Will Still kept Lens competitive last season despite losing key players. They’re climbing even higher under Pierre Sage By Get French Football News When the Lens president, Joseph Oughourlian, set out the club’s “number one objective” before the season, he did not mention European qualification, a points target or even a cup run. The task at hand was to “rediscover financial solidity”. Sporting ambitions have taken a backseat role at Lens since Oughourlian announced the introduction of austerity measures in the summer of 2024. His words have been mirrored in the club’s actions. Since running Paris Saint-Germain close for the title in the 2022-23 season, when they finished just one point behind the eventual champions, the Lens squad has been decimated. First, it was Seko Fofana and Loïs Openda; then it was Abdukodir Khusanov, Elye Wahi, Brice Samba and Kevin Danso; and this summer it was Neil El-Aynaoui, Andy Diouf and Facundo Medina. Continue reading...

Crystal Palace forward Jean-Philippe Mateta says he has no issues with former team-mate Wilfried Zaha after an apparent falling-out.

Midfielder comes off bench in 82nd minute in La Liga Partey, 32, has denied rape and sexual assault charges Thomas Partey was greeted with some whistles, a little applause and no major protest as he made his competitive debut for Villarreal. The 32-year-old former Arsenal midfielder has been released on bail, charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, which he denies, and his signing had drawn complaints from supporters in Spain but on his first La Liga appearance at the Estadio de la Cerámica on Friday night there was mostly indifference. Partey was introduced in the 82nd minute, alongside Alfonso Pedraza, with Santi Comesaña and Nicolas Pépé making way. As the two players entered the pitch, with Villarreal already 2-0 up against Real Oviedo and the game drifting to a conclusion, some whistles could be heard among the clapping. Partey touched the ball 13 times, and the first four or five of those were met more clearly with whistles, although they soon faded. They did not come from a particularly significant portion of the crowd. There was also some timid applause in response to the whistles. Continue reading...

The £64m man makes his home debut in friendly as Mikel Arteta talks about his ambitions for new season New season, same old Arsenal? On an evening when Viktor Gyökeres was meant to announce himself as the solution to all of Mikel Arteta’s problems, instead it was a figure from Arsenal’s past who stole the show. At £72m – £8m more than they may end up paying for the Sweden striker – Nicolas Pépé was an expensive Arsenal signing, a few months before Arteta replaced Unai Emery in 2019. Most of the fans who packed out the Emirates Stadium for this pre-season friendly will not have many fond memories of the Ivory Coast international’s spell in north London, but he clearly had a point to prove here. Continue reading...

Former Crystal Palace and Manchester United winger Wilfried Zaha joins Lyon on a season-long loan from Galatasaray.