The 75-year-old had hoped to keep the diagnosis private but confirmed it after an accidental social media post revealed the news. Dalglish said the treatment is going well and acknowledged that a mishap with his phone had made the matter public. He asked for privacy for himself and his family and paid tribute to the medical staff who have cared for him.

Dalglish scored 30 goals in 102 appearances for Scotland, a tally that matches Denis Law, and he remains one of the nation’s most-capped players. At club level he netted 167 goals in 320 appearances for Celtic between 1969 and 1977, winning four league titles and four Scottish Cups.

He moved to Liverpool for a British record fee of £440,000 and became a central figure in a dominant era for the club, contributing to three European Cups and eight First Division titles across 515 appearances. In 1985 he became player-manager at Liverpool, later guiding the team to two FA Cups and leading the club through the aftermath of the 1989 Hillsborough disaster.

Dalglish went on to manage Blackburn, where he won the Premier League in 1995, and later had spells in charge of Newcastle, Celtic and Liverpool again in 2011–2012.

Liverpool issued a statement expressing the club’s full support for Dalglish and his family and asked that his request for privacy be respected. Former team-mate Ian Rush paid tribute as well, calling Dalglish one of the strongest and most positive people he knows and saying everyone is behind him.

The announcement came a day after former Liverpool forward Kevin Keegan revealed he is living with stage four cancer.

The panel was appointed to consider Southampton’s appeal after the club was expelled from the Championship play-offs and given a four-point deduction for next season following admissions that they spied on Oxford United and Ipswich Town in the regular season, and on Middlesbrough ahead of the play-off semi-final.

Those messages — and witness accounts from junior analysts — portray a top-down operation approved by head coach Tonda Eckert and emphasise how an intern felt compelled to take part despite moral reservations.

The intern, a junior analyst, told the commission he “didn’t really have an option and wasn’t provided an opportunity to say no. I was an intern and was doing what I was told.” He was sent to Oxford’s training ground for two days before the match on 26 December to establish the likely formation under caretaker manager Craig Short. He photographed and filmed sessions and sent updates back to the coaching staff. From those observations Southampton prepared a predicted line-up showing Oxford would play with a back four.

One analyst’s WhatsApp reply to the intern after the Oxford trip read: “You legend. Manager loved it.” The message is cited by the panel as evidence the information was valued by senior staff. Eckert denied viewing the footage and said it had no effect on match preparations, but the panel found the material was passed to the senior coaching team and used in the build-up to matches.

Ahead of the penultimate fixture against Ipswich, staff were told someone should go to Ipswich’s Eastleigh training base. The intern said he was uncomfortable and refused; another analyst travelled to Eastleigh, claiming a role at the non-league club to watch and record the session. That footage reportedly enabled Southampton to predict Ipswich’s exact team for the match. Eckert later said he understood that CCTV footage from Eastleigh reached Southampton a few hours before kick-off.

For the first leg of the Middlesbrough play-off semi-final on 9 May, the club wanted confirmation whether Middlesbrough’s key player Hayden Hackney was training. Despite previously refusing the Ipswich task, the intern was again chosen. Southampton’s operations manager booked flights and accommodation, and the intern was shown drone footage of the training site to help him know where to stand. He flew to Middlesbrough, filmed training from behind a tree and sent three videos to an analyst who then passed them to Eckert along with a projected line-up.

The intern was confronted by four people at the training ground, asked to delete the videos, and did so. He then deleted his LinkedIn profile, fearing recognition, and returned to his hotel. Without clear permission to leave, he eventually caught a train home and learned from online reports during the journey that Southampton had been accused of spying. Analysts discussed asking the club’s media team to remove or hide manager-of-the-month photos in which the intern appeared.

One colleague later messaged: “I said all along I was never happy about it all & it wasn’t right but no one listened to me!” Another investigator noted the intern felt pressure because an analyst had lost their job earlier in the season and he feared the consequences of refusal.

The League Arbitration Panel was highly critical not only of the surveillance itself but of the club’s initial response. On 8 May Southampton acknowledged a staff member had been in Middlesbrough but described them as “a very junior member of the analysis department” who “was not instructed by any members of senior club staff,” and denied that any footage was captured or shared. When the EFL requested relevant communications and bank records, those claims proved false. On 12 May the club apologised for inaccuracies and admitted the trip had been “carried out at the request of Mr Eckert,” that three videos had been sent and that there had been WhatsApp discussions with the head coach.

The panel concluded it was “clear beyond any doubt that Southampton intended to obtain a sporting advantage over their league rivals by cheating.” The commission rejected the club’s argument — made by Lord Pannick — that no sporting sanction was appropriate because Southampton had not benefited on the pitch: Saints lost to Oxford and drew with Ipswich and Middlesbrough. The panel pointed out information from the observations had been used in match preparation and stressed the need to protect the integrity of the play-off competition, describing the Middlesbrough incident as a serious violation.

The panel also criticised the club’s initial misleading statements and expressed reservations about the credibility of some witnesses, including Eckert, who claimed ignorance of the regulations despite evidence to the contrary. Southampton had sought to draw on precedent — a £200,000 fine imposed on Leeds United in 2019 for spying — but the commission regarded that sanction as insufficient and sensitive to the special status and stakes of the play-offs.

In a statement, Southampton said they would “reflect carefully on the published reasons, review its internal processes and ensure that governance, oversight and decision-making procedures are strengthened as a result.” The club accepted it breached the regulations and acknowledged the disciplinary bodies were entitled to conclude that proof of sporting advantage was not necessary to establish a serious offence. Southampton also criticised the composition of the independent disciplinary commission, pointing to historic and indirect connections between two panel members and Middlesbrough: David Winnie, who once played on loan at Middlesbrough, and Lydia Banerjee, whose chambers previously did legal work for the club. Both have denied questions about impartiality.

The WhatsApp exchanges and witness statements published in the panel’s report paint a picture of a planned, top-down operation that relied on junior staff taking risky assignments under pressure — and of a club that initially attempted to downplay or deny senior involvement before admitting the truth.

Carl welcomed the idea if it means a return to more forward-thinking play. He warned against another season of sideways passing and pushing central midfielders into full-back roles, but said Iraola’s Bournemouth style is closer to the Klopp era than some alternatives — a gamble he thinks is worth taking.

Mike praised Iraola’s intensity and work-rate, saying that approach better fits Liverpool’s identity and could help correct the mistakes of the current season.

Mez was blunt: it’s a no-brainer. He hailed Iraola as manager of the season and implied his appointment would be obvious.

Mark said he’s long admired Bournemouth under Iraola and felt the same kind of excitement he remembers from the Klopp appointment. He thanked Klopp for past success but said change is necessary.

Alex cautioned that Iraola might be a gamble. He questioned whether Liverpool’s current squad suits the high-octane, “heavy metal” football Iraola favours, given recent unsettled signings and departures. Alex would prefer Luis Enrique, believing the Spaniard might be tempted by a fresh challenge after success in Paris.

Ken urged the club to take its time and get the appointment right. He challenged sporting director Richard Hughes to try to persuade Luis Enrique to swap Paris for Liverpool; if that fails, Ken thought Iraola would be an acceptable alternative based on his Premier League record.

David was unconvinced, calling Iraola a backward step. He wants a manager with a proven trophy-winning pedigree rather than someone who has delivered mid-table finishes.

Paul warned that managers who thrive at well-run smaller clubs sometimes struggle at bigger clubs. He sees Iraola as a risk and would prefer a more experienced coach who can immediately command the dressing room.

Overall, fans are split between excitement for a fresh, intense style and a desire for a proven, experienced figure to steady the club.

The club say their assessment of the squad after the season ended led them to seek a change of direction. Fenway Sports Group (FSG) paid tribute to Slot’s contribution, calling his time at Liverpool “significant, meaningful and — most importantly of all to supporters and ourselves — successful,” and noting his work ethic and leadership. The owners added that the decision was made with gratitude for his achievements and that he and his family would always be welcome at Anfield.

However, Liverpool’s hierarchy concluded the next phase requires a more front-foot, aggressive and urgent style of play. The decision was taken by chief executive Michael Edwards and sporting director Richard Hughes, who believe a different approach is needed to get the team back on track.

Iraola, 43, is the leading candidate to replace Slot. The Spaniard, recently departed as Bournemouth head coach, is highly rated across Europe and is known for an attacking style of football. He was appointed at Bournemouth while Richard Hughes was technical director at the club; the Cherries finished one place and three points behind Liverpool this season and have qualified for the Europa League.

Slot had succeeded Jurgen Klopp in 2024 when Klopp stepped down after nine years at Anfield. This season’s dip prompted high-profile calls from inside the squad to return to the kind of intense, attacking “heavy metal” football that brought Liverpool sustained success under Klopp; forward Mohamed Salah publicly urged a return to that approach after a collapse at Aston Villa earlier in the season.

The club expect Slot’s backroom staff to depart as well, though there has been no formal announcement on their positions.

Supporters’ reactions have been mixed. Some fans criticised FSG for acting too late, saying opportunities to appoint other candidates were missed and lamenting the chaotic season after heavy summer investment. Others described the move as sad but necessary, praising Slot for winning the title and wishing him well, while some welcomed the timing of the decision to allow a new coach time to prepare for next season. Several supporters stressed the need for a manager who understands what Liverpool means to players, fans and the city.

Liverpool now enter a period of recruitment for a new head coach amid high expectations from supporters and the board for a more attacking, proactive style next season.

Pérez, 79, announced the election earlier this month in an extraordinary news conference in which he criticised journalists and La Liga and said there had been an “organised campaign” against him. Pérez has been president since 2009 (and previously served between 2000 and 2006). He has overseen two successive seasons without a major trophy, and faces a rare challenger in renewables tycoon Enrique Riquelme — the first contested presidential election at the club in 20 years — although Pérez is still widely expected to win.

Mourinho is leaving Benfica, where he took charge in September and led them to a third-place finish in the Primeira Liga this season. He returns to the Bernabéu having previously managed Real between 2010 and 2013, winning La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup during that spell. He will replace Álvaro Arbeloa, who took interim charge in January after Xabi Alonso left the role.

Real finished the 2025–26 campaign without silverware. Barcelona sealed the La Liga title with a 2-0 win in El Clásico, and Madrid’s Champions League run ended in the quarter-finals with a 6-4 aggregate defeat by Bayern Munich.

Mourinho’s post-2013 career has included a second spell at Chelsea — where he won the Premier League and the EFL Cup in 2014–15 — then Manchester United (Europa League, EFL Cup and Community Shield in his first season), followed by jobs at Tottenham, Roma (winning the Europa Conference League in 2022), Fenerbahçe and Benfica.

Analysis from Spanish football reporter Elizabeth Conway says the appointment is as much about restoring control and identity as about tactics. Mourinho’s well-known managerial style — a siege mentality, an us‑against‑the‑world framing and a readiness to confront media and referees — fits with the combative stance Pérez has adopted in recent years. That alignment of personalities helps explain why the president would bring Mourinho back to a club whose corridors, in Conway’s view, already echo the same worldview.

The dressing room has been described as fractured: there have reportedly been player disputes, fallout after Alonso’s dismissal, and questions over the fit of high-profile arrivals such as Kylian Mbappé. After two trophyless seasons, Real’s leadership appear to prioritise a figure who can impose authority and restore collective focus.

But the move also raises familiar questions. Mourinho is renowned for strict control and intolerance of dissent; whether that approach will rebuild harmony and deliver the immediate results expected at Real remains uncertain. The club will demand a quick return to domestic and European success, and the pressure on Mourinho to deliver silverware and manage some of world football’s biggest personalities will be intense.

World number one Sinner entered Roland Garros as the overwhelming favourite, bidding to complete a career Grand Slam and extend a 30-match winning streak that included five consecutive Masters 1000 titles. Expectations were heightened further by the absence of defending champion Carlos Alcaraz and with Novak Djokovic in the later stages of his career.

Sinner dominated the opening stages, racing to a two-set lead and moving 5-1 up in the third. But the match turned dramatically when the 24-year-old began to show clear physical distress. He slowed visibly, his groundstrokes lost power and he began walking gingerly between points. At 5-4 while serving for the match, Sinner doubled over and summoned the trainer, reporting dizziness and nausea and taking an off-court medical timeout.

Though he returned to the court and took lengthy breaks between sets, Sinner never regained his earlier form. Cerundolo seized the momentum, edging the third set before running through the fourth and fifth as Sinner struggled to move and generate pace. The Argentine, ranked 56th in the world, remained composed and capitalised as Sinner faded.

The match took place in unusually hot conditions for Paris, with temperatures topping the mid-30s Celsius. Heat has troubled Sinner before this season; he cramped at the Australian Open and has previously said extreme temperatures are a vulnerability.

Sinner’s defeat is his first since February and his first loss on clay this year. It also suddenly opens up the men’s draw, leaving Djokovic among the favourites for a record-extending 25th Grand Slam title. Cerundolo advances to face Spain’s Martin Landaluce in the third round, after Landaluce also won a five-set match to progress.

For Sinner, the abrupt exit ends a high-profile bid for Roland Garros glory and shifts the focus to recovery and the remainder of the season.

The 25-year-old, a World Cup winner, arrived from Benfica in 2023 for £107m and is tied to a contract that runs until 2032, a length that contributes to Chelsea’s high valuation.

While Fernández remains named in the club’s plans for next season, Chelsea have made clear they would consider offers that meet their valuation rather than sell at a discount.

Last season he scored 15 goals and provided seven assists, finishing second in Chelsea’s player of the season voting, underlining his importance on the pitch.

His agent, Javier Pastore, is exploring possible destinations. Fernández’s preferred move is reportedly to Real Madrid. Manchester City have also been linked — and are expected to appoint former Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca as Pep Guardiola’s successor — but City’s priority appears to be Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson.

Paris Saint-Germain have likewise been mentioned in transfer speculation, but the French club have downplayed the chances of a deal.

Real Madrid are reluctant to meet Chelsea’s asking price unless they can raise significant funds through player sales; they have also been linked with Manchester City’s Rodri.

Senior figures at Chelsea accept the squad needs investment ahead of Xabi Alonso’s first full season as manager. After a disappointing campaign that ended with the club 10th in the Premier League and without silverware, the board want to recruit proven, Premier League-ready players while weighing any serious offers for Fernández.

There is growing expectation that Anderson will leave the City Ground this summer. United are reported to be reluctant to overpay or become involved in prolonged negotiations, leaving City as the frontrunners for the player.

No agreement has been reached between Forest and City, however, and the clubs remain some way apart on valuation. That gap means the situation could still change before the window closes.

If a transfer is completed it could set a new record for a British player, potentially topping the £105m Arsenal paid West Ham for Declan Rice in 2023.

Inside Forest there is a sense that Anderson is the most likely candidate for a major sale this summer. A strong showing for England at the World Cup would further strengthen the club’s bargaining position.

After Forest’s 1-1 draw with Bournemouth on Sunday, manager Vitor Pereira praised Anderson and team-mate Morgan Gibbs-White, saying both deserved recognition for their performances. Pereira made clear he would prefer to keep his best players but acknowledged the club cannot fully control the transfer market and must balance ambitions with financial realities.

Anderson, who lifted the 2025 European Under-21 Championship with England, moved to Forest from Newcastle in 2024 for £35m. He has made 92 appearances for Forest, scoring six goals.

Sunday’s match against Bournemouth was Anderson’s 50th appearance of the season; he received a standing ovation when substituted in the second half.

Keane, speaking on podcast The Overlap after United’s 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest, said Fernandes had told a post-match interviewer he had chosen to make passes rather than shoot and suggested that mindset showed he was chasing an individual record at the expense of team success. Keane added that such an approach made winning trophies unlikely and called the situation ‘a circus act.’

Fernandes says those words were not his. He points to his actual post-match line — that there were moments when he should have passed instead of shooting, that he was happy for the assist but happier for the win and to finish the season strongly — and says everything is on record. Speaking on the Diary of a CEO podcast, he said he accepts criticism but will not tolerate being misquoted.

‘Like I’ve always said, I don’t mind criticism,’ Fernandes said. ‘People have an opinion. What I don’t like is when people lie about things and in this case what Roy Keane said is a lie because either he saw some other interview or he can’t say that I said one thing that I just haven’t said.’ He added that he has asked former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer for Keane’s number so he can raise the matter directly.

The row follows a highly successful 2025-26 campaign for Fernandes. He finished the Premier League season with a record 21 assists, equalling the previous high of 20 with the Forest game and then setting a new mark on the final day against Brighton. That total took him ahead of Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne. He also scored nine league goals, helped United secure third place and a return to the Champions League, and won both the Football Writers’ Association men’s Player of the Year and the Premier League Player of the Season awards in May.

Fernandes said he would welcome fair criticism but resented what he sees as fabricated claims about his motivations. ‘I accept that he might like me as a player or not, like me as a person or not. But what I don’t like is that he puts words in my mouth that have not been said,’ Fernandes said.

Keane also questioned United’s reaction to the narrow victory over Forest, saying it was odd that fans and pundits celebrated a player equalling the assists record while the team conceded twice. Fernandes and others at the club seem to view the record and the result as part of the same positive season rather than mutually exclusive.

This is not the first time members of the current United squad have publicly disagreed with commentary from club greats. Earlier in the season, Lisandro Martinez had a spat with Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt over remarks about his height and his ability to compete with Erling Haaland.

For now, Fernandes appears intent on clearing up what he says is a misunderstanding. He stressed his respect for Roy Keane and his achievements at United but insisted that misrepresenting his words crossed a line. He remains proud of his individual achievements, while reiterating that winning trophies is always the club’s priority.

That test came from a 37-year-old Verhoeven, a dominant kickboxing figure who has crossed into boxing. Despite limited professional boxing experience, he proved he can mix it with top-level heavyweights and leaves the fight with his stock arguably enhanced. Usyk, who has repeatedly said he wants only a couple more fights before considering retirement, now faces a quick queue of mandatory challengers and lucrative options.

Immediate contenders and mandatory obligations

The most obvious immediate name is WBC interim champion Agit Kabayel. The unbeaten German has quietly amassed a strong résumé, with stoppage wins over Arslanbek Makhmudov, Frank Sanchez and Zhilei Zhang, and is widely regarded as deserving of a full title shot. However, there has been little sign that Usyk is keen to take that fight next, and negotiations could be tricky.

On the IBF front, Frank Sanchez — who scored a big knockout on the Giza undercard — looks likely to push for a mandatory challenge. The IBF is expected to order a defence within roughly six months once WBC obligations are clarified. Murat Gassiev, Usyk’s old cruiserweight rival who holds the WBA ‘regular’ strap, also sits high in the order and could re-enter the picture.

Verhoeven’s future

Verhoeven leaves Cairo with plenty of credit. The former long-reigning Glory heavyweight kickboxing champion showed the athleticism, power and toughness to compete in boxing, and at 37 he still has realistic options. A rematch with Usyk has been floated but is unlikely to be immediate; instead, Verhoeven could chase other high-profile crossover fights or well-matched bouts that build his boxing résumé, following the template set by other crossover stars.

Fury v Joshua — how close now?

The long-awaited Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua showdown appears closer to reality than it has for years. Joshua must first get past Kristian Prenga in July, while Fury has suggested he will take an interim fight in August. If both come through unscathed — and negotiations stay on track — a clash between the two British heavyweights is expected to be targeted for October or November. Still, any injury, upset or withdrawal could derail plans, leaving uncertainty in the biggest domestic matchup in modern British boxing.

Dubois and Wardley

Daniel Dubois and Fabio Wardley are set for a rematch after their thrilling May encounter in Manchester, where Dubois regained world-level status in a fight-of-the-year candidate. Wardley has exercised his rematch clause; if the series is levelled 1-1, a trilogy would be a natural next step and could keep the WBO title occupied for much of the coming year.

Rising prospects and domestic names

Moses Itauma has emerged as the most exciting young British heavyweight. The 21-year-old stopped Jermaine Franklin in March and is expected back in London in August. A significant step up against Filip Hrgovic has been mentioned — Hrgovic’s Olympic pedigree and recent form make him a meaningful test — and a win for Itauma could push him towards title contention in the next couple of years. Usyk has previously ruled out facing Itauma, so other routes to a title shot would be needed.

Elsewhere, veteran Deontay Wilder has yet to announce his next move after beating Derek Chisora, while domestic names such as Richard Riakporhe remain active and could figure in the wider British scene.

What this means for the division

Usyk’s win keeps the belts with a proven all-rounder whose priorities may now be selective: a mix of mandatory obligations, big-money domestic fights and legacy-defining matchups. For challengers, the path is still clear — mandatory orders, sensational undercard knockouts and rematch clauses will shape the next 12 months. For fans, the heavyweight landscape promises high-stakes fights: potential showdowns between Fury and Joshua, the brewing Dubois–Wardley rivalry, and rising prospects like Itauma challenging established names.

In short, Usyk’s headline victory hasn’t closed doors — it’s set the stage for a busy, sometimes complicated, but compelling period in heavyweight boxing.