Phil Neville.

Neville left United as a player to join Moyes at Everton and then returned to his former club as part of the new manager s backroom staff in 2013.

But Moyes United tenure did not go to plan after he was appointed with the backing of outgoing legend Alex Ferguson.

The Red Devils were reigning Premier League champions but finished seventh in a season Moyes failed to see out, sacked with four games remaining.

Since then, Moyes has endured mixed fortunes, struggling at Real Sociedad and suffering relegation with Sunderland before restoring his reputation across two stints with West Ham.

The 59-year-old will lead the Hammers out i…