I leave Liverpool exactly where it belongs - Slot

Arne Slot says he is leaving Liverpool “exactly where it belongs: among Europe’s elite” after he was sacked as head coach on Saturday.

The Dutchman, 47, won the Premier League title in his first campaign but was dismissed by the club’s hierarchy after the Reds finished fifth in the league this season, 25 points behind champions Arsenal.

Liverpool will open formal talks with former Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola this week over becoming their new head coach.

In an emotional open letter published in the Liverpool Echo, Slot said fans made him feel welcome from the start and helped him on his path. “That is something I cherish,” he added.

“I leave with complete confidence in what lies ahead.”

“The players who have given so much to this club, who have upheld its values and helped create so many unforgettable moments, have built foundations that will endure.”

Despite suffering 20 defeats in all competitions, Slot secured Liverpool’s place in next season’s Champions League.

“Securing Champions League football was an important responsibility and one that ensures Liverpool can continue competing at the highest level next season and beyond,” he added.

“Change is part of football, but I know that this club will continue to make its people proud.”

“When I first stood beneath that sign in the Anfield tunnel, I knew what this club demanded. I leave knowing we never stopped striving for it.”

Slot replaced Jurgen Klopp as Liverpool boss in 2024 after the German stepped down after nine years as manager.

He made a dream start to his tenure as coach when he delivered the club’s 20th league title in front of the home supporters at Anfield with four games to spare.

“It was made even more meaningful because you got to enjoy it with us,” said Slot. “Singing our songs, cheering the goals. And on the day we lifted the trophy, you were there - lining the streets outside the stadium, filling Anfield in anticipation.”

“Having had much of that taken from you in 2020, it was never lost on me how much it mattered that you were part of it all.”

“Seeing you come together in your hundreds of thousands on the streets of Liverpool for the title celebrations only reinforced that idea.”

“Liverpool’s 20th league title belongs to all of us and it will remain an important chapter in its history. For that we should all be proud.”

“This club will always judge itself by the biggest honours. That is how it should be.”

In his letter, Slot paid tribute to the late Liverpool forward Diogo Jota, who died in a car crash alongside his brother Andre Silva as the players were preparing to return for pre-season training last summer.

The Dutchman said Jota’s passing was “indescribable”, but added “the love, compassion and support shown by the Liverpool family was extraordinary”.

Slot said: “As I leave this club, it would be remiss of me not to say that the way you honoured Diogo and stood together in his memory will stay with me forever.”

“The connection we share goes beyond football, beyond European nights under the Anfield lights or the sound of ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ being sung from The Kop.”

Slot also told fans he was “privileged to witness first-hand your spirit of compassion and unity” during the club’s trophy parade in May 2025, when Paul Doyle drove his car through the crowds on Water Street in the city centre.

Doyle was jailed for 21 years and six months in December for charges including dangerous driving and causing grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent.

“It is a spirit that has carried this city through difficult moments before, and one that I hope will help bring the justice and accountability so many have campaigned for over many years,” he added.

Record-holder Milner retires after 24-year career

Former England international James Milner has announced his retirement after a 24-year Premier League career.

The versatile 40-year-old was out of contract after spending the past three seasons with Brighton.

Milner played for six teams in England’s top flight and broke the record for most Premier League appearances in February.

He started his career with Leeds and went on to win three Premier League titles - two with Manchester City and one with Liverpool - and also helped the Reds win the Champions League in 2019.

Milner made his England debut while with Aston Villa in 2009 and ended his international career with 61 caps.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to experience some unforgettable moments, from fighting for survival to winning trophies, playing in Europe, and representing my country at two European Championships and two World Cups,” read a statement by Milner on social media.

“But more than anything, it’s the people and friendships I’ve made throughout the game that I’ll cherish forever.”

Milner made his Leeds debut at 16 in November 2002 and at the time was the second-youngest player to play in the Premier League.

The following month he became the youngest player to score in the Premier League and is now third on that list, behind Max Dowman and James Vaughan.

Milner missed most of the 2024–25 season through injury but played 22 games in all competitions in 2025-26, making his 658th and final Premier League appearance during Brighton’s last game of the season.

“From making my debut for Leeds United, who I supported growing up, at the age of 16 and becoming the Premier League’s youngest scorer, I could never have dreamed of the journey I’ve been on, right through to not being able to lift my foot last year and then coming back to be part of Brighton qualifying for Europe for the second time in their history at the age of 40,” he added.

After spending two years in the first team at Leeds, Milner was sold to Newcastle after his boyhood club were relegated to the Championship in 2004.

He then joined Villa in 2008 and Manchester City in 2010, helping them to their first two Premier League titles in 2012 and 2014.

Milner left for Liverpool in 2015 and spent eight seasons at Anfield, scoring 26 goals from 332 appearances.

In 2020, he helped the Reds win their first league title since 1990 and lifted the FA Cup and League Cup with both Liverpool and City.

“I leave the game with immense pride, gratitude and memories that will stay with me for the rest of my life,” Milner said.

“Football has given me far more than I could ever have imagined, and I will always be thankful for the opportunities it provided.”

“Thank you to everyone who has been part of the journey.”

Fletcher chosen to replace Gilmour in Scotland squad

Manchester United teenager Tyler Fletcher has replaced the injured Billy Gilmour in Scotland’s World Cup squad.

The 19-year-old made his international debut as a half-time replacement in Saturday’s 4-1 friendly win over Curacao at Hampden.

Napoli midfielder Gilmour damaged his knee in a first-half incident and his withdrawal from the squad was announced later in the evening.

Fletcher, son of former Scotland captain Darren, has played more minutes for Scotland than he has for his club, having come off the bench twice for United this season.

Fletcher, whose twin brother Jack has chosen to represent England, was one of four young players added to the training squad last week by head coach Steve Clarke.

Rangers’ Connor Barron, Andy Irving of Sparta Prague and Lennon Milller of Udinese were other standby options Clarke had mentioned.

“I am devastated for Billy because he has been an integral part of our World Cup qualifying campaign,” said Clarke.

“The timing of this injury is so, so cruel and we all feel for him.

“He knows what we all think of him as a footballer and a person and while no words will give him any comfort, I am certain Billy will have many major tournaments ahead of him in the future.”

Napoli team-mate Scott McTominay wrote on Instagram: “Absolutely devastated for you brother. Football is a cruel game and you don’t deserve this, keep your head up. The players, staff and country love you.”

When asked about Fletcher’s second-half showing at Hampden, Clarke told BBC Scotland: “Everybody was impressed - the players were impressed, the coaching staff were impressed, I had no doubts.

“I actually thought about putting him on as Billy came off but I just thought I’d have a little look, see how the game panned out before introducing him at half-time.”

Kenny McLean played with Darren Fletcher at the start of his international career and also spoke highly of the debutant.

“I said to the lads after his first session, I could see something special in him, so I was glad that he’d got on,” said the Norwich City midfielder.

“In my first session with Scotland, Darren stood out a mile. Fortunately for us, his son is pretty similar. There’s a lot of potential, it’s about using him the right way.”

The Scotland party flies out to Florida on Sunday and there is a final warm-up game against Bolivia in New Jersey on Saturday 6 June.

Having qualified for the World Cup finals for the first time since 1998, Scotland will take on Haiti, Morocco and Brazil in Group C.

Ice, Ice Baby and 'start of a new era' - best of Arsenal parade

For the first time in 22 years, Arsenal are the Premier League champions - and the players, staff and fans got to celebrate on Sunday with an incredible bus parade through the streets of north London.

With hundreds of thousands of people lining the streets, Arsenal’s men’s and women’s sides took in the adoration of their supporters during a two-and-a-half-hour five-mile loop, which started and finished at the club’s Emirates Stadium.

Fans were not allowed immediately next to the ground but the supporters, some of whom had been there since the early hours of Sunday, finally got to see their heroes after the four buses went over a bridge, which had the words ‘This belongs to all of us’ painted on the ground.

The first bus had the Arsenal men’s team on board, with Arsenal’s women’s side, who became world champions when they won the Women’s Champions Cup in February, on the third bus.

The other two buses were full of club staff as well as family members.

One of the most impressive sights was when a huge tifo - which had been unveiled before November’s north London derby against Tottenham and had the words ‘The Arsenal - These streets are our own’ on it - was again displayed along the bus route.

Mikel Arteta’s side had finished second in the Premier League in each of the previous three seasons, before ending up as champions in 2025-26.

At one stage on Sunday, Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice mocked the critics that have said the club have been too reliant on set-pieces to score goals by grabbing the microphone and chanting ‘set-piece again, ole, ole’.

Ben White spotted the opportunity to get Rice involved in a singalong and played ‘Ice, Ice Baby’ on the speaker, but Rice said “I’m not singing!”.

He didn’t take much convincing and belted out the lyrics of the Vanilla Ice hit - to the delight of the Gunners fans.

He told Sky Sports: “I love this team, I love the manager. To see the joy we can give people, it’s crazy. But next year we’re coming back for more.”

Rice was not the only Arsenal player to get the crowd going. Defender Riccardo Calafiori started a loud ‘Arsenal, Arsenal’ chant, while co-chairman Josh Kroenke was also seen chanting and urging more noise from the Gunners fans.

“This is crazy,” said captain Martin Odegaard before singing along and waving a scarf as red smoke from flares filled the streets of north London.

One of the largest cheers came when Odegaard, the first Arsenal captain to lead the club to Premier League glory since Patrick Vieira in 2004, paraded the trophy at the front of the bus.

Arsenal finished seven points clear of Manchester City to become English champions for the 14th time, but for the first occasion since 2003-04 when Arsene Wenger’s ‘Invincibles’ won the Premier League without losing a game.

The parade took place on Sunday, one day after the Gunners had narrowly missed out on creating club history when they lost 4-3 on penalties to Paris St-Germain in the final of the Champions League.

After it had finished 1-1 at the end of extra-time, Eberechi Eze and Gabriel both missed penalties in the shootout as PSG retained their European title, with the Gunners failing to win what would have been a first Champions League title.

On Sunday, before the parade, Gabriel wrote on Instagram: “It’s painful, but I’m proud of this team and everything we achieved together this season. Thank you to our incredible fans for your support every step of the way. You deserve to celebrate this journey with us and enjoy the parade today.”

While the players were devastated at the loss in the final in Budapest, Hungary on Saturday, that did not dampen the celebrations on Sunday.

Nineteen-year-old Myles Lewis-Skelly, who came through the Gunners academy, spoke to Sky Sports News before boarding the bus.

On the Champions League defeat, he said: “It’s disappointing because, you know, when you’re so close to a dream, a goal, and you feel slightly short, but, just as Mikel said, adds fuel to the fire, so we’ll use that for us.”

But Lewis-Skelly felt this Premier League triumph could be the beginning of a period of success for the Gunners.

“I feel like it’s a start of a new era and we’re ready to go out and achieve our dreams,” he added. “This means everything just to share this moment with our people. It’s going to be emotional. The last couple of weeks have been incredible.”

When asked for a message to fans, he replied: “Thank you and we’re not done.”

Liverpool to open formal talks with Iraola

Liverpool will open formal talks with Andoni Iraola this week over becoming their new head coach.

The Reds sacked Arne Slot on Saturday, just a year after the Dutchman guided them to the Premier League title.

The club hope to have a successor in place as soon as possible, with departing Bournemouth manager Iraola the leading contender.

The 43-year-old delivered the Cherries’ finest season to date with a sixth-placed finish - only one spot and three points behind Liverpool in the table - to qualify for next season’s Europa League.

Spaniard Iraola announced in April that he would leave the club this summer and has also been linked with Crystal Palace and AC Milan.

The decision to sack Slot was made by Michael Edwards, Fenway Sports Group chief executive, and Richard Hughes, Liverpool’s sporting director, who believe the club needs a more front-foot, aggressive and urgent style of football.

Iraola was appointed at Bournemouth when Hughes was technical director at the Cherries, a role he left in 2024 to join the Reds.

Liverpool have qualified for next season’s Champions League despite finishing the Premier League season with 60 points - their lowest tally since the 2015-16 campaign and 25 points behind champions Arsenal.

The Anfield club spent £415m last summer on six players - the highest outlay in a window by a British club - in a bid to retain their title.

They broke the British transfer record to sign Alexander Isak from Newcastle for a fee of £125m having previously bought Bayer Leverkusen and Germany playmaker Florian Wirtz for a then-club record £116m.

Iraola, a former Spain right-back who spent the majority of his playing career at Athletic Bilbao, started out in management in Cyprus with AEK Larnaca.

Spells with Mirandes and Rayo Vallecano in his homeland followed before joining Bournemouth in 2023.