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Fans have slammed Brentford for signing Jordan Henderson while warning that the veteran English midfielder is a massive "downgrade" on Christian Norgaard. On Tuesday, the Bees confirmed the free transfer for the Premier League and Champions League-winning former Liverpool captain, who has returned to his homeland following stints at Al-Ettifaq and Ajax.

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• Brentford confirm Henderson's arrival
• Fans slam the transfer move
• Henderson a 'downgrade' on Norgaard

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Following Norgaard's departure for Arsenal this summer, Brentford have found the Danish midfielder's replacement as they announced the arrival of Henderson on a two-year deal. The official statement from the club read: "Brentford can confirm the signing of Premier League and Champions League-winning captain Jordan Henderson on a two-year contract. Henderson, an England international with 84 caps for the Three Lions, joins the Bees on a free transfer after departing Ajax this summer."

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  WHAT THE FANS ARE SAYING

  The arrival of 35-year-old Henderson is not sitting well with a large section of fans who feel that the England international is a massive "downgrade" from former club captain Norgaard.

  A fan with the X handle @kevo81393734 wrote: "LOVE HENDO! But this has relegation written all over it."

  A Chelsea fan handle named CFCApex added: "I feel bad for you lot. How do you downgrade from Norgaard to Henderson RIP Brentfords European hopes."

  A Manchester United fan handle named @UTD_Chill posted: "Finished player joining a Finished club."

  Rob Edwards also took a dig at new Bees boss Keith Andrews as he wrote: "Andrews then this. It's like you want to get relegated."

  Dean Evans also targeted Andrews as he added: "What an uninspiring signing if I ever seen one. First the manager now this."

• WHAT THE MANAGER IS SAYING

  Speaking on Henderson's arrival at the club, Brentford manager Andrews said: "When we became aware of Jordan’s availability, it was a pretty simple decision. We did our due diligence around his recent games to see where he is: he’s still phenomenally fit and he’s still phenomenally motivated to achieve things in the game, having already achieved a lot. With the void of experienced players leaving the building – Christian Nørgaard, Mark Flekken and Ben Mee – it was important to replace that.

  "We’ve got a pretty young squad, overall, and we’ve got a lot of club experience, which is really important, with the likes of Vitaly Janelt, Mathias Jensen, Ethan Pinnock and Josh Dasilva, who is still at the club doing rehab. But what Jordan will bring is that he has been one of the most influential leaders in the modern Premier League years. He’s been at the forefront of driving for titles and the Champions League at a fantastic football club. He also has experience at an international level with England and, with that, comes a level of experience, professionalism and dedication to his profession – that’s the exact way we want to be as a football club. He will drive standards and be a brilliant addition to the squad."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR BRENTFORD?

  Brentford are scheduled to play their first pre-season friendly on July 25 as they take on Gil Vincente in Portugal, with Henderson likely to make his debut for the club.

Nicolas Jackson has been urged to avoid a move to Manchester United amid rumours of a potential Chelsea exit, with former Premier League star Jermaine Pennant suggesting Brighton would be a better fit for the Senegal striker. Despite interest from top clubs, the Blues have placed a hefty price tag on the forward and don't look too eager to part ways.

• Chelsea want up to £100m for Nicolas Jackson
• Manchester United showing interest in the striker
• Pennant says Brighton better fit than a top-six club

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Chelsea have reportedly set an £80-100 million ($108m-135m) asking price for Jackson, who is attracting attention from Premier League and European sides. Manchester United are among the clubs interested, but Chelsea are under no pressure to sell despite the Senegalese striker being likely to lose his starting spot following the arrivals of Joao Pedro and Liam Delap.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Jackson has managed 30 goals and 12 assists in 81 appearances for Chelsea since arriving from Villarreal. However, with his role under threat, rumours of an exit have intensified with Manchester United being touted as a potential destination. However, Penant believes that the 24-year-old should be against a move to Old Trafford and insisted that he would be a better fit at a club like Brighton.

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  WHAT PENNANT SAID

  Speaking to Adventure Gamers, Pennant said: “I’m not sure if Nicolas Jackson is the man for a top team as we’ve seen during his time at Chelsea. It’s an interesting one to see where he goes if he leaves the club. He’s in the Darwin Nunez bracket for me – he gets loads of chances, but he isn’t prolific.

  “If I were him, I’d look a little below that level – someone like Brighton. I think that could work because he’d do well there – they should be looking at him.

  “Manchester United are linked but I’m not too sure that’s the right move for the club – it could be another Rasmus Hojlund situation. He obviously believes in himself and thinks he should be at a top team, but I can’t see him being the number one for a top six side.”

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• WHAT NEXT FOR JACKSON?

  Chelsea are unlikely to let Jackson leave unless their valuation is met. Brighton are highly unlikely to show interest unless the price drops heavily, while United’s interest may cool over the next few weeks. The striker’s future will depend on both Chelsea’s squad plans and clubs' willingness to match the Blues' asking price.

Harry Kane has “no reason to bow out” of the England fold after gracing the 2026 World Cup, says Three Lions legend Stuart Pearce.

• The Three Lions' all-time leading scorer
• Closing in on appearance record
• Expected to play on for some time yet

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Prolific striker Kane is currently captain of his country and continues to rewrite the history books. He is the all-time leading goalscorer for England’s men’s national team, with the target being found on 73 occasions through 107 appearances.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The expectation is that Kane will go on to break Peter Shilton’s cap record, which currently stands at 125. He should get close to that by the time that another major tournament rolls around next summer.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Kane, who has suffered defeat in back-to-back European Championship finals, has broken his trophy curse at club level – as a Bundesliga title winner with Bayern Munich – and is determined to end the Three Lions’ long wait for tangible success.

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  WHAT PEARCE SAID

  Pearce – speaking in association with Freebets.com, home of best casino sites – believes a talismanic performer will continue for some time yet, telling GOAL when asked how much international football the 32-year-old frontman has left in him: “He’s got another World Cup in him next summer, then you are looking two years beyond that. He’ll be a 35-year-old.

  “He is incredibly professional. His game is not based on blistering speed. I see no reason at all to bow out. I saw Teddy Sheringham wheeling it out late on in his career. Teddy played with his head and I think Harry Kane does as well. I see no problem going forward. The big question mark will be, who’s coming along to dislodge him? At the moment, I’m not seeing anyone that is consistent enough.”

The north London rivalry has found a new lease of life on social media after Tottenham forward Richarlison took a cheeky swipe at Arsenal’s Gabriel following their pre-season meeting in Hong Kong. The Brazilian striker, who played a key role in Spurs’ 1-0 win over the Gunners, took to Instagram to share a photo of his Man of the Match trophy and that sparked a online feud between the two stars.

• Tottenham beat Arsenal 1-0 in pre-season
• Richarlison took swipe at Gabriel
• The defender hit back at his compatriot

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  While Richarlison celebrated Tottenham’s narrow win in Asia, he chose to tag Gabriel in the post in a seemingly light-hearted jab directed at his international team-mate. However, the Arsenal centre-back wasn’t about to let Richarlison’s post go unanswered. Though he didn’t feature in the pre-season match due to his ongoing recovery from injury, Gabriel responded by sharing photos of three Premier League Man of the Match trophies he earned in past north London derbies.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Gabriel's trophies weren’t from friendlies or exhibition games; they came in the heat of Premier League clashes where the stakes were far higher. Gabriel made sure to remind his compatriot that, when it truly matters, he has consistently risen above.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  One of those came during the 2023–24 campaign, when he starred in Arsenal’s thrilling 3-2 win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Prior to that, the Brazilian defender was also named Man of the Match in both north London clashes from the previous season. He helped keep Spurs at bay in a gritty 1-0 away victory and shone again in a tightly contested 2-1 home win for Arsenal.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Fans eager for a proper showdown between the two Brazilians will need to be patient, with the first official north London derby of the new season scheduled for November 22. By then, both Gabriel and Richarlison should be back in full flow, setting the stage for another fiery clash between Arsenal and Tottenham.

Jonathan Tah says he is ready to take on responsibility at Bayern Munich but admits he will have to earn respect after his summer transfer.

• Tah reveals reason behind joining Bayern
• Defender eager to take leadership role
• 29-year-old debuted at the Club World Cup

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  After joining Bayern from Bundesliga rivals Bayer Leverkusen in June and representing them at the Club World Cup, Tah is ready to take on the leadership role at the club and believes that's what the Bavarians expect of him. 

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Tah spent 10 years at Leverkusen, winning the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal in 2023-24 under Xabi Alonso's mentorship. He came close to joining Bayern last summer, but was convinced by the Spanish coach to stay at the BayArena for another year. Although his contract at Leverkusen was set to end at the end of June, Bayern paid a transfer fee to ensure he could represent Vincent Kompany's side at the Club World Cup. He led the team's defence in the competition and helped them make their way to the quarter-finals, where they were knocked out by Paris Saint-Germain.

• WHAT TAH SAID

  Tah revealed the reason behind signing for Bayern, telling club media: "It was a step out of my comfort zone for me, and I did that quite consciously: I had a great time in Leverkusen for ten years, the club and I myself developed further, and now I felt it was time for me to get to know a completely new environment again. But I think it's also important to question yourself from time to time and think: What can I do to take another step, to grow – as a person, but also as a footballer. That's why I made this decision."

  He spoke of taking up the leadership role as well, saying: "I want to take on responsibility here. That's the expectation the club has of me, and probably the team's as well, but above all, it's the expectation I have of myself. You don't just come here and say: 'Here I am, I'm taking on responsibility now.' You have to perform, and then it will come with time, with games, with many training sessions – both on and off the pitch. You can't demand something from others that you don't live yourself. Only then can I begin to expect that from others and then push them."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR TAH'S BAYERN?

  Bayern will play friendlies against Tottenham on August 7 and Grasshoppers on August 12, before facing Stuttgart in the DFL-Supercup final on August 16. They will kickstart their Bundesliga campaign on August 22, against RB Leipzig. 

Ex-Germany boss Joachim Low has rejected an offer to coach Uzbekistan, turning down the chance to lead them after their first World Cup qualification.

• Low turned down offer from Uzbekistan
• Country recently qualified for first-ever World Cup
• Embassy in Berlin helped facilitate talks

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Former Germany coach Low, who led his nation to the 2014 World Cup title, has rejected an offer from Uzbekistan’s Football Association to take charge of their national team, according to . The Central Asian side recently qualified for the World Cup for the first time in their history and had high hopes of landing the experienced tactician.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Uzbekistan, 55th in the FIFA world rankings, are eager to make an impact at the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico. The nation’s football officials, with assistance from their embassy in Berlin, held talks with Low about leading their debut campaign. Despite a positive online meeting, the 65-year-old ultimately declined the offer.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Low is regarded as one of the most respected coaches in world football. He guided Germany to World Cup glory in Brazil in 2014, the same year he was honoured as FIFA Coach of the Year. Low oversaw the national team from 2006 to 2021, delivering consistent success at both the European Championships and World Cups. He stepped down in March 2021 and has not taken charge of any club or national side since.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  The Uzbekistan Football Association will continue its search for a head coach ahead of the 2026 World Cup. Low remains open to future national team roles but appears to be waiting for the right opportunity.

Fenerbahce are interested in bringing Andriy Lunin to Istanbul and have reportedly registered an official bid for the Ukranian goalkeeper.

• Fenerbahce want to sign Lunin from Real Madrid
• Turkish club have included Livakovic in the deal
• Madrid not interested in the Croatian stopper

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to journalist Samet Cayir, Fenerbahce are interested in making a few more transfers this window, and one of the positions they are looking to strengthen is the goalkeeping spot. The club have identified Lunin as their priority signing and have also submitted an official bid for the goalkeeper which includes Dominik Livakovic going the other way.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Madrid have no interest in Livakovic and are relectant to part ways with Lunin, who has shown in the past that he is more than capable of handling the role of a substitute. The 26-year-old signed a contract extension with the club until 2028. However, Madrid have reportedly inserted a €25 million (£21m/$29m) release clause in his contract.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Lunin played an integral part for Madrid in the 2023-24 campaign. He stepped in for the injured Thibaut Courtois, who was out for most of the season. Under former coach Carlo Ancelotti, Lunin made 21 league appearances in which he kept 10 clean sheets. Ancelotti, impressed by his performances, played him extensively that season taking the team to win both La Liga and the Champions League.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR FENERBAHCE?

  Fenerbahce will move on to plan B after their proposal is rejected by the Spanish club. Jose Mourinho's side will face Goztepe in the league before facing Benfica in the first leg of the Champions League play-offs on August 21.

Aston Villa star Morgan Rogers has played down talk of an exit this summer despite strong interest from Tottenham and Chelsea. Spurs are eyeing the attacker after losing out on Eberechi Eze to Arsenal. Rogers insists he is happy at Villa and focused only on playing with Unai Emery's side, however, he has kept the potential of a move open amid the speculation.

• Rogers insists he is happy at Villa
• Tottenham and Chelsea monitoring midfielder
• Villa keen to keep PFA Young Player of the Year

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  It was reported earlier on Thursday that Tottenham have identified Rogers as a key alternative to Eze following the Crystal Palace star’s surprise switch to Arsenal. Chelsea are also reportedly keeping tabs on the Villa man after his standout 2024-25 season. Despite the links, Rogers has stressed his priority remains with Villa, where he is under contract until the summer of 2030.

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  WHAT ROGERS SAID

  Speaking to , Rogers said: “I’m happy here [Aston Villa]. I love football. I love nothing more than just coming out on the pitch and playing football and that’s what I’m doing. I don’t think about anything else. I can’t predict the next 12 months or anything in the future. It’s just about playing football, enjoying my football and showing everyone what I can do.”

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Rogers enjoyed a breakthrough campaign last season, scoring 14 goals and providing 16 assists in 54 games across all competitions. His performances earned him the PFA Young Player of the Year award earlier this week. With five years left on his current deal, Villa are determined to keep him, while Unai Emery sees him as central to their Champions League push.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ROGERS?

  Villa’s immediate focus will be to secure a top-five finish in the Premier League and keep their best players fit and firing. Rogers will aim to build on his 2024-25 form and prove himself once again as one of England’s brightest attacking talents. However, whether he plays the rest of the season at Villa Park or with Tottenham remains to be seen.

Thomas Frank has hailed former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp for providing the inspiration behind Tottenham's convincing win over Manchester City.

• Spurs impressed during 2-0 win at City 
• Visitors pressed high with great effect 
• Frank says he will thank Klopp 

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  A thrilling afternoon for Tottenham, who enjoyed a convincing win away at Manchester CIty and after the match Spurs boss Frank admitted that he drew his tactical inspiration from Jurgen Klopp. It will no doubt irk Pep Guardiola to discover the high press employed by Spurs was endorsed by the former Liverpool boss.   

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The high press isn't new to Frank, who employed similar tactics during his successful spell in charge of Brentford. But this is the first time he has revealed that Klopp was an influence in his decision to deploy the move against Man City.   

• WHAT FRANK SAID

  Frank said, "Yeah, it was good, he was a clever man. I need to text him and say 'hey, that's awfully clever'. I definitely believe in the aggressive press, as you saw today, as you saw with my Brentford team, you know, I believe in the high pressure, I believe in if we can be front-footed. I like that mentality. I think it's offensive, you know, it's a more offensive way of defending and then it's more fun to defend in the opponent's half, and of course, today I think we were very successful also to score a goal from it."   

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  WHAT NEXT FOR FRANK?

  No one will deny Frank the opportunity to put his feet up and enjoy the feeling of a job well done. But he has pressing matters at hand, not least who to bring in to bolster his midfield after the failed Eberechi Eze deal and depressing injury updates for both James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski in recent days.   

Wrexham completed the double signing of Manchester City starlet Issa Kabore and Blackburn Rovers defender Dominic Hyam on deadline day. Kabore, who joined the Cityzens in 2020, has had six different loan spells across Europe in the last five years and will now be taking in a seventh with the Red Dragons. Hyam, a former Reading youth player, joins the Welsh side permanently after spending three seasons at Blackburn.

• Wrexham complete double signing
• Man City's Kabore joined on loan
• Hyam in permanently from Blackburn

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Wrexham ended the summer transfer window with two more additions to their squad, as they signed Kabor from Manchester City on loan and Hyam from Blackburn for an undisclosed fee. The deadline day signings took their total tally of new arrivals to 13 as the Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney-owned side enjoyed a busy window following their promotion to the Championship.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The Red Dragons have not had the ideal start to their journey in the English second-tier, registering just one win out of their first four Championship matches, which leaves them down in 15th. They have already conceded seven goals, which prompted manager Phil Parkinson to sign defensive reinforcements on the final day of the window. 

• WHAT KABORE & HYAM SAID

  After signing for Wrexham, Kabore told the club's website: "I’m feeling good, I’m very happy to be a Wrexham player. The project here is so amazing. Wrexham is a family Club, a fantastic Club, and that’s why I’m here. I will give everything for this team."

  Hyam also expressed his delight: "It’s really exciting for me. I’m looking forward to meeting the players and the fans and getting started. Speaking to people about Wrexham and seeing how quickly it has gone from strength to strength, it is so attractive as a player to be a part of that. Seeing the success and how well they have done on the pitch and how they have strengthened every season, just really attracted me to it. I thought it was a really exciting opportunity."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?

  Parkinson's men, who registered their first Championship win of the season against Millwall at the weekend, will be next seen in action after the international break, as they take on QPR on September 13.