MADRID (SPAIN) (ITALPRESS) – The duel between the Champions League finalists continues beyond the Puskás Aréna. According to the online newspaper “The Independent,” Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain are the leading contenders for Atlético Madrid’s Julián Álvarez.

The Parisian club currently appears to have a slight advantage, having prepared a €125 million offer capable of meeting the Colchoneros’ demands. The Gunners, boosted by their Premier League title victory, also have the financial resources to enter the race, although the English club’s management wants to assess how to maximize its budget before making a decisive move for the Argentine forward, who has long been admired by Mikel Arteta.

Atlético Madrid would prefer to keep the 26-year-old Argentine striker, but they could be persuaded to sell if presented with an irresistible offer. In the background remains the player’s own preference: several sources close to him claim that his first choice would be Barcelona, although the Catalan club currently lacks the financial means to unsettle the Colchoneros.

– Photo IPA Agency –
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

AMSTERDAM (NETHERLANDS) (ITALPRESS) – Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman has announced his 26-man squad for the World Cup in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. The Dutch, who will face Algeria and Fabio Cannavaro’s Uzbekistan in friendly matches on June 3 and 8, respectively, have been drawn in Group F with Japan, Sweden, and Tunisia. The 26-man squad also includes four players who play in the Italian league: De Roon (Atalanta), Dumfries (Inter), Koopmeiners (Juventus), and Malen (Roma).

The 26-man squad is as follows:

Goalkeepers: Mark Flekken (Bayer Leverkusen), Robin Roefs (Sunderland), Bart Verbruggen (Brighton).

Defenders: Nathan Aké (Manchester City), Denzel Dumfries (Inter), Jorrel Hato (Chelsea), Jurrien Timber (Arsenal), Jan Paul Van Hecke (Brighton), Virgil Van Dijk (Liverpool), Micky Van De Ven (Tottenham), Mats Wieffer (Brighton).

Midfielders: Ryan Gravenberch (Liverpool), Frenkie de Jong (Barcelona), Teun Koopmeiners (Juventus), Tijjani Reijnders (Manchester City), Marten De Roon (Atalanta), Guus Til (PSV), Quinten Timber (Olympique Marseille).

Forwards: Brian Brobbey (Sunderland), Memphis Depay (Corinthians), Cody Gakpo (Liverpool), Justin Kluivert (Bournemouth), Noa Lang (Galatasaray), Donyell Malen (Roma), Crysencio Summerville (West Ham) and Wout Weghorst (Ajax).

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(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LONDON (ENGLAND) (ITALPRESS) – According to Sky Sports UK, Atalanta BC and Manchester United F.C. are close to finalizing a deal for the transfer of Ederson to England.

The Old Trafford club is expected to pay around £38 million (approximately €45 million) to the Bergamo-based side, while the midfielder is set to sign a five-year contract with the Red Devils.

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(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

COPENHAGEN (DENMARK) (ITALPRESS) – “My contract with Celtic is expiring and I think I will retire. I consulted several specialists after my shoulder injury and they explained to me that it will be difficult for me to return to playing again at the highest level. I have thought about it a lot, but I believe the time is right to stop.”

These were the words of goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel in an interview with Danish outlet TV2 Sport.

The 39-year-old, son of legendary goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel, suffered a serious shoulder injury in March while playing for Celtic F.C..

During his career, he won the historic Premier League title in 2016 with Leicester City F.C. under manager Claudio Ranieri. He also played for Manchester City F.C., Leeds United F.C. and OGC Nice before ending his club career by winning the Scottish league title with Celtic.

At international level, he made 120 appearances for Denmark.

(ITALPRESS)

Source: medNews

BUENOS AIRES (ARGENTINA) (ITALPRESS) – The alarm has been raised because when it comes to Lionel Messi’s muscles, it can only be this way. The Albiceleste captain, in his last MLS match against his Inter Miami team, requested a substitution while holding the back of his left thigh. “After the medical tests performed, the preliminary diagnosis indicates a muscle overload injury to the left biceps femoris. His return to physical activity will depend on the evolution of his clinical and functional condition,” Inter Miami announced in its post-match statement. In short, nothing serious, and a sigh of relief first and foremost for the coach of the world-champion Argentina team, Lionel Scaloni. “We were watching the game in the Federation offices. In the end, we won very well,” the coach explained in an interview with ‘DSports’. “Obviously, it would have been better if nothing had happened to him, but the news coming in isn’t that bad, so we’re waiting to see how the situation evolves and, above all, to understand what the further tests, which I imagine he will undergo, will tell us.” Argentina, the defending champion, is in Group J and will face Algeria, Austria, and Jordan.

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(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Enhancing air connectivity between Malta and Libya, Libyan Express has announced it will launch twice-weekly flights between the two countries from 22 June, becoming the second airline to operate on the route.

The new service will connect Malta International Airport with Mitiga International Airport in Tripoli, adding capacity to a route currently served by Medsky Airways and offering travellers an additional direct link.

The expansion comes amid a gradual recovery in Libya’s aviation sector, which has been rebuilding international connections after years of disruption caused by political instability and conflict.

Malta has long been a key gateway for Libyan travellers, serving both as a destination and a transit hub for onward travel to Europe, underlining the strategic importance of the route.

The announcement follows a separate development earlier this month in which Libyan Express confirmed a strategic partnership with 4Airways, aimed at strengthening links between Libya and major European destinations.

The latest move signals growing competition on the Malta-Libya corridor, with airlines seeking to tap renewed demand for travel between the neighbouring Mediterranean states.

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

MADRID (SPAIN) (ITALPRESS) – José Mourinho remains on edge but in the meantime, he’s moving forward with his work. The agreement with Florentino Perez is complete (a two-year deal with an option for a further season if they win La Liga), but the ongoing electoral process at Real Madrid is leaving everything on hold. In any case, “As” reports, the Special One has made his choice, and even if Perez were to surprisingly lose the elections, he would leave Benfica and evaluate the other offers on the table.

The Portuguese coach has reportedly already presented his requests to the Casa Blanca to strengthen the squad. Not specific names, but rather the positions he needs to fill. In particular, Mourinho has reportedly indicated the need to sign one or two central defenders, a reliable right-back, and two midfielders, one more defensive player who can compete with Tchouameni and another more creative player, similar to the Norwegian Aursnes he had at Benfica. These requests were also made based on the expected departures: the certain departures of Alaba and Carvajal – both of whom are expiring – and the possible departures of Ceballos and Camavinga. And if Fran Garcia were to leave, a left-back would also be needed. However, everything remains on hold: until the new Real Madrid president is elected, Mourinho is forced to wait.

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(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LONDON (ENGLAND) (ITALPRESS) – After facing each other in the Champions League, Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain are also set to battle in the transfer market. Reports from England suggest that both clubs are tracking Yan Diomande, a 19-year-old Ivorian winger who has impressed at RB Leipzig and is capable of playing on both flanks.

The German club is demanding a hefty fee — an initial asking price of €100 million — but both PSG and Liverpool have the financial power to negotiate. Moreover, if PSG were ultimately to win the race for Diomande, the Reds could turn their attention to Bradley Barcola, who might then risk seeing less playing time under Luis Enrique.

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(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Malta’s cost of living continued to rise in April, with the annual inflation rate increasing to 2.8%, up from 2.7% in March, according to new figures published by the National Statistics Office.

Higher food prices were the biggest driver of inflation, contributing 0.85 percentage points to the overall rate. Rising vegetable prices led the increase, while restaurant and takeaway meals also became more expensive, climbing 5.7% over the past year.

Housing costs added further pressure on household budgets, contributing 0.46 percentage points. Annual housing inflation reached 5.8%, fuelled by sharp rises in home maintenance materials and services, while rents rose by 3.2%.

Transport and communication costs also pushed inflation higher, mainly due to more expensive air travel.

The only sector offering some relief was clothing and footwear, where prices fell by 4.3%, slightly offsetting overall inflation. Utility prices, including water, electricity and gas, remained unchanged.

Although inflation is well below its 2022 peak of 7.5%, the latest figures show a renewed upward trend in 2026, with prices rising steadily from 2.5% in January to 2.8% in April.

The 12-month moving average inflation rate for April stood at 2.6%, signalling continued pressure on consumers.

-Photo IPA Agency-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Malta International Airport has begun work on a €12.5 million project to enable parked aircraft to draw electricity directly from the national grid, cutting emissions and reducing reliance on diesel-powered equipment.

The initiative, expected to be completed by 2028, is projected to save around 1,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually.

Under the programme, 35 hatch-pit systems will be installed across airport aprons, allowing aircraft to access electricity, compressed air, water and fuel without using traditional ground power units.

Areas where hatch-pits cannot be installed will instead be served by mobile battery-powered units supported by 20 charging points.

The project also includes a major upgrade to the airport’s electrical infrastructure, featuring five new medium-voltage substations, two generators and a network with a peak capacity of 7.5 MVA, fully integrated with Malta’s national grid.

MIA’s Head of Sustainability and Analytics, Justine Baldacchino, described the investment as part of a wider strategy to deploy low-emission technologies and expand solar energy use.

The project is co-financed by the European Union through a €5.4 million grant under the Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Facility, supporting transport decarbonisation across Europe.

-Photo MIA-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews