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Sarah Rendell, Harry De Cosemo and Katie Stafford
All times stated are UK
Thank you and goodbye
That's all from us for today, as always thank you for your company.
The football season might be over, but there's still plenty to talk about as we build up to the opening of the transfer window, the FA Cup final and the Champions League final.
But for now, here's a reminder of your top lines from today:
- An epic transfer awaits
- Gbamin wants to leave and end 'nightmare'
- Williams and Brooks in Wales squad but no Lockyer
- Liverpool appoint Schmadtke as new sporting director
- Leicester fans lament 'dire' season
- Grassroots clubs could be deducted points for abusive behaviour
See you soon!
Clubs face points deductions for abusive behaviour
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Grassroots clubs in England could face points deductions under new rules designed to tackle abusive behaviour towards players and match officials.
The Football Association says the punishment will be for "repeated offences of serious misconduct".
They will apply at step seven and below of the men's game, and across tier three and below in the women's game.
FA chief executive Mark Bullingham said the new rules send out a message that such behaviour "will not be tolerated".
"We frequently hear from grassroots participants that player behaviour is a growing issue and we're determined to change this," he said.
"Unacceptable behaviour towards other players and officials will not be tolerated.
"We hope this proves to be a strong deterrent which helps to improve the culture within the grassroots game."
Deductions will range from three to 12 points depending on the number of breaches within 12 months of the team's first offence and severity of the case or cases
Raya's stat topping season
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Brentford goalkeeper David Raya was one of only four players to play every minute of the 2022-23 Premier League campaign and was a huge part of the Bees' highest top-flight finish since 1938.
The Spaniard made the most saves of any goalkeeper (154) and had the best save percentage (77%) of any goalkeeper to play at least five times across the campaign.
Raya's ability to play long passes has also suited Brentford, who played the most long passes of any Premier League side in 2022-23. Raya completed 410 long passes, the most by a goalkeeper in a season since 2017-18 (Jonas Lossl, 420 for Huddersfield).
Who made Opta's statistical team of the season?
BBC SportCopyright: BBC Sport
Statisticians Opta have come up with a Premier League team of the season using their stats from the campaign.
Five Manchester City players feature, with Erling Haaland being the most obvious to be named. Joining the striker is playmaker Kevin de Bruyne, Rodri and defenders Manuel Akanji and Ruben Dias.
Arsenal left-back Oleksandr Zinchenko and captain Martin Odegaard make the cut, with Tottenham striker Harry Kane, West Ham midfielder Declan Rice, Newcastle right-back Kieran Tripier and Brentford goalkeeper David Raya.
Read why those players have made the team of the season here
Man Utd's awards night
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
At Manchester United's end of season awards on Monday, Marcus Rashford and Alessia Russo were voted men's and women's Player of the Year.
Rashford has scored 30 goals in all competitions so far this season, with the FA Cup final against Manchester City next weekend, the first player since Robin van Persie in 2012-13 to do so.
Russo has netted 12 goals in 26 domestic games this season.
Leeds 'waited too long to make wrong decisions'
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Leeds United's hierarchy "waited far too long to make a series of wrong decisions this season", says New York Times journalist Rory Smith, reflecting on the Elland Road club's relegation from the Premier League.
On BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club, Smith, Micah Richards and Chris Sutton recalled the dismissal of former boss Marcelo Bielsa in February 2022. And, while there was disagreement on whether that was the right call at that time, they agreed that decisions since then have contributed to Leeds' drop into the Championship.
Smith said: "Leeds is a really interesting example now of what fans want. Leeds' fans bought into Bielsa 100%. They bought into the fact they would get beaten every so often, that they would look like they were doing something so unorthodox it was borderline crazy - and they loved it. They didn't care about winning the title or qualifying for Europe - that was their identity and they were willing to stand or fall with that identity.
"Bringing Sam Allardyce in, whatever you think of him, is just the ultimate completion of the football journey. All of the idealism, all of the vision, all of the dreams that you have turn into six defenders on the pitch in a game you have to win."
Get Involved - Who should your club buy?
#bbcfootball, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or via text to 81111 (UK only - texts will be charged at your standard message rate).
SMS Message: Leeds just need a keeper. A couple of full backs and a couple of centre backs, maybe four midfield players, a couple of strikers. Throw in a manager and possibly sort out the owners? Other than that we are in good shape. from Byron
Leeds just need a keeper. A couple of full backs and a couple of centre backs, maybe four midfield players, a couple of strikers. Throw in a manager and possibly sort out the owners? Other than that we are in good shape.
'It's a new final and new history' - Mourinho
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Roma boss Jose Mourinho says "history doesn't win matches" but something has to give in Wednesday's Europa League final against Sevilla.
Sevilla, record six-time winners, have never lost a Europa League final, while Mourinho has won all five European finals he has ever been involved in.
"You look at Sevilla and you say 'Sevilla wins every final'," Mourinho told Uefa.com.
"I don't like superstition. It's a new final. It's new history."
The winners of the final at Budapest's Puskas Arena will play in next season's Champions League - their only hope of doing so. Neither team can finish in the top four of their league, while Sevilla - 11th in La Liga - could miss out on Europe entirely.
"Do I know that I could become the first coach to win this competition with three teams? I really don't care," said Mourinho.
"I think of the happiness that we can give to these people [fans]."
Juventus accept 10 point deduction
Simon Stone
BBC Sport
Juventus have opted not to appeal against the 10 point deduction imposed on them by FIGC last week.
They have also struck a deal with FIGC to halt the investigation against them into accounting methods they continue to insist were fine but FIGC decided were not.
In the club's words, the settlement means 'the state of tension and instability thatwould inevitably descend from the continuation of disputes whose outcomes andtiming would remain uncertain' has now gone.
The decision means Juve will enter the final round of fixtures seventh in Serie A, although they could finish fifth and claim a Europa League spot.
Lopetegui's mid-season pre-season with Wolves
Brendon Mitchell
BBC Sport
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
Timing was everything for Wolves - even if it was "only by accident".
Wolves were bottom heading into the World Cup break, winning just two of their first 15 games under Bruno Lage and then interim boss Steve Davis.
Former Spain and Real Madrid manager Julen Lopetegui was in the stands to watch their 2-0 defeat by Arsenal immediately before the break - and his taking over as boss the following day proved decisive.
"Rather than having to find a short-term fix, the six-week stoppage allowed him time to install his ideas with the players and work on a plan for January recruitment," explained BBC WM's Wolves reporter Mike Taylor.
"Coaches taking over mid-season don't usually get the chance for an immediate pre-season-style reset.
"The evidence shows that it ironed out the bugs in the defensive programming - Wolves won seven home games after the World Cup, all with clean sheets, and the signings of Craig Dawson and Mario Lemina in January were essential to that improved organisation.
"However, it's worth remembering Wolves had approached Lopetegui as soon as he had been fired by Sevilla, the same week as Bruno Lage was sacked. At that time, Lopetegui was caring for his ailing father and demurred. A month later, with Wolves seemingly drifting, Lopetegui felt the time was right. And so it proved."
Wolves' points-per-game average rocketed from 0.67 to 1.35 for the remainder of the season - the biggest improvement of any side post-World Cup.
Did the World Cup play any part in the title race?
Brendon Mitchell
BBC Sport
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta described it as "unprecedented", former Tottenham boss Antonio Conte called it "crazy" and Liverpool's Jurgen Klopp said it made him "angry" whenever he talked about it.
Last autumn, the Premier League was bracing itself for a season like no other - with a World Cup shoehorned into the middle of a packed club schedule.
When the top flight paused for the World Cup, Arsenal were five points clear at the top.
When the season concluded, Manchester City were the champions by five points.
For Arteta and Arsenal, the facts are difficult to ignore.
Having averaged 2.64 points per game before the World Cup, they averaged just 1.96 afterwards. No other Premier League club experienced a bigger drop off in results.
And it seems to be in defence where they suffered most, conceding 1.33 goals per game after the resumption, having let in a miserly 11 in 14 games prior to the tournament.
So was momentum lost? Not necessarily, given they won four and drew one of their first five league games back.
And, having had just eight players taking part in Qatar compared with City's 16, you couldn't point to fatigue either.
Shaw signs Man City extension
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Manchester City forward Bunny Shaw has signed a two-year contract extension for the club. The 26-year-old had a brilliant season, scoring 20 goals across 22 Women's Super League games.
Shaw said: “I think here at City is the perfect place for me. I put all my effort and time on the pitch and obviously for the position I play and the quality I have around me, I know I’m going to be in positions to score goals.
“I’ve always said Manchester feels like home away from home too. I enjoy coming into the City ground every day and training with the group, vibing with the girls and I also have family here, so Manchester has felt like home ever since I arrived."
Get Involved - Who should your club sign?
#bbcfootball, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or via text to 81111 (UK only - texts will be charged at your standard message rate).
SMS Message: In my opinion, Spurs should ask United for 80mil plus Dean Henderson for Kane. Then use that money on 40mil Maddison and 40mil striker like Tammy Abraham/Mitrovic etc. Sort out goalie, and replace Kane with an actual creator and a striker. Would improve Spurs overall from Anon
In my opinion, Spurs should ask United for 80mil plus Dean Henderson for Kane. Then use that money on 40mil Maddison and 40mil striker like Tammy Abraham/Mitrovic etc. Sort out goalie, and replace Kane with an actual creator and a striker. Would improve Spurs overall
Everything Newcastle in one place
Newcastle United
You can get the latest on Newcastle's transfer links, loads of expert opinion and plenty of fan viewpoints on our dedicated Newcastle page.
You can bookmark it and come back each day. Or if you are using the BBC Sport app, when you land on the page, hit the bell icon and you'll get Newcastle notifications.
Newcastle mastering the 'dark arts'
Harry De Cosemo
BBC Sport
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
Eddie Howe was questioned over his defensive record at Bournemouth, who were relegated in his final season with them, but this season Newcastle have conceded the joint least amount of goals in the league with Manchester City.
Nine successive clean sheets earlier in the season were evidence of Howe's defensive evolution, and he has moved away from a 4-4-2, which he favoured on the south coast, to a more proactive 4-3-3 with inverted wingers.
Bruno Guimaraes dictates the play from deep, but Newcastle also employ an effective counter-press, swarming teams with their new-found intensity. That allows the defence to play a high line despite neither Sven Botman nor fellow centre-back Fabian Schar possessing great pace.
Done properly, Newcastle's approach stops teams turning them over, but the space behind the defence is covered by Pope. If teams do attack the box each defender, except Kieran Trippier, stands at over 6ft (1.8m) tall, which makes it difficult to exploit them.
There has been a concerted effort inside the club to become more streetwise and 'manage the game' more. Howe has publicly downplayed similarities to Atletico, but the dressing room has enjoyed the response they have received from certain opposition, with the 'dark arts' viewed as crucial if they are to succeed at the top level.
"We're not here to be popular and to get other teams to like us," said Howe in January after a 0-0 draw at Arsenal. "We're here to compete."
'Intensity is our identity'
Harry De Cosemo
BBC Sport
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
One mantra - 'intensity is our identity' - adorns the walls at Newcastle's training base.
When Eddie Howe arrived at the club, a number of senior players believed they were not match-fit. The 45-year-old shook up the schedule from the moment he arrived, reducing days off, bringing sessions forward to an earlier start time and setting an example by turning up for work regularly at 6am. Players were soon reporting that they were "shattered" after training.
Howe educated himself after leaving his previous club Bournemouth in 2020, observing a number of football and rugby clubs including Atletico Madrid and Saracens. He also uploaded all of his training drills on to a digital format for maximum efficiency.
During the interview process for the job, he was second choice to Unai Emery, who rejected Newcastle in order to stay with Villarreal before eventually joining Aston Villa. But Howe had already impressed with the detail of his presentation, which included a plan for individual players to help them develop. One of those mentioned was then club-record signing Joelinton.
The Brazilian's attitude was never questioned; his physicality and work-rate were tools Howe used to morph him from a misfiring striker to a combative midfield all-rounder.
Tactical instructions were made simple for every player, some who felt their Newcastle careers were finished before Howe came in, and these were reinforced daily. His methods were meticulous in detail but paid off because the players understood the simplicity of his plan and committed to it.
Get Involved - Who should your club sign?
#bbcfootball, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or via text to 81111 (UK only - texts will be charged at your standard message rate).
SMS Message: I hope Utd don't buy Kane. Stupid spending 100mil on a player to then have to spend again in two years time because he is too old. There has been far too much money wasted at Utd these last few years, let's not repeat the mistake from Andy
I hope Utd don't buy Kane. Stupid spending 100mil on a player to then have to spend again in two years time because he is too old. There has been far too much money wasted at Utd these last few years, let's not repeat the mistake
Gbamin wants to leave and end 'nightmare'
Shamoon Hafez
BBC Sport
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Jean-Philippe Gbamin wants to leave Everton and end his "nightmare" at the club, according to the player's agent.
The Toffees signed the midfielder from Mainz for £25m in 2019, but his spell has been wrecked by lengthy injuries.
The 27-year-old has played only eight games, including six in the Premier League, and is currently on loan at Turkish Super Lig side Trabzonspor. Gbamin still has one year left on his deal at Goodison Park but the player "doesn't want to come back to Everton".
Agent Bernard Collignon told BBC Sport: "We will have to find another project for him. I am the one who chose Everton for him because it would have been a stepping stone to move on elsewhere.
"He is so disappointed with everything that has happened and how things have not worked out for him.
"The reason he suffered his initial injury was because he was not fit. That is why he got injured. They had to give him time and not rush him back into action.
"The club should have let him play in reserve games to achieve full fitness and also to gain confidence so that he would be ready for the intensity of the Premier League."
Better recruitment key for Everton
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Everton must get their transfer strategy right if they are to avoid being dragged into another Premier League relegation battle next season, says Rory Smith, chief soccer correspondent for The New York Times.
After the Toffees survived on the final day of the campaign on Sunday, BBC Radio 5 Live's Monday Night Club looked at what the future holds at Goodison Park.
Smith said: "Even if you take into account Everton's financial problems and the fact they won't be able to blow people out of the water on wages, there is definitely a group of players who would want to sign for Everton, who would be convinced by Sean Dyche and who would see it as a chance to establish themselves in the Premier League - or potentially earn a move on to a top-six team.
"The task for Everton is getting those ones right, because that's what they've failed to do abysmally in the past five to 10 years.
"They've not been able to have a type of player who they can sign who they can go to and say 'we can be your springboard and we are the place for you to come and express your talent'. Dyche will have an idea of what he wants the team to look like, so they have to go and get the players who fit that pattern and sell the idea to them."
Kerr signs for Bayern Munich
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It's okay Chelsea fans, star striker Sam Kerr is staying put! It's Rangers' midfielder Sam Kerr who has signed for Bayern Munich.
The Scotland international has signed a three-year deal with the German side. Kerr said: “It's Bayern Munich, that's an opportunity I couldn't refuse.
"FCB is one of the biggest clubs in the world and the quality of the players here is great. I look forward to being a part of it and hope to be able to help the team and this amazing club in the future."
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