Spain international was Arteta’s primary midfield target Nørgaard poised to join and Madueke terms discussed Arsenal have confirmed the arrival of Martín Zubimendi from Real Sociedad on a five-year contract. The Spain international, who turned down Liverpool last summer, was heavily linked with Real Madrid in recent weeks despite being understood in March to have a pre-agreement to join Arsenal. With Mikel Arteta having made the 26-year-old his primary midfield target as Arsenal attempt to bridge the gap after three successive runners-up finishes in the Premier League, Zubimendi’s signing represents a major boost after the departures of Jorginho and Thomas Partey at the end of their contacts last week. Partey was charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault – allegations he denies – three days after leaving. Continue reading...

Martín Zubimendi is set to have a medical before completing his transfer from Real Sociedad to Arsenal, sources have told ESPN.

La Liga club aiming to rebuild midfield before next seasonLiverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister also on shortlist Chelsea have no intention of selling Enzo Fernández and are determined to see off any attempt by Real Madrid to sign the midfielder this summer. Xabi Alonso, who is due to take over from Carlo Ancelotti as Madrid’s manager, is looking to add more control to his midfield and Fernández is one of the names on the club’s shortlist. The La Liga side are also tracking Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister and Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Larsson. Madrid have considered trying to hijack Arsenal’s move for Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi but the Premier League side are confident that a deal for the Spain international will be sealed soon. Continue reading...

Minute-by-minute coverage from the 7pm (GMT) kick-offEmail Tim with your views on the action Man United come into this game with an unfamiliar feeling. They can look back on their last performance with great satisfaction. Against Real Sociedad on Thursday, they weren’t flawless (until the 87th minute, they led only by virtue of some over-zealous refereeing), but by the end they were dominant. And the word “electrified” was even used of them. Continue reading...

Updates from the second leg (agg 0-1, 8pm kick-off)Also news from Rangers v FenerbahçeGet in touch! Email Scott | Live scores Spurs aren’t the only British giants battling tonight to save their season†. The Granadaland soap-opera stars of Coronation Street Manchester United welcome Real Sociedad to Weatherfield Old Trafford this evening: Daniel Harris will be all over that one in the MBM style. There’s also the small matter of Rangers versus Fenerbahce, with the Glasgow giants taking a 3-1 lead into tonight’s second leg at Ibrox. Now don’t shoot the messenger, I’m just simple folk, but there’s no MBM for that one. However I’ll try my best to keep an eye on that here as well, not least because one of either Barry Ferguson or Jose Mourinho is guaranteed to end the evening with a face on, and combustable Euro-infused entertainment isn’t the sole preserve of teams from Madrid. Strap in, folks, it could be quite the ride. †: This of course assumes Chelsea are going to make it through to the last eight of the Conference League, on account of having won their first leg 2-1 in Copenhagen. We’ll keep you posted, nonetheless, and pivot shamelessly should things go awry Continue reading...

Manchester United take on Real Sociedad in the Europa League as Red Devils boss Ruben Amorim attempts to find some positive momentum at Old Trafford following a difficult start

Manchester United are preparing for the biggest game of their season as they bid to stay in their last competition ahead of their Europa League last-16 second leg against Real Sociedad on Thursday night

Ruben Amorim is calling on his underperforming Manchester United stars to prove Sir Jim Ratcliffe wrong starting with tonight's meeting against Real Sociedad at Old Trafford

United manager says criticism of his players is fairYoro and Maguire ruled out of Real Sociedad second leg Ruben Amorim has stated that Sir Jim Ratcliffe was correct to criticise Manchester United players, saying he and they are “underperforming”. On Monday Ratcliffe claimed that the squad was overpaid and not good enough, referencing Casemiro, Rasmus Højlund, André Onana, Antony and Jadon Sancho when doing so.Amorim was asked about the comments from the club’s co-owner. Continue reading...

Manchester United are putting all their chips on the Europa League last-16 second leg against Real Sociedad on Thursday, knowing that qualification to the next round is crucial if they want to finish the season with silverware

Manchester United's season hangs on Thursday's make-or-break Europa League tie against Real Sociedad, with Christian Eriksen admitting there is huge pressure on the players

The Real Sociedad and Spain goalkeeper on old teammates, new challenges and how Manchester United inspired him Sometimes it’s the detail that stays with you. Alex Remiro can’t remember the brand, but he can still see the colour, the way they looked, how much he liked them. “When I was a kid, if you became a goalkeeper it was because you were an Iker Casillas fan, because you were the biggest, or because no one else wanted to do it,” he says. Or because one day in Cascante, Navarre, a friend turns up with a pair of gloves: brand new, grey and very, very cool. “I was like: ‘Hey, let me have a go.’ I went in goal and, well, I never left again.” Now he is a European champion with Spain; a Copa del Rey winner with Real Sociedad, their first trophy in 34 years, albeit one won in an empty stadium and a year late, a sadness to the celebration they had to have without the fans and with a single family member each; and no one in La Liga has kept more clean sheets this season. And the way he tells it, that’s thanks in part to Manchester United, their opponents on Thursday, and the team who taught la Real a lesson. Literally, he says. Continue reading...

Manchester United face Real Sociedad away from home on Thursday in the most consequential game of their season so far, with the Europa League now their only hope of lifting a trophy in 2025

Manager talks up long-term project for struggling sideMaguire and Ugarte miss last-16 trip to Real Sociedad Ruben Amorim said winning the Europa League will not magically resolve Manchester United’s problems. The Portuguese coach, who travelled to Spain with a squad of just 18 players to face Real Sociedad in the last-16 first leg, admitted that silverware would strengthen his position as well as that of the club, but claimed that it was not crucial, leaving the impression that this competition is not a priority. Amorim also said that he would not change his approach regardless of results, insisting “I am clear” during a press conference which revealed the contradictions between optimism and realism as he continued to manage expectations. Continue reading...