By Abigail David

Manchester United will conclude their pre-season preparations with a high-profile friendly against AC Milan in Wroclaw, Poland, on August 15, the Premier League club confirmed on Tuesday.

The fixture forms part of United’s extensive European tour ahead of the 2026/27 season as manager Michael Carrick aims to build on the club’s third-place finish in the previous campaign.

United begin their pre-season schedule against Wrexham in Helsinki on July 18 before travelling to Norway to face Rosenborg a week later. The team will then head to Sweden for matches against Atletico Madrid in Stockholm on August 1 and reigning European champions Paris Saint-Germain in Gothenburg on August 8.

The Red Devils will also take on long-time rivals Leeds United in Dublin on August 12 before rounding off their preparations against AC Milan three days later.

Manchester United director of football Jason Wilcox said the club was excited to end the tour in Poland, adding that the six-match schedule across five countries would provide valuable preparation for the new campaign while allowing the team to connect with supporters across Europe.

By Abigail David

Liverpool have appointed Andoni Iraola as their new manager following the dismissal of Arne Slot after a disappointing Premier League title defence.

The Premier League club confirmed the Spaniard’s appointment on Thursday, with reports indicating he has signed a two-year contract.

Speaking after his appointment, Iraola described Liverpool as one of the biggest clubs in world football and said he was excited by the opportunity to lead the Reds.

The 43-year-old arrives at Anfield after a successful spell at Bournemouth, where he guided the club to a sixth-place Premier League finish and its first-ever qualification for European competition.

Iraola earned widespread praise for Bournemouth’s attacking, high-intensity style of play and for developing young talents during his three-year tenure. Under his leadership, the Cherries improved from 12th to ninth before securing sixth place this season.

Liverpool hope Iraola can revive the aggressive brand of football associated with former manager Jurgen Klopp after growing criticism of Slot’s more cautious approach.

Slot, who succeeded Klopp in 2024, enjoyed immediate success by leading Liverpool to a record-equalling 20th English league title in his first season. However, the club endured a difficult 2025/26 campaign, finishing fifth and ending the season without silverware.

Liverpool’s struggles were compounded by injuries, disappointing performances from several new signings and mounting pressure from supporters as the team fell 25 points behind champions Arsenal.

Despite the setback, the Reds secured qualification for next season’s UEFA Champions League.

The new head coach of Nigeria’s national men’s cricket team and High Performance Manager of the Nigeria Cricket Federation (NCF), Stephen Mangongo, has invited 35 players to a 14-day training camp ahead of the 2026 Namibia Tri-Series.

Mangongo, who was officially unveiled last Wednesday on a three-year contract, will lead the Yellow Greens for the first time in an international assignment scheduled for June 18 to 29 in Windhoek, Namibia.

The Zimbabwean coach will work alongside a technical crew that includes former Female Yellow Greens head coach Leke Oyede and fitness trainer Seye Olympio as preparations intensify for the tournament at the FNB Namibia Cricket Ground.

The 35-man squad was selected from the recently concluded Nigeria Super League, blending experienced players with emerging talents in what is seen as a transitional team-building phase.

Key regulars in the squad include captain Sylvester Okpe, Isaac Danladi, Sulaimon Runsewe, Kenneth Boniface, Prosper Useni, Ridwan Kareem, Rahmon Ali, Peter Aho, Saturday Elijah, and several others who have featured prominently in recent national assignments.

The group of new invitees includes promising domestic performers such as Chima Akachukwu, Eghosa Aghedo, Elochukwu Ndubudem, Eweka Ogbemudia, Gideon Durotoye, Ifeanyi Uboh, and Ismail Abdullahi, all rewarded for strong performances in the Super League.

The squad is expected to be reduced to 16 players before the tournament begins, where Nigeria will compete in T20 Internationals against Namibia and Hong Kong, China, before facing the hosts in a three-match One-Day International series.

The Tri-Series is seen as an important opportunity for Nigeria to test depth, build consistency, and strengthen its competitiveness on the international cricket stage under its new coaching leadership.