Connor Wickham is determined to become Sunderland s first-choice striker after excelling at the end of last season

The 21-year-old spent time on loan at Sheffield Wednesday and Leeds United during the 2013-14 campaign, but returned to the Premier League side in March and provided a much-needed goal threat for Gus Poyet.

Wickham scored five goals in nine appearances to help pull Sunderland clear of the relegation zone and wants to kick on and become a regular starter in the future.

The aim is to be the main striker next season, he told the Shields Gazette. I ll take a break, switch off, relax and have a bit of chill out time. Then I ll start doing my training and start thinking about it.

I ll make sure I do the right training and make sure I put myself in the mana…

Robin Gosens, Florian Neuhaus and Oliver Baumann have been handed their first call-ups to the Germany squad by Joachim Low.

Prior to announcing his group for the Nations League meetings with Spain and Switzerland in September, Low confirmed Manuel Neuer, Joshua Kimmich, Serge Gnabry, Leon Goretzka, Lukas Klostermann and Marcel Halstenberg would play no part following RB Leipzig s run to the Champions League semi-finals and Bayern Munich s success in the competition.

The Germany boss has consequently injected some new blood into his squad, with 30-year-old Hoffenheim goalkeeper Baumann included as Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who suffered a humiliating 8-2 Champions League quarter-final loss to Bayern with Barcelona, sits out.

Atalanta made an impressive run to the las…

England lost Unicef’s Soccer Aid match for a fifth successive year as the World XI triumphed again with a 4-2 victory at Old Trafford.

Manchester United fan Usain Bolt, wearing 9.58 on the back of his shirt in recognition of his 100 metres world record time, slotted past David James to give the visitors a 24th-minute lead.

The game, which had raised over £14.6million for Unicef at the final whistle, opened up in the second half after both sides had replaced their professional goalkeepers with celebrities.

CHAMPIONS!

A massive congratulations to the World XI! || ||

— Soccer Aid (@socceraid)

England scored twice within eight minutes of the restart to seize the lead.

Actor Asa Butterfield sliced a shot past mixed martial ar…

Market: Both teams to score

Odds: 8/11 @

Hoping to extend their buffer at the top of the Ykkonen table on Thursday afternoon, Mikkeli will travel to the Veritas Stadion when they meet TPS Turku.

Starting with the hosts, although TPS Turku might have suffered a real May wobble, the Tepsi have come roaring back over the past fortnight. Last seen putting in a rampant display on June 8th as they stormed their way to a 4-1 romp at home against KaPa, Mika Laurikainen’s men have now secured back-to-back Ykkonen victories for the first time since opening the 2023 campaign. Eventually drawing a line under their May struggle with a lively 2-1 win at home against SalPa, the one-time Finland coach has also seen his side skyrocket their way into the top-half of the table. …

Ricardo van Rhijn has committed his future to Ajax after agreeing a three-year extension to his contract at the Amsterdam Arena.

Having made his way through the prestigious youth system at the Eredvisie champions Van Rhijn was handed his first-team debut in September 2011.

The full-back has gone to cement a starting place with Frank de Boer s side and has made 107 appearances in all competitions.

With just a year left on his previous deal, Newcastle United had been credited with an interest in the 23-year-old, but he is now toed to the Amsterdam Arena until 2018.

Van Rhijn told the club s official website: For a while it hung in the air, but it was clear that we wanted to extend.

It s fine because now it is officially confirmed. This contract ex…

Neil Warnock has claimed even his West Ham counterpart Manuel Pellegrini could not understand how Cardiff City lost out at West Ham. 

Joe Ralls missed a first-half penalty at London Stadium, with West Ham taking full advantage with three goals in a 12-minute burst after the break. 

Lucas Perez, on for the injured Marko Arnautovic, scored twice and Michail Antonio added a third as West Ham seized control of the game, ensuring Josh Murphy s stoppage-time header was a mere consolation. 

But Warnock revealed his bemusement as to how Cardiff slumped to a fifth-successive away defeat, meaning they remain two points above the relegation places.

I don t know how we lost the game, let alone lost it 3-1, Warnock, whose side face fellow strugglers Southampto…

Stoke City are ready to make a move for Manchester City midfielder Fabian Delph.

England international Delph has endured an injury plagued two seasons at the Etihad Stadium since leaving Aston Villa in 2015.

The 27-year-old, who commands an asking price in the region of £12million according to the Telegraph, has been restricted to 24 Premier League appearances for City, scoring three goals.

We have asked for an idea in terms of the possibility of doing something with Fabian Delph, Stoke boss Mark Hughes said.

He is one of a number of players we are looking at, but we speak to a lot of clubs and ask about their plans for certain players.

Fabian is one that we have asked about, because he is a good footballer, but with certain deals you are in t…

Mohamed Salah maintained his scintillating form with a hat-trick and Paul Pogba was sent off as Liverpool hammered Ole Gunnar Solskjaer s shambolic Manchester United 5-0 at Old Trafford.

Liverpool humiliated their fierce rivals to pile more pressure on Red Devils boss Solskjaer, with Jurgen Klopp celebrating 200 wins as manager of the Merseyside club in dream fashion.

United were blown away as they went in at half-time four goals down for the first time in a Premier League game, making it all too easy for the Reds as Naby Keita and Diogo Jota were on target before Salah struck twice.

The magnificent Salah completed his hat-trick early in the second half, taking his goal tally for the season to 15, before substitute Pogba was dismissed for a poor challenge o…

Mattia Caldara has completed a return to Atalanta from Milan on an initial 18-month loan deal.

Atalanta also have the option to make the move permanent, with reports suggesting the Rossoneri would be due a €15million fee to do so.

Much was expected of Atalanta academy product Caldara when he moved to San Siro in a €35million move from Juventus, which saw Leonardo Bonucci transferred back to the Bianconeri in a similar deal in August 2018.

However, the centre-back has made just two competitive appearances for the Rossoneri, largely due to two serious injuries.

 BENTORNATO A CASA, MATTIA!
 WELCOME BACK HOME, MATTIA!  

— Atalanta B.C. (@Atalanta_BC)

Caldara sustained an Achilles tendon rupture in September 2018, before rupturing …

England forward Alessia Russo felt she was not strong enough to play football at the highest level after losing weight during the coronavirus pandemic.

The 24-year-old is set to play a key part for the Lionesses at this summer’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

However, in an interview with Women’s Health magazine, the former Manchester United player opened up about her “low point” after losing weight using a calorie-counting app.

She told Women’s Health: “In lockdown, it was tough. I was training on my own, I was home and I lost quite a bit of weight. Then I signed for Man United soon after lockdown.

“And within about six weeks, I completely tore my hamstring, (which I) could only relate back to losing a lot of weight because I’ve …