Describing himself as an eternal pessimist , even Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe was effectively celebrating promotion after his side s 3-0 win over Bolton Wanderers on Monday.

The victory took second-placed Bournemouth to 87 points in the Championship standings, three ahead of third-placed Middlesbrough with a goal-difference advantage of +19.

Barring a ridiculous turn of events on Saturday, Bournemouth will join Watford in reaching England s top-tier of football something
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the south coast club have never done before.

I m an eternal pessimist but it would take some blow-up from here not to make it. Obviously we ve got a game to play, and we want to finish on a high, Howe told Sky Sports after the win at home against Bolton.

It s very difficu…

Middlesbrough right-back Djed Spence wants to join Tottenham Hotspur in the summer transfer window, according to. Premier League club Tottenham and Championship outfit Middlesbrough are in talks over the transfer of Spence, who can play as a right-winger or right wing-back.

Spence spent the 2021-22 season on loan at Nottingham Forest from Middlesbrough and helped the Reds win promotion to the Premier League. The youngster made 41 starts and one substitute appearance in the Championship for Forest this past season, scoring two goals and providing four assists in the process.

Spence has reportedly told Middlesbrough that he favours a move to Tottenham. Spurs finished in the Premier League top four this past season and will play in the Champions League in 2022-23.

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Lucas Ocampos has established himself as one of LaLiga’s top players during the current season. Even though he might not get a big spotlight due to the fact that he plays for Sevilla – in comparison to someone featuring for Real Madrid, Barcelona or Atletico Madrid – he has been able to stand out among his peers in what has been his first year in Spain’s top-tier league.

The Argentinian winger joined Los Nervionenses from Olympique Marseille during last year’s transfer window and has already established himself as one of the club’s most impactful players. He can play on both flanks with equal ease, but he has been thriving on the right of late. He was doubtful for Thursday’s contest against Betis, but he ended playing a big part in the team’s win.

It see…

Chelsea are willing to sell former Arsenal and Barcelona striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the summer of 2023, according to . The report has claimed that the Gabonese striker is among a number of players the former Premier League and UEFA Champions League winners are willing to offload at the end of the season.

Aubameyang joined Chelsea in the summer of 2022 from former La Liga and UEFA Champions League winners Barcelona. The striker had moved to Barcelona on a free transfer only on February 1, 2022 after his contract at Arsenal was mutually terminated.

Chelsea signed the striker last summer when Thomas Tuchel was the manager. Under Tuchel’s replacement Graham Potter, Aubameyang has struggled to play regularly and is on the fringes of the team. The 33-year-old has …

Simone Inzaghi is unsure what type of reception he will receive when Inter travel to Lazio this weekend but is excited to return to his former home.

The 45-year-old replaced Scudetto-winning boss Antonio Conte at San Siro in June, a week after bringing an end to his five-year spell in charge of Lazio.

In the three points for a win era, nobody has managed more Serie A games for Lazio than Inzaghi (197), while only Sven-Goran Eriksson has a better points-per-game return (1.9 compared to 1.82) among those to have managed at least 50 matches.

Inzaghi had previously spent 11 years with the Biancocelesti in his playing days and six years working as coach of the youth team.

After winning the Coppa Italia in 2019 and guiding Lazio back into the Champions League …

Mikel Arteta says Arsenal laid down a marker for how he wants his side to play in their dominant 3-1 win over Aston Villa on Friday.

The Gunners snapped a run of three successive defeats to Villa in the Premier League, moving up to ninth place thanks to goals from Thomas Partey, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Emile Smith Rowe at Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal were two goals ahead at the end of a first half that saw them register 14 shots to Villa s none – the first time they have managed to stop their opponents from getting a shot away before half-time in the league since May 2018 against Burnley. 

The win extends Arsenal s unbeaten run to six matches in the top flight since kicking off their campaign with three straight losses and Arteta was delighted with what he…

Daniel Ricciardo is adamant Red Bull Racing will come back stronger than ever after enduring a difficult Formula One campaign in 2016. 

Red Bull failed to win a Grand Prix for the first time since 2008 and had their lowest finish in the Constructors Championship (4th) since the same year.

However, Ricciardo is remaining upbeat about Red Bull s chances next season and is hopeful they can compete for race wins once again. 

I think the first six months of the year were a bit of a reality check for all of us,  the 26-year-old Australian told Motorsport.com.

It was one of those things where it wasn’t just happening anymore. We had to find an alternative, or find something else, or keep working harder.

It was good for me to go through that as a…

Lucas Moura insists he is committed to Tottenham amid uncertainty over his future, as he expressed his desire to end a trophyless spell in north London next season.

The Brazil international revealed last month that the 2022-23 campaign could be his last with Spurs, though the forward s agent was quick to suggest his client remains an important part of Antonio Conte s plans.

Moura may have to settle for a rotational role, or play at wing-back as Conte previously hinted, due to the arrival of Richarlison in the off-season, with the former Everton man joining Harry Kane, Dejan Kulusevski and Son Heung-min in Spurs attack.

With just a year left on his contract, on which Tottenham hold an option for a further 12 months, Moura said his planned return to Brazil can w…

Manchester United face a long road before they can mount a Premier League title challenge but signing Frenkie de Jong would make a huge difference , according to Jamie Carragher.

United have won all three of their pre-season contests under Erik ten Hag, including a 4-0 thrashing of Liverpool in their first outing under the Dutchman.

The Red Devils broke a number of unwanted records during their dire 2021-22 Premier League season, posting their lowest points tally (58) and worst defensive record (57 goals conceded) in the competition s history.

Despite United impressing during their tour of Asia and Australia, Ten Hag warned on Tuesday there was a lot of work remaining and Carragher echoed similar sentiments.

Asked by Sky Sports whether he feared United co…

Javier Mascherano said Lionel Messi has offered him several chances to take a penalty and score his first goal for Barcelona, though he has declined.

Mascherano has not scored in over 200 competitive appearances since joining Barca from Liverpool in 2010.

The 31-year-old has not found the net in club football since March 2008 when he was playing for the Merseyside club in a 2-1 Premier League win over Reading.

However, Mascherano insisted he is not worried by his goal drought. 

Leo has offered me many times [to take a penalty] and obviously I ve said no, the Argentina international told TyC Sports.

I honestly don t feel like it. I do not like to force things that don t correspond to me. 

The result should not change the obligati…