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The life, loss and legacy of Kevin Campbell

Kevin Campbell was the all-action, hard-grafting centre-forward who delighted football fans with great goals across a 19-year career at the top of the game.

Affectionately known as Super Kev at Arsenal, Nottingham Forest and Everton, he developed a reputation as one of the hardest-to-handle forwards in the country, while his beaming smile and joyous celebrations made him one of English football's most popular characters.

"I think if you ask anyone who's ever been in the presence of him, they'll always remember him and speak about how good a person he was," says Campbell's son Tyrese, 25, who plays as a striker for Sheffield United. "He carried the whole room – you knew when he was in there because you could probably hear him.

"He was a respectful, happy, positive person. You could even say almost too good for this Earth. A proper angel sent from heaven."

In 2024 Kevin Campbell's life was tragically cut short after he suffered a serious illness, and an investigation was launched into concerns over his care.

After his inquest concluded on Monday, this is the story of Campbell's life, loss and legacy, told by those who knew him best.

The Life, Loss and Legacy of Kevin Campbell

Campbell will eventually raise his own family in the north-west, but is born in south London in 1970, the second youngest of seven children in a family with Jamaican roots.

"We were brought up by a single mother so resources were extremely tight," Campbell's younger sister Lorna says. "We used to play tennis against a back wall because we couldn't afford to hire a court. Kevin wanted to be in different football teams and it was a struggle for my mother to pay all the subs.

"We had three big brothers and he was never afraid to play football with them and their friends – he would just take them on. And this was on the mean streets of Brixton. That's when he came alive."

Kevin and his sister Lorna grew up playing sport together on the streets of Brixton

Campbell begins to feel unwell. His symptoms are generic – tiredness, loss of appetite, a decrease in weight.

Despite insisting that family and friends need not worry, in the following months he has multiple stays in hospitals in Greater Manchester. His appearance changes as he becomes visibly weaker. Doctors are unsure what is causing Campbell's symptoms.

According to an eventual inquest, he is discharged in March 2024 after "responding well to treatment".

World Football: The life, loss and legacy of Kevin Campbell

'He carried a whole room' – Family & friends pay tribute to Campbell

Campbell's natural talent means he is scouted by multiple professional clubs in London, and he chooses to sign a youth deal at Arsenal.

"When I joined Arsenal at 16, he was a young kid, about nine," says Paul Davis, a midfielder with the Gunners between 1980 and 1995. "That's when I started to hear his name – people saying 'this guy is scoring plenty of goals'.

"Then he came up to train with the first team. We see this big guy – six foot one, 17, wide, his legs are so thick and chunky. And everyone's thinking, 'Wow, no wonder he's scoring goals'. He was just knocking everybody over. We had people like Kenny Sansom, Viv Anderson – senior internationals – and when they saw Kevin coming over they would be like 'oh no' because they knew he would embarrass them in training.

"When I first came through I was the only black player at Arsenal. You've got to remember the culture of the country meant it was OK to tell off-colour jokes. So if you had somebody that was in the struggle with you, then it made it easier.

"Kevin would always challenge things in a way that didn't end up with a fight. He was able to do it and they thought, 'actually, should I be saying this, or should I be doing this?'"

Campbell was scouted by teams across London, but had supported Arsenal since his early childhood, and joined the Gunners as a teenager

Andy Cole, the fourth top goalscorer in Premier League history, begins playing alongside Campbell when both are coming through the youth ranks at Arsenal. The pair combine in a successful FA Youth Cup campaign, and become friends.

"Unbelievable strength and power," Cole says of Campbell's style. "He was quick as well. And to be fair Kevin didn't have to be aggressive, because the size of him meant people feared him anyway. I think everyone enjoyed playing with him due to the fact that he worked so hard for his team."

After making his first-team debut in 1988, Campbell wins two league titles as well as the FA Cup, League Cup, and European Cup Winners' Cup in a seven-year spell with the Gunners in which his joyous goal celebrations and gregarious character make him a fan favourite.

"Kevin had a larger than life personality," Cole says. "He could walk into a room and light it up – life and soul of the party.

"I remember one night Kevin took me out, we had a good laugh. Unfortunately for me I was in the next day and Kevin had the day off. We were doing stand runs at Highbury. Man, I couldn't raise a gallop.

"I remember [Arsenal youth-team coach] Pat Rice saw Kevin and said, 'Kevin! Did you take Coley out last night?' Kevin was like 'Pfft, nah, I don't know what you're talking about, Pat.' I was just laughing… if Pat ever knew."

Campbell's condition worsens and he begins a long stay in Manchester Royal Infirmary. He has lost over half his body weight.

Friends and family become aware that his illness is more serious than first believed.

His friend Jason Lavelle says: "When I went to see him, I met his brothers beforehand and they did prep me for the fact that he had lost a lot of weight, that he wouldn't look the same as what I remember him as. And that was the case.

"In my mind's mind I was still thinking 'this is Kevin, Super Kevin, and he is seriously ill but he is still going to pull through this."

Cole explains: "I got a phone call from someone saying 'Coles, just letting you know that Kevin's not very well'.

"I knew mentally I couldn't see him like that. I just… I couldn't bring myself to see Kev in that state after knowing him being fit, strong."

Eventually, the cause of Campbell's illness is discovered. He is suffering from infective endocarditis, an infection in the inner lining of the heart or its valves which affects one in 30,000 people in the UK.

"It's often very difficult to diagnose," says Dr Debbie Harrington, consultant aortic surgeon at Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital.

"Often patients will present with very non-specific symptoms that have gone on for months. They won't necessarily be seen by a specialist in cardiology who is going to think of the right diagnosis."

"When we have problems where patients sadly don't make it, often it's because they get to us too late – that is usually the reason why patients don't survive.

"Overall in the general medical community I would say there is probably a lack of awareness of infective endocarditis – we know that it is actually on the increase. Definitely awareness is a big, big factor."

After leaving Arsenal to play for Nottingham Forest in 1995, striking up a lethal striker partnership with Pierre van Hooijdonk, Campbell spends a brief spell with Trabzonspor in Turkey.

But Campbell is racially abused by the club's president after signing, and seven months later moves back to the Premier League, joining Everton. There, he becomes the club's first black captain, scores crucial goals to keep the Toffees in the top flight, and mentors a young Wayne Rooney.

"He was an inspiration, really," Rooney says. "Everton were struggling for a few years and he galvanised the whole club.

Campbell's influence on a young Rooney had a marked impact

"He helped me a lot – always talking to me throughout the game. As a young player you're still learning, figuring out how to try and play the game, how to be in the right positions.

"You see him play, you see his strengths, but actually playing with him he was a lot cleverer than I thought he was. Back then it was big man, small man up front. Obviously he was the big man and I was running off him – I did a lot of running for him!"

Campbell sets up his own record label, 2 Wikid, and after playing for West Brom and Cardiff, he retires in 2007, embarking on a career in punditry and broadcasting.

Infective endocarditis can be treated with antibiotics if diagnosed early. But the struggle for diagnosis in Campbell's case means the infection has worsened, leading to kidney issues, a stroke and eventually fatal multi-organ failure. He dies on 15 June.

"I was the one that got the call from the hospital to say that Kevin wasn't going to make it, that he was having difficulty breathing," Lorna says. "That was at five o'clock in the morning. Then it was my job to call the rest of the family and tell everybody the news. Those early days when Kevin passed were very, very difficult."

Kevin coached his sons Kyle (left) and Tyrese (right), before both went on to become footballers

Tyrese says: "Without saying it to each other, we knew it was coming. I'd say we prepared. We're our Dad's kids, so we've got his strength. We were relieved eventually when the day did come – he wasn't in pain any more and we were at peace with that. I knew he wouldn't have wanted to be that way and he could just rest."

Campbell's second son Kyle plays as a striker for Bootle FC.

"It's hard on the mind as well when you see someone so fit, so powerful, so loving, and you're looking at him like 'that's not him'," he says. "We never really lied to each other, never said 'he's going to come back perfect', because sometimes in life, it doesn't go your way."

News of Campbell's death is made public, shocking fans and former team-mates.

Rooney says: "It was a massive loss for everyone in football, but for me personally obviously playing with him and knowing him as a person, I was devastated."

Campbell's popularity among team-mates was strong at every club he played for

Manchester NHS Foundation Trust announces an investigation into the quality of care Campbell received in the run-up to his death. It is classed as a Level 5 patient safety incident. At the same time, an inquest is opened at Manchester Coroner's Court.

"When someone passes away you just want to be able to grieve knowing that it's happened, that it's disappointing it's happened, but it ends there," Cole says. "When you start hearing that there could possibly be this, possibly that, that just hurts even more."

For Campbell's sons, the investigation is rendered unimportant by the scale of their loss.

"It can do whatever, but it's not going to bring him back, so I don't see the point in me investing my effort and energy," Tyrese says. "For me, it wasn't really going to change anything, so there's not much point."

The class is later reduced to a Level 2 patient safety incident, and the investigation determines that Campbell's death was "possibly avoidable but not very likely".

The inquest, overseen by the coroner and including evidence given by two doctors involved in Campbell's care,finds that he died of natural causesand adds that "missed opportunities" to correctly diagnose Campbell did "not more than minimally contribute to his death on the balance of probabilities".

The scrutiny over Campbell's death and the handling of his illness comes against a backdrop of wider concern about standards of care in the NHS.

"I think because of the significant financial trouble the NHS is in we have seen a marked decline in the quality of patient care," says Dr Luke Munford, senior lecturer in health economics at the University of Manchester.

"The NHS recommends that 90% of cardiac patients are seen within an 18-week timeframe. In Manchester at the moment that is 54%."

"Manchester receives about £2.6bn per year, which sounds like a lot, but when you divide that through by the population it serves it actually isn't a great deal of money at all.

"England does suffer from a postcode lottery. People in the north, even if they have substantial personal wealth, are at the mercy of the local health and care system.

"If we look at budget cuts, austerity hit areas like Manchester much worse than areas in the south-east of England." Dr Munford adds that he is concerned there would be more examples of cases where complex illnesses go undiagnosed.

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson tells the BBC: "Kevin Campbell was a huge inspiration, and our deepest sympathies are with his family and friends.

"This government is overhauling our NHS so it works for all patients, no matter where they live and our fundamental shift from sickness to prevention will be vital in tackling health inequalities, making people healthier and reducing pressure on the NHS.

"Under our Plan for Change, we are also prioritising patient safety and investing an extra £26 billion in the NHS to cut waiting lists and save lives."

A spokesperson for Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust says: "We once again offer our deep condolences to the family and friends of Mr Campbell for their very great loss. It is clear from the inquest that everyone did their best to care for him, and there is no evidence that Mr Campbell's death could have been avoided.

"We are committed to constantly improving the quality of care we provide to our patients. Whilst there are aspects of Mr Campbell's care that could have been improved, the Coroner has found that these did not more than minimally contribute to his sad death. We have already taken learning from Mr Campbell's care and made improvements across the Trust, and we are committed to ongoing learning and improvement for all our patients."

Campbell undertook regular charitable work during his life, and following his death his family sets up a foundation in his name which aims to improve the lives of young people by supporting them with funding, projects and activities.

"The Kevin Campbell Foundation is an extension of Kevin," Lorna says. "It allows us to celebrate Kevin as the footballer, and the amazing achievements he managed over 20 years as a footballer, but it also allows us to discover Kevin the man."

Cole and Davis are among the Foundation's ambassadors.

"For someone who put themselves out for me so much when I was younger, it's the least of things I could have done," Cole says. "He was a selfless individual, always prepared to try and help.

Everton and Arsenal fans paid tribute to Campbell during the Premier League game between the clubs at Goodison Park on 5 April

The wisdom Campbell imparted on his sons will continue to have an impact on their careers.

"He always told us how proud he was of us and how well we're doing," says Tyrese. "When he was ill it was 'just keep going, keep doing what we're doing, and keep being you'."

"I've had players coming up to me saying 'sorry to hear about your dad', 'you're doing really well' and stuff. It's nice because he was so loved and so respected."

For Cole, the loss of Campbell has hit hard, but the memories they shared together are a great comfort.

"As we say, we're not here for a long time, we're here for a good time," Cole beams. "And I can sit here and say – Kevin had a good time. He definitely had a good time."

How rejection fuelled Mourinho's second Champions League triumph

"To find beauty in ugliness is the province of the poet. The most beautiful defeat of my career."

Acclaimed English novelist Thomas Hardy and former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho.

At first glance, not obvious kindred spirits.

But Hardy's thoughts – and Mourinho's hard-line pragmatism – actually make the origin of the above lines ambiguous: a post-match quote or a poet's postscript?

Understanding the origins and making of Mourinho is a key tenet of a new BBC Sport documentary – How to Win the Champions League: Jose Mourinho.

A huge chunk of that insight can be boiled down to a life-altering change in direction in the summer of 2008.

A sliding doors moment in the corridors of the Camp Nou that profoundly changed Mourinho.

A moment of rejection and a resulting shift to realpolitik that the famed Victorian realist Hardy would have been proud of.

How to Win the Champions League

"That's the moment where Mourinho becomes the Dark Lord," Guardian journalist Jonathan Wilson explains.

The moment to take tiki-taka to task: "If they're going to play to entertain, I will make sure nobody has any fun ever again."

The rejection in question came in the summer of 2008. Barcelona were looking for a new manager, having sacked 2006 Champions League winner Frank Rijkaard.

The choice was between Mourinho and one-time mate Pep Guardiola.

The pair had collaborated closely in the second half of the 1990s when Mourinho was working as Bobby Robson and Louis van Gaal's assistant, and Guardiola was the Barca captain.

The decision was not necessarily taken on merit – given that Mourinho had a Champions League and Premier League title on his CV, while Guardiola had only just finished his first year in management with Barca's reserves.

It was a decision that was extremely unpopular with Mourinho and went on to fuel his methods – and fuel, most notably, a desire to put victory above all else.

Jose Mourinho v Pep Guardiola: How Jose became 'The Dark Lord'

The zenith of Mourinho's pragmatism, and arguably his entire managerial career, came at the Nou Camp on the way to the second of his Champions League wins, in 2010. Mourinho's Inter arrived at the home of Guardiola's reigning European champions with a 3-1 lead from the semi-final first leg.

The Barca faithful believed. "The atmosphere before the match was intense," Zanetti remembers. "When we went on to the pitch at the start there was an enormous banner with 'comeback' written in Catalan."

A 28th-minute red card for Inter's Thiago Motta strengthened that belief. But it also ushered in a 60-minute display of defiance that Mourinho believes defined himself and his entire career.

"If I could choose one of my team's most emotional performances in my career of more than 20 years, I have to choose that one," Mourinho says of that Nou Camp night.

"We go to Barcelona and we know what was waiting for us in terms of atmosphere and the amazing quality of that team.

"To play with 10 players in Barcelona becomes epic. You need heroes. You need to have the best out of everybody.

"I think I was brilliant in the way I organised the team.

"We defended with everything we had – with hearts, with souls.

"This is the most beautiful defeat of my career.

"We gave absolutely everything. We lost 1-0. But we got to the final."

How do you impress Jose Mourinho?

Having got to the final, Inter went on to win it with Mourinho once again coming out on top in a friend-turned-foe showdown – this time against a Bayern Munich side managed by his former Barca boss Van Gaal.

For the Portuguese it was a second Champions League triumph – and, for the second time, an against-the-odds win, in which Mourinho's man-management skills were front and centre.

Porto's triumph in 2004 was also an underdog tale (the only side since the turn of the century from outside Europe's big five leagues to win the Champions League) and also a story where Mourinho's man-management came to the fore.

Benni McCarthy scored four goals to help them to the final and says of Mourinho: "He was passionate, caring and a master tactician. I had never seen that.

"He was the first manager I encountered who knew almost everything about every single player – the backgrounds, where they come from. How many family members do you have? Are your mum and dad still alive?

"He wanted to know about my upbringing, my struggles, the highs and lows. I just thought that was an unbelievable touch.

"I didn't even know people in football did that until Jose. I played for a few managers prior to that. None of them knew me. With Jose, it was the complete opposite.

"I was like: 'wow, what a manager to play for'.

"And you would run through a brick wall for him."

Mourinho agrees. "The lesson went with me all over my career. When I go to European competition, I always feel that I can win.

"If you build a strong team, a team with great tactical culture, with a great resilience, with mental stability to cope with the difficult moments, especially in the knockout games. You always have a chance.

"Champions League winners are always teams. They will have players that, in a certain moment, make the difference. But only teams do it, and very complete teams."

Listen to the full Jose Mourinho interview on a Football Daily Special

Mourinho's man-management style hasn't always worked of course – his spells at Manchester United and Tottenham featured high-profile spats with high-profile players, such as Paul Pogba and Dele Alli.

But, as former Inter Milan skipper Zanetti attests, during the 2010 Champions League campaign, Mourinho was the master man-manager and creator of a team culture.

Six years after Porto the technique used to forge a team had a South American flavour, but the outcome was the same.

"Mourinho created a family," Zanetti said. "We created this group during the week, when we had our asados [Argentine barbeques], which Mourinho liked too.

"It was a moment for unity – a family moment.

"I once said I would throw myself into a fire for Jose Mourinho. Our relationship was not merely manager to player or manager to captain, it was much more. It was a very strong human bond, and it always will be.

"Those two years were very significant for me and for him… and will remain in our hearts forever. He taught us so much and he made us believe that we could make history, and we did."

Zanetti's "remain in our hearts" sentimentality is not something you'd naturally associate with Mourinho's ruthless pragmatism.

How Jose Mourinho got the best out of Inter Milan striker Sameul Eto'o

After both of his Champions League triumphs the Portuguese manager was in a new job within weeks, first time round moving to Chelsea and, in 2010, leaving for Real Madrid.

Once more, it was a realpolitik that punctuates the Portuguese's career – and would sit well with the realism of Hardy. Getting the job done, and then moving on to pastures new, when you are at the peak of your powers – both managerial and financial.

But inHow to Win the Champions League: Jose Mourinho,behind-the-scenes archive footage from the Bernabeu – in the immediate aftermath of the 2010 Champions League final – shows a different side of Mourinho.

The footage shows the Portuguese manager being driven out of the stadium, past a team bus he'd rushed off minutes earlier with barely a word. He's leaving immediately, with a move to Real Madrid in the offing.

However, when he spots one of his key generals, Marco Materazzi, he's unable to make such a cold exit. Mourinho gets out of the car and the pair share a tender, tearful embrace before Mourinho goes back to the vehicle and ultimately turns his back on Inter.

His next public sighting was when he was announced as Madrid manager nine days later.

On the face of it the speed of this turnaround suggests Inter was a mercenary means to an end rather than a seminal moment.

The tears, and Mourinho's account 15 years later, tell a different, more sentimental tale.

How to win the Champions League: Jose Mourinho

"I ran away – I went to the bus to say goodbye, and I didn't even shake one hand," Mourinho says.

"I wanted to escape. I think if I get on to the bus, if I go back with them to Milan, if I walk into a full San Siro, if I walk into the Duomo [Milan Cathedral] full of people, I think I wouldn't go to Real Madrid.

"I think the emotion would stop me to go.

"But I wanted to go. I thought it was the right moment. I had to escape.

"Marco was there. If instead of Marco it was Dejan Stankovic, or Diego Milito or Julio Cesar, it would have been the same story."

In many ways the duality of that moment defines Mourinho, and the question of how he won his two Champions League titles.

Creating a fiercely loyal relationship with his players off the pitch which ensured the side that stepped on the field would be comfortable both running through walls, and with their backs to the wall.

Fifteen years later Mourinho may have mellowed slightly. His man-management skills and star quality may have waned too.

But the ego, confidence and pride in his career-defining Champions League victories remains as strong as ever.

As Mourinho pointedly remarks, both his Porto and Inter triumphs have not been repeated.

"Why am I now here speaking with you?," he says.

"It is not because I am now at Fenerbahce, or because I won the Premier League with Chelsea.

"It is because I am a double Champions League winner. That is the reason.

"I think there are other teams and clubs that when you do it, other guys [managers] then do it.

"I do this season. You do next season. Three years later, another will come and then people will be even confused in which season you won it.

"You go to Real Madrid, to Barcelona, to Manchester United, to these big teams and maybe people don't have the same feeling.

"But you go to Porto and you go to you go to Milan and everybody knows.

"2004 Champions League winner, 2010 Champions League winner.

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The runner who went viral and sparked a campaign for change for women

Sophie Power had not even laced up her trainers for her first run when she signed up to an ultramarathon.

But what was initially a fresh challenge after being made redundant has manifested into a life-changing passion that has led to positive change for women in sport.

In 2018, a photograph of Power breastfeeding her then three-month-old son during a 106-mile race went viral.

There had been no option for her to defer her place until she was fit to compete and it highlighted what she saw as a major issue facing women and mothers.

Now, many of the world's biggest events, including the London Marathon, have implemented pregnancy deferral policies and Power's work has been central to that change.

Power signed up for her first 250km (155-mile) ultramarathon at the age of 26, shortly after having been made redundant from her job in banking.

Although she was not a runner and never had been, a friend had recently completed the challenge himself and recommended she try it, as he believed she could have the stamina needed due to her time in the air squadron at university.

"I went for my first run the next day and realised pretty quickly that I loved ultra-running. I love being outside, the breadth of phenomenal people you meet [who] you wouldn't come across in everyday life," the 42-year-old, who lives near Guildford in Surrey, told BBC Sport.

"And really kind of pushing my body to the limits in a new way."

Immediately hooked, Power devoted her time to training and travelling to compete in stage races around world.

Shortly after the birth of her second child, Cormac, she was faced with a dilemma.

Power juggles her campaigning and ultrarunning alongside bringing up her three children

Having given up her entry to the iconic Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB) race while she recovered from the birth of her first child, Donnacha, three years before, she was not prepared to do so again.

Like many races, UTMB had no pregnancy deferral policy at the time.

Despite not being able to run so soon postpartum, Power entered the 106-mile event with a view to starting and maybe walking the first 10km.

Yet 43.5 hours after setting off she completed the challenge, that included 10,000m of climbing, inside the cut-off time, walking the whole way except for a short stretch after one of the highest points when she was worried she might get hypothermia. She crossed the line with then three-year-old Donnacha.

That moment is one she looks back on with immense pride, though it was a photograph of her taken with her younger son that day that would inspire what followed.

French photographer Alexis Berg was at UTMB photographing the 2018 race, as he is at many ultra events. And it was at one of the refuelling stations that he saw something he had never previously seen at one of these events.

"I knew it was unusual. At that moment it was impossible to realise the photo would have such an impact, but I just pushed one button that day and everything else that has happened is because of Sophie," he said.

What he captured was Power sitting down and breastfeeding her baby son during a break from the race.

"That photo has undoubtedly changed the course of my life. I worked out I should never have been on that start line," she said.

"I should have been given the opportunity to complete that kind of dream race when I was fit and healthy, not three months postpartum, trying to go 106 miles around a huge mountain by breastfeeding my baby. It was crazy."

Alexis Berg's photograph of Power breast-feeding her three-month-old son, Cormac, at UTMB went viral in 2018

Power wanted to ensure returning mums did not face the same choice and put their bodies through the same risk as she had done.

She founded the charity SheRaces with the core aim of breaking down barriers preventing women from entering events alongside men and safeguarding returning mothers.

After the photo went viral, many male directors contacted her almost immediately to say they had added pregnancy deferrals to their programmes and expressed embarrassment that it was something they had not thought of before.

She engaged with more than 2,000 women to find out what prevented them from getting on the start line of races alongside men.

Her research went far beyond elite level sport. Power is not a professional athlete herself and her real passion is for other women and girls who had been like her.

"Girls drop out of sport at such a high rate. There's a massive dream deficit for girls compared to boys," she said.

Power believes a big reason for this is the language used when promoting sports and sporting events.

"It's 'hardest, toughest, baddest', and for a lot of women that's quite off-putting," she said.

"How do we redesign sport in a female lens? Can we make sure that the opportunities for girls are tailored to them, and what they want and sports provided in the right places in the right way?"

The result of her research was a set of nine principles that organisers could commit to in order to make their events more inclusive for women.

These included adapting the use of language and imagery on websites to reflect and appeal to female runners, changing cut-off times, providing female toilets, period products, changing facilities and event T-shirts made specifically for female entrants, rather than unisex ones for all, and a safeguarding and harassment policy.

Criteria for elite races includes equal exposure for the female race on social media coverage and prizes for female competition.

Power has seen change in some of the world's biggest races.

UTMB's policy,externalsince 2023 for some of its marquee events entitles those who are pregnant, have a pregnant partner or are adopting or birthing via surrogacy to a full refund and priority re-entry for up to five years.

But she says there is still a long way to go.

Assefa sets women's record as Sawe wins men's race

London Marathon breaks world record for most finishers

'Finish lines not finish times' at London Marathon

The London Marathon had a world record number of finishers in 2025, surpassing the previous record of 55,646 set by the New York Marathon in November

The New York, Boston and London marathons now all have pregnancy deferrals in place, yet mothers must pay the entrance fee for a second time when they use the deferral scheme, she said.

Her organisation's criteria requests races to implement a two-year deferral to allow people enough time to recover fully from their pregnancies.

"The majority of races are commercial, it's a business. If they can get more people on their start lines then they're going to do it and the purpose of the guidelines is they're almost non-cost. It's a no-brainer," she said.

"There are a lot of brands out there who say they are pro-women, yet they're sponsoring women's races that don't have pregnancy deferrals, that don't treat women equally.

"And then there are dinosaurs, they don't value the voice of female athletes.

"Then there are races that still need to make improvements, I put London Marathon in that bracket. They have listened to us, they are phenomenally inclusive, they've got loads of initiatives that they put out for diversity on their start lines, but they still want to make women pay twice for their place when they have a baby.

"I've definitely lost faith in some race organisers because of it but so many are changing and becoming better. You always feel like you fail at the battles you don't win but we're winning so many battles and driving so much change."

TheLondon Marathon's policy,externalallows entrants to defer for up to three years after giving birth. The event's organisers did not respond when asked why users of the deferral system must pay their entrance fee again.

What is Couch to 5k and how do I start?

Power suffered from hallucinations while on a world record-breaking ultramarathon across Ireland

As the scale of her work and its influence has grown, Power's propensity for testing her physical limits has grown with it.

She is now the holder of two Guinness world records – becoming the fastest woman to run the length of Ireland, last year.

Power completed the gruelling 340-mile route in three days 12 hours and eight minutes, smashing the previous record set by Mimi Anderson by more than three hours.

The route took her through Munster, where husband John was born, and to County Cork, where many of the Power family live, running through torrential rainfall, experiencing the early stages of sun stroke and sleeping for little more than two hours, while sustaining herself on a diet of jam-filled tortilla wraps, gels, chews and ice cream.

Her tongue was burned after two days of eating nothing but fruit and sweets. She pushed herself to the brink of total exhaustion.

"I was seeing nativity and Christmas scenes everywhere in this town. And all the trees had turned into plastic. The hallucinations were phenomenal, crazy," she said.

She has since gone on to set a second world record for thelongest distance covered on a treadmill by a female in 48 hoursand will be hosting her own women-only ultra races in the Peak District in August.

So how will she know when she has achieved what she set out to do?

"My ultimate goal for SheRaces is that we don't exist because it's not needed anymore and every woman is able to get on the start line," she added.

"Part of the reason I created it was to have something that wasn't just me and was owned by all women. We can all help each other and demand fairness."

Power completed the 84-hour Ireland challenge with just short 20-minute naps on the roadside

Seven months after beating Exeter 37-34 to win their fourth Premiership title in five years, Saracens were relegated to the Championship for repeated salary cap breaches

Andrew Rogers has lots of pieces of technology to help him. A Batphone-style hotline isn't one, though.

"It is not a case of having a red phone in the corner that lights up," says Rogers, the Premiership's salary cap director.

Instead, whistle-blowers concerned a club might have breached the £6.4m cap on players' pay sound the alarm in more subtle ways.

"I've worked in rugby for nearly 20 years," says Rogers, who set up the agent registration scheme at the Rugby Football Union (RFU) earlier in his career.

"It is a social sport and it is very valuable having a trusted network of individuals and people who will talk to you.

"It can be very informal. That is one of the joys of it – how you obtain information, how you assess it and understand the value of it, whether it's credible."

The Premiership has had a salary cap since 1999, with the aim of keeping the league closely fought and sustainable.

For owners with deep pockets and a yearning for success, though, it can be an irritation.

When it emerged in 2020 that Saracens' dominance, titles and star-studded squad were underpinned by payments that breached the cap, their lawyers claimed the whole concept was unenforceable under competition law.

The challenge was dismissed, Saracens were demoted and Rogers was given new, wider powers to catch the next club that might try it.

'The most remarkable scandal in the domestic game'

"There is a saying 'never waste a crisis', and that judgement against Saracens was a big springboard to enhance the whole system," he says.

He now has an ocean of data to dive into.

Copies of players' contracts, image rights deals and other employment arrangements are sent to Rogers within 14 days of being signed.

Every year, every club makes a declaration – signed off by the chief executive, director of rugby and other top officials – confirming how they reward players.

Every player also fills in an annual return detailing what they earn, their living arrangements, any companies they are involved with and information about their bank accounts.

Rogers and his team have full access to all club accounts over the past five years to audit those claims.

The numbers are then cross-checked against words.

Rogers interviews more than 40 officials and players from across the league, digging further into their finances and ferreting out any inconsistencies.

But he knows it is still not enough. His prying eye has to extend further.

"A lot of the time the stuff that's really going on is 'off book'," he says.

"We can do all these brilliant things 'on book' and all the audits, but you know where someone is saying 'listen, I'll make sure you get this', that's more likely to be through a conversation via a WhatsApp or an email.

"That was one of the things that came out of Melbourne Storm case back in 2010 – the Australian rugby league team who had a big salary cap 'rort' as they call it there.

"There were lots offake emails,externalcreated to try and cover tracks."

When they extend their investigations, Rogers and his team will harvest data from players and officials' phones, searching for key terms that might refer to illicit, undeclared payments.

"It's really key," he says. "We will be looking at messages between agents, owners and players etc and it's a very, very helpful and insightful medium."

Sometimes Rogers doesn't need a tip-off to spark a more in-depth probe. A club can bring suspicion on themselves.

"I look at the total value of a contract and consider whether it I would deem it market rate for that player," says Rogers.

"We have a database of salaries and information, and I can slice and dice it depending on a players' age, position, experience, be it international or Premiership.

"So if there's a 25-year-old scrum-half who has played 40 games in the Premiership and has got two international caps, where does he sit with other people within that kind of range? Is there an issue there or not?"

For some clubs, there clearly isn't. Many in the league are operating well under the cap. Last year's champions Northampton haveargued for a reduction.

Bath, runaway leaders at the top of this season's standings and favourites to win their first English title in 29 years on Saturday, seem to be running closer to the line.

The depth and quality of their squad, which will be augmented by the signing of England wing Henry Arundell and Gloucester full-back Santiago Carreras this summer, is marked.

Steve Diamond, Newcastle's director of rugby, said this season that they had done"magnificently"

Bristol counterpart Pat Lam estimated that Bath had spent several million pounds more on their squad than the Bears could muster.

Rogers says all 10 Premiership clubs are in communication with him to ensure they do not run the risk of beefed-up punishments that now include relegation and the removal of titles.

"There are a lot of clubs who will be in almost daily contact with me, checking things and making sure what they're doing is right and wanting to make sure that any approach is appropriate and compliant within the regulations," he says.

"The clubs will talk to me a lot, whether they're way off the cap or they're very close to it."

Clubs can squeeze more talent under the limit by distributing pay unevenly across the course of a contract.

They might choose to backload a new deal in the knowledge that another high-earner will be off the books by the time it comes to pay up, flattening out their spending and staying the right side of the cap.

Credits for homegrown and international players also give them licence to spend more.

"Modern governance for me involves helping people work in the system," says Rogers.

"It's no longer the days where you set write a set of regulations, leave them on the shelf and then when low-hanging fruit happens, you dust off the book and take inappropriate action.

"This is about effective monitoring, good communication, support and education for those working within it and then constantly evolving the system to make it right for your own sport."

On Friday he will get a chance to compare notes.

In London officials in charge of financial regulations across 20 different sports will get together to talk about how they chase cheats.

Among them will be representatives from football's Premier League, EFL, Uefa, the Women's Super League, Major League Soccer and La Liga, officials from the three biggest American sports leagues – American football's NFL, basketball's NBA, baseball's MLB – and figures from motor racing's Formula 1 and FIA.

"I speak to them a lot individually, but this is the first time we're all getting together, which is really exciting," says Rogers.

Samuel Gauthier will also be there. Rogers' counterpart from France's Ligue Nationale de Rugby has been busy.

In March,Toulouse were fined 1.3m euros (£1.1m),externalover undeclared financial help they gave France full-back Melvyn Jaminet to buy himself out of his contract at Perpignan and ease a move to the six-time European champions.

Melvyn Jaminet joined Toulouse in 2022 before leaving for Toulon the following year

Gauthier and Rogers meet at least twice a year, in Paris or London, and are close to formalising a data-sharing agreement that will help them compare contracts for a player swapping the Premiership for the Top 14 or vice-versa.

However, one question that Rogers, Gauthier or anyone at Friday's summit can never be sure of is their hit-rate.

How much financial sleight of hand evades their detection?

"The system is now really robust," says Rogers.

"Look at all the different information we get on a weekly and seasonal basis and the incredible set of tools we have – examining tax returns, bank statements, phones, emails and Whatsapps – if we need to go in and do a proper investigation on a club.

"All that goes a long way to reduce that risk.

"It would be foolish to say we're pretty confident there's nothing else going on – we've always got to keep an eye on things – but the system is in a strong place."

Defensive systems, innovative tactics, technology, communication and a bit of old-fashioned human nous – the spreadsheet contest isn't that different from what happens on the pitch.

Listen to the latest Rugby Union Weekly podcast

Aaron Rodgers joined the Pittsburgh Steelers in time for the mandatory section of their off-season training programme

When Aaron Rodgers arrived at the New York Jets in 2023, he joked about theirsole Super Bowl trophy "looking lonely".

The Jets went all inon the NFL's four-time Most Valuable Player, who was expected to transform them into championship contenders.

The vibe was very different on the veteran quarterback's first day with the Pittsburgh Steelers on Tuesday.

Rodgers played down talk of a Super Bowl run while head coach Mike Tomlin said "we'll make no bold predictions".

And that seems to suit Rodgers just fine as the 41-year-old prepares for his 21st and possibly last season in the NFL.

After being releasedfollowing a disappointing second season with the Jets, Rodgers spent months considering his future and said in April that "retirement could still be a possibility".

He has chosen to play on but not for his football legacy. In 18 years with the Green Bay Packers, Rodgers ensured he will head into the Hall of Fame as one of the NFL's greatest quarterbacks.

Since winning the 2011 championship, a second Super Bowl ring has eluded him, but Rodgers said on Tuesday that challenging for another is not his main motivation.

It is not money either. His one-year deal with Pittsburgh is worth $13.65m (£10m) – one of the NFL's lowest annual salaries among guaranteed starting quarterbacks.

He still feels fit enough too. Rodgers' first season with the Jets was written off by a torn Achilles but he started every game in his second and currently "feels good" physically.

He kept the Steelers waiting because he needed time to deal with his personal life, which herevealed on Tuesday included getting married.Now he is ready to focus on football again.

"For my ego, I don't need to keep playing," he said. "A lot of decisions I've made over my career and life from strictly the ego – even if they turn out well – are always unfulfilling.

"But the decisions made from the soul are usually pretty fulfilling, so this was a decision that was best for my soul. This is about the love for the game."

Rodgers agrees Steelers deal to extend NFL career

Jets 'failed as a team' during Rodgers stint – Williams

Pittsburgh have struggled at quarterback since two-time Super Bowl winnerBen Roethlisberger retiredafter the 2021 season.

Justin Fields and Russell Wilson shared the role last season, and despite a positive start, the Steelers lost their last five games and bowed out in the first round of the play-offs.

Both then left – Fields replaced Rodgers at the Jets – while the Steelers brought in back-ups Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson, and sixth-round draft pick Will Howard.

They still needed an obvious, experienced starter, and they left the door open for Rodgers, who remained in regular contact with coach Tomlin.

Some felt Rodgers had too much of a say in who the Jets recruited and how they played, but he showed some humility on his first day with the Steelers, saying he believes in Tomlin.

"I just want to be a servant leader here, pass on the knowledge I have, and try to fit in with the guys," he added.

Rodgers is the NFL's oldest active player and will replace Roethlisberger as the Steelers' oldest-ever player.

After trying several quarterback options in recent years, Tomlin is ready to put his trust in Rodgers' experience and leadership. "Read his resume," he said.

Russell Wilson (left) and Justin Fields (centre) have made way for Rodgers to work under Tomlin (right)

Strong defences have played a major part in Pittsburgh's six Super Bowl wins and that remains a hallmark of the current team.

The Steelers made a big move on offence in March bytrading for Seattle receiver DK Metcalf,who trained with Rodgers in the off-season, but they then allowed both their leading receiver and running back from last season to leave – George Pickens and Najee Harris.

Since winning back-to-back MVPs in 2020 and 2021, Rodgers' stats have been in decline but ESPN analyst Stephen A Smith said: "He's still got a little something left and it's going to be better than anything we've seen in recent memory. Give them a chance".

Ryan Clark, who played in Pittsburgh's last Super Bowl success in 2009, said that Rodgers is "an upgrade but no longer elite" and that his arrival is "the worst-case scenario".

He and ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky believe the Steelers will not make an impact in the play-offs but will "not be bad enough" to secure an early pick in next year's draft, meaning they will miss out on a potential franchise quarterback.

Tomlin is the NFL's longest-serving current head coach and the team has not had a losing record in his 18 seasons in charge, however, Pittsburgh have not won a play-off game since three-time Super Bowl winner Patrick Mahomes was drafted by AFC rivals Kansas City in 2017.

If Pittsburgh can emerge from arguably the NFL's toughest division and gain a long-awaited play-off win, surely the Tomlin-Rodgers pairing would be deemed a success.

Scotland-Williamson on life at Steelers under coach Tomlin

Vikings will bring 'best on the planet' to Dublin

Rodgers said in his documentary on Netflix last year that "I don't feel like I need to prove anything to anybody but myself".

But if this is to be his final year in the NFL, the schedule has provided plenty of opportunities to get the last laugh against his friends and foes.

The Steelers visit the Jets in week one andhost Ireland's first NFL game on 28 Septemberagainst the Minnesota Vikings, rivals of Green Bay and one of three teams that spoke with Rodgers in the off-season.

Pittsburgh welcome the Packers in week eight and the Steelers will visit both of Green Bay's other divisional rivals, Chicago and Detroit.

Two of the NFL's best quarterbacks are in Pittsburgh's division, the AFC North, so Rodgers could play two games against both Lamar Jackson (Baltimore) and Joe Burrow (Cincinnati), and he is set to face last season's MVP, Josh Allen (Buffalo).

"I just want to have fun," Rodgers added. "I want to go out still knowing I can do it, playing good football, and if that comes with a championship win, fantastic."

Watch: General Manager of NFL UK & Ireland Henry Hodgson says Croke Park game will be a 'great match-up'

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The 2025 Royal Ascot festival starts on Tuesday, 17 June, and ends on Saturday, 21 June.

Taking place at Ascot Racecourse in Berkshire, the earliest roots of racing's most glamorous festival date back as far as the 18th century.

Around 250,000 spectators are set to attend across the five days that will see 35 races, including eight Group One contests.

Starting with the Queen Anne Stakes, Tuesday's opening day also includes the King Charles III Stakes and St James's Palace Stakes.

The Richard Hannon-trained Rosallion heads into the Queen Anne among the early favourites.

Leading jockey Ryan Moore is on Believing for trainer George Boughey in the King Charles III, while 2,000 Guineas winner Ruling Court and Field Of Gold are due to renew rivalry in the St James's Palace Stakes.

Racing ready for 'biggest five days'

Royal Ascot is known as being the most glamorous week of the horse racing calendar

Starting from Tuesday, the first of the seven races on each day of Royal Ascot take place at 14:30 BST, with the last starting at 18:10 BST.

Across the festival, a total of £10m prize money will be split across the 35 races.

There will be updates on BBC Radio 5 Live, and reports, racecards and results on the BBC Sport website and app.

BBC Radio Berkshirewill have a dedicated programme each day, with live commentaries from 14:00 to 16:45 BST – and until 18:00 on Saturday.

Sunshine is forecast, with temperatures expected to reach as high as 27C on Saturday.

The official going for the start of the meeting is expected to be good to firm.

What is the 'going' in horse racing?

14:30 Queen Anne Stakes (Group 1) one mile

15:05 Coventry Stakes (Group 2) six furlongs

15:40 King Charles III Stakes (Group 1) five furlongs

16:20 St James's Palace Stakes (Group 1) one mile

17:00 Ascot Stakes (Handicap) two miles, four furlongs

17:35 Wolferton Stakes (Listed) one mile, two furlongs

18:10 Copper Horse Stakes (Handicap) one mile, six furlongs

14:30 – Queen Mary Stakes (Group 2) five furlongs

15:05 Queen's Vase (Group 2) one mile, six furlongs

15:40 Duke Of Cambridge Stakes (Group 2) one mile

16:20 – Prince Of Wales's Stakes (Group 1) one mile, two furlongs

17:00 Royal Hunt Cup (Handicap) one mile

17:35 Kensington Palace Stakes (Handicap) one mile

18:10 Windsor Castle Stakes (Listed) five furlongs

14:30 Norfolk Stakes (Group 2) five furlongs

15:05 King George V Stakes (Handicap,) one mile, four furlongs

15:40 Ribblesdale Stakes (Group 2) one mile, four furlongs

16:20 Ascot Gold Cup (Group 1) two miles, four furlongs

17:00 Britannia Stakes (Handicap) one mile

17:35 Hampton Court Stakes (Group 3) one mile, two furlongs

18:10 Buckingham Palace Stakes (Handicap) seven furlongs

14:30 Albany Stakes (Group 3) six furlongs

15:05 Commonwealth Cup (Group 1) six furlongs

15:40 Duke Of Edinburgh Stakes (Handicap) one mile, four furlongs

16:20 Coronation Stakes (Group 1) one mile

17:00 Sandringham Stakes (Handicap) one mile

17:35 King Edward VII Stakes (Group 2) one mile four furlongs

18:10 Palace Of Holyroodhouse (Handicap) five furlongs

14:30 Chesham Stakes (Listed) seven furlongs

15:05 – Hardwicke Stakes (Group 2) one mile, four furlongs

15:40 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (Group 1) six furlongs

16:20 Jersey Stakes (Group 3) seven furlongs

17:00 Wokingham Stakes (Handicap) six furlongs

17:35 Golden Gates -Stakes (Handicap) one mile, two furlongs

King Charles III and Queen Camilla are regulars at Royal Ascot

While there has been no official confirmation of what days King Charles and Queen Camilla will be at the meeting, they are expected to attend.

Their horse Reaching High, trained by Willie Mullins, is set to run in the Ascot Stakes on Tuesday.

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ICC World Test Championship final day four highlights: South Africa v Australia

"Surely, we can't mess this one up?" Shaun Pollock said as the lift at the Lord's media centre plummeted downwards shortly after stumps on day three.

The fact the former South Africa captain, here on commentary duties, felt even the slightest tinge of nervousness after a day of batting domination offers an insight into the cricket psyche of his country.

In other words, there stillwasa chance the Proteas -who carried the moniker as professional sport's biggest chokers- could somehow contrive to make a dog's dinner of scoring 69 runs to win the World Test Championship (WTC).

Aiden Markram resumed on an unbeaten century but like many of his team-mates, had a restless night at their London hotel pondering how things might pan out.

Even the sleeping tablets he took could not help him switch off.

It's hard to imagine their opponents, Australia, suffering from the same chronic lack of self-conviction. From this position, they would have peacock-strutted to the line.

Australia's players saw it as an opportunity, too.

They picked at this particular South Africa scab with their verbal armoury of salty snipes when a tense chase began.

"Whilst we were batting, we could hear the Aussies using that dreaded word, choke," South Africa skipper Temba Bavuma told BBC Test Match Special.

"It's been years since we've overcome a final, we've been etched in history. Now we're part of something that has never been done."

There's no doubt the weight of history – before South Africa managed towrap up this five-wicket winover Australia – weighed heavily.

Emotional Maharaj on 'special' South Africa victory

In 18 previous one-day international and T20 World Cups, South Africa's men's team have reached a solitary final, having lost 10 of their 12 knockout matches across both competitions.

Strictly speaking, South Africa's menhavewon global events before. Although it's debatable whether you can class them as major.

They lifted the inaugural 1998 ICC Knockout Trophy in Bangladesh – the tournament was later rebranded as the Champions Trophy by the International Cricket Council.

Earlier that same year, South Africa defeated Australia in the final of the Commonwealth Games played in Malaysia.

Althoughhaving netted in underground car parksin Kuala Lumpur and been fascinated by the the size of Jonah Lomu's lunch, perhaps the tournament was approached in a more leisurely fashion.

This was just the third iteration of the WTC, but you only had to witness the number of Saffers who came through the gates at Lord's, and the tears from Keshav Maharaj afterwards, to sense what going from chokers to champions felt like.

"It would be great to never hear that word [choke] again, that's for sure," said Markram, who went to the stands and downed a pint of beer with an old school friend to celebrate.

"To have got the job done and to get rid of that, it's a big thing for this team."

Australia's sledging perhaps masked some of their own struggles as they build towards hosting an Ashes series against England, with captain Pat Cummins hinting changes could be afoot for a forthcoming tour to West Indies.

"We've obviously got a team here that got us to the final so it's about when do we feel it's the right time to change," Cummins, 32, said.

"After this Test match, everyone is thrown back into the conversation so it's a bit of a reset. It's probably more for me and the selectors to sit down and map it out."

When Bavuma walked into the post-match news conference and carefully placed the glittering mace – the prize awarded to the WTC winners – down on the table in front of him, the significance of the moment was not lost.

It is more than three decades since South Africa's cricketers were readmitted to the international fold following the sporting boycotts established by the Gleneagles Agreement.

Bavuma is South Africa's first black African batter, first black African to score a Test century, as well as the country's first black African captain.

He is now the first South African to win a major ICC trophy, and follows in the footsteps of Siya Kolisi, South Africa's black double World Cup-winning rugby union captain, in breaking barriers.

Bavuma spoke in depth inan interview with BBC Sportbefore the WTC about South Africa's post-apartheid era of sporting transformation.

He is a humble and quietly spoken leader in the dressing room, dovetailing with the subtle acumen of head coach Shukri Conrad.

In many ways Bavuma embodies a group of South African players who might lack some of the stardust of previous teams but showed here they have character, depth and unity.

With a beaming smile in the aftermath of this victory at Lord's, the joy on Bavuma's face was clear.

"It's a chance for South Africa to be united. We've got a cause where we can put aside our differences and enjoy it," Bavuma added.

"We are unique in a lot of ways, our present and future is shaped by our past. It is a chance for us to rejoice in something, forget our issues and come together."

South Africa may be World Test champions but have no home men's matches in the longer format scheduled for 2025-26.

Markram said its primacy in the country should never be questioned.

"It's always been my most important and most favourite format. Naturally, playing fewer games is not really on us, it's just sort of the cards you get dealt," he said.

"But it's really important, in my opinion, to keep Test cricket as the number one in South Africa."

Is Test cricket financially sustainable?

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Florian Wirtz has agreed a club-record £100m move to Liverpool

"His name is going to go stratospheric in the next season or two."

Going by the words of German football expert Raphael Honigstein, Liverpool's club-record£100m capture of Florian Wirtzcould prove one of the deals of the summer.

The 22-year-old German attacking midfielder has agreed a deal to sign for the Premier League champions in a package that could eventually be worth a British record £116m.

"He will bring a lot of class and poise," Honigstein added on BBC Radio 5 Live. "He is more or less the fully-formed article.

"He has played for Leverkusen and Germany so knows the demands that are on him, but still, he will have to adjust to the pace of the Premier League and the more physical way.

"Opponents will try to negate his influence and that might prove a challenge, but he is young enough and good enough. He is not easily intimidated and stands up strong to the challenge. You are buying a superstar."

Wirtz made his top-flight debut aged 17 for Bayer Leverkusen in May 2020 and just 19 days later he became the then-youngest goalscorer in Bundesliga history against the might of Bayern Munich – a club who were also in contention for his signature this summer.

Since making his debut for Leverkusen, Wirtz has provided 44 assists in the Bundesliga, ranking him third of all players – but everyone else in the top five is at least 29 years old, indicating his high ceiling for development.

He will become the second player Liverpool have bought from Leverkusen this summer, with right full-back Jeremie Frimpong having arrived in a £34m deal.

The Reds will now turn their attentions to securing a deal for Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez, with talks taking place about a deal of between £45m-£50m.

"The key factor was, unlike other clubs, Liverpool presented a really thought-out vision," said Honigstein. "A very clear vision of how and where he will play.

"At Bayern, it was very difficult to fit him in alongside Jamal Musiala, at Man City they haven't had that central player. I don't think any club came near when representing the ultimate package and vision."

But with a multitude of attacking options already at their disposal, where exactly will Wirtz play for Arne Slot's Reds?

Liverpool agree £116m deal for Wirtz

Where will Wirtz rank in list of most expensive signings?

Wirtz is already one of the Bundesliga's top performers at the age of 22, largely operating as a number 10 – a dynamic playmaker blessed with pace, awareness and the ability to make clever decisions at high speed.

He was the most effective dribbler of all Bundesliga players last season, both in terms of volume and accuracy while carrying the ball.

Twenty-three of his 31 Bundesliga appearances in 2024-25 came in an attacking midfield/number 10 berth, although he does tend to drift towards the left wing.

"His best position, and the position that has been earmarked him for him in talks with Arne Slot, is that number 10 central role," said Honigstein. "In a slightly reshuffled Liverpool, more Dutch and more 'Arne Slot' team.

"He will be the fulcrum in attack. A player who can pick up spaces between the line, has an eye for the killer ball but never loses sight of the goal. He can score goals himself and is very tenacious. A very modern number 10 and a player a lot of clubs wanted."

If Wirtz takes up a place in Slot's midfield, playing as a traditional 10, someone has to miss out, especially in the 4-2-3-1 formation used so effectively last season.

It's unlikely to be Ryan Gravenberch given his rise into the anchoring role, which means Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister become vulnerable.

The two share similar stats, with Szobozslai creating more 'big' chances across the season, serving up more goals and assists, and Mac Allister being the more combative of the two.

He could provide an option on the flank, but Liverpool's wide areas appear to be under lock and key. Mohamed Salah holds the right side, while Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo offer variety on the left.

"Salah will play where he plays and Szobozslai is the most interesting one, as that would be the obvious place for him to play from what we have seen in Germany," said Liverpool fan and Anfield Wrap podcaster John Gibbons on BBC Radio 5 Live.

"But Slot loves Szobozslai, he does so much and helps Salah. You would imagine he will try and find a way to get both of them if he can."

That alternative could see Wirtz, or Szobozslai, playing in the centre-forward role in a 4-3-3, more as a false nine – a system and formation often used by Slot's former side Feyenoord, which sees the central striker dropping to receive passes and creates room for runs from elsewhere.

It was a style that Roberto Firmino built his legacy with, by dropping from forward positions into areas where he could link play, thus allowing the relentless Salah and Sadio Mane to prosper from wide berths.

The output of Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez perhaps points to the central-attacking area being the one where Liverpool lack a man in form.

"Liverpool with number nines hasn't worked," added Gibbons. "This is an alternative, to instead play someone occupying that role but playing a bit deeper and allowing Salah and Diaz to fill that void.

"Paris St-Germain impressed everyone playing that way. They did it with Ousmane Dembele up top, who is not really a striker, and they had flying full-backs.

"We have brought Frimpong in and it looks like Kerkez will be next, so maybe he's looking at PSG and modelling on that."

Pick your Liverpool XI for next season below. We have included both Wirtz and Kerkez in the available squad, with both set to be at Anfield next season.

What 'full package' Wirtz would bring to Liverpool

Wirtz and Kerkez next? Why Liverpool are spending big

Wirtz has 31 caps for Germany and was influential in Leverkusen's undefeated run to a historic first Bundesliga title in 2023-24, creating an unrivalled 70 chances from open play.

It was particularly sweet for a player whose previous campaign – and dreams of playing at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar – were wrecked by recovery from an ACL injury that ruled him out for 10 months.

His excellent form continued into the 2024-25 season, ranking second of all Bundesliga players for assists (12), while he is highly dangerous when operating between defensive lines – across the past two campaigns he has played more through balls than any other player in the German top flight.

His rise to the top of European football firmly has been a family affair. He is the youngest of 10 siblings; his sister Juliane plays for Werder Bremen and his mum Karin is a handball coach.

And then there is Florian's father Hans-Joachim who, in his early 70s, continues to act as his son's agent, negotiating a £116m transfer deal at the same time as running an amateur football club in the family's hometown of Pulheim, just outside Cologne.

"It's a bit different when you are running a Sunday league team as opposed to leading negotiations with Liverpool," German football writer Constantin Eckner told 5 Live Sport.

"It is, of course, not typical in today's world, but it might give you a different sense of how things should work for you in your career, as opposed to when you have a really cut-throat agent who is looking for the highest profit."

Latest Liverpool news, analysis and fan views

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Daryl Gurney celebrates after hitting the double eight which sealed the World Cup of Darts for Northern Ireland on Sunday

Daryl Gurney says he hopes his and Josh Rock's victory for Northern Ireland in the World Cup of Darts in Germany can help "push on" the sport, but admits their triumph "hasn't sunk in".

The pair won a thrilling last leg to beat Wales 10-9 and be crowned world champions for the first time.

They were forced to regroup following four missed darts to wrap up the win when 9-8 ahead as Welsh pair, Gerwyn Price and Jonny Clayton, took advantage to level.

Gurney kept his cool in the decider to nail double eight and seal the £80,000 first prize amid emotional scenes and he hopes their achievement will help inspire the next generation.

"If me and Josh can help push on darts, it would be brilliant, but we've always had a brilliant standard of players," said Gurney.

"With Josh coming through and me winning in previous years, I feel as though more people are taking the chance on not just playing the game, but managers are taking note of Irish players and sponsoring them to give them that chance.

"To play in the PDC (Professional Darts Corporation), you need that funding to do all the travelling and some people are taking the chance on Irish players to find the next Josh Rock."

Gurney was speaking on Monday as he prepared to head for home and admitted there was no time for wild celebrations on Sunday night.

Following victory over South Africa on Saturday, the pair had to come through matches against the Republic of Ireland and Germany earlier on Sunday, before beating Wales in the decider.

It provided a mental test but Gurney commended his playing partner, whom he is tipping to reach the very top of the sport.

"Josh was immense, the best player in the competition for me," he said.

"His scoring was unreal, he pumped them in at perfect times. He has been on fire all year, a future world champion, future major champion and just a pleasure to play with him. He made my job a lot easier.

"We made the decisions together. He wanted to throw first and I was more than happy to let him do that."

Hitting the double eight to seal victory was a sweet moment for Gurney who had been waiting since the 2018 Players Championship for a third major title.

Out of the four players in the final, Gurney is the lowest ranked, so there were some nerves as he got ready to take out the match-winning double eight.

"Those boys have been there and done it more frequently than me over the last couple of years, so I'm still buzzing now," he added.

Tomos Williams has played 65 internationals for Wales

Scrum-half Tomos Williams hopes he and Jac Morgan can do Wales proud when they play for the British and Irish Lions.

Gloucester's Williams and Ospreys flanker Morgan are the only two Wales players in Andy Farrell's 38-man squad that will face Argentina on Friday night in Dublin before the nine-match tour of Australia.

It is Wales' lowest contingent for almost 100 years after a record run of 17 international defeats.

"I try not to put too much pressure on myself, but it is just me and Jac [from Wales]," said Williams.

"I don't want to speak for him but we are so hugely proud.

"It is such an honour to represent your country and the Lions and hopefully we can do them proud."

'Everyone has their opinion. It's the beauty of sport'

British and Irish Lions fixtures for tour of Australia

12 from Leinster, two from Wales – the Lions squad in numbers

Williams says he hopes to follow in the Lions footsteps of outstanding Wales scrum-halves Sir Gareth Edwards, Brynmor Williams, Terry Holmes, Robert Jones, Rob Howley, Dwayne Peel, Mike Phillips and Gareth Davies.

Williams was named Gallagher Premiership Player of the Season after a standout debut campaign with Gloucester.

The 30-year-old joined Gloucester from Cardiff in 2024 and helped them to a fifth-placed finish in the Premiership, narrowly missing out on the play-offs by two points.

"Being in Wales was pretty tough, especially over the last couple of years playing internationally," said Williams.

"I think the move to Gloucester helped me a lot and given me a break from the international rugby as well and it is nice to go back there.

"The way we played suited me and I have got a lot to thank Gloucester for."

Williams' performances saw him named in the Lions squad alongside England's Alex Mitchell and Ireland number nine Jamison Gibson-Park, who missed Leinster's United Rugby Championship (URC) final win against Bulls on Saturday.

The Lions will play three Tests against Australia in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney

Williams has been impressed by the approach of Lions head coach Farrell.

"I think he has such an aura around the place," said Williams.

"Everybody turns their heads when he speaks.

"The level of detail and clarity he gives you is class."

Following a warm weather training week in Portugal where he shared a room with England fly-half Fin Smith, Williams is in line to be involved in the warm-up fixture against Argentina at the Aviva Stadium on Friday, 20 June (20:00 BST).

"It is about trying to put what we worked out in the week," said Williams.

"It has been a pretty short period to get things going. Hopefully we can see how we have trained and put it into practice on the pitch and that will be half the battle.

"It is not putting too much pressure on ourselves, getting that game plan in place and playing the way we want to play."